Week 9: Fantasy Football Update

So, some of my readers may know that I am the owner of a pair of fantasy football teams, "Saintly Cowboys" and "Shaky Lightning" (based on their default logos). I have been doing fantasy football for a few years, but my best finish was second place. I really want to win a championship this year. In 2009, "Hypnotic" destroyed rival "Crazy Jay" in the semifinal, but was beaten by an extremely powerful "Wrecking Crew" team in the championship. In 2010, "Strike" entered the playoffs with an impressive 11-3 record and the number one seed, but was upset by underdog "alldayap10" in a low-scoring battle. I lost the third place game, too. 2011 was not as good of a year. I slipped into the playoffs with an 8-6 record and the fourth seed, and I ended up in fourth place again.

How my teams are doing right now:

Saintly Cowboys (5-4):

I have alternated between winning and losing with this team. I started with a solid roster and improved by adding Fred Jackson, but both Greg Jennings and Pierre Garçon were injured. Fortunately, I picked up Randall Cobb and Denarius Moore to go along with Julio Jones, and all three have been excellent. Strangely, my last victory dropped me from fourth place to fifth place.

QB: Drew Brees is a consistent starter. I had Josh Freeman as a backup briefly, but after the Bucs' slow start, I replaced him with Matt Schaub.

RB: Maurice Jones-Drew and Michael Turner are not as good as you might think. MJD has missed many games, and Turner loses a lot of carries to Jacquizz Rodgers. I'm currently using Fred Jackson in place of MJD, and I have Rashad Jennings as a handcuff for MJD.

WR: I already discussed this position above.

TE: Vernon Davis is a great player, but his bye week was this past week, so I signed Kyle Rudolph, who did absolutely nothing.

K: I rotate players here. I have Shayne Graham right now. I use Young GZ when the Rams have a good matchup.

DEF: The Bears have been great all year. They had a fantastic performance against Tennessee this past week.

Shaky Lightning (6-3)

Shaky Lightning is probably the better of my two teams. I have made good waiver wire pickups and I currently have an amazing group of running backs. I am currently less than stellar at QB, however.

QB: Like I said, this position is one of my weaknesses, along with DEF. I have to alternate Phillip Rivers and Tony Romo based on recent success and matchups.

RB: I am loaded at running back. I have Run DMC, Trent Richardson, Stevan Ridley and DeMarco Murray as my main running backs, thanks to a combination of activity on the waiver wire and strange transactions from my opponents. Due to some weird circumstances (DMC and DMM are injured and Richardson has a bye), I have to use Vick Ballard at running back this week. He was not great, but I needed someone, and he outperformed my original option, Rashad Jennings.

WR: I somehow ended up with four wide receivers who can be started on a regular basis: A.J. Green, Steve Smith, Demaryius Thomas and Denarius Moore. They serve me well week after week.

TE: I already had Antonio Gates, and when one of the other teams dropped Aaron Hernandez, I snapped him up. I now play them based on matchups.

DEF: Who needs a consistent defense week after week when you can play matchups? I used the COLTS on Thursday night against Jacksonville, and they got me 20 points. I used to have the Ravens, but they're deteriorating rapidly.

I'm hoping for a lot of success this year in fantasy football!

Week 8

A week of surprises:

• Bucs 36, Vikings 17: I certainly was surprised when Doug Martin went off for a total of 33.4 fantasy points. Also, an underrated and surprisingly good Vikings team was blown out by Tampa Bay. The Bucs always seem like a team somewhere in between contender and bottom-feeder. This year, they have a chance to turn things around and go somewhere in a weak NFC South.

• Dolphins 30, Jets 9: The Jets are ridiculous. We see a different team every week. It seems like they are always either blowing a team out or getting blown out. As for the Dolphins, Matt Moore led them to this victory. Will there be a quarterback controversy in Miami? I doubt it, personally.

• Browns 7, Chargers 6: Especially now, after the Chargers destroyed the Chiefs on TNF, this final score seems strange. The Chargers are a talented team, but they never win the AFC West, a relatively weak division in which any team can beat any other. I personally did not expect a Browns win, and I definitely didn't expect Trent Richardson to perform well while injured, even though he did last time he was ailing. (P.S. It seems that San Diego now has a chance of making the playoffs after their win.)

• Colts 19, Titans 13: I read WalterFootball.com frequently, and I believe it was there that I learned that the COLTS are in PLAYOFF CONTENTION at 4-3. If they made the playoffs this year, that would be a remarkable turnaround after last season's miserable failure.

• Patriots 45, Rams 7: I thought the Rams were better than this. Young GZ (Greg Zuerlein), the Rams' kicker, let me down, too. I have him on both fantasy teams.

• Packers 24, Jaguars 15: The Jaguars were competitive without MJD! Against the Packers! I have to say that that's a surprise. The Packers definitely aren't as good this year as they have been in the past, but I think they can still make the playoffs.

• Falcons 30, Eagles 17: No surprises here. Vick is still mediocre, Falcons are still undefeated.

• Steelers 27, Redskins 12: RG3 can't do it himself for Washington, contrary to popular belief. Pierre Garçon (like my fancy ç cedille?) needs to be healthy. Alfred Morris is surprisingly consistent, though and I like this team right now. As for the Steelers, I'm surprised they won this game with only no-name running backs like Jonathan Dwyer, Chris Rainey and Baron Batch on offense.

• Lions 28, Seahawks 24: Well, Detroit looked more like the Detroit of last year than the winless Lions of a few years ago in this particular game. Seattle is a legitimately good team, though, but Russell Wilson needs some more experience.

• Bears 23, Panthers 22: Carolina's slide continues. Cam "Superman" Newton is looking more like the Joker (yeah, they're not from the same series). As of today, DeAngelo Williams hasn't been traded, but it's the tradeline, so he'll be a Panther for a little while longer.

• Raiders 26, Chiefs 16: KC needs a new QB. Matt Cassel isn't much better than Brady Quinn in terms of success at this point. There are a lot of QBs in the draft this year, and Kansas City will hopefully, for their sake, be in a position to get one.

• Giants 29, Cowboys 24: Revenge! New York overcame a Dallas team that beat them in the kickoff game this year. The Cowboys did pretty well, though, especially considering the fact that they had Phillip Tanner at running back during this game.

• Broncos 34, Saints 14: Would it surprise anybody to learn that the Saints are still mediocre? Maybe a few people thought Drew Brees would right the ship, but that's not looking likely.

• 49ers 24, Cardinals 3: Surprise! The Cardinals don't seem to be legitimate contenders. When they had a great start, many people, myself included, thought they had a chance this year, but they were dominated by a division rival.

The season is halfway done and I'm sure that an exciting second half awaits all of us NFL fans!

Week 7 Impressions

In a surprising week of football, some very interesting things occurred. This week, I was able to watch larger portions of the games. With the help of some statistics, here are my observations from Week 7:

• I'm changing my stance. The Panthers are the league's biggest disappointment, not the Saints. Everyone expected so much from Cam Newton, as they rightfully should have, but the reality is that Carolina has a pair of mediocre running backs, a dearth of good wideouts behind Steve Smith, and inconsistencies at many other positions.

• Quarterbacks aren't everything. While they are quite important, a team's performance does not depend on its quarterback's, as evidenced by the Redskins' loss to the Giants despite a big game from RG3.

• Who are the Texans? Which team are we going to see, the Houston team that obliterated Baltimore (a team that was missing two key defensive starters) or the Houston team that was handled easily by Green Bay (a team coming out of a slump)? I think they could go pretty far in a bizarre AFC filled with middling teams.

• The Patriots may have won, but their reign is likely coming to an end soon. They almost lost to the Jets, and the AFC East is a tight division. There's a chance they may not win it this year. This team needs some depth for the future at many positions. They could also use a top-flight running back to use on a regular basis. Their current strategy is alternating between Ridley, Bolden and Woodhead, and I'm sure that infuriates many fantasy football players.

• These Bengals aren't as good as last year. While Andy Dalton and A.J. Green are a great duo for the future, Cincinnati seems to have regressed after 2011's surprising playoff run.

• The Rams have come up close in many games against elite teams. This week, Green Bay beat them by ten. However, St. Louis hasn't made the playoffs in a few years. Their rebuilding process could finally be working out. They've already acquired some possible successors for Steven Jackson in Isaiah Pead and Daryl Richardson, and with the right pieces, this team could contend in a few years.

• Fantasy football is a strange world. I found myself dominating with non-big-name players like Randall Cobb and Fred Jackson, while Trent Richardson and Maurice Jones-Drew struggled, both due to injury. Drew Brees put up about 30 points, while Tony Romo scored about 14. I made the dumb decision to use the Titans defense against a Bills team that scored 34. For my opponents, Santana Moss had an unexpected breakout game in Washington's loss. Victor Cruz was a standout as well, but Calvin Johnson, of all people, underachieved. Jonathan Dwyer (!), a little known, one-time third-string running back scored 12 points, and Jordy Nelson also had a great game with Greg Jennings out. My teams are both in playoff contention at 4-3 each.

See you next week!

Week 6: Division-by-Division Review

For the blog this week, we’ll be doing something a little different. I unfortunately missed most of this weekend’s games, I’m going to go over the current state of each division. And trust me, there are some interesting ones, as you’ll see right away.

AFC East: I don’t think I’ve ever seen a division like this. Every team is 3-3 right now. I’m expecting the Patriots to pull away, but who knows? They don’t look so good this year. The beleaguered Jets are there too, along with the disappointing Bills and ever-changing Dolphins.

AFC North: Out with the old, in with the new? Well, maybe. The Steelers and Ravens have perennially led this division, and the Ravens are still in the lead right now. But after losing two key defensive starters in Ray Lewis and Lardarius Webb, things might get harder for them. Also, they’re facing the Texans this week, and that’ll be a big test. The Bengals are second at 3-3, while the Steelers and Browns are struggling.

AFC South: The Texans are definitely dominating this division right now. Even though they just lost, they are tied for the best record in the AFC. Some of the other members of the division are rebuilding (2-3 Indy and 1-4 Jacksonville). But Tennessee is somewhere in between. They should be better than 2-4, but CJ2K just isn’t producing right now, and Jake Locker is still injured.

AFC West: Last year, the Raiders almost won the division. Before that, the Chiefs were victorious. This year, Peyton Manning and the Broncos are tied for the lead with an extremely inconsistent Chargers team. I’m surprised that Norv Turner is still coaching San Diego after all this time, but if he pulls off a playoff berth, his job is going to be safe. Denver and San Diego are currently sitting at 3-3.

NFC East: This division has a reputation for being tough. It lost some of its credibility in the past few years, but now the other teams are pushing the defending champion Giants. Turnover-prone Philadelphia is clinging to second place, tied with a Redskins team that has been energized by the emergence of RG3 and a surprisingly good running back in Alfred Morris. Who would have thought that the Cowboys would be in last after they defeated New York earlier in the season?

NFC North: The Packers in third place? Wow. This division has been flipped upside down since last year. Chicago is in first at 4-1, and they have a half-game lead over 4-2 Minnesota. Meanwhile, the Packers and Lions, playoff teams from last year, are sitting at 3-3 and 2-3, respectively. The NFL is very strange.

NFC South: With all the hype for Cam Newton, it’s surprising that the Panthers have one win this season, and that the quiet Falcons are the league’s only undefeated team. The Falcons just can’t seem to win in the playoffs, though. I think they may turn that around this year. The Buccaneers have shown some signs of improvement under Greg Schiano, whereas the Saints are the season’s most disappointing team. They aren’t winless any more, but they’re still only 1-4.

NFC West: This division is really good! Two years ago, Seattle won this division with a LOSING RECORD. Now, the NFC West is the strongest division in football, at least according to records. The Cardinals are in the lead, but they’ve been in a slump. They’re tied with the Seahawks, who are doing surprisingly well under inexperienced Russell Wilson, and the 49ers, who just got demolished by New York. Don’t sleep on the Rams, though; they have been surprisingly good and have Greg Zuerlein, who may be the best kicker in the league in a year or two.

Overall, I didn’t realize until writing this how convoluted the NFL standings are this year. Anything can happen! See you next week.

Week 5

We're back on schedule with this week's blog!

I'd like to get your comments on a certain subspecies of quarterback: The Cam Newton / Robert Griffin / Michael Vick. Streaky and exciting, yet mistake- and injury-prone. Can this sort of QB make a career of it in the NFL, or do they merely light up the scoreboard for a fraction of a season and then burn out?

I think that Cam Newton and RG3 have qualities that Vick lacks: good decision-making and ball security. I think that they will be able to have long careers, and one should keep in mind that Newton hasn't even been injured once. However, mobile quarterbacks take a lot of wear and tear. Some make it, and some don't.

The Falcons' move to 5-0 was cause for much celebration in our household. Could this be the year the Birds finally make a legit Super Bowl run?

I think so, yes. The NFC seems unusually weak, especially the Falcons' division. I could see them beating virtually any team in their conference.

Falcons, Texans. Which undefeated team is better and why?

I just finished praising Atlanta, but I have to go with the Texans. They're an all-around team. They have a great group of linebackers. They also have a great running back, plus a quarterback in Matt Schaub who won't give any games away. He also has Andre Johnson lining up on the outside during most plays.

Both your fantasy teams won this week, each moving to 3-2. Any strategy tips for your readers who are fantasy owners?

Be active on the waiver wire. Other teams tend to drop big-name players who are injured or going through a cold streak. Pick those players up; they'll rebound soon enough.

Los Angeles took yet another step toward getting an NFL franchise this week. Would you like to see a team in L.A.? Would you go to the games, or do you prefer watching at home?

I would certainly go to some games, although I do like watching at home. I will still keep my allegiance to the Raiders, but I would support a theoretical LA team.

Every year your birthday party is a Super Bowl party, and every year you ask for NFL Sunday Ticket as a birthday present. What first got you interested in football, and what is it that sustains your interest?

I started watching in 2004, and I've been a big fan ever since. I feel like football has many possible outcomes, and every game features a few exciting plays. New wrinkles emerge in every game, every week, and every season, along with new players. Overall, I am a diehard fan. I also follow college football to a lesser extent.

Which players' jersey would you most like to wear (past or present)?

I think some Raiders player's jersey would be nice, maybe Bo Jackson or Ken Stabler or Jack Tatum or someone like that. 

Colin Kaepernick gets almost no attention for his peculiar and fascinating role in the 49ers' offense. Talk about how the Niners use this guy, and whether you think it will continue to work.

Kaepernick, a scrambling quarterback from Nevada, acts as a Wildcat-ish player in the 49ers' offense. He makes their offense more exciting and less predictable. When every play is not just a handoff to Frank Gore or a throw to Vernon Davis, the defense has to be on their toes.

What three football books would you recommend to your readers?

300 Pounds of Attitude; Badasses (don't remember the rest of the title); A Few Seconds of Panic.

Doesn't it seem like every year there's a Ravens game with a final score of 9-6? Do you find defensive struggles boring, or exciting?

I find them exciting only if the defensive struggle is caused by fumbles and interceptions, not 10 punts from each team or something to that effect.

Talk about the Seahawks' deliberate safety late in their victory over the Panthers. Did you agree with the strategy?

I didn't actually hear about this play originally, but after reading some articles, I have to say that I agree. At first I thought that while Pete Carroll didn't want to risk a blocked punt, he should have had faith in his punter, Jon Ryan. But then, I realized that in a six-point game, two points don't really make a difference. It was a smart move for field position.

Oh, those lowly Buffalo Bills. Is this another team in need of a reboot, or are there a few key moves they need to make to become competitive?

This team is so mercurial! They really should be better. I think they need a franchise quarterback and wideout.

There was some controversy this week as classless Chiefs fans cheered Matt Cassel's injury. Did you agree with teammate Eric Winston's rant at the post-game press conference?

I have to agree. As a teammate, you don't want to see your so-called fans cheering for your close friend's injury. It was a reasonable reaction.

Finally: We're five weeks into the Peyton Manning experiment. How is he doing overall? Do you think the Colts were right to release him? How would you evaluate Andrew Luck's performance in Indy?

Well, the Broncos don't seem too much better than they were last year with Tebow and a similar team. However, they definitely have improved a little bit more, and I expect them to win the division. I honestly think the Colts were right to move on. They needed a fresh start after their awful year with Painter and Orlovsky at QB. As for the Colts, I don't expect too much this year, but Luck is starting to settle in and look like the prospect everyone thought he was.

Now comes the part where Hen gets to type whatever he wants.

My predictions have not been great so far, so I'll take a bye this week. 

Anyway, I think that Brady Quinn has a chance to finally prove himself this week. He's getting the start, if I'm not mistaken. He could create a quarterback controversy in Kansas City.

Week 4

Week 4

October 2, 2012

Welcome back! Read this Week 4 recap as you prepare for Week 5!

The big topic lighting up sports talk radio was the Tony Romo five-interception bloodbath in Chicago. Is this yet another vaunted QB on the downslope? Do the Cowboys need to accelerate their search for a quarterback of the future?

They need an heir apparent. Romo has never been great. The Cowboys just can’t seem to perform in the playoffs, when they make it there at all. I don’t even remember Romo ever being considered a “vaunted” quarterback.

There was also much talk of Jay Cutler dismissively walking away from offensive coordinator Mike Tice -- when the team had a lead! This guy's sourpuss is becoming the stuff of legend. Do you think a quarterback has to be lovable to lead a team?

Well, it certainly plays a role. A leader has to be well-liked by his or her subjects. Because a quarterback leads the offense, they shouldn’t be disdained by their teammates.

Many pundits claim the Houston Texans are the league's best team. What do you think? Has Matt Schaub joined the ranks of elite quarterbacks?

The Texans are a good team all-around. With a solid defense that has stayed strong despite losing Mario Williams and an offense that is far from one-dimensional, they have a chance to go far this season. Matt Schaub is very underrated.

We saw the ups and downs of the irritating ice-the-kicker timeout yet again this week. What do you think of this tactic? Does it work? Should it be outlawed?

I think it could work, but kickers have probably gotten used to it right now. I don’t think it should be outlawed; there’s no real rule that could be made that would prevent icing the kicker. Coaches would find another way.

Four weeks in, what offensive and defensive trends do you see emerging?

Rookie quarterbacks are quite mercurial. That’s something that I’ve noticed. As far as defense is concerned, a lot of teams are lacking. We’ve had some very high-scoring games.

What can be done about the epic disaster that is the New York Jets? This is a team that can't seem to do anything right. If you were to take over as their head coach or GM tomorrow (and you might), what are the first three things you'd do to rebuild this team?

1) New quarterback. 2) New running back. 3) New wide receiver. There are a lot of things wrong with the way this team is built. I think they could use a full overhaul. A lot of players have stuck around from past regimes.

What the heck happened to the Lions? This was a team that opened last season 5-0. Do you think they can pull it together?

It’ll be hard for them, but they still have a chance at a wild card. I think they need a running game free from injuries, suspensions, and random people like Joique Bell.

Would you agree that the season's biggest surprise is the Minnesota Vikings? Name three things this team is doing right. Do you think their good fortunes can continue?

I’m not sure they’re the biggest surprise, but they’re certainly doing well. I don’t think they’ll continue this, though. Remember that they barely beat the Jaguars, and they’re in one of the top divisions. They do have a great running back, great defensive end and a surprisingly good receiver in Percy Harvin.

I meant to ask this last week: Who are your favorite NFL broadcasters? Who does the best job with play-by-play and who's the best color man? Talk about their strengths. If you were to go into broadcasting, who would you like to emulate?

I really like Jim Nantz and Joe Buck as far as play-by-play is concerned. I don’t know any specific ones, but I like color commentators who are actually knowledgeable. If I were to be a broadcaster, I would be a calm, composed kind of guy, more like Jim Nantz than someone like Gus Johnson or Marv Albert.

Suddenly some questionable prospects like Ryan Tannehill and Brandon Weeden are playing pretty well. Who are the other notable rookies (on both offense and defense) at this point in the season?

RG3 is a big standout. The RG3 vs. Luck debate is something that I think will be going on for the entire duration of their careers. Trent Richardson looks like an elite running back in the making. I’m glad to have him on my fantasy team.

I am well pleased with the performance of the Atlanta Falcons thus far, particularly last week's gutsy comeback against the Panthers. Does this team have what it takes to go the distance?

I think they’ll win the division. They have little competition besides Carolina (the disorganized Saints and mediocre Buccaneers), and they just showed that they can beat the Panthers.

On the other hand, a week ago we were talking about a Russell Wilson coming-out party, and now the cries have gone up in Seattle for Matt Flynn. Who's the better choice to lead this team?

Russell Wilson deserves to start, but I think he should be on a short leash. Matt Flynn is much more experienced. Both have different skill sets.

A final wild-card question: How long do you think it will be before we see a female coach -- even an assistant coach -- in the NFL?

That could take a while, but I believe that a woman with a lot of expertise could be hired sometime in the next decade. It’ll be hard to overcome the prejudices, but we’ve already seen a female referee on the replacement crew.

Now comes the part where Hen gets to type whatever he wants.

So much for Javon Ringer. He had two carries for 14 yards.

This week’s prediction: Tim Tebow will throw an interception.

Week 3

Welcome back to the blog for a Week 3 recap! Sorry we’re late again.

Well! The ending of the Seahawks/Packers game was occasion for much merriment in our household, but that disastrous final call was the tipping point that forced the NFL to negotiate an end to the referee lockout. Let's hear your thoughts on the union, Goodell's negotiating strategy, the Golden Tate touchdown, and where the league goes from here.

I’m glad the league finally gave in. They knew how bad things were going to end up. They didn’t want this season to be remembered as the season of bad officiating. The NFL had no alternative. They probably only confirmed it as a catch during the week to avoid discrediting their officials. When M.D. Jennings rolled over with the ball in his hands, it seemed like an interception to me.

Do you think it's wrong for the NFL to fine coaches and players for criticizing the replacement officials?

Yes, I do, although I understand the league’s motive. Everyone knows the replacement officials were bad. Now the NFL seems to have acknowledged that, so they’re trying to limit the exposure the refs get. But by doing so, they’ve only made themselves look bad.

I only saw about half the game, so I couldn't really get a sense, but a lot of people were saying this was a major coming-out party for young (and small) Seahawks QB Russell Wilson. Do you agree? Has he come into his own as a starter?

I think he could definitely be quite good, but this isn’t really the coming-out party. To prove himself to me, he’ll have to do well against San Francisco or another elite defense.

In other action relevant to our house, the Raiders pulled out a thrilling last-second victory against Pittsburgh. Has the long, successful reign of the Steelers finally come to an end? And are the Raiders for real?

I think the Steelers will still be decent, but they’re not an elite team. They don’t have much of a running game. Redman, Dwyer and Rainey aren’t going to cut it, but I would like to see some more passes to Rainey out of the backfield. As for the Raiders, they haven’t made the playoffs since 2002, and “for real” isn’t the term I would use to describe a 1-2 team that lost to Miami.

In other torch-passing news, the Vikings pulled out an impressive victory over the 49ers, whose coach I strenuously dislike. What was the key to the Vikes' victory?

I didn’t focus on watching this game, but judging by the low score for the 49ers, I would say that the defense was key. The 49ers’ offense has never been their strong point, and during this game, they were shut down very well.

I want to talk about Minnesota punter Chris Kluwe standing up for gay marriage and for players' ability to express their political opinions. Can you comment on this? 

I think that Kluwe is right to defend his fellow players and gay marriage. The NFL really limits what players can say.

How impressed are you with the rapid progress players have made in embracing LGBT issues?

It’s impressive, especially considering that football seems like one of the least accommodating environments for a gay person.

Gotta talk about the 0-3 Saints. Has this team fallen off a cliff? They still have a lot of the same talent that has made them a perennial playoff contender in recent years—what the heck happened?

Any team that has an interim interim coach is going to have a problem. They’re disorganized and were affected a lot by the bounty scandal. They’ll settle in soon enough, but Drew Brees alone can’t carry this team. (I wish he could; he’s my fantasy quarterback.)

What's with the Broncos? They always seems to have mount a late comeback. Is this team any good or not?

They’re pretty good, but not elite. I think that they could win the AFC West, but I doubt they’ll make a big playoff run.

The Panthers were utterly trampled by the Giants, and Cam Newton had an awful game. Was this a one-time stumble, or did New York expose his weaknesses?

Other teams will definitely look at what New York did to stop Cam. He’ll rebound, but it’s going to be hard for an all-around mediocre team like Carolina to go far in a tough division like the NFC South (Carolina, New Orleans, Atlanta, Tampa Bay.)

Your fantasy teams are doing fairly well at this point, but where you typically excel in is making strategic moves that pay off big down the line. Can you talk about some players you'll be dumping and a few you'll be looking to acquire?

I think I made a good move by picking up Fred Jackson. Even though he’s injured, he’ll be great once he’s back. I did the same with Aaron Hernandez. I also picked up Andre Brown, who has been quite impressive. I may end up starting him over Michael Turner at some point. On the other team, I have Stevan Ridley for solid depth. Both teams are 2-1.

Lots of overtime games this weekend. What's your opinion of the new overtime rules? Are they making for more exciting football games?

I don’t know if it’s more exciting, but it’s more fair. The game isn’t decided by a coin toss anymore.

The Patriots are struggling early. Is this another team that is on the fade, or will Belichick pull it together for a playoff run?

Belichick will pull it together. I really hope he doesn’t, though. The Patriots just always seem to be Super Bowl contenders.

Gabbert had a big game for the Jags, Weeden did well for the Browns, and Fitzpatrick had an impressive outing with the Bills. Which of these streaky QBs has what it takes to hold onto his starting job?

Honestly, I think they all will, but Fitzpatrick is the most established quarterback. None of the three teams have very good backups, either.

This is a weird year for running backs, in my opinion; there doesn't seem to be that one RB who dominates every game he's in. Agree? Who are the three marquee backs at this point?

That’s very tough. I would have to say Ray Rice, Arian Foster and Adrian Peterson, although LeSean McCoy and Maurice Jones-Drew are close. I know this wasn’t part of the question, but Trent Richardson seems quite promising for the future.

How about receivers? Name three of the most underrated pass-catchers in the league.

Underrated? Larry Fitzgerald because the Cardinals are bad, Dwayne Bowe because Matt Cassel isn’t that great, and I also really like T.Y. Hilton, a relatively unknown guy from the Colts. At FIU, they called him “Goodbye” because of his great ability as a deep threat and returner. Some of the information comes from here:

http://news.fiu.edu/2012/08/colts-callin-how-t-y-hilton-found-out-he-was-indy-bound/43832

Which team's uniform and/or logo is in need of a total makeover?

I think the Saints’ uniform needs work. Their logo is good, but I’m not a fan of the dull gold color.

Here's the point where Hen gets to type whatever he wants.

Random player who might do well this week: Javon Ringer, Titans backup running back. I feel like he’s going to come in to spell Chris Johnson, who’s struggling, and get a long touchdown. (Jamie Harper could do this also)

This could become a recurring thing on the blog. Tell me if you like it!

Week 2!

Welcome back! Sorry we’re late. Reflect on this week as you watch week 3. A reminder: we eagerly solicit your questions for future blogs. Now it's time to run down the big stories of Week 2.

We're watching a decidedly-less-impressive-looking Peyton Manning struggle against the Falcons. Were the reports of his messianic return premature, or is he just facing a superior defense this week?

Peyton Manning has always had up-and-down games. He’s not as good as he once was, but I think he was just having an off game. He’ll do better against worse defenses.

What's a bigger shocker, the 0-2 Saints or the 2-0 Cardinals?

Cardinals. The fact that they beat New England outweighs both of the Saints’ losses, especially because they had Kevin Kolb at QB.

Do you think the Saints are missing Sean Payton, or are there other factors behind their slide?

They certainly are missing Sean Payton, but I’ve never seen coaching alone have this much of an effect. We’ll see if any more weaknesses show this week.

What other teams are surprising you this season?

The Chargers are 2-0; so are the Eagles, who definitely don’t deserve it. Other teams that look good are the RG3-led Redskins and the controversial Buccaneers.

The Seahawks rebounded from a disappointing Week 1 with a resounding victory over the Cowboys. Talk about these two teams who appear to be headed in opposite directions.

The Cowboys are one of my least favorite teams because everyone likes them and they’re talked about so much despite the fact that they’re inconsistent and not particularly good. As for the Seahawks, they have some definite wild card potential.

Some late-game controversy this week. What are your thoughts on the (how much does that corn cost?) Buccaneers charging Eli Manning on the last play of the game? Was Tom Coughlin's anger justified?

I don’t think it’s such a big deal, unwritten rule or not. Tom Coughlin had a right to be angry, but this was way over-publicized. Unwritten rules aren’t written, so they don’t exist. I don’t think Schiano did anything wrong.

Do you think Jim Harbaugh and Jim Schwartz discussed what they were going to do at the end of the Handshake Revenge Game?

They may have agreed to just do a normal handshake. But I don’t think so. They probably just learned from last year’s bad publicity and shook hands the way they would with any other coach.

Speaking of which: Which Harbaugh brother is more loathsome and why?

I think Jim. John hasn’t done anything irritating.

The other big story this week was the continuing struggles of the replacement officials. Are they substantially worse than the regular officials? Should Roger Goodell step in and put a stop to this?

They are substantially worse, and Goodell hasn’t been much help so far. Some negotiations have occurred, but Goodell has just sent out a memo to prevent coaches from criticizing the refs excessively. 

I'd like to hear your philosophy about judging teams after two games. Is it too early to spot trends and make predictions?

It certainly is. It’s only one eighth of the season. Teams are still getting settled in. Some players haven’t played together for very long. Teams like the Saints will get things together eventually. Some may not make the playoffs, but don’t expect a team that was good last year to go 0-16.

Rex Ryan seems to be tiring of Tim Tebow questions, and it sure does seem like #15 has been little more than a footnote thus far. What do you think the Jets' plans are for Tebow this season? Do you think he'll demand a trade if he doesn't get more playing time?

I heard he would leave after the season if this continues, so yes. If Mark Sanchez struggles, though, I would expect to see a bit more of Tebow.

A couple of teams are really struggling at the quarterback position. Who's more likely to keep his job, Blaine Gabbert, Brandon Weeden or Ryan Tannehill?

Weeden. Colt McCoy is a bad backup, and Weeden just had a great performance against a playoff team. If he continues this, he’ll be safe.

Now comes the part where Hen gets to type whatever he wants.

C.J. Spiller is the NFL’s leading rusher!? Wow. I’m not complaining, though -- someone in my fantasy football league dropped Fred Jackson because of his injury, and I picked him up.

Week 1!

Welcome back to the football blog! We have a different URL now, but we’re ready to begin blogging for the 2012 season. Without further ado, let’s start with some questions.

What was the biggest surprise of Week 1?

Redskins over the Saints. RG3 looked impressive in his debut. The Saints put up a fight, but they couldn’t stop RG3 from recording the second-most passing yards by a rookie QB in his debut. And he created a new craze to succeed Tebowing, Griffining.

What about the biggest disappointment?

The Eagles. They look awful. They almost lost to the Browns, who had no offense.

Which rookie quarterback impressed you the most and why? What other rookie standouts did you notice on both sides of the ball?

RG3 was the best. Luck couldn’t do too much this week. Neither could Wilson, and Weeden was really bad. As for other rookies, Alshon Jeffery, Bears wideout from South Carolina, looked good.

There was quite a coaching carousel at the end of last year. Which neophyte coach had the best Week 1? And which veteran coach has overstayed his welcome?

Greg Schiano was the only neophyte coach to win this week. And he shut down Cam Newton. As for a veteran coach who has overstayed his welcome, I would have to say Andy Reid. Marvin Lewis is close, although the Bengals got a playoff berth last year.

How do you think the replacement officials did in Week 1? Give us your assessment of this union action. Which side do you favor?

The replacements weren’t awful this week, except in San Francisco-Green Bay, but the NFL needs the refs back. Entire seasons could be decided by bad calls from some ref who couldn’t keep his job in a six-man football league, for example.

Of course I have to ask about Seahawks QB Russell Wilson. Was he overhyped during the preseason, or did he just have one so-so game? Do you think he'll hang onto his job?

I think his job is secure, unless things take a turn for the worse. Pete Carroll won’t go back on his original decision unless he has to.

How about the Dolphins' Ryan Tannehill? Is this guy good enough to continue as a starter?

Tannehill’s certainly on a short leash. He really needs to improve. This guy hasn’t even been a QB his whole career; he also played wideout at A&M.

Has Robert Griffin III joined the ranks of elite quarterbacks? Is he this year's Cam Newton? What's your opinion of the "III" on the back of his jersey?

With a couple more good performances, he will. And yes, I think he is this year’s Cam Newton. Heisman winner from school that hasn’t been too great in recent years that plays in a major conference, mobility and good throwing, etc. I don't have any opinion about the Roman numeral, although it is the first Roman numeral ever put on an NFL jersey.

The main topic lighting up sports talk radio today was Peyton Manning's return. How was he different than the Manning we saw 18 months ago? In the wake of his injury, do you think he has the endurance to turn in a full season of performances like we saw on Sunday night?

He certainly is back. However, he seems to have lost a lot of his deep throw power. All of his passes on Sunday were on a wide variety of short passing routes.

Final QB question: what do you think of the Browns' Brandon Weeden turning in the lowest quarterback rating (5) since they starting keeping that stat in 1970?

It’s pretty terrible. Weeden is one of the oldest rookie quarterbacks in a while, at almost 29 already, and he needs to play like a 7-year pro.

The Jets overperformed in Week 1 after a disappointing preseason. Is this team for real?

We’ll see. That was a nice offensive performance, but they haven’t played any elite teams yet, like their division rival New England Patriots.

Which NFL coach most resembles a rodent, and why?

Um, okay. Well, that’s a tough one. Maybe Andy Reid?

Many teams debuted new uniforms this weekend. Talk about your likes and dislikes.

As I understand, every team has a new Nike uniform. But the Seahawks’ changes are the most notable. I can’t say I’m a huge fan, but they’re all right. Hopefully Seattle doesn’t turn into the Oregon Ducks.

We are currently watching ESPN's Chris Berman try his hand as a color man in the Oakland game. How do you think he's doing? Is he better off behind a desk?

He is better behind a desk, but he’s not too shabby as a commentator. He’s more knowledgeable than one might expect.

I know it's early, but it's time to get your predictions: Division winners, NFC champ, AFC champ and Super Bowl champ. Lay 'em out.

AFC North: Ravens

AFC South: Texans

AFC West: Broncos (sigh)

AFC East: Patriots

AFC Wild Cards: Steelers and Bengals...I know, it’s the exact same as last year.

NFC North: Packers

NFC South: Falcons (changing things up a little bit)

NFC West: 49ers

NFC East: Giants

NFC Wild Cards: Lions and Cowboys (no Saints? I guess not)

AFC Champions: Patriots (Manning vs. Brady in the playoffs?)

NFC Champions: Packers

Super Bowl winners: Patriots...ugh...

I’m really hoping this doesn’t happen, but things might turn out this way.

How about the NFL MVP?

MVP? I guess Brady would be the MVP in this circumstance.

Bonus question: Talk about the ways technology has changed the way you watch the game. 

I can watch NFL Sunday Ticket on my iPad now and on the TV at the same time! I also use my computer to keep track of scores and fantasy football.

Now comes the point where Henry gets to type whatever he wants.

I will not be happy if the Raiders go into Week 2 with Travis Goethel as their long snapper again, after that disaster on Monday. Special teams is supposed to be Oakland’s strong point.