We are just days into NFL free agency and the frenzy continues throughout the league. Within a matter of hours the NFL’s hottest free agent was signed, while other teams look to sit pat in something of a holding mode. It may only be March but a series of moves may have changed the balance of power between some NFL pretenders and contenders coming into what could be the last season before an NFL lock out.

I wanted to take a quick look today at some of the bigger, more intriguing, and in some cases shocking developments during the first week of NFL free agency. Keep in mind while I may criticize a team in its current state, there are plenty of viable free agents currently available, including a plethora of some impressive restricted names. That said, let’s take a look at some of the bigger moves and how they are likely to shape out according to this blogger.

Chicago Bears sign Julius Peppers, DE - Peppers was arguably the hottest unrestricted free agent in NFL history. Peppers’ new deal makes him the highest paid defensive linemen with a deal worth $84 million (so much poverty huh NFL owners?). The move immediately gave the Bears the Norris division according to some writers. I on the other hand am very dubious of the signing.

The upside with Peppers is that he has stayed relatively injury-free throughout his career and yes, he is a beast. But, the addition of Peppers could prove costly in money, wins, and team chemistry. Peppers has been accused of taking plays off. Peppers is also known to get frustrated when double-teamed and some say can be mentally taken out of a game. Peppers spoke highly of coach Lovie Smith and he being a main reason for the interest in Chicago. Lovie Smith is a lame duck coach, going into the final year of his contract. What if the Bears can’t turn it around next season? What if Lovie goes elsewhere either by his choice or the organization’s choice? Now a new coach is stuck with a guy that may not want to play for him. Peppers could get caught in the middle of a transitional period between coaches and d-coordinators. I just think the move is high risk and high reward for the Bears. As big as this signing could be, it could also throw the franchise back for years being stuck with a contract the size of Peppers.

Chicago Bears sign Chester Taylor, RB - In a move that could pay dividends on a few levels, the Bears signed RB Chester Taylor. In addition to bolstering their own backfield, the move took away one of their division rival’s biggest weapons. It will be very interesting to see what kind of year Adrian Peterson has when he doesn’t have to give up carries to someone like Taylor. The move also gives the Bears a great 1-2 punch with Matt Forte and Chester Taylor.

Yet again, this is another high risk and high reward situation for the Bears. Taylor has a ton of potential, especially in a Mike Martz offense. Taylor has great hands and is likely to get heavily involved in the passing game. However, Taylor is 31-years old. The positive here is that Thomas Jones has had two solid years and he is the same age as Taylor, and had about the same wear and tear when he came to the Jets. The downside here is that in an increased role, it is unknown how Taylor’s body will hold up. Also, if Matt Forte’s stinker season last year was a result of a bad offensive line which I think it was, than adding Taylor will turn out to be a big waste of time and money.

Baltimore Ravens acquire Anquan Boldin, WR – In my opinion, Boldin is fool’s gold. Boldin at one time was pegged by some to be the next Terrell Owens in the NFL. Instead, numerous injuries have kept Boldin on the sidelines in both regular and postseason games. Boldin will now ascend to the number one spot in the depth chart and team with a quarterback who struggled in a bit of a sophomore slump.

I know a lot of fans are upset that their teams didn’t trade for Boldin. Keep in mind that the Arizona Cardinals dramatically dropped their asking price for Boldin this season. There is a reason why a lot of teams didn’t step up. With an impending lockout, it is very risky for a team like Baltimore to commit all of that money to a guy who hasn’t played a full season in years. Boldin could be the missing piece here in one of the most prolific running offenses in the NFL. Boldin will also be jumping into arguably the most physical division in the NFL. Playing Pittsburgh, Cleveland, and Cincinnati twice a year is a heck of a lot different than playing the Seahawks and Rams twice a season. Derrick Mason was Mr. Durability for the Ravens, and that is exactly what you need in a number 1 WR in this division. I don’t know if Anquan Boldin can be that guy.

The Arizona Cardinals acquire Kerry Rhodes, S - Talk about a bargain here for the Arizona Cardinals. Cardinals’ fans were up in arms when the Cards let Antrel Rolle leave and sign with the New York Giants. The Cards responded by trading a couple of draft picks for disgruntled New York Jets safety Kerry Rhodes. There is not a big drop off here at all between Rhodes and Rolle. Rhodes arguably played in a tougher division, so in the end his numbers may mean a bit more than Rolle’s. The Cards will also save themselves a ton of money in the difference between the two safeties. Rhodes’ character has been questioned by some in the New York media, but a change of scenery could be exactly what he needs in Arizona.

The Miami Dolphins sign Karlos Dansby, LB - A brilliant pickup by the Miami Dolphins. If there is anything you need in the AFC East, it is a hard hitting linebacker like Dansby. The position is a huge upgrade from Joey Porter, who couldn’t back up the checks his mouth kept writing. Dansby while a great pass rusher, is even better against the run. If you don’t think this move had everything to do with the New York Jets, I think you are sadly mistaken. Having Dansby and Channing Crowder should immediately pay dividends for a Dolphins defense who struggled down the way last season. The move also opens up the opportunity for the Dolphins to address offense with their first draft pick, maybe even take a shot at Dez Bryant.

These are just a few of the moves that grabbed the headlines in the first few days of free agency. There are still a ton of restricted free agents still available in addition to unrestricted veterans like LaDainian Tomlinson, Thomas Jones, Terrell Owens, Jake Delhomme, and Brian Westbrook. The name everyone is keeping their eyes on right now is WR Brandon Marshall. Marshall can be had for a number one draft pick, yet nobody is seriously biting right now. Marshall is the kind of a player that someone may actually give up their pick for in the right scenario.

Another curious name for me is Leon Washington. The New York Jets RB is a restricted free agent, yet the Jets surprisingly only placed a second round tender on Washington. This means in order to sign Washington, a team would only have to give up a second-round draft pick for him. If Ricky Williams is really retiring, I would love to see the Miami Dolphins make a run at Washington. Putting Washington into the Wildcat with Ronnie Brown could be downright scary for opposing defenses. Additionally, grabbing Washington would hurt the Jets. Bill Parcells loved players like Washington when he was a coach, so the fit almost seems natural here. Another possible suitor could be the Washington Redskins with their tumultuous backfield situation or even the Minnesota Vikings now that Chester Taylor has left.

There is no doubt that the impending lockout has really shutdown a normally frenzied spending spree among NFL owners at this time of the year. Usual suspects like the Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, and Dallas Cowboys have done virtually nothing at this point. I do suspect that as the draft grows closer, teams will start poking around some of these restricted free agents and may try and talk some of teams down off of their tends. Regardless, while a few moves won’t make a team, doing nothing certainly won’t improve your situation.

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If you have followed my fantasy football blogs on CamelClutchBlog.com, you are well aware of my man-crush on Miami Dolphins running back Ricky Williams this season. He is the Rodney Dangerfield of fantasy football, until now. Ricky got his first start in a little more than a year for the Miami Dolphins against the Carolina Panthers and looked like the the Heisman champ I watched back at Texas. Williams put up 30 points in one of my leagues and finished the day with his first receiving and rushing touchdown day in his career, three touchdowns in all, 119 yards and over five yards a carry! Check out the videos here of one of the best performances from a running back all season.

It seems like it was just yesterday that I was watching Ricky being interviewed on some deserted island on 60 Minutes. I love that Ricky has turned his career around and has done it quietly. The irony of it all is that I don’t know if Ricky ever would have realized his full potential without the time away from the NFL. While it seems we get a story on Michael Vick’s “redemption” every week, I hear very little from Ricky about his past. The guy does his talking on the field and that is something I can really appreciate. Keep in mind, that Ricky also announced his retirement earlier this season. As of now, Ricky isn’t coming back next season. However, I can bet if the Tuna has anything to say about it than Ricky will be Wildcatting until he burns his ninth life.

Bonus: Ricky Williams breaks Tony Dorsett’s NCAA all time rushing record

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One fantasy football player’s nightmare could be your fantasy football dreams come true. If there is any bright spot to losing a fantasy football game, it is the fact that you will get top dibs on the waiver wire. This may be the best week of the season for players with running back needs to get a quick fix. Four starting running backs went down in NFL Week 10 which means that there are four potential starting running backs on the waiver wire this week. Let’s check out some quick fixes and long term solutions as we near the fantasy football playoffs.

Justin Forsett - Of all the running backs I will suggest this week, he may be your best long term option here. Forsett came into the game Sunday for Julius Jones and had over 100 yards and a touchdown against a very good rushing defense. Jones has a bruised lung and could be out longer than any of the other running backs who got hurt over the weekend. Forsett was a really good back in college and is the kind of small, fast running back that could give defenses fits the rest of the way. Don’t be scared of the Vikings rushing defense, Ray Rice had a very good game against them and Forsett is a lot like Rice. Not too mention, the Seahawks have games against the Rams, the Bucs, and the Titans down the stretch who all give up big points to running backs. Jim Mora loves to run the ball and Forsett could really thrive in his West Coast offense in both the running and passing game.

Ricky Williams - The only downside here is that while Ricky hasn’t technically been a starting running back, he is probably unavailable in your league. In the Wildcat offense, Ricky has thrived this season and is putting up better numbers than half of the starting tailbacks in the NFL. Ronnie Brown is hurt and likely out for this Thursday’s game. Williams is a very good one-week option, and quite honestly is one of the best flex players in fantasy football even with Brown in the lineup. The Panthers are a good running defense, but an even better passing defense. Pat White and Lex Hilliard will allow the Miami Dolphins to continue the Wildcat offense, with Williams getting the bulk of the carries. Grab him if you can, and keep him even if Brown comes back in the near future.

Jason Snelling - The verdict is still out on Michael Turner’s injury, but it doesn’t look good. Turner’s primary backup Jerious Norwood is hurt also. The Falcons have a great schedule for running backs the rest of the way. Snelling got a touchdown Sunday against the Panthers, who once again have a terrific running defense. Keep in mind that while Turner is down, his offensive line isn’t going anywhere. The Falcons have a great line and Snelling will get his holes down the stretch. Turner’s injury didn’t look good and I would be shocked if he comes back anytime in the next three weeks. Having a starting back in this offense for Weeks 11, 12, and 13 in fantasy football could make the difference in whether you make the playoffs or not.

Leonard Weaver - Unfortunately, Weaver would probably be your worst option here. However, with Brian Westbrook’s future in serious doubt Weaver will get carries. I tend to lean more towards Weaverthe course of the season than LeSean McCoy, because Weaver is likely to get the goal line carries. At the same time, Andy Reid never runs and rarely ever wins in short yardage situations. Both of these guys are low recommendations, but if you need some improvement at running back Weaver could give you numbers throughout the season. In the end, I have a feeling that Weaver is in line for a big fantasy game.

Jake Delhomme - Lord strike me dead for recommending Delhomme, but I kind of like him if you need help at quarterback. I think the worst is over for Delhomme and he and Steve Smith actually look like they are starting to get in sync with each other. Quarterbacks can be really streaky and just when you think they are done, they can turn it around and run the table with great games. For starters, he has a great matchup against Miami on Thursday. The Dolphins give up a lot of points to quarterbacks and I don’t expect things to be any different on a short week. Should Delhomme remain hot, he has two great quarterback matchups in Weeks 15 and 16 which are your playoff and championship weeks. Look for Jake as a high recommendation this week in my NFL preview column.

Brandon Gibson - At wide receiver, Gibson is a good waiver wire add if you are desperate for some receiver depth. Gibson’s role is expected to increase due to Keenan Burton’s injury. Like Delhomme, Marc Bulger is on the verge of turning it around and getting hot. Gibson had 7 catches for 93 yards against one of the best passing defenses in the NFL on Sunday. Gibson has some tremendous fantasy matchups in the coming weeks against the Seahawks, Bears, Cardinals, and Titans. As a Philadelphia Eagles fan, I watched Gibson in the pre season and I liked him a lot. He made some really difficult catches and was just simply a casualty of numbers in Philadelphia. I look for big things from him in the future and they could come as soon as this Sunday against the Cardinals.

I won’t hit on everyone, but if you have followed this blog you have gotten some very productive fantasy players off of the waiver wire. Jamaal Charles, Vince Young, Ryan Moats, Shonn Greene, Mike Wallace, Vernon Davis, Sidney Rice, and Ladell Betts have all been suggested here and have all had some big weeks since then. I look at upcoming matchups, situations, coaching habits, and breakdown their fantasy opponents before I make a high or low recommendation. They all won’t hit every week (nobody will not named Peterson or Jones-Drew), but read closely what I am saying and when to play these guys. Take Jamaal Charles for example. I recommended him solely for the Raiders game and he hit as expected Sunday. So use this information wisely and get a step ahead of the players in your league with some diamonds in the ruff.

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5. NFC East heating up

The NFC East is starting to heat up as we now have close to three of the four teams vying for 1st place. The Giants who have yet to have a bye week are 5-2 while the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys are a ½ game behind as they are both 4-2 on the season. Of the three teams vying for the NFC East crown you have to give the edge to the Philadelphia Eagles right now as it would appear that everything is starting to click in Philly.

Dallas is a team that still doesn’t convince me as being a powerhouse in the NFC, let alone the NFC East. There is something starting to boil in Dallas as finger pointing is just a week away and the heat on the hot seat will continue to warm up as Jerry Jones finds a reason to get rid of Wade Phillips in the offseason. Dallas shouldn’t last much longer in the top of the NFC East and when it comes to in conference games they do not match well against the Giants or Eagles.

As for the current top team in the NFC East, the New York Football Giants they just happen to be listed as the #4 story coming out of Week 7.

4. Giants lose 2nd straight game, go to 5-2

The New York Giants are becoming the fast falling Football team in the NFL right as they have lost two straight against two of some of the hierarchy in the NFC. We may be seeing what the Giants really are this season after starting their season against five teams that weren’t looked at as strong teams to compete with them. After seeing how they played against the Saints and Cardinals; Giants fans have to be worried as they enter Week 8 against the Philadelphia Eagles.

If the Giants drop to the Eagles we may have to start considering the Giants as a potential playoff team. Which is something most people didn’t think they would be saying just two weeks ago with the way the Giants started the season. This is a must win game for the Giants or they could be heading towards a major issues at the meadowlands.

3. Alex Smith returns in tough loss

After a hard fought game against the Houston Texans, 49ers fans may be finally seeing what they were hoping for out of #1 draft pick Alex Smith. As Alex Smith returned to the football field and almost single handily brought the 49ers past the Texans in a game that at one point looked like to be a blowout. This has to be good news for the 49ers franchise as they have given him the nod as the starting QB in Week 8.

The 49ers can go either way now this season, if Alex Smith is on for the rest of the season the 49ers could be a Wild Card playoff team. Shaun Hill was not going to take the 49ers franchise in the next step in the NFL and Alex Smith was a season away from working at hardee’s or coaching a High School football team. If we get the Alex Smith that scouts loved then we could be looking at a new leaf changing over in San Francisco.

2. Steelers give the Vikings their first loss

The Steelers/Vikings game was my favorite game to watch this past Sunday. Up until the 4th quarter these teams were neck and neck in the game. Minnesota needed this win to finally prove to their critiques that they were for real and the Steelers needed the win to get back on track showing everyone why they are defending Super Bowl Champions.

We finally got to see the Brett Favre of old this week as well as he threw a INT into coverage as the Steelers defense would bring it back for a Touchdown. On that point the Steelers defense looked great this past weekend showing why they are considered to be the top Defensive team in Football. It was a great game overall and we may be seeing the beginning of the foundation cracking in Minnesota as they head into Green Bay this week.

1. New Orleans comes back from 24-3 deficit to stay undefeated

At one point it looked like the Miami Dolphins were going to finally give the New Orleans Saints a loss this season. Leading 24-3 at one point it was all but a fore gone conclusion that the Saints would finally chalk up their first loss and the Fins would get a huge victory. But all of a sudden the Saints came alive both offensively and defensively to come back and take the victory by 12 points.

The Saints victory over the Giants was huge but the victory over the Dolphins showed the NFC and the NFL what’s in store for the rest of this season. The Saints are the heavily favorite to win the NFC Championship crown right now and will be going into the playoffs. I still say that if Drew Brees does not win the NFL MVP I will be shocked. This Saints team is extremely fun to watch.

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I have to say that it is a good thing I recruited pretty women for this contest, because I’m making it really ugly! Another loss this week for “The Shark” you say? Oh you betcha!

This past week “Beat The Shark” was treated to not only the beautiful Miss Jenn Davis, but Jenn in return served up some history by becoming the first contestant to go a perfect 4-0 on the day. Ahh how nice it must have been for her and all of you followers of the contest to watch the Colts, Chargers, Cowboys, and Saints rack up big victories! Meanwhile not too shabby here either, but only 2-1-1 as I had the Texans push, suffered a loss wth the Panthers and got my 2 wins from the Patriots and Packers. So with Jenns perfect performance the ladies are now 4-2 vs “The Shark” and 15-9 in games, while “The Shark” stumbles to 11-12-1 in games. Keep your eyes on all the pretty girls in the tri-state area, they will all be wearing “Beat The Shark” T-shirts soon! Oh by the way, as always don’t forget if you like Jenn and the other contestants you will get a chance to vote on your favorite at the end of the season for “Miss Beat The Shark”.

So with that behind me (far behind me), it’s time for the Thumbs Up/Thumbs Down portion of our wrap up. As always I go all out to praise some nice things and trash some real garbage that I saw in the past week in the NFL. So here we go.

Thumbs Up:

To Eagles WR DeSean Jackson
You have to admit that he is quickly becoming one of the most exciting young superstars in the game. On the big stage Monday night, Jackson ran a 68 yard reverse for a touchdown and later added a 64 yard reception as well. He is the only player in NFL history to have touchdonws of 60 or more yards in his teams first 3 games of the season. Analysts and announcers abroad are praising this kid every time he touches the ball, and he is becoming more mature every week. For years Andy Reid refused to trust young receivers in his offense, but it looks now as if the times are changing.

To Redskin Byron Westbrook
Football is a dangerous but yet highly competitive sport. However some times things are bigger then the game and we saw that on display this past Monday night. Eagles RB Brian Westbrook had taken a knee from ‘Skins MLB London Fletcher to the head and went down motionless to the ground. Without even a second thought, his brother Byron, a Redskin, came to his side and stayed until his brother showed movement and came too. Yes it is a game, and that’s just it, a game. The Westbrooks realized real life and it was fitting that the nation got to see such an act on a Monday night.

To the Steelers Defense
They say defense wins championships, and if that is the case, the Steelers may have as good a chance as anyone. When Troy Polamalu gets on that field it’s like a whole new club, and last week in their win against the Vikings, this squad came up huge to seal the win. 2 TDs were scored off of forced turnovers and they held one of the games most legendary QBs in Brett Favre, and perhaps the games best RB in Adrian Peterson to just 10 points. While the offense failed to do big things against a very good Vikings defense, the Steelers defense made sure to come in and save the day.

Thumbs Down:

To Kansas City Chiefs running back Larry Johnson
So looks like yet another apology is being issued, another team forced suspension, and a once was superstar player at the end of the line. It is always been said that Johnson is a bit of a cry-baby, kind of an angry guy and always has off-field issues but this is the clincher. Using “gay” slurs, really? Not only is it gay slurs, but using it towards his coach, and belittling his team. The Chiefs gave him a second chance after violations of conduct conditons last year, and I guess its now time for the 3 strikes and out rule. This guy is pretty much finished, how about he just goes away.

To The Miami Dolphins
Ok so this franchise will always be known with a perfect season, but when it was needed to defend against a possible undefeated challenger in the Saints this past week they totally crumbled. A 24-3 lead soon turned into a 12 point loss. At the end with just one second left and the game out of reach, head coach Tony Sporano asked rookie QB Chad Henne to “spike the ball?” I’m not getting it? Maybe the 6 1/2 point spread needed to be challenged huh coach? If this team would have just played a full 60 minutes then this act would not have been needed. Must have been some half-time speech?

Once again, the Redskins
Get it right people, it’s not who’s calling the plays, but who you have executing them. Sherm Lewis had to be asking himself “what am I doing here” during a dreadful 27-17 loss to the Eagles Monday night. Oh and how disgusted did Jim Zorn look? They brought in Lewis specifically because they thought Zorn couldn’t handle the play calling? Does management and ownership even watch these games? Can I have a job calling plays?

You know it was really nice and fun to see the people of England enjoy and welcome the NFL into town again this season. I couldn’t help but get a feeling of global pride in our football league when the crowd on hand was cheering the Buccaneers to go for it on a 4th and 1 play from around mid-field in the 2nd quarter. Commisioner Roger Goodell has mentioned the possibilitiy of more games or perhaps a franchise in England. I say why not, they seem more alive then the people in St. Louis did anyway. We here in the U.S. give very little time to soccer, but yet thehy take the time to learn and love our game. Just goes to show you about opening your mind to new things!

Please don’t forget to check out my fantasy football “Flash and Crash”, and a new contestant plays “Beat The Shark” this 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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Seven weeks into the 2009 NFL season and we are down to four undefeated NFL teams while three teams are searching for their first win. The Minnesota Vikings and Denver Broncos haven’t had a week off, which gives them an extra game over the other undefeateds. There will be no showdowns between these teams this week, yet there are a few interesting games on the docket nonetheless.

The game that immediately grabs my attention is the undefeated New Orleans Saints traveling to Miami to take on the 2-3 Miami Dolphins. This game matches the number two passing offense in the NFC vs. the overall number one rushing team in the NFL. The complexities of this matchup are really what excites me. By the way, the Saints also happen to be the overall 5th team against the run in defense in the NFL.

This game reminds me a lot of the Dolphins-Indianapolis Colts game from earlier this season. The Dolphins dominated the time of possession and produced long and sustained running drives to keep Peyton Manning off of the field. The only problem was that what took the Dolphins over 10 minutes to do took Manning 11 seconds, and that was scoring. The Dolphins will be coming off a bye-week which will give them an extra week to prepare for Drew Brees and the prolific Saints offense.

On paper, the Saints should win the game. However, there are a few intangibles that I take into account for Miami. For one, the Dolphins defense will be well-rested off the bye-week. Two, Miami have won their last two games and are beaming with confidence. Finally and most importantly, is that I have to wonder whether this is a trap game for the Saints. Facing an AFC team between the Giants and a division showdown with the Atlanta Falcons makes this a very dangerous game for Saints fans. My gut tells me that the letdown hurts the Saints and the Dolphins pull off a huge upset Sunday afternoon.

The Philadelphia Eagles and the Washington Redskins look to put embarrassing losses behind them with an NFC East showdown on Monday Night Football. Depending upon who you root for, this is great timing for both teams. For the Redskins, the Raiders gave a blue print on how to beat the Eagles and that is the tight end. The Eagles have been decimated by tight ends over the last two weeks. Chris Cooley has struggled this year and is ready for a breakout game. This is exactly the kind of game that you employ a heavy dose of running and Chris Cooley if you are the Washington Redskins.

If I can say one thing positive about Andy Reid, it is that he rarely gets caught with his pants down two weeks in a row. Andy is good for one or two games during the season that makes you want to throw something at your TV if you are an Eagles fan. Rarely does Andy Reid have back to back efforts like he did on Sunday. Last year was an exception to the rule when the Eagles got throttled by the Baltimore Ravens a week after the overtime loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. The good news for the Eagles is that they have a team in such disarray, that the guy calling the plays was calling bingo a few weeks ago.

As much as I’d love to call this an easy game for the Eagles, I can’t. The Redskins always play the Eagles tough and actually went 2-0 against the birds last season. The win in Week 5 last season will be remembered as a complete Eagles collapse. After rolling out early on the Redskins, the Eagles offense only produced five first downs following their first two drives. It was a pathetic effort that saw no touchdowns from Donovan McNabb and 33 yards of rushing from Brian Westbrook. Their second game was no better with Westbrook only gaining 45 yards on the ground and another game with no touchdowns against the Redskins. As a matter of a fact, in the last three seasons, the Skins are ahead in the series 3-1.

I have mixed feelings going into this one. By all means, the Redskins should lose this game. They are 23rd in the NFL in terms of total offense, yet the Eagles lost a game last Sunday to the absolute worst offensive team in the NFL. I predict an Eagles win, but I am not confident in the prediction. The Redskins have done a great job of containing McNabb and Westbrook the last few seasons other than one game. It is imperative that the Eagles run the ball here. The Skins and Albert Haynesworth will wreck havoc (if he plays) on McNabb all day without the threat of a run. Clinton Portis has the potential to have a field-day running over Jeremiah Trotter which is a big concern as a birds fan. I give the Eagles a win here, but in no way would I call it a confident pick.

The Atlanta Falcons continue to roll and travel to Dallas with hopes of handing the Dallas Cowboys another home field loss. The Cowboys are under achieving this season, and were seconds away from going 2-3 before the bye week. Jerry Jones stayed silent this year at the trade deadline and is prepared to go through the season with the team he has. The Cowboys continue to roll up points, but are having big problems on defense. The Cowboys are the 26th worst passing defense in the NFL and are bound to get torched against Atlanta.

The Falcons stumbled early but look to be back on track coming off of the bye-week with a big win against the Chicago Bears. Roddy White is finally living up to pre season expectations and has three touchdowns in the last two weeks. Miles Austin was the hero two weeks ago, but I am not ready to take him seriously. Tony Gonzalez is due for a big game here over the middle, while Jason Witten is struggling to find the end zone this season. I love the Falcons here in a game that looks much closer on the scoreboard than it will be at the end of the day.

Finally, the main-event of the day is a very possible Super Bowl XLIV preview between last year’s Super Bowl winner the 4-2 Pittsburgh Steelers against the 6-0 Minnesota Vikings. Once again the Vikings are faced with matching their number-one running back against one of the best rushing defenses in the NFL. Unlike most years, this won’t be a game between two high-powered rushing offenses. The 2009 Pittsburgh Steelers boast the overall number-two passing offense in the NFL, which is something rare for Steelers football.

Fun NFL Week 7 Camelclutchblog.com Fact- No Super Bowl has featured two No. 1 seeds against each another since the 1993 season. – SportingNews.com.

The most exciting game of Week 6 featured a second-half collapse by the Minnesota Vikings. After dominating the first half, the Vikings came within a missed field goal away from losing at home to the Baltimore Ravens. The Steelers passing attack is a lot like the Ravens, with less from the running back in the flats which seems to be the Vikings weakness. Brett Favre is on fire lately. Like the Steelers, the Vikings are moving away from the running game which features the best back in the game. Favre has a 109.5 passer rating, 12 touchdowns and most importantly only two interceptions.

The Steelers are a very tough team to read. The Steelers have had serious problems closing games all season. It is hard to tell whether the Steelers are a great team that struggle to close games, or just a very good team. The Steelers could just as easily be 1-5 after some very close calls this season. The Vikings met and survived another burp last weke against the Ravens. I think it is awfully tough for the Vikings to beat two very good AFC teams two weeks in a row. I think the Steelers are looking to make a statement here. However, Ben Roethlisberger’s style plays right into the hands of the Minnesota Vikings.

Roethlisberger likes to take his time, scramble around, and wait for guys to get open. A pass-rush heavy defense like the Vikings could be a nightmare for him. The Vikings haven’t had any problems going on the road thus far, so I put little value into the home field advantage. In the end, I just think that the lack of a running game from the Steelers is going to hurt them. If the Steelers go back to the run to set up the pass, I think they take the game. If the Steelers continue to come out with a heavy dose of passing, I just think Jared Allen will feast all day on Big Ben. My pick is the Vikings but once again I am in no means confident of the pick.

Quick Hits – The San Francisco 49ers better have a passing attack to keep up with the red hot Houston Texans offense. I don’t think Zach Miller is exploiting the middle on the New York Jets like he did against the Philadelphia Eagles. See last week’s effort out of Jeremy Shockey for an indication of the kind of motivation that Cedric Benson will have on Sunday. The Arizona Cardinals have an underrated rushing defense and could make last week’s Saints game look like a repeat for New York Giants fans. Can someone please put an end to these England games? Call me crazy, but I think the Kansas City Chiefs are improving and may wind up writing Norv Turner’s pink slip this weekend.

Fantasy Fix – Rather than give you the obvious with Ronnie Brown, I will suggest the dubious with Ricky Williams. Ricky Williams has put up consistent numbers that rival more than half of the starting running backs in the NFL including Clinton Portis, Joseph Addai, and Ryan Grant. I expect the same game plan the Miami Dolphins used against the Colts (as stated above). Williams had 19 carries for 69 yards which isn’t great, but 19 touches against the New Orleans Saints could turn into a big game for Ricky.

Phillip Rivers is a scoring machine against the Kansas City Chiefs. Rivers put up over 300 yards and two touchdowns a piece in each game last season against the Chiefs. L.T. is done and Antonio Gates has a decent history against the Chiefs. I do think the Chiefs are going to win, but it is going to be a close game. Rivers has struggled in the division thus far, but this is a team that he owned last season. Don’t let the Denver game scare you off and make sure big mouth is in your lineup. The Chiefs have also given up 10 touchdowns already this season.

Jonathon Stewart is back! Rather than change their quarterback, the Carolina Panthers have decided to completely take the ball out of Jake Delhomme’s hands. Stewart seems back, healthy, and had 17 carries last week. The Buffalo Bills are the overall worst team in the NFL against the run. This is a great spot for you Stewart owners that were bitten early on by his lack of production and slow start.

Greg Olsen is quietly on his way to reaching his pre season potential. Did you know that Olsen has a touchdown in each of his last three games? This week he gets the Cincinnati Bengals who were torched all day by Owen Daniels last weekend. The Bengals have a great rushing defense, yet the Houston Texans laid out the blue print to get around it. I expect at least one touchdown from Olsen and put him right at the top of the tight end rankings this week.

CamelClutchBlog.com Fantasy Football Standings

Division 1
Dusty’s RedBellySpot 4-2 (Eric Gargiulo)
Team We Own You 4-2 (Erik Espenberg)
Team Nuetral Zone 3-3 (Brett Clendaniel)
Havertown Spoilers 2-3 (Bryan Reigel)
Team Wheelhouse Radio! 1-5 (Jeff Peck)

Division 2
Team The Nice Guys 6-0 (Jeff Porrini)
…Not You!!! 5-1 (John Yomtov)
1st Place 2-4 (Derek Sabato)
The Kings of Krista 2-4 (Josh Usher)
Team Rowland 0-6 (Justin Rowland)

NFL Week 7 Picks!

I had a slight letdown last week going 9-5, making the first week of the season without double digit wins straight-up. I am 61-29 overall on the season. Now for the NFL Week 7 Picks (Picks in BOLD) -

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

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