Ineligible Man Downfield

Is it just me or can neither team on Sunday Night Football play any defense

2006-09-10T19:47:00.000-07:00

The Colts and Giants look great... On offense. And I have Reggie Wayne and Eli Manning in my primary league, so I'm not complaining. Both teams can rush the passer pretty well. But neither defense could cover leftovers if I spotted them the Saran Wrap. When people wonder why the Colts can't win the big one, remind them that the Giants are averaging 7.1 yards per rush (thank you, Al). The Giants are playing better against the run, but have abandoned the Cover 2 scheme for the Revolving Door.

Team Panic/Don't Panic

2006-09-10T18:38:00.000-07:00

When a team goes south for a season, it can ruin the fantasy potential of all the players on it. So let's play the team version of Panic/Don't Panic and look at teams that had a disappointing/disastrous start and see whether it's time to pull the panic trigger on their players:

Tampa Bay Bucs - Panic
I'm sure letting Brian Griese go and keeping Bruce Gradowski as your back-up QB to Chris Simms seemed like a really good idea in the preseason when all defenses are vanilla and starters work less than Teamsters on a film set. If Griese were still the back-up, I would say Don't Panic because Jon Gruden is too smart to let the team implode. And let's face it, the Ravens are a good defense. But things look pretty bad right now for Cadillac, Galloway, Michael Clayton, the Tampa defense, and even the Lady Buc cheerleaders, or whatever they’re called.

Carolina Panthers - Don't panic
I didn't get to check it out till the Short Cuts come out on Tuesday. But the Panthers were a popular pick to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl. And they're supposed to own the Falcons and Michael Vick at home. But Carolina was playing without the twin hammy wonder, Steve Smith and let's face it, he can beat team's single-handedly.

Dallas Cowboys - Don't panic
Unless you own the defense. Yes, they have the talent to dominate a decent Jacksonville team and they gave this game away. I'm sorry, did I say they? I meant Drew Bledsoe. Had a pretty bad case of happy feet. But the supposedly Super Bowl level defense didn't get enough turnovers, put enough pressure on Leadfoot Leftwich, and didn't make enough key stops.

Kansas City Chiefs - Be prepared to panic
This one's all about Trent Green. As I stated in my previous post, if Green's concussion keeps him out for a few weeks, it's going to hurt Larry Johnson, Tony Gonzalez, and Eddie Kennison.

Seattle Seahawks - Don't panic
The Seahawks were on the road. The Lions may actually be playing closer to their potential on defense thanks to new coach Rod Marinelli. Steve Hutchinson aside, the Hawks have too much continuity to play this lamely every week. Think of them as Tom Hanks and this is The Da Vinci Code.

Week 1 is finally here... Time to panic?

2006-09-10T15:33:00.000-07:00

The first couple of hours on the first weekend in fantasy football is a time on unlimited promise. It's like when the lights went down in the theater just before the first Matrix sequel started. Or before the first date with the hottie from work.

In fantasy terms, you feel confident you drafted the greatest team ever. Even if you hated your draft, you can rationalize. Maybe you'll catch lightning in a bottle with your 3rd rounder (see my pick of Jamal Lewis in his record-setting 2003 season). Maybe Charlie Frye, who you grabbed in Round 16, will turn out to be this year's Kurt Warner, circa 1999. It won't happen, but it could. That's the point.

Then the games actually start. Can't count the new Thursday night game. It's only one game and unfortunate results can easily be explained away.

But by halftime of the first games on Sunday, it's suddenly, painfully real. And if you drafted Donovan McNabb, Frank Gore, Jeff Wilkins, and the Ravens defense, then you feel like Leo DeCaprio in Titanic Before the whole iceberg thing. Sitting there sketching a blissfully naked Kate Winslet.

But if you didn't draft those players, if those surefire picks somehow didn't score any TDs, then suddenly it's time for...

OPENING DAY PANIC

You must resist the urge to panic. Unless, of course, you really should be panicking. How can you tell the difference? That's why I'm here, my friend. That's why I'm here. Let's play a little Panic/Don't Panic from the early games.

Shaun Alexander (51 yards rushing, 0 TDs)
Don't panic. Yes, I know all about the Super Bowl Curse, the Madden Curse, the Career Year Curse, the How Could They Let Steve Hutchinson Go Curse. Yes, the Seahawks should've destroyed the Lions. But they didn't. Remember a couple of years ago when the Bills waxed the Patriots 31-0. This was after the whole Lawyer Milloy brouhaha and the players hated Belichick and the whole team was falling apart. And all they did (say along with me) was win the Super Bowl. Shaun will be okay. He's not superstitious and neither should you be. At least not after one week. See me in two more weeks if he hasn't scored.

Larry Johnson (68 rush yards, 80 receiving yards, 0 TDs)
Panic a little. LJ ran well, but the team looked off, even before Trent Green's concussion. After Green went out? God help us Johnson owners. My primary league is a scoring league, so all those yards are like a compliment from your mother. They don't mean squat. Fortunately, Green had movement in all extremeties, but there's no word yet on when he'll be back in the lineup. (Steve Young never recovered from a concussion, but I don't know Green's history. Anybody?) If Damon Huard is behind center for an extended period, then screw panic. It's time open the oven door and turn on the gas.

Carson Palmer (127 yards, 0 TDs)
Do not, I repeat, do not panic. Palmer did all he needed to do and looked fine. In his case, the preseason does mean something. He will be fine.

Carnell Williams (47 total yards, 0 TDs)
Panic. Sure, the Raven defense had a healthy Ed Reed and Ray Lewis. But Tampa was playing at home and, more importantly, Chris Simms looked scary bad. And there's no Brian Griese behind him this year. I trust Gruden to turn things around, but this would make me nervous if I owned a Cadillac. I do own Joey Galloway. Won't even go there.

Marc Bulger (217 yards, 0 TDs at home)
Don't panic. They have a new offensive coordinator, but he was one of Mike Martz' assistants. This is a consistent player who's returning all of his key skill players. They'll never be the Greatest Show on Turf again, but they could be the Pretty Good Show on Field Turf.

Anyone else have any Panic/Don't Panic nominations? Wanna talk me out of one of mine?