Week 12 Preview

Game of the Week

Madd Skillz vs. Blaine Browns (pk)

I don't know if I catch any heat for this- but I refuse to install anyone (especially not myself) as a 30 point favorite in these games. Could I start making up my own lines without offending anyone?...Matchup features the two highest scoring teams from last week...This game has a ton of interesting matchups, position-by-position, but the real-life game to decide this one may be the Chargers game- to see whether LDT (SKL) or Drew Brees (BB) get the majority of the TDs...BB has what we all want- the first and last word, with two Falcons going on Thursday and Edgerrin on Monday Night. SKL has no one playing oustide of Sunday...Ed and Drew are 2-2 against one another lifetime

News and Notes, SKL

The return of Rudi Johnson to stud form would be a good thing for SKL. Rudi managed just 76 yards last week, but found paydirt twice. Rudi has been struggling with a nagging knee injury for most of the season, but if the bye in week 10 let him get healthy, that's a nice thing to have down the stretch...The wide receivers did some serious damage last week, but Santana Moss has been slumping...Larry Johnson has 53 fewere rushing yards than LaDanian Tomlinson, on 51 fewer carries...Key Injuries: Jeremy Shockey- Questionable; Domanick Davis- Probable

News and Notes, BB

Drew Brees can no longer be considered a marginal keeper- he's one of the best starts in the league right now...Chris Brown came over at a good time, a big week last week, and a matchup with the 49ers this week...Ruben Droughns also came up big, scoring his second touchdown of the season...Outside of Brees and Edgerrin James, Keenan McCardell has the most TDs on this team (7) and he rides the bench in favor of Derrick Mason and his one score...Donald Driver has potential to be BB's best receiver, even with Randy Moss on board...Key Injuries: Randy Moss- Probable; Curtis Martin- Probable

Playoff Impact: Significant. The Browns have to take care of business every week, and with FLW and SP in very winnable games, can't lose any ground. SKL is playing for seeding, which really doesn't matter.

The 2 Spot

Cellar Dwellars vs. The Octagon (+15)

OCT brings their latest streak (a winning one, at 4 games) into the house of CD, coming off just their second loss of the season...Both of these clubs had their latest loss come at the hands of the Blaine Browns...It was the last meeting between these two that sent OCT into a tailspin, that being the first of 5 straight losses...Stem's week 3 victory cut Radcliffe's all-time advantage in half, to 2-1

News and Notes, CD

Byron Leftwich gets in the driver's seat this week, taking his hot hand into Arizona. Is Leftwich the better start? Probably, for this week. It's an unpleasant problem that's presented itself to Andrew- as Byron's recent play (and John Clayton's cutting comments) have lead to a QB controversy, and those are never fun...LaMont Jordan is slumping, but Kevin Jones is rising, so I guess it all balances out...Plaxico Burress did bounce back with a big game last week, and Larry Fitzgerald's every week awesome makes this one of the top 3 WR1-WR2 tandems in the league...Steve Heiden gets the nod at TE over Randy McMichael...Neil Rackers has more points this season than: Chad Johnson, Antonio Gates, Marvin Harrison, Torry Holt, Priest Holmes, Terrell Owens, Curtis Martin and Corey Dillon...Key Injuries: None, per usual

News and Notes, OCT

The Steal of the Draft is Back! Trent Green suits up at QB for OCT this week, showing Brett Farve the bench...Also at the QB spot this week, OCT picked up the injured Marc Bulger for the injured Cedric Benson. It's hard to tell if the teams involved were banking on something for next year, or something for the last few weeks...How timely was Mike Anderson's big game last week? Huge, especially when you consider that it kept a rival running back (FLW's Tatum Bell) tethered to the bench...Cadillac Williams also plays a big role in the big win, but runs into the staunch Bear defense this week...What will Brian Westbrook's value be with Donovan McNabb on IR? Probably pretty significant, as Mike McMahon has earned the respect of the national press despite winning just one start his whole career...Where was I going with that?...Key Injuries: Jimmy Smith- Probable; Marc Bulger- Out

Playoff Impact: Significant. Same scenario as above; OCT is playing as a desperate man, while CD fights for seeding. A loss here is devastating to the eight-sided one.

Game #3

Sex Panther vs. Big Fat Guys (+24)

Smack talk resulting from this game: "The Rams were playing Houston, what chance did I have," or "Why does the fantasy world hate me when all I show it is love?"...Oustide of two running backs named Barber, I'm struggling to find interesting things for this italicized part...Eli is 1-0 against Baron lifetime, notching his first win of the season against the BFG in week 3

News and Notes, SP

Marc Bulger is no more, traded for Cedric Benson, which leads me to three questions: 1) Can Steve McNair and/or Kurt Warner lead a team to a VUFSA Crown? 2) Which stud QB will SP acquire in exchange for Drew Bennett and Ernest Wilford? 3) Is Eli going to keep 5 running backs?...Steven Jackson did not look good last week, but be prepared for a monster bounce back. Last time Bulger went out, Jackson went off every week in the STL offense, so the injury to Bulger could turn out to be a blessing here...Willis McGahee has been about as consistent as you could want, but one expected more than 10 points a game after the promise shown last season...Clinton Portis has good numbers, but has only scored a TD in three games this season...It's a great relief to SP that Antonio Gates' injury is not serious...Key Injuries: Steve McNair- Questionable; Antonio Gates- Questionable; Cedric Benson- Out

News and Notes, BFG

Brendel gave us a heck of a run, but it looks as if the role of spoiler is all that's left for his remaining games...This is one of those games, as game-time decisions could handcuff SP, while BFG has a couple of nice matchups...Carson Palmer is about as reliable a QB as you can ask for, and will do good things against an overrated Ravens Defense...Marion Barber, however, will not do good things against a great Denver Defense...Nate Burleson is back in the lineup, no matter how stinky the Minnesota offense looks...Dallas Clark had a big game last week, and looms as Monday Night Thunder this weekend...Will get a tremendous boost if Terry Glenn and Barber can have big Thanksgivings, but if they don't, it'll be a long way to Monday...Key Injuries: Frank Gore- Doubtful

Playoff Impact: Marginal. SP doesn't look to hang close to an expansion team for the second straight week, so don't alter any thoughts you have about the race because of the result of this game.

Batting Cleanup

ChamPeons vs. Fred Lane's Wife (-13)

This game can safely be called an elimination game; as the loser will hit 7 losses and be gone from our playoff minded thoughts...Turkey-day RB matchup of Tatum Bell (FLW) vs. Julius Jones (CHM) will set the tone for this one...In games following 2 consecutive 100+ point weeks, FLW has scored an average of 69 points...They have scored 100+ the last two weeks...Champion holds the all-time edge, winning 2 of 3, including the week 3 showdown this season

News and Notes, CHM

It appears the Drew Bledsoe train has run out of gas, and Kerry Collins starts against a weak Miami team this week...Wide Receivers are all very solid, two of them were keepers last season for other clubs...Mewelde Moore is a good start for the next few weeks, but Shawn Bryson is not...Mike Alstott would be a better option against anybody but the Bears...Julius Jones can do so much more than he has this year, and will surely go down as one of the most disappointing players of 2005...Key Injuries: Mewelde Moore- Probable; Erron Kinney- Questionable

News and Notes, FLW

The recent hot streak of Peyton Manning could push this club into the playoffs singlehandedly, but the thought of him resting after the Colts lock up home field is damning...Heath Evans has turned out to be an admirable fill-in for Corey Dillon, who doesn't seem to be getting any healthier...This is a deep and talented RB corps, but so many questions surround every single back, be it splitting carries (Ronnie Brown, Tatum Bell, Willie Parker/Jerome Bettis), injuries (Parker, Dillon, Bettis) or just being a backup (Evans, Chris Perry)...Key Injuries: Willie Parker- Probable; Corey Dillon- Questionable; Tatum Bell- Questionable

Playoff Impact: Elimination Game. The hopes of one team are done after this week.

The 5 Hole

Father Abraham vs. Who is Ron Mexico? (+20)

Yuck...Father Abraham won the only meeting between these two, back in week 3

News and Notes, FA

There isn't much else to say outside of injuries...McNabb and Holmes are on IR and no amount of preparation could ready someone for that kind of loss...What can be done to look to next season? Unknown, but some sort of move is inevitable...Key Injuries: McNabb, Holmes- IR

News and Notes, WIRM

Will this team be humbled after popping off way too early last week? Probably not...It appears as if Samkon Gado is really bad, which means the myopic morons in Green Bay can take down their oh-so-witty "In Gado we Trust" signs...Ahman Green and Gado have cost this team Monday Night wins; also costing them wins: the disparity of talent between their team and their opponent's...There are a lot of good possibilities on the roster, it's just a matter of making the right call each week, and gambling correctly on keepers...Key Injuries: Chester Taylor- Questionable

Playoff Impact: No.