New York Giants 17, Philadelphia Eagles 40
QB Eli Manning, Pass: 20 - 39 - 222 - 1 TD / 2 INT, Rush: 3 - 34 - 0 - Eli Manning struggled against the Philadelphia Eagles from the onset of the Week 8 contest, throwing an early interception that seemed to set the tone for the rest of the game. Manning missed open targets and sailed several deep passes, one of which found its way into S Quintin Demps' hands for another turnover. Manning had just eight completions on 16 tries by halftime as the game was well in Philadelphia's hands with a 30-7 score. Manning did find TE Kevin Boss in the first half for a touchdown on a nice touch pass at the back of the end zone, but it was one lone bright spot on a rough day for Manning.RB Brandon Jacobs, Rush: 20 - 86 - 0, Rec: 2 - 21 - 0 (4 targets) - Brandon Jacobs ran effectively often against the Philadelphia Eagles whenever he ran north and south and hit the hole hard. On several occasions, however, the big bruising running back chose to hesitate, chop his feet and sometimes even come to a stop while looking for a hole in the line. Jacobs was the workhorse for Week 8 as Ahmad Bradshaw nursed his broken foot but was healthy enough to take away Jacobs' touchdown when Bradshaw scored from one yard out. Jacobs added two catches for 21 yards which was notable as he is usually not much of a receiver.
RB Ahmad Bradshaw, Rush: 9 - 21 - 1 - Playing with a cracked bone in his foot, Ahmad Bradshaw had just nine touches against the Eagles in Week 8. Bradshaw did come in at the goal line, stealing away Brandon Jacobs' touchdown and plunging in himself from one yard out. Bradshaw had no catches and was definitely not as effective as he had been in previous games as Jacobs took the majority of the workload. Do not expect too much from Bradshaw next week as the Giants play San Diego before their Week 10 bye.
WR Steve Smith, Rec: 8 - 68 - 0 (12 targets) - Steve Smith caught the first two completions of the game from a struggling Eli Manning as Smith worked short and intermediate routes for the Giants against Philadelphia in Week 8. Smith caught eight passes for 68 yards in Sunday's loss to the Eagles. Smith led all New York options in the passing game with 12 targets and eight catches. Smith will continue to be the possession receiver for the Giants going forward and is of high value in PPR fantasy leagues.
WR Hakeem Nicks, Rec: 4 - 53 - 0 (5 targets) - Rookie Hakeem Nicks did not start in Week 8 despite Mario Manningham missing the game against the Eagles, but he did see plenty of action. Nicks grabbed all but one of his five targets, including a long 35-yard connection on single coverage in the second quarter. Nicks still looks a bit raw as one might expect from a rookie, but the talent level is higher with him than with most other options beyond Steve Smith. Expect Nicks to continue to get more and more snaps.
WR Derek Hagan, Rec: 2 - 7 - 0 (2 targets) - Wide receiver Derek Hagan caught two short passes in the fourth quarter against the Eagles in Week 8 as the Giants cleared their bench late in the contest. Hagan likely was only active due to Mario Manningham's being unavailable. The fifth wideout for New York has no fantasy value.
WR Domenik Hixon, Rec: 1 - 3 - 0 (1 targets) - Wideout Domenik Hixon served as both the kick returner and as a receiver for the Giants in Week 8 against the Eagles, even earning the official start for the contest. Despite that designation, Hixon worked more as the kick returner and third receiver with just one short pass coming his way all afternoon. With so many other options for QB Eli Manning, Hixon is not a viable fantasy contributor.
WR Sinorice Moss (3 targets) - Wideout Sinorice Moss was the fourth receiver for the Giants in Week 8, getting three chances, although not many were catchable. One ball sailed way over his head for an interception deep down field by S Quintin Demps and another one was near the end zone but well over his head in the fourth quarter. He left the game with a foot injury in the fourth quarter, but even if he is healthy next week he is not much of a fantasy factor especially if Mario Manningham is healthy.
TE Kevin Boss, Rec: 3 - 70 - 1 (9 targets) - Kevin Boss caught the only touchdown pass from Eli Manning in Week 8 as Boss worked the middle of the field for an 18-yard catch at the back of the end zone in the second quarter against the Eagles. The scoring catch was Boss' first of the year, giving home to fantasy players everywhere that Boss could see more looks in the Red Zone. Boss fought through another game after getting banged up yet again, but he should be able to go once again next week in a very favorable matchup against San Diego.
TE Travis Beckum (1 targets) - Rookie tight end Travis Beckum had one target on a short route that Philadelphia CB Asante Samuel recognized and jumped, resulting in an interception. Beckum is well behind Kevin Boss for playing time and does not see enough targets for fantasy consideration.
QB Donovan McNabb, Pass: 17 - 23 - 240 - 3 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 1 - 14 - 0, Rec: 1 - 1 - 0 (1 targets) - Donovan McNabb took full advantage of the apparent weakness of the New York Giants' defense, attacking the secondary with deep pass routes. McNabb had three touchdowns in a Week 8 blowout that put Philadelphia in first place. McNabb lit it up early, getting all three scores on deep passes in the first half as McNabb had 201 of his 240 passing yards before intermission. He spread the ball around and looked much more accurate than last week, a trend that must remain for the Eagles' passing game to remain effective. It should be noted that Philadelphia also had a great game running the ball, with both the run and the pass complimenting both facets of a strong offense. Expect more deep pass attempts next week as the Eagles face Dallas on Sunday Night Football.
QB Michael Vick, Rush: 2 - 3 - 0 - Michael Vick came in twice against the Giants to play quarterback, but his job was to just run the ball on third down on third and short late in the first quarter, picking up a first down on a four yard rush. He returned on the final drive of the game to take a knee and to hand off as he helped finish up the victory for the Eagles.
RB LeSean McCoy, Rush: 11 - 82 - 1, Rec: 2 - 10 - 0 (2 targets) - Rookie LeSean McCoy stepped in for Brian Westbrook as the starting tailback for Week 8 against the New York Giants, but he was not alone. McCoy actually split work with fullback Leonard Weaver, with each of them getting at least 75 yards rushing and averaging over seven yards per carry. McCoy burst through the front seven on his highlight run, a deceptive fake end around with draw action that had McCoy breaking free for a 66-yard run to daylight for a touchdown. McCoy has big play ability and fits well with the West Coast Offense used by Andy Reid, so expect him to get plenty of work even after Brian Westbrook returns to action.
RB Leonard Weaver, Rush: 8 - 75 - 1 (1 targets) - Fullback Leonard Weaver helped the Eagles to a strong rushing attack in Week 8's decisive victory over the New York Giants. With Brian Westbrook out, Weaver combined with rookie LeSean McCoy to put up over 150 yards as a team on just 19 carries between both backs. Weaver burst through the line for a 41-yard touchdown in the first quarter, his longest touchdown of his lengthy career. Weaver may continue to contribute given his outburst this week, but carries will certainly diminish when Westbrook returns.
RB Eldra Buckley, Rush: 2 - 6 - 0 - Eldra Buckley had two carries in the waning moments of Week 8 to close out the victory against the New York Giants. He is well down the depth chart and has no fantasy value.
WR Jeremy Maclin, Rec: 4 - 47 - 1 (4 targets) - Rookie wide receiver Jeremy Maclin started once again, and he is likely to be in that role the rest of the year for the Eagles. Maclin put up solid numbers in Week 8 against the Giants, racking up four catches on several shorter routes with a 23-yard leaping grab for a touchdown with less than a minute to go in the first half. The young pass catcher is still learning the complicated Philadelphia offense but is enough of a playmaker in a dynamic pass-first offense to be a solid fantasy contributor most weeks.
WR DeSean Jackson, Rec: 3 - 78 - 1 (4 targets) - DeSean Jackson continues to put up big numbers based on huge plays, this time scoring on a 54-yard touchdown strike from Donovan McNabb in the second quarter. That catch, combined with two others, completed his 78 yard receiving day. Jackson easily could have had more production against the Giants in Week 8 but with a sizable lead the Eagles chose to throttle down the offense and run the ball more in the second half. Jackson has scored six touchdowns this year, all over 50 yards in length. He looks to be 100% healthy and ready to perform on Sunday Night Football next week against the Cowboys.
WR Jason Avant, Rec: 2 - 32 - 0 (2 targets) - Jason Avant served as the third wideout for Philadelphia once again in Week 8, a role that he continues to perform well enough for NFL purposes but not so much for fantasy value. Avant grabbed a short ball and scampered for 28 yards in the first quarter before adding another short catch to complete his statistical day against the Giants. Avant has good size and is willing to go over the middle for the tougher catches especially on third down but does not see snaps or targets on a consistent basis.
TE Brent Celek, Rec: 4 - 61 - 1 (6 targets) - Brent Celek had another productive game in Week 8, finding the end zone on one of his four grabs against the Giants. The underrated tight end's third score of the year was the first time Donovan McNabb had connected with his starter since Week 1. Celek originally scored on a seven yard pass but lost that scoring play due to penalty, only to collect a similar pass from 17 yards two snaps later down the middle on a nearly identical route. Celek remains a solid fantasy starting tight end going forward as he gets plenty of targets in a strong Philadelphia passing attack.
TE Alex Smith, Rec: 1 - 11 - 0 (1 targets) - Backup tight end Alex Smith had one catch against the Giants in Week 8, snagging an 11-yard catch in the first quarter but that was his only target. He has no real fantasy value with Brent Celek in front of him on the depth chart.
San Francisco 49ers 14, Indianapolis Colts 18
QB Alex Smith, Pass: 19 - 32 - 198 - 1 TD / 1 INT, Rush: 1 - 10 - 0 - Smith was impressive at times, and his overall day would likely have been better had a few bounces gone his way. He played smart in his first start of the season: he spread the ball around on sustained drives, but knows that Michael Crabtree is his most likely meal ticket going forward and tried to get him the ball often. Smith had his share of highlight reel plays -- a laser beam pass to Crabtree in stride for a 27 yard pickup looked like a good sign that they were in synch together; and he hooked up with Vernon Davis for another TD (after 3 last week) -- but was also wildly inconsistent with his accuracy -- sometimes right on the button, and sometimes way off target. Smith did a good job eluding the pass rush, scrambling well but not leaving the pocket until he absolutely had to.RB Frank Gore, Rush: 13 - 91 - 1, Rec: 5 - 43 - 0 (6 targets) - Gore contributed on the ground and as a receiver. His 64 yard score was beautiful. He ran it up the middle, eluded two tacklers, and was off. Unfortunately, he never got any meaningful gains on the ground after that, and playing behind late in the game meant that he only ran the ball four times in the second half. Even so, Gore was dangerous on short receptions out of the backfield, and showed he has very good hands, catching every ball thrown to him and gaining yards after the catch on most of them.
RB Moran Norris, Rush: 3 - 4 - 0 (1 targets) - Norris was given the ball in a few key short yardage situations, but no goal line carries.
RB Glen Coffee, Rush: 1 - 8 - 0 (1 targets) - Coffee only had one carry on the day, but it was for eight yards. He remains the backup to Gore, there is clearly no time share.
WR Michael Crabtree, Rec: 6 - 81 - 0 (9 targets) - Crabtree had a good game by the numbers, and it likely will get better from here. For every good play, though, he had an equal number of rookie mistakes. He lost a fumble, tipped a pass that resulted in an interception, and bobbled a couple of short passes that were well thrown. The good is that QB Alex Smith went right back to him after a mistake, and he had a couple of notable plays. One was a nice sideline catch, where he showed that he wasn't afraid to go up and take a big hit, and on another play, Smith caught him in stride at full speed for a 27 yard gain. Crabtree was targeted a couple of times on swing passes, but didn't get much yardage. For the most part, he was getting open, and while there was good and bad to take from this one, it looks like he is already the number one target for Alex Smith.
WR Isaac Bruce, Rec: 4 - 51 - 0 (8 targets) - Bruce had the 49ers first two receptions, and was a reliable possession receiver for Smith the whole game. He could have had a couple more catches, but he and Smith just barely missed connecting on a couple of passes while scrambling.
WR Josh Morgan, Rec: 1 - 3 - 0 (2 targets) - Morgan looks to be a casualty of the Crabtree signing, though this could be a weekly blip. He was not targeted at all in the first half, while Isaac Bruce was a reliable target for Alex Smith. Coach Mike Singletary could go with whoever is hot in the rotation, but this week at least, Morgan drew the short straw. At best, he was the 5th look for Smith, after Crabtree, Davis, Bruce, and Gore.
TE Vernon Davis, Rec: 3 - 20 - 1 (5 targets) - On the first drive, Davis caught the ball on sideline but did not get his second foot down in bounds. It was a play that showed a pretty big lapse in focus, but he was reliable after that, and is obviously a favourite target for Smith, especially in end zone.
QB Peyton Manning, Pass: 31 - 48 - 347 - 0 TD / 0 INT - Manning had a frustrating day, as he passed for 347 yards but had zero touchdowns to show for it. He was nearly intercepted early on, and couldn't keep any drives going in the first half. He was sacked for the first time in five games -- three times, in fact. Manning also overthrew a good number of passes, but many looked intentional in nature, because the receiver was covered so well. The first time he moved the ball effectively was with 26 seconds left in the half, but there wasn't enough time to get more than a field goal. Manning relied heavily on Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clark when the going got tough.
RB Joseph Addai, Pass: 1 - 1 - 22 - 1 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 20 - 62 - 0, Rec: 2 - 4 - 0 (2 targets) - Addai got the start and with Donald Brown inactive, had the backfield all to himself. He always gained a few yards, and a few times looked like he was going to break loose, but against a fast defense, he was never quite able to. The Colts all but abandoned the running game in the 3rd quarter, but Addai got the call to throw a 22 yard strike to Reggie Wayne, who was wide open in the end zone. With the Colts leading, he gained a couple of important first downs in the fourth quarter. Not an amazing day, but he did have one more passing TD than Peyton Manning.
WR Reggie Wayne, Rec: 12 - 147 - 1 (20 targets) - Manning relied on Wayne heavily the entire game and he did not disappoint. Wayne was covered pretty tightly and so the Colts used him often, and uncharacteristically, on shorter routes. On a couple of deep patterns, he was overthrown and the pass was defended. This was typically what happened when Manning tried to hit him for anything beyond ten yards Wayne did manage to get his yards, though, much of them after the catch. His touchdown was a 22 yard pass from Addai, who found him wide open in the end zone.
WR Austin Collie, Rec: 6 - 66 - 0 (8 targets) - Collie continues to show that he is an ultra-reliable target underneath. He was mainly used on shorter routes, but not exclusively. When the Colts are leading, Garcon and Collie's roles are clearer, but when behind, they are pretty much interchangeable. And so, as the game plan went out the window, both became less effective.
WR Pierre Garcon, Rec: 4 - 53 - 0 (7 targets) - Garcon was looked to on deeper routes, but not exclusively. He did catch a couple of shorter passes late in the game. In general, Garcon is targeted less, but used on longer routes (which he excels at). When the Colts are leading, Garcon and Collie's roles are clearer, but when behind, they are pretty much interchangeable. And so, as the game plan went out the window, both became less effective.
WR Hank Baskett (2 targets) - Baskett had a couple of chances, but with throws that were tough to catch. He is at best Manning's 5th look, after Wayne, Clark, Collie, and Garcon. Once Gonzalez returns, he will most likely return to complete irrelevance.
TE Dallas Clark, Rec: 8 - 99 - 0 (10 targets) - Clark was his usual versatile self: With great hands, he is extremely effective out of the slot, and is Manning's second option on most plays. He was targeted twice in the end zone, but was covered both times. Clark is the guy Manning looked to in the clutch, and he did not disappoint.
Cleveland Browns 6, Chicago Bears 30
QB Derek Anderson, Pass: 6 - 17 - 76 - 0 TD / 2 INT, Rush: 2 - 1 - 1 - Anderson continued to struggle in his fifth start. He finished with only 76 yards passing, and had just two yards passing in the first half. Inaccuracy remains a problem, as Anderson rarely hits receivers when pressured and still has difficulty with touch on shorter routes. Anderson stared down Mohammed Massaquoi on a post route early and was intercepted on a diving catch by a Chicago defender. His second interception was a ball that should have been thrown away deep in his own territory and wasn't. Brady Quinn replaced him late in the fourth quarter.QB Brady Quinn, Pass: 1 - 3 - 9 - 0 TD / 0 INT - Quinn came in late in the fourth quarter and completed one pass to Mohammed Massaquoi.
RB Jamal Lewis, Rush: 16 - 69 - 0 - Lewis got the bulk of the rushing attempts. For the first time in weeks, the offensive line was able to give him running room. When a hole was there, Lewis showed a burst to get through it. He was unable to break tackles when stopped behind the line and failed to get the corner on multiple occasions when trying to bounce it outside.
RB Jerome Harrison, Rush: 5 - 19 - 0 - Harrison spelled Lewis for only a couple of series. He was able to gain yardage on one quick hitter, but was generally ineffective on his other four carries.
RB Lawrence Vickers, Rec: 1 - 4 - 0 (2 targets) - Vickers was rarely used as an outlet receiver and caught one pass for a short gain, while dropping a pass on his other target.
WR Josh Cribbs, Rush: 6 - 28 - 0, Rec: 1 - 23 - 0 (1 targets) - Cribbs was again effective out of the Wildcat package, particularly on the power sweep. Like Jamal Lewis and Jerome Harrison, Cribbs rarely had running room up the middle. Cribbs got open in the flat after a play action end around play and took a short pass up the sideline for his only catch of the day.
WR Mohamed Massaquoi, Rec: 2 - 28 - 0 (6 targets) - Massaquoi was again the Browns' most targeted wide receiver. However, he and Derek Anderson weren't on the same page on routes at times and he managed only one catch from Anderson and lost a fumble at the end of the play. Massaquoi caught Brady Quinn's only pass on a quick out late in the game for his other reception.
WR Mike Furrey, Rec: 1 - 9 - 0 (1 targets) - Furrey lined up at wide receiver rarely, with most of his playing time coming as a nickel safety on defense. He caught only one pass on the day.
WR Chansi Stuckey, Rec: 1 - 11 - 0 (1 targets) - Stuckey only played a handful of snaps in multiple receiver sets. His lone catch came along the sideline in the second half.
WR Brian Robiskie (3 targets) - Robiskie was targeted three times by Derek Anderson, but pressure and inaccurate throws prevented any completions.
TE Steve Heiden, Rec: 1 - 10 - 0 (4 targets) - Heiden returned to the lineup and was again Derek Anderson's preferred check-down option. His four targets were the second most on the team. Most of Anderson's passes weren't close enough to haul in and Heiden fumbled after his lone reception.
QB Jay Cutler, Pass: 17 - 30 - 225 - 0 TD / 1 INT, Rush: 5 - 32 - 0 - Cutler was efficient and accurate downfield, completing 20 of 25 targets to his top four pass catchers. He showed a strong arm, often fitting the ball into tight windows down the sideline and over the middle. At times, he held onto the ball a little long and his eyes went to the pass rush too often, missing open hot receivers while taking a sack. Other times, he stood tall in the pocket and took a hit while delivering an accurate ball. He was also effective scrambling out of the pocket.
RB Matt Forte, Rush: 26 - 90 - 2, Rec: 2 - 31 - 0 (3 targets) - The interior offensive line had trouble with Shaun Rogers and Forte didn't have many holes between the tackles. When he did, he was usually decisive and gained good yardage. Despite the two scores, Forte had trouble gaining ground inside the ten yard line, needing multiple carries to punch the ball over the goal line. He also failed to convert on another drive in which the Bears turned the ball over on downs on the one yard line. Forte also looked good catching the ball out of the backfield, turning a screen into a long gainer on one play.
RB Garrett Wolfe, Rush: 5 - 53 - 0 (1 targets) - Wolfe rarely spelled Forte in the base offense, but got multiple carries in the game's final drive. He ripped off 51 yards on four carries in that drive against a worn down and disinterested Cleveland defense, including a 36 yarder to end the game.
WR Devin Hester, Rush: 1 - -5 - 0, Rec: 7 - 81 - 0 (8 targets) - Hester and Jay Cutler were on the same page all day. Deep in routes, bubble screens, slants were all effective. Hester showed strong hands on an in route, grabbing a pass just off the turf for a first down. Hester was also difficult to tackle in space, often adding multiple yards after the catch. He was again Cutler's most targeted receiver.
WR Johnny Knox, Rec: 3 - 44 - 0 (5 targets) - Knox wasn't a major factor, with Devin Hester and Greg Olsen getting the bulk of the high leverage targets. Knox flashed his all-around skill on a deep sideline route in the second half, however, winning separation after a hand fight with the corner, staying inbounds and snatching a laser from Jay Cutler in-between two defenders.
WR Earl Bennett, Rec: 2 - 29 - 0 (3 targets) - Bennett was targeted only three times, but made two strong catches. Both pass plays were short and Bennett fought for a few extra yards.
TE Greg Olsen, Rec: 3 - 40 - 0 (4 targets) - Olsen provided a big target over the middle for Jay Cutler, often finding soft spots between the Cleveland linebackers and safeties. Cutler wasn't afraid to put the ball into double coverage and Olsen made sure-handed catches.
TE Desmond Clark (4 targets) - Clark was targeted all over the field, but most of his targets were rushed or were one of the few inaccurate throws from Jay Cutler.
Minnesota Vikings 38, Green Bay Packers 26
QB Brett Favre, Pass: 17 - 28 - 244 - 4 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 1 - 0 - 0 - Favre had another magnificent performance. He softened up the Packers with short passes early, and stood tall against their blitzes, which got more effective in the second half. He looked like 2007 Favre, throwing pills into small windows and destroying the Packers anytime they only brought three and he had time to survey the field. Favre wasn't getting much help from Adrian Peterson and the running game until the second half, and he was the whole offense on an early second half TD drive that opened up a 21 point lead. Favre converted a 3rd-and-17 to Bernard Berrian, and then followed with a throw to Percy Harvin in a crowd that Harvin took to the house in the following confusion. Favre was extremely effective in the red zone, and the only TD that was on a Favre pass came on Adrian Peterson's sixth carry in seven red zone plays after a long Percy Harvin kick return. Favre is in harmony with the offensive scheme, playcalling, and all of his weapons.RB Adrian Peterson, Rush: 25 - 97 - 1, Rec: 1 - 44 - 0 (2 targets) - Peterson was really bottled up for much of this game. He only scored on fourth down in the first quarter after getting six carries in the red zone, and got most of his yards on three touches - a long run in the second quarter, and a long run and reception in fourth quarter that both seemed to stop any momentum the Packers had built. He showed how he can't be kept down, even when the Minnesota offensive line is not getting a consistent push. With Favre's red zone efficiency and Green Bay's strong performance against the run (on most plays), this level of production was Peterson's floor in this contest. He still has some massive games left in him this year.
RB Chester Taylor, Rush: 5 - 12 - 0, Rec: 2 - 15 - 0 (3 targets) - Taylor redeemed himself after his miscue cost the Vikings a chance to tie or win last week's contest vs. the Steelers. He got red zone touches and acted as Brett Favre's outlet a few times. He showed good timing with Favre on a route out of the backfield to convert an early third down. Taylor has a ton of latent value as a runner and receiver between red zone touches, potential garbage time work, and explosive fantasy upside if Adrian Peterson gets hurt.
WR Percy Harvin, Rush: 1 - 2 - 0, Rec: 5 - 84 - 1 (7 targets) - Harvin continued to play an integral role in the Vikings winning ways. He had two long kickoff returns following Packers points to kill their momentum, and he also had a 51-yard catch and run on a ball that Favre just put up in a crowd and Harvin snatched out of the air. Otherwise, Harvin was catching short passes and making modest gains after the catch. He also got a carry out of the shotgun very similar to the kinds of runs he had at Florida, but it only went for a short gain. After a lull in offensive production, Harvin reminded his fantasy owners why it's worth having him in the lineup every week as long as you get credit for his special teams TDs.
WR Sidney Rice, Rec: 4 - 40 - 0 (5 targets) - You know Rice has arrived when four catches for 40 yards is an immensely disappointing game. Rice's performance was not disappointing as his numbers - he went low to get an errant Favre pass in the red zone, and he also looked very comfortable catching a Favre bullet over the middle. Rice didn't get any deep target or red zone targets, which denied him the chance to make a fantasy impact, but he was still prominent in the early game plan - these numbers represent his floor going forward.
WR Bernard Berrian, Rec: 3 - 47 - 1 (6 targets) - Berrian wasn't expected to go because of a hamstring injury, and he didn't run many deep routes or flash much speed in this one. He did catch a key third-and-long to set up a third quarter TD, and Berrian also broke a tackle to score the game-clinching TD. It's hard to picture him becoming the #1 target in this passing offense, but as the hamstring gets stronger over the bye, he'll have more big plays and his value will bounce back.
TE Visanthe Shiancoe, Rec: 1 - 12 - 1 (3 targets) - No doubt about, Shiancoe has Favre's eye in the red zone. He scored on a play that started with him split out wide deep in Packers territory. Shiancoe is not a major part of the passing offense between the 20s, but his red zone involvement will keep him startable in non-PPR leagues and deep PPR leagues.
QB Aaron Rodgers, Pass: 26 - 41 - 287 - 3 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 5 - 52 - 0 - Rodgers was let down by his offensive line today, but once again, at least two or three of his sacks were on him for holding the ball too long. He was a bit erratic early, and his poor decisions cost the Packers a chance to convert a turnover in a touchdown early. In the second half, Rodgers did settle down and make the passing game look easy when he got time to throw. He kept plays alive in the red zone, finding Spencer Havner twice for touchdowns, and he also got a long gain as a runner when the play broke down. Rodgers also made a few excellent downfield throws on the move. When the game tightened up in the fourth quarter, Rodgers relied on too many low percentage throws, and generally seemed out of sync with his receivers. Rodgers made a downfield throw into double coverage instead of making a FG attempt shorter on third and long when the score was 31-26, and after Mason Crosby's miss, the Packers didn't seem to have the same fight in their comeback bid. There is nothing wrong with Rodgers from a fantasy perspective, but he is still looking a bit antsy when he drops back, and he needs a signature comeback win to get this offense going in the right direction.
RB Ryan Grant, Rush: 10 - 30 - 0, Rec: 3 - 21 - 0 (3 targets) - Grant found no room to run against a stout Vikings defense that he had success against in the past. A few checkdown receptions kept his day from being a total loss. Touchdown passes to Spencer Havner and Greg Jennings kept him from getting red zone opportunities, but the way the line was blocking, it is unlikely that he would have done much with them anyway. Grant is only a safe start against weak competition, and you have to wonder whether Ahman Green may start to steal a touch here and there.
RB John Kuhn, Rush: 2 - 7 - 0, Rec: 2 - 22 - 0 (2 targets) - Kuhn looked good on his receptions, and got some red zone love yet again. He's the most valuable fantasy fullback in the league, but that isn't exactly anything to write home about, unless you're an angry Ryan Grant owner.
RB Ahman Green, Rush: 2 - 1 - 0, Rec: 1 - 12 - 0 (1 targets) - Green only got a few touches, but he broke a tackle on a reception, got a red zone carry, and generally ran with a decent burst and power on his kickoff returns. Expect him to get more looks going forward.
RB Quinn Johnson, Rec: 1 - 4 - 0 (1 targets) - Johnson had a few catches, but he is less prominent in the fullback rotation than John Kuhn.
RB Brandon Jackson - Jackson got in some passing downs, but his role as the backup RB seems to have been poached by Ahman Green.
WR Greg Jennings, Rec: 8 - 88 - 1 (12 targets) - Jennings had his best fantasy day of the season, one-handed catching a TD even though he had a defender draped all over him. Like Driver, Jennings got most of his targets on short timing routes that gave him a chance to create after the catch. His one deep target from Rodgers was off, and into double coverage, but Jennings hands and moves in the open field were as good as ever, and he is set up for a top 10-15 second half as long as the Packers have to lean pass heavy.
WR Donald Driver, Rec: 6 - 63 - 0 (10 targets) - Driver never had time to run any deep routes, and mostly got targeted on short timing routes. He was running strong with elusiveness after the catch, just as he has been all year. His fantasy value remains stable as a strong WR2, and he doesn't seem to be declining at all, despite his advanced age.
WR James Jones, Rec: 1 - 42 - 0 (5 targets) - Jones had a long catch and run on an improvisational play from Rodgers, and he had another catch called back by penalty, but Rodgers never really had time to calmly go through his progressions and find Jones on secondary routes.
TE Donald Lee, Rec: 3 - 17 - 0 (6 targets) - Lee wasn't targeted much except on short routes. Spencer Havner got the red zone love, so it was a disappointing game for Lee against one of the worst defenses against tight ends.
Carolina Panthers 34, Arizona Cardinals 21
QB Jake Delhomme, Pass: 7 - 14 - 90 - 1 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 1 - 7 - 0 - Delhomme finally looked good out there. For a while, at least. With the running game dominating the first half, all he had to be was efficient and he was. A perfect pass to Steve Smith for a touchdown was the highlight of his day, and playing with the lead, he wasn't asked to do much more. Delhomme suffered a chest injury of some sort in the third quarter. He appeared to be in considerable pain and took a series off before returning. Upon his return, his throwing accuracy was poor. It was difficult to tell if it was because of the injury or if he was reverting to the overall inconsistent play he has shown thus far this season. He was taken out of the game for good with ten minutes remaining.QB Matt Moore, Pass: 0 - 1 - 0 - 0 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 1 - -1 - 0 - Moore came in for one series while Delhomme was hurt. It was only for two plays, but he took a chance on a deep pass to the tight end, but just overthrew him. Moore came back in with ten minutes to go, but did not attempt a pass.
RB DeAngelo Williams, Rush: 23 - 158 - 0 - Williams was able to find a lot of room on almost every carry. While the touchdowns don't fall strictly under the 'vulture' definition, Williams essentially set up both of Jonathan Stewart's touchdowns by getting most of the carries up to that point in the drive. The two backs are not used in a strict rotation, but they spell each other often, and as a result are always fresh and running hard. As was the case this game, the Carolina running game is so dominant that both can be productive, but it's a coin toss as to who will score on any given game day.
RB Jonathan Stewart, Rush: 17 - 87 - 2 - Stewart scored two touchdown's on consecutive carries and nearly matched Deangelo Williams 23 carries, with 17 of his own. Stewart is at his best when bursting through the middle. On a couple of occasions, it took numerous defenders to take him down. He also showed he has speed to burn as well, as on his second touchdown, he bounced off a clogged interior line and ran outside for 10 yard score.
RB Brad Hoover, Rush: 1 - 2 - 0 (1 targets) - Hoover was carted off the field with an ankle injuries and was on crutches after the game. Hoover's blocking from the fullback position is a big reason why the Panthers run game is so successful. If he misses any time, this could impact the effectiveness of Deangelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart.
WR Steve Smith, Rush: 1 - 17 - 0, Rec: 3 - 56 - 1 (7 targets) - Smith doesn't appear to have lost anything but opportunity. He got open for a 56 yard catch and run that marked first TD of the season. He also gained 17 yards on a rare scamper out of the backfield.
WR Dwayne Jarrett, Rec: 2 - 22 - 0 (2 targets) - Jarrett filled in for the injured Muhsin Muhammad. He proved to be a reliable target early on, but was only thrown to twice, and not at all in the second half.
TE Jeff King, Rec: 1 - 5 - 0 (1 targets) - King had one catch early, but did not factor into the passing game after that.
TE Gary Barnidge, Rec: 1 - 7 - 0 (4 targets) - Barnidge was thrown to more than the other tight end, Jeff King, but neither was a good option in the passing game. Barnidge did get open deep for the second straight game, but he was overthrown on the play.
QB Kurt Warner, Pass: 27 - 46 - 242 - 2 TD / 5 INT, Rush: 1 - 8 - 0 - Warner equalled his career worst total of 5 interceptions. Throughout the game, he was unable to get the ball in the hands of his most dangerous weapon -- Larry Fitzgerald -- and when he was able to, it was most often for a short gain. Warner was able to move the ball effectively at times, but had the most success with the most unlikely receivers. It was when he went downfield for more yardage, to his more explosive receivers, that he got into trouble. Not all the picks were his fault, but he did get frustrated and began forcing throws into coverage, even when he had good protection. Playing from behind in the second half, Warner moved the ball well, but not easily.
RB Tim Hightower, Rush: 8 - 39 - 1, Rec: 8 - 57 - 0 (10 targets) - Hightower is a slow-and-steady type of producer and was a big part of the game plan. He had three goal line carries, including a touchdown and another that came up just short. Hightower also was used heavily as a receiver out of the backfield and caught almost everything thrown to him.
RB Chris Wells, Rush: 8 - 47 - 0 (1 targets) - Wells played the hare to Hightower's tortoise. He is faster, and a very elusive runner, but sometimes a little too elusive. Defenders would often catch up to him as he tried to make a move, instead of simply gaining the extra yard or two that is there for him. He looked impressive on most of his carries, but his fantasy value will remain limited as long as Hightower continues to be productive.
RB LaRod Stephens-Howling, Rec: 1 - 14 - 1 (2 targets) - Stephens-Howling was a threat as a kick returner, and caught a touchdown pass on a play that was clearly designed to get him the ball. It doesn't look like the Cardinals are playing him on offense more than the occasional snap, but he came through when called upon.
WR Larry Fitzgerald, Rec: 6 - 66 - 0 (10 targets) - Fitzgerald got his looks, but had a lot of trouble getting open, especially on deeper routes. Kurt Warner resorted to finding him on shorter patterns, and the fact that the Panthers effectively took that element out of the Cardinals game plan clearly hampered the entire offense.
WR Steve Breaston, Rec: 6 - 57 - 0 (8 targets) - Breaston was targeted more after Boldin left the game in the second half. Breaston had one pass called down at the goal line, and proved to be a good option over the middle. Normally he is a deep option for Warner as well, but no Cardinal succeeded against the Panthers in that department.
WR Anquan Boldin, Rec: 3 - 23 - 0 (6 targets) - Boldin was ineffective as a possession target on short and mid-range routes. It is likely that his lingering ankle injury contributed to his poor showing. He aggravated it in the second half and his status for next week is up in the air.
WR Sean Morey - Morey caught one pass for 31 yards, but it was called back on a penalty. He is only worth tracking if Boldin is out for any period of time, as he would move up the depth chart temporarily. The Cardinals play a 4-WR set so often that even as the fourth receiver, he would see the field often.
WR Jerheme Urban (3 targets) - Urban got occasional looks, but his role did not seem to expand after Boldin left the game. He bobbled a pass that ended up being one of Warner's five interceptions.
TE Ben Patrick, Rec: 2 - 18 - 1 (3 targets) - Patrick caught a TD on a designed play that took advantage of a short yardage defense, but he is not threatening to redefine the TE position in Arizona.
TE Anthony Becht, Rec: 1 - 7 - 0 (1 targets) - He was only thrown to once, but it was for a big third down conversion that he bobbled and had to make a diving catch to haul in.
Miami Dolphins 30, New York Jets 25
QB Chad Henne, Pass: 12 - 21 - 112 - 1 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 3 - -5 - 0 - The Dolphins won this one in spite of Henne. He overthrew an open Brian Hartline deep early, and also missed open receivers on more than one occasion after that throw. He held the ball too long and took too many sacks, including one that cost the Dolphins important yardage with the game hanging in the balance. He only looked good when he was on the move and throwing close to the line of scrimmage. Henne also looked mentally overwhelmed on blitzes, expect teams to continue to exploit this flaw.RB Ronnie Brown, Pass: 0 - 1 - 0 - 0 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 11 - 27 - 0, Rec: 1 - 2 - 0 (2 targets) - Brown continues to be basically worthless for fantasy when the Dolphins can't control the game and get the wildcat on track. The Jets were ready for the wildcat and threw Brown for a big loss or no gain on his runs out of the formation. He tried to throw out of it once and almost took a big sack. He wasn't breaking tackles too often, although there was a run or two when you saw a flash of Brown's brilliance. The rollercoaster ride will continue for Brown's owners.
RB Ricky Williams, Rush: 8 - 27 - 0, Rec: 2 - 41 - 0 (2 targets) - Williams looked to be the Miami RB with the better burst, harder running, and more physical style again this week. He had the team's best play on offense when he turned a short pass into a long gain with the burst and second gear he had coming out of Texas, and Williams also won a lot of collisions. He had some tough runs in the red zone to set up the Dolphins only offensive TD, and when the game was in the balance, Miami called Williams number, not Brown's. Williams was not successful in salting the game away, but it still shows the amount of trust the coaching staff has in the veteran.
WR Davone Bess, Rec: 4 - 18 - 0 (5 targets) - Bess had a game to forget. He muffed a punt during the crazy third quarter that let the Jets get some momentum back, and he also had a bad drop. Otherwise, Bess caught a lot of short passes and turned into a running back after the catch to get tough yards, including a third down conversion. It's hard to imagine him having much value as long he's in a WR rotation with Henne at QB.
WR Greg Camarillo, Rec: 1 - 15 - 0 (2 targets) - Camarillo was very quiet. Other than a 15 yard reception to help the 'Fins get out of their own end, he didn't really contribute in this game.
WR Ted Ginn (1 targets) - Ginn had two kickoff returns for touchdown to key the win for the Dolphins, but he was also tackled by Jay Feely inside his own 25 on the two previous kickoff returns he had, so don't get too excited. One return was based on pure speed to the outside by Ginn, and the other was based on poor tackling by the Jets.
WR Brian Hartline (1 targets) - Hartline got a step deep early in the game, but Henne overthrew him, and it was a bad omen for the rookie in his first game as a starter, as he didn't get another target all day.
TE Anthony Fasano, Rec: 2 - 16 - 0 (5 targets) - Fasano was missed by Henne when he was wide open on one target, and got called for pass interference on another, but he also got some tough yards to set up a Miami field goal.
TE Joey Haynos, Rec: 2 - 20 - 1 (4 targets) - Haynos had a 15-yard reception, and later caught the only offensive TD by Miami on the day. It was a designed play that any competent TE would have caught, so this is probably not a sign of an impending breakout for Haynos.
QB Mark Sanchez, Pass: 20 - 35 - 265 - 2 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 4 - 6 - 1 - Sanchez had his best game as a pro, but he had one of his worst plays as a pro on the Jets final offensive play. Sanchez battled to keep the Jets in the game during a hellish third quarter that saw them give up 21 points to the Dolphins defense and special teams. He had the team in position to win with first and ten at the 'Fins 12 at the two-minute warning, but he took a sack to set up a 4th and 13, and then panicked on the play, abandoning a good pocket to run backwards and uncork an uncatchable hail mary. Early in the game, Sanchez stuck to safe throws, except for a flea flicker that he had to throw away because nothing came open. He had some inspired plays, like the front shoulder jumpball TD to Braylon Edwards and the soft touch on the run to create a 50 yard catch and run for Jerricho Cotchery, but Sanchez also had trouble feeling the rush coming, and he threw a ball that should have been a 100-yard pick six for Sean Smith on third-and-goal. Sanchez scored yet another rushing TD on a bootleg on first and goal - he is definitely a threat to run when the play breaks down, and he is not afraid of getting hit. This game showed how much promise Sanchez has, but also how much work he needs to do to get there.
RB Thomas Jones, Rush: 27 - 102 - 0, Rec: 1 - 28 - 0 (1 targets) - Just another grind-it-out veteran savvy with a young man's stamina performance for Jones. He established a between-the-tackles running game early and earned every yard against a stout Dolphins defense. His experience showed through when he would pick and slide at the line to find the best hole without stopping his feet and losing momentum. Jones had a nice run on his only goal-to-go carry, but Sanchez got most of the calls in the red zone. Sanchez's success bodes well for Jones number of scoring opportunities as the season goes on.
RB Shonn Greene, Rush: 8 - 18 - 0 (1 targets) - Greene came back to earth vs. the Dolphins. He displayed good vision and footwork on his carries, but his fumble that came when he was struggling to get away from Paul Soliai in the backfield was returned for a TD. Greene did get a red zone carry, and generally ran with good energy, tough to bring down, even though he wasn't bowling anyone over like he did last week.
WR Jerricho Cotchery, Rush: 1 - 1 - 0, Rec: 3 - 70 - 0 (8 targets) - Cotchery's hamstring looked just fine on a fluid catch-and-run for 50 yards on an improv play by Sanchez. He got an end zone look that was jumped by Sean Smith and almost picked (it would have been a long TD if Smith had held on), and also had his number called on an unsuccessful end around.
WR Braylon Edwards, Rec: 4 - 74 - 1 (8 targets) - Just like in these teams first meeting, Edwards made some plays based on trust from Sanchez. His TD was thrown into tight coverage, but the defender didn't turn to see the ball in flight, so Edwards snagged it, and then fought like a hard-nosed RB, bending backwards to get in the end zone. He also had a nice gain on a play action throw, and drew an illegal contact penalty on his one deep target. Edwards did get an end zone target on second-and-goal during a second quarter drive, but he was well-covered.
WR David Clowney, Rec: 3 - 16 - 0 (3 targets) - Clowney's speed wasn't used in this game, he just caught a few short passes on third down that saw him get swallowed up quickly by a tackler and not get the first down.
TE Dustin Keller, Rec: 8 - 76 - 1 (13 targets) - Keller had his best game as a pro. He worked the short routes and middle of the field, and got consistent yards after the catch with his top-notch athleticism and physical game. Keller had a reception inside the five to set up Sanchez's TD run, and he also caught a TD on a low pass that he bent to pluck off the turf. He helped keep drives alive and clearly is prominent in Sanchez's mind in the new safer Jets offense.
Seattle Seahawks 17, Dallas Cowboys 38
QB Matt Hasselbeck, Pass: 22 - 39 - 249 - 2 TD / 0 INT - Hasselbeck was harassed all day by the Cowboy defense but still managed a respectable 22 completions in 39 attempts for 249 yards and 2 touchdowns. Hassselbeck's biggest problem is the lack of consistent protection by his ever-rotating offensive line. When given time to the throw, as on both touchdowns, Hasselbeck and the Seahawks have a fairly potent passing game. But more often then not, Hasselbeck is under fire, particularly to the outside of the tackles. He continues to throw the ball down field and the Seahawks are trying to work the ball all over the field, but a lack of protection makes 7-step drops and deep balls a rarity for Hasselbeck. On a handful of plays, Seneca Wallace entered the game as quarterback and Hasselbeck lined up as a receiver. However, he did not catch a pass.QB Seneca Wallace (1 targets) - Wallace entered the game on a handful of snaps for Seattle's version of the "Wildcat". However, he handed off each time and did not attempt a pass.
RB Julius Jones, Rush: 15 - 56 - 0, Rec: 2 - 32 - 0 (2 targets) - Julius Jones ran well against the Cowboys, gaining 88 total yards on 17 touches. Most of his positive yardage came on sweeps or delayed runs and draws. The Seahawk line simply isn't powerful enough right now for a power rushing game. Jones also was kept in to help block on a number of passing downs (including a few third and longs), although he did manage 2 receptions including a nice 23 yard catch on a swing pass.
RB Edgerrin James, Rush: 6 - 17 - 0, Rec: 1 - 6 - 0 (1 targets) - James received 6 carries, all between the tackles, for 17 yards against the Cowboys. He also caught a dump-off pass for a modest 6 yard gain. James is working his way in to the rotation with Julius Jones, but with a lack of consistency and power up front, yards between the tackles are hard to come by. Edge does not appear to have the burst he had as a younger man, but he has a veteran's savvy and does not dance behind the hole like his much younger teammate Justin Forsett.
RB Justin Forsett, Rush: 1 - 6 - 0, Rec: 1 - 14 - 0 (2 targets) - Forsett had 1 carry for 6 yards and one reception for 14 yards against Dallas. Both times, Forsett was in the game in place of Julius Jones as Jones caught a brief breather on the sidelines.
WR Nate Burleson, Rec: 6 - 89 - 0 (12 targets) - Nate Burleson was the beneficiary of teammate TJ Houshmandzadeh being in tight coverage all game. Burleson caught 6 passes for 89 yards including a 36 yard reception in the open field where Matt Hasselbeck found him on a deep out. Burleson's other receptions were all on crossing patterns, slants, and quick outs between 5 and 10 yards past the line of scrimmage. Outside of his 36 yard catch, the Cowboys quickly wrapped up the Seahawks receivers, Burleson included, making yards after the catch a rarity on Sunday for Seattle.
WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Rec: 4 - 24 - 0 (6 targets) - TJ Houshmandzadeh was covered by Terrence Newman on Sunday, making success a little difficult to come by. The Cowboys seemed determined to keep TJ from creating and space off the line of scrimmage as well, presumably with the hope that he and Matt Hasselbeck wouldn't be able to find a rhythm in the passing game. The plan worked as Houshmandzadeh finished the day with 4 receptions but none were more then a few yards down the field.
WR Deion Branch, Rec: 3 - 36 - 1 (4 targets) - Branch had 3 receptions on Sunday including a 23 yard touchdown. Currently, he is serving as the Seahawks third receiver in three-wide sets out of the slot and is being used primarily on slants and crossing patterns as TJ Housmandzadeh and Nate Burleson work deeper patterns. Of his three catches on Sunday, only the touchdown reception was made with any space; like the other Seahawks receivers, Branch was wrapped up as soon as he caught the ball the other two times.
TE John Carlson, Rec: 3 - 36 - 0 (7 targets) - Like Jason Witten on the other side of the ball, tight end Jon Carlson was kept in to help block on a high percentage of passing downs. He did catch 3 balls for 36 yards including an 18 yard reception down the middle of the field. His other two receptions were on quick-hooks where Carlson was the 2nd or 3rd option and Hasselbeck, under pressure, had no choice but to dump it off to him.
QB Tony Romo, Pass: 21 - 36 - 256 - 3 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 1 - 10 - 0 - Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo had another good game against the Seahawks. For the third week in a row (and 5th time this season) Romo did not throw an interception (although he did lose a fumble). Romo's passing the last few weeks has been much improved and the reasons are clear: instead of forcing the ball to Jason Witten or Roy Williams, the Cowboys offense is now spreading the ball around. That, combined with the emergence of Miles Austin as a true downfield threat, has made the Cowboys passing attack potent once again. Romo favors Austin on deep balls and routes outside the hash-marks while turning to Witten, and receivers Roy Williams, Sam Hurd, and Patrick Crayton in the middle of the field. Romo was very efficient in completing 21 of 36 passes, most of which only traveled 6 to 8 yards down field. Romo completed passes to 10 different Cowboys and seemed patient enough in the pocket to find the open man. It certainly helped that the Seattle pass-rush was relatively unsuccessful in rushing Romo and on the rare occasion he was forced from the pocket, he often still found the open man downfield. Just as impressive, Romo's passes are not sailing on his as they have in the past; none of his incompletions were clear overthrows. Romo finished the day with 3 touchdown throws and 15 passing first downs.
RB Marion Barber, Rush: 14 - 53 - 1, Rec: 1 - -2 - 0 (1 targets) - Marion Barber is now splitting the workload with Felix Jones in a 2 to 1 split favoring Barber. Barber is most often used as a battering ram between the tackles and despite his recent hamstring injury, he still shows the "one cut and go" ability that has made him a successful runner in traffic. On Barber's first carry of the day, a 16 yard run, Barber took the handoff to the right side off-tackle and with a quick step up field managed to get in to the Seattle secondary before being brought down by Ken Lucas. Barber also scored on a two yard run up the middle in the first half to give the Cowboys a 14-3 lead. Of Barber's 15 carries, 11 went for positive yardage. The biggest change in Barber's game in recent weeks has been that he isn't used as often as a receiver now that Felix Jones is back to good health. Wherein Barber once excelled as a pass-catcher, he is now only getting targets on screen passes and short swing passes.
RB Felix Jones, Rush: 8 - 39 - 0, Rec: 1 - 30 - 0 (1 targets) - Felix Jones had a nice game as a complement to Marion Barber. Jones started the game as a kick returner. However, he replaced Marion Barber on the Cowboys 3rd drive. It would appear that the rotation is for Barber to play 2 series and then for Jones to play one. However, when Jones is in the game, the Cowboys spend more time in the shotgun and pass more often down-field. Jones finished the day with 39 yards on 8 carries (the first 19 yards came on his first two carries) and one thirty yard reception on a wheel route to the left side of the field. Jones took the pass in stride and used his speed to get to the Seattle 8 yard line.
RB Tashard Choice, Rush: 4 - 11 - 0 - Choice was used sparingly as Felix Jones and Marion Barber were both healthy. He finished the day with 4 carries between the tackles for 11 yards. Choice only entered the game to spell Barber or Jones for a play or two before returning to the sidelines.
WR Miles Austin, Rush: 1 - 11 - 0, Rec: 5 - 61 - 1 (7 targets) - Austin continued to add to his new resume as "go to receiver" by catching 5 passes for 61 yards, including a 3 yard touchdown on a pass play that previously would have gone to Roy Williams. Austin is doing an excellent job getting off the line of scrimmage and has developed a rapport with Tony Romo in just a few weeks time as a starter. Romo and Austin excel when Austin is running hitch and go routes and deep slants. Austin's route running in the last three weeks has been the key to his production; he is finding ways to get open with his feet long before the ball gets to him. Once again on Sunday, most of his catches were made without a defender draped on him. Austin was also targeted twice more downfield on plays that were whistled for defensive interference.
WR Patrick Crayton, Rush: 1 - -11 - 0, Rec: 3 - 39 - 0 (5 targets) - Crayton returned kicks for the Cowboys on Sunday and managed to run back one Olinda Mare kick for 82 yards and a touchdown, all but icing the game for the Cowboys. Crayton worked as the third receiver in three-wide sets and was surprisingly effective in catching 3 balls for 39 yards. Crayton was able to take advantage of a soft "middle" of the field as the Seahawks tried to rush the passer. Most of his routes were crosses and slants between the hash marks.
WR Roy Williams, Rec: 2 - 19 - 1 (7 targets) - At this point, its pretty clear that Roy Williams is neither playing like nor being treated like a number one receiver. Tony Romo clearly favors Miles Austin on deeper routes and falls back on Jason Witten when he needs a clutch catch made between the tackles. Williams did catch a short touchdown on Sunday against Seattle but otherwise had very little impact on the Cowboys potent passing game. Once again, he dropped a catchable ball in the 4th quarter and was seen grinning afterwards on the sidelines. Williams mostly ran intermediate routes outside of the hashmarks and even the Seahawks realized his role would be minimal; they only shifted double-coverage to his side three times all day.
WR Sam Hurd, Rec: 1 - 36 - 1 (1 targets) - Hurd caught one pass for a touchdown on Sunday against Seattle. His 36 yard pass came with the defense trying to blitz Tony Romo and slant double-coverage towards Miles Austin. Hurd was able to get off the line of scrimmage easily and haul in the pass for a score.
TE Jason Witten, Rec: 4 - 36 - 0 (8 targets) - Witten was held in to block more often then normal against the Seahawks as the Seattle front seven tried to show a number of blitzes (largely ineffective) against the Cowboys. Nonetheless, Witten was still used on dump-off routes (3 of his 4 catches were less than 9 yards in length) and button-hooks between the hashmarks. The emergence of Miles Austin has helped the Cowboys pass protection as Witten isn't the only downfield threat in the passing game.
Denver Broncos 7, Baltimore Ravens 30
QB Kyle Orton, Pass: 23 - 37 - 152 - 0 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 1 - 11 - 0 - The tone for the day was set on the first offensive play for the Denver Broncos. Kyle Orton dropped back and barely had enough time to set his feet when linebacker Jarrett Johnson crushed him from the blind side. That one play pretty much summed up the Broncos day, because with the exception of one drive the Broncos offense was out of rhythm all game long. The Broncos did not use any "Wild Horses" offense to slow down the Ravens, instead relying on screen passes that were immediately sniffed out. Like most every week there were a few Orton passes that should have been intercepted, but all in all he was safe with the football. When the Ravens didn't get to him, they were knocking him down just after the pass or batting down passes from the air. To his credit, Orton took some big shots during the day but stood strong and didn't let the rush make him a timid passer.RB Correll Buckhalter, Rush: 8 - 16 - 0, Rec: 6 - 30 - 0 (6 targets) - Buckhalter started this game over rookie Knowshon Moreno, but both backs had trouble running against a tough Baltimore defense. Surprisingly, Cbuck also had trouble in pass protection and allowed Chris Carr to sack Kyle Orton in the fourth quarter. Buckhalter showed good patience on toss plays and would turn on the jets at just the right time. However, most of the time the push just wasn't there, and thus Buckhalter didn't find many holes on Sunday.
RB Knowshon Moreno, Rush: 10 - 39 - 1, Rec: 2 - -4 - 0 (2 targets) - Early in his NFL career Knowshon Moreno has developed a slight reputation as a fumbler, and the Baltimore Ravens made him cough up the football again on Sunday. With less than 5 minutes left in the 1st quarter Kyle Orton hit Moreno on a screen pass as the Broncos were trying to slow down the fierce Ravens pass rush. Veteran safety Ed Reed was all over the play and came crashing in on the running back. With the force of Mack Truck, Reed smashed into Moreno and caused him to fumble the ball. It wasn't all bad for Knowshon Moreno. He did run with good footwork, and tried to match the Ravens physicality by using his stiff arm effectively when defenders were near.
RB Peyton Hillis, Rec: 2 - 10 - 0 (2 targets) - With linebacker/fullback Spencer Larsen back from his knee injury it opened the door for Peyton Hillis to be a little more involved on offense. Hillis didn't get to carry the football, but did have a couple of receptions on the day.
WR Brandon Marshall, Rec: 4 - 24 - 0 (8 targets) - The Broncos know that in order to jump-start their passing game they must involve Brandon Marshall early and often. This recipe didn't work as planned against the Ravens because quarterback Kyle Orton didn't have much time to throw the football. Marshall was getting short targets, but found no running room after the catch. He was trying his normal start/stop/cutback running but the pursuit by the Ravens meant that defenders were catching him from behind while he tried to make moves on the guys in front of him. As the game wore on Marshall seemed to be reluctant to go all out for catches for fear of getting hit over the middle. This lead to a few more incompletions for Kyle Orton.
WR Jabar Gaffney, Rec: 3 - 43 - 0 (4 targets) - Gaffney was the leading receiver for the Broncos on Sunday, and it seemed like a bigger day was there for him -- if only Kyle Orton had more time to throw. The Broncos offense finally came to life in the third quarter, and a good chunk of yardage was picked up by Jabar Gaffney on their only scoring drive of the day. Denver wanted to pick on former-Broncos defensive back Dominique Foxworth, and Gaffney was able to set him up with option routes to get open. However, his first catch of the day came against perfect coverage against Fabian Washington on a deep square in route and Gaffney was able to secure the ball and get the first down reception.
WR Eddie Royal, Rec: 2 - 10 - 0 (8 targets) - Royal was not very involved as a receiver in this game, and it's the norm and not the exception this year. Unless the Broncos like his matchup Kyle Orton doesn't go out of his way to get Royal the football. Just like we've seen in earlier weeks, Royal was pressing when he did get the ball -- whether it was on a reception or a return. Because his touches are so few and far between Royal tries to do too much with the football, instead of picking up what the defense gives him. Just like Brandon Marshall, the punishment of this game was getting to Royal and in the second half he was alligator-arming passes in fear of getting hit by Ray Lewis and company.
WR Brandon Stokley - The veteran was on the field, but did not receive a target in this game.
TE Daniel Graham, Rec: 3 - 30 - 0 (4 targets) - Graham caught the first pass of the day for quarterback Kyle Orton, but was mainly kept in to block against a fierce Baltimore pass rush. His biggest reception of the game (23 yards) came with less than 30 seconds left in garbage time.
TE Tony Scheffler, Rec: 1 - 9 - 0 (2 targets) - Scheffler was unable to pick on the Ravens' safeties as he did 2 weeks ago against San Diego. The Broncos went to Scheffler early on their only scoring drive of the day, but the rest of the time he found it difficult to get open against the Ravens blanket coverage.
QB Joe Flacco, Pass: 20 - 25 - 175 - 1 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 5 - 5 - 0 - The Ravens came out with an effective gameplan against the Denver Broncos, which called for patience and precision from their quarterback. Flacco did a good job under pressure on Sunday, and would stand in and wait to deliver the ball until the last second before getting hit. "Cool Joe" did a fantastic job of going through his progressions and finding the open receiver. Even if he had to check it down to running back Ray Rice, Flacco was very careful with the football. It seemed like the Ravens went out of their way to pick on second-year cornerback Jack Williams, and for the most part Flacco did not test All-Pro Champ Bailey. The Ravens gave Flacco plenty of time to throw, and he used the hard count effectively to draw the defense off sides -- including twice in a row on a crucial third-quarter drive that stalled. Once Elvis Dumervil jumped twice it allowed the Ravens to continue the drive into the fourth-quarter where a TD pass to Derrick Mason gave them a 23-7 lead. On that TD pass, Flacco identified Brian Dawkins cheating to the right side of the field. With single coverage (Andre Goodman) on Mason, Flacco put the ball in the end zone where only his receiver could get it for six.
RB Ray Rice, Rush: 23 - 84 - 1, Rec: 5 - 24 - 0 (5 targets) - The Broncos really didn't have an answer for Ray Rice on Sunday. Rice didn't finish with the greatest YPC average, but he was running hard and kept his legs churning after contact. With his short stature he was able to hide behind the big offensive linemen, only to burst into the second level and keep the chains moving. When the Ravens went into a hurry up offense it caught the Broncos off guard, which only led to even bigger gains for Ray Rice. As always, Rice was again a trusted receiver for Flacco out of the backfield. With good special teams play the Ravens starting position on most drives was near mid-field. This means the team didn't have to go very far to get into scoring position. Rice was patient and thus able to maximize the amount of yardage on each carry.
RB LeRon McClain, Rush: 3 - 31 - 0 - McClain came in with less than 7 minutes to go in the fourth quarter and helped the Ravens drain the clock to seal the victory. His second carry of the day went for 20 yards, and his swiftness seemed to surprise the Broncos defense. McClain is a load to bring down, so once in the second level he can gain a lot of yards after contact.
RB Willis McGahee, Rush: 2 - -1 - 0, Rec: 1 - 4 - 0 (1 targets) - McGahee was involved early in this game, getting his first touch near the end of the first quarter. However, he wasn't very productive with his touches and thus gave way to more of Ray Rice. Whereas Rice was getting to the second level it seemed that McGahee was more tentative and caught behind the line of scrimmage. Coach Harbaugh may have wanted to give Rice a breather, but clearly knew which back had the hot hand -- and it was not Willis McGahee.
WR Derrick Mason, Rec: 4 - 40 - 1 (5 targets) - Mason was blanket covered by Champ Bailey most of the day, but was able to find a mismatch against Andre Goodman and score a touchdown in the fourth quarter. Mason said earlier in the week that he respected Champ Bailey, but did not fear him. That "no fear" approach showed up in the game, and Mason seemed fired up on his one reception against Bailey. Mason was also heated because rookie cornerback Alphonso Smith basically pulled his jersey off on a possible touchdown that instead fell incomplete. Mason's intensity also showed up as a blocker, where he seemed to have a little something extra when blocking for Ray Rice.
WR Kelley Washington, Rec: 4 - 58 - 0 (6 targets) - Washington did a nice job on his underneath routes, and really abused second-year cornerback Jack Williams. Flacco had enough time to go through his progressions and rather than test Champ Bailey and Brian Dawkins, he was frequently lining up Washington in his sights. Washington was able to do most of his damage on third downs. Just when it looked like the Broncos may get a stop, Washington would swing the momentum back into Baltimore's favor.
WR Mark Clayton, Rush: 1 - 4 - 0, Rec: 3 - 33 - 0 (4 targets) - Clayton was able to haul in a few passes against cornerback Andre Goodman. He provided Flacco with a reliable target, and even picked up a few yards on a double reverse. The Ravens were trying to slow down the Broncos pass rush, and tossing in a trick play here and there will always do that. In the 3rd quarter Clayton was able to take a short pass and turn it into a 17-yard gain with good run after the catch ability and determination.
TE Todd Heap, Rush: 1 - 2 - 0, Rec: 3 - 16 - 0 (4 targets) - Heap proved to be a tough matchup underneath, and provided Joe Flacco with a reliable target when the blitz was on. Once he'd secure a pass Heap kept his legs moving to pick up yardage after contact. Like Derrick Mason, Heap seemed to have a little extra fight in him both as a receiver and a blocker. The only mistake Heap made was when he went in motion and the snap hit him in the leg, instead of Joe Flacco in the shotgun. That play actually counted as a fumble against the tight end, although the Ravens did recover the football.
Oakland Raiders 16, San Diego Chargers 24
QB JaMarcus Russell, Pass: 14 - 22 - 109 - 0 TD / 1 INT, Rush: 1 - 1 - 0 - Russell, fresh off what head coach Tom Cable referred to as his best week of practice of the season, looked about as hopeless as he's looked for most of the season. He overthrew his intended target TE Zach Miller on his lone interception, though he very nearly threw several other interceptions that were simply poor decision. One in particular was thrown to WR Louis Murphy in triple coverage that was especially bad. When he was given loads of time to throw and the Chargers weren't blitzing, he tended to make better decisions -- but that goes for 100% of NFL quarterbacks. The few times they needed him to make a play, he mostly failed. He showed very little touch on anything down the field and had almost no ability to get the ball further than ten yards from the line of scrimmage with any kind of accuracy. With the Raiders driving for the potentially game-tying field goal, he fumbled and then later took a sack to knock them from first down range into a nearly-impossible situation.RB Justin Fargas, Rush: 18 - 59 - 1, Rec: 3 - 20 - 0 (3 targets) - Fargas ran hard all game long, consistently dragging tacklers for an extra yard or three. Despite Michael Bush earning the start, it was clear early on that Fargas was going to be the focal point of the offense. His numbers don't look great obviously, but he and Zach Miller were the only players on the field for the Raiders who didn't look defeated from the opening whistle. His touchdown run was a strong burst up the gut where he fought his way into the end zone after an interception had set up good field position. He was also involved in the short passing game, grabbing three receptions for an additional twenty yards. On a day when Oakland trailed from start to finish, 79 yards and a score has got to be looked upon as a very successful afternoon.
RB Michael Bush, Rush: 7 - 27 - 0, Rec: 2 - 14 - 0 (2 targets) - Bush's first two carries resulted in a first down for Oakland, and he appeared to be on his way towards becoming the latest rusher to take down the San Diego defensive front. However, his touches dwindled after Justin Fargas began opening up holes in the defense, and Fargas appeared to run with far more power and authority. Bush had very little impact in this game, and it was obvious that Fargas was the better runner of the two, at least right now. It would be more than a mild surprise if Bush earned any additional carries moving forward with this performance.
WR Johnnie Lee Higgins, Rec: 1 - 6 - 0 (4 targets) - After not catching a pass in the first half, Higgins had a crucial third down reception late in the third quarter. He was also the intended target on a desperation pass late in the fourth quarter. He nearly hauled it in and came down with it, but the play was designed for him to catch it and immediately lateral to Darrius Heyward-Bey. Instead, the ball sort of bounced off of Higgins and fell to the ground for an incompletion.
WR Louis Murphy, Rush: 1 - 12 - 0 (3 targets) - Like most Raider receivers, his first reception of the game didn't come until late in the third quarter. He also nearly made a terrific grab along the sideline but was unable to keep his feet inbounds on a big third down pass play. That was the story of Murphy's day, as that and a false start penalty against him at a critical moment turned out to be his biggest plays of the game. He did have a 12-yard rush but that hardly outweighs the negatives on his ledger.
TE Zach Miller, Rec: 5 - 52 - 0 (7 targets) - Miller, along with RB Justin Fargas, were the long bright spots for the Raiders on a very dreary offensive day. It's unfortunate watching a player with a skill set as obviously high as Miller's being wasted on a team like this. He runs good routes, has very good speed, excellent hands, and is strong. But unless he picks up a ton of yardage after the catch, he's essentially limited to swing passes and screens in the flat or dumpoffs over the middle. QB JaMarcus Russell cannot get him the ball down the field, evidenced by his one attempt to do so resulting in an overthrow and an interception.
TE Brandon Myers, Rec: 2 - 7 - 0 (2 targets) - Myers caught his first NFL pass in the flat for a short gain, but was not thrown to again.
QB Philip Rivers, Pass: 16 - 25 - 249 - 1 TD / 1 INT, Rush: 4 - -2 - 0 - Rivers has a built-in advantage of knowing that if he throws up a jump ball to his receivers, more often than not they're going to come down with the football. His first pass of the game was one such play, a 53 yard bomb to Malcom Floyd that he went up and snagged out of the air over Michael Huff. Rivers from that point forward stepped into each throw with confidence, was given plenty of time by his line, and was pretty much on-point en route to a 9-9 start. He did throw an interception that wasn't really his fault (it bounced off the hands of Vincent Jackson), but he did later find Jackson wide open in the end zone for a score as Rivers continually threw it to him. Rivers also had a stretch that saw him go just 1-6, as his timing was off and his passes were sailing. The Chargers were about to punt once more when Chris Chambers came up with a huge reception on third and ten to pick up 20 yards and pretty much seal the win away.
RB LaDainian Tomlinson, Rush: 18 - 56 - 2 - Tomlinson provided his owners a silver lining in what was yet another underwhelming performance. He didn't get much running room, and more often than not he was unable to shake many would-be tacklers, but there were two occasions on which he was able to break through the line and those both happened to come inside the ten yard line. Tomlinson scored two touchdowns, the first of which broke a San Diego streak of 22 consecutive games without a touchdown on their opening possession. It was a direct snap that he took into the end zone almost untouched. On the second score, he showed nice shiftiness around the would-be tacklers up front and made his way into the end zone for another touchdown. He also went over 12,000 yards on that same play. Despite these successes, however, there wasn't a ton to smile about. He averaged just over three yards per carry, though he did break a nice third down run in the fourth quarter for a nice gain. A few years ago, he probably would've turned the corner for the score but he clearly isn't quite the same runner he was back then.
RB Darren Sproles, Rush: 5 - 38 - 0, Rec: 1 - 8 - 0 (1 targets) - Sproles really demonstrated just how quickly he is able to get to top speed on several runs, and every time he got to the second level of the defense the defenders were almost back on their heels waiting for him to make his move first. He got close to breaking scores on two separate occasions, once being tripped up by the last man and once at the six yard line as he was pinned between tacklers (Tomlinson scored on the next play). He once again displayed excellent vision, cutting back against the grain in traffic on one occasion to pick up a first down. He did lose a fumble when he was hit from behind on a run up the middle, but the Charger offense was able to overcome it.
RB Mike Tolbert, Rush: 2 - 6 - 0 - Tolbert was mostly used in blocking situations, though he did get a rare carry on a short yardage handoff that he converted to a first down.
WR Vincent Jackson, Rec: 8 - 103 - 1 (12 targets) - Despite being defended by Nnamdi Asomugha for much of the first half, Jackson again turned in a huge first half performance for San Diego. He went from a quiet day to a great one in a matter of two drives, as Rivers continually looked his way for just about every kind of catch imaginable. He caught a deep ball, he snagged one out of the air, he dove on the ground, he snatched a pass in traffic, and finally he hauled in one in the end zone on a play in which he was left completely unguarded. He did have a ball bounce off his hands for an interception, but Rivers showed his supreme confidence in Jackson by immediately going right back to him after the miscue. He was open deep downfield early in the second half, but was overthrown by several yards by Rivers. And he was later targeted on a fade pattern in the end zone on a 50-50 jump ball, but the pass was just knocked away at the last moment on a nice play by Michael Huff.
WR Malcom Floyd, Rec: 2 - 64 - 0 (4 targets) - Floyd's first pass target of the game was a jump ball deep downfield for a 53 yard pickup over Michael Huff. He simply went high over the defender for the grab, something that has become fairly commonplace for him this season. He nearly had another sliding catch along the sideline for about twenty yards, and while he didn't come away with the catch he did draw an illegal contact flag. He was easily able to get open off the line against the much smaller Raider defensive backs, even though his stat line shows just the two receptions. With the release of Chris Chambers, Floyd should remain a starter for the rest of the season.
WR Chris Chambers, Rec: 1 - 20 - 0 (1 targets) - Chambers' stat line shows that he had just one reception, and it's true that he wasn't close to being a focal point in the offense. In fact, at this point he's probably at best the fifth option in the passing game. But make no mistake, he hauled in the absolute biggest pass of the game in this one. It was a terrific grab on his back shoulder on a third and ten pass play from the shadow of their own end zone. The previous pass to Antonio Gates had fallen incomplete because he was seemingly affected by the sun, but in almost the exact same spot on the field, Chambers had no issues. The Chargers had looked horrible offensively on their previous few possessions until the point of Chambers' catch, but it appeared to have inspired the team and they quickly marched downfield for a key field goal to go up by eight points. Still, the catch wasn't enough to save Chambers job, as he was released on Monday.
WR Legedu Naanee, Rec: 1 - 5 - 0 (1 targets) - Naanee had a short grab in the flat in the second quarter, but wasn't heard from much outside of that one minimal gain.
TE Antonio Gates, Rec: 3 - 49 - 0 (6 targets) - Gates isn't putting up the huge stats we've grown accustomed to over the years, but a lot of that has to do with the emergence of WRs Vincent Jackson and Malcom Floyd. Gates is still doing what's needed of him when his number is called. If it seems as if there's always someone open for San Diego, that's because there usually is. On one of those very plays, Gates took a swing pass in the left flat and sprinted up the sideline for a big gain after the catch. The play went for thirty yards and helped set up Tomlinson's second score of the game. He did have an issue with a pass along the sideline late in the game that he was unable to haul in because the sun was in his eyes, but he more than made up for that with a tough grab over the middle despite being drilled by Michael Huff. It resulted in a big first down and kept the chains moving as San Diego tried running out as much of the clock as they could.
Jacksonville Jaguars 13, Tennessee Titans 30
QB David Garrard, Pass: 14 - 27 - 139 - 0 TD / 2 INT, Rush: 3 - 22 - 0 - David Garrard was supposed to tear apart a ravaged Tennessee Titans defense in a great Week 8 matchup, but apparently the Titans had other plans. Garrard was under constant pressure in the pocket, and when he was able to buy some time his receivers could not get open. Tennessee had some starters coming back from injury and with a well-rested squad ready to go after the bye the Titans rose to the challenge. Garrard left the game for the final two minutes as the Jaguars did not want to risk him to injury behind a shaky offensive line. Garrard will be back under center next week but even in what appears to be another good matchup on paper (at Kansas City) it remains to be seen after this lackluster performance.QB Luke McCown, Pass: 0 - 2 - 0 - 0 TD / 0 INT - Luke McCown entered the Week 8 game against the Titans only to close out the game. Starting quarterback David Garrard was getting crushed in the pocket, so rather than risk injury to Garrard, head coach Jack Del Rio let McCown close out the game. Think nothing of it as Garrard will start again next week.
RB Maurice Jones-Drew, Rush: 8 - 177 - 2, Rec: 1 - -4 - 0 (4 targets) - Some people like to say that "if you take away one or two runs from a running back, he doesn't have a very good day". Well, that is likely true, but when two of your eight carries are 80-yard and 79-yard touchdowns. Jones-Drew "only" had 18 yards on his other six carries, but I think everyone can forgive him based upon those other two. It is remarkable that Jones-Drew did not have a carry until Jacksonville's fourth drive, which was when he broke the 80-yard touchdown. Clearly he should be getting the ball more often as the passing attack was below average at best and more likely "horrible" would be a better description. Expect a ton of Jones-Drew work in Week 9 against the Chiefs.
RB Rashad Jennings, Rush: 3 - 8 - 0, Rec: 1 - 1 - 0 (1 targets) - Young rookie Rashad Jennings had four touches (three carries) in Week 8 against the Titans. He remains marginally rosterable at best in deeper leagues where his only real redraft value is if Maurice Jones-Drew suffers an injury.
RB Greg Jones, Rush: 1 - 3 - 0 - Fullback Greg Jones had one carry in Week 8 and has no real fantasy value.
WR Mike Thomas, Rush: 1 - 7 - 0, Rec: 4 - 55 - 0 (6 targets) - With Torry Holt and Mike Sims-Walker struggling to get open against Tennessee, Mike Thomas stepped up and led Jacksonville with four catches and 55 yards, working mostly as a slot receiver. Thomas continues to contribute on both offense and special teams in returning kicks. The young playmaker shows good speed and has good hands, making him a nice sleeper pick to get more targets going forward.
WR Torry Holt, Rec: 2 - 17 - 0 (6 targets) - Starting wideout Torry Holt continues to struggle as a Jaguar, this week only making two catches in Week 8. Holt lost an 11-yard catch due to a penalty and was trying to stretch the field early in the game but could not catch his two deep targets. Holt added his two catches later in the first half but after his six first half targets Holt never had another chance on the afternoon. Holt is a strong veteran wideout but with David Garrard struggling and his offensive line collapsing around him, the entire Jacksonville passing game is one to avoid.
WR Ernest Wilford, Rec: 2 - 18 - 0 (5 targets) - Ernest Wilford was listed as a starting tight end for the Jaguars and he grabbed two short passes in Week 8 to help out a struggling Jacksonville passing game. After his best grab went for 13 yards, he was flagged for taunting that cost him all the yardage (and it was a terrible call). Wilford used to be a wide receiver, but since he filled out his frame some more he plays closer to the line and is a hybrid WR/TE. With no clear role for Wilford and his status behind Mike Sims-Walker and Torry Holt in the passing attack, Wilford can be avoided in most fantasy leagues.
WR Mike Sims-Walker, Rec: 2 - 9 - 0 (3 targets) - Tennessee might have a subscription to Footballguys, or they might just have broken down enough Jacksonville game film to know that they have to cover Mike Sims-Walker extremely well in order to slow down the Jaguar passing attack. That is exactly what they did between good coverage schemes and strong pass pressure as they collapsed the pocket around David Garrard. Look for Sims-Walker to bounce back and do well against Kansas City next week.
WR Jarett Dillard, Rec: 1 - 23 - 0 (2 targets) - Wide receiver Jarett Dillard contributed to a struggling passing game in Week 8 with a 23-yard catch down the middle of the field in the third quarter, making a solid grab from David Garrard. Unfortunately that was Dillard's only catch, and with both Mike Sims-Walker and Torry Holt firmly ahead of him on the depth chart, Dillard has no real fantasy value.
TE Marcedes Lewis, Rec: 1 - 20 - 0 (1 targets) - TE Marcedes Lewis caught just one pass, a 20-yard throw down the middle in the third quarter. With the Jacksonville passing game struggling right now, Lewis is barely rosterable.
QB Vince Young, Pass: 15 - 18 - 125 - 1 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 12 - 30 - 0 - Vince Young did just enough to win in his return to starting for the Titans in Week 8. Young completed just six passes for 10 yards or more but zero over 18 yards, illustrating how much of a short passing game the Titans employed against Jacksonville. Young's best throw was his touchdown pass, a short 6-yard fade to WR Nate Washington that fell into his hands with nice touch. Young made more plays with his feet than with his arm, but combining the two made for a capable starter although not much for fantasy purposes. The win over the Jaguars is likely to boost his confidence going into a tougher matchup at San Francisco next week.
RB Chris Johnson, Rush: 24 - 228 - 2, Rec: 2 - 11 - 0 (3 targets) - If Chris Johnson had not gotten tired, NFL records may have fallen in Week 8. Johnson was a one man wrecking crew against Jacksonville, running around and through the defense almost at will. Johnson eclipsed 200 yards rushing for the second game of this season as he used his elite speed to elude would-be tacklers on nearly every play. Johnson gave way to LenDale White whenever Johnson was tired, which appeared to be a bit more often than usual but then again 200+ yard rushing games are not the norm. Johnson had three runs of 20 or more yards, including a 52-yard dash in the third quarter and an 89-yarder to start the fourth, both of which went for touchdowns.
RB LenDale White, Rush: 13 - 47 - 0 - LenDale White had a decent amount of touches in Week 8 against Jacksonville, but he did not do much with his chances. White averaged under four yards per carry, failing to break off any of his 13 chances for more than nine yards. The difference in abilities and upside between White and Chris Johnson was huge in this contest as Chris Johnson could practically make any Jaguar defender miss almost at will, yet White plodded up the middle for a few yards here and there. White's only real fantasy value is as a handcuff for Chris Johnson owners.
WR Justin Gage, Rec: 3 - 41 - 0 (5 targets) - Starting Titans' wideout Justin Gage had three grabs against Jacksonville, all in the 10-15 yard range as Gage ran mostly intermediate routes against the Jaguars. QB Vince Young did not throw very often, resulting in both a minimal performance for Gage but still keeping him as the top target and the receiver with the most yardage. Gage is a very risky fantasy option as the Titans do not throw a ton and when they do throw they tend to spread the wealth.
WR Nate Washington, Rec: 2 - 22 - 1 (2 targets) - Nate Washington lined up as a starter in Week 8 for the Titans, but the game plan dictated very few throws for Tennessee against the Jaguars. Washington had two balls head his way, reeling in both including a very nice touch pass six-yard touchdown from Vince Young in the second quarter. Washington is a risky fantasy start even in the best of matchups.
WR Kenny Britt, Rec: 1 - 7 - 0 (1 targets) - Rookie wideout Kenny Britt had only one target and catch in Week 8 against Jacksonville. Britt is not quite ready to break into the Titans' starting lineup, and even if he does it is still a risky fantasy position given the Titans lack of a strong passing attack.
TE Bo Scaife, Rec: 4 - 27 - 0 (4 targets) - Bo Scaife was the leader in Week 8 for the Titans with four catches, highlighted by an 18-yard catch and run in the second quarter. Scaife is the top tight end for a Tennessee team that loves big targets running shorter routes, making him a solid option in PPR leagues. Scaife should continue to collect several catches next week against San Francisco, especially with Vince Young back under center.
TE Alge Crumpler, Rec: 2 - 14 - 0 (2 targets) - Backup TE Alge Crumpler caught one short pass in the second quarter on his only target. His value is minimized with Bo Scaife as the starting tight end for the Titans.
TE Jared Cook, Rec: 1 - 3 - 0 (1 targets) - Rookie tight end Jared Cook caught one short pass on the opening drive for the Titans but that was it for his Week 8 contributions. Behind both Alge Crumpler and Bo Scaife, Cook has a long way to go to become a viable fantasy tight end.
Houston Texans 31, Buffalo Bills 10
QB Matt Schaub, Pass: 25 - 34 - 268 - 0 TD / 2 INT, Rush: 7 - 7 - 0 - Schaub led a sputtering Houston offense on the teams first 4 drives (2 INT's, a fumble, and a punt). The INT's were a result of a tough Bills pass-rush and a tipped ball by Andre Johnson. Schaub did not really settle into any kind of groove until midway through the second quarter. He found his groove in large part thanks to the newfound ground game giving him extra time in the pocket. From that point forward, Schaub ran the offense efficiently up and down the field, and led the Texans on 6 straight scoring drives to finish the game. For the most part, Schaub chose to work on the Buffalo defense underneath the zone coverage looks he was faced with all game. Due to the emergence of Ryan Moats in the red zone Schaub did not tally a TD pass in week 8, however look for him to move forward with strong outings in the coming weeks. This was a rare balanced attack by the Houston offense.RB Ryan Moats, Rush: 23 - 126 - 3, Rec: 2 - 25 - 0 (3 targets) - Ryan Moats burst on the scene in week 8 for the Houston Texans setting career highs in carries (23), yards (136), and TD's (3). He entered the game on the 1st drive and then became the every down back in week 8 after Steve Slaton was benched following his 5th fumble of the season. Moats turned in an extremely impressive effort in every facet of the game to say the least. He showed quick burst hitting the corners and strong vision and power hitting the holes all game long. In the red zone, Moats took complete charge running like a man who was attempting to seize a rare opportunity. In the past Moats has shown flashes of his potential, in week 8 the perfect storm came together. A porous running defense, plus a bunch of touches. Looking ahead, Moats will clearly be a Waiver Wire darling this week and it is warranted. However, it will be hard to imagine the Texans handing over the job to him. Expect a RBBC at least and more red zone looks for Moats.
RB Chris Brown, Rush: 7 - 22 - 0, Rec: 2 - 7 - 0 (2 targets) - Brown came in at different times throughout the game to spell Ryan Moats. In his limited touches Brown ran quite well, charging ahead and showing decent footwork. It was an effective game for Brown who needs to continue to show his worth if he is to keep a job in the Houston offense.
RB Steve Slaton, Rush: 1 - 1 - 0, Rec: 2 - 10 - 0 (2 targets) - Slaton looks like a shell of the player who torched the NFL as a rookie last season. His low ypc and problems holding onto the ball have many talking as if he is headed towards Reggie Bush type duties soon. This week Slaton carried the ball once and caught two passes from Matt Schaub before heading to the bench as apparent punishment for another costly fumble (his 5th of the season). Slaton was not seen after the mishap, and gave way to the suddenly red hot Ryan Moats. One would think that Slaton's issues could pave the way for the emerging Moats in the coming weeks. That remains to be seen. However, what is clear is that Slaton is no longer a RB1 and has declining value as even a RB2 heading into next week with a RBBC completely possible in Houston.
RB Vonta Leach, Rec: 2 - 11 - 0 (2 targets) - Leach caught a couple of check down pass by Matt Schaub at the end of the 2nd quarter and start of the 3rd quarter. He was otherwise in his usual role serving as a strong lead blocker to the Texans RB's. He has almost no value to fantasy football owners.
WR Andre Johnson, Rec: 6 - 63 - 0 (10 targets) - Johnson suited up in week 8 despite suffering a lung contusion last week. He did not show any ill effects from the injury this week, however he had a tough time creating separation from Bills CB Drayton Florence who was draped all over him. AJ was targeted plenty of times by Matt Schaub and ended up being the leading receiver for the Texans in week 8. All in all Johnson put in a solid effort, but is due for bigger games in the near future. Johnson will be fine moving forward as an elite WR.
WR Kevin Walter, Rush: 1 - 13 - 0, Rec: 4 - 29 - 0 (6 targets) - Walter is currently in a stretch of games where his targets and catches are in decline. However you get the impression that it is just a matter of time until Walter has a break out game. In week 8 Walter was involved throughout the game but finished with a very pedestrian box score. It seems like the Texans are looking for ways to get him involved as he caught as screen pass, a shovel pass, and ran a reverse in this one. Walter could be in line for increased targets if TE Owen Daniels is lost for the season.
WR David Anderson, Rec: 3 - 51 - 0 (3 targets) - Lining up in his typical slot/WR3 position, Anderson provided his QB with another valuable weapon in the Texans passing game in week 8 (primarily on 3rd downs). Despite only seeing a handful of targets Anderson made the most of his chances, including a quick reception over the middle on a crossing route that he turned up the sideline for a 27 yd gain. Anderson continues to hang onto the #3 WR spot in the Houston offense, however Jacoby Jones looms.
WR Jacoby Jones, Rush: 1 - 17 - 0, Rec: 1 - 36 - 0 (1 targets) - Explosive as always, Jones touched the ball a few times on offense in week 8. He gained 17 yards on an end around and displayed tremendous speed while working out of the slot on a 37 yard reception. Jones is a beast right now in return formats, and he continues to show signs of being a potential breakout star if given the chance. Keep a watchful eye on this guy and roster him in deep dynasty leagues if you have the space.
TE James Casey, Rec: 2 - 14 - 0 (3 targets) - The player affectionately referred to as 'Thor' during his college days made his presence felt in week 8 with the Texans. Casey was called upon due to the knee injury to Owen Daniels. During the game Casey was targeted 3 times and reeled in 2 short gainers. He also threw a key block that sprung Ryan Moats free for a TD run early in the 4th quarter. Casey has a lot of upside and could start to realize that potential sooner rather than later. He is worth an add in deeper leagues and all dynasty leagues at this point.
TE Owen Daniels, Rec: 1 - 22 - 0 (2 targets) - Daniels breakout campaign looks like it has come to a sudden end thanks to a severe injury to his right knee. Prior to sustaining the injury Daniels was involved in the offense gaining 22 yards on his lone catch. Keep an eye on reports regarding his injury as the week progresses, but it looks like he out for the season. Also, keep in mind that Daniels is not under contract for 2010 as of now.
QB Ryan Fitzpatrick, Pass: 15 - 23 - 117 - 0 TD / 2 INT - Fitzpatrick put in another below average performance for the mundane offense of the Bills. In reality you get the impression that most anyone would struggle behind the Buffalo O-line and the vanilla play-calling. He was rarely allowed to throw downfield, and when he did he turned the ball over. His 2nd INT looked like it came on a communication breakdown with Terrell Owens when Fitzpatrick threw a deep out pass into no man's land. Overall Fitzpatrick hasn't been good enough to warrant an extended look, and appears to be headed back to the bench for Trent Edwards following the teams bye week.
RB Marshawn Lynch, Rush: 9 - 43 - 0, Rec: 3 - 6 - 0 (5 targets) - For stretches in week 8 Lynch looked as good as he has all season running hard and bouncing off tacklers. The takeaway though is that Lynch is working his tail off for every yard he gains, nothing is coming easy. He was able to break off his longest run of the season (14 yards) during this game. He finished the game with just 49 total yards on 12 touches. Lynch needs more touches if he is to be utilized correctly. Lynch is a viable RB2, but needs some O-Line help if he is going to have a breakout effort.
RB Fred Jackson, Rush: 9 - 28 - 0 (1 targets) - Jackson hasn't been the same since Marshawn Lynch returned from his suspension. In week 8, Jackson spelled Lynch on the games 3rd series. He showed good patience and vision, but continues to find very little running room behind the Bills O-line. In the 2nd quarter, Jackson lined up in the Bills version of the wildcat taking a couple of direct snaps for a short gain and a handoff to Lynch. He's worth a bench spot at best right now.
WR Terrell Owens, Rush: 1 - 29 - 1, Rec: 5 - 39 - 0 (8 targets) - Sound the sirens, there was a TO sighting in week 8. With the Bills offense struggling through the air week to week, Owens was able to showcase his world-class athleticism breaking loose and scoring on a 29yd end around in the 1st quarter. It was one of the rare times this year that Owens was able to get behind a defense with a football in his hands. Later in the game Owens was targeted in the corner of the end zone on a timing route, but was well guarded by the Texas DB Jacques Reeves. The majority of his targets and receptions came in garbage time late in the game when the Texans defense left the short stuff over the middle open. Owens could see a small rise in value after the bye week if Trent Edwards returns from his injury; otherwise he is a sketchy option.
WR Josh Reed, Rec: 3 - 29 - 0 (4 targets) - Reed made the most of his chances in week 8 catching a few 3rd down passes for short gains. He has limited upside to fantasy owners, but is a solid NFL player who does all that is asked of him and rarely makes mistakes.
WR Lee Evans, Rec: 2 - 29 - 0 (2 targets) - Evans was coming off two straight very good fantasy efforts but put up a dud in week 8. Evans was simply not involved enough from the get go to do much of anything. He was targeted a season low two times in the Bills loss, one of which came in the red zone. Evans is a prime buy low option in dynasty formats but is a tough guy to start right now playing in this offense.
WR Steve Johnson, Rec: 1 - 5 - 0 (1 targets) - Johnson was able to get on the stat sheet for the first time this season, grabbing a short 5yd catch on his only target. Johnson is an intriguing prospect who holds some upside for dynasty leaguers heading into next season.
TE Derek Fine, Rec: 1 - 9 - 0 (2 targets) - Fine caught one of his two targets for nine yards in week 8. He is not an option in the deepest of leagues at this point.
Atlanta Falcons 27, New Orleans Saints 35
QB Matt Ryan, Pass: 19 - 42 - 289 - 1 TD / 3 INT, Rush: 3 - 9 - 0 - Ryan had a rough night. He was under pressure for the entire game, and he never seemed to get completely comfortable in the pocket. He was uncharacteristically off on many of his throws, broke the pocket too early at times, and even felt pressure when it wasn't there. Ryan's interceptions were on a play that he didn't read Jabari Greer, who peeled off of his man when he diagnosed the play, a tremendous tipped pass by Jon Vilma in the red zone when the Falcons were about to take the lead, and a hail mary at the end of the game. Ryan looked his best on timing throws to Roddy White. His long TD to White was underthrown, but White's physical game took over and he made the catch and run for the TD. It is a testament to Ryan that he had the team in position to win despite being off his game.RB Michael Turner, Rush: 20 - 151 - 1 - Turner put to rest any questions about his burst and effectiveness coming off a 370+ carry season. He was gashing the defense inside and outside, seeing holes and cutback lanes very well, and flashing that breakaway speed that is so rare in such a big, rugged back. He got the corner very easily on his TD, and he broke long runs throughout the game, including a late run that was stopped, but Turner kept his legs churning and set up the Falcons for a possible go-ahead score. He can be trusted as the RB1 you drafted him to be.
RB Aaron Stecker, Rec: 2 - 12 - 0 (2 targets) - Stecker had a few catches, including one in the red zone, but he wasn't used nearly as often as Jason Snelling has been in recent weeks, even though he was replacing Snelling in the lineup.
WR Michael Jenkins, Rec: 4 - 66 - 0 (9 targets) - Jenkins had a drive-killing drop and seemed tentative, but he caught a pass over the middle in the second half to restore some confidence. His fantasy value is marginal.
WR Roddy White, Rec: 4 - 108 - 1 (13 targets) - White worked his short routes, long routes, timing throws, jumpballs, just about anything a team asks a WR to do in the passing game. He used his body to block out, made a nice run after a quick slant catch, tracked a deep ball and overwhelmed the smaller corner, and even gave a terrific diving effort on a would-be game-tying TD that was overturned by replay because the ball hit the ground. He is everything the Falcons and his fantasy owners could have asked for this year.
TE Tony Gonzalez, Rec: 6 - 89 - 0 (9 targets) - Gonzalez owned the middle of the field at times, making a nice move to get in the red zone after the catch early, helping the two-minute drill with some tough catches, and then extending a scoring drive with a fourth-down catch in the red zone. He is keeping the safeties occupied so Roddy White doesn't get constant double coverage, and putting up good numbers in the process.
QB Drew Brees, Pass: 25 - 33 - 308 - 2 TD / 1 INT, Rush: 2 - 3 - 0 - Brees didn't exactly have his way with the Falcons secondary, but he teamed up with his receivers to get big plays at key moments, and defeat a Falcons defense that was getting decent pressure and covering pretty well against the juggernaut Saints passing offense. Brees fumble that was returned for six came on a play with a delayed safety blitz that Brees underestimated. His interception could have been a big play, but Brent Grimes made one of the DB plays of the year with a levitating, explosive leap to pick the ball out of the air. Otherwise, Brees was putting the ball up in places for Colston, Shockey, and company to make one on one plays, and they didn't disappoint. Brees didn't dissect the Falcons as much as he just let his playmakers outplay them.
RB Mike Bell, Rush: 17 - 49 - 0 - Bell ran hard as always, but his late fumble let the Falcons have one last gasp, and his more disciplined running style may be hurt by the loss of lead blocking fullback Heath Evans more than Thomas. Bell didn't get exclusive short yardage or goal line work, and after Thomas's performance, he might get even less work in the early parts of games because he doesn't offer the same upside on his touches.
RB Pierre Thomas, Rush: 14 - 91 - 1, Rec: 2 - 9 - 1 (2 targets) - Thomas gave the Saints an inspired performance. He ran with an outstanding initial burst and terrific toughness, knocking tacklers backwards and taking them on with gusto in the open field. He broke a tackle and made another tackler miss on his TD run, and he hurtled his body over a would-be tackler to score on his TD reception. Thomas got consistent yards after contact, and he just as physical a presence in the running game as Mike Bell. His short yardage runs showed good instincts, vision, and leg drive, and he just missed scoring a third TD when his first and goal run was stopped at the one. Thomas is poised to be a second-half stud, just like he was last year.
RB Reggie Bush, Rush: 2 - 3 - 1, Rec: 2 - 11 - 0 (3 targets) - Bush scored easily on a pitch at the goal line after a fake that the defense bit on, but otherwise, he had little effect on this game. He is a novelty player and he will continue to be on the margins of this offense unless injuries strike.
WR Marques Colston, Rec: 6 - 85 - 1 (6 targets) - Colston put up nice numbers even though the offense was balanced vs. the Falcons. He scored by blocking out a defender on a pass from Brees that was perfectly placed so that Colston would naturally shield the DB from the ball. Colston absorbed punishment to make some key catches over the middle and a late catch to help the clinching TD drive. He is Brees main man, and Brees trusts him to catch 50/50 balls in tight coverage.
WR Devery Henderson, Rec: 4 - 46 - 0 (6 targets) - Henderson had one long gain taken away by a spectacular Brent Grimes INT, and he also had two catches inside the five. A much bigger fantasy day was there for him with a few breaks. He did have offensive pass interference called on him, but he is no danger of losing his starting job as he is providing the field-stretching speed that is just one more element in this lethal passing game.
WR Lance Moore, Rec: 2 - 11 - 0 (2 targets) - Moore had a few short catches early, including one to move the chains, but he hurt his shin, and he wasn't heard from in the second half. He still has great upside if he is called on, but with the full complement of weapons all staying healthy, Moore is on the outside looking in when targets are doled out.
WR Robert Meachem, Rec: 2 - 47 - 0 (2 targets) - Meachem had one deep catch over the middle, and he also made a very tough sideline catch for a nice gain. His sideline catch was impressive, but it was still body caught. He will continue to be a desperation upside play unless injuries strike the Saints WR corps.
TE Jeremy Shockey, Rec: 5 - 72 - 0 (6 targets) - Shockey looked as good as he has all year, making leaping catches and running well after the reception. Shockey is approaching the fluid, strong, athletic game he had with the Giants, and he has gained the trust of Brees to the point that Brees is now giving him 50/50 balls into tight coverage, and Shockey is finishing the play. He is an everyweek TE start unless you have an elite option to play ahead of him.
TE David Thomas, Rec: 2 - 27 - 0 (5 targets) - Thomas got the start at fullback and made a few checkdown catches for decent gains, but a drop and good coverage kept him from making more of this opportunity.
St. Louis Rams 17, Detroit Lions 10
QB Marc Bulger, Pass: 17 - 35 - 176 - 0 TD / 1 INT, Rush: 3 - 1 - 0 - Bulger had a somewhat quite game for the Rams, but managed to keep the offense moving and let Steven Jackson take over and bring home the win. Bulger was under pressure for certain parts of the game but in general, Steven Jackson kept the defense honest. Bulger simply just had a bad game. He completed less than 50 percent of his passes, had several key throws dropped and wasn't able to get his receiving corps involved in the game. Only seven of his 17 completions went to WRS. The rest were to RB or TE. He checked down a lot, and frequently had balls batted down at the line of scrimmage. The interception was one of those types of passes that were tipped at the line and the DE came down with the ball for the INT. Bulger ultimately kept things moving though, and the Rams were able to come away with their first win.RB Steven Jackson, Rush: 22 - 149 - 1, Rec: 3 - 17 - 0 (5 targets) - Jackson came in the league second only to Adrian Peterson in total yards from Scrimmage. Based on both of their performances, he now leads the league. By the fourth quarter, with the game on the line, Jackson put the team on his back and carried them to victory. His TD run to put the Rams up for good was the second 17+ yard gain in a row for Jackson at that point. He simply decided that he wanted his team to win and blew by everyone to the end zone. The play before he gained 17 yards and was only stopped because he ran over the referee, deep in the Detroit Secondary. It frequently took two or three defenders to bring him to the ground. He continues to be the heart and soul of the Ram offense, and he keeps them in every game with his solid running and pass-catching ability. If the Rams ever figure out how to use the passing game to keep defenses honest, Jackson is going to bust loose in the second half of the season.
WR Keenan Burton, Rec: 5 - 54 - 0 (6 targets) - Burton finished the game as the leading receiver for the Rams. That translated into a whopping five receptions for 54 yards. Burton's key contributions were mostly on short come-back and button-hook routes where he would catch the ball facing the line of scrimmage, and spin up the field for extra yardage. He also had a few sideline routes that he was able to convert into first downs. The Rams struggled on offense, and although Burton opened the game with a nice 22 yard reception, his stats were a reflection of general poor play from the entire team. He should be considered the primary target on the WR group now -- for whatever that is worth.
WR Danny Amendola, Rush: 1 - 0 - 0, Rec: 1 - 13 - 0 (3 targets) - Amendola was limited in his offensive contributions, making a bigger impact on kick and punt returns. However, on the kickoff after the Lions tied up the game, Amendola took a hard shot and did not return. On later return opportunities, the Rams turned to Quincy Butler and he ended up losing yards.
WR Donnie Avery, Rec: 1 - 15 - 0 (5 targets) - Avery was targeted a few times throughout the game, but his only reception came on the opening series -- a short catch and run for 15 yards. He also had several key drops throughout the game. For the most part, Avery was a non-factor in the game.
TE Randy McMichael, Rec: 2 - 16 - 0 (6 targets) - McMichael was the primary target when it came to St. Louis TE's. However, because of Bulger's poor play, he finished the game with only two receptions for 16 yards. He was the target of a couple other key plays, but was unable to come down with anything. He has returned to the primary TE receiver spot ahead of Daniel Fells, but was still limited by the poor QB play.
TE Daniel Fells, Rec: 1 - 36 - 1 (2 targets) - Fells had the biggest reception of the game for the Rams, catching the flip from Josh Brown on the fake field goal and running 36 yards to give the Rams a big lead before halftime. Fells had a few other targets come his way, but he was unable to come down with the receptions. He came up big when it counted though, and was a big part of the Rams first victory in a long time.
QB Matthew Stafford, Pass: 14 - 33 - 168 - 0 TD / 1 INT, Rush: 1 - 4 - 1 - This was Stafford's first game back since he was injured in week four against the Bears. The rookie was clearly rusty in his return and looked out of sync for most of the game. It didn't help his cause that his #1 WR Calvin Johnson was inactive for the game. To help him get back into the swing of things, the Lions looked to run the ball early and often, focusing on runs and short passes to RBS on the first eight plays of the game. However, when he tried to go downfield, he hit Bryant Johnson on a nice outside corner and Johnson rewarded the solid throw by not securing the ball and it hit the ground incomplete. Johnson and #2 WR Dennis Northcutt continued to drop passes throughout the game, and it clearly hurt Stafford's performance. He spread the ball around between the three TEs and three RBs in an attempt to get the offense moving. Stafford looked solid on the one scoring drive early in the fourth quarter, and made a solid decision to pull the ball down and run with it for the score. However, for the rest of the fourth quarter, Stafford continued to struggle and was clearly out of sync with the receiving corps on the final series.
RB Kevin Smith, Rush: 16 - 45 - 0, Rec: 4 - 49 - 0 (5 targets) - Kevin Smith was the lone bright spot of the Lions in this game. As Stafford struggled in his first game back from injury and superstar Calvin Johnson sat inactive on the sidelines, the Lions turned to Smith to be their spark on offense. He opened the game with four straight carries, ran hard for the entire game and even took a few designed screens for solid gains as well. Unfortunately he was injured late in the third quarter and was removed from the game. He returned for one place but he didn't play for most of the fourth quarter. The Lions were looking to give him more rest by using Maurice Morris more and this injury gave them the chance to do it.
RB Maurice Morris, Rush: 14 - 63 - 0, Rec: 1 - 19 - 0 (1 targets) - The Lions hope to develop Maurice Morris in a NYG style RBBC setup to help give Kevin Smith more rest and keep him fresh throughout the season. In this game, Morris not only gave Smith a break, but also stepped in when Smith was sidelined with an injury. He filled in well, finishing the game with more rushing yards on fewer attempts than Smith, and even chipped in a nice 19 yard catch and run early in the second quarter. He made the most of his limited attempts, but is still considered the backup to Smith on the depth chart.
RB Aaron Brown, Rush: 2 - 15 - 0, Rec: 2 - 13 - 0 (4 targets) - Brown ran hard when he had the ball and was an excellent receiving option out of the backfield as well. With Calvin Johnson inactive and Kevin Smith limited due to injuries, Brown saw additional playing time one the offensive side of the ball. They Lions like to move him around, starting him in the backfield and swing him out for a quick screen or slant. They like to pitch the ball to him as well to get him to the outside where his speed and quickness offset the straight-ahead running styles of Maurice Morris and Smith.
WR Bryant Johnson, Rec: 2 - 43 - 0 (8 targets) - Bryant Johnson had a terrible game. As the #1 WR on the team with Calvin Johnson sidelined with an injury, Bryant had a golden opportunity to step up. Instead he dropped more passes than he caught and clearly was not on the same page as QB Matt Stafford for most of the game. They connected on one deep pass to start the fourth quarter. It eventually led to Stafford's TD run and tying the game. Aside from that, Johnson was a total non factor.
WR Dennis Northcutt (5 targets) - Northcutt dropped every pass that he had a chance to catch. He was adequate as a kick and punt returner, but otherwise, he was a non-factor from a fantasy prospective.
TE Brandon Pettigrew, Rec: 2 - 17 - 0 (4 targets) - Pettigrew was targeted early in the second quarter for the second time. He was double covered but Stafford tried to force the ball in anyway. Pettigrew took a hard shot and was injured on the play. He returned later in the game and had a nice catch and run at the end of the third quarter. Backups Will Heller and Casey Fitzsimmons both saw action in this game, but Pettigrew was the clear #1 TE.