February 1st, 2011, Tuesday
Monday Morning Huddle
(Tuesday Evening Edition)
(Tuesday Evening Edition)
Super Bowl Sunday steadily looms with less than a week away and from a fantasy football perspective it promises to be everything the fantasy faithful could hope for; plenty of explosive offense from both sides in the power running game and the long ball over the top. Although this matchup would seem to offer one big play after another, one thing it will not lack by any means is big hits and plenty of defense.
While the Packers boast a lethal passing attack (ranked 5th in the NFL) and one of the leagues top offenses (ranked 9th overall), like their counterparts on Sunday they will be bringing a formidable defense in its’ own right. The Packers defensive unit ranked 5th overall this season and their 24 interceptions ranked second in the NFL. The pass rush led by linebacker Clay Matthews Jr. and defensive lineman Cullen Jenkins totaled 47 this season, second only to the Steelers’ 48 sacks.
The Steeler’s offense will boast plenty of firepower of its’ own on Sunday with Big Ben, Mike Wallace and Hines Ward, but its’ the defense that many should take notice of; ranked 2nd overall, the Steelers’ defense allowed just five rushing touchdowns all season and ranked third in the league with 35 takeaways. Players like James Harrison, LaMarr Woodley, and Troy Polamalu anchor a stifling defense that can dominate its’ opponent.
Both the Packers and Steelers defense are as good as they get and while they may be over-shadowed a bit this week by their playmaking offenses, these two units will be making plenty of headlines come Super Bowl Sunday.
While the Packers boast a lethal passing attack (ranked 5th in the NFL) and one of the leagues top offenses (ranked 9th overall), like their counterparts on Sunday they will be bringing a formidable defense in its’ own right. The Packers defensive unit ranked 5th overall this season and their 24 interceptions ranked second in the NFL. The pass rush led by linebacker Clay Matthews Jr. and defensive lineman Cullen Jenkins totaled 47 this season, second only to the Steelers’ 48 sacks.
The Steeler’s offense will boast plenty of firepower of its’ own on Sunday with Big Ben, Mike Wallace and Hines Ward, but its’ the defense that many should take notice of; ranked 2nd overall, the Steelers’ defense allowed just five rushing touchdowns all season and ranked third in the league with 35 takeaways. Players like James Harrison, LaMarr Woodley, and Troy Polamalu anchor a stifling defense that can dominate its’ opponent.
Both the Packers and Steelers defense are as good as they get and while they may be over-shadowed a bit this week by their playmaking offenses, these two units will be making plenty of headlines come Super Bowl Sunday.
Top Stories
Brady Earns The Top Honors with AP POY
It came as no surprise that Tom Brady took down the AP Player of the Year honors after his prolific 2010 campaign. Brady finished his regular with 36 touchdowns and just four picks and led the Patriots to a 14-2 regular season record (best in the league). Brady was by far the best fantasy stud in 2010 completing near 66 percent of his passes and throwing for 3,900 yards. His passer rating of 111.0 was the second highest of his career. Brady produced astronomical numbers without the presence of an elite deep threat this past season. If the Patriots keep a lot of the same faces intact for 2011 there’s little doubt that “Terrific Tom” will top most fantasy charts come draft day next season.
Kevin Kolb Has the Talent to Start, But Where?
In limited action we have seen that Eagles quarterback Kevin Kolb has the talent and ability to be a starter in the NFL, the only question is where will he be next season? The quarterback seems to be lobbying for his ticker out of Philly and if he gets his way he could easily draw plenty of interest from the fantasy world. Kolb didn’t produce admirable numbers this past season, but he has a career passer rating of 109.6 and has shown modest flashes of brilliance. If Kolb flees “the city of brotherly love” to start elsewhere he likely won’t rank in the top ten next season, but depending on where he lands will definitely impact his value as well as the players he’ll be throwing to.
Just my thoughts.
Brady Earns The Top Honors with AP POY
It came as no surprise that Tom Brady took down the AP Player of the Year honors after his prolific 2010 campaign. Brady finished his regular with 36 touchdowns and just four picks and led the Patriots to a 14-2 regular season record (best in the league). Brady was by far the best fantasy stud in 2010 completing near 66 percent of his passes and throwing for 3,900 yards. His passer rating of 111.0 was the second highest of his career. Brady produced astronomical numbers without the presence of an elite deep threat this past season. If the Patriots keep a lot of the same faces intact for 2011 there’s little doubt that “Terrific Tom” will top most fantasy charts come draft day next season.
Kevin Kolb Has the Talent to Start, But Where?
In limited action we have seen that Eagles quarterback Kevin Kolb has the talent and ability to be a starter in the NFL, the only question is where will he be next season? The quarterback seems to be lobbying for his ticker out of Philly and if he gets his way he could easily draw plenty of interest from the fantasy world. Kolb didn’t produce admirable numbers this past season, but he has a career passer rating of 109.6 and has shown modest flashes of brilliance. If Kolb flees “the city of brotherly love” to start elsewhere he likely won’t rank in the top ten next season, but depending on where he lands will definitely impact his value as well as the players he’ll be throwing to.
Just my thoughts.
Fantasy Spotlight Watch
With Sunday fastly approaching there will undoubtedly be plenty of skill players showcasing their talents on the big stage. One such player that may step out from the shadows could be the Steelers’ wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders. The rookie wideout has plenty of speed and play-making ability to make noise on the big stage. This season he caught just 28 balls, but six were for 20 yards or more. Lining up opposite Wallace and Ward, Sanders could see some favorable matchups downfield and become a factor in the passing game.
By David Ortega
By David Ortega
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