Week 12 Thoughts & Observations

[Tom Kessenich]

Here are some random thoughts and observations about Week 12 as I wonder what in the hell Mike Tomlin was thinking late in Sunday’s game at Seattle.

You’re two yards away from a go-ahead touchdown on the road against a team that’s been lighting you up all game and you kick a field goal?

YOU KICK A FIELD GOAL?

WTF Tomlin?

I mean seriously, WTF?

On the bright side, that fake field goal call earlier in the game was genius. Absolute genius.

That DeAndre Hopkins, Julio Jones, Antonio Brown DFS WR stack sure looked pretty damn sweet when I woke up on Sunday morning.

Ooof.

All week long I was planning on fading Hopkins in DFS since I anticipated high ownership and really liked a lot of other wide receivers this week. Then on Sunday I decided to play one more lineup and get him in since he had the matchup of the week and I figured it was best to get all those points in one lineup at least.

Ooof.

I played Russ Wilson, Jarvis Landry, DeSean Jackson, Jason Myers and the Bengals’ D in that lineup so it’s killing me I didn’t keep fading Hopkins.

Speaking of DFS, I hit on Cam, Ed Lacy, Calvin, Jordan Matthews and still didn’t cash in any of my Thanksgiving Day lineups. I’m not thankful for that.

I’ve been talking since Week 1 about how poor the Seattle secondary is so I wasn’t the least bit surprised Ben Roethlisberger chewed them up. But if you had told me he would throw for well over 400 yards without Antonio Brown figuring prominently in the production I would’ve said you were nuts.

But there was Markus Wheaton.

Yup, Markus Wheaton.

You did all start Wheaton over Hopkins this week right? Course you did.

Antonio Brown, Julio Jones, Dez Bryant, DeAndre Hopkins and Demaryius Thomas had fewer receiving yards combined this week than Markus Wheaton.

Yup

I was adamant all week that you were taking a huge risk starting Tom Brady at Denver. Depleted weapons. Offensive line issues. On the road against the best defense in the league. So what does Brady do? Drops 280 and 3 on ‘em.

Yeah, just start Tom Brady all the time.

Brady gets to face the Eagles next week. I know he might not have Gronk but I’m still setting the O/U on TD passes for him at 37.

I swung and missed pretty badly on my Brady call but at least Shaun Draughn came through for me with double-digit points in PPR again. And I did tell everyone to pick up Jason Myers if they needed a kicker this week. So yay?

Hey Jeff Fisher maybe think about using Todd Gurley in the passing game when defenses are stacking 12 in the box against him OK? Just a thought.

It’s absolutely baffling to me how adamant the Rams are about not utilizing their best offensive weapon properly. This game isn’t that complicated sometimes folks. It just isn’t.

Watching Travis Kelce dominate in the Red Zone makes it all the more mystifying that the Chiefs won’t use him there more often.

I know the Chiefs won and all but all I could do was shake my head during one play on Sunday with the outcome still in question when the announcer was saying “(Kelce) is wide open down the middle. He’s wide open” as Alex Smith dropped back and immediately put his head down and ran without even taking a look to see if … you know the tight end who’s really really good … might be running wide open down the field for an easy touchdown.

Alex Smith, ladies and gentlemen.

Gronk and Graham go down in the same week. Just a miserable year for the tight end position.

On the bright side, welcome back to the end zone Antonio Gates. You’ve been missed.

Odell Beckham’s pretty good at this whole catching the ball thing.

And now my thoughts on the mid-season finale of “The Walking Dead:”

That’s it?

And now back to football.

I wasn’t all that impressed by Brock Osweiler last week but the overtime win over New England was a different story. That was a big boy victory by Osweiler last night.

Hey look, C.J. Anderson’s relevant again.

Jeremy Hill might be too.

Crazy game this is.

I don’t know what sums up this insane season more – the fact Washington is now in first place of the NFC East or the fact the Eagles are only a game out.

So ummm Drew Brees, that wasn’t very good.

Atlanta, we have a problem with Matt Ryan. A big problem.

A report this week said there is a divide in Miami between the front office, who believe Ryan Tannehill is a superstar and the coaching staff who believe he’s just a game manager. Something tells me management is going to win this one.

Sorry Dolphins fans.

I HATE the new Extra Point rule.

I hate it.

I HATE IT.

There are few things I loathe more in this NFL season than watching missed extra points. By my unofficial count there were 327 missed extra points on Sunday. How is this making the game better? How is this making it more aesthetically pleasing?

IT’S NOT.

What’s a catch?

What’s pass interference?

Penalty after penalty after penalty.

Roger Goodell.

THOSE are legitimate issues plaguing the game. NO ONE was complaining about extra points being too easy. Viewership was NOT down because kickers were really good at converting them. Fans were NOT staying away in droves because they had become “automatic.”

Coaches aren’t going for two more often with the new rule. They’re still kicking and kickers are missing them in droves making the games more painful to watch. I HATE IT.

Please go back to the old rule. There was nothing wrong with it. The game wasn’t at risk because of it. Please put an end to this idiotic rule that is doing far more harm than good.

Thank you.

If you know which week Sam Watkins is gonna show up you’re a much smarter man than me and … well … probably everybody.

Just one week after a convincing win at Minnesota, the Packers are in big trouble again. There’s no denying the loss of Jordy Nelson and the failure of younger receivers to improve has been a problem but Aaron Rodgers is playing the worst ball of his starting career. His accuracy has become suspect and too often he is perceiving pressure in the pocket. This isn’t all on the weapons. It’s time for Rodgers to be held accountable too.

I kept telling people on Twitter Donte Moncrief was a great Buy Low for the stretch run even with Andrew Luck out. All of those receptions he had on Sunday made me feel pretty good about that call.

Not good enough to overcome the stench of my Bench Tom Brady call but at least I’m not a complete failure at this.

Calvin Johnson had 3 TD grabs on Thanksgiving, all coming in less than a quarter.

MEGATRON!

The 49ers showing signs of life with Blaine Gabbert and Shaun Draughn instead of Colin Kaepernick and Carlos Hyde is the most 2015 season thing ever.

That is until you realize Zach Miller is averaging a TD per game the past month.

Zach Miller.

No really.

Zach Miller.

It’s true.

Zach f'n Miller.

It’s become fashionable to bestow plenty of plaudits upon Adam Gase for the work he’s done with Jay Cutler and while Gase has clearly been terrific shouldn’t John Fox get some credit here too? After all Fox is … you know … the Bears’ head coach.

I lost track of all the truly awful officiating calls this week but the roughing the passer call on San Francisco’s Quinton Dial late in the fourth quarter was truly horrendous. That call likely prevented the 49ers from pulling off what would’ve been an inspired upset. I’m all for protecting players but this is football. Guys are gonna get hit. Penalizing someone for hitting another player without malicious intent should not be a penalty.

But hey, on the bright side at least we got that enormous Extra Point issue figured out so that will no longer terrorize the game and all the innocent children who are watching it.

Whew.

Crisis averted.

I know the Vikings’ passing game is pretty much non-existent but Mike Wallace does still play in the NFL, doesn’t he? Just checking.

And finally, if you started Ryan Fitzpatrick, Brandon Bolden, Alfred Blue, Doug Baldwin, Markus Wheaton, Seth Roberts and Vance McDonald I hope Rick forgot to smother you with walker guts and you get ripped apart in Alexandria.

OK, that may have been a little excessive.

But you do kinda suck.

[JETS SB]

Speaking of DFS, I hit on Cam, Ed Lacy, Calvin, Jordan Matthews and still didn’t cash in any of my Thanksgiving Day lineups. I’m not thankful for that.

Hey Tom. I think you should let the more experienced and "skillful" players do the DFS thing. I mean, it does take more skill to play DFS, right, RIGHT???

Oh wait, what is that I hear? Another first time player won $1,000,000? Yup, more skill.

[Tom Kessenich]

Speaking of DFS, I hit on Cam, Ed Lacy, Calvin, Jordan Matthews and still didn’t cash in any of my Thanksgiving Day lineups. I’m not thankful for that.

Hey Tom. I think you should let the more experienced and "skillful" players do the DFS thing. I mean, it does take more skill to play DFS, right, RIGHT???

There is skill in selecting the proper players Alan. In that respect it's just like season long. If you don't start the right players you won't do well. This isn't like poker or blackjack where you're at the mercy of the cards you're being dealt. In both DFS and season long you have control over the players you decide to start. I could've gone with Graham Gano over Dan Bailey and Matt Prater in my Thanksgiving lineups but I didn't because I tried to save some money at the K position. That's on me and if I had spent a little more for my kicker both of my lineups would've cashed.

Now if you ask me which game has more skill I believe season long does and it isn't even close. However, I do not agree with the belief that DFS is totally random and is lacking skill. There is definitely skill involved.

[JETS SB]

Speaking of DFS, I hit on Cam, Ed Lacy, Calvin, Jordan Matthews and still didn’t cash in any of my Thanksgiving Day lineups. I’m not thankful for that.

Hey Tom. I think you should let the more experienced and "skillful" players do the DFS thing. I mean, it does take more skill to play DFS, right, RIGHT???

There is skill in selecting the proper players Alan. In that respect it's just like season long. If you don't start the right players you won't do well. This isn't like poker or blackjack where you're at the mercy of the cards you're being dealt. In both DFS and season long you have control over the players you decide to start. I could've gone with Graham Gano over Dan Bailey and Matt Prater in my Thanksgiving lineups but I didn't because I tried to save some money at the K position. That's on me and if I had spent a little more for my kicker both of my lineups would've cashed.

Now if you ask me which game has more skill I believe season long does and it isn't even close. However, I do not agree with the belief that DFS is totally random and is lacking skill. There is definitely skill involved.

Agreed. I was just referring to the DFS defense that their game takes more skill than season long. I realize that DFS does take some skill.

[Tom Kessenich]

I don't agree with that position either and think it's a mistake DFS is clinging so strongly to it. To me, the analogy they should be using is the comparison with online stock trading. I think that would be a far more beneficial approach to take.

[Tom Kessenich]

I looked at the million dollar winner's lineup and other than Baldwin going nuts I don't see anything overtly lucky about the players he picked. I put Wilson, Beckham and the Vikings into one lineup (difference is I went Gurley over Peterson - whoops). Baldwin went bananas but he's been reasonably productive lately and you can throw on the Steelers so that wasn't crazy to use him. Watkins also went gonzo and you never know when that'll happen but he hardly stinks and clearly was overdue for a good game and also had a good matchup. So again, a reasonable play if you're chasing upside.

What frustrates me in DFS is when I see the people who started fourth-string RBs or fifth-string WRs and those guys go off. This person looks like he set a strong lineup with some good decisions having been made.

[RC Techies]

Playing DFS reminds me of when I used to go to the greyhound track. A few years ago I was at the Greyhound track and only had two dollars. I purchased one twin tri ticket and won the first race. I exchanged my one ticket and then watched as my three dogs crossed the finish line in the second race neck to neck. It took them about 15 minutes to figure out the results, and wouldn't you know it, my dogs finished 1-2-3 and I won approximately $25,000. Total dumb luck that I won.

If DFS is a game of skill, then how come the winning score for the NFFC entry at fanduel is always considerable below what it takes to win or even cash in the money on the other games. The people playing for the free entry are some of the most skilled fantasy players that I know.

Now if I could afford to just put in a large number of random entries, I expect I could do much better in DFS. The more entries you permit one party to enter, the more it changes the game from skill to luck. It they want DFS to be about skill and not luck, then limit the entries one party can make.

DFS is gambling. And while luck plays a factor in season long fantasy games, it can be overcome.

DFS should be regulated and licensed. If the NFFC and others continue to support DFS, they take the risk of going down the same road. I don't understand why season long fantasy games continue to support the position DFS takes.

[Tom Kessenich]

Personally, I don't believe DFS is harming the industry so I don't see a problem supporting it. That being said, I do believe the focus should be on regulation. Again, I would compare it more to online stock trading than traditional gambling.

[Old School]

I lost track of all the truly awful officiating calls this week but the roughing the passer call on San Francisco’s Quinton Dial late in the fourth quarter was truly horrendous. That call likely prevented the 49ers from pulling off what would’ve been an inspired upset. I’m all for protecting players but this is football. Guys are gonna get hit. Penalizing someone for hitting another player without malicious intent should not be a penalty.

Tom.....

The refs gave the game to Arizona. That was as bogus a call as was the hit on Brees last year. Perfect legal hit.
Time after time in this game when the niners stopped Palmer they kept giving Arizona phantom calls long enough so Palmer can run it in. ...which by the way took Palmer 10 minutes to run 10 yards

I know the Niners suck but the NFL has targeted them since the super bowl with the ravens

Time to admit the NFL fixes outcomes of games....Anyone who says not possible has their heads up their wazoos

Im no Patriot fan either, but last night it was apparent the NFL wanted the Broncos to win too

[Tom Kessenich]

I don't think the league is fixed but I agree that call on the 49ers was terrible and clearly impacted the outcome of the game. Again, I'm all for player safety but in no way was the Niners' player trying to hurt Palmer or hit him beyond the normal aggression of the game. That's yet another issue with the game that needs to be addressed. How to properly call and determine roughing the passer and personal foul penalties.

But maybe they can move Extra Points back even further next season instead.