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.

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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

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.

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

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

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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We are right smack in the middle of the fantasy football playoffs and you lost a starter! Maybe you are afraid that the guy that brought you to the dance may be the same one that takes you home early? There are a few reasons that you may still be searching the fantasy football free agent and waiver wires in Week 15. Fear not, as there are still a few good options available that can help you win your league and shock your opponents. We may be near the end, but I never stop looking for waiver wire gems.

Remember, with most free agent or fantasy waiver wire pickups that you are entering dangerous territory. These are all going to be high risk/high reward players and you really don’t want to look at the waiver wire at this point unless you really have to. This past week Kevin Smith, Jeremy Maclin, and Bruce Gradkowski owners are going to some need help. Here are just a few dubious names that could help you ease your stress and win you the fantasy football championship.

Quinton Ganther, Washington Redskins - I picked up Ganther last week but didn’t trust him to start. I got burnt as Ganther had 21 points last week and was the first Redskin running back to start and get goal line carries in a long time. I learned my lesson, and yet he is still available in most leagues off of the waiver/free agent wire. Ganther has a fantastic matchup this Sunday against the New York Giants. The Philadelphia Eagles ran all over the Giants Sunday night. As a matter of a fact, everyone has run on the Giants this season. I love his matchup, and he is one of the few backs in the entire league to get the ball as both a feature and red zone back.

Arian Foster, Houston Texans - Here we go again with another Houston Texans running back. Foster is the fourth back to be featured by the Texans this season, and the third to start. As predicted here, the Texans have rightfully moved off of Chris Brown. Rather than feature Moats, the Texans will feature Foster to see what they have here for the future. There are a few great upsides to Foster that makes him a must-pick up if you have a spot. For one, he will be starting against the St. Louis Rams this week. Two, he has great hands and will give you those dual threat numbers that Steve Slaton used to get for his owners. Three, there is a good possibility if he does well that he takes Slaton’s job as the starter next year which makes him a potential keeper in dynasty leagues.

Hakeem Nicks, New York Giants - Nicks has jumped over Mario Manningham on the depth chart and is now a starter for the Giants. In his first start he caught four balls for over 100 yards and a touchdown. He had a few really bad drops, but I love the fact that the Giants stuck with him throughout the game. Look, this is a bad defensive team that will probably be in a couple of more shootouts in the next few weeks. Nicks will get his opportunities, and with Steve Smith getting the #1 defensive back on him, Nicks will have some good opportunities to put up those same numbers down the stretch.

Chad Henne, Miami Dolphins - I was right about Brady Quinn coming out of college, but I was dead wrong about Henne. For a guy that couldn’t win a big game in college, he has looked great this season. Tony Sparano has instituted an offense that works for Henne and while he didn’t have a touchdown against Jacksonville last week, he still put up double digits in most leagues. Henne faces the Tennessee Titans this week who have the 31st ranked pass defense in the NFL. The Titans give up an average of over 258 yards a game and have given up 27 total passing touchdowns this season. Sure, a lot of those TDs came against New England but good quarterbacks can still throw against this team. The Dolphins are still in the hunt for the divisional playoff spot this week and will be looking to do big things against the Titans. I like Henne here and down the stretch.

Evan Moore, Cleveland Browns - Buyer beware! I only recommend Moore if you are desperate at tight end. There is a ton of potential upside here, as he has turned into Brady Quinn’s favorite target. Teams will be spending the week defending Josh Cribbs, leaving the underneath open for Moore. Moore had seven targets against the Steelers last week. The Browns play the Kansas City Chiefs who give up almost 60% more fantasy points to tight ends than the average NFL team. I would not recommend picking Moore up and playing him over an established tight end, but if you need some help and are looking for a wing and prayer, Moore could be your man this week.

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Now that the playoffs are upon us in most of the fantasy leagues it is time for me to step up my preview for Week 14. However, the players that I see putting up the most points this week are the ones that have been doing it all year.

QUARTERBACKS:

There is nothing that Drew Brees can’t do in the NFL and especially against the Falcons pass defense. Atlanta’s pass defense has been poor for the past 8 weeks and Brees, who is possibly the best QB not named Peyton in the league, will put up massive numbers. I don’t see the Saints running the ball too much until they are up by double digits and have the game under control. Remember, this is a NFC game, divisional game, and a road game; all which are important for the Saints to declare themselves a powerhouse in the NFL.

You know I was going to bypass Matt Schaub but I think he will put up big numbers against the Seattle defense. I mean if Alex Smith can try and pass all over them, can’t Matty Schaub? The Texans are all but out of the playoff chase unless they make a huge run for the next couple of weeks. I don’t see that happening but I do see the Texans leaning on one of the best QBs in the league in Schaub to make their fans interested in the rest of the season.

As I said in my Studs/Duds article, the Cardinals can and will put up big passing numbers as long as Warner and his dynamic duo of WRs are healthy. Last week looks like all three are healthy and ready to make a return run into the playoffs and possibly Super Bowl. Warner has a chance to clinch the division and convince most people that the Cardinals are a force to be reckoned with in the NFL. I wrote this early and I will continue to write it for the rest of the year: the Cardinals are very dangerous and will compete with most any team they play.

RUNNING BACKS:

Again I will lead this off with the most explosive man in the NFL, Chris Johnson. He has the pleasure of playing the St. Louis defense and I have the pleasure of playing him in the first round of the playoffs in my fantasy league. I can only hope that the St. Louis defense can hold him under 25 points. I expect him to score near 30 so if 24 comes up on his final score for the week I will be happy. Johnson owners should see him carry your team into the next round of the playoffs.

It is true that I’m playing against Chris Johnson, but Mighty Mouse might be the kryptonite that I need. MJD had an off week with only 7 points last week against the Texans, but I don’t see the Jags throwing too much on a good Dolphins pass defense. I said last week if Del Rio doesn’t give MJD 25 touches he will lose and I was wrong. Well I repeat that statement and I don’t the Jags winning otherwise in a game that both teams need to win in order to make a playoff run.

There is absolutely no way that Ray Rice doesn’t bounce back from a rough effort against a very, very good Packer defense. Rice and the Ravens are playing the Lions. The Lions are a fantasy feast and Rice should show owners why he is going to be a first round draft pick in next year’s draft. If you don’t believe me or think that I am “jumping the gun”, check out his stats for the year and then see how good he does against the Lions on Sunday.

WIDE RECEIVERS:

Boldin, Fitzgerald, and Andre Johnson are going to be a good start with what you read from my QB picks. I just don’t see any of them having an off game against a favorable matchup for either team.

Like I said last week, it is bad to come across an angry Tom Brady and the Patriots. That means that Randy Moss and Wes Welker are great plays against the below average Carolina Panthers team. The Pats need a convincing win to put fear back into the teams they play and they do that with a healthy dosage of passing to the two headed monster of Moss and Welker. Did I mention that they are playing at home where they play lights out?

As much as I love my Bears, I just don’t see them stopping the passing attack of Jennings or Driver. I’m not sure which one of these guys will have the monster game because it has been a toss up. However, I’m going to go with the more consistent and veteran of the two and pick Driver. Bears defense has many, many flaws, and Rodgers will expose them to Driver who needs a bounce back game after having a below average effort last week.

SLEEPERS:

Whoever is running the ball for the Redskins against the awful Raiders defense. That means even Quinton Ganther is a solid start in the playoffs. Never in the years I have been following football would I have guessed I would suggest starting a 4th string running back in the playoffs, but he should be ok.

Another one of my “Why Not” starts is Kyle Boller. Tennesse Titans pass defense has improved but the Rams will be behind in the game and he has a legit chance in getting garbage time points. If you need a deep, deep quarterback, start Boller and see a solid start.

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Well fantasy owners, the long and winding road seems to be coming to an end. For all of you who are out of the playoff picture in your leagues, I hope you all enjoyed your seasons and will be ready to go again next year. For those of you in the playoffs, or are fighting for a spot you know how important this week is, and how important some help can be. I will start out with some very simple rules to follow heading into this week:

1. Stick with what got you here: Unless a player has a major injury, continue to go with that line-up that has made you successful. If you started Matt Schaub all year, don’t go out and grab a Josh Freeman this week just because of his sore left shoulder, but do monitor your players.

2. Keep it simple: Much like the first piece of advice, dont try and get cute. Just because Joe Flacco is playing the Lions doesn’t mean you have to blow dust off of him and start him.

3. Pray alot: Yes a little help from whomever your savior is can always be nice.

4. Don’t panic about who your opponent is starting: You can not do anything about certain match-ups. Yes Chris Johnson plays the Rams this week, but don’t worry and think he’s a lock for 40 or 50 points, let the games play out.

5. Have fun: Yes we all want to win, but don’t call or text your opponent and curse them out after every TD they score!

With that being said, its time for a does of “Flash and Crash”. I have decided to do it a little more like I did last week. Give you more names to like and more names to possibly dislike this week. The more advice the better? Not always, but if you use just 1 or 2 sources, i’m sure you’d like alot to look at.

Quarterback:

Flash

Drew Brees, Saints at Falcons: For all of you who think they will be taking it easy or running the ball alot, guess what, they won’t. Enough scares for them already, time to get back to business against one of the worst defenses in the league.

Aaron Rodgers, Packers at Bears: Favre-esque December for Rodgers perhaps? He’s been red-hot. A fantasy champ team type of QB.

Vince Young, Titans vs Rams: With all the pre-game hype the Rams may go 11 in the box on every play. Young should get numbers here, good numbers.

Yes Peyton Manning and Tom Brady: If you have these guys and are in the playoffs and think twice, you deserve to lose.

Donovan McNabb, Eagles at Giants: Did you read how McNabb seems to play better at Giants stadium? Sounds odd, but it’s Andy Reid and it’s December, the Eagles seem to love December.

Crash

Brett Favre, Vikings vs Bengals: Maybe he has something to prove after last week. The Bengals do get turnovers though. Another late season showing of age?

Matt Hasselbeck, Seahawks at Texans: Last week was a good week for him. 2 TDs and 198 yards, ummmm against the 49ers? It’s all but over for this guy.

Jason Campbell, Redskins at Raiders: Don’t dare,dare,dare bank on what he did last week and put your playoff at risk.

Alex Smith, 49ers at Cardinals: Once again, it’s playoff time. This guy can vanish any second now. However if he pulls off a big game or 2 down the stretch, you will all be looking for him on draft day next year.

Running Back:

Flash

Chris Johnson, Titans vs Rams: Yahoo projection, 35 points. ESPN projection 31 points. Tons of hype. Are the Rams reading this? Either way you start him.

Jamaal Charles, Chiefs vs Bills: Buffalo brings its number 32 ranked run defense to town. Charles has been big of late, and he will be playing for a job for next year. Toby Gerhart in KC? Charles hopes not.

Ray Rice, Ravens vs Lions: Got a taste of what it was like to be human last week didn’t he? Hey let’s face it,these are the Lions, run,run,run!! He will redefine the term “Wild Rice” this week.

Maurice Jones-Drew, Jaguars vs Dolphins: Because he has to be huge. The Jaguars, no matter how soft a schedule, control their playoff destiny, and so does Maurice Jones-Drew. 2 light weeks in a row, but don’t count on a third.

Crash

Matt Forte, Bears vs Packers: The Packers now remember how to play defense. Forte only goes off against basement teams.

Chris Brown, Texans vs Seahawks: Don’t do it! Just because Slaton’s year is finished does’nt mean Brown goes off. This team needs to go to the air this week.

Cedric Benson, Bengals at Vikings: I am still afraid of this run defense. I feel that the Bengals will try and play the wear down game and rotate fresh legs, and it still won’t work.

The Saints bunch: You just never know which one will show up! Play by emergency only.

The Cowboys bunch: See “The Saints bunch”.

Wide Receiver:

Flash

Reggie Wayne, Colts vs Broncos: In the never ending discussions over who is the best WR in the game, he just continues to be quiet and produce. Imagine waking up every morning knowing you are Peyton Mannings number 1 reciever.

Andre Johnson, Texans vs Seahawks: It will look like a heavyweight boxer vs lightweights when he stands next to these corners. Scored last week, and the run game is week.

Calvin Johnson, Lions at Ravens: If the Lions do anything at all, it will be in the hands of Johnson. You see what he does when listed as healthy: 6 rec, 123 yards, td last week. This kid has all the tools,he just needs a better team.

The Cardinal Twosome: Fitzgerald and Boldin, what every QB wants for Christmas!

Robert Meacham, Saints at Falcons: Despite all the weapons this team has, he’s the guy that keeps scoring. Originally seen as a first round dud, Meacham is now doing “Miles Austin-Type” stuff in this offense.

Crash

Roy Williams, Cowboys vs Chargers: This guy scored 2 TDs last week? Ha, not for my team, not in my playoffs.

Brandon Marshall, Broncos at Colts: It’s not that I don’t like Marshall, it’s just that the Colts pass rush has been good lately, and I think Orton will have a long day.

Braylon Edwards, Jets at Bucs: Ok so he scored last week, and could have had 2 TDs, but I don’t like Kellen Clemens at QB, no matter who they play. Also this guy likes to make you regret starting him.

Greg Jennings, Packers at Bears: Hey Greg, the end zone called, it is wondering where you have been?

Defense:

Flash

Titans at Rams
Patriots vs Panthers
Packers at Bears

Crash

49ers vs Cardinals
Broncos at Colts
Falcons vs Saints

So no more waiver wire updates friends, let’s face it, now is not the time to start guys you picked up on the wire. Good luck to everyone in week 14, and if it’s your playoffs, best of luck!
Thanks again for reading everyone and good luck in week 11. Don’t forget to check out my NFL pick em contest “Beat The Shark” every Friday!

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

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