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1st Down or 4th and Forever: Playoff Edition
Alright freaks if you’ve been listening to me all season you, like yours truly, are in the playoffs of your leagues. So this week’s edition of, “1st Down or 4th and Forever” is dedicated to folks who are making their runs into the championship.
You know already but just in case you hit the bottle a little too hard this weekend I’ll repeat it.Here’s the way it works:
A “1st Down” rating means this guy is either going nuts or showing signs of busting out of the straight jacket. In the playoffs this guy is going to make or break you.
A “4th and Forever” rating means this guy was getting some love either in the pre-season or is a one week wonder and is now ready for the bench or the waiver wire OR JUST PLAIN PISSED ME OFF. I believe the chant goes a little something like this, “OOOOOVER RAAAATED!! Clap, clap, clap-clap-clap-clap!!!”
I’m fired up and ready to throw down like Bart Scott is ready to throw penalty flags so let’s start lighting fires and breaking hearts:
1st Down
Runningbacks:
Ryan Grant: Grant was the topic of many quivering hearts this past week. Should I start this nobody or should I bench him. Let me write this down for you: PLAY GRANT ALL THROUGH THE PLAYOFFS!!!! I don’t care if he was nobody this off season. He’s putting up consistent numbers every week and is running hard for Old Man Favre. The Pack are hot like Green Bay is freaking cold this time of year. You need to remember this pearl of fantasy football wisdom all through the playoffs, start your studs. Grant is a stud. Start him.
Ryan Grant…..1ST DOWN!!!!
Willis McGahee: The Ratbirds are terrible and got blown WAY out by their Mayflower relatives in Indy. But since his friend’s tragic death McGahee is running like a man possessed. He looks like Ray-Ray on offense, quick and aggressive. With the decline of the Ravens season and the question marks surrounding the quarterback situation McGahee has run relatively low on most people’s radars especially after his last performance. Well if you don’t have a guy like Addai, McGahee isn’t too shabby to start weekly. And don’t overthink your lineups. If you got to the playoffs with Willis, dance with thems’ that brung’ ya’. You can take the boy out of NE Penn, but you can’t take the NE PA out of the boy.
Willis McGahee…..1ST DOWN!!!!
Fred Taylor: If you were like most drafters this past summer you picked Fred up on a flier that he’d get some carries spelling the soon to be fantasy football monster Maurice Jones-Drew. Well hyphen boy is a bust and old man Fred is getting hot at the right time for owners and is one of the best value picks this season. I know what you’re thinking; he’s not getting 20+ carries anymore. You’re right. And thank God he isn’t. He’s making them most of his opportunities and is giving the Jags a much needed consistent ground assault. Coach Del Rio is loyal to a fault and will keep working Fred into the offense as he keeps producing. So keep Taylor in your line up and roll, son!
Fred Taylor…..1ST DOWN!!!!
Wide Receivers:
Brandon Marshall: As I’m blessed to live in the Mile High City and married into a Bronco family I’ve been able to watch Marshall develop this season. This man is DOMINANT. He’s broken 1k yards on a running team with a great deal of those yards coming after the catch. The drubbing the Donks gave the Chefs this past weekend was just a taste of what can be for the passing game. Cutler knows what he has in Marshall both in yardage and on the goal line. You can’t ask for more in a ff wide out. Start him without question.
Brandon Marshall…..1ST DOWN!!!!
Anthony Gonzalez: This is another guy you likely picked up way late in the draft for redraft leagues and even in keepers because we all know Marvin Harrison just doesn’t miss games. Mini-Gonzo is in a perfect position for a strong fantasy football playoff showing. He’s a #2 wr on a strong balanced offense and very young. So should there be blowouts or if the Colts lock up playoff positions and rest their starters he’ll likely stay in the lineup for experience. And in the meantime he’s putting up very solid numbers in a starting role. Keep him starting in your lineup, too.
Anthony Gonzalez…..1ST DOWN!!!!
Quarterbacks:
David Garrard: He’s back in the line up and starting healthy again. He’s putting up very consistent numbers weekly and has yet to have a truly bad game. Hope I didn’t jinx you with that one but he’s a guy you should rely on more so than a guy like Eli. If you’ve got him you should start him without fear.
David Garrard…..1ST DOWN!!!!
4th and Forever:
Runningbacks:
Travis Henry & Selvin Young: Selvin Young did all his damage in the first half leaving Henry clean up duty. From all accounts he looks like he’s suffering badly from his knee problem. He’s not making the kind of cuts he needs to make to be affective in the Bronco offense. At this point I’d stay away from any Bronco runner if you can. I know what you’re thinking, “But Young put up 150 yards. You want me to bench him?” Damn right. The Rat will screw you in the playoffs with his decisions on running back work load. He’s too unpredictable and with Henry’s issues there are questions on whether the Rat will keep him around this off season. If that’s the case Henry is due to be showcased for trade bait this off season (think Texans). I’d love to tell you to start Young. Trust me I would. But it would be a HUGE gamble.
Travis Henry & Selvin Young…..4TH DOWN!!!!
Brandon Jacobs: Work with me here. He’s a monster running back and I’m as fascinated with his rise as a starting running back as anyone. But you can’t pin your fantasy football hopes on the Beast. Like Young of Denver I’d love to tell you to start him throughout the playoffs but like Young he’s a huge gamble. Health and the Giants ability to stay in games are two huge negatives to a guy like Jacobs.
Brandon Jacobs …..4TH DOWN!!!!
Wide Receivers:
Reggie Williams: He’s doing it again. This guy is a fantasy football tease. He’ll start to put together a few good games and then “poof” he’s gone like a fart in the wind. Don’t let this happen to you. It happens every single year this guy has been in the league. His unpredictability is nothing you want to pin your hard fought play-off hopes to this season.
Reggie Williams …..4TH DOWN!!!!
Randy Moss – He got you to the playoffs but if the starters sit in preparation for the play offs he’s going to leave you in a lurch. Keep your eyes on Coachnorm’s Sports Outlaw NFL News thread for any developments.
Randy Moss…..4TH DOWN!!!!
Quarterbacks:
Tom Brady: Pick your jaw up off the floor. I too have been riding the Brady Gravy Train. But unless Belicheck wants to be a titanic ass and keep his golden boy playing in pursuit of Peyton’s season td record Brady could be riding pine right when you need him to hang 399 yards and 4 tds on the #1 defense in the NFL…..not that I’m bitter or anything like that. Huge gamble so make sure you have a good back-up qb who can carry the load. OK maybe just half the load would be a good goal for any guy backing up Brady. Trust me on this one, I was burned not too long ago when the Colts locked up home field advantage and I had Peyton. I believe I started a guy who got me 2 points in round 1. I was watching the rest of the way. Don’t be the guy that gets caught with his pants down. Like Moss keep your eyes on Coachnorm’s Sports Outlaw NFL News thread for any developments.
Tom Brady…..4TH DOWN!!!!
This Week’s Rant:
I’m convinced that most of the refs in the NFL are washed up high school guidance counselors. Maybe then I could understand the level of douche-baggery that went on this past Sunday. Because only such a tool would call an excessive celebration penalty on fellow CSU Ram Joel Dreessen who jumped into the stands to CONGRATULATE A TEAM MATE after a dramatic touchdown or a guy who threw snow in the air because he was “using props”. You have to be freaking kidding me. It’s Denver. It snowed. He was happy after scoring and threw it in the air. Yeah, that sounds like a guy pulling a pen out of his sock or a cell phone from the goal post.
I’m old school and think guys should hand the ball to the ref and act like they’ve been there before. But isn’t getting the fans involved and excited part of building the brand known as the NFL? Calling penalties on guys who are celebrating with team mates and fans is just flat out retarded. I see more excessive celebration by college kids than those two examples. Stifling a guy’s joy in the game he loves is counterproductive. To quote Uncle Hulka, “Lighten up, Francis.”
On the other end of the spectrum are the douches known as Samari Rolle and Bart Scott. You both looked like my three year old after I told him he couldn’t have a cookie for breakfast Sunday morning. Grow up you overfed babies. Samari was an ass and put his foot in his mouth as he insulted a former player now ref for calling his b.s. You claim you’re a grown man with a family and don’t want to be called a “boy”? Act like one and apologize for being an ass. Because until then, if the shoe fits… And what the hell is this with mouthing off to the refs anyway? You don’t like the call? There are guys on the field called “coaches” who, if they feel like the player was screwed on a call, will get medieval on the linesman or umpire within shouting distance. It’s what they get paid for. Now where on Earth does a guy (claiming to be an adult) get off throwing a penalty marker in the stands? Moron. No, worse: Drama Queen.
That’s the playoffs for you. Again, if you’re reading and heeding: Best of luck to you in the playoffs and I’ll see you in the forums!
-Scott “The Ram” Henkel
You know already but just in case you hit the bottle a little too hard this weekend I’ll repeat it.Here’s the way it works:
A “1st Down” rating means this guy is either going nuts or showing signs of busting out of the straight jacket. In the playoffs this guy is going to make or break you.
A “4th and Forever” rating means this guy was getting some love either in the pre-season or is a one week wonder and is now ready for the bench or the waiver wire OR JUST PLAIN PISSED ME OFF. I believe the chant goes a little something like this, “OOOOOVER RAAAATED!! Clap, clap, clap-clap-clap-clap!!!”
I’m fired up and ready to throw down like Bart Scott is ready to throw penalty flags so let’s start lighting fires and breaking hearts:
1st Down
Runningbacks:
Ryan Grant: Grant was the topic of many quivering hearts this past week. Should I start this nobody or should I bench him. Let me write this down for you: PLAY GRANT ALL THROUGH THE PLAYOFFS!!!! I don’t care if he was nobody this off season. He’s putting up consistent numbers every week and is running hard for Old Man Favre. The Pack are hot like Green Bay is freaking cold this time of year. You need to remember this pearl of fantasy football wisdom all through the playoffs, start your studs. Grant is a stud. Start him.
Ryan Grant…..1ST DOWN!!!!
Willis McGahee: The Ratbirds are terrible and got blown WAY out by their Mayflower relatives in Indy. But since his friend’s tragic death McGahee is running like a man possessed. He looks like Ray-Ray on offense, quick and aggressive. With the decline of the Ravens season and the question marks surrounding the quarterback situation McGahee has run relatively low on most people’s radars especially after his last performance. Well if you don’t have a guy like Addai, McGahee isn’t too shabby to start weekly. And don’t overthink your lineups. If you got to the playoffs with Willis, dance with thems’ that brung’ ya’. You can take the boy out of NE Penn, but you can’t take the NE PA out of the boy.
Willis McGahee…..1ST DOWN!!!!
Fred Taylor: If you were like most drafters this past summer you picked Fred up on a flier that he’d get some carries spelling the soon to be fantasy football monster Maurice Jones-Drew. Well hyphen boy is a bust and old man Fred is getting hot at the right time for owners and is one of the best value picks this season. I know what you’re thinking; he’s not getting 20+ carries anymore. You’re right. And thank God he isn’t. He’s making them most of his opportunities and is giving the Jags a much needed consistent ground assault. Coach Del Rio is loyal to a fault and will keep working Fred into the offense as he keeps producing. So keep Taylor in your line up and roll, son!
Fred Taylor…..1ST DOWN!!!!
Wide Receivers:
Brandon Marshall: As I’m blessed to live in the Mile High City and married into a Bronco family I’ve been able to watch Marshall develop this season. This man is DOMINANT. He’s broken 1k yards on a running team with a great deal of those yards coming after the catch. The drubbing the Donks gave the Chefs this past weekend was just a taste of what can be for the passing game. Cutler knows what he has in Marshall both in yardage and on the goal line. You can’t ask for more in a ff wide out. Start him without question.
Brandon Marshall…..1ST DOWN!!!!
Anthony Gonzalez: This is another guy you likely picked up way late in the draft for redraft leagues and even in keepers because we all know Marvin Harrison just doesn’t miss games. Mini-Gonzo is in a perfect position for a strong fantasy football playoff showing. He’s a #2 wr on a strong balanced offense and very young. So should there be blowouts or if the Colts lock up playoff positions and rest their starters he’ll likely stay in the lineup for experience. And in the meantime he’s putting up very solid numbers in a starting role. Keep him starting in your lineup, too.
Anthony Gonzalez…..1ST DOWN!!!!
Quarterbacks:
David Garrard: He’s back in the line up and starting healthy again. He’s putting up very consistent numbers weekly and has yet to have a truly bad game. Hope I didn’t jinx you with that one but he’s a guy you should rely on more so than a guy like Eli. If you’ve got him you should start him without fear.
David Garrard…..1ST DOWN!!!!
4th and Forever:
Runningbacks:
Travis Henry & Selvin Young: Selvin Young did all his damage in the first half leaving Henry clean up duty. From all accounts he looks like he’s suffering badly from his knee problem. He’s not making the kind of cuts he needs to make to be affective in the Bronco offense. At this point I’d stay away from any Bronco runner if you can. I know what you’re thinking, “But Young put up 150 yards. You want me to bench him?” Damn right. The Rat will screw you in the playoffs with his decisions on running back work load. He’s too unpredictable and with Henry’s issues there are questions on whether the Rat will keep him around this off season. If that’s the case Henry is due to be showcased for trade bait this off season (think Texans). I’d love to tell you to start Young. Trust me I would. But it would be a HUGE gamble.
Travis Henry & Selvin Young…..4TH DOWN!!!!
Brandon Jacobs: Work with me here. He’s a monster running back and I’m as fascinated with his rise as a starting running back as anyone. But you can’t pin your fantasy football hopes on the Beast. Like Young of Denver I’d love to tell you to start him throughout the playoffs but like Young he’s a huge gamble. Health and the Giants ability to stay in games are two huge negatives to a guy like Jacobs.
Brandon Jacobs …..4TH DOWN!!!!
Wide Receivers:
Reggie Williams: He’s doing it again. This guy is a fantasy football tease. He’ll start to put together a few good games and then “poof” he’s gone like a fart in the wind. Don’t let this happen to you. It happens every single year this guy has been in the league. His unpredictability is nothing you want to pin your hard fought play-off hopes to this season.
Reggie Williams …..4TH DOWN!!!!
Randy Moss – He got you to the playoffs but if the starters sit in preparation for the play offs he’s going to leave you in a lurch. Keep your eyes on Coachnorm’s Sports Outlaw NFL News thread for any developments.
Randy Moss…..4TH DOWN!!!!
Quarterbacks:
Tom Brady: Pick your jaw up off the floor. I too have been riding the Brady Gravy Train. But unless Belicheck wants to be a titanic ass and keep his golden boy playing in pursuit of Peyton’s season td record Brady could be riding pine right when you need him to hang 399 yards and 4 tds on the #1 defense in the NFL…..not that I’m bitter or anything like that. Huge gamble so make sure you have a good back-up qb who can carry the load. OK maybe just half the load would be a good goal for any guy backing up Brady. Trust me on this one, I was burned not too long ago when the Colts locked up home field advantage and I had Peyton. I believe I started a guy who got me 2 points in round 1. I was watching the rest of the way. Don’t be the guy that gets caught with his pants down. Like Moss keep your eyes on Coachnorm’s Sports Outlaw NFL News thread for any developments.
Tom Brady…..4TH DOWN!!!!
This Week’s Rant:
I’m convinced that most of the refs in the NFL are washed up high school guidance counselors. Maybe then I could understand the level of douche-baggery that went on this past Sunday. Because only such a tool would call an excessive celebration penalty on fellow CSU Ram Joel Dreessen who jumped into the stands to CONGRATULATE A TEAM MATE after a dramatic touchdown or a guy who threw snow in the air because he was “using props”. You have to be freaking kidding me. It’s Denver. It snowed. He was happy after scoring and threw it in the air. Yeah, that sounds like a guy pulling a pen out of his sock or a cell phone from the goal post.
I’m old school and think guys should hand the ball to the ref and act like they’ve been there before. But isn’t getting the fans involved and excited part of building the brand known as the NFL? Calling penalties on guys who are celebrating with team mates and fans is just flat out retarded. I see more excessive celebration by college kids than those two examples. Stifling a guy’s joy in the game he loves is counterproductive. To quote Uncle Hulka, “Lighten up, Francis.”
On the other end of the spectrum are the douches known as Samari Rolle and Bart Scott. You both looked like my three year old after I told him he couldn’t have a cookie for breakfast Sunday morning. Grow up you overfed babies. Samari was an ass and put his foot in his mouth as he insulted a former player now ref for calling his b.s. You claim you’re a grown man with a family and don’t want to be called a “boy”? Act like one and apologize for being an ass. Because until then, if the shoe fits… And what the hell is this with mouthing off to the refs anyway? You don’t like the call? There are guys on the field called “coaches” who, if they feel like the player was screwed on a call, will get medieval on the linesman or umpire within shouting distance. It’s what they get paid for. Now where on Earth does a guy (claiming to be an adult) get off throwing a penalty marker in the stands? Moron. No, worse: Drama Queen.
That’s the playoffs for you. Again, if you’re reading and heeding: Best of luck to you in the playoffs and I’ll see you in the forums!
-Scott “The Ram” Henkel
Total Comments 7
Comments
 |  Ram, I sure hope Brady and Moss get benched and spoil some fantasy dreams (I'm not bitter, I swear lol). But I think Belichik is a big enough ass to keep them in the rest of the year. Guess we shall see  Excellent column, as usual |
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| |  Thanks Chica, I'm hoping he's that much of an ass too.  |
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| |  MJD has 936 yards and 9 TDs. even if youre not in a league that counts return yards, that is still in the top 10-12 RBs, and i guarantee you that thats higher than anyone here drafted him. hardly a bust. also, not sure how you can put brady and moss on a 4th down list. even if these guys only play a half a game for a week or two, theyre going to put up better #s than almost every other player out there. and HFA isnt locked up at least for one more week, so theres still something to play for. also take a look at the history books. no team undefeated this late has ever just pulled the plug. the team has a shot to go undefeated and set the points record, pass td record, and receiving td record. they do that and its unequivocally the best team in nfl history. when you are in shouting distance -- highly favored even -- to do all those things, nothing else matters. |
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| | Midget man was being pimped hard here in the pre-season (by you no less) as a can't lose first rounder. He's put up good numbers (24th in rushing behind Benson, Ryan Grant, Gore, Earnest Graham) and is behind Gore, Portis, and Kevin Faulk in recieving. 900 combined yards and 9tds is good. But the definition of bust is not living up to expectations. So he is in the same boat as Gore, Portis, and Benson. Add to those factoids that he's being outplayed by 32 year old Fred Taylor at the end of the season and you should have some doubts about him. I call him a bust but I'm not an owner. And Moss and Brady are there because of the Colts a few years ago. They were rolling along towards an undefeated season and lost yet still locked up HFA and decided to sit their stars starting 1 week before traditional playoffs in ff. The Pats have the Jets this week and Brady is 4 tds off of Manning's record. He hung 4 on the Steelers without sweating. The Pats have no one to look past while playing the Jets as the Steelers were there only true challenger. But we all know that on any given Sunday any team can beat any other team. Could they drop one to the Jets? Maybe. Fins? Maybe not. But the chance of a loss or a close call with Brady is always there every Sunday. No Brady = No SB and certainly no perfect season. If I'm Belichek I'm watching him very closely. He so much as bruises his ear and I'm pulling him for my run to the SB. Brady and Moss have been carrying teams (like mine) all season. My warning is for people to be aware of history and take that into consideration with their back up plan. |
| Updated 12-11-2007 at 03:23 PM by The Ram |
| | you didnt draft MJD in the top 10, and he has been a top 10 RB. im not sure what im missing, but that seems like good value to me. the only RBs taken before MJD in any draft who have done better are tomlinson (duh), westy, addai, and mcgahee. look at the rest of the first round players from preseason... LJ... gore... parker... rudi... bush... henry... sjax... not sure who im missing. but MJD has outscored all of them, and even a couple of those guys arent really "busts." a 2nd round pick is a top 10 player. top 10 by just rushing yardage? nope, not last year either, but overall #s get the job done. the only way thats a bust is if you legitimately expected top 5 numbers from your pick and are disappointed to only get top 10 instead. hes on pace for a season of 1150 yards and 10 TDs, which only about 7 or 8 other RBs should end up with. theres just no way you can call that a bust from the second round. 90% of the league is a "bust" if thats the criteria imo. |
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| | I'd hope MJD outscored LJ, Rudi, Bush, Henry, and SJax since they all missed significant time this season due to injury. |
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| | thats part of prognosticating. lj, bush, and sjax all had serious signs that pointed toward injury this year. just sayin... |
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Recent Blog Entries by The Ram
- 1st Down or 4th and Forever: Playoff Edition (12-10-2007)
- 1st Down or 4th and Forever: Vol. 11 (11-27-2007)
- 1st Down or 4th and Forever: Vol. 10 (11-13-2007)
- 1st Down or 4th and Forever: Vol. 9 (11-07-2007)
- 1st Down or 4th and Forever: Vol. 8 (10-31-2007)
