I love the final two weeks of the NFL season. There are always plenty of wacky playoff scenarios that keep a large number of teams alive for the post season. The teams that theoretically have nothing to play for wind up pulling off the biggest upsets of the season. The final week of the 2009 NFL season is no exception as very few teams will have the luxury of resting players with little to play for.

The biggest game of the week takes place Sunday afternoon in Dallas, Texas. The new Texas Stadium will host the Dallas Cowboys and the Philadelphia Eagles playing for the NFC East title. Both teams have already clinched playoff spots, but the post season road for each team would be much easier with a win. For the Cowboys, they will be guaranteed a home game. For the Eagles, they can clinch the overall second spot and would only play one game on the road in New Orleans if the Saints win their divisional game. Needless to say, both teams have plenty to play for and nobody will be sitting starters in Texas.

Oh the irony of this game for Eagles and Cowboys fans. Last year both teams played in the final week of the season in a very similar situation. Last year’s situation was a bit more desperate as it was a win-and-in scenario. How did that turn out? The Eagles crushed the Cowboys and jumped on the road to the NFC championship. While the loser of this game still gets in, I have to think that this game is a bit more about revenge for the Cowboys after that embarrassing game in Philly last season.

Are the Eagles the hottest NFC team entering the playoffs? This game will answer that question. As a matter of a fact, I would venture to say that the winner of this game will be crowned with that honor. The Eagles have won six straight games. The birds had a close call at home against Denver last week, but the birds prevailed in the end. Donovan McNabb has done something this season that he hasn’t done in years and that is win games in the fourth quarter. He has had numerous fourth-quarter winning drives and looks to have shed that black mark of his career. Andy Reid continues to make questionable calls, yet his team has continually bailed him out. There is just something about this Eagles team that looks like a team destined for their best post season run since their Super Bowl run.

The Dallas Cowboys have been a fascinating team to watch this season. Every time you think they are done and out of the playoffs, they come back and remind you why they are the Dallas Cowboys. As much as it pains me to write it, Tony Romo has been great down the stretch. If there is one flaw with the Cowboys it is their defense. The fact that their head coach was one of the best defensive coordinators in football and his team’s defense is terrible is a mystery all in itself. This is a team that can be beat by the long ball. The Eagles are a home run team and will be looking to put this one away early with some bombs to D-Jax in the first quarter.

The Cowboys won the first meeting between these two teams. Both teams did a great job of shutting down each other’s offenses for most of the game. Unfortunately for Eagles fans, this game will be remembered as a showcase of Andy Reid at his worst. Reid made terrible challenges with the red flag and went for it on fourth down in ridiculous situations. It was amazing to watch Andy Reid outcoached by Wade Phillips for four quarters. The game ended with the Cowboys killing the clock for over four minutes and Reid having no timeouts to stop them, due to wasting a time out and blowing his challenges. Quite frankly, it may have been Andy Reid at his absolute worst.

I can sit here and make excuses all day long as a birds fan, but the bottom line here is that this was a very winnable game for the Eagles barring their coach’s stupidity. I think the Eagles are too hot right now for the Cowboys to stop them. These teams rarely sweep one another so the split with the birds winning in Big D shouldn’t be too much of a surprise. I see another very tight game, high scoring unlike their first meeting, and a lot of NFC teams shaking in their pants as the Eagle green slides into second and takes a week off. Maybe Romo can get Donovan a good travel deal on Mexico for next week?

The New York Jets are in the most enviable position in the AFC. The fate of several AFC teams rests in the hands of the Cincinnati Bengals who play the Jets on Sunday night. The Jets are in a win-and-in scenario thanks to Jim Caldwell pulling one of the biggest disgraces in NFL history last Sunday and handing a playoff opportunity to the Jets. Living in the northeast I have seen a lot of Jets games this season. This is not a playoff team and unless Marvin Lewis decides to rest some key players, they won’t be.

The Jets and Bengals are very similar teams. Both teams rely on a steady running game and strong defenses. Neither team gives up a lot of points, nor do they score a lot of points. As a matter of a fact the Jets are the overall number one defense while the Bengals are overall number four in the NFL. The Jets have a slight edge in stopping the pass, while the Bengals are a better team against the run. This is a great situation for the Cincinnati Bengals to be in against the Jets.

Mark Sanchez and Carson Palmer are going to have to make plays. At some point, the run is going to stop working for one of these teams. Who do I trust between the two? Carson Palmer has been here before and rarely makes mistakes. He is truly the ultimate quarterback for this type of an offense. Sanchez is not and is exposed when the Jets have to rely on him to get the offense going. I also think that with all of the crap the Colts got last week, no way Lewis sits his starters unless he is in a comfortable position going into the fourth quarter. I look for a Bengals win which opens up the doors for a lot of AFC teams.

The most intriguing AFC game this weekend has to be the New England Patriots vs. the Houston Texans. As the owner of a few Texans in my fantasy leagues over the last two seasons, I have become something of a Texans fan. In the AFC, I think they are the second most dangerous offense behind the Indianapolis Colts. Unfortunately a rash of injuries and a head coach that plays musical chairs with his running backs have hurt this offense badly over the last few weeks. However, the Texans have done something they haven’t done the last few seasons. The Texans are finally starting to win meaningful games in December.

For the Patriots, it is really hard to get a read on these guys. They beat the teams they are supposed to beat and struggle or lose to the better teams in the AFC. The Patriots have been a terrible road team this season, coming away with two wins (one of those in England which was considered a home game). The Patriots have already clinched a spot. Bill Belichick could sit his starters and be in the same position when the playoffs start as he would be with a win. However, I would be shocked to see him do anything but play to win the game. He didn’t sit his guys in 2007 so I can’t see him doing it now. Tom Brady has been rather outspoken this week about wanting to play to win this game. Once again, with all of the criticism that the Colts got last week I’d be stunned to see anyone sit for a reason other than injury from the New England Patriots.

Even without Steve Slaton and Owen Daniels, Matt Schaub continues to get it done in the air. Arguably, Schaub has had a better season this year than Brady and should be in the Pro Bowl over Lord Tom. I think that is a minor, yet motivating factor. A win does not guarantee anything for the Texans. They need a combination of ties or losses from the Jets, Broncos, and Ravens to slip into the playoffs. A loss completely eliminates the Texans. I find it very hard to pick the Texans against the Patriots in a meaningful December game. I won’t start now. I am going to pick the Patriots in what could be one of the most fun offensive games of the weekend.

Oh what a difference a year makes. The Steelers are on the verge of missing out on a chance to defend their championship. Inconsistent play on offense and defense in the middle of the season has put this team into a terrible position. The Steelers will be playing the Miami Dolphins this weekend in a game that could decide the final playoff spot. Both teams need a lot of help, but won’t go anywhere without a win on Sunday.

One would think that there wouldn’t be much of a home advantage for the Dolphins. However, several ex-NFL players have shockingly called Miami the hardest place to play in December and January. Those ex-players cite the warmer temperatures as the difference when it comes to cramping and dehydration. The line of thinking is that an NFL player can bundle up and adjust his body temperature better to colder conditions than they can for warmer conditions. Hey, I think it sounds ridiculous as well but enough former NFL players have corroborated this interesting tidbit.

The Dolphins had a nice run but their season is over. They had a chance last week to make their destiny a lot easier with a win over the Texans. Not only did they lose, but they were decimated for three quarters. Injuries to multiple starters have this team looking like a pre season team. Ricky Williams will likely play but was pulled from last week’s game due to an injury. I can’t see him being too effective injured and against this great rushing defense. It just isn’t Miami’s year this season.

<!–adsense–>The Steelers will bring their revitalized air attack into Miami with them. After struggling for weeks to put up numbers, Ben Roethlisberger looks to be back in sync with his receivers and his offensive line. The Steelers were able to squeak past a pretty good Baltimore Ravens team last week. The problem for the Steelers this season has been playing down to opponents. How they are able to beat the Ravens and Packers back-to-back and lose to the Cleveland Browns and Oakland Raiders is anyone’s guess.

Are the Miami Dolphins the Ravens or the Browns? I don’t think they are a terrible team, but it is really hard to judge them when half of the team is injured. It is really hard to fathom the Steelers blowing what should be an easy win in a must-win situation. At the same time, this is exactly the kind of game where upsets happen at the end of the season. I am going to go out on a limb here and pick the Miami Dolphins to upset the Steelers at home this Sunday.

CamelClutchBlog.com Fantasy Football Playoff Standings

Championship Bracket
Team The Nice Guys 3-0 (Jeff Porrini)
Dusty’s RedBellySpot 2-1 (Eric Gargiulo)

Winner’s Consolation Ladder
…Not You!!! 0-3 (John Yomtov)
Havertown Spoilers 1-2 (Bryan Reigel)
1st Place 1-2 (Derek Sabato)
Team Wheelhouse Radio! 2-1 (Jeff Peck)
Team Nuetral Zone 2-1 (Brett Clendaniel)
Team We Own You 1-2 (Erik Espenberg)
The Kings of Krista 2-1 (Josh Usher)
Team Rowland 1-2 (Justin Rowland)

NFL Week 17 Picks!

I slipped a game last week going 10-6. Now I did qualify my Colts pick by picking the Jets if Manning sat, but in fairness I’ll take it on the chin as a loss. There are similar issues this week. The Cardinals have already said that if the Vikings win, they will sit their starters. The last three weeks I have gone 10-6, 11-5, and 12-4, so overall it has been a great final stretch. I refuse to go down with anything less than a double-digit week. I am 155-87 overall on the season straight up in games. Now for the NFL Week 17 Picks (Picks in BOLD) -

Indianapolis at Buffalo
Jacksonville Jaguars vs Cleveland Browns
Chicago Bears vs Detroit Lions
San Francisco at St. Louis
Pittsburgh at Miami
New York Giants vs Minnesota Vikings
Atlanta at Tampa Bay
New Orleans at Carolina
New England Patriots vs Houston Texans
Green Bay Packers vs Arizona Cardinals
Washington at San Diego
Tennessee at Seattle
Baltimore at Oakland
Philadelphia Eagles vs Dallas Cowboys
Kansas City Chiefs vs Denver Broncos
Cincinnati Bengals vs New York Jets

Happy New Year to you and yours.

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The playoffs unofficially begin in the NFL on Friday. There are three NFC teams alive for two NFC playoff spots, while the AFC has six 7-7 teams fighting it out for a couple of available spots. This may be the most exciting week of the year with so many teams left playing for so little spots in the NFL post season.

The NFL opens up the week with a great prime time special on Christmas night. The San Diego Chargers look for 10 straight as they travel to Tennessee to play the Titans. Vince Young and the Titans are still alive for a playoff spot. After starting off the season winless in six and being blown out in embarrassing fashion by the New England Patriots, a playoff spot for the Titans would truly be a Christmas miracle.

The Chargers are a team that probably deserves more hype than they are getting. They are only behind the Indianapolis Colts in most games won in a row. Philip Rivers is playing out of his mind right now and has the Chargers as the overall fifth best ranked offense in the NFL. That is a good thing because the defense has been putrid this season, ranked currently at 30th in the NFL. Even more impressive is that they are playing a tough schedule and beating very good teams. The Chargers just beat the Cincinnati Bengals and the Dallas Cowboys back to back and are full in playoff mode early.

Vince Young continues to do what he does best and that is win games. Young has brought his winning attitude to the entire team, as the Titans won a recent game that featured Young on the bench for most of the contest. The Titans have only had one loss since Young took the quarterback spot and that was against the Indianapolis Colts. Kenny Britt and Justin Gage have come out of nowhere over the last few weeks as one of the most dangerous wide receiver tandems in the NFL. This is a very good team playing their best ball of the year at the right time.

It is very hard to pick against a team that has just won 10 in a row and I won’t start now. The obvious line of thinking is to take the home team on Christmas night. However, most NFL analysts will tell you that the road team has a bigger advantage on a holiday night. While the home team is busy getting extra tickets for family, hosting family for the holidays, and spending the day at home, it is just business as usual for the road team who tend to be more focused in these situations. I look for the Chargers to win a tight one here and cruise into the playoffs with the number-two seed.

On the flip side, the Philadelphia Eagles have quietly become the hottest team in the NFC. The birds have rolled off five in a row, including a big division win over the Giants. The birds are 9-2 against NFC teams losing only to the Saints and Cowboys. Even more impressive about their recent run is that they have done it without key players. DeSean Jackson, Brian Westbrook, and Jeremy Maclin have all missed at least one game, and in the case of Westbrook it has been quite a few games. This week the birds are expected to have their offense back in full force for the first time in weeks as they host the Denver Broncos.

It is amazing how different the context of this game is to Denver Broncos fans and Philadelphia Eagles fans. For the Broncos it is a must-win situation. After starting the season 5-0, the Broncos have stumbled and are now 8-6 and on the playoff bubble. Denver Broncos fans are thinking about one thing here and that is the post season. For Philadelphia Eagles fans, it is about one Denver Bronco in particular. This Sunday marks the homecoming for one of the most beloved players in Philadelphia Eagles history, Brian Dawkins.

The Eagles are currently in a situation where they could jump up and steal the second NFC playoff seed from the Minnesota Vikings. The Eagles have clinched a spot, but they need to win Sunday to have any hopes at a week off and January football at the Linc.

There are several trends over the course of Andy Reid’s tenure as head coach that remain constant with most of Reid’s Eagle teams. The Eagles are undefeated coming off the bye week and horrendous against the AFC. This season alone the Eagles are 1-2 against the AFC with their only win coming against the Kansas City Chiefs. This is hardly the lock that most experts think it is.

The Eagles have also struggled against 3-4 defenses. The Broncos play a 3-4 defense and Donovan McNabb tends to get hit a heck of a lot more against 3-4 defenses. I also think it is a bigger advantage for Denver than most think to have Dawkins on the team. Dawkins played with and against McNabb in practice every day of McNabb’s career. Dawkins knows McNabb’s tendencies and these are intangibles that the Broncos will attempt to use on Sunday. This has the potential to be a long day for the birds.

On the other hand, how confident can the Denver Broncos be after dropping a game at home against the Oakland Raiders? I was always dubious of the Broncos 5-0 record and was never quick to crown them as some kind of juggernaut. The Broncos won a lot of games in the last minute and could have just as easily been 2-3 as they were 5-0. Denver may also have a bigger advantage than most think at quarterback. This won’t be Kyle Orton’s first dance against the Philadelphia Eagles. Orton threw three touchdowns against the Eagles last season and led the Chicago Bears to a win in Week 4. Kyle Orton can beat this team and isn’t scared of Asante Samuel.

All in all I think the Broncos come away with a win here. They are catching the birds at a good time. The Eagles have two division games to close the season against the Redskins and the Cowboys and may look past the Broncos. I also think the birds tend to look past AFC teams in general, hence their record. The Broncos will also be highly motivated to get a win on Sunday for Brian Dawkins who has reportedly been the same locker room leader in Denver that he was here in Philadelphia. Not even Mr. Courageous himself Michael Vick can save the birds on Sunday.

The Pittsburgh Steelers try and keep hope alive as they host the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday. As dreadful as the Steelers have looked lately, they lit up the Green Bay Packers for over 500 offensive yards last week and pulled out a clutch win at home. The Steelers can’t catch the Bengals for the divisional spot, but are still alive for a Wild Card slot. The Ravens would take that Wild Card spot if the season ended today. This is about as big of a regular season game as you can get between two divisional rivals that already hate one another.

The Ravens beat the Steelers earlier this season on Sunday Night Football. The difference that night was no Big Ben Roethlisberger for the Steelers. Even playing against Pittsburgh’s third-string quarterback, the Ravens needed overtime to beat the champs. Big Ben has won four in a row against the Ravens, including three games last year (2 regular season and 1 playoff game). The Steelers will continue to play without Troy Polamalu on defense. Don’t be fooled by the win last week. The Steelers defense is still awful, and gave up 36 points and 383 yards in the air last week. If not for a revamped offense and confused Packers defense, the Steelers would have been embarrassed once again at home.

The Ravens on the other hand have been rolling through their opponents over the last few weeks. Fantasy football owners like me have cashed in on the greatness of Ray Rice and the Ravens running game. The combined scores of the last two Ravens game were 79-10 in the Ravens favor. Joe Flacco did it in the air last week throwing for a career-high four touchdown passes. Oh yeah, something I forgot to note here about those games. Those big wins came against the 5-9 Chicago Bears and the 2-12 Detroit Lions. Come to think of it, those numbers don’t sound that impressive anymore.

ESPN had an interesting stat on the Ravens. The Ravens are 9-0 in games played below 40 degrees and the temperature will definitely be below 40 degrees in Pittsburgh on Sunday. I don’t think that stat holds too much water in this game considering who they are playing. Sorry, I’m trying Ravens’ fans! The big questions here are the offenses for both teams. The Ravens and Steelers have played inconsistent offense all season. One week they struggle and the next they are rolling up the points. I am not ready to trust this offensive turnaround for the Ravens. I’ll lean towards the champs in a close but great NFL regular season victory on Sunday.

The most curious game of the week has to be the Indianapolis Colts against the New York Jets. The Jets boast the overall number one passing defense in the NFL as the Colts boast the number one passing offense in the NFL. Something has to give in this one. Win or lose, the Jets just don’t give up a lot of points. Win or win, the Colts have won by large and small margins throughout the season. Who do you trust? Do you trust Rex Ryan and the boys to hold Peyton Manning to 10 points or do you trust Manning to score 21?

The Jets are still alive for a playoff spot which is news to Rex Ryan. It is never a good thing when your own head coach isn’t aware that his team is still in the playoff hunt. Maybe he’d coach differently if he did?

The Colts may not be saying it, but they are going for 16-0. They have the overall first spot locked up and are on the verge of making history. I am sorry but all of these doubters are just throwing air balls in my opinion. I hear a lot of analysts claiming the Colts have holes on defense, this, and that. They may, but I don’t think there is a team anywhere close to their hemisphere right now in the NFL.

Unless Darrelle Revis can defend all of the Colts wide receivers and Dallas Clark, the Jets don’t have a chance of stopping Peyton Manning. The Jets do boast the overall number one rushing offense, which has meant nothing for other great rushing teams against the Colts. Now keep in mind if Manning sits for the entire game or second-half, all of this is moot.

For the Jets, Mark Sanchez has turned out to be a huge disappointment thus far. USC quarterbacks usually go through college without getting hit. There aren’t many great defenses in the Pac 10. The Colts will likely get a good pass rush going on Sanchez and give him happy feet throughout the game. I love the Colts to win big on Sunday.

Another big game with playoff implications has the Houston Texans traveling to Miami to play the Miami Dolphins. This is a battle of two 7-7 teams with the loser out of the playoff hunt. The Texans look for their third in a row as the Dolphins look to get back into the win column.

I look at this game statistically and it greatly favors the Houston Texans. The Texans are arguably the most talented 7-7 team playing football right now. Then I look at the head coaches. Tony Sparano has played in this situation and beat the Jets in the final game of the season last year in a win-and-in situation. Gary Kubiak has also played in this situation the last few seasons and came up small every time. The coaching factor makes me lean way more towards the Dolphins than the Texans in Week 16.

I have watched the Texans closely the last two seasons due to owning several of their players in fantasy football leagues. Matt Schaub has been unbelievable this season, as has the always constant Andre Johnson. The other constant for this team is the head coach. I think Gary Kubiak may be the worst coach in the NFL. I have never seen a coach do more to cost his team more wins this decade than Kubiak. I can think of at least three games that were lost due to his bad coaching decisions. His musical chairs of running backs have turned the running back situation into a joke. I just can’t see a team winning a big game in Week 16 with so many question marks at running back.

The Dolphins lost a very close game last week at Tennessee. The game came down to the wire. Even with the loss, Chad Henne looked very good and Ricky Williams remains one of the best running backs in the NFL. The Texans boast the 17th overall rushing defense and have given up a whopping 14 rushing touchdowns this year. They are right up there with all the usual suspects when you talk bad NFL defense. Between their bad rushing defense and their head coach, I just can’t see them getting it done this week. Until they come up big in this kind of a situation, I will always pick against the Texans. Go Dolphins!

CamelClutchBlog.com Fantasy Football Playoff Standings

Championship Bracket
Team The Nice Guys 2-0 (Jeff Porrini)
Dusty’s RedBellySpot 2-0 (Eric Gargiulo)

Winner’s Consolation Ladder
…Not You!!! 0-2 (John Yomtov)
Havertown Spoilers 0-2 (Bryan Reigel)
1st Place 1-1 (Derek Sabato)
Team Wheelhouse Radio! 1-1 (Jeff Peck)
Team Nuetral Zone 1-1 (Brett Clendaniel)
Team We Own You 1-1 (Erik Espenberg)
The Kings of Krista 1-1 (Josh Usher)
Team Rowland 1-1 (Justin Rowland)

Fantasy Fix - This isn’t the week to play “reaches.” This is the week you play your go-to guys and the usual suspects. Unfortunately with that said, I will not be writing about anymore fantasy reaches this season. Except Matt Moore, Carolina Panthers and Quinton Ganther, Washington Redskins. I just won’t do it!

NFL Week 16 Picks!

I slipped up a bit last week going 11-5 after going 12-4 last week. I am 145-81 overall on the season straight up in games. Now for the NFL Week 16 Picks (Picks in BOLD) -

San Diego Chargers vs Tennessee Titans
Buffalo Bills vs Atlanta Falcons
Kansas City Chiefs vs Cincinnati Bengals
Oakland Raiders vs Cleveland Browns
Seattle Seahawks vs Green Bay Packers
Baltimore Ravens vs Pittsburgh Steelers
Houston Texans vs Miami Dolphins
Jacksonville Jaguars vs New England Patriots
Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs New Orleans Saints
Carolina Panthers vs New York Giants
Detroit at San Francisco
St. Louis at Arizona
New York Jets vs Indianapolis Colts (A loss if Manning sits)
Denver Broncos vs Philadelphia Eagles
Dallas Cowboys vs Washington Redskins
Minnesota Vikings vs Chicago Bears

Happy Holidays to you and yours.

Get your NFL jerseys discounted now on Amazon.com by clicking here

Check out the NFL Film Classics – Legends of Autumn, Vols. 1-3 DVD by clicking here.

Join ESPN Insider today for the best sports analysis online, plus ESPN The Magazine!

Your favorite NFL teams and players gone big – Fathead.com

Order the Madden NFL 10: Official Strategy Game Guide by clicking here.

Before I start off, you know that “Fantasy Football Stats” always need some disclaimers. The following stats are considered in a point per catch league and are through NFL Week 15. So let’s not have hate mail people!

Well, by now most of the fantasy football playoffs and championships have come to a close, not too soon for some, and kind of sad for others I’m sure. We all had our ups and downs, our duds, our sleepers and our MVP’s. We have all cursed guys we swear we will never draft again, and praised the guys we hope to get again next year. We have all pumped our chest out for those great waiver wire picks, but have also dealt with the painful phrase, “I knew I should have started (insert any players name here).”

So as you look back at your draft boards to see what you did wrong, and who you should have taken instead, also take a few minutes to look upon my “Sharky Awards” and pay honor to, and of course bash, everyone who made our fantasy football season that much more fun. For every Roy Williams that made you cry, there was a Miles Austin to make you smile, just remember those good times and keep having fun!

Ok so with all the guest dressed up in black ties, and all the gorgeous celebrity types ready to present awards at the podium, we are ready to hand out the awards. Sorry, I could not possibly pull off some big after party. I just could not get the stars to commit to coming out, being the holiday season and all. Maybe next year?

2009 “Sharky” MVP Award:
I present this award to the player who never really took a week off, or a play off for that matter, a player that killed it week in and week out. The winner is:

Chris Johnson, Running Back, Tennessee Titans.
1730 rush yards,11 tds, 44 receptions, 446 yards, 2 tds.
Johnson is the new coming of L.T. for all of you who can remember back that far (some 2 years!). Johnson has had 200 yard games, killed it from scrimmage all year and has the ability to bring home the league MVP award on a team that may not even make the playoffs. He made his team forget all about a commitee situation with LenDale White, and was clearly the most started player in any league this year.

Comeback Player Of The Year:
To celebrate a guy we would have never dreamed of drafting or playing again, and showed awesome numbers this season. The winner is:

Ricky Williams, Running Back, Miami Dolphins
1055 rush yards, 11 tds, 27 receptions, 234 yards, 2 tds.
Let’s face it, no one in their right mind thought that Ricky Williams would be a guy you had to start every week. Granted the season ending injury to Ronnie Brown helped, but Williams showed numbers much like the ones he showed early in his career. Most of the young guys can’t even stand up to what he has done this year. After bouts with marijuana, and retirement and defying age, Williams has been a top 10 back this season.

Best Waiver Wire Pick Up Performer:
This goes out to a player that pretty much no one drafted, but picked him up later in the year and was greatly awarded. The winner is:

Jamaal Charles, Running Back, Kansas City Chiefs
759 rush yards, 5 tds, 36 receptions, 272 yards, 1 td, 925 return yards, 1 td
For some reason, the Chiefs rode the Larry Johnson train much longer then they should have. Charles has great hands and great speed and when the Chiefs finally had enough of Johnson, he stepped in and has been huge. He does it all, runs, catches, returns and scores. Let’s face it, when you picked him up on the wire, some laughed at you, simply because he was on a bad club. Well we will all see who is jumping on this bandwagon at next seasons draft, won’t we!

Best Rookie Performer:
We award the best fantasy newcomer, and the people with the guts to run them out there every week. The winner is:

Percy Harvin, Wide Receiver, Minnesota Vikings
49 catches, 691 yards, 6 tds 1017 return yards, 2 tds, 103 rush yards
It was a very close race, and I need to give props to Knowshon Moreno, but very few rookies have meant as much, or has done as much for their team then Harvin. Teamed with veteran QB Brett Favre, Harvin has made the Vikings offense a passing team as well as a running team. He had doubters coming out of college, but now his stock is rising for sure.

Biggest Bust Award:
This is easy. A player picked very hgh in most drafts that you found yourself benching mid-way through the season. You know there is plenty of good candidates, but we narrowed it down to this winner:

Brandon Jacobs, Running Back, New York Giants.
782 rush yards, 5 tds, 17 receptions, 182 yards, 1 td
How many of you thought that when Derrick Ward left for Tampa that Jacobs would be just that better a fantasy pick up? Well for all who did, you used first or second round picks on him, and well from the numbers it didn’t pan out. Jacobs averages about 14 points a week in a yahoo system, which for a starting RB is average at best. The Giants have no real set identity on offense, and this shows us that.

Biggest Season Killing Injury:
We give this out to the poor player and people that drafted him high and lost him quickly. Every year one player totally torches a season by getting hurt, and this year we have a clear cut winner:

Brian Westbrook, Running Back, Philadelphia Eagles.
We always suggest to handcuff players with their back ups, so if you grabbed Westbrook (and if you did you know it was first or second round) and did not grab LeSean McCoy, then you had a tough season. Westbrooks stats are not even worth printing, they are that meaningless to anyone. Also you have to wonder that at 30 years old, has his days of being a productive fantasy player passed him bye? It never goes gradual as guys such as Marshal Faulk, Shaun Alexander, and even L.T. will tell you.

Quarterback Of The Year:
Given to the QB who has put up the best fantasy numbers. The season is not over yet, but this winner will shock many of you:

Aaron Rodgers, Quarterback, Green Bay Packers
3962 yards, 28 tds, 305 rush yards, 4 tds
Manning? Brees? Brady? Schaub? I know you are all asking that, but look at it closely folks, and you will see it’s Rodgers. The man that has replaced Favre in Green Bay is finally playing as such, and his ability to run as well as throw, and to score more from bigger distance is what has him at the top. Ok,so maybe you all like the, “other guys” but I have found in being in 4 leagues this year, that Rodgers is a guy that kills it every week. Could you just imagine how much better his numbers can be if Greg Jennings actually showed up and they had a stronger running game?

Best Running Back:
Simple, the bread winners of your fantasy team. The winner is (of course)

Chris Johnson, Titans
See MVP above for all his stats. Maurice Jones Drew was a very close second however with 16 total tds, but Johnson just trumps everyone with all his combined stats. We may have a new overall number 1 pick next year Mr. Peterson. I think Chris should get ready for his close ups, as he should be on the cover of many a magazine next August.

Best Wide Receiver:
Always the toughest to choose in a class filled with stars. So after lots of sorting we came up with this winner:

Andre Johnson, Wide Receiver, Houston Texans.
90 receptions, 1433 yards, 8 tds
Always tough to say who is the best here. So many guys deserve props, so a big round of applause for Brandon Marshall, Reggie Wayne, DeSean Jackson and on and on. Johnson just goes crazy with yards, and will most likely do 100 grabs again this year. He’s big and tough, a total freak on the field. Yes many say Larry Fitzgerald is the best, but let Andre get to a Super Bowl, and see what we all say about him.

Best Defense:
We celebrate the defense that just racks up all the goods in all the catagories. This winner is back to its old fantasy form:

The Philadelphia Eagles
39 sacks, 2 safeties, 23 ints, 13 fumble recoveries, 4 tds, 1 block FG
Yes the Saints defense has scored 8 tds, which is huge, but Philly has done it all, and it seems to be week in and week out. In every fantasy catagory the Birds show up in the top 5, and were a point scoring machine. It kind of looks like the old Buddy Ryan days again in Philly, huh Eagles fans? Asante Samuel, Trent Cole, Sheldon Brown and the rest have made it a big year for owners of this defense.

Best Kicker:
From all over the field, and after the td’s this guy has put them through the uprights for us. The winner is:

David Akers, Philadelphia Eagles
Akers? A couple of years ago he was in the talks as the first kicker taken, then he lost his form and his clutch abaility. This year he leads all fantasy kickers in FG’s from 40-49 yards, and has 40 PAT’s to go along with it. He’s been much more accurate and reliable then just about any kicker this year. Only Nate Kaeding of San Diego can compete with Akers numbers this season.

The fond farewell tour:
We pay homage to those who were once big point producers, but now appear at the end of the line. Some players who have been first and second round picks who may now be late rounders if even drafted. So without all kinds of numbers let’s give it up for:

Terrell Owens
Torry Holt
Ladainian Tomlinson
Brian Westbrook
Larry Johnson
Matt Hasselbeck

And lets give it up for some stars on the rise, or players who may have just found first round glory with some late season heroics:

Jamaal Charles
Jerome Harrison
Sidney Rice
Ray Rice
Mike Sims-Walker
Hakeem Nicks

Now we hand out a few more “DUD” awards, we all love our underachievers.

Biggest QB Dud:

Jay Cutler, Chicago Bears
3117 yards, 19 tds 25 ints
In leagues that deduct for INTs, Cutler must have been a nightmare. Yes he had a couple of good yardage games, but his performance became downright brutla near the end of the season. So Chicago finally got it’s big time QB huh? Tell that to Denver.

Biggest RB Dud:

Matt Forte, Chicago Bears
754 yards, 4 tds, 53 receptions, 455 yards
Rejoice Steve Slaton owners, by the numbers you did not get burned as bad as Forte owners. Wow the Bears went all out to let us down this year huh folks? Forte was a mere shell of what he was last year, and it made his team and every fantasy owners team that owned him suffer. If back up Kevin Jones did not get hurt, or if Adrian Peterson showed a lick of ability to play then Forte would have gotten even less action then the garbage he posted.

Biggest WR Dud:

Roy Williams, Dallas Cowboys
37 receptions, 592 yards, 6 tds
He ran Terrell Owens out of town. He had Jerry Jones trade for him last year. He also made many draftees pumped up about his potential. Do you think he still says “I’m a number 1 receiver”? Because in fantasy value he’s more like 101.

Lifetime ( or so it feels like ) Achievement Award

Can you believe that Donald Driver and Derrick Mason still get put into fantasy dtarting lineups? It’s hard to imagine, but its true. at 36 and 37 years YOUNG, these guys continue to put up good fantasy numbers, but you have to wonder when it finally will come to an end?

Just a side bar note fans, in my last fantasy article of the year,which will be in 2 weeks, we will give you the results of our very own CamelClutchBlog Fantasy League. The Championship game is looking like The Sharks very own Team Nice Guys vs our beloved blog moderator Eric G and his Team Dusty’s Red Belly Spot. Should be a big time match up. For all of you who are still in contention, good luck, and for all of you who have won it all, we say congrats to you!

If you’d like to hear anything else from me on topics or ideas I can be reached at phillyphan1971@yahoo.com

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It is finally here for some of you fantasy football players. It is your fantasy football championship week. For some, it is a week of tradition and superstition. For others, it is your first taste at a post-season fantasy championship game. Fifteen weeks and endless hours of draft preparation have likely brought you to this point. However, rather than talk waiver wire pickups let’s talk championship do’s and don’ts.

Don’t over-analyze – There is a reason you have gotten this far in the fantasy football playoffs. Stick with what got you here. The most common mistake for first-time championship players is to over-think your game. For example, you own Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts are playing the New York Jets this week. The two worst words you want to hear before you play your quarterback are Darrelle Revis. Yes, Revis has been a shutdown machine all season. Yes, the Jets have a tremendous pass defense. However, are you really going to shut Peyton Manning down in your championship week? Adrian Peterson has been a dog two of the last three weeks, but are you really going to sit All Day? Don’t play scared and stick with the money guys who brought you to the dance.

Skip the waiver wire – There is no reason you should even think of playing the waiver wire game. Looking at Week 15, there were no serious NFL injuries that will keep any of the top fantasy players from playing in Week 16 barring an illness or an injury in practice. Yes Jerome Harrison is tempting, but can you really trust Eric Mangini when it comes to the running back rotation in Cleveland? I look at it this way when it comes to playing guys in fantasy football at this point in the season. It comes down to, who do you trust? I suggested picking up Arian Foster last week but I also said proceed with caution. However, you had some of the most respected “experts” last week ranking him in the top 15 and suggesting that you play him. That is nonsense! I’d rather stare at his fifteen points on my bench than take the risk that he would be a bust in my most important week, which he was. Now for dynasty and keeper league players, if you can find a decent keeper on the wire grab him for next year than grab him. Otherwise avoid the temptation of the waiver and free agent wire at all costs.

Go with a running back in your flex position – I have always had a rule which has cost me on some weeks, but has won me more games in the long haul. My rule of thumb is always start a running back in the flex position over a wide receiver. I don’t care if you have three great receivers. One of them has to sit for the running back. Remember what time of year we are in. It is the winter time, and this is the time of the year where most teams will be running over passing in outdoor weather. Of course this is subject to change if you have no true starting running back to start in the flex while you have a great receiver sitting on your bench. At the same time, you know a running back is going to get his carries. Whether he scores or not, he is going to get 8-18 carries depending upon the offense. The wide receiver you want to play could be easily shut out. I’d rather take 7 points from a bad running back than 0 from a wide receiver.

Beware of faulty fantasy football statistics – This is something that could get you into big trouble if you don’t do your homework. There are a lot of writers and websites that give you fantasy stats such as average points a team gives up to tight ends, quarterbacks, etc. Read the stats closely. Most of these websites are giving you seasonal stats. My rule of thumb is to look at a team’s last four-five games. For example, the Philadelphia Eagles are ranked as one of the worst teams against tight ends by most fantasy sites. Those same “experts” will yell and scream to play your tight end against the Eagles. What they don’t tell you is that over the last six games, the Eagles have only given up two touchdowns to tight ends. On top of that, the Eagles shut down three of the best fantasy tight ends in the game in Vernon Davis, Tony Gonzalez, and Antonio Gates. Yes they gave up touchdowns to Fred Davis and Kevin Boss, but this is hardly the “give-me” team against the tight end that they used to be. A lot of those fantasy football sites use seasonal sites and while the Eagles may have been decimated by tight ends early on, they fixed that problem when they acquired Will Witherspoon. Some of these fantasy websites are a great guide, but do your own homework. Remember this is the championship game and chances are your opponent is up to his neck in stats. Be prepared and you’ll be fine.

So there they are, a few do’s and don’ts for fantasy football championship players. I will be playing in the championship this week in a league filled with all of the writers who have written fantasy football and NFL articles on CamelClutchBlog.com this season. Hopefully you followed some of my advice this season and had some luck in your league (and better luck than I had in some of my others). Good luck in your championship, and welcome to the big dance.

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I knew we couldn’t get through an NFL regular season without some Brett Favre controversy. Favre shut a lot of doubters like me up earlier this season when he had the Minnesota Vikings rolling through the regular season and crushing opponents. Favre looked great, the team looked great, and even Brad Childress’ questionable coaching couldn’t stop this NFC North division machine…until now. A tense exchange Sunday night between Favre and Chilly could be two minutes of Brad Childress’ life that could change his career forever.

For the first time all season, the Vikings have struggled in their last two of three football games. Not only were they defeated by both the Arizona Cardinals and Carolina Panthers, they were crushed by both teams. Brett Favre returned to his late-season form last year with the New York Jets. Brad Childress’ game plans have proven to be ineffective and at times just moronic. The story reached a new level on Sunday night when Brad Childress attempted to take quarterback Brett Favre out of the game. Yes, I did say attempted.

Favre addressed the situation after the game and well, let’s just say that this story has now taken on a life of its own. Favre said the following about the situation…

“[T]here was a heated discussion, I guess you would call it,” Favre said after the game. “We were up 7-6 at the time. No secret, I was getting hit a little bit. I felt the pressure on a lot of plays. We had seven points. So I think everyone in the building was like, ‘They’re not moving the ball, they’re not getting points.’ Brad wanted to go in a different direction and I wanted to stay in the game.

“We were up 7-6. Yeah, it’s not 70-6, but we’re up 7-6. So I said, ‘I’m staying in the game, I’m playing.’ I don’t know if it was exactly to protect me, or we had seven points, I’m not sure. That’s his call. But we talked it out. We didn’t have time, I didn’t have time to sit there and say why or what. My response was, we’ve got to win this ballgame and I want to stay in and do whatever I can. Now, unfortunately, I didn’t do that, but that was my intention.” – StarTribune.

Sorry Chilly, you are the weakest link!

This latest revelation exposes everything that Brett Favre’s critics have said about him over the last few years. Is this really any surprise? Hey at least the Vikings have it easy. In Green Bay, Favre tried to bully both the head coach and the general manager into making decisions. There were numerous reports from New York last season of Favre sulking after head coach Eric Mangini criticized his decision making or more bluntly, interceptions. Even teammates such as Thomas Jones questioned this very same issue about Favre staying in a game and accused Favre of being selfish, although the circumstances were much different. Minnesota Vikings fans shouldn’t be surprised this happened, they should be surprised it took fifteen weeks for the devil to start wearing Prada.

This is a much bigger problem for the organization than it is for Brett Favre and Brad Childress. Favre likes to have these buddy-buddy relationships with his head coaches, and I don’t think it is only because he is such a nice guy. He is a manipulator. He did it to Mike Holmgren, he did it to Mike McCarthy, and he has now done it to Brad Childress. It was evident from day one that Favre didn’t speak about his coach the way that most NFL players should and do. Take Peyton Manning for example. Let’s face it, if there is any quarterback running their NFL team it is Peyton Manning. At the same time, he shows his new head coach more respect than Jim Caldwell probably deserves. The situation between Favre and Manning is almost similar. Caldwell is considering benching Manning to rest him, Manning wants to play, both disagree, but in the end Manning has said that it is the coach’s decision.

The situation will undoubtedly open up old wounds in an already divided locker room. The locker room was reportedly in disarray when Chilly shuffled Favre onto the team, feeling that they were lied to and disrespected by their coach. Many ex-NFL players who are now analysts cited that this would be a problem down the line. Now you have a public situation where a player flat out told the coach to stick it, and probably a few more words while he was at it. Here in Philadelphia, Terrell Owens was run out of town for the very same thing (ironically to the same Brad Childress when he was a coordinator). How can a head coach in the NFL coach his team and discipline his players when they are well aware that he can’t control the old man taking the snaps at QB? The answer is easy, they can’t.

The idea of benching Favre in that situation is also a debate in itself. I really don’t get Brad Childress sometimes. Childress will just as easily abandon the running game with arguably the best running back in the NFL at the strangest times for reasons that are unexplainable. The New Orleans Saints lost Saturday, the Philadelphia Eagles won, and the Vikings needed this win to stay ahead for the second seed. Why Childress would want to pull Favre in a 7-6 game (score at the time) in such a critical situation is beyond words to me. I don’t think Favre played well at all, but pulling him at that point in the game made very little sense. However, at the end of the day he is the head coach and he should be able to play who he wants, when he wants, and not when the players want.

There is only one way out of this for Brad Childress. Childress needs to bench Brett Favre. But wait a minute! The sacred streak of NFL starts for Brett Favre will be tarnished by being disciplined for refusing to come out of a game. How will that fly among the team, the media, and with Brett Favre? I don’t think it will fly at all. Without benching old #4, Childress is a dead man walking in Minnesota. Of course a Super Bowl could cure all of this, but this team is imploding faster than it is exploding on the exterior. Sure, coaches have been in this position before and unfortunately for Chilly it rarely works out in their favor. When you lose the locker room, and your player won’t let you coach, you lose your job.

Just ask Grady Little.

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The NFL 2009 regular season is wrapping up and the playoff picture still remains just as fuzzy as it did last week. While three teams have clinched spots, there are still 24 teams technically alive for postseason play. The NFL playoff picture should clear up slightly after this week’s games.

The Indianapolis Colts have clinched a spot and are the only undefeated team left in the AFC. What the Colts and New Orleans Saints have done this season is simply remarkable. If it proves anything it proves that you do need a great quarterback to win games in the NFL. Well for the Jacksonville Jaguars, they are missing that component yet they provide a fairly intriguing matchup for the Colts on Thursday night.

The big debate now for the Colts centers around how long their starters will play. Nobody will catch them, but they have already gotten a ton of grief from the NFL in regards to sitting starters in the regular season. The Jags on the other hand are fighting for their playoff lives. To the Jags, this is a playoff game. To the Colts, this is just a few more weeks before they can take a long vacation. Will that play a factor Thursday night in Jacksonville?

I am not dumb enough to pick the Jags, but I like them a lot in this spot. Jim Caldwell will have a hell of a job motivating this team to play hard for four quarters at this point in the season. Coach Del Rio on the other hand will have these guys ready to bomb Afghanistan. The Jags are undefeated at home against division opponents this season. Obviously the Colts are undefeated period. Throw in there that the Jags are ranked 26th in the NFL against the pass and you have a big win written all over this for the Colts.

One thing to keep in mind here is that the Jags tend to play the Colts tough. The Jags held the Colts to just 14 points in Week 1 this season. The Jags were down two points and had the ball in the final two minutes of the game. Unfortunately for Jags fans, the Jags were unable to complete the drive. Think about how different this season would have been if the Jags were able to drive for a field goal and win that game. Well they didn’t, and I am sure the Colts are reminded of this daily in game preparation this week. I wouldn’t be shocked with an upset, at the same time I also wouldn’t be shocked to see Peyton Manning sitting on the bench in the fourth quarter with a comfortable lead.

The NFC’s undefeated darlings, the New Orleans Saints also play in a featured game this week. The Saints play a struggling Dallas Cowboys at home on Saturday night. NFL fans started counting this one down three weeks ago and a week later they stopped. Talk about two teams going in entirely two different directions. The Dallas Cowboys continue to choke in December and are on the verge of seeing their playoff hopes completely slip away barring a miracle over the next few weeks.

Unlike the Jags-Colts, I would be shocked to see an upset here. The Saints have had a couple of tough games back to back in recent weeks against teams a lot worse than the Cowboys. However, if there is one thing I love about the Saints it is that they get up for big games. This is a big game and they know the world will be watching. Ask Tom Brady what happened the last time the world was watching a Saints game. This team can run, they can pass, and they can certainly defend against anyone. Is there anything that leads me to believe that this one will be anything but a blowout? Nope.

I remember a game late in Sean Payton’s first season as the Saints coach between these two teams. The hype surrounded Payton coming back to Dallas to coach against his mentor Bill Parcels. The Cowboys were red hot around this time, Tony Romo had become the darling of America, and the Saints were seen as a big underdog in that game. Payton coached out of his mind and stunned the Cowboys in Week 14 42-17, Brees had 384 yards, and the Saints just went crazy with gadget play after gadget play. The Cowboys don’t have a defense that can contain an offense like this. Add in the chance of no DeMarcus Ware, and this one is a recipe for disaster for the Dallas Cowboys. I love the Saints with a huge win and another T.R. problem for Dallas fans.

I don’t think anyone expected a Week 15 game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Philadelphia Eagles to mean much going into this season. However, this is looking like the marquee game of the day. Both teams are coming off of red hot performances in prime time games. On paper, these two offenses have the potential to light up the day with big yards and flashy plays. This is going to be a good one.

Will the real San Francisco 49ers please stand up? The 49ers that blew out the Arizona Cardinals on Monday night were the most impressive 49ers I have seen in a long time. How the heck do you lose to Seattle in one week and destroy the Cardinals the next? Whether it was Mike Singletary pulling down his pants or changing up their defensive schemes, something worked. No quarterback likes pressure, and Donovan McNabb is no exception. Teams that get pressure on McNabb make him look like Jake Delhomme on third down. The Eagles offensive line has really come together lately, but they are beatable and will need to play their best to keep McNabb vertical.

The Eagles put a show on Sunday night that the New Orleans Saints would be proud of. The NFL is finally learning what us Eagles fans have known for two years and that is that DeSean Jackson is one of the most explosive players in the NFL. He had a monster game last week, including back-stepping into the end zone for a score. Keep in mind that he did this without Jeremy Maclin or Brian Westbrook taking coverage away from him. The guy is just a nightmare for defensive coordinators. Oh yeah, and how about that Michael Vick guy?

I have been critical all season of the Vick signing. I still don’t like him, but the Eagles are finally starting to use him as they promised. The birds came up with some really exciting plays including one where both McNabb and Vick were in at the same time. If there is any positive to this slow start for Vick, it is that teams haven’t seen half of what the birds plan to do with Vick. He looks like he is starting to get his legs back and could be a difference maker. The problem I still have with Vick is that he is high risk/high reward. Sure, he absolutely has the potential to come in a game and stun a defense. At the same time, I still think you play with fire when you put him in on red zone plays and break up the momentum of a long drive for the offense. Over the course of the season, it hasn’t worked out. Over the last few weeks, it has been a dream for Eagles fans. Sunday will be an interesting test to Singletary and his defense to see if they can stop this new offensive machine.

The Eagles haven’t played a quarterback as hot as Alex Smith in a long time. As good as Tony Romo has been this season, he didn’t come into the Linc as hot as Smith will be on Sunday. The birds had some major breakdowns in their rushing defense Sunday, and that is not a good sign when you have Frank Gore coming in. I think the big difference here is the travel. The 49ers will be traveling across the country on a short week. That is a horrible schedule this late in the season, and almost unfair if you ask me. The game is also at 1 PM/EST which is 10 AM California time. I think these are huge intangibles that will be the difference in the game. Don’t be surprised to see a sluggish 49ers team for these reasons on Sunday. I like the birds in a tight one at home on Sunday afternoon.

Quick Hits - Call me crazy but I am actually intrigued by the Monday night game between the New York Giants and the Washington Redskins. A great defense against a pretty good passing offense could be a fun game to watch. I almost feel sorry for the Panthers this week, but not after they ran their mouths about a team that just beat them. The Steelers couldn’t beat the Browns or the Raiders, so what makes me think that they have a prayer against the Packers? Actually, I like them a lot. If sitting Peyton Manning in Week 17 hurts the integrity of the NFL, what does a game between the Seattle Seahawks and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 15 do for the league? As impressive as the San Diego Chargers have been this season, I won’t be convinced until they do it in January. Remember when fans of defensive football circled the Bears-Ravens game in Week 15 this season? I hope you didn’t use ink. The Patriots are winless on the road (in America) this season and the Bills almost beat them in Week 1. It could get very interesting on Sunday if things go wrong early for New England. Fantasy Football owners can let out a big sigh of relief now that it looks like they will have Larry Fitzgerald available for the Detroit Lions game.

Fantasy Fix - Beanie Wells, Arizona Cardinals – The former Buckeye has been a very frustrating player for fantasy owners this season. He has only three touchdowns in seven weeks. However, you probably drafted him for the Cardinals late-season schedule. This week he has the Detroit Lions. Ray Rice is still running all over the Lions. Rice put up over 20 points for me in both of my leagues last week. The Lions have all but given up at this point. I don’t care who your other running backs are, play Beanie and enjoy a nice playoff victory.

Jason Campbell, Washington Redskins – As bad as the Redskins started this season, they have actually had some good offensive numbers the last few weeks. Maybe the key to getting the most out of Campbell is keeping him away from his offensive coordinator? Regardless, he has put up some great numbers the last few weeks. Did you see what Donovan McNabb did to the Giants on Sunday night? He is no Donovan McNabb, but if you read the New York papers this week you know that the Giants are a complete mess right now. The Redskins have a great passing defense and they are bound to get some turnovers. Campbell should have a drive or two started with great field position. Better yet, Campbell is available on just about every waiver wire. Sure he is a risk in a playoff week, but he has a better matchup this week than over half of the other fantasy quarterback options. I love his matchup this week on Monday night, making him a must-start.

Mike Sims-Walker, Jacksonville Jaguars – This may or may not be an obvious play here. A lot of fantasy players immediately look at the Colts and play scared. The advantage of playing against the Colts is that you usually get one-two garbage time touchdowns. The only red herring here is MSW’s hamstring injury. As of now he is expected to play. He is exactly the kind of a wide receiver that can take apart the Colts secondary. Remember, it is a short week so there is a possibility he sits with that injury. I’d be shocked to see him sit in a prime-time game that is a must-win situation for the Jaguars. If he is playing, he is a must-start on Thursday night.

Randy McMichael, St. Louis Rams – I am not as bullish on McMichael as I am the other guys here, but in looking for a dubious tight end his name jumped out at me. Finally, McMichael caught his first touchdown pass of the season last week. Keith Null started at quarterback last week and as the saying goes, a tight end is a rookie QB’s best friend. The quarterback situation is once again in limbo this week, but McMichael is a must-start if Null starts at quarterback for the Rams. The Rams play the Houston Texans team this week and the Texans are very generous to tight ends. The Texans give up almost 67% more fantasy points to tight ends than the average NFL team. Even with Boller in the game, I still like McMichael yet I love him with Null.

CamelClutchBlog.com Fantasy Football Playoff Standings

Winner’s Bracket
Team The Nice Guys 1-0 (Jeff Porrini)
Dusty’s RedBellySpot 1-0 (Eric Gargiulo)
…Not You!!! 0-1 (John Yomtov)
Havertown Spoilers 0-1 (Bryan Reigel)

Consolation Ladder
1st Place 0-1 (Derek Sabato)
Team Wheelhouse Radio! 1-0 (Jeff Peck)
Team Nuetral Zone 1-0 (Brett Clendaniel)
Team We Own You 1-0 (Erik Espenberg)
The Kings of Krista 0-1 (Josh Usher)
Team Rowland 0-1 (Justin Rowland)

NFL Week 15 Picks!

I had a huge bounce back week witn my first 12 win week of the season on CamelClutchBlog.com, going 12-4. I am 134-74 overall on the season. Now for the NFL Week 15 Picks (Picks in BOLD) -

Indianapolis Colts vs Jacksonville Jaguars
Dallas Cowboys vs New Orleans Saints
New England Patriots vs Buffalo Bills
Arizona Cardinals vs Detroit Lions
Miami Dolphins vs Tennessee Titans
Cleveland Browns vs Kansas City Chiefs
Houston Texans vs St Louis Rams
Atlanta Falcons vs New York Jets
San Francisco 49ers vs Philadelphia Eagles
Chicago Bears vs Baltimore Ravens
Cincinnati Bengals vs San Diego Chargers
Oakland Raiders vs Denver Broncos
Green Bay Packers vs Pittsburgh Steelers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Seattle Seahawks
Minnesota Vikings vs Carolina Panthers
New York Giants vs Washington Redskins

Happy Holidays to you and yours.

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