Week 15 Thoughts and Observations

[Tom Kessenich]

Here are some thoughts and observations about Week 15 as I wonder if Odell Beckham and Josh Norman are still fighting:

OK let’s talk ODB. Both Beckham and Norman acted like petulant children on Sunday but Beckham crossed the line in a significant way when he took a running head-first leap at Norman with the clear intent to injure. The fact he wasn’t kicked out of the game was a joke. The fact Giants’ head coach Tom Coughlin didn’t remove him was an even bigger joke. Coughlin’s job is to make sure his team is prepared to play and anything that interferes with that needs to be dealt with – even if it’s a player of Beckham’s stature. You simply cannot allow that type of behavior to continue on the field.

A few weeks ago Aqib Talib was suspended one game for trying to gouge out Dwayne Allen’s eye. What Beckham did on Sunday was worse. MUCH worse. He deserves at least a one game suspension and honestly it should be a lot more than that.

But if it is a one-game suspension that means he won’t be available for his fantasy owners in Week 16. That’s Championship Week folks and no ODB is not what you want to be dealing with now.

What a sad, sorry situation.

It’s fun to bash the “Start Your Studs” approach but as we’ve seen with guys like Tom Brady at Denver earlier this season, Julio last week and Beckham and Antonio Brown (make that ANTONIO BROWN!) this week it’s just the right thing to do. Will it always work out the way you want? Nope (see Brady, Tom the last two weeks) but there’s a reason these players are great and there’s a reason why you want them on your roster.

And it isn’t to sit them when the going appears to be tough.

Don’t forget, sometimes great offensive players are the tough matchup.

Just ask the Broncos right now about Antonio Brown.

I mean … ANTONIO BROWN!

I’m not sure there was any question whether Brown was the for-sure No. 1 pick in fantasy drafts next season but if there was he put an end to any lingering questions on Sunday. That was an amazing performance against a terrific pass defense. There aren’t many times you’ll witness a single player just demoralize an entire team but that’s what Brown did against Denver. It was one of the most impressive performance you’re ever going to see.

Well done Antonio Brown.

I mean … ANTONIO BROWN!

I’m pretty sure everyone in New England is hoping like hell the Steelers miss out on a playoff berth. That’s the scariest offense in the NFL right now and whoever is second (Carolina? Arizona? Seattle?) is a distant second.

Speaking of the Seahawks, this whole Doug Baldwin catching touchdowns is now officially insane.

In his last five games Russ Wilson has thrown 19 touchdowns and no interceptions with a 143.6 passer rating. That good enough for ya, Mike Pettine?

I don’t know what the Broncos are going to do this week but if I was running the show I’d be doing everything possible to see if Peyton Manning can play this week. Denver’s season is beginning to unravel and it’s become crystal clear Brock Osweiler isn’t the answer.

Speaking of quarterbacks in over their heads I don’t know how to break this to you Bengals fans but if Andy Dalton doesn’t make a speedy recovery your season is doomed. That was an absolutely atrocious defense A.J. McCarron couldn’t exploit on Sunday. The Broncos are going to tear him limb from limb next Monday night. He isn’t prepared to take on a defense like that.

The No-RB approach looks great when you snare Dave Johnson off the Waiver Wire. When you miss out on the guys you want and end up with Shaun Draughn? Not so much.

On Sunday morning I Tweeted the following: “Could easily see a DFS lineup of Lockett, Ginn and DJax doing well today. Gotta think it'll be low ownership for DJax.”

Did I take my own advice and put them in a lineup together? Nope.

So on the one hand way to go me for seeing strong DFS value. But on the other, I’m a complete idiot for not following through on my own advice.

In my top league (which has very tight roster limits) I picked up The Tyler Lockett Phenomenon and The Ted Ginn Extravaganza this week. Pretty damn smart, right? Wanna know who I dropped? Donte Moncrief and Jordan Matthews.

So … ummm … way to go me?

Brandon Weeden could end up leading a Texas team to the playoffs after all. Your 2015 NFL season in a nutshell folks.

If you play in Week 17 leagues you could be looking at Tom Brady owners playing without their best player and Russell Wilson owners getting to take advantage of an Arizona team that likely will have nothing to play for. Gee, that sounds real fair doesn’t it?

The sign of a truly great quarterback is one who makes less-than-stellar players around him much better. That was one of the things about Brett Favre that impressed me the most over the years. Excluding Sterling Sharpe, Favre rarely played with great wide receiver talent but Favre found a way to make them great. That’s a gift and it’s rare.

Why do I bring this up? We’re seeing the same thing going on right now with Cam Newton. While Tom Brady is struggling to play at an elite level with a less-than-stellar supporting cast (other than Gronk, of course), Cam is lifting the level of play of everyone around him to almost absurd heights. Put Philly Brown, Devin Funchess, Jerricho Cotchery and The Ted Ginn Extravaganza on other teams with lesser quarterbacks and you think they’d be this dangerous? Not a chance in hell.

That’s what defines quarterback greatness and Cam is giving us a lesson right now.

Imagine the numbers ANTONIO BROWN! would be putting up this season if he wasn’t forced to play with Mike Vick for three games.

By the way, the last two games for ANTONIO BROWN! this season? Baltimore and Cleveland. What do those two teams have in common? Neither one of them can play pass defense.

Giddyup ANTONIO BROWN! owners.

It’s really sad that games when the Chiefs use Travis Kelce intelligently are like a comet sighting but unfortunately that’s where we are with Zeus.

Speaking of the Chiefs, Sunday’s game is exactly why you can never trust Alex Smith. In an A+ matchup against a terrible pass defense Smith did next to nothing for fantasy owners. The Chiefs built a big lead early and then went ultra-conservative because that’s how Andy Reid rolls. Nobody crawls into a shell with a big lead quite like Andy Reid.

Given how he tore them to shreds in the first meeting this season I really wanted to advocate Stefon Diggs as an upside play this week. I mean I REALLY wanted to. But it was just impossible given how unproductive he’s been the last several weeks and how pedestrian (and that’s being kind) the Minnesota passing game has been. So what happened? Diggs tore them to shreds again.

Should’ve gone with my gut.

I really really really really thought Phil Rivers would get TDs for Antonio Gates and Malcom Floyd in what could be their last game together in San Diego. Everything about it seemed so poetic, so perfect and so right. Instead, he was all showin Dan Woodhead the love. Sure didn’t see that coming.

Impressive defense by the Patriots on Delanie Walker’s 57-yard touchdown. No really, that’s the kind of stuff you should put on a teaching film. Free tickets to The Force Awakens for everybody.

Speaking of which …

THE FORCE AWAKENS!

I really can’t say everything I’d like to say about this film without spoiling it for everyone. So I’ll just say simply – this is Star Wars and I think that’s all you need to know.

Now back to football.

I really thought the Jags would show more at home against a fading Falcons’ team on Sunday but that was a pretty sorry-ass performance. Blake Bortles picked a fine time for a genuine stinker. His INT at the Atlanta 1 at the end of the first half was completely and totally inexcusable. That’s the kind of throw A.J. McCarron might make.

Sorry A.J. that was uncalled for.

You would’ve thrown it way over somebody’s head.

Boom.

I’ll be here all week. Enjoy the veal.

Hey look, it's No. 47 at running back for the Patriots. #BeliTricks

Watching more players get hurt on Sunday it’s truly amazing to me how anyone … I mean ANYONE … can think a 17-game season is a good idea. Is the plan to have the Super Bowl decided by each team’s third-string quarterback? That sounds like a truly inspired idea.

It goes without saying that football players are tough but I don’t know how anyone could have watched the Colts-Texans game and not come away impressed by Matt Hasselbeck. Nobody will ever say he doesn’t want to win, that’s for damn sure.

Ummmm isn’t Rex Ryan supposed to be a defensive coach? Just wondering.

I don’t know what kind of NFL quarterback John Manziel will be but I’ve seen enough to know he deserves a full season of being a starter for somebody’s team next season.

It’s two days later and I still have no idea what Darrelle Revis was thinking on Dez Bryant’s TD catch Saturday night. How can you give Dez THAT much cushion inside the 10? Aren’t you just begging for a touchdown by doing that?

And finally if you started Cam Newton, David Johnson and ANTONIO BROWN! this week did you really need anyone else? No you didn’t so enjoy your early Christmas present and shut the hell up.

[JETS SB]

You would think Odell will be suspended. The spearing of Josh Norman could have caused a significant injury. It was a "Suh" type of criminal act. Josh Norman was not innocent, but Beckham was out of his mind. He should have been ejected on the spot, but then again, Odell is a star. The NFL loves protecting their stars.

As far as the Steelers/Broncos game, you can blame Brock, but that elite Broncos defense was awful in the 2nd half. The Broncos could actually miss the playoffs if things go against them these next two weeks. That is crazy.

Cam had an amazing day and is the unanimous MVP, but his career day is tainted by a ridiculous Giants comeback and ODB embarrassing himself.

Yesterday had some of the greatest NFL games I have seen in a very long time (Giants/Cams and Steelers/Broncos) and possibly one of the best running back performances in a very long time, by David Johnson, including a highlight TD run that is one for the ages.

Lastly, I would like to comment on a few QBs who, unlike some of the crybaby (he hit me!!!!) stars, are some of the toughest guys in this league. Carson Palmer (finger completely disjointed) and Ryan Fitzpatrick (blood flowing from his forehead, still making huge 4th quarter plays and diving head first for first downs, knowing that he cannot come out of the game, or its Geno time). Say what you want about Fitz. The guy is tough and deserves to be a starting QB in this league. Albeit he has two very good receivers, the guy is a gamer.

Yesterday was an amazing day for the NFL, even though I lost all of my big leagues with Aaron (freakin) Rodgers.

[Tom Kessenich]

As far as the Steelers/Broncos game, you can blame Brock, but that elite Broncos defense was awful in the 2nd half.

One of the things I see happen far too often is defenses are given the priority when it comes to matchups. That can be true but sometimes it's the offense that is the bad matchup, no matter how good your defense is. We saw that in this game (and earlier when Brady lit up Denver). There's no question in my mind Denver's D is the best in the league and their pass defense in particular is fierce. But I think the Steelers have the most explosive offense in the game right now and I don't think there's a defense that can stop them or even slow them down with any level of effectiveness.

[JETS SB]

As far as the Steelers/Broncos game, you can blame Brock, but that elite Broncos defense was awful in the 2nd half.

One of the things I see happen far too often is defenses are given the priority when it comes to matchups. That can be true but sometimes it's the offense that is the bad matchup, no matter how good your defense is. We saw that in this game (and earlier when Brady lit up Denver). There's no question in my mind Denver's D is the best in the league and their pass defense in particular is fierce. But I think the Steelers have the most explosive offense in the game right now and I don't think there's a defense that can stop them or even slow them down with any level of effectiveness.

The Steelers had 40 completed passes. Yes they are a great offense, but elite defenses dont give up 34 points and how many dropped passes did the Broncos have in the 2nd half (Vernon Davis awful). Also, love Ben but how bad was that INT he threw near the end of the game? His defense saved him.

[Tom Kessenich]

As far as the Steelers/Broncos game, you can blame Brock, but that elite Broncos defense was awful in the 2nd half.

One of the things I see happen far too often is defenses are given the priority when it comes to matchups. That can be true but sometimes it's the offense that is the bad matchup, no matter how good your defense is. We saw that in this game (and earlier when Brady lit up Denver). There's no question in my mind Denver's D is the best in the league and their pass defense in particular is fierce. But I think the Steelers have the most explosive offense in the game right now and I don't think there's a defense that can stop them or even slow them down with any level of effectiveness.

The Steelers had 40 completed passes. Yes they are a great offense, but elite defenses dont give up 34 points and how many dropped passes did the Broncos have in the 2nd half (Vernon Davis awful). Also, love Ben but how bad was that INT he threw near the end of the game? His defense saved him.

I think Brock Osweiler did. And again why are people shocked when a great offense whips a great defense? We're so programmed to viewing the defense more favorably in matchups and I've never understood that. Sometimes it's the offense. The Steelers are the bad matchup plain and simple. They are cruising right now and I don't think any team will want anything to do with them if they get to the playoffs.

The only times I've seen ANTONIO BROWN! defensed is when Vick was the QB and against Seattle when the Steelers intentionally removed him from the game plan for most of the second half because the Seahawks weren't covering Wheaton. As long as he's featured you can't defend the guy. There isn't a WR like him in the game right now. Not Julio and not Beckham and not Dez with Romo. ANTONIO BROWN! is playing a different game than any other WR in the league.

[Money]

Danny Woodhead put up 24 total points in the previous 4 weeks combined. So yesterday I put him on the bench for fricking Ronnie Hillman of all people. Injury's decimated my RB's this season on this team. Woodhead goes off for 36 and Hillman brings home 3.6.

It's the difference between 14th and 2nd in the primetime and a distant shot at winning. As I look back on this monumental mistake I have only myself to blame. Ultimately I was just sick of watching Woodhead do nothing for a month. Who ever said this stuff was fun?

[Tom Kessenich]

Danny Woodhead put up 24 total points in the previous 4 weeks combined. So yesterday I put him on the bench for fricking Ronnie Hillman of all people. Injury's decimated my RB's this season on this team. Woodhead goes off for 36 and Hillman brings home 3.6.

It's the difference between 14th and 2nd in the primetime and a distant shot at winning. As I look back on this monumental mistake I have only myself to blame. Ultimately I was just sick of watching Woodhead do nothing for a month. Who ever said this stuff was fun?

I'm not sure I'd categorize that as a mistake even if it ended badly. Like you said, Woodhead has stunk for weeks. The matchup was great but if you were starting him you basically did it hoping he'd do well, not having any strong evidence that he would. Hillman was locked into the lead back role and although the matchup on paper wasn't superb (Pittsburgh's run D is better than its pass D) I wouldn't view the Steelers' D as one that would frighten me away from a player against them. Plus, Hillman was coming off a 7-reception game. Woodhead, meanwhile, hadn't topped 50 total yards in a month.

I'd beat myself up over something like this too, especially if there was a lot on the line. But it's not like you benched Beckham for Davante Adams. You didn't do something clearly and without a shadow of a doubt stupid. You simply decided not to start a player who essentially had been worthless (given what you expect from him) in a month.

In Week 15, I want to start players I'm confident will do well, not ones I hope can do something. It's why I dropped Matthews and Moncrief as I posted about (in addition to the fact both were injured and Matthews in particular had a truly brutal matchup on paper vs. the Horny Badger). We've reached the point of the season where we can't be throwing darts at the wall unless we have absolutely no other choice. I'll leave that for the DFS tourneys. That isn't what I want to be doing with my season-long teams that are in position to do well.

[JETS SB]

Beckham suspended 1 game by the NFL. Giants have said nothing. Coughlin says he didnt realize it was happening. Embarrassing by the Giants. I believe the giants are afraid to say anything against their superstar. What he did was criminal.

[bald is beautiful]

Beckham suspended 1 game by the NFL. Giants have said nothing. Coughlin says he didnt realize it was happening. Embarrassing by the Giants. I believe the giants are afraid to say anything against their superstar. What he did was criminal.

If Coughlin did not realize it was happening, then he needs to retire because dementia is setting in.

[Tom Kessenich]

Beckham suspended 1 game by the NFL. Giants have said nothing. Coughlin says he didnt realize it was happening. Embarrassing by the Giants. I believe the giants are afraid to say anything against their superstar. What he did was criminal.

If Coughlin did not realize it was happening, then he needs to retire because dementia is setting in.

I'd fire him today for not benching Beckham during the game. You can't let players run amok like that. I don't care who they are and how important they are to your team. This is the same head coach who essentially benched David Wilson for an entire season because he fumbled. I understand superstars are treated differently but you can't allow behavior like that to occur on your team. Beckham not getting tossed by the officials was a joke (they should be suspended for what it's worth) and Coughlin letting his star player go crazy during a game was a bigger joke.