FSH: SUNDAY SPORTS SECTION

October 31st, 2010, Sunday

The Sunday Sports Section

What’s the Latest

Despite dealing with a finger injury on his left hand, the Rams running back Steven Jackson is expected to play today against the Panthers. Even with the left hand handicap this is a good matchup for Jackson he should still see plenty of carries.

The Jaguars quarterback David Garrard is coming off a concussion and will start today against the Cowboys. The Jaguars passing game has been something to forget this season and today’s matchup against a team with its’ back to the wall does not spell relief.

The Panthers will be without running back DeAngelo Williams, opening the door for Jonathan Stewart to get the start. Stewart is a capable runner and he should see plenty of work today against a questionable Rams run defense (ranked 15th) that is allowing 4.6 yards per run.

The Bronco’s wide receiver Eddie Royal has been nursing a groin injury this week, but looked fine during warm-ups today so he should be able to go. The Broncos will likely spread the field, but with other weapons on the field and a wet playing surface Royal may be a risky play today.

Today’s In & Out

Actives/inactives and notes from Twitter for today’s games ….

@Adam_Schefter Panthers RB DeAngelo Williams officially inactive. Plenty of work for Jonathan Stewart, Mike Goodson and Tyrell Sutton.

@mortreport Carolina-St.Louis game- S. Jackson IN D. Williams OUT

@joereedy #dolphins inactives -- Thigpen (third QB), WR Moore, S R.Jones, CB Carroll, DE C.Geathers, OT Brown, OT Murtha, TE Shuler

@buffalobillscom #Bills Inactive: CB Terrence McGee, LB Aaron Maybin, LB Antonio Coleman, OL Ed Wang, OL Cornell Green, DE Alex Carrington, DE John McCargo.

@jaguarsinsider Jags inactives: Todd Bouman (3rd QB), Rashad Jennings, Brock Bolen, Eric Alexander, Erik Pears, C.J. Mosley, Jeremy Mincey, Landon Cohen.

@OneRamsWay Inactives for Rams: S Stewart, S Lewis, CB King, TE Onobun, T J. Smith, WR Alexander, DT Scott, DE Sims.

@Adam_Schefter 49ers TE Vernon Davis is active despite being listed as questionable with an ankle injury.

@SigmundBloom Think Wes Welker here RT @OmarKelly Davone Bess will be starting for Brian Hartline today. Fantasy people need to get moving on that.

@Adam_Schefter Rams RB Steven Jackson is active despite undergoing finger surgery this week. Bears watching today.

@mortreport As expected all three Jets that were listed on the injury report (Mangold, Pace, and Revis) will all play against Green Bay

@mortreport Jonathan Joseph (ankle) will be inactive vs the Dolphins today

@MaioccoCSN 49ers inactives: QB Alex Smith, WR Kyle Williams, Jason Hill, CB Tarell Brown, LB Keaton Kristick, OL Barry Sims, Eric Heitmann, Alex Boone.

@Bengals #Bengals inactives: QB D. LeFevour; DE J. Fanene; S R. Williams; C R. Stephens; CB J. Joseph; S C. Ndukwe, T A. Collins; WR J. Simpson

@SFFcom All signs point to Favre starting: Update: According to Jason La Canfora of Nfl.com, all signs are looking like Br... http://bit.ly/b6O6ZQ

@packers Bulaga will start for Tauscher, Wilson for Pickett, and Zombo for Brad Jones, who was placed on IR this week.

@MaioccoCSN 49ers TE Vernon Davis is active and will play today for the 49ers. Davis (ankle) saw limited practice time and was listed as questionable.

@mortreport Cooley, D. Hall, Landry and Orakpo were all questionable for Washington but will all play against the Lions today

@Adam_Schefter Bengals deactivated CB Jonathan Joseph and safety Roy Williams.

@Adam_Schefter No surprise: Chiefs deactivated WR Dexter McCluster.

@nyjets RL: Jets inactives for today's game vs. Green Bay: RB Joe McKnight, LB Jamaal Westerman, OL Vladimir Ducasse, DL Jarron Gilbert ...

FSH: THAT'S MY TAKE

September 29th, 2010

That's My Take

Quarterback Kyle Orton: Fantasy Phenom or Mile High Mirage

There’s no doubt that Kyle Orton is more unlikely to be any fantasy owner’s first choice at quarterback, but this season you could do a whole lot worse and not be any more wrong. Don’t worry I won’t parade around and sing his high praises as the second coming of Elway, but the former Boilermaker is quickly changing the opinion of many of today’s fantasy owners. Nothing more than a mid-round fantasy back-up quarterback, Orton is raising some eyebrows.

If anyone would have told me that the Bronco’s quarterback Kyle Orton would have more passing yards than Peyton Manning, Matt Schaub, Aaron Rodgers, and Drew Brees after three weeks I would have told that person to find a bed and lie down. They must be sick.

What is sick is Orton’s 359 yards passing per game, his 68% completion percentage, and his 21 fantasy points per game thus far this season. His four touchdown passes are nothing to jump up and shout about yet, but when you consider the full package Orton is playing at a high level and there seems to be much room for improvement. We must also take note that his most potent and best scoring threat was traded in the offseason, once his gets the new horses fully broken in the scoring numbers could change; scary!

So what has been the biggest difference, why the jump into the fantasy scoring stratosphere this season? It’s not easy to put a finger on just one thing, but really should anyone be surprised?

It’s easy to say Kyle Orton has yet to reach his full potential as a passer since arriving in the NFL. After four lack-luster seasons in Chicago where he managed basically a run-oriented offense, it appeared the NFL had seen all it would see of Orton as a signal caller; this was until his arrival to the Mile High City.

When you trace his steps Orton has always been a capable quarterback, but capable of so much more we are finding out. Back in the days of Purdue, we saw some of the Orton we are seeing today. What was missing for Kyle in Chicago; he had no real deep threats or playmakers, and the offense lacked any kind of imagination.

In 2009 head coach Josh McDaniels and the Bronco’s traded their franchise quarterback away for the services of Orton. On the surface it didn’t really appear to be their first choice; something about a kid in New England, but it certainly appears to be working out just fine for the folks in Denver.

Since he arrived in Denver Orton has done played pretty well under center, but without question he’s elevated his game this season. With a full year under McDaniel’s tutelage, he’s grown at the position and now has full command of the system.

Sure we are talking about Kyle Orton who is a veteran in his sixth year, but who says you can’t teach a not-so-old dog new tricks. Let us also not forget that McDaniels is the same coach and then offensive coordinator who took Brady to new fantasy heights in 2007 (50 touchdowns, 4,800 yards passing). He also resurrected an irrelevant and non-existent Matt Cassel who had not started a game since high school, to the tune of 21 touchdown passes and 11 wins in 2008.

And that’s the fantasy secret here that is no mirage my friends. We are just now seeing what Kyle Orton is capable of when in the right system, in the right situation, and with the right weapons. What Orton currently has could certainly be classified as a cast of misfits, but a group of unheralded and perhaps under-rated and very talented receivers might be more fitting.

With second year receiver Eddie Royal (91 catches as a rookie) he slot and a pair lanky and very athletic receivers (Brandon Lloyd and Jabar Gaffney) on the outside, the Broncos and Orton truly have a nice compliment of pass catchers to distribute the ball too. They also drafted a very nice looking up and coming talent in rookie Demaryius Thomas (arm injury).

It’s no coincidence that this array of weaponry is a huge contributing factor to Orton early passing success in 2010. With Lloyd (leads the team with 339 yards), Royal (17 receptions-tied for team lead), and Gaffney (leads team with 26 targets) each playing significant roles in the passing attack it makes it difficult for opposing defenses to know where to key. One of Orton’s strongest assets has been his decision making, couple this with his accuracy and he is one of the leagues top passers (97.4 passer rating-7th in the NFL) in this early 2010 campaign.

The Bronco’s are without their best ball carrier (Knowshon Moreno-hamstring) and likely won’t see him for another week or two. As long as the running game is second best, the team will likely continue to lean heavily on its’ flourishing and effective passing game.

Even with the team’s current struggles in the red-zone don’t expect Josh McDaniels to veer too far from what’s working, but rather focus more on finding ways of getting his ball club into the end-zone. And that’s good news for Orton who has benefited greatly through the air this season. His four touchdowns thus far are rather pedestrian and a far cry from a fantasy phenom, but leave it to McDaniels to correct that.

As the team works toward finding a better balance I expect to see Orton’s success continue and actually help the team find the answers they seek. He won’t be posting 50 plus passes very often, but in the neighborhood of 40 looks realistic and only means good things for fantasy owners.

Some experts believe success on the ground can open up things in the air, but maybe for Kyle Orton and the Denver Broncos some mile high magic in the air can create some space for the running game. One way or the other Orton looks like the real deal in Denver.

Just my take.

By David Ortega

FSH: TUESDAY (FOOTBALL) TALK

November 24th, 2009 9:37pm PST

FOOTBALL TALK

What to make of Week 11

McDaniels’ offense is a Mc-Mess….

When the Chargers and Broncos met on Sunday, both teams were 6-3 and tied for first, when the game was over only one team looked like a first place team and it wasn’t the Broncos. After their 6-0 start it seems the wheels have fallen off and one of the biggest reasons has been the faulty play of the offense. In the Broncos last four games they have managed just 37 points and averaged a paltry 250 yards of offense per game. With limited production like that, the fantasy value of players like Brandon Marshall, Eddie royal, and Kyle Orton will continue to submarine.

Favre and his Entourage on a Viking quest…

The Vikings quarterback Brett Favre continues to age like a fine wine and the way things are going he and his purple mates could be soon raising their glasses and toasting to victory. This season the Vikings led by the arm of Favre have become a more explosive team scoring over 30 points per game. So far in the 2009 season the Vikings have total 30 or more points six times and are undefeated when they do. A contributing factor is the playmaking ability of fantasy studs like Adrian Peterson, Brett Favre, and Sidney Rice. Even players like Visanthe Shiancoe and Percy Harvin offer substantial fantasy value on such an explosive offense.

Looking under the microscope

While it was 10 weeks in the making the good news for Terrell Owens fantasy owners is that his breakout game did arrive. Last Sunday T.O. went ballistic with 197 yards receiving and a touchdown. The other notable factor was the 14 passes quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick threw in Owen’s direction. As we take a look under this microscope with fantasy owners wondering was this an aberration or will it continue consider the following; his 14 targets last Sunday were a season high and with three of his next four opponents being the Dolphins (21st against the pass), Chiefs (28th), and Falcons (29th against the pass) his timing to breakout could not be better.

More fantasy Notes

Don’t look now fantasy owners, but it appears quarterback Tom Brady is hitting his fantasy stride these days. He has managed to pass for more than 300-yards in five straight games and in his last six games he has thrown a total of 16 touchdowns. He looks primed to continue his assault on opposing defenses and ready to avenge his disappointing 2008 campaign. If he continues at his current pace he will likely exceed 4,500 yards passing and 35 touchdown passes and earn many fantasy owners the fantasy championship that eluded them a year ago.

For those fantasy owners that have been riding the shoulders of running back Steven Jackson this season, they are aware of his four straight 100-yard rushing games. Jackson has also totaled (rushing and receiving) more than 100-yards in six straight games and only twice this season has he totaled less than 100-yards. Last season Jackson totaled just over 1,400 yards missing four games (he had an outside shot at 2,000-total yards). The Rams powerful running back, like the Titan’s Chris Johnson has a chance at over 2,000 total yards this season. Jackson is on pace to net 2,019-total yards.

By David Ortega

Check back every Tuesday for more “Tuesday (Football) Talk”

FSH: FRIDAY FOOTBALL DIARY

November 21st, 2009 7:45pm PST

Friday Football Diary

[Saturday Edition]

Dear Diary

Every week there is always a matchup on the slate that is going to draw a little more interest and this Sunday won't be any different.

A tale of two teams

With the San Diego Chargers in town, the reeling Denver Broncos losers of three straight hope to right their ship fast with some good old fashion home-cookin. And Sunday they will need to as the same Chargers come into Invesco Field as winners of four straight and tied for the AFC West lead with a record of 6-3.

The biggest keys for both teams sudden change of direction has to be their passing games. With the Broncos suddenly grounded the last couple of weeks, the offense has struggled badly to generate any kind of scoring. In their last three games Denver has been outscored 34-85.

Conversely it has been the arm of Philip Rivers that has powered the Chargers offense during their winning stretch. Rivers (2,476 yards, 16 touchdowns) has emerged as one of the leagues elite passers over the past couple of seasons and this year he has been the team's biggest difference maker. During the streak Rivers has thrown nine touchdown passes.

Fantasy Notes:

In his last start quarterback Kyle Orton looked sharp and played well passing for 193 first half yards with a couple of scores against the Redskins. Unfortunately for Denver, Orton was injured in the close of the first half last week and may not be available on Sunday. If back up quarterback Chris Simms has to start or play any, it could be a long day for (WR) Brandon Marshall, (TE) Tony Scheffler, (WR) Eddie Royal, and (RB) Knowshon Moreno fantasy owners.

The Chargers are shinning their crystal balls because their future is looking up. With the recent resurgence of LaDainian Tomlinson (two touchdowns last week) in the mix, (QB) Philip Rivers, (WR) Vincent Jackson, and (tight end) Antonio Gates become even more dangerous playmakers and preferred starts for fantasy owners.

10 Things

On my Sunday's Watch-List

1. Peyton Manning (has eight 300-yard passing games in 2009) has been torching opposing secondaries all season, can he toast the Ravens or will Ray Lewis and the bad boys from Baltimore (defense ranked 7th overall) ride the Colts into the ground.
2. Last week the Redskins fed the rock 26 times to running back Ladell Betts, who finished with over 100-yards on the ground, can he punish the Cowboys 9th rated run defense this Sunday?
3. The Browns have been struggling all season with the leagues worst ranked offense and this week they will face the Lions (ranked 31st on defense), one of the leagues very worst defenses (ironically only Cleveland is worse). Something has to give, but likely nothing worth any interest to any fantasy owners.
4. The only chance the Niners have of beating Green Bay is getting to quarterback Aaron Rodgers, and the only chance Green Bay of winning is how well they protect Rodgers. So far this season Rodgers has been sacked 41 times; it doesn't look promising for the Pack, but that's why they play the games.
5. Last week Jamaal Charles recorded his first 100-yard rushing game as a starter this season for Kansas City, but this Sunday he is a long shot to nad his second facing the Steelers number ranked run defense that allows a mediocre 3.4 yards per tote.
6. The Bills passing offense has been non-existent this season ranked 30th in the league, but Sunday they will face Jacksonville's 25th ranked pass defense minus one of its' best corners Rashean Mathis.
7. The Giant's offense has been stuggling as of late managing 20 or fewer points in its' last three straight losses, but behind Brandon Jacobs (617 yards) and Ahmad Bradshaw (515 yards) they hope to right the ship against the Falcons soft run defense ranked 25th in the league.
8. On Sunday the Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner (18 touchdowns) returns to his old stomping grounds of St. Louis, with a new set of aerial weapons (Fitzgerald, Boldin, and Breaston) could this be an encore performance against the leagues 26th ranked pass defense?
9. In week six head coach Josh McDaniels took his new look Broncos (in some funky looking throwbacks) into San Diego for a surprising and convincing road win, on Sunday his team (three straight losses) will need a new look if they are to hope for a repeat at Invesco Field.
10. In their first meeting this season the Jets held Tom Brady to 216 yards passing and no touchdowns, a feat they will likley not repeat. Brady has passed for over 300 yards in four straight and thrown 13 touchdowns along the way.

Check back here every Friday for more "Football Diary"

FSH: THE FANTASY SPORTS ZONE (STUDS AND DUDS)

November 3rd, 2009 8:37pm PST

Earners and Bums

(Studs & Duds)

Don ‘Shula’ Lombardi

“The Collector”

(courtesy of the Fantasy Football Gang)

Once again “The Collector” is back this week to let all of you fantasy owners know about those not-so-highly known fantasy gems that continue to score big points. While these diamonds in the rough make noise, we also have some of your weekly Studs that looking more like Duds.

When you need a big week, sometimes you can count on your regular sources of scratch to pay-off, “The Collector” will tell you who is dropping the most coin and who you should maybe just drop.

Here were the Studs (Earners) and Duds (bums) for Week 8;

The Earners (Studs)

(Min 15 fantasy points)

Another week of what could have been and maybe what should be (for next week). Here are this past weekend’s top fantasy point getters and those players that maybe need another bye week or just a good-bye.

Is it really that much of a surprise to everyone to see the 40-year old kid still playing at the highest level. The Vikings quarterback Brett Favre was one of week eight’s biggest “earners” torching the Packer’s secondary on Sunday for the second time in the past five weeks. Favre completed 17 of 28 passes for 244 yards and threw four touchdowns on the afternoon. (33 fantasy points)

When one player is dropping all of the loot, sometimes you have to make a change which is what the Texans did on Sunday. With running back Steve Slaton (7 fumbles in 2009) fumbling away the game, the Texans turned to running back Ryan Moats. The backup runner was brilliant cashing in big with 126 yards on the ground and three touchdowns. (32 fantasy points)

The Jet’s rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez did his best impression of a green scoring machine on Sunday. Sanchez completed 20 of 35 passes for 265 yards passing and three touchdowns (including one rushing). (28 fantasy points)

If Tony Romo isn’t your weekly starting quarterback you could missing out on some serious coin. The Cowboys quarterback knows green, especially the kind you find in the end-zone. Romo passed his way to 256 yards on Sunday and threw three touchdowns. (27 fantasy points)

The Saints have their own two-headed monster in the backfield that they can now boast and on Monday night, one of them got loose. Running back Pierre Thomas was cash money rushing for 91 yards and scoring twice; one rushing and one receiving. (21 fantasy points)

The Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck did his best on Sunday to earn his keep for every fantasy lineup he was Sunday. Hasselbeck completed 22 of 39 passes for 249 yards and threw two touchdowns. (21 fantasy points)

The Panthers used their two headed rushing attack out of the backfield to ground the Cardinals. Running back number two, Jonathan Stewart was a Sunday cash cow hitting paydirt twice and rambling his way to 87 yards on 17 carries. (20 fantasy points)

The Eagles rookie running back LeSean McCoy made the most of his opportunity with a rare start. The rookie feasted on the spotlight gaining 82 yards on the ground including a dynamite 66-yard scamper to pay-dirt. (15 fantasy points)

Players not quite earning their way to this honor roll, but drawing some attention include;

TE-Spencer Havner……….(21-yards, 2-touchdowns)

WR-Percy Harvin………….(86-yards, 1-touchdown)

RB-Justin Fargas…………..(79-yards, 1-touchdown)

TE-Dustin Keller……………(76-yards, 1-touchdown)

FB-Leonard Weaver……….(75-yards, 1-touchdown)

WR-Braylon Edwards…….(74-yards, 1-touchdown)

TE-Kevin Boss……………….(70-yards, 1-touchdown)

The Bums (Duds)

(Less than 5 fantasy points)

And of course where you find the “haves” you will find the “have-nots.” Here are your week 8 fantasy studs that left their “A” game for another day and brought their “D” for “Dud” game instead.

There is word that Trent Edwards could return to the lineup; after Ryan Fitzpatrick’s 117 yard passing day with two interceptions and no touchdowns, the sooner the better. (zero fantasy points).

After scoring in three straight games, the Dolphins running back Ronnie Brown only totaled 29 yards on Sunday. That won’t pay the rent. (two fantasy points)

The Jet’s rookie running back Shonn Greene goes from the penthouse one week, to the outhouse the next. Greene rushed for only 18 yards on eight carries with a fumble. (minus one fantasy point)

The Jaguar’s top receiver Mike Sims-Walker scored twice in their first meeting, but on Sunday he was a huge disappointment against the Titans. Sims-Walker finished with just nine receiving yards. (zero fantasy points)

There was no bigger disappointment on Sunday than the one for all of the Steve Slaton fantasy owners. Slaton was expected to be a player this season, but on Sunday he hardly played after a costly fumble (his seventh this season). Slaton finished the day with 11 total yards. (minus one fantasy point)

Fantasy owners that are waiting on wide receiver Eddie Royal to get going in 2009 are only becoming more frustrated. The Broncos speedy wideout finished Sunday with just 10 receiving yards. (one fantasy point)

For all the money the team paid to wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh, they are just not seeing any returns this season; 24 receiving yards on Sunday. (two fantasy points)

The Bronco’s wide receiver Brandon Marshall may be saying all the right things now off the field, but he’s still yet to do all the big things he did a season ago; 24 receiving yards on Sunday. (two fantasy points)

The Rams second year receiver Donnie Avery is just not having that breakout season some fantasy owners had hoped he would have; 15 receiving yards on Sunday. (one fantasy points)

Injuries played a huge part in putting these two duds on our list this week; Anquan Boldin caught just three passes for 23 yards and Owen Daniels had just one catch for 22 yards.

By David Ortega

Check back for more weekly “Earners and Bums”

FSH: MONDAY NIGHT MATCHUP

October 19th, 2009 3:30pm

Monday Night Matchup

Denver Broncos

Vs

San Diego Chargers

Redemption!

It’s probably much more than anyone would have thought when the 2009 regular season began, but the importance of tonight's Monday Night matchup is magnified for many reasons. This has become much more than a simple divisional rivalry game; for both teams tonight will be about "Redemption."

The defending AFC West Champions are in trouble; struggling with their ground game and their defense playing very poor of late getting punched in the mouth and surrendering 38 points to the Steelers back in week 4. With harsh criticism coming from their own front office after being called out by their GM, the Chargers will be looking to re-establish themselves as AfC contended. A win tonight will not put them back in first place, but it will give them much needed momentum and a huge step in the direction of recapturing (the AFC West Division) what they feel is rightfully theirs.

On the other side, things could not be any better for the Denver Broncos winners of their first five games this season. Following their stormy and humble beginnings, first year head coach Josh McDaniels has brought this team a long way. After his questionable moves in the offseason it appears McDaniels has had the answers all along. Part of the answer to those intriguing offseason equations, was the hiring of defensive coordinator Mike Nolan. With a lot of the pieces starting to come together and the Broncos playing well, there is still much to prove and for many of the Denver players last season's finale loss to San Diego 52-21 weighs on the mind.

With one team flying a mile high and the other trying to stay afloat this tale seems to be of two teams heading into opposite directions. Tonight they meet and we'll see if the Broncos are the real deal and in control of the West or if the Chargers can get this thing (their season) turned it around. Either way one team will find "Redemption" at the conclusion of tonight's affair.

Monday Night's Fantasy Notes:

Broncos:
Kyle Orton is starting to blossom into another Cassel, but with as many weapons as there are in Denver, his numbers could become more Brady-like. This season Orton has passed for 1,236 yards and seven touchdowns in 2009. For the Broncos the passing game will be key and wide receivers Brandon Marshall (24 receptions) and Eddie Royal (18) will play a big part. The Bronco's will have an added bonus tonight with the return of running back Correll Buckhalter (267 yards rushing). Rookie running back Knowshon Moreno (337 yards rushing) anchors the ground game.

Chargers:
For San Diego the offense starts with quarterback Philip Rivers. Since the recent decline of running back LaDanian Tomlinson (recent injuries have limited his play) over the past couple of seasons, Rivers has really blossomed into the teams most consistent playmaker. Without missing a beat, the Chargers quarterback continues to make plays with his arm passing for 1,245 yards in four games and throwing six touchdowns. He most reliable targets have been his tight end Antonio Gates (24 receptions) and wide receiver Vincent Jackson (20 receptions). With LT being limited this season, the Bolts have had to look to scat back Darren Sproles (90 yards rushing).

Prediction:
The Bolts can be an explosive offense, but facing a much improved Bronco's defense they may need more than a passing game to compete in this one.

Broncos 33, Chargers 20.

Remember to check back each week for "Monday Night Matchup"

FSH: THAT'S MY TAKE

October 15th, 2009 10:37pm PST

THAT’S MY TAKE

Flying A Mile High



When NFL Training camps opened back in late July, very few people, if any thought the Broncos would have a 2009 season to savor. With a new regime taking over and many changes taking place this team had more of the look of rebuilding, than contending.

Following what could only have been described as a disastrous and tumultuous beginning with the trading of former franchise quarterback Jay Cutler, the Broncos new Head Coach Josh McDaniels appears to have made a complete one-eighty. After all McDaniels was replacing what some may have considered to be one of the leagues best head coaches and offensive masterminds (Mike Shanahan). Shanahan had led the Broncos to back to back Super Bowl victories with the last coming in 1999, but after a decade of struggling it seemed change was overdue.

When Pat Bowlen made the decision to go in a new direction this past offseason, even with his credentials McDaniels hardly seemed to be the right fit. The young up and coming offensive coordinator was busy making a name for himself in New England as an offensive guru himself.

For the past several seasons one of the Broncos major deficiencies and their biggest Achilles heel last year was the defense. A season ending meltdown (three game losing streak), culminated by a 52-21 loss that ended any postseason hope told Bowlen all he needed to know; new blood was in order.

Enter the young Mr. McDaniels, whose youthful exuberance and charismatic spirit has breathed new life into the franchise and the city. With his arrival came difficult, but needed changes. One of his first and perhaps least publicized (at least didn’t cause much of a stir), yet key decisions that has this team riding a wave of orange was the hiring of Mike Nolan.

A New Improved D…


Nolan brings with him the pedigree of winner as a defensive coordinator. His defenses of the past have built a reputation for being aggressive, bringing pressure, and most critical causing turnovers; all areas that the 2008 Broncos lacked. This season playing a new 3-4 scheme under Nolan the defense has racked up 16 sacks, held their opponents to 43 total points this season, and recorded 11 takeaways.

Of course Nolan is only as good as the talent he coaches and another credit to McDaniels, the key free agent signings made in the offseason. Like a glove Andra Davis (former Brown), Renaldo Hill (former Dolphin), and Darrell Reid (former Colt) have all stepped in to play a big part in the defenses turnaround. Without question the biggest signing was the acquisition of former Eagle’s safety Brian Dawkins. His leadership and infectious sell out attitude has this defense playing at a level like the city hasn’t seen in some time.

Offense is coming around….

Just as the firing of Shanahan was blasted in some circles, McDaniel’s hiring came with its’ own criticism. A franchise that needed a defensive injection instead brought in the next Mike Shanahan. The comparisons were obvious; McDaniels had accomplished great things as the offensive coordinator in New England with Tom Brady and helped a seeming mid-level talent like Cassel blossom. It was McDaniel’s offense that Brady ran in 2007 when he rewrote the record books with 50 touchdown passes.

With the defense suddenly playing inspired ball this season, it has taken McDaniel’s “Patriot’s West” offense a little more time to get simmering. Only last Sunday against the Patriots did the Bronco’s offense start to resemble something of what many that they would see in 2009. In their win over New England the Broncos had 27 first downs, ran up 424 yards of offense, and held the ball for over 36 minutes; characteristic of a McDaniels offense. The next step in their evolution will obviously be more points.

With players like Marshall and Royal beginning to hit their stride in the passing game and the rookie Knowshon Moreno anchoring the ground game (when he holds onto the ball), the Bronco's have what appears to be a potented offense. And with a supporting cast of Gaffney, Scheffler, Buckhalter, and Hillis; these guys are only going to make for long days for opposing defensive coordinators. If last Sunday against the Patiriots is any indication of the potential of this unit, their ceiling appears to be a mile high.

A Big Test Lies Ahead……

With everything starting to click in Denver and McDaniel’s team 5-0, there is still much to prove for this highly scrutinized over-achieving ball club. In the first couple of weeks, it was “they haven’t played anyone” and then last week, "well they’re always better at home." This may very well be a recurring theme all season long, but one fact that is hard to escape, this coming Monday night is going to be a tough road test no matter how you look at it. In recent history, the Chargers have owned the Broncos and with their team sputtering, this divisional matchup will be critical.

So far the Broncos have yet to really be perfect this season, but with a little lady luck they stand 5-0 and atop the AFC West with a two and a half game lead over the Chargers. Monday night is yet another test for McDaniels and his boys, but one if passed should not only satisfy the critics, but legitimize this team as the 'real deal.'

That’s my take.


By David Ortega

Check back every week for more of “That’s My Take”

FSH: THE FANTASY SPORTS ZONE (QWIK FIXX)

October 14th, 2009 9:37pm PST

THE FANTASY FIXX

Target Practice: Week Six in the NFL

Once again if you are hoping to set a winning lineup for the coming weekend, you’re going to need the recipe for success. And like all good recipes, you need some tasty ingredients that will make your mouth water.

Not sure if this guy is for real or if that guy can do it again, then dig a little deeper and take a look at the numbers; numbers don’t lie. With week six approaching fast, there’s no time to stumble, take aim because you’ve targeted the right place and we’ve got your fix.

Who’s worried….
Put him in a new uniform and in a new city and the old Braylon Edwards returns making one exciting grab after the other. Monday night was a trip down memory lane for some and a reminder of what Edwards is capable of doing when he gets the opportunity. It looks like the change of scenery is working well for Braylon who finished Monday’s game with five catches, but most notable were the 11 total passes thrown his direction. His total numbers in week five didn’t set any houses on fire, but it looks like this Edwards and “Kid Sensation” could just be getting started.

It took one question about the chemistry between he and his quarterback to spark the Bronco’s second year receiver Eddie Royal. Last week when asked, Orton responded that there were no issues, that he and Royal had a great mix; 15 passes and 10 receptions later and I would say he was right.

It certainly appears that Wes Welker is back or at least Tom Brady seems to think so. Welker has been slowed with a knee injury this season, but that has not stopped his quarterback from calling his number. In Welker’s last two games he’s only total 134 yards receiving with 14 catches, but the truth is Brady has looked his way 26 times. At some point Welker will start putting up his normal numbers, and as long as he’s healthy enough to go, expect to see Brady look his way.

Keep your Eye on these gems…
Last week the rookie in Philly, Jeremy Maclin blew up for big yards and two scores. On the afternoon, McNabb pulled the trigger on his newest weapon eight times and the two connected twice for long strikes; a 51 yard touchdown pass and a 40 yard touchdown pass. Over the past two games Maclin has been targeted just 15 times, but after Sunday’s showcase you can bet that number will rise.

In Denver with so many weapons in the passing game there hardly seems to be any chance for any other receivers not named Marshall or Royal. Well that doesn’t appear to be the case for wide receiver Jabar Gaffney. He’s not been the most productive option in Denver, but he has no fewer that four targets in a single game this season and eight last Sunday were the most. With the offense seeming to be heating up (48 pass attempts last week), Gaffney could become more relevant than what most thought.

Here is the breakdown for fantasy pass catchers (targets) this season;

Through five weeks:

Top-30 Targeted Pass-catchers

Player..........................................Target

1. Johnson, Andre WR HOU............52
2. Burleson, Nate WR SEA..............49
3. Smith, Steve WR NYG...............49
4. Moss, Randy WR NE.................48
5. Wayne, Reggie WR IND.............48
6. Ochocinco, Chad WR CIN...........46
7. Houshmandzadeh, T.J. WR SEA...45
8. Clark, Dallas TE IND.................42
9. Smith, Steve WR CAR...............42
10. Winslow, Kellen TE TB..............42
11. Holmes, Santonio WR PIT..........41
12. Johnson, Calvin WR DET...........41
13. Welker, Wes WR NE................41
14. Ward, Hines WR PIT................40
15. Davis, Vernon TE SF................39
16. Holt, Torry WR JAC.................39
17. Daniels, Owen TE HOU.............38
18. Boldin, Anquan WR ARI.............37
19. Gage, Justin WR TEN...............37
20. Marshall, Brandon WR DEN.........37
21. Royal, Eddie WR DEN...............37
22. Washington, Nate WR TEN........37
23. Clayton, Mark WR BAL.............36
24. Cotchery, Jerricho WR NYJ........36
25. White, Roddy WR ATL.............36
26. Carlson, John TE SEA..............35
27. Fitzgerald, Larry WR ARI..........35
28. Gates, Antonio TE SD..............35
29. Manningham, Mario WR NYG......35
30. Moss, Santana WR WAS...........35
31. Muhammad, Muhsin WR CAR......35

Check back every Monday for more “Fantasy Fixx”

FSH: WATERCOOLER CHAT

October 14th, 2009 10:15pm PST

WATERCOOLER CHAT

The Weekly Waiver Wire

Wayne "The Wire" Bosco
(Courtesy of the Fantasy Football Gang)

With no stop in sight, the Waiver Wire keeps moving on and with week six coming up our good buddy Wayne has more insight for the coming weekend. Grab a cold one and take notes, because if Wayne doesn’t know, then this could be some funny stuff to share with your buddies;

Week Six

Anytime you have a receiver that can catch a Peyton Manning pass, you've got a pretty good option available. As was the case last Sunday when rookie receiver Austin Collie blew up for 8 receptions, 97 yards, and two touchdowns. Like any of Peyton's secondary options they're a hit and miss, but with Collie comes great upside. The rookie won't be in action on Sunday (bye week), but consider him a possible week 7 fill-in.

Quietly in a blowout loss against the Vikings the Rams perennial number one playmaking receiver Donnie Avery finally showed a little life and some spunk. Avery made seven grabs on the day including a 27 yard touchdown, but it was his three catches with Bulger in the game that should draw your attention. Bulger is on track to return Sunday against the Jaguars and Avery has much better chemistry with him. The Jags struggle against the pass, so look for Avery to respond with a nice outing.

With starter Roy Williams on the tank this past week with a shoulder injury, backup Miles Austin stepped up. Austin took advantage of the opportunity turning in a career day with 10 catches and 250 yards receiving with two touchdowns. Like the Colts, Austin and the Cowboys will be enjoying a bye week this Sunday, but he could be a solid pickup for week 7. Williams is due to return, but Austin has surely earned some additional playing time and extra looks from his QB.

“Wayne’s Word”

Once again always looking for the hottest pickups each week, Wayne offers his best word for week six;

In Philly this jewel is already starting to shine in the Eagles passing game. Rookie receiver Jeremy Maclin turned in a spectacular performance last Sunday and would appear to be obvious choice to assume starting duties opposite DeSean Jackson. Even though the Iggles have the Raiders and shutdown corner Nnamdi Asomugha up next, Maclin looks like a very good option this Sunday with Jackson likely to draw much attention.

Playing the Fantasy GM

Don-Pietro "The GM" Zamboni

Get’em off your BenchSometimes you have to believe that the stars are beginning to align and that your stud is ready to bust out. It’s a crap shoot sometimes, but if you read the signs and just check the night time sky, you can see the stars. It’s always tough to sit your stud, but it’s equally as difficult to know when you have to get him back in there; coming off a strong performance is usually a good sign.

The GM Game
When you are a fantasy GM you have to love science. When consider tendencies, probability, and odds to make tough decisions, then throw that all out the window, you have to love fantasy. Last week we talked about shelving guys who weren’t performing and at the turn of a screw, that can all change in a New York minute.

Sometimes you have to reevaluate and then reevaluate again to see true value. And just when you think you got it, start again and take another look. Let’s face it, tough decisions are going to cost you some games, but they can also win you a championship. This week these are the guys that you’ll need to get into your lineup soon.

Who you need to play….

It didn't take long for Eddie Royal to shake his sophomore jinx and breakout with a big day. The Bronco's offense really celicked last week and figures to get better and it's safe to expect Eddie to be a big part.

The Chiefs didn't come out with a win last week, but they did learn they can have success with the pass. Quarterback Matt Cassel had great success with the hurry-up offense and rediscovered his talented receiver Dwayne Bowe. Word is Haley plans to employ more of the hurry-up, so look for Bowe to get going and get hot soon.

Monday night showcased a couple of young and talented wideouts that aparently are ready to fly.

The Jets recently acquired wide receiver Braylon Edwards from the Browns and quickly showed why they like this kid. Edwards making the quick start caught five balls for 64 yards and score. Expect the Jets to feature Edwards in the pass game and he needs to be on your roster.

The Dolphins have a talented kid that could be coming around soon. With quarterback Chad Henne suddenly looking Marino-like engineering a late 4th quarter comeback, Wide receiver Ted Ginn Jr has found his appeal. The Dolphins third year receiver has shown promise, but now with a big-arm quarterback, he'll start delivering. This past Monday Ginn caught just two passes, but one was for a 53 yard touchdown and enough for owners to see he just might need to be in your lineup.

Keep checking back for more football....

By David G. Ortega