The chaotic spins of uncharacteristic play are continuing but is becoming a bit clearer. It won’t be too long before we hear of a coach calling it quits. We love how that’s the label that is put on a coach when they announce their resignation. There is no coach that would quit on a team and walk away from millions. They’re always forced out and it’s just a better way of classifying a coach’s exit.

Team Rankings Post Week Three

1. New England (2)
There has to be something programmed into the Patriots that steps their intensity out of this world. For a team to always win close games is unbelievable.

2. Pittsburgh (1)
At least they know Roethlisberger does have the ability to throw.

3. Philadelphia (3)
McNabb may be living a year of the best for a quarterback facing constant walls. Owens in the summer, continuous injuries, and facing the stress of last year’s Super Bowl loss. No one wants to say it but he has the Eagles right back to where they need to be.

4. Indianapolis (5)
Is the defense for real or has it just been the way the Colts have managed games?

5. Atlanta (6)
Vick needs to be contained from running, or there is nothing a team can do.

6. Cincinnati (7)
Carson Palmer has been the best of any quarterback.

7. Tampa Bay (9)
3-0. Sooner or later Cadillac’s great games will be reduced, and we’ll all see if Brian Griese can lead the team.

8. Carolina (4)
Delhomme can only laugh about that interception and move on. At least he isn’t missing Mushin Muhammed.

9. Jacksonville (13)
They’re almost as good as New England when it comes to winning close games. Leftwich is going to need to be the leader the whole season. Any length of time without him could cost them a few precious games.

10. Kansas City (8)
It was just a game where they shouldn’t have stepped on the field.

11. Dallas (12)
Bledsoe looks three to four years younger than he did the past few seasons.

12. Denver (17)
Now that’s the Broncos that have been gone for two weeks.

13. Minnesota (15)
They’re right back in it.

14. San Diego (21)
Over using the main ingredient of LT needs to happen every week.

15. NY Giants (10)
The defense was non existent in the second half against the Chargers.

16. St. Louis (16)
They’re going to be inserting Ryan Fitzpatrick by midseason if they continue to have Bulger throw 100 passes a game.

17. Seattle (20)
Alexander four touchdowns. Maybe Seattle should offer him a long term deal.

18. NY Jets (11)
Bollinger and Testaverde as the Jets quarterbacks. Why not try to trade for Doug Flutie?

19. Washington (18)
When your not playing, you can’t move up in rankings.

20. New Orleans (14)
Players can make excuses suddenly when they’re losing. Joe Horn didn’t blab his comments about playing at NYG until after their loss to the Vikings. Come on, Joe.

21. Miami (27)
If the offense can score, they’ll be in a nice position to snatch one of the final AFC wild card spots.

22. Cleveland (22)
Are proving to be a heck of a lot tougher than expected.

23. Baltimore (19)
The bye week may have been too early for the Ravens.

24. San Francisco (31)
Rattay is pushing Alex Smith’s rookie experience back every week.

25. Oakland (24)
Rolling off some wins needs to happen now.

26. Tennessee (25)
Just the wrong mix of players for a transition period.

27. Buffalo (23)
There won’t be a push for the playoffs this year.

28. Chicago (28)
Thomas Jones is the best trade bait at running back.

29. Detroit (29)
If Harrington were ever to awake for a breakout game, this is the time.

30. Green Bay (26)
Is that three straight NFC North teams at the bottom five of the league?

31. Arizona (30)
How quick talks of a playoff run have whittled.

32. Houston (32)
David Carr got his week to go somewhere quiet and re-prepare for the season.

Running your mouth and then demanding a trade happens regularly in the NFL. More running the mouth than demands. When a trade demand is made though, shouldn’t that athlete’s game excel like their mouths did? Case in point, with last years trade of Santana Moss and Lavernues Coles. One is showing that he gave one team the upper hand on the deal, while the other is dropping balls like a baseball outfielder blinded by the sun.

It has been a tale of two completely different seasons for Lavernues Coles and Santana Moss. Lavernues fantasy value heading into this season was way above Moss’s. All the fantasy checklists for success were in Coles favor, but conversely that has changed to Moss’s checks.

Coles was fully recovered from his foot injury and going back to a Jets team in which he had his best season in the NFL. The remarriage figured to elevate Pennington’s game and bring Coles back to his great level of play. Well, the blame early was on Pennington’s arm, but game footage would show Coles dropping numerous balls and a few touchdowns.

He has been under performing and that could end up down under in a moment. With a shaky quarterback in Brooks Bollinger, Coles value is out of the top twenty five. Indicating anything other than that will all rest on Bollinger’s arm, or should we say shoulder for Jets quarterbacks. One thing that can’t happen is Vinny Testaverde starting. If that happens Coles value drops another ten to fifteen spots. Testaverde showed last year that he should have retired a few years ago. Re-flushing is what the Jets need to do with Testaverde by cutting him again, and signing someone that can actually throw the football.

Over in Washington D.C, Santana Moss is making the Moss name even bigger. So far he has had the best stretch of any receiver, with his closing finish against Dallas on Monday Night football. His stats after only two games should make Coles and the Jets management want to hide. Moss is an electrifying receiver. He has Dante Hall speed but is an actual receiver. That combined is a deadly punch that has deathly attached to it. With Mark Brunell now the Redskins quarterback, airing it out will be easier. Brunell has a great deep ball, that we all saw back in his hey days with the Jaguars and Jimmy Smith.

The main reason why Moss was rated so low in preseason rankings, was because of the poor play of Patrick Ramsey and Brunell last season. Accordingly there was no reason to see a change in the future. Ramsey had no excuses, but for Brunell it could have been pointed on not having a receiver like Santana Moss. That’d make Lavernues Coles feel even worse, but in his favor, he was slowed up a bit by his foot.

Clinton Portis’s game should elevate more, while Curtis Martin’s seems to be on the down side. Another check to Moss, as opening the running game with Portis is going to mean more big scores for Moss.

Lavernues, Lavernues, this is going to be a year where you have a lot of to do’s and don’t on your New Year’s resolution list. The to don’t list, number one note will be to not run his mouth for reporters. He is a good quality receiver and young. Young athletes need to learn a little more on how to talk in performance on the field.

Start the sweepstakes of maneuvering in fantasy football leagues. Star players have yet to prove their worthiness of their draft status, and frustration is an understatement for fantasy owners. Riding afloat with unpredictability of teams is at its biggest hike in years. Figuring a new strategy until star players get into gear is going to be key in picking up some wins over the next few weeks. Trading apples for different apples is not the answer, but a boost or two from the waiver wire is.

Quarterbacks

Eli Manning
Manning was a borderline draftee in leagues. If he was drafted it was in the latest of rounds and based on his upside. Well his upside is showing and growing. Manning’s struggles are still evident on occasion but no longer embarrassingly jolting. His pocket presence has upgraded his overall composure which has translated into some decent fantasy numbers. That should continue to improve as Manning nears the state of take off as an NFC big name quarterback.

Philip Rivers
Hints of inserting Rivers in San Diego have always been a possibility since he was drafted. All it was going to take was the Chargers losing, and that’s in a shady state currently. Drew Brees may be a stellar quarterback but if the Chargers season folds completely, the Chargers have to test Rivers. Rivers has demonstrated great ability in preseason and wants to show that he can start now. Choosing between Brees and Rivers for next season will go back and forth and be based on how Rivers responds to starting.

Tim Rattay
Don’t forget Rattay led one of the best scoring offenses in college at Louisiana Tech. Finally being rid of injuries has allowed Rattay to air it out like his old days. He has a nice connection brewing with Brandon Lloyd. For the other surrounding players he has you can only rate his play as exceptional. Once Frank Gore is named starter, Rattay’s play should only rise.

Brooks Bollinger
Often the guy not talked about shines. For a player getting ready to start in New York that is usually rare. All the talk though has been about Pennington and Fielder’s season ending injuries, a long with the resigning of Vinny Testaverde. Figuring the way Pennington’s weak arm allowed defenses to converge and press every down, matters should change with Bollinger. The only concern is how will he react to pressure defenses. Starting out this week against the Ravens. Compared to Pennington’s stats from the first few weeks, Bollinger should put up better all around.

Running Backs

Frank Gore
It’s only a matter of time before the Bar is set Low for Kevan Barlow. Low enough for him to do the limbo on the sideline for fifty five of sixty minutes. Gore doesn’t just look like the better back, he is. Once the 49ers squash debate and insert Gore, the 49ers offense will become more dynamic. Right now he is getting sneaky carries but making noise. If you wait too long on scooping him up, you’ll be hurting yourself later this season.

Jerome Bettis
Owners that are edgy and drafted Bettis likely let him go when he was hurt in the preseason. Bettis injury wasn’t supposed to take this long. So he should be extra fresh and have another one of those great strides because of it. Parker will get the carries still, but Bettis will do what he does in the touchdown department.

Ron Dayne
Mike Anderson’s durability has been a big question mark. The Broncos like to run the football a lot, and we don’t think Anderson will be able to handle a bulk of carries. Either Dayne will get an increasing role or Tatum Bell. All should be involved but Dayne is the big back that will be getting the one yard plows in the end zone.

Wide Receivers

Brian Finneran
Michael Jenkins and Roddy White drove the attention of fantasy owners to their side, once Peerless Price was given his exiting papers. While Brian Finneran just continued to do his job and now appears that he is back on Mike Vick’s target list. Vick never has put up stellar passing numbers, but the games he does is when Finneran is involved. Hint, hint.

Kevin Curtis
Isaac Bruce is off to one of his slowest starts in recent years. That is definitely a jumping sign considering the amount of throws Marc Bulger does a game. Curtis on the other hand looks like he is ready to step up and over Bruce on the depth chart.

Corey Bradford
The funk David Carr has been in hopefully will change now that they’re fresh off a bye week. If the offense is remotely back to normal, Bradford will have solid stats. Andre Johnson is a premier receiver, and being on the other side will only boost Bradford’s impact chances.

Major erupting dilemmas are already occurring after week three. The waiver wire is already jammed with people’s requests. That’s just the start of it. There are a lot of decisions to be made on certain teams with problems already surfacing.

Did disappointment find its way on your fantasy roster? Let your frustration out in this weeks take of, you’ve got to be kidding me.

Quarterbacks

Chad Pennington:
Patterns of downgrades is all you can look at with Pennington. Throughout his career he has continually been susceptible to injuries more than any other starter over the last four years. Tearing his rotator cuff has to be looked at like a baseball pitcher. This is his second time dealing with that shoulder. When pitchers have to go in and get scoped with surgeries in their shoulder, they never return the same. The velocity of speed is gone in their throws. Pennington was never good in that department, and it’s sad to say but his career may be over in the NFL. It truly is going to take a remarkable recovery for him to be the Jets starting quarterback and play at the level the Jets need him to.

Josh McCown:
McCown quietly was pouting and griping on how the Cardinals gave up on him last season, and then went and got Kurt Warner. Well Josh, it’s the way you play. The Cardinals were actually playing decent football until Warner went down. Then came in McCown who looks like he needs some re-educating in every aspect of being a quarterback. Maybe he should take the Kurt Warner route. Go bag groceries then find his way in NFL Europe and the AFL. Then maybe he could be a great starting CFL quarterback.

Aaron Brooks
Blotches of games like Brooks had against the Vikings are what holds the Saints down, and Brooks career. He can’t grasp a handle of controllability. The Saints are getting to the point where a complete makeover. Their five year Hollywood story has been nothing but struggles of mediocrity. This is it, as another average season is going to cause construction of total rebuilding. To conquer and rule in the NFL you need to have the will and Brooks seems to leave that somewhere.

Running Backs

Steven Jackson
Case in point of why not to over pursue a back in fantasy football based on one year and hypothetical rave thinking by every magazine. The same two things that slowed Jackson down are this year. One is the Rams lack of commitment to the running game, and the second is Jackson’s risk of injury level. On top of that, we all know that Marshall Faulk is going to see some action. So until those two things change with Jackson he is nothing more than a fantasy backup.

Travis Henry
We hope he wiped his dried his eyes. After all that crying he did to get out of Buffalo, he knew that he violated the league’s substance abuse policy. He could have been paid in Buffalo for that and his reputation would have been slightly less damaged. What a difference a couple of years makes. Henry has went from a Pro Bowler, to losing his job, getting traded, and now a suspension.

Priest Holmes and Larry Johnson
They made more owners happy than not. There were plenty of owners out there with a shaky lead, especially knowing what Holmes and Johnson usually are capable of. Shutting the two down proved easier because of the Broncos aggressive front seven. Also the big lead Denver had forced the Chiefs to adjust their game plan.

Ahman Green

And the running back bust of the year goes to……

Wide Receivers

Jerry Porter
Targeting Porter has become harder than finding Osama Bin Laden. Last season Kerry Collins saved his reborn life with the Raiders because of Porter. Now the two connect like Porter is a 42 year old Jerry Rice, trying to make a catch or two just to keep his name out there. If Porter can’t have a great fantasy year with Moss on his side than money really turned to be an over ruler for Porter.

Eric Moulds and Lee Evans
This just in, JP Losman could have used another year on the bench. Bledsoe is looking smooth and Julius Jones hasn’t been as great as last season yet. Moulds and Evans had disastrous games Sunday, and may end up having seasons stats like the Giants receivers did last year with Eli.

Joe Horn
A couple of games here and there are going to happen like this for any receiver. But it shouldn’t of happened this week against Minnesota, Joe. Even Brooks horrible game shouldn’t correlate to a pathetic one catch for eleven yards.

Lavernues Coles
Who’s wishing they would have stayed put? It’s been downplayed, but Santana Moss is out dueling Coles by a large amount. It hasn’t been because of Pennington’s shoulder either, as Coles has dropped passes like he was a Seahawk.

Kicker

Sebastian Janikowski
Who was the personnel that decided to draft Janikowski in round one? We saw ESPN classic do a complete show on the worst busts of all time. Janikowski technically should make the list, as he’ll never live up to his first round selection. We guess the NFL will try anything once.

Ryan Longwell
Missing that extra point proved to be the difference of attempting for a win in overtime, and the result which was a one point loss.

First and foremost mother nature may make football take a backseat this weekend. Hurricane Rita looks as if it’s going to be another disaster, and reports will likely be brought in constantly throughout the weekend. It may be hard for football fans to deal with the updates, but please keep in mind a lot of people have family and friends in the areas Rita is expected to hit. At Notjustagame we hope the precautions taken this time around will lead to the overall better safety and quicker response for voluntary help, that may be needed afterwards.

Atlanta vs. Buffalo

Automatic: TJ Duckett, Willis McGahee, Alge Crumpler
This game doesn’t present a forecast of fantasy madness. Instead it should be a low scoring and fairly slow managing game. TJ Duckett usually shines in these type of situations, because of bruising style.

Don’t Do It: JP Losman, Mike Vick, any WR.
The quarterbacks haven‘t looked effective in two games. There is no reason to see that changing this week.

Cincinnati at Chicago

Automatic: Bengals offensive starters, Thomas Jones, Mushin Muhammed
Marvin Lewis has done an outstanding job. The Bengals are not only a threat to make the playoffs, they may win their division. Their offense is always going to have the green light in starting on fantasy teams.

Don’t Do It: Kyle Orton
A time comes when a quarterback is forced out of his shell because of the status of play on the field. Once the Bengals jump on the Bears, the Bears will have to change their game plan with Orton. It may hurt him now, but he seems to be the type of quarterback that’ll turn around his fortunes quicker than most inexperienced quarterbacks.

Tampa Bay at Green Bay

Automatic: Brian Griese, Brett Favre, Robert Ferguson, Donald Driver, Michael Clayton
This will be a game of points and a few strange turnovers. That’s expected when Favre and Griese are under center.

Don’t Do It: Carnell Williams
Just when the spotlight streaks on a young athlete is when a bad week happens. Every one has turned their heads away from Ronnie Brown to the league’s current overall best back. Green Bay has done a good job in stopping the run, and the Buccaneers don’t usually score too many points. Williams yardage may eclipse the 100 yard mark, but may be cut away from the end zone. You just can’t expect him to reach the end zone every week, he isn’t LT. If the game becomes a passing shootout, Williams carries may slide by the second half.

Cleveland at Indianapolis

Automatic:
Fantasy fans are preying that Trent Dilfer’s play hasn’t been a fluke. If it hasn’t then the Browns and Colts may be the best game of the week, highlights wise. Lay’s should show plenty of commercials, because there are more than one fantasy football players to choose in this one.

Tennessee at St. Louis

Automatic: Steven Jackson, Marc Bulger, Torry Holt, Isaac Bruce, Steve McNair, Travis Henry, Drew Bennett
The rematch of ‘99’s Super Bowl is not a fact to bring up here. The teams are no longer a strong force, and both are up in the air of where they are headed. Certain weeks they look okay and the next they look dismal.

Don’t Do It: Chris Brown
Brown seems to be losing his ground to Travis Henry.

Carolina at Miami

Automatic: Jake Delhomme, Stephen Davis, Steve Smith, Gus Frerotte, Chris Chambers, Marty Booker
Here is the type of game Delhomme needs to break out. Miami should be able to stop the run early, and that usually means they can be thrown on. The defense never seems to be able to stop both the rushing and passing game.

Don’t Do It: Ronnie Brown
Brown may not get a 100 yard game until one of the last weeks in the season. As soon as Ricky Williams is eligible, he’ll take away at least five to ten carries.

New Orleans at Minnesota

Automatic: Daunte Culpepper, Marcus Robinson, Aaron Brooks, Joe Horn, Donte Stallworth, Deuce McAllister
Another bad performance by Culpepper and you can kiss the Vikings season good bye. New Orleans can’t stop the pass, so that shouldn’t be the outcome for Culpepper.

Don’t Do It: Michael Bennett
The Vikings need to trade for a RB, or give Bennett an actual chance.

Jacksonville at NY Jets

Automatic: Jimmy Smith
He could get a big play or two.

Don’t Do It: Chad Pennington, Curtis Martin, Lavernues Coles
Let the garbage fly. The Jets offense has always ran off of Curtis Martin’s rushing. With his sore knee and the Jaguars defense that’ll be hard to get going. The Jaguars can play press on the receivers all day and let their safeties roam freely to shut down Pennington’s short throws. For the Jets to get over two hundred and fifty total yards would be a huge accomplishment.

Oakland at Philadelphia
The only question on this one is will Doug Gabriel, Jerry Porter, or Ronald Curry finally step up with the threat of Randy Moss out there?

Dallas at San Francisco

Automatic: Drew Bledsoe, Terry Glenn, Julius Jones, Keyshawn Johnson, Patrick Crayton
The drubbing the Eagles did to the 49ers last week will be a downplayed stomp this week.

Don’t Do It: Kevan Barlow
Word is Frank Gore is closer to getting a start.

Arizona at Seattle

Automatic: Shaun Alexander, Darrell Jackson, Matt Hasselbeck, Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin
Shaun Alexander has had some fantastic numbers in previous years against the Cards.

Don’t Do It: JJ Arrington or Marcel Shipp
Dennis Green is contemplating again. Shipp will likely get the start. If word comes on the official starter and it’s Shipp, start him. If it’s Arrington than don’t.

New England at Pittsburgh

Automatic: Corey Dillon, Hines Ward, Deion Branch, Willie Parker
Expect the teams to enforce running the football.

Don’t Do It: Either quarterback
Typically when these two play there have been points put up. It could happen again but don’t count on it.

NY Giants at San Diego

Automatic: LT, Drew Brees, Antonio Gates, Tiki Barber, Plaxico Burress, Eli Manning
The crowd is pumped to let Eli Manning have it. Manning can quiet them down if he shows his maturity, or he can get rattled like he did last year. LT has already made it known that he is frustrated. So a breakout game is due from him.

Don’t Do It: Keenan McCardell
Until Brees notices him when Gates is on the field, stay away from him.

Kansas City vs. Denver

Automatic: If it’s a Monday night game like this, you know to plug in all the stars you can. Keyword, Monday Night Football in the notjustagame search engine to see why it’s worth having an extra player or two for Monday.

We’re riding barely afloat the .500 mark, but won’t sink below. We’re waving off the need for a life jacket.

Week Three Picks

Overall Record: 18-14

Atlanta over Buffalo
Chicago over Cincinnati
Tampa Bay over Green Bay
Cleveland over Indianapolis
St. Louis over Tennessee
Miami over Carolina
Minnesota over New Orleans
Jacksonville over the Jets
Oakland over Philadelphia
Dallas over San Francisco
Arizona over Seattle
Pittsburgh over New England
NY Giants over San Diego
Denver over Kansas City