Fantasy Football - NFL
Wager - Sportbook Review - Week 12 Fantasy Matchups
Week
12 Fantasy Football Previews
Week
12 NFL Fantasy Football Previews By:Mike Pool
Fantasy
Football Writer For WagerOnFootball.com
Wednesday November 23rd, 2005 Page Updated at 10:30pm
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Happy Thanksgiving to one
and all. To me, Turkey Day means two things –
spending an enjoyable day with family and friends,
and two.....watching six hours or close to it of
NFL football, on my ass, while the women are slaving
away in the kitchen cooking some bird I'll gladly
woof down as soon as my games are over. Isn't marriage
wonderful?? I'll stop rambling and get right to
the games. The Week 12 NFL analysis and fantasy
previews are next…
Broncos: Jake “no-mistake
Snake” Plummer has been the reason
for the Broncos success this season. He
is leading his team to victory by managing
the game efficiently and effectively while
allowing the running game to open up the
play action. The running game also happens
to be the best in the NFL so that is a QB’s
best friend and expect the Anderson led
rushing attack to gain 125 total yards.
Jake will look to hit Smith underneath and
Lelie over the top and both receivers could
have 80 yards and one should find the end
zone as will Anderson on a short run. Jake
may scramble in for one off of play action
or find Putzier open in the end zone. The
Denver D will be geared up to stop the Dallas
rushing attack and should find some success
with the speedy backers who should also
be able to keep up with Witten. That may
leave the secondary and young CB’s
exposed but Bailey is solid and Lynch’s
veteran presence should help limit breakdowns.
Both teams are division leaders so expect
a heated battle and a competitive effort
from both.
Cowboys:
Bledsoe and the Cowboy offense hasn’t
looked the same since about game six or
so and look for them to get back in sync
this week against a formidable opponent.
Jones should carry the bulk of the load
and roll for his first 100 yard game and
perhaps a TD while Barber picks up another
40. Look for a big game from Bledsoe and
the Cowboys passing game to loosen up the
Bronco LB’s early with deep strikes
to Witten and Glenn who should both have
100 yards and one should score. Keyshwan
will contribute another 60 yards and may
score from inside the red zone. The Cowboys
D will be tested in this game against a
very good running game but will look to
stuff the run and pressure Jake into his
old form of throwing the ball up. The Cowboys
D has played well and matches up very well
man-to-man on the corner so expect Roy Williams
to be around the line of scrimmage wreaking
havoc. Great match-up so…Let’s
get it on!!
Falcons: The DVD attack has
slowed somewhat since Vick found his passing
game and the Falcons have been losing since
then too. Expect a return to the run on turkey
day against the Lions. Dunn could snag 150
total yards and a TD or 2 and Duckett should
roll for 60 and a short score. Vick may run
for 40 while scrambling and Crumpler should
roll to another 75 yard day. Roddy White may
haul in a couple deeper passes to keep the
D honest so 80 yard day is reasonable and
Jenkins could grab 5 passes for short yardage.
The Falcons D has really been rolled over
in the run game and their record is starting
to reflect the inability to stuff the run.
The defense will come out and load up to stop
the run and establish a pass rush forcing
Harrington/Garcia into mistakes and turnovers.
The key will be the front four getting pressure
and being able to free the LB’s to make
plays. The Falcons are the better team but
they need to start proving it here or they
could be on the outside of the playoff chase.
Lions: Harrington played
OK against a solid Cowboys D but the Lions
committed way too many penalties to win on
the road. Expect the Lions to be a very motivated
team on Thursday and put forth a solid effort
on offense and defense. Either QB will feel
the pressure from the Falcons rush but Jones
should have a decent day finding holes and
if he gets more than 12 carries should have
100 yard day and score. Roy Williams should
explode and have a great day being the first
target in the Lions pass game so 100+ and
a score is possible. Rogers has to step up
on the other side and provide the QB with
another reliable option and here I go predicting
an 80 yard 1 TD performance from the underachiever.
The Lions D looked very good last week when
they weren’t committing penalties to
extend drives and they should be motivated
to stop a Falcons offense that has been struggling
of late. The front four can get pressure but
more importantly contain the dangerous Vick
and the secondary has been opportunistic when
provided with opportunities to create turnovers.
Lions aren’t out of the race yet so
expect them to play for their lives.
Bears - Da
Bears are back. Great defense and an offense
that makes few mistakes, sound familiar? Ditka,
you around? Orton has got this team believing
and I think a few around the league as well.
He isn’t flashy but do we expect flashy
offense in Chicago? Jones has been solid as
has every runner they try so expect 100-150
on the ground with the major share from Jones
who should score. Muhammed could have a big
impact and have 80 yards and a score but this
is all about D. The defense has been a menace
this year and stopped everyone and scored
a ton helping out the young QB. Expect young
Simms to be under fire all day and the turnovers
should follow but the Bears must key on stopping
the Caddillac first, he could burn them with
his explosiveness.
Buccaneers: A big win last
week has them on the road to recovery and
surprise, the Caddy cruised to over 100 yards
looking healthy. Watch out NFC South. Caddy
should duplicate his stellar week and roll
up a 100 and a TD which should give Simms
more time to find WR’s as well. Galloway
should recover from his 0-fer last week with
100 yards and a long score and TE smith should
contribute in the passing game as well. Clayton
emerged last week and his addition to the
offense makes it much better. The D is the
real star in TB and Brooks and company will
look to force turnovers and back the Bears
offense up with pressure and tight coverage.
Defensive battle that will be worth a look
on Sunday
Seahawks - Hard
to believe that a Week 12 game, with five
more still to play for both teams regardless
of outcome, could have major playoff implications.
But this one does. With a victory and a St.
Louis loss, Seattle could become just the
fourth team in 27 years -- since the adoption
of the 16-game regular season in 1978 -- to
clinch a division championship after 11 games.
Among the intriguing matchups in the game
is the showdown between running backs Shaun
Alexander and Tiki Barber. The Seahawks' Alexander
is the first player in league history to score
15 touchdowns in five straight seasons and
leads the league in 2005 with 1,229 yards
on the ground. The Giants' Barber is just
three rungs below Alexander on the season's
rushing ladder, having gained 967 yards through
10 games. I see Alexander doing his usual
110 yards and 1 touchdown in this game. Hasselbeck
however will have the pressure on him this
week and will have to win this game with his
arm. Bobby Engram has caught a team-best 42
passes for 507 yards and a 12.1-yard average
per catch, but has not scored, he will this
week. Look for Hass to put up numbers in the
250 yardish range and throw a couple TD's
perhaps to Hackett or Jureviscius as well.
Giants - Quarterback
Eli Manning hasn't been dazzling of late,
but he's maintained success. The former University
of Mississippi star has completed 173 of 332
passes in his first full season as a starter,
good for 2,320 yards and 18 touchdowns --
tied for third in the NFL -- against nine
interceptions, for a passer rating of 81.4.
He could be without Shockey this week so his
numbers should fall shy of 250 yds, as the
G-Men look to pound it at the beat up Seahawks
Defense, missing Tubbs (game time decision)
Hamlin, and Sharper, three of their best run
stoppers. Tiki should go for a combined 150
yds in this one and should grab a TD along
the way, unless Jacobs rediscovers his red
zone magic from the beginning of the year.
Free-agent pickup Plaxico Burress has been
Manning's most prolific target, catching 54
passes for 819 yards -- a 15.2-yard average
-- and six touchdowns, which ties him for
third in the NFC. His four catches of 40-plus
yards are tied for fifth in the NFL, including
a 61-yard scoring reception last week. I think
Plax should be able to get the better of an
underachieving Marcus Trufant this week and
put up 125 yds and a touchdown. This should
be a great game folks.
Rams: Last
week was the end of their playoff hopes and
with Bulger out all but seals their fate.
These guys may be auditioning for next year
though and a new head coach so expect a game
effort from the Rams led by their main man,
Steven Jackson. Jackson should be featured
in a big way Sunday and total 150 yards and
a couple of scores. Holt and Bruce back and
healthy is not as great with Martin at QB
but still Holt should see 8 balls and Bruce
60 yards. Curtis may get deep on Houston CB
Buchanon and score. The defense was shredded
last week and will look for revenge against
the struggling Texan offense. The D will try
and force the issue up front and add to David
Carr’s league leading sacked stat and
force turnovers with pressure.
Texans: Andre Johnson looked
mad, now if Capers can channel that emotion
and focus on production the rest of the season
is easy. Davis is the key to this offense
and he looks to have 120 total yards or better
and a score against a softish Rams run D.
Johnson should be happy today and rip the
Rams secondary for at least 100 and his first
score. Carr will see pressure but when doesn’t
he and he should have his best passing day
going for 300+ a couple TD’s. The Texans
D has looked better but they were hung out
to dry by the offense last week and expect
a better result this week. The D has playmakers
and it is time for them to start helping the
offense out with big plays
Patriots: Brady
wins a SB and has no shot at MVP. Team is
barely .500 and he is clearly the league MVP,
go figure. Weak pass D vs Tom Brady? Brady
has got to be licking his chops and Branch
too, maybe even Watson and Davis and Graham.
Branch will have a solid 100 yard game and
score, maybe more than once. Who knows who
runs the ball for the Pats but it is all for
show, this is a passing team and they will
be firing on all cylinders on Sunday. The
D has a tough test and will have to stop the
phenom LJ or this is a long hard day. Look
for the Pats to Stack the line and run blitz
Johnson leaving their secondary exposed, they
have to take that chance to win. Tough medicine
for the Pats this year but they have just
played through it all and stayed afloat
Chiefs: LJ is a stud. He
will be a first rounder next year in all FF
re-drafts and the lowest drafted keeper pick
in every league. Green has been better and
wonder of all wonders they have a good TE
in KC, that what’s-his-name. Funny how
when your QB finds his best receiver you win…he
finds him again today, a lot, expect Gonzo
to go for over 100 and at least one TD. WR
Kennison will see the ball often if the Pats
try to stop Johnson but even if they do, LJ
will rip up 130 total yards and a score but
more if they play pass defense. The Chiefs
D has played OK but they have a ridiculously
poor pass D after all the changes. That has
to change or this team will not make the playoffs
so expect the Chiefs pass D to start to improve,
now. They have the players, now just get them
to play.
Browns: Droughns
should have a huge game in the 135 total yards
and TD neighborhood and Suggs could see action
as well so his contribution could be big.
QB is a mystery but the Browns should be able
to make big plays in the pass game with Edwards
and Bryant who have both got potential for
100 yard games this week and one or both could
score. Frye or Dilfer, I would go with Frye
as Dilfer’s play has dropped off of
late and the Browns are playing for next year
so I am sure the fans and the rest of us would
like to see what Frye can do. Bet Crennel
would like to know too with a very solid QB
crop in next years draft. The D has a test
but has played quite well all year despite
the record and the Minnesota offense has shown
little burst. Cleveland can win this game
by forcing a few turnovers and keeping the
Vikes players in front of them.
Vikings: Still
in it but let’s face facts Brad Johnson
has done nothing to win games rather he simply
hasn’t lost them. That philosophy won’t
work here and the Vikes will have to prove
they belong in the playoffs with an offensive
effort this week. Moore was awesome last week
against the Pack and look for him to continue
even on 2 bad wheels for 100 total yards and
a score. Williamson looks good and if Johnson
can get him the ball more often and deeper
he could explode for 100 and a score this
week. Wiggins has moved the chains all year
and will do it again this week to the tune
of 90 yards and could score. Defensively this
is where we expected the Vikes to be from
the start so they must pick it up another
notch to make up for lost time. Stellar play
by rookie Dovonte Edwards may make the injured
Fred Smoot an off season casualty and the
D has a very different look lately…they
look good.
Titans: Does
this game look like a sleeper or what? Don’t
count on it as McNair will try and open up
the offense against a devastated D. Brown
should find room to run and roll up 80 while
Henry contributes 60 and a TD. Titans TE’s
have been stars in the passing game and that
should continue so Kinney and Troupe could
be huge. Bennett is back, a bad hand will
limit his effectiveness but one of the young
WR’s should have a big game with Bennett
attracting attention. The defense has been
decent for a young group and their aggressive
play is a Fischer trademark, so they give
up big plays occasionally and will have to
limit those this week. The young CB’s
must improve and they can take advantage of
the young QB’s this week if they do.
49ers: Dorsey almost yanked
one out last week against the division leaders
and a superior team. That has to have the Niners
offense confident heading into this week and
expect a game effort from Lloyd who should have
100 yards. Barlow will lose carries to Hicks
who could have a big game, over 100 yards and
a score, as he burns the Titans D on blitzes
and line stacks. Alex Smith is getting healthy
and whether he plays or not could be the difference
in this game. He has a big arm and could help
ignite a 9ers passing game against a vulnerable
secondary. The defense has been ravaged by injuries
but has kept the team close in most games and
has played better than expected. If they can
keep it up this is a winnable game for the 9ers
which will build their confidence further. A
matchup pitting two young and rebuilding teams
could be very exciting.
Fantasy
Football Matchups Continued: 1
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