It's the Divisional round of the playoffs and what most fans consider the best weekend of football during the NFL season. There are two excellent NFC match-ups in store with the Carolina Panthers traveling to Seattle to take on the Seahawks on Saturday and the Dallas Cowboys traveling to Green Bay to take on the Packers on Sunday.
Saturday's match-up promises to be a defensive affair that has two of the hottest teams in the NFL. The Panthers have now won five straight after a 3-8-1 start and Seattle is on a six game winning streak after starting out 6-4. Both defenses are playing out of their mind but Seattle has won in Carolina each of the last three years and this game will be played in Seattle.
Sunday's match-up between Green Bay and Dallas promises to be more of a shoot-out with the high-flying Green Bay offense that is undefeated at home taking on the balanced attack of the Dallas Cowboys who are undefeated on the road. The Cowboys will be dealing with some weather conditions they haven't played in all year but Aaron Rodgers won't' be playing at full strength due to a calf injury.
Let's take an in depth look at both games and see which team has the advantage.
Dallas @ Green Bay: Sunday, January 11th @ 1:05 EST
Dallas travels to Green Bay in what most people consider the match-up of the week. Green Bay is undefeated at home and Dallas is undefeated on the road with arguably the best offensive line in football. Green Bay is in a tough spot because Aaron Rodgers will be playing with a partially torn calf muscle. His lack of mobility causes all sorts of headaches for the Green Bay offense and the team may be forced to rely much more on their running game and Eddie Lacy.
Dallas will have to run the ball and run the ball well to win this game. If Dallas is going to win, it's going to be at the expense of DeMarco Murray chewing up the clock and Tony Romo converting some key plays on third down and in the red zone.
There's also a good chance that the Cowboys offense plays well and puts up points on the scoreboard and still gets blown out at the expense of Aaron Rodgers. The Packers have dismantled several quality opponents at home and there is a good possibility that the Dallas defense that has been overachieving all year won't be up to the task of slowing down the Aaron Rodgers, Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb and Eddie Lacy.
I see the Packers jumping out to a lead early in this game like they've done all season and putting the game in Romo's hands. I also see Romo having a great game but falling just short at the end in large part because of his defense. Romo will get the blame for the loss but it will be more about what Rodgers did and what Dallas's defense didn't do that determines this game.
Carolina @ Seattle: Saturday, January 10th @ 8:15 PM EST
Carolina heads to Seattle as an 11.5 point underdog against the Seahawks on Saturday. That spread looks a little high at first glance but given the fact that Seattle has beaten Carolina in Carolina the last three years it actually sounds about right. Carolina has to travel to one of the toughest places to play in the NfL and teams with losing records during the regular season have been blown out in recent history during the divisional round.
While Carolina's defense has been playing lights out, their offense has not been lighting up the scoreboard and Carolina will need to play a flawless game ti come out on the winning end. Carolina looked impressive against Arizona but they were facing a third-string QB and the Cardinals did not capitalize on the Panthers mistakes.
If Carolina can't run the ball and turns the ball over, this game will be out of reach by halftime. I expect Carolina to have some success in the run game but to struggle in third and long situations. I see this game being close in the first half with Seattle pulling away in the fourth quarter and winning with some nice runs from Beast Mode and several extended plays by Russell Wilson. Wilson has established himself as a big-game quarterback that can extend plays and make things happen in crunch time.
Carolina's defense will keep them in the game, but Wilson and the Legion of Boom will prove to be too much for Cam Newton and the Panthers.
- R.C. Fischer - Fantasy Football Metrics
Well, my dream came kinda true in this game…Zurlon Tipton got extended time, on-purpose, ahead of Daniel Herron.
There is some level of satisfaction in knowing that when I scout these players early in a calendar year, and a guy like Zurlon Tipton (11 carries for 40 yards, 1 rec. for 6 yards on 1 target) really pops for us—and is a prospect many scouts/analysts would have never considered to be on the list of fantasy sleeper picks. But we saw him as a top-10 RB in the class (maybe even top-5 when healthy)…it’s a good day to see him start the 2nd-half of a tight playoff game.
It wasn’t Disney-esque. He didn’t run for 200+ yards and become the buzz of the week, but it was a good performance. Dan Herron was having issues with fumbles, and Trent Richardson was active (but sick), and so to start the 2nd-half, there he was—Tipton starting, and taking carries. After another Herron fumble, while the Colts were trying to salt the game away—it was Tipton plowing through the Bengals…running clock, and not fumbling. He didn’t have any breakaway runs, but had some decent carries—enough to show he belongs.
From UDFA, to making the main roster opening-day, to cut the following week, to practice squad, to the Colts relying on him to secure the win in the playoffs. I’m a proud football scout ‘Papa’. I am still hoping for more. I’ve seen him show that he belongs, but he can do more—he is kinda like Benny Cunningham. I hope Tipton has a better 2nd-year than Benny…a.k.a. being the best RB on the team, but mostly defers to a flashy name because ‘draft pick justification’.
If Herron fumbles right away next week—Tipton gets another chance. That’s all I’m watching that game for.
Our Dynasty Stash, featuring an analysis of Zurlong Tipton for 2015, analysis for 2014-15 is now on sale: Dynasty Stash Package 2014
More Details on our Dynasty Stash 2014-15 items: Dynasty Stash Package 2014 (Long Description)
— No A.J. Green, so I had hope–but Mohammed Sanu (3 rec. for 31 yards on 7 targets) did little…locked down by IDP Vontae Davis (4 tackles, 1 PD). Davis held him quiet earlier in the year as well.
— Refer to your 2014 FFM Fantasy Football draft guides for more info, but Rex Burkhead (1 carry for 23 yards, 3 rec. for 34 yards) really had a nice showing here. Burkhead should be used by an NFL team, not buried. There is no reason why you draft RBs highly in this era to begin with, but especially back-to-back drafts…when you have Burkhead just sitting there. He is definitely one of the better NFL fantasy sleepers.
For the price, you give me an NFL choice between Gio Bernard (3 carries for 6 yards, 8 rec. for 46 yards) and Burkhead—give me Rex. Gio should be denoted as a total waste of a high draft pick today. Not that he’s a bad player, he’s just as good as a fifty other RBs with decent hands floating around in or out of the NFL.
Burkhead’s outlook for Fantasy Football? Ha! You think some GM (or his own team) will display ‘vision’ on this? If you’re looking the next Brian Leonard for FF, here you go. It’s sad about the ‘box’ some of these young players get painted into.
A new season of “Play The Draft” is coming in January 2015. Look for our FFM contest and prize package to be announced soon. ‘Play The Draft’ website
— Coby Fleener came up big with the bright lights on…1 rec. for 18 yards on 2 targets.
In 2014, Fleener scored zero TDs against teams who made the playoffs (8 games, including this one).
Against non-playoff teams this season = 8 TDs (9 games).
Against teams picking in the first five for the NFL Draft (a.k.a. the worst five teams in the NFL), Fleener had six of his 8 TDs (5 games).
However, anything attached to Andrew Luck (31-44 for 376 yards and 1 TD/0 INT, one of the best fantasy football keepers) has FF-value.
— Terrance Williams 2.0, Donte Moncrief (3 rec. for 54 yards and 1 TD on 3 targets) scored a TD in this game. With all the WR talent in the football universe…I cannot believe how FF-serious we’ll all have to take Moncrief, but we will.
…anything attached to Andrew Luck (31-44 for 376 yards and 1 TD/0 INT) has FF-value. Is this becoming an NFL trend?
**See the 2015 Dynasty Rookie Draft & Team Builder, with our Moneyball-style scouting reports and rankings. Go to http://advancedsportslogic.com/products/dynasty-rookie-draft?ref=blog **
— The anti-Andy Dalton (18-35 for 155 yards, 0 TD/0 INT) sentiment has oddly changed in the national media. I was surprised to see so many compliments and excuses (AJG and Gresh out) about his play. I like Dalton, always have, but he’s just not getting any better. He’s a fine/plausible QB in the NFL, but he took a huge step back with Hue Jackson this year…or the big contract did it to his mindset.
I didn’t expect Cincy to win, and I get guys are missing, but Dalton has to be better than what he did in this game. Dalton’s season numbers were really nice, and improving his first three years—and then a giant step back with Hue Jackson this season. For Fantasy/Dynasty purposes, I’ll look at a Dalton bounce back in production when Jackson is gone…with Jackson there, FF-dead money.
– R.C. Fischer is an NFL Draft analyst for College Football Metrics.com, and a football projections analyst for Fantasy Football Metrics.com. His group also provides player projections for Advanced Sports Logic’s football software “The Machine.” See “The Machine” here: The Machine via FFM
QB Fantasy Football News -
The Cowboys are already 6-point underdogs for Sunday's Ice Bowl 2 in Green Bay, but don't tell Dallas and fantasy QB Tony Romo. Romo, constant focus in our QB news, got knocked down by the Detroit defense for three miserable quarters and responded with the greatest comeback win of his career.
Romo found a way to turn that clutch switch on at the right time and take that playoff monkey off his back. Usually Romo’s critics are criticizing him for not doing enough when they lose or how the Cowboys win in spite of him. Romo won this football game by working his 4th quarter magic is showing us why he finally should be considered an elite quarterback in the NFL.
For the first time in playoff history, a team that is 8-0 on the road (Dallas) and a team that is 8-0 at home (Green Bay) will square off against each other. Boy is this going to be a battle come Sunday. Romo versus Aaron Rodgers in the playoffs, what more could one ask for? One thing is certain - we do not need a meteorologist to tell us that it is going to be cold in Green Bay, Wisconsin in January. Tony Romo is going to have to be productive in temperatures that will be around 10 degrees.
Both of these two teams tend to rely on their offense outscoring the other offense and not so much on their defenses. The Cowboys offense is definitely capable of outscoring the Packers with the weapons they have in stock. Tony Romo, Demarco Murray and Dez Bryant are having their best years as professionals thus far and are clicking on all cylinders.
People think that the Green Bay Packers are invisible at home and this is where those people are wrong. Since 2012, the Packers have lost 2 of their last 3 playoff loses at Lambeau, and again, the Cowboys are a perfect 8-0 on the road this year which is almost unfathomable. Something else that needs to be noted is the injured left calf of Aaron Rodgers. If Rodgers is seen limping around too much, the Cowboys are going to tee-off on him and expose that vulnerability. With a new and improved Tony Romo and company, the Dallas Cowboys have a great chance of taking down Rodgers at Lambeau come game time.
Stay tuned to the latest QB fantasy news with Fantasy Focus.
The 7-8-1 Carolina Panthers will be hosting the 11-5 Arizona Cardinals and the red-hot Panthers might be set to advance. The Cardinals have a laundry list of injured players, none more important currently than QB Drew Stanton. The Cardinals are down to their 3rd string quarterback, Ryan Lindley and he's likely to have a bad day against a resurgent Carolina defense. Various fantasy football implications are in play!
With no strong running game in order due to Andre Ellington's absence (placed on injured reserve before their Week 14 contest), they will have no chance of doing any damage on offense. The only possible benefactor could be Cards wideout Michael Floyd, as he and Lindley have established good rapport, hooking up for 153 yards and 2 touchdowns in last week's loss to the 49ers.
However, for Carolina, expect coach Ron Rivera to allow Cam Newton, NFL fantasy stud, to run wild within the offense. The Arizona defense will probably be on the field most of the game because the Carolina defense is likely to force multiple 3 and outs against the Cardinals. With lead receiver Kelvin Benjamin healthy and prevalent in the offense, he should be seeing 7-10 targets, and put together a solid amount of receptions and receiving yards.
As a solid contrast to Cam Newton and company, running back Jonathan Stewart should also break off into a few long runs and cash in on some goal-line opportunities. Stewart has re-established himself as a powerful halfback with breakaway speed, and his confidence should carry him to another successful performance and a Panthers win.
As for the contest between Dallas and Detroit, the outcome is a little less certain. The high-powered Cowboys offense will prepare to host the stifling Lions defense, in what should be a very entertaining game.
In other NFL player news, Dallas's high-powered offense has succeeded throughout the season due to their three headed monster in QB Tony Romo, RB DeMarco Murray and WR Dez Bryant. Murray broke the franchise record by rushing for 1,845 rushing yards this season, but faces the tough task of the stout Lions rush defense. Detroit finished the season first in allowing 69.3 rushing yards per contest, and will have its hands full against the league's leading rusher in what should be a very tough battle. The Lions killed it against the run, but they were only slightly above average against the pass this season (ranking 13th in surrendering 231.6 passing yards per game), and Romo will exploit them as much as possible. Romo has not only Dez Bryant, but Terrance Williams, Jason Witten and Cole Beasley there to make big plays for him. Expect Bryant to come down with a touchdown, and Jason Witten should get some goal-line looks as well. Murray will struggle but his heavy workload and breakaway ability should lead to a solid performance on his end as well, especially once the Lions begin to overcompensate for Romo's dangerous passing offense.
Looking at the other half of the battle, the Lions offense will face the cupcake Cowboys defense, as they should be able to score some points with their high profile passing attack. QB Matthew Stafford has a pair of 1,000 yard wideouts in Golden Tate and Calvin Johnson, and both of them should be expected to see many passes thrown their way. The Cowboys finished 26th in allowing 251.9 passing yards per game, and Stafford should have fun picking on their lackluster secondary. A 100 yard performance should be in order for Megatron, and Golden Tate will look to do his damage on some short range catches. The Lions rushing attack will be led by starter Joique Bell, but don't expect too much from him. Coach Caldwell will most likely look to exploit the weakness in the weak Cowboys pass defense, limiting Bell's touches and ceiling. Despite Detroit's favorable match up with the Cowboys defense, Dallas should be able to overcome adversity and come out with a win. The Cowboys are simply too strong and too difficult to handle, even with a tough defense led by Ndamokung Suh and company.
Wild-Card weekend is here and it's win or go home from here on out. There are two excellent AFC math-ups this weekend with the Baltimore Ravens taking on their division rival Pittsburgh Steelers on Saturday and The Colts hosting the Bengals on Sunday. Both games will be rematches from earlier this season but many things have changed since those match-ups occurred.
Let's take a look at the key factors in each game and who should come out on top.
Baltimore Ravens @ Pittsburgh Steelers, Saturday @ 8:15 PM EST.
The Ravens and Steelers split the season series with the home team winning big each time. The Steelers won't have the services of All-Pro Running Back Le'Veon Bell, so it will be up to Big Ben and Antonio Brown to carry the Steelers on offense. On the flip-side of the ball, the Ravens boast one of the best Front 7's in the NFL, but they have a decimated secondary that has been their Achillies' Heel all season. Antonio Brown Brown and Big Ben should produce big numbers through the air, but can the Steelers scratch out a win without an effective running game?
The Ravens will have a more balanced attack with a solid running game and a pair of big-play receivers in Steve Smith Sr. and Torey Smith. The additional of Offensive Coordinator Gary Kubiak has made Baltimore an excellent zone running team with a deadly play-action passing game. The Ravens will be going up against a Steelers team that also has been decimated with injuries and is a shell of themselves compared to the Dick LeBeau defenses of the past.
While both teams have surprisingly been led by their offenses all year, look for a defensive battle and a win for the home team. The Ravens were only 1-6 against teams with winning records this season, while the Steelers were 5-1 against playoff teams (3-0 at home).
Cincinnati Bengals @ Indianapolis Colts, Sunday @ 1:15 PM EST
In Week 7, the Colts completely dismantled the Bengals to the tune of 27-0 and completely changed the outlook of the Bengals season. In that game, the Bengals were held to 32 rushing yards and then starting Running Back, Giovanni Bernard, was injured for several weeks. Since Bernard's injury, Rookie Running Back Jeremy Hill has come in and produced big numbers and is dominating touches out of the backfield even with Bernard back in the lineup. Hill was recently voted as the team MVP by his teammates and the Bengals now have one of the best one-two punches out of the backfield.
In NFL player news, A.J. Green did not play in Week 7 due to a foot injury and Green has all but been ruled out of this weeks match-up as well with a concussion, bad news for playoff fantasy football owners. Ahmad Bradshaw did most of the damage for the Colts out of the backfield in Week 7 and has since been put on season ending I.R. The Colts running game has not been the same since without Bradshaw. What did we learn from this Week 7 match-up? Pretty much nothing. The Colts were a different team back then and the Bengals are a different team now.
This game will come down to turnovers. NFL fantasy stalwart Andrew Luck can sling it with the best of them but threw seven interceptions in two playoff games last year. His counterpart, Andy Dalton, has yet to win a playoff game (0-3) and has struggled in prime-time games throughout is career. Without A.J. Green, I don't think the Bengals will be able to keep up with a Colts team that should be able to play some inspired football in front of their home crowd.
I see this being a close game with the Bengals finding success in the running game and their defense to keep them in the game. Until the Bengals win a playoff with Dalton under Center, you won't see me picking them to win a playoff game on the road. Look for the Colts to come out on top as Luck outplays Dalton in Lucas Oil Stadium.
- Austin Becker - Fantasy Focus
RB Fantasy Football News -
Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell has been one of the great stories this year in the National Football League. Bell is clearly one of the Steelers most valuable players. That being said, the Steelers playoff prospects continue to dim with Bell's hyperextended his right knee.
The only good news out of Steeler’s camp thus far is that the injury is nothing more than a hyperextension and not a tear. It can also be noted that Bell did not have a brace on the injured knee nor did he need crutches.
If Bell is not able to play against the Ravens or if he is completely limited by his injury, the Steelers running game will likely fall apart. The sophomore running back out of Michigan State finished the regular season as the AFC’s leading rusher with 1,361 rushing yards.
To add salt to the Steeler’s wound, the backup running back situation is nothing to write home about. In RB fantasy news, Pittsburgh signed fantasy RB Ben Tate on Tuesday to provide some veteran leadership for rookie backups Dri Archer and Josh Harris.
It has been proven that a good running game will help your team tremendously in the playoffs, especially a team that already relies on the run. A good running game creates more man coverage for Steelers standout wide receiver Antonio Brown.
If Bell is healthy and can play, the Steelers are back in the driver's seat. However, the reality is that there is very little chance that Bell will even suit up, because the Steelers know better than to risk the future of the franchise for one Wild Card Game.
Keep reading ASL RB news for info that could help your team!
QB Fantasy Football News -
In QB news, Packers QB Aaron Rodgers re-aggravated his calf injury and injured his Achilles tendon during Sunday's game against the Lions, but was able to secure the win with some second-half heroics. Though he looked troubled by his lower leg issue after resuming play, the former MVP and Super Bowl champion should be good to go after two weeks of recovery.
Rodgers was forced from the game in the latter part of the second quarter, and was replaced by Matt Flynn for two series. Flynn, not the same caliber of fantasy QB as Rodgers, threw just one pass for 6 yards, as Green Bay simply used the running game to buy time until their star quarterback was ready to return.
Rodgers had trouble exhibiting his characteristically mobile abilities after re-injuring his left calf injury, but still dominated a Lions defense that simply had no answer. Aaron Rodgers threw a 13-yard touchdown to Randall Cobb (his second TD catch of the game), and ran one in himself from 1 yard out after re-entering the game. He showed that his pocket-passing skills alone can carry his team to victory, and any mobility he has for going forward will just be a bonus.
Rodgers thought he might have blown out his Achilles tendon on Sunday, but he was obviously able to return to the game and put the finishing touches on the Lions. Even after Ndamukong Suh stepped on his leg not once, but twice.
With his obvious discomfort, Rodgers considers himself fortunate that the Packers have a first round bye and hopes that his calf will feel much better on January 11th when the Packers begin the NFC Divisional Playoffs.
Stay tuned to Fantasy Focus for QB fantasy news updates.
The world was watching and once again the NFL dropped the ball on properly disciplining its most notorious player, Ndamukong Suh. In NFL player news, the league suspended Suh for just one game for violating the league’s policy on player safety after he intentionally stepped on NFL fantasy stud Aaron Rodgers' ankle not once, but twice.
The NFL basically put their stamp of approval on Suh’s long shameful rap sheet of trying to injure helpless players long after the whistle has blown. Since coming into the league, Suh has been disciplined at least 8 times for unacceptable on-field conduct and this one game suspension is a farce. Suh has no fear of NFL’s flimsy discipline, so he will go forth and act anyway he pleases.
One of Suh’s most famous infractions was during a Thanksgiving game in 2012, when he kicked Matt Schaub in the groin. And let’s not forget last season when he drew a $100,000 fine from the league for an illegal low block or 2011 when he was suspended for two games after he stomped on the arm of Evan Dietrich-Smith.
He’s also been fined for illegal hits on Jay Cutler, Andy Dalton, Brandon Weeden and Jake Delhomme (coincidentally not the best fantasy football QBs).
The apologists and excuse makers will say that Suh was back-pedaling and the whole thing was an accident. But we’ve heard this tired song before, Suh’s act is old and he’s been caught lying when trying to injure players in the past. Suh is already appealing the decision, but it’s all part of his game. He stomps and kicks players while the league shakes its finger and says tisk-tisk.
- R.C. Fischer - Fantasy Football Metrics
I assume Mike Smith will get the boot after this game. It’s odd to me that one game in a crappy season, with the luck that the whole division is bad, could determine the employment fate of a head coach…but I get it. As an owner, it's all about the NFL trends and if you aren’t 100% sure…if you’re on the bubble with an employee…the last thing you see with an employee counts a lot. It’s like the sad annual reviews you get in corporate jobs…all that is discussed are usually things that have occurred in the last 30-60…1-2 days. If the last thing you ‘see’ weighs heavily in an employment decision…then the Falcons’ owner saw this game, and that has to mean Mike Smith is gone.
Along with Smith will probably go the General Manager, in my estimation. This Atlanta team never got better than that run they made a few years ago. The O-Line has been an issue for years. The RBs brought in after Michael Turner faded were poor—and Jacquizz Rodgers was a debacle that cost I don’t know how many moments/games. The defensive pass rush was always snickered at by analysts. The defense in general did not improve enough…the D was making a move down the stretch, but then got ripped apart by a flawed Carolina offense in Week 17. The GM hasn’t done a bad job, but this team didn’t improve in a division that was filled with grace. It’s probably time for a sweeping fresh start.
Smith is all but gone, and the GM is probably gone too. In my opinion, the GM has done enough based on the team’s record/stretch of a few years ago, along with decent drafting the past few seasons that he should get another chance to make a run with a new head coach, but I assume a sweeping change is coming to lure a new coach.
— Matt Ryan (29-47 for 260 yards, 0 TD/2 INT) has fully entered the ‘Joe Flacco zone’. That zone is: You wish you had a better QB, but then you look around and realize there is no way to really do much better than a Ryan/Flacco/Dalton, etc. You can’t trade for Aaron Rodgers. You can’t draft a college prospect who is better, but you’re never going to be an elite offense with Ryan either…you’re stuck hoping every once in a while he gets on a hot streak, combined with a good-great defense, and you miraculously win the Super Bowl once in a lifetime (like Flacco did). You could do worse than Matt Ryan, but you’re never really satisfied or fully confident with him.
Ryan had a coddled, favorable relationship with Mike Smith…and it made Ryan a fringe top-10 Fantasy QB at best the past two seasons. If the opposite of Smith is hired next (as is usually the case in coaching changes—a 180 move from the old coach), then a stifling, old-school, defensive-minded coach will make Ryan even less desirable for FF. With Julio Jones (4 rec. for 58 yards on 8 targets) on the roster, working in a dome, and playing in an easy division—they need a Gus Malzahn-type to ramp the offense. A greatest show on turf 2.0 thing…and that would be awesome for Ryan (for FF). Rumor has been the next coach could be Rex Ryan—a known QB killer, could be on the way. Not good for Ryan for FF if that happens.
Best Fantasy Football Keepers and Sleeper Picks-
— Kelvin Benjamin’s (1 rec for 9 yards on 5 targets) last five games: 4.2 catches for 48.0 yards and 0.2 TDs on 9.4 targets per game…he caught just 43.2% of his targets down the stretch.
I’m not the only one to mention that defenses have seemed to have caught up to Benjamin…and have reeled him in. He’s posted over 70 yards in a game just three times in his final 12 appearances.
A lot of experts thought that Benjamin would be one of the better NFL fantasy sleepers at the beginning of the year, and he started out strong. I think Benjamin is fine for FF ahead, with a slight hesitation that he is a one-trick pony, and not a savvy WR that will grow. Cam throws at him no matter what, so Benjamin will FF-produce OK, but I have a sneaky suspicion that his early 2014 splash is going to be as good as we ever get–not that he’ll go bad, but that the early ‘splash’ wasn’t really a sign of things to come…it was just a ‘splash’.
— This summer, I was hoping/thinking IDP Paul Worrilow (7 tackles, 3 solo) would hit 160-200+ tackles this season. He will finish with only 143 tackles…4th best among all linebackers.
A new season of “Play The Draft” is coming in January 2015. Look for our FFM contest and prize package to be announced soon. ‘Play The Draft’ website
— I’m not sure what got into IDP DT Star Lotulelei (7 tackles, 2 sacks), but it was a welcomed sight for the Panthers…he had a career high for tackles in a game, and his first sack(s) of the season. You have to go back eight games to find seven tackles for him, before this seven tackle outburst against Atlanta. He has been a mild disappointment for the Panthers until this week. I don’t think this is the start of something for the future.
— Early contender for the #1 Dynasty Rookie Draft pick in 2015? Whomever the Falcons draft to play RB in 2015. Todd Gurley is too poetic (Georgia star goes to Atlanta), but If South Carolina RB Mike Davis goes here…watch out!
– R.C. Fischer is an NFL Draft analyst for College Football Metrics.com, and a football projections analyst for Fantasy Football Metrics.com. His group also provides player projections for Advanced Sports Logic’s football software “The Machine.” See “The Machine” here: The Machine via FFM
This piece will not focus on NFL player news, but rather NFL team news. New England, Denver, Indianapolis, Cincinnati and Pittsburgh have all clinched playoff births. Week 17 will determine the final playoff team in the AFC and seeding 2 - 6 as New England has already clinched the top seed. The Chargers, Chiefs, Ravens and Texans all have a shot at making the playoffs, so who will the final team be?
The Chargers have the best chance at the #6 seed because if they win, they are in. They will be traveling to Arrowhead which is a tall task in December, but they will be playing a Chiefs team that will be starting Chase Daniel (not exactly and NFL fantasy starter) at QB and has been decimated by injuries on the defensive side of the ball.
The Ravens have the next best shot at a playoff birth. They have to win at home against the Browns and third string Rookie QB Connor Shaw (fantasy football pickup in deep leagues?) and have the Chargers lose to secure the #6 seed.
The Chiefs and Texans are the long-shot teams to get in. The Texans need the Chargers and Ravens to lose to get in and the Chiefs need the Ravens and Texans to lose to get.
Going by the percentages, the Chargers have the best chance to earn the #6 seed, but I have a feeling the Chargers will come up short in Arrowhead and the Ravens will earn the final playoff spot in the AFC. The Chiefs and Chargers played in Week 17 last year as well and the Chiefs were a missed field goal away from eliminating the Chargers from playoff contention. The Chiefs have a lot more to play for this time around and should be able to come away with a win in one of the loudest stadiums in the NFL. If the Chiefs do win, I see the Ravens easily taking care of business against the Browns and earning the #6 seed in the AFC.
It should be a great Week 17 in the NFL and anything is possible with some of the upsets that have occurred throughout the season. Don't be surprised to see the Texans or Chiefs make the playoffs this year but my money is on the Ravens earning the sixth and final seed in the AFC and being a tough out in the playoffs one of the contenders.
