The Swombardi Chronicles

Musings and gatherings on all NFL happenings likely to effect my chances of Fantasy Football victory. @SwombardiChron

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[swombardi]

YIPPIDEEEDOOOODAAAAA!!!!!

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YOU THINK PRESEASON IS NOT IMPORTANT? What you have to understand about tonight’s game featuring the Dallas Cowboys and Miami Dolphins is this — There are currently 90 men on both rosters. Aside from the established stars, that leaves only a very limited amount of roster spots available. Almost 80 of the guys you see suited up tonight will NOT make the roster. Maybe some of them will be claimed off waivers. But for most of them, this is their one and only chance to get noticed, to put themselves in a prime position to change the rest of their life. And if they fail to make it, it’s back home.. to a mediocre job, a mediocre salary, and a crushed dream. Preseason is more than just guys you never heard of. They’re the guys you work with, went to school with, hang out with at the local spot. They’re normal guys fighting for a chance to reach the ultimate stage of football. Without the preseason, guys like James Harrison, Victor Cruz, and so many other undrafted stars of the NFL wouldn’t be seen today. Just think — if it were YOU trying to make an NFL roster, this game tonight is just as big as any Super Bowl. It’s possibly your only chance to make years of hard work and determination pay off. So when you’re watching the game tonight and think it’s boring, that it doesn’t mean anything, realize what’s going on. These men will fight tonight. And if your team is lucky enough, a star will be made out of this.  Submitted by Manuel Avila Jr.

[cajunboy-deactivated20180808]

This is why no one should pull for the Miami Heat. Ever.

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PEYTON MANNING SHOWS INCREDIBLE MEMORY -

This is a pretty amazing story when you have time to process the entire thing. Tennessee video coordinator Joe Harrington, who has been working with Volunteers for more than two decades, got a call in early December while he was out to lunch. He recognized the voice: Old Tennessee quarterback Peyton Manning. But the Denver Broncos star offered no greeting, just a request to cut up a play from 16 years earlier and send him the video. It wasn’t hard to find either, because Manning gave him every single detail of the exact play he was looking for. “I pick up the phone and I go in the corner where it’s quiet, and I’m all, ‘Hello?’ and no ‘Hi, how ya doing?,’ nothing,” Harrington said. “This is what he says: ‘In 1996, Tennessee played Ole Miss in Memphis, in the third quarter we ran a play called Flip Right Duo, X Motion, Fake Roll 98 Block Pass Special. I need you to find that play, I need you to digitize it and I need you to send it to me at Denver, in my email.’ “Exactly where he said it would be is what he said would happen.” How amazing is that? When Manning called this play, he was a JR at Tennessee. Since his college career, Manning has played in two Super Bowls, made 12 Pro Bowls, won four MVP awards and counting playoffs has thrown 8,554 NFL passes. But he still remembers the exact play call of a pass he made against Ole Miss in Memphis when he was 20 years old. This is why Peyton Manning is one of the best, if not the best, player to ever wear an NFL uniform. He is a student of the game. (Photo via SI Photos)

[momisgoneonbusiness-blog]

Solidarity!

[swombardi]

Just this once...

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Game of Thrones just isn’t the same without mommy. :(

[swombardi]

The Kansas Shitty Experiment

As the Ravens started to crash and burn in their fantasy football worth somewhere around losing Ray Lewis and Lardarius Webb in the same game (week 5), I realized I was going to need a new strategy if I didn't want to just settle for +/- 5 points from my defense each week. Pretty much every good to decent defense (49ers, Houston, Chicago, Green Bay, Seahawks) was already taken so I needed to make my pick based on something other than solely the skill set of that particular defense. With week 6 approaching, I went through the available defenses on free agency and noticed that Tampa Bay was available. And just who did they happen to be playing? Well that would be Kansas City. I liked this match-up. And not just because playing the Ravens against them in week 5 netted me 15 points. I liked it because I think Tampa Bay is steadily improving under a defensively strong coach AND because Kansas City is terrible. How terrible? In the past four games the team has scored a total of three touchdowns. Through week 9 this team has had 29 turnovers. They are easily the worst team in the NFL. This team is an embarrassment to the league. There are high school football teams who could beat this team without their starting lineup.

So anyway, how do I do week 6 when I play Tampa Bay against Kansas City? Fourteen points. Not bad if you ask me. I genuinely consider my D/ST to have been a successful choice if they net me ten or more points. Desperately needing a good score in week 8, I played this hunch while in need of another D/ST and went looking to see if by chance the team playing Kansas City was available. Just my luck, it was Oakland, who was, not surprisingly, a free agent. Nervous as hell I started them and walked away getting my ass kicked in the game, but having totaled a very respectful 12 points from Oakland's defense. Oakland! They average 1.7 points a game in my league. They had never scored anything close to 12 points before. In fact, most of their totals had been negatives.

Coincidence? I didn't think so, and so week 9 I took one of the biggest gambles of my fantasy football life and started the Chargers defense, who were, of course, playing the Chiefs. Not sure how many of you caught the "barn-burner" of a game, but it ended 31-13, Chargers. Oh, and did I mention that the Charger defense finished with twenty-five points? That's right; the Chiefs committed four more turnovers, with the Chargers forcing two fumbles an interception and scoring two defensive touchdowns. It was a massacre. Kansas City is so bad they can actually convince America that the Chargers are a decent team (non spoiler alert: they're not).  Kansas City plays the Steelers this week and the Bengals the following weekend. You can bet I'll be picking up the Bengals in Week 11 (my dirtbag brother-in-law stole the Steelers D this week), because if I've learned only one thing this fantasy football season, it's that a bet against Kansas City is as close as you can get to a sure thing in this game.

[cbssports]

BREAKING: Ray Lewis (torn triceps) and Lardarius Webb (torn ACL) are done for the year.

[swombardi]

Sad to see. Regardless of whether you love or hate them. AFC just got a whole lot less competitive.

[national-footballleague]

The Season So Far

http://national-footballleague.tumblr.com/

[swombardi]

Week 5 Roundup

           Sorry about not rounding up last week, I don't take Giant losses to the Eagles very well. Especially losses where the refs give Eli literally eight extra opportunities to go just ten yards in the fourth quarter, and still that was asking too much. Inconceivable. Eli wrote the book on how to stage a clutch 4th quarter comeback when down six or less with under two minutes to go. That's when he shines. And he couldn't complete ten yards in 12 attempts?? Every one of Vick's murdered dogs hung their tail down low from heaven that night. Pathetic.

Anyway, that terrific beat down against the Browns this week definitely put a little pep back in my step, though when Ahmad Bradshaw fumbled on the first play of the game, I almost swan dove off my building. Nice comeback boys, maybe try not to get down by 14 before bothering to wake up next time.

So here is what stood out to me this week:

Five teams didn't score TD's. Now I haven't checked the stats, but that sounds like a LOT, no? And they weren't all crap teams either. Yes, Bills, Kansas City, Jacksonville, not super surprising. But Arizona and the Ravens? A little more shocking. I bet we don't see another week with five teams failing to score a single TD this season. 

On the other side of the coin the San Francisco 49ers completed 614 total yards this week. They are the first team in the history of the NFL to complete 300 yards rushing and 300 yards passing in the same game. Now let's not lose site of the fact that they pulled this off against Buffalo, the same team who gave up over 500 yards last week while being routed 52-28 by the Patriots after actually having the lead. Nonetheless, 45-3 is impressive. And every other team has reason to be worried about these 49ers. Except maybe the Vikings?

While watching Peyton Manning this week it made me wonder what would have been if he had successfully been courted by the 49ers. Remember that happened in the off season (regardless of how much Harbaugh tries to deny it)? I understand what drew Peyton to Denver, but I think if he had been that serious about winning another Super Bowl he should have considered the Niners more seriously. Can you imagine what that team would've looked like with Peyton under center? All of that receiving talent, one of the greatest minds in quarterbacking history, one of the most motivating, aggressive coaches in the league, and an offensive line strong enough to give him years to decide each play? Not to mention the defense of course.  It would've been historical. And it would've been as close as Peyton could have ever come to finding a ready made, Super Bowl contending team. McGahee's fumble and drop at the end of the Denver/Pats game cost the entire team that game. There is nothing Peyton could have done better to prevent either of those incidences. Football is a team sport. I don't care how good your QB is, if the rest of your players aren't carrying their weight, you aren't going to succeed.

St. Louis is getting better. And not just because they beat Arizona. It's because they have Jeff Fisher, and Jeff Fisher is one of those "I can make a serious difference" coaches. I'm not saying that serious difference is immediate Super Bowl contention, but I am saying that with a young talented QB like Bradford and a coach whose been around the block and knows how to build a defense, St. Louis won't be the punching bag of the NFC West for long. Speaking of which, no NFC West team is under .500. I don't think any other division can say that for all four of their teams. What a difference a year makes huh?

Speaking of the difference a year makes, how about that NFC North?! I hope we can all come together as a nation and agree no one should be subjected to Cutler in the post-season again, but are we really talking about the Vikings being serious contenders without a star QB a la Brett Favre? I can't buy it yet, though I am willing to concede that they are for sure getting better and Percy Harvin is definitely for real. I still just don't see them as winning this division yet. I still have my money (and hopes) on Green Bay pulling a rabbit out of their asses. But I will give credit where credit is due, and all of that goes straight to the Chicago defense. Marvelous performance boys. The two pick six's by Lance Briggs and Charles Tillman in back to back weeks is unparalleled. In fact the Chicago defense has more interceptions returned for TD's already this season than every other team (except the Lions) had TOTAL in the 2011 season. Very, very impressive.

Can you imagine being a Bills fan? I mean seriously, is there any fan base in the history of sports that continuously has the kind of soul crushing defeat this team goes through on a semi-weekly basis? Forget making it to the Super Bowl four times and never winning, but having amazing draft picks year after year and still being so horrific in 2012 that you actually allow 500 yards in two consecutive games for the first time in franchise history? Ouch. Just painful. All around.

Final thoughts:

Sure, Brees broke Johnny Unitas' record. Great. The guy breaks a record yearly. I'll be more impressed when he gets his coach-less team above .500.

Was it touching that the Colts won the game for Chuck Pagano in a game dedicated to him since being diagnosed with Leukemia? Sure. Was I still completely shocked (and a bit annoyed) that Green Bay lost that game? Absolutely.

Forgetting the fact that RG3 screwed my fantasy football team leaving the game with three points, how is it possible that this kid hasn't been versed on the sliding rule? Isn't that like QBing 101? If he's attempting to go the out-of-pocket, running route a la Vick, he better be ready for the same type and amount of injuries. There is a reason Brady doesn't leave the pocket often. Learn it.

What the hell happened to Billy Cundiff? That guy really went downhill fast. 

I've said it once and i'll say it every week until the play offs: I'll believe the hype about the Mattural and his Falcons when they win ONE play-off game.

Until next week...

[swombardi]

Stay Classy Jay Cutler.

[alaasnflanalysis]

Coming to the NFL near you!

[swombardi]

Hallelujah!

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Cardinals Place RB Beanie Wells On IR -

In a surprise move made on Wednesday, the Arizona Cardinals placed RB Beanie Wells on injured reserve with what is being classified as a “severe turf toe injury.” The team did designate him for return, so his season isn’t over. But the earliest he can return will be on Nov. 25 against the St. Louis Rams. After having his best and healthiest season as a pro in 2011, Wells has struggled with injuries this year after having offseason knee surgery. RB’s LaRod Stephens-Howling and Ryan Williams will share the work-load while Wells is healing. The team also re-signed Alfonso Smith Wednesday.  

[swombardi]

Ain't no asterisk wide enough.

I just can't with this. Was it worth $62,000 per season per team for this? I just don't know what to do with this season. The end of the season has already been effected and it will most likely be at least another week of this nonsense before the regular refs are back. I wouldn't even want my team to win the Super Bowl at this point. Not with the asterisk this season will have historically. It'd be like winning the 1919 World Series. Sad. Trent Dilfer was on The Herd Tuesday morning and when asked if he was in Roger Goodell's shoes if he would reverse the outcome of the game Tuesday night, hearing a profound sadness in his voice, he said "I don't know. I just don't know what you do at this point." I feel that same sense of resignation for this season. I am mad at myself for continuing to watch if we're honest here. This is not the football we deserve. This is not football. 

Final thought: Bill Belichick was fined $50K for grabbing the arm of a replacement official in order to ask why he wouldn’t get a replay on the winning field goal. On the other hand, Pittsburgh's Ryan Mundy was fined $21K (less than half) for a hit on Oakland's Darius Heyward-Bey that not only left him in the hospital overnight with neck and concussion issues, but rendered him motionless on the ground for about 10 minutes. But yeah, I totally understand how player safety is at the top of Goodell's priority list. Hypocrite.

[swombardi]

Week 2 Roundup

Week two definitely contained some interesting games and taught us all (hopefully) a lesson in jumping to conclusions after one week of football. No, Peyton Manning may not be back the way we had thought/hoped. Yes, Michael Vick will make it more than two weeks without an injury. No, the Patriots are not unbeatable in their home opening game. And yes, the Giants are pretty much the same old Giants. (Oh, and yes, Michael Turner is dumb enough to get arrested for a DUI a few hours after a game.) This has all been raked over the coals to death by now, but I want to reiterate that looking for patterns or sweeping declarations after just the first week of football is nonsense. That isn't of course to discount my genius final thoughts RE: Kolb last week.

Hands down, the biggest bone of contention around the league, social networking sites, and basically for anyone who watched Thursday, Sunday and Monday's games was the officiating. While I'm not looking to get into sides on this, there is one thing I cannot help but point out. How in his right mind can Roger Goodell claim that he cares about player safety first while allowing these replacement officials to continue? I heard Steve Young argue yesterday that since it won't hurt ratings (games are just as in demand as ever), the league really has no impetus to end the strike. They aren't losing a cent. And obviously more than not caring about the integrity of the game, they care even less about the current and future health of their players. Can we really dispute the amount of holding, horse-collaring, unnecessary roughness (DeSean Jackson throwing punches at CB Cary Williams anyone??) and just plain cheap shots that we've seen go uncalled this week? Alex Smith getting a late hit after sliding that bludgeoned his nose? In a league that at the very least tries to protect it's golden QB's, you'd think this would've been a no brainer.

The league issued a statement saying "The current officials have made great strides and are performing admirably under unprecedented scrutiny and great pressure. As we do every season, we will work to improve officiating and are confident that the game officials will show continued improvement.” Except that there is zero improvement. I'd even venture to say they are regressing. I mean one hour to get through the first quarter of Monday night's Falcons/Broncos game? Really??

If Goodell wants to be the champion for player safety he's claimed to be, then there should only be two options here; 1. Come to an agreement with the officials or 2. lock out the season until negotiations can be settled. Now listen, not many people love this sport more than me, and the number of times I panicked over the potential loss of the 2011 season were innumerable. But at the end of the day I don't want to share in any more of the blame for the concussion and brain-related injuries that have led the likes of Junior Seau, Ray Easterling and Dave Duerson to commit suicide, or left players paralyzed like Mike Utley (Lions), Reggie Brown (Lions) and Darryl Stingley (Pats). Yes, Brown relearned how to walk a month later, but other than never suiting up again, it was only emergency neck surgery which allowed him this luxury. There is no in between here. Not if you really care about player safety. And it seems pretty obvious now what side Goodell is on.

Final thoughts on the week:

There are just too many relevant Jackson's in the league. Vincent, Fred, Steven, DeSean and Tarvaris? Yeah, I know Tarvaris isn't super relevant, but he's like Jermaine, we still remember him being in the mix at least, right?

I was wrong about the Saints. While recognizing the difference a coach can make in a year a la Jim Harbough, I also overestimated Drew Brees' ability to call the same type of offensive strategies that Sean Payton does so well. This team seems like they could be in some trouble.

Eli is mentally incapable of many things: First and foremost is winning a game while ahead. Damn if that boy can't clean up in a fourth quarter though!

Everyone was UP IN ARMS about Joshua Morgan's ball-throwing tantrum which cost the Redskins a chance at tying up the game if Cundiff makes the 47 yard FG. First, second and third of all, 47 yards is far from a shoe-in. We are all painfully aware of Cundiff's ability to miss an even closer FG opportunity (shades of AFC Championship), and if Stephen Gostkowski's missed 42 yard FG attempt to flat out win the game proved anything, it was just this. Morgan was undoubtedly a selfish moron for causing the penalty he did. However arguing that he cost the team the game is possibly just as dumb.

And finally, nothing speaks louder than being called out by your own teammate: http://tracking.si.com/2012/09/17/jay-cutler-dj-moore-called-out/

[swombardi]

Defense! Defense! Defense! (Part II)

I'm sure we can all* agree that punter Tim Masthay's faked FG turned TD pass to Crabtree last night in the Green Bay Packers 23-10 victory over the Chicago Bears was brilliant. It hands down changed the momentum of the first half and showed us once more how good Mike McCarthy is at this game. In fact it caught me so off guard it truly reminded me of Sean Peyton's surprise on-sides Super Bowl kick.

However it would be remiss of me, or any football enthusiast to not pay credit where credit is due. The defense. Those pass rushes! The sacks! So many glorious sacks! The Bears' D sacked Rodgers five times. Green Bay's D sacked Cutler seven times. Cutler finished the entire first half of the game with the same number of completions AND sacks (four each). When was the last time we saw a game with 12 sacks in it?!  And let's take a moment here to single out Chris Matthews and Julius Peppers. Just "wow." These men are so impressive at reading O-lines and predicting the QB it makes you wonder if their coaches hadn't been taping the other teams' practices. Clay Matthews himself had 3.5 sacks, though anyone* watching could agree he really deserved the credit for 4. This looked more like an LSU/Alabama game than an NFL one. As I've said before, I am thrilled to see a return to focus on defense. I think it will even out the game more and place the onus of winning on more than just a power offense (more specifically, a 5,000 yard passing QB). It will make football more of the team sport it is supposed to be.

I'm not going to get into a tangent on the ridiculousness that is Jay Cutler and his ill-timed radio boasting coupled with calling out his teammates numerous times on national television, but just know I'm thinking it.

*Minus Bear fans.

[swombardi]

Week One Roundup

Wow, what an intro. We saw everything from the highest number of rookie QB starters to the most 40+ point games the NFL has ever seen in week one. Randy Moss scored a touchdown in a 49ers uniform and Peyton Manning threw two in a Broncos. Buffalo proved spending $50 million on Mario Williams has done absolutely nothing to even mildly improve that cursed franchise while the Jets proved it may have only taken a “serious” threat to turn Sanchez into their Sanchize.  Anyone who said they predicted how this week would shake out is either a liar or a liar. Now, in no particular order, here are my three biggest take aways from week one.

1.Defense. Defense. Defense. I don’t know if they can keep up this level of play all season (and physically it seems nearly impossible), but man those 49ers killed it. I haven’t seen a power offense stopped like that since the Giants beat the Patriots in both Super Bowls. And as much as I love Aaron Rodgers, I love the idea more of getting back to an evenly matched football game instead of 16 weeks intended to showcase 5,000-plus yard seasons from Brees and Brady. And while the 49ers took top defensive spot in my mind this week, they were followed quite closely by impressive showings from the Ravens, Texans, Broncos and Tampa Bay (yes, the same Tampa Bay that statistically finished last season as the NFL's worst rush defense). About the last two teams I’ll just say the following: 1) there was a reason the Broncos made the playoffs last year and it didn’t start with a “Te” or end with a “bow.” It actually started with a “de” and ended with a “fense.” However since they weren’t as much of a media novelty as Tebow was, they were seriously overlooked. It’s likely to happen again this year with a certain big name player once again taking center stage, but pay attention to this defense. You’re not going to see many other teams sacking Roethlisberger five times in one game. And 2) as far as Tampa Bay goes, granted we are only talking about one game here, but they forced Carolina to finish with only 10 rushing yards on 13 attempts. That’s Cam Newton’s Carolina. The very same Carolina that finished as the NFL's third-best at 150.5 yards per game last year. And they were held to ten yards. I’m going to go out on a limb and say Schiano is going to do for TB what he did for Rutgers. They won’t have Harbough-like immediate Super Bowl contending success, but watch for them to steadily improve to a much more respectable team.

2.  Rookies. Rookies. Rookies. As mentioned above, the NFL had a record number of starting rookie QB’s this week. RG3, Luck, Tannenhill, Weeden and Wilson. I have to admit, after hours of reading and watching analysis of how these guys would do, I had fully drunk the Wilson kool-aid and even scooped him up in my league before watching him take a single snap. Little did I know however that the hands down MVR (most valuable rookie) was already sitting on my bench: RGIII. I’m going to preface this by reiterating that I am a blue bleeding, die-hard Giants fan who hates the rest of the NFC East with the same passion that the ASPCA hates Michael Vick. So naturally while intrigued by RG3’s premiere, and seeing what this costly draft choice could do, I was of course hoping he’d be a flop. Well not only was he the complete opposite of a flop, I literally could not take my eyes off him. This kid is explosive. He’s got a great read on the game, cat like agility maneuvering in and out of the pocket, poise beyond his years and oh yeah, he beat the Saints in his first game ever in the NFL. At the Superdome. Where the Saints had been undefeated all of last season. The last rookie quarterback who had a higher rating than RG3 in week one was Fran Tarkenton. In 1961. This kid is so good and his attitude so grateful and humble that it took the camera panning to close-ups of Shanahan to remind me exactly why I hated this team so much. I curse him for being in my division, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t very much looking forward to seeing what this kid is made of.

3. Peyton. Peyton. Peyton. We speculated for for over a year. We dealt with the NFL’s version of “the decision” with Peyton and Irsay deciding it would be better if Manning took his talents elsewhere. And take them he did. I’m going to say out of the 3,250 articles I read and analysts I listened to, pretty much 3,249 of them did not think the Peyton of old would be returning to the field. “He’s going to be gun shy about getting sacked.” “His arm will never be the same.””One more hit and he’s done.” Well, he took a few good sacks by the Steelers D, which is nothing to sneeze at, and he pretty much shook them off and quickly returned to brilliantly orchestrate his no-huddle offense. This was his first game in over a year, after four neck surgeries, with a new NFL team for the first time in his career, against a very decent Steelers team. The fact that he directed that offense and read the opposition defense like he was giving a masters course in the art of football should have come as a surprise to exactly no one. After all we’re talking about Peyton Manning here. The man’s understanding and commitment to studying the sport is second to none. He didn’t have four surgeries on his brain people. Yes, his arm is half his talent to be sure, but the other half, his read of the game, his devotion to play study and his ability to coach a team from under center on every call is what make him the same brilliant Peyton Manning he always was. There’s an argument to be made that he is one of the greatest QB’s of all time and it is one I cannot argue with. All I know for sure is that he plays football at a level rarely seen and his absence was definitely felt last year. Welcome back Peyton, welcome back.

Final thoughts on the week:

I firmly believe that Rex brought in Tebow to scare the living daylights out of Sanchez and force him into a now or never situation. Do I think it worked? Not in the long run, but that was some week one game.

If Matt Schaub can stay healthy I like the Texans to make it to at least the AFC Conference Championships. Would love to see them win a SB soon too. I think they have tremendous talent and promise and man wouldn’t that be a kick in the nuts to Jerry Jones?!

Hey coaches - stop attempting 2 point conversions when there is still more than enough time to make up your point deficit. You not only lose out when you inevitably miss, but you’re screwing my fantasy football league kickers as well.

Throwing 3 or more interceptions when it is not your rookie season is completely unacceptable (Stafford I’m looking at you!) and should result in a public flogging. Unless of course your name is Michael Vick, in which case - GREAT game.

Somebody someday may discover that Kolb is actually a fairly decent QB.

Team most likely to be talked up as an actual "contender" all season long only to lay a giant turd all over their first play off game as per usual: Atlanta Falcons