Each week of games is another day in the classroom for fantasy football
2001. Study and you have a chance at passing the course at the end
of the semester. Fall asleep after closing the local bars and you
will receive an "F". Here is what we learned Week 2...
Marty Schottenheimer Can't Shop for Groceries
& Make Dinner
Two games was all Marty Schottenheimer needed to figure out what
everyone that had watched Jeff George for years already knew. The
man was not built to play pitty-pat football. That was what the
Redskins were attempting to play with a quarterback that throws
the best long ball in the game. Problem for the Redskins, and fantasy
owners that own Redskins, is that his replacement is Tony Banks.
They traded an arrogant long ball QB for a slacker with less talent
and the uncanny ability to fumble more than any man, woman, or child
alive. And Banks can't play pitty-pat ball, either. In the long
run this kills Michael Westbrook and damages Stephen Davis. Davis
will continue to get the ball but his opportunities at the goal
line will go away. Drop his value by 20-percent.
Minnesota Is A Mess
The running game is a mess, the defense can't play, and the passing
game has all the major components yelling at each other. They've
lost to two teams that will be watching football in early January
and here comes the Buccaneers to pick at the carcass. The double
loss of Todd Steussie - signed by Carolina - and Korey Stringer
- untimely demise - has hurt the running game but also put more
pressure on the passing game. Moving Chapman in front of Bennett
may help but what helps most is getting a tackle that can block.
Expect an up and down year until they can put together the offensive
line again. Those with Bennett should be trying to move him to Viking
or Wisconsin addicts.
These Bengals Have Bite
That was the Ravens the Bengals tooled Week 2. The Super Bowl Champions
knocked out by Grandma Nelson. The difference in the first two games
for the Bengals is they have played teams that can't score points
- New England and Baltimore. That has put little pressure on a defense
that is playing well, on paper, but may wilt once some heat is put
to them. What the Bengals couldn't do last season was to run the
ball at all against the Ravens. Corey Dillon had a much better game
and one has to wonder if this is the year he leads the league in
rushing. No longer must Dillon owners fear those four games against
the Titans and Ravens. Play him all you want. There is nothing yet
to learn about the passing game but it is nice to see poor Jon Kitna
have a good day.
The West Coast Offense Takes Some Time To
Learn
The Lions added the West Coast offense despite having an offensive
line made to pull beer wagons not dance Swan Lake. After a week
Charlie Batch was gone due to indecisiveness and in walked Ty Detmer
who immediately tossed seven interceptions. The only player having
fun is Johnny Morton who has taken to the offense while Germane
Crowell and Herman Moore have been winded chasing down cornerbacks.
The Jets instituted the West Coast offense, as well, and Week 1
they completed two passes to wide receivers. Does that remind anyone
of the old 49ers attack with Jerry rice and Steve Young? Didn't
think so. It got a little better Week 2 but they were playing the
Patriots. Neither team is likely to put up the big numbers expected
at the preseason and only Morton - upgrade time - and Martin will
be better or the same. If the Lions can't pick this up, James Stewart
will be kept from the end zone and Crowell will be worthless. It
takes a while to learn this stuff and not every team can just make
their offensive players pick it up in a couple weeks.
LaDainian Tomlinson Is Not Going To Be Short
Work
The Chargers want the game to be won by their defense and not forced
by their offense. That means Tomlinson will be given the ball a
lot to control the game. He already leads the NFL in carries and
will finish somewhere near the top. If they can get any improvement
out of their offensive line he may push his yards-per-carry average
closer to 4.0 than the near 3.0 it is now. With a good defense and
a passable running game, Doug Flutie won't have to carry the team
and the biggest winner will be Freddie Jones. The last place schedule
doesn't hurt them, either. Tomlinson owners should be happy, happy,
happy.
Peyton Manning Is The Best Quarterback In
The NFL
Yeah, he was a boring player the last few years as a fantasy player.
We'd take the more politically correct road and say he was predictable.
With the new wrinkles put in the Colts offense Manning is even better
than predictable he is dominant. He was the safest of the Big-3
quarterbacks taken in the first round this season and looks like
he may be the best, as well. Now we aren't putting Kurt Warner down
or tossing Daunte Culpepper out with the coffee grounds but Manning
with Jerome Pathon opening up as a third weapon to go with Harrison
and James makes Manning almost untouchable. He will have a few down
weeks as he plays the Dolphins twice but he also has the Bills,
Jets, and Patriots for four more games along with the NFC West.
The Patriots Have The Early Line On The First
Pick In 2002
Bob Kraft must be proud as in a short period of time the Patriots
have gone from Super Bowl participant -- January 1997 - to being
the worst team in football. Of course, New England fans are used
to being the bottom feeder and with Drew Bledsoe out for a minimum
of six weeks they are sure to have their pick shake hands with Tags
as No. 1. Here is their record with No. 1 picks:
Ken Sims - affectionately known as "Game Day" because
he said that was when he played, not in practice.
Irving Fryar - the pre-praise Jesus version, most famous for collisions
off the field, not on it.
Jim Plunkett - ended his Patriots career with the faculties of a
lifelong denizen of an opium den.
Drew Bledsoe - easily the best of a bad lot but now laid up with
bodily fluids being drained out of his chest.
We are sure that mysterious No. 5 will be a running back because
the geniuses that drove a franchise from pinnacle to pile figure
that you buy the curtains before laying the foundation. Oh, sorry
Detroit, Dallas, and Washington we know that you are fighting hard
to be pitiful but the Patriots best player is punter Lee Johnson.
Try and top that. By the way, they have no players worth discussing
for fantasy teams. Just because you paid $89 for Troy Brown doesn't
make him worth more than a pile of swept hairs.
Mark Bond can be found,
most days, listening to Stevie Ray Vaughn, eating hot sausage sandwiches
topped with BBQ chips, chili, and coleslaw, slapping back Cuervo
shooters, and rambling on about those warm evenings spent with Janet
Reno. He is not related to James Bond but has the same air of sophistication
of Sean Connery. Mark is currently annoying his workmates at Jackpot
Sports, home of the first daily fantasy baseball game, the Reggie
Jackson Fantasy Baseball Challenge, plus weekly and seasonal Fantasy
Football games.
