Evans World 2012–Week 7

Plenty to get to this week as we all (well, everyone except Jason) start positioning ourselves for a playoff run.  So, let’s get right to it.

RANDOM THOUGHTS FOR THE WEEK

• I don’t know about you, Tony G., but I was on the edge of my seat throughout the entire Monday night game.  Not just because it was an NFC North matchup (and when are those ever bad these days?), but because there was less than a 13-point margin between us.  I just needed Detroit to do bad enough that they’d rely on Hansen, something they’ve done in the past against Chicago many times.  As luck would have it it just wasn’t Stafford’s night.  Of course, let’s not forget about Gould who kept it close … right down to the last friggin play.  I enjoyed keeping up with the matchup, although I was less nervous about this one than last week’s against Jason.  Our matchup this week replaced that one as the fourth closest match in EW history.  Good times.
• So, in the spirit of Halloween next week, let me just anoint Nathan as the official Grim Reaper of our league.  Don’t you love how he swoops in and picks up the backup to any player the moment they’re injured?  It’s funny to watch, but of course now I expect it.  This week the Harbinger of Doom picked well as Jennings will provide a decent choice at RB for a team that was a bit depleted a few weeks ago.  Nice pickup, Nathan … jackass ghoul that you are.
• Speaking of jackass, Nathan goes and picks up Andy Dalton after I drop him.  I just must not be the guy to trade with unless it’s for first-rounders.  Sheesh.
• Gary’s team has had a bad run of luck but I don’t expect it to continue.  Why?  Victor Cruz.  That guy is near the top of my FF gem list this season.  Even when Eli can struggle in a game, Cruz manages to keep Gary in the game.  I’d say even if Eli and the team don’t do as well, Cruz will always come in for him.  The Giants still have a challenging schedule ahead of them, some weeks will pay off huge for Gary.  Of course, his next matchup is with me so hopefully it won’t start paying off quite so quickly.
• The Bills are probably the most disappointing story in the NFL this season.  Talk about a team that just isn’t living up to expectations.  Then again I think Chan is a coach leftover from the 1990’s and shouldn’t be their coach anyone.  But I’ll tell you, whoever their offensive line coach is should get a raise.  With all the mess that the Bills are, Fred Jackson and CJ Spiller keep piling on the FF points, and that’s gotta be thanks to that line and their rush blocking.  Damn.
• Jason, you’ve officially made it to the record books with the third longest losing streak, now sitting at 7.  I’ve been there, dude, and I feel your pain.  We’ve never had a 0-14 team in this league, and I doubt we ever will.  I think you’ve got Berk’s number this week now that the Falcons are back off your bench.  Enjoy your first weekend of success.
• So, is anyone reading the recaps?  I hope not, but be honest.
• Happy to have overtaken Nathan in the League Pickem rankings, although Gary’s got a good commanding lead.  I still think the winner there should get something. Maybe have their waiver fee split in half?  Hmm … I think I’ll think about it more as I get closer and closer to taking the lead there.

WEEKLY AWARDS

• MVP – There’s a definite tie this week for two players that helped their FF owner etch out a win they really needed.  Gronkowski for Ritchie and Brees for Marshall.  Ritchie breaks 3-digits for the first time this season and Marshall snaps a 3-game losing streak.
• Honorable Mention – I had queued up Chris Johnson for finally providing a huge week for Tony G., but then he lost.  So, I’ll give it to Nathan for Percy Harvin.  The Vikings are an FF oddball this year.  AP is still solid (and even I’ll admit it’s great to watch him play!), but everyone else would make you squirm to start them.  I might have included Rudolph on that list until his goose egg this past week.  So to start Harvin is a good move and paid off for Nathan this week. Nice job (jackass).
• Best Owner Choice – Gotta give this one to me for starting Denarius Moore.  Will I do it again?  If the Vikings are an oddball, then the Raiders are just an annoying thorn in your side.  Even as I clicked submit I knew it was a gamble and it paid off.  Insert arm chuck to myself here.
• Unfortunate Bench – Something tells me Nathan will think a bit harder about whether or not to start Randall Cobb from now on.  Not that I know anything from the Packers per se, the way they used him on Sunday reminded me a lot of how Finley and Nelson rose in the ranks of the WR corps to whether they are today.  Sure, he was in a zone on Sunday, but I’ve got a feeling that Finley and Jones will lose catches to Cobb in the coming weeks, especially if Jennings stays off the field.  But of course Nathan won his matchup, so no UB Award for him.  Nope, this week it goes to Tony P. and Andre Roberts.  Sure, I don’t disagree with benching him, but there’s blood in the water again thanks to Ritchie who proved Tony could be beaten.  I know the rest of us breathe a sigh of relief in that simple truth.  Right now Tony P. is following the same pattern he usually does:  1. Win a few games early and climb to the top of the rankings.  2. Lose a few games mid season and squeeze into the playoffs.  3.  Make the playoffs a nightmare for at least 1 FF owner, maybe 2.  4. Lose in the playoffs.  Check off steps 1 and 2.
• Lawrence Philips Award – This week the award goes to Lance Armstrong.  Here’s my take on the whole thing.  First, I’m really disappointed that he quit fighting the allegations. There seemed to be enough evidence to prove the doping charges, and yet there were so many drug tests that proved he didn’t.  It’s hard to know which data to trust. So, by quitting did he simply admit his guilt?  I’m not ready to go so far and say that, but the record book and history will now forever remember him as someone who cheated.  If he can live with that, he’s a different kind of athlete than most professionals I’ve seen.  Second, I don’t really give a shit.  The man beat back two horrible bouts of cancer and went on to achieve amazing things, on and off his bike.  Anyone who can do that is aces in my book.  Is he a great role model for professional athletes?  Now that he’s been convicted of cheating in the court that matters, he’s no better than LP himself.  But is he a great role model for how people can face adversity?  Hell yes.  I hope the Livestrong Foundation continues following the legacy of this amazing feat, even if they do it without his name or involvement.  I’ll remember him more for beating cancer than winning bike races.

MEANWHILE, BACK IN THE NCAA …

• Quite possibly the ugliest Husker game I’ve seen since the worst days of the Callahan Era.  Yeah, we won, but how we did will be the biggest question of the whole season.  Mindi and I are going to the Michigan game on Saturday.  I expect it to be a bloody, awful scene.  There is a severe lack of discipline and leadership on that field, and right now I blame the coaches.  It will be interesting to see who the new AD will blame.  One thing the Northwestern game made painfully, tragically clear … there needs to be a change in coaching culture, if not the coaches themselves, and it needs to be handled by someone who is not on the staff today.
• It makes me sick to think that Kansas State is that much better than Nebraska.  I still wonder how much of that is due to Snyder.  Now I know for a fact he does more in recruiting, practice and games than Paterno did in his waning years, but I can’t quite bring myself to believe he’s the reason for their success.  But just like Paterno, he’ll get the credit in the end.
• Try as I may, I still don’t give a shit about the rankings at this point.  They’re as worthless as my weekly FF awards.
• Say, does Miami still have a team?
• Mindi was nice enough to mute the TV every time Texas scored a touchdown.  There are a few fight songs I just can’t stand.  Texas and Oklahoma are the two worst, by far.

LOOKING AHEAD

• I think Jason’s losing streak ends this weekend thanks to a lousy showing by Berk.
• I think Mike will have the highest point total of the weekend.
• I think at least half the league will be 4-4 by the end of the weekend.
• I think Tony P. is going to keep up with his trend.
• I think Nathan will be at the top of the heap this time next week.  Jackass.