Nice week for weekly recap column writers everywhere. Six teams had byes, so there were fewer games. And then the Sunday night game was a train wreck that was over before it even began. There have been an unusual number of primetime games like this this year. Without looking it up (but maybe somebody will), seems like more than ever. The schedule makers need to think about these games a little more next season -- at least send the better teams on the road more often, or something. Anyway, on to the games.
Titans at Ravens: Shonn Greene lost an early fumble at the goal line and wasn't heard from after that. Considering Tennessee went on to drive down again for a 7-0 lead, it was a pretty huge turnover. Bishop Sankey didn't have a great game or score, but was actually in the backfield for a little shovel pass touchdown to Leon Washington, and it's safe to say it won't be Greene getting any more work for Tennessee going forward. ... Hate to say it but it seems like that nice first half of the season was about it for Steve Smith. Can't really be started anymore.
Kansas City at Bills: Sometimes you think it's going to be a defensive battle and it actually is. Hope you didn't have to start any offensive players besides Jamaal Charles. Not a total shock the way this game turned out. I never understand why teams feel compelled to put somebody on the field who's not 100 percent (unless it's a franchise quarterback or pass rushers or something). Did Fred Jackson need to gut it out while obviously hurt? Isn't this why teams have other running backs on their roster.
Dolphins at Lions: Great game. Unless you're a Dolphins fan I guess. As with the Bills players, you've got to be careful about starting injured players who aren't stars, like say Lamar Miller. Not healthy, shouldn't have been out there, didn't help the team or his fantasy teams. ... Pretty clutch winning touchdown from Matthew Stafford to Theo Riddick. Great throw, pretty decent coverage, great catch. Touchdown bomb to Calvin Johnson in his return. Start him with confidence going forward.
Cowboys vs. Jaguars across the pond: Of course, you've got to be careful benching injured players, too, as Tony Romo (3 TDs) proved. He actually missed a wide-open Jason Witten for another touchdown, too. Make sure you catch the highlight of Dez Bryant's long touchdown, where I believe he eluded tackles from 7 or 8 Jaguars. Nice couple of weeks coming up in Dallas, I think, especially if the Panthers can pull an upset tonight. ... Good games from Cecil Shorts and Denard Robinson, another boom or bust game from Allen Hurns. Story of his season.
49ers at Saints: Some debate in our living room about whether Jimmy Graham should have been called for the regulation-ending push-off. I thought it was pretty clearly offensive interference, but what an amazing ending it would have been if it wasn't, or if he could have caught the ball without the shove. Tough loss for the Saints, but I think they're still going to run off with the division. San Francisco stays alive, again. ... Marques Colston is in the Steve Smith grouping right now. Can't be used with any confidence. Had more chances in this game than his numbers indicated, but he's not making those plays. Another big game from Mark Ingram, alas no scores. But, his big year continues. And I guess Frank Gore isn't quite done yet.
Steelers at Jets: We had kind of thought the Jets might pull the upset here, and so they did. A couple of unlikely turnovers, a Jets team not quite as bad as their record, a kind of a throwback game from Michael Vick, and there you go. Steelers can play to the level of the competition, for good or ill. Jets have the same ailment, though they lose most of them. ... Little disappointing game from Chris Ivory and startable players like Harvin and Decker. T.J. Graham, I'm thinking very few people even knew he was a Jet. New York did send a lot of work Harvin's way, so I think he'll be usable going forward, Mostly in PPR, granted. Jets don't score many touchdowns and that's not likely to change. ... If you started Martavis Bryant, breathe a sigh of relief that they hit that huge play at the end. But that's what breakout fantasy players tend to do.
Falcons at Buccaneers: And the Bobby Rainey train grinds to a halt, while Steven Jackson zooms back to life. Atlanta, had they merely avoided blowing that game to the Lions, would be sitting at 4-5 and technically in first place in the NFC South. And they're terrible! It's an ugly year for a lot of the NFC teams/divisions. Falcons could actually win a couple more in a row, pushing back the Devonta Freeman chance to take over. Nice move going from Mike Glennon to Josh McCown, Lovie. Maybe at 1-8 they switch back to the younger guy? No?
Broncos at Raiders: For some strange reason I passed on Julius Thomas in the Super League for Martellus Bennett. I don't know why. That's the kind of move that keeps you out of the top 100 or so. The game just doesn't seem fair these days for teams that don't have an elite quarterback. You can play good defense for a little while and hang around, like the Raiders did, and then boom. ... Big news here is Broncos running backs. Ronnie Hillman was maybe a little hurt, or struggling, so C.J. Anderson had a big game. Next week, presumably Hillman, Anderson and Montee Ball will all be available. Tough to figure who will be featured, should be Hillman, but the coaching staff probably won't make a helpful announcement. Nice matchup with the Rams, too.
Rams at Cardinals: Speaking of the Rams, they hung around this one for a while, then got mowed down by defense and Drew Stanton late. Ugly game for Andre Ellington, unless you had him in PPR, and at least he scored. Rams can occasionally play run defense, like yesterday. The Carson Palmer injury is probably a killer for the Cardinals. They'll win a few games, but I do not like the looks of them facing Seattle twice in the next six games with Drew Stanton at quarterback. Don't even like them hosting the Lions this week. A shame.
Giants at Seahawks: My father-in-law was apoplectic about New York's tackling in this game. How did they keep letting Seattle get around the edge? Isn't containment to the inside the first thing they teach defenders? Boy he was steamed. It was a pretty sorry display of defense by the Giants, and a rough week to be facing Marshawn Lynch. And if you had him and Aaron Rodgers, well.... Odell Beckham Jr. is something else. Already New York's best receiver; he might be their best receiver even if Victor Cruz were still out there. Nobody seems to be able to cover him. ... Nice job by the Giants defending the read option. Not.
Bears at Packers: To Bears fans searching for positives, I didn't see anyone get injured. Aside from all the bruised egos. What a curb stomping. I actually would have understood if Green Bay had left Rodgers out there to throw 8 TDs. Short list of coaches/quarterbacks who would have probably includes Belichick/Brady, Fox/Manning, Tomlin/Roethlisberger, Smith/Ryan, and oh yeah Trestman/Cutler. Granted I'm just guessing, I don't know. Is leaving your starting quarterback in for the third quarter really running up the score? What an embarrassment. Anybody watch this game after the third quarter? Mostly I'm just wondering what, exactly, Michaels and Collinsworth did to fill the air time. Talking about playoff pictures, fantasy matchups, chili recipes?
Monday, Monday: Mark Sanchez against the Panthers, that's the story here. I'm starting Sanchez in a league, though I had a lot of Packers in my lineup so it doesn't matter much. Although points are always nice. I figure the Eagles will be fine, and Cam Newton will have a good game, and this will be some sort of a 27-20 type of matchup. Will take the Eagles and hope both teams show up.