Flacco Battle Tested
By Zack Cimini
Notjustagame23@gmail.com

When a player comes in and is drafted with little to no expectations it can make for an easier transition. After all your main mind set is too prove to everyone else that did not draft you that you’re the real deal. For Joe Flacco, his rookie campaign has to be classified as a rarity. A strong organization like the Baltimore Ravens was positioning him to be their future stud. Patience grew thin on Kyle Boller and suddenly Flacco was getting his chance to shine. Maybe being thrust into the spotlight unknowingly gave Flacco the chance to go out and not think about his situation.

He stormed onto the scene and really went unnoticed as far as having an impact until the Ravens made the playoffs. Up until then people were saying that Flacco was playing within the offense and the Ravens concept. They were limiting his reads, progressions, and shots down the field. You can say that for just about any offensive in the league depending on who the opposing defense is. For Flacco though he was making the most of those strikes down the field.

After the 2009 playoffs when the Ravens went to the AFC championship game the hype surrounding Flacco coming back was just beginning to blossom. His numbers were less than spectacular in the playoffs but his accuracy and arm strength was there. The key to what happened down the stretch in the playoffs in 2009 that was overlooked was Flacco’s inconsistency. Of all the things that you would not want to carry over, that did.

Flacco’s 2009 year did not start off anywhere near what he would of imagined. The Ravens were entrusting a bigger role for Flacco and he was not ready for it. A transformation of play calling saved the Ravens season, and shifted them back into the wild card spot. They finished the year winning three of their last four to gain position in a favorable matchup against the New England Patriots. The key to the Ravens end of season uprise was utilizing their backfield tandem. Ray Rice, Willis McGahee, and Le’Ron McClain were as good as any backfield units and will still be going into 2010.

One of the areas that likely hurt Flacco was at the wide receiver position. Before training camp began in 2009, the Ravens were caught off-guard by the sudden announcement that Derrick Mason would not return. It was thought to be an emotional decision based on days earlier that Steve McNair had been murdered. After some time Mason decided he would return. Mason though is an aging receiver that could not be relied on as a number one receiver. Behind him Mark Clayton and Demetrius Williams were not the type of receivers who were going to scare opposing secondary’s.

Thus the Ravens finally decided to upgrade at the receiver position. Bringing in Anquan Boldin was a strong enough move to show Flacco the Ravens mean business. Boldin may have taken a second seat to Larry Fitzgerald in Arizona, but he is a guy that is going to leave it all on the field. He punishes opposing cornerbacks and has a knack for finding holes and providing a target spot for quarterbacks to fit in balls. Baltimore also rolled the dice by signing Donte Stallworth. Everyone knows the reasoning Stallworth missed last season. He brings speed to the table and can fit in certain packages such as the spread and wide formations on seven to ten plays a game.

Last year wasn’t necessarily a disappointment from expected charted growth for a second year quarterback. For fantasy football fans it was. Flacco slid by the week on updated fantasy boards and drifted to a borderline considerable benching. He was the reason why you key in on securing a backup that can actually step in without too many worries. Flacco’s growth in 2010 should be a hit to the comparisons expected a year ago. He has went through enough ups and downs to bear the brunt of blows that come with the territory of being a starting NFL quarterback. Those situations are going to come and go, but Flacco shouldn’t linger stretches of weeks at a time with that happening.

By Zack Cimini

notjustagame23@gmail.com

After all the gossip talk and predictions of what people think is going to happen with Donovan in Washington and Kolb in Philly,  training camp will begin and performance will be the true measure. The fantasy world is already anticipating a spike to Kolb’s game and expect him to be a strong fantasy starter.

Why shouldn’t they? He was a big factor in his two starts last year when he threw for 300 yards and had the offense ticking like it hadn’t missed a beat. Two games is hardly a scope of predictable measure. Quarterbacks have their streaks all the time, and more often than not a quarterback can step in and excel. Especially with a solid skill set as Kolb does have, and experience gained from learning behind McNabb. Often though once that quarterback gets truly tested defensive coordinators gain quickly on a quarterbacks tendencies. They’ll know exactly what type of pressure to throw at Kolb and schemes too throw off his rhythm.

Flashback to what the true reason why McNabb wasn’t traded a year before. A November 23rd matchup in which McNabb was yanked and Kolb came in and played like an ex XFL caliber quarterback. Andy Reid’s statement of just giving Kolb some experience and his other stammering explanations were bogus. If Kolb would have performed well then and there he would of taken over the reigns.

The potent combo and fantasy fanatics that are expecting DeSean Jackson to thrive as he did last year may be in for a surprise. Sure Kolb’s two starts last year were great games for Jackson. Both games he exploded for big touchdowns and over 100 yards receiving. For anyone that remembers those games, Jackson’s big play touchdowns were not due to Kolb’s arm. The plays involved Jackson making a big play after the catch and using his speed to run away from the pack. Kolb doesn’t necessarily have a strong arm; not nearly the strength of Donovan McNabb’s.

That’s the factor that could turn DeSean Jackson from a week to week consistent big time fantasy factor back to unpredictable. If Kolb can’t show the strength to air it out, teams will compress their safeties and bump more off the snap on Jackson. Jackson has shown the ability to make catches wherever on the field but we all know he is a guy that is a burner. He had 10 plays for over 40 yards, an incredible statistic, especially considering he only caught 61 balls. That’s a bad sign for owners banking on Jackson trending around the numbers of last year.

We expect Jackson’s big play ability to be diminished with Kolb under center. Meaning Jackson likely will have a tough time catching six to eight touchdowns. Yardage should still be there as we know Andy Reid is going to call enough pass plays to numerically make up for Kolb’s three years as backup. Seriously though, do not make the mistake of reaching too high on grabbing Jackson. A legit number one fantasy receiver should be somebody that without question can guarantee you ten plus touchdowns. We don’t foresee that happening in 2010. Breaking down the numbers of last year and looking beyond the big plays of Jackson, he had seven games with three catches or less.

Unless Kolb is an All-Pro type like Aaron Rodgers waiting to shine, it’s going to be a long painful growing experience for Kolb, Jackson, and Andy Reid.

By Zack Cimini

Notjustagame23@gmail.com

An elite quarterback as himself in Donovan McNabb should have had his pull of position in any environment of trade talks. We were not looking at a quarterback beyond being a capable consistent threat back in the pocket. He is not 37 or 38 years old. He is only 33 and was worthy of another two to three seasons with the Eagles. Departing from their teams of the 2000’s began last season when the Eagles decided to part ways with Brian Dawkins. This off-season that continued with Brian Westbrook giving his exiting papers.

With the rumor mill of Donovan McNabb every off-season being traded it just seemed an inevitable story but nothing more to it every year. If it were ever to happen you would of expected it last year, especially when McNabb was benched against the Baltimore Ravens. For the umpteenth time McNabb ignored the doubters and naysayers and got the Eagles oh so close to the Super Bowl. Up top in the Eagles front office the pressure kept being added onto McNabb’s shoulders. 2009 although a solid statistical year for McNabb ended unsatisfactorily.

As they say, business is business, and McNabb might have his best shot yet to make a lasting impact on the NFL in the latter stages of his career. Heading to Washington would seem like a laughable situation for anyone, but Washington will back him with talent. That’s one thing Daniel Snyder has never shyed away from doing. He will group together with Mike Shanahan and evaluate where their weaknesses are. For years in Philadelphia, McNabb really never had that great receiver or solid offensive line. DeSean Jackson will be a formidable threat but his rapid development was based as a second round pick. A gem of a steal that fell to the Eagles laps. There truly was no urgency in ever getting McNabb a true talented receiver. Come on…..Reggie Brown, Kevin Curtis, Freddie Mitchell. The best he ever could get was Terrell Owens for a year of his antic adventures.

We expect McNabb to have a seamless transition and thrive as a Redskin. His personable character will shine there, and you’ll see him flashing that patented smile as he gains his redemption. Injury prone or not, McNabb has found a way each year to get his team to the playoffs and make a push. It’ll be interesting to see what key components the Redskins add in this years draft. Money hunger is not an issue in Washington. The players on that team have been paid nicely. Getting their attention and drive to be committed as the true definition of team is the key. McNabb commands that with his presence and will surely revitalize the talent that went dormant under Jim Zorn.

In Philadelphia the brunt of the blame always fell on McNabb’s shoulders. Often times though the obvious criticism should of went directly at Andy Reid and his horrid play call selections. The team would literally force a ratio of passes than mixing it up with the running game. Sometimes it was downright stupefying. The chemistry was so unbalanced at times that the Eagles would go consistently in lulls that would allow teams to get back in games. Shanahan will not put McNabb in that type of situation.

Right now McNabb is probably bitter as can be. This extra season being in Washington instead of Philly will pay off in the long run. Draft McNabb in the same spots you normally would in your fantasy football drafts. He is going to remain a force and have better all around talent to work with. The highest of keys is an organization that is committed to him for the next several years.

By Zack Cimini
Notjustagame23@gmail.com

Diving in to late December and January football is the best time of year for sports gamblers. You’ve literally got a full slate of college football bowl games seemingly every night. Moreover the NFL spreads out it’s match ups to have enticing meaningful games. This week we have a great Christmas day late night game to get you 1-0 heading into a plethora of Sunday games. Add that handful of extra cash to your 2010 banking account as you end 2009 on a high note.

Last Week-7-7-1

San Diego at Tennessee (-3)- Pick Tennessee
There aren’t two teams on a streak of wins like the battle we will have on Christmas. Combined the two teams have won sixteen of their last seventeen games. The Titans are a bit banged up on the defensive side of the ball but are in desperation mode and have come all the way back to have a shot at the playoffs. If they can keep scoring and control the clock with both Chris Johnson and Lendale White than they can get a huge advantage in that department. San Diego has been a quick strike largely proportioned team through the air. It could hurt them once playoff time comes if they can’t regain some form of attack with LT and Darren Sproles.

Seattle at Green Bay (-14)- Pick Green Bay
Kudos to Mike Holmgren for picking the right spot to get the heck out of Seattle. By making the move he landed himself a solid year away from the game and full control over the Browns for next season. What’s going on in Seattle is as confusing as knowing the Cardinals are going to the playoffs for the second consecutive year. They’ve bottomed out and will be going through a tough hard awakening on what they need to do for the off-season.

Oakland at Cleveland (-3)- Pick Oakland
The key to eliminating any chances for the Browns to score points is simple. Stop the running game and let Derek Anderson’s lowly quarterback rating take affect. Oakland is not getting any high praise but they’ve played a large role in making the last few weeks interesting in the playoff race. Their wins this year have all come against strong playoff contenders, which would mean they’ve handled a spoiler role well.

Kansas City at Cincinnati -13.5- Pick Cincinnati
After last weeks display against Cleveland this game should be one of the easier double digit line locks all season. The Bengals almost put a halt to the Chargers high flying win streak, and seem as balanced of a team there is currently. The defense is playing at a great level and Carson Palmer is lighting it up with his precision passes. As long as Jamaal Charles does not run wild it should be a handled game by half time.

Buffalo at Atlanta -9- Pick Atlanta
Add Buffalo to the list of teams that have no clue where to start rebuilding once the off season begins. They thought they did the right move by saying bye bye to J. P. Losman and making Trent Edwards their official starter. Than the brightest of moves was inserting Ryan Fitzpatrick who has shown countless times with chances in St. Louis and last year in Cincinnati that he can only be a backup. They can not score with any regularity and being on the road only makes this more entertaining.

Houston at Miami -3- Pick Miami
The battle of 7-7 teams should provide a playoff atmosphere of survival. Like any team sitting at .500 near the end of the season, both teams have had tremendous ups and downs. We will go with history here and pick Miami. Houston can never seem to get over that .500 hump, and always happen to come up short. Ricky Williams has done more than a solid job handling the feature role since Ronnie Brown’s season ending injury. This should be one of the best games of the weekend.

Carolina at New York Giants -7- Pick NY Giants
The Giants are similar to the Dallas Cowboys. The media is going to over hype losses or poor play to exponential levels compared to other franchises. They came out on Monday Night and smacked the Washington Redskins into a higher level of disarray that even Ron Jaworski couldn’t envision. The Giants remained calm through their rough stretch just like they did two years ago. Perhaps facing the Redskins and a little luck will get the Giants rolling enough to be a dangerous wild card team once again.

Tampa Bay at New Orleans -14- Pick New Orleans
Tampa Bay vs. Seattle last week maybe was the worst game displayed all season long in the NFL. Neither team played at a level worthy of an NFL win. The Saints have lost their perfect season and will take that out and shellacked the Buccaneers.

Jacksonville at New England -8- Pick New England
An odd line here but the Patriots have still yet to come out with that wow type game. We have all been waiting and this is a game where the Patriots actually do match up very well. Jacksonville has had a hard time all year facing teams they like to spread out their receivers and air the football out. Bellicheck and the Patriots also should not have a hard time scheming defensively.

Baltimore at Pittsburgh -2.5- Pick Pittsburgh
When you win a game the way the Steelers just did that little bit of faint hope to reach the playoffs starts to trickle thoughts of maybe it’s fate they reach it. They had no business winning that game in how poor their defense was, and the boneheaded onside kick with the lead. They managed to get it though and will look to battle hard and avenge a loss that may hurt the Steelers even if they finish 9-7.

Denver at Philadelphia -7- Pick Philadelphia
If Denver makes the playoffs they’d be the worst rated team in our books for any shot at causing disruption with a playoff run. Their offense is of the lowest levels in terms of fear in imposing a challenge to any playoff team. This is the type of game that can either change that philosophy or clinch it. Philadelphia is right atop the league in scoring and putting the opposite offensive team in a gear or two higher of play call selection than they’d like to be.

St. Louis at Arizona -14- Pick Arizona
Ken Whisenhunt’s team almost grabbed the title of most embarrassing loss of the year last week. A win is a win though and during that victory the Cardinals discovered where their running game and offense will be going from here forward. Beanie Wells was the catalyst in keeping the Cardinals from completely unraveling when Kurt Warner could not get it done with his arm. Why the Cardinals waited all season to realign the carries more in Wells way we have no clue. His dosage should be steady from here on out.

Detroit at San Francisco -12.5- Pick San Francisco
First start in his career for Michigan State alum Drew Stanton. Stanton may have looked as if he revived the Lions and keyed their quick third quarter comeback to tie the Cardinals at 17. That would not be the truth if you were watching Stanton perform. He made poor throw after poor throw the entire second half. Maybe he had to many jittery bugs in him and is going to be better prepared. Mike Singletary is salivating at the chance of preparing his team to battle against Stanton.

New York Jets at Indianapolis -5.5- Pick New York Jets
Oddmakers really have it tough for these type of games where no one knows how Jim Caldwell’s going to play it. The only main tidbit of information we need is that the Jets are hanging by a slim hope and are in a must win situation. The Colts have nothing to play for except completing a finish to an undefeated year which was just done two years ago.
Dallas -6.5 at Washington- Pick Dallas
Many people are expecting the Redskins to rise up and play the Cowboys tough as they have in years past. After their demoralizing loss and the Cowboys convincing win the momentum of such games does not stop in less than a week. The Cowboys steam roll over the Redskins just as the Giants did. We will get a few more laughs out of Jim Zorn and his Redskins ability to be successful with trick plays.

Minnesota -7 at Chicago – Pick Minnesota
This is a game to shut everyone up. Brett Favre can’t play in cold weather games or do well in December. There is an alleged rift between him and Childress that is boiling up and dividing the team. Adrian Peterson has struggled to eclipse the 100 yard mark. The only reason Minnesota is getting targeted is because they continually are on national televised spotlighted games—-and because of BRETT FAVRE. Two of their three losses were Sunday night prime time games which intensifies the lime light of the media to attack. The Vikings defense will try to help Jay Cutler reach the 30 interception mark.

By Zack Cimini
notjustagame23@gmail.com

As evidenced from the last three to four years fantasy football running back rankings have scattered all over the place. Players just are not as predictable in that position as between the years of 96 and 2003. Teams have retooled and better prepared to have depth to keep their star running backs fresh and durable. Supplanting some of these prior studs with double digit touchdowns has become the norm. Coaches were forced to necessitate less of a load on their number one running back and divide that load up with the second string back. It has made it a nightmare from year to year of what to expect from a back that teetered on solid success the season before.

When the Jaguars parted ways with veteran back Fred Taylor, Maurice Jones-Drew shot up the charts for the 2009 season. Rightfully so, as he has been a beast since entering the NFL in the 2006 season. At his size the Jaguars questioned if he could handle a full time starring role. At 5’7 and a little over 200 pounds he is a back of rare combination and comprises the tools to be a threat for years to come. Based upon how he has done thus far in 2009 he seems to be secure for years to come as a fantasy Tomlinson. Meaning he could be destined to rack up double digit touchdowns and dual threat receiving and rushing yardage.

Here at Notjustagame though we have extreme cause for concern and caution for Jones-Drew’s future to hold up.

For Jones-Drew’s size and what he does on the field who does he compare to of the last five to six years in his position? We would compare him to a Brian Westbrook type. Westbrook has a few more inches on Jones-Drew but they are almost identical weight. So we would say that’s a fair assessment. Similar to Jones-Drew, Westbrook had a veteran back to break up duties most of his career in Duce Staley and then Correll Buckhalter. Westbrooks injury woes have been throughout his career but they didn’t start to climb until recently. See Westbrook was always hurt but he usually only missed a few games while battling through and playing hurt on the field. That ends up catching up with you.

In MJD’s season long segmented show on the NFL Network he has detailed how rough and hard it is for his body to recover. That’s just the life of an NFL running back, but he knows his body and is ready to go every Sunday. A body can only take so much and Drew will be exiting his fourth complete season as an NFL back. The wear and tear is definitely there and the Jaguars have failed to protect their future investment.

Jones-Drew is second in the league in carries at 278. His previous three seasons he only averaged 176 carries, with last year being his highest total at 197. With two games left he will easily break the 300 mark and be somewhere around 310. This does not disclude the fact that Jones-Drew also has 49 catches on the year. That ranks him fifth for running backs in catches and he is 44th in the league for that statistic. Saying that the Jaguars may be overworking and possibly burning out their star back is an understatement.

There isn’t a team in the league besides maybe a St. Louis that doesn’t break up the load a bit with their star back. Can you name the Jaguars primary backup running back? Think, think…is it on the tip of your tongue? We don’t think so. The seldom used running backs name is Rashard Jennings. He is averaging a whopping two carries a game.

Ask Atlanta how overworking their star back in 2008 and not using a backup running back worked out for them a year later. We just do not see it as a wise move to increase a backs carries by nearly 50 percent. It may not be next year the Jones-Drew starts to break down but it will happen sooner than later if the Jaguars do not make it a point to lessen his work load.

By Zack Cimini
Notjustagame23@gmail.com

There’s officially three weeks left to try and rescue yourself from a sub-par gambling year. Get those quality picks in and separate yourself from the .500 mark as you try to eke out a 60 percent year. Who do we have for week 15?

Indianapolis -3 at Jacksonville- Pick Jacksonville
The Colts enter this game banged up on a short week. Jacksonville has been a herky jerky team all season long but are still in the AFC playoff hunt. You’d figure a team with that type of desperation for a win to separate themselves would of come out with much more aggression at home against Miami. It didn’t happen but Jacksonville should be able to stay in this game against the Colts.

Dallas at New Orleans -7.5- Pick Dallas
It seems as if odds makers have not been watching the same New Orleans Saints team we have all witnessed the past few weeks. They did destroy the Patriots but are coming off back to back weeks against the Redskins and Falcons were they did not look dominant. Edging out wins they did do but failed sports bettors in doing so. They will continue that trend against Dallas.

Green Bay at Pittsburgh -1.5- Pick Green Bay
We just can’t go with the Steelers in this one after the month they’ve had. Repeat these two teams….OAKLAND and CLEVELAND. In the words of ESPN Prime Time’s great segment….C’MON MAN!! Green Bay is on the opposite track of the reeling Steelers, winners of five straight. The hunger is there while the bubble has been burst in Pittsburgh.

New England -7 at Buffalo- Pick New England
With the Jets and Dolphins breathing down their necks and pressure mounting to the end of the dynasty, New England gets the luck of the scheduling gods. The Buffalo Bills and their horrific offense. Maybe the Bills should of held onto JP Losman. Buffalo can’t figure it out behind center even with the Harvard graduate, Ryan Fitzpatrick back there. Watch him go out and have a field day against a Patriots secondary that’s been vulnerable all season.

Arizona -12 at Detroit- Pick Arizona
The 49ers just have the Cardinals number. Yet even though this team turned the football over seven times, they were only down 17-9 at the start of the fourth quarter. Another fumble by Beanie Wells pretty much sealed an insurmountable game of self inflicted wounds. Coach Ken Whisenhunt is one of the top five coaches in football and will have this team ready for a blowout.

San Francisco at Philadelphia -7.5- Pick San Francisco
Philadelphia may have caught the attention of media eyes this past Sunday and is why Vegas is capitalizing with their tilted line to get people to bet on Philadelphia. This team can go far in the playoffs but does not match up well against the 49ers. The New York Giants had struggled for a stretch of games offensively and especially through the air. It seemed that they could not be stopped on every drive against the Eagles, producing over 500 yards offensively. San Francisco seems to be back to their basic plan of letting Frank Gore control the offensive tempo. If they can’t stop Gore it could be a long day again for this defense with Vernon Davis and Michael Crabtree roaming against this secondary.

Chicago at Baltimore -11- Pick Baltimore
All Baltimore has to do is stick to running the football. Ray Rice, Willis McGahee, and LeRon McClain pose as the best backfield in the NFL. Wonders on why Jay Cutler is tossing so many interceptions is exactly because of what Baltimore has and he doesn’t. Matt Forte was supposed to be their answer in the backfield but the Bears are the worst in the league at compiling only 85 yards a game. Their defense isn’t helping matters out either as they rank 25th in the NFL and are giving up nearly 130 yards on the ground a game.

Cleveland at Kansas City -2- Pick Kansas City
Kansas City has found their future back in Jamaal Charles. Kansas City should be able to do enough offensively to offset the DANGEROUS Brady Quinn and high powered Cleveland Brown’s offense.

Cincinnati at San Diego -6.5- Pick Cincinnati
This game is seemingly for the second seed in the AFC which leads to a bye week. Cincinnati is coming off a poor outing against the Vikings and has to regroup and travel across the country to San Diego. All the while having to play with the loss of their own teammate in Chris Henry. This team has held it together all season and will find away to hang around with one of the premier teams in the NFL.

Oakland at Denver -14- Pick Denver
It’s hard to trust any team with a double digit point spread but this is almost of the college football variety. Besides a horrible first quarter against the Colts the Broncos played solid last week. Oakland is throwing their third string quarterback that has started and played in one game since 2007. Talk about proving a point to JaMarcus Russell. We all saw how the Raiders suddenly stopped playing like a team and started performing like the Raiders we all know once Bruce Gradkowski got hurt. The game wasn’t out of reach at 17-13 but quickly spiraled into a Redskin blowout win.

Tampa Bay at Seattle -6.5- Pick Seattle
If the Bucs wouldn’t have snuck a win against Green Bay earlier this year they’d be on their way to duplicating the Lions of a year ago. Next year they might be satisfied that they were able to go through this type of season while letting rookie Josh Freeman try and learn on the field. Still could they have been a near playoff team with Jeff Garcia as their quarterback? It’s too late for that and Seattle and they’re 12th man crowd should roll over the Bucs.

Minnesota -9 at Carolina – Pick Minnesota
By putting the ball in the hands of Adrian Peterson and Chester Taylor the Vikings found know their true keys to success. They shocked us all when they tried to win the game with an air attack against the Arizona Cardinals. Instead of being cute with their play calls they’ll stay with their basic bread and butter the rest of the season. Running the football and turning things over to their defense which is going to create turnovers.

New York Giants -3 at Washington- Pick New York Giants
Washington is going to try to play spoiler the rest of the season, and could possibly do it here. They’ve had Dallas and Philadelphia on the ropes. This game is pivotal to the Giants and their playoff hopes. Look for New York to squeak this one out in the fourth quarter.

Games currently OTB

Miami vs. Tennessee
Unlike most people we will take the Dolphins in this contest. Both teams have turned around the season after atrocious starts, but the Dolphins have the extra zeal on both sides of the ball.

Atlanta vs. New York Jets
It doesn’t matter if it’s Kellen Clemons or Mark Sanchez the Jets are dummying down the pass calls too much to survive these last three games.

Houston vs. St. Louis
As the awards are given for games of the decade, athletes, etc. All St. Louis Rams fans can say is what a difference a decade makes.