NFL Week 6 Final

Sunday's games ran the gamut from two shutouts to two shoot-outs. Let's go around the country for a quick wrap up and commentary.

Patriots beat the Titans 59-0: The return of Junior Seau.... What's Jeff Fisher to do, conduct a human sacrifice to scare his team into performing? Brady threw for six TDs in snow and slush and an undrafted rookie played the bulk of the second half at QB to blunt the shots that Belichick was piling on.

Buffalo Bills beat the Jets in OT 16-13: Ryan's defense wasn't bullied like last week but then again, the offense disappeared and special teams failed him. Sanchez threw five INTs, a botched snap in OT doomed a FG, stupid penalties made it worse and Thomas Jones romped for a Jets record well over 200 yards in a wasted effort. Different coach, different players, same old Jets.

Raiders beat the Eagles 13-9: Yes you read that right. McNabb was shut out while JaMarcus Russell hit Zach Miller for an 86 yd. score. Camera shots of Al Davis with blanket on his lap in his special chair are just plain sad; or mean depending on your view. With nothing working why didn't Philly use the Wildcat?

Arizona Cardinals beat the Seahawks 24-3: Seattle got punched in the mouth early in the first quarter and never recovered. It couldn't get on the field until 11 minutes had ticked off the clock. Hasselbeck got manhandled with five sacks and Kurt Warner became fastest to throw for career 30,000 yards.

Carolina Panthers beat the Buccaneers 28-21: The Bucs keep getting closer to a win but are now losing to other bad teams. Jake Delhomme remained upright by handing off the ball to Williams and Stewart for 257 yards. Even two INTs that gave the Bucs two scores couldn't spoil the Panthers' day.

Falcons beat the Bears 21-14: Bears @ Falcons was the Sunday Night game. Not a pretty game but one in which red zone mistakes cost the Bears a win. Here's a hint of what it was like: Jay Cutler ran for more yards than any RB on either team. A game that appeared even on paper and was played out that way. A defensive pass interference penalty had the Bears at the Atlanta 14 with 1:07 left but they couldn't convert. The battle of the Smiths had Mike defeating Lovey. See these two meet again in the playoffs.

Kansas City beats the Redskins 14-6: Todd Haley got his first win as head coach and after the game SI's Peter King reported that the Redskins stripped Coach Jim Zorn of his play calling duties. Well that should take care of it, right? Despite benching Jason Campbell, Washington couldn't score a TD.

Saints beat the NY Giants 48-27: Were Giants exposed or was it just one of those weeks? Hard to tell since the Saints never seemed to be doing anything other than scoring one way or another. Brandon Jacobs had only 33 yards. Not sure if that is the start of a problem that is arising or just a symptom of the game getting away? Drew Brees gets back on track as he throws for four TDs.

Pittsburgh beats the Browns 27-14: Steelers continue dominance over the Brown but Big Ben thinks team offense wasn't as good as he thought it would be. Browns highlights: QB completed 9 passes! Oh, and Joshua Cribbs 98 yard kickoff return for a TD.

Jacksonville beats the Rams in OT 23-20: Jones-Drew goes off for three TDs but Rams made it more than interesting. St. Louis remains winless and Rams head coach Steve Spagnuolo looked liked a beaten dog in post-game interview. Rams extend the NFL's longest losing streak to 16 games.

Minnesota beats the Ravens 33-31: But for a last-second missed FG the Ravens would have stolen the magic out from under Favre and the Vikings. Adrian Peterson finally cracked the 100 yd. rushing mark, and Ray Rice ran caught for a monster fantasy game. Flacco held his own but Favre is on a mission. Neither team's vaunted defense could hold the other.

Houston beat the Bengals 28-17: Matt Schaub made his fantasy owners happy with four TDs and there was no winning final drive this week for Cincinnati. Chad Eight-Five had a great day but Andre Johnson, held without a TD had 135 yards receiving.

Green Bay beat the Lions 26-0: Two shutouts in one day for the NFL. Not good. Aaron Rodgers still got clobbered with five sacks (does his O-line dislike him?) but threw for 2 TDs and 350 yards. Detroit looked awful and lost another QB as Culpepper pulled a hamstring.

Broncos beat the Chargers Broncos 34-23: The Broncos were on Monday Night Football for the 18th straight season, which is the longest active streak in the NFL (mention that one at the water cooler today for 2 points.) The Chargers were able to convert on just 2 of 11 third-down opportunities. Denver's defense swarmed Philip Rivers, and three of its five sacks came on third down. Kyle Orton just moves the chains.

Mike Cardano is the founder of the Around the Horn Baseball Blog and the Extra Point Football Blog. Mike is also the founder of the fantasy sports games Ultimate Franchise BaseballTM and Ultimate Franchise FootballTM.

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Why does management hate Kellen Clemens?

What did Kellen Clemens do that was so bad that the Jets constantly go out of their way to make certain that he does not play?

It begs the question, if what he did was that bad, why is he still on the team? Are they punishing him by banishing him to the bench?

Did Clemens rape a member of the Johnson family or something? By the lengths they are taking to keep him OFF the field you might think so. (Ok, maybe not rape, but possibly a gentle molestation.)

Clemens' base salary this year is $535,000 ($937,500) if you include his prorated 1.6 million dollar signing bonus he got with his July 28, 2006 contract. His 1.6 million was spread over 4 years in addition to his salary of $275,000 (2006), $360,000 (2007), $445,000 (2008) and $535,000 (2009).

Clemens was the Jets 2nd round pick in 2006, the 49th player picked in the draft. He had a pretty decent career at Oregon. If he was at a college that gets more PR he would have been a pretty high profile guy.

When Chad Pennington got hurt in 2007 Clemens started 8 games. The Jets went 3-5 under Clemens and he was serviceable. Nothing that would catapult him into being THE GUY but no worse that many QB's have in their 1st 8 games. In fact, batter than many who became great QB's.

He lost out to Pennington in 2006, he lost out to Pennington again in 2007, he lost out to Brett Favre in 2008 (not much of a fair fight there, but he was about to lose out to Pennington again anyway), and he lost out to 1st Round pick rookie Mark Sanchez in 2009.

Yesterday, the NY Jets rookie QB Mark Sanchez in his 6th professional career game (he only played 16 college games) faded back to pass 29 times and connected on 15 of them. 10 times the ball went the Jets, 5 times it went to the Bills, and the other 19 times the ball hit the ground with no one catching hit (which I guess should be considered a positive compared to the 5 interceptions.)

I don't care who you are. You could be Joseph Willie Namath. You could be Peyton Manning, a rookie, a veteran it doesn't matter. At some point, after 3 interceptions, 4 interceptions, 5 interceptions, ....... there has to be a unanimous consensus between the 80,000 people in the stands, the millions watching on TV, the offensive coordinator, the head coach, the team owner, the QB's mother an anyone who is even heard second hand what is going on that it's not your day and you have to come out of the game and the back-up has to go it.

After Sanchez threw 4 interceptions did they think that Clemens would throw 2 more and Sanchez would only throw 1 more so the lesser of two evils was to leave Sanchez in? If you didn't put the back-up guy in on a day like yesterday, exactly when would you do it? The Jets would have received a $535,000 Salary Cap Savings if they just cut him this year. Instead, they have a kid QB that desperately needs to sit, relax, watch and learn for a bit and a back-up who apparently, the coach can't or won't play.

A buddy of mine in our office has Rex Ryan's cell phone number. He left the following message during 4th quarter of the game.

"Rex, you are paying the guy $937,500 this year! He's standing there with a baseball cap on freezing his ass off! Put him in the game and let's see what he can do, the other guy doesn't have it today! It doesn't mean that you are calling him the starter. It doesn't mean that you are creating a QB controversy; you have to try to win the game!"

Whatever Clemens did must have been really bad....... - Keith A. Baker

Keith A. Baker is a sports agent in Stamford, Connecticut. His goal is to offer a unique insight to the world of sports. Comments in his columns are for entertainment purposes only and do not reflect the views and opinions of his firm or his client.

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Roto-Rx

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The Doctor is in...

Question #1: Do you expect Cedric Benson to continue this success? – Hank, Harrisburg, PA

Hank: Ced Benson has really been a surprise this year. He looks fast and has regained the swagger that he lost over the last few years. With Palmer and a good WR corps in Cincy, there should be no reason why he couldn't continue his success. He won't see any 8 man fronts and so long as he stays injury free, should be fine.

Question #2: Do you see any meaningful trades happening at the trade deadline or was the Braylon Edwards deal it? – Patrick, Texas A&M University (GO AGGIES!)

Patrick: Dr. Roto would be surprised to see any big deals go down in the NFL before Tuesday's deadline. Names like Bowe, Cribbs, etc have been floating around, but Dr. Roto tends to doubt that anything big will happen. Football trades are less prominent than baseball trades (perhaps due to the fact that there is no minor league in football). Whoop!

Question #3: Is Matt Hasselbeck a good play now? – Maurice, Seattle, WA

Maurice: As my friend Big V likes to say, Hasselbeck is the best bald QB in the NFL. And when healthy, (which he seemed to be last week) a definite fantasy starter.

Question #4: After the first 5 games, who has had the most impressive rookie fantasy impact player? – Claude, Baker City, OR

Claude: Probably a toss-up between Mark Sanchez, Percy Harvin, and Knowshon Moreno. Sanchez started out hot, but has tailed off a bit. Harvin's numbers have not been spectacular, but he has caught some TD's. Moreno has started to pick it up a bit recently and looks like a real player out there in Denver. He was a stud at Georgia; it is good to see him running hard and getting tons of reps. BTW D. Heyward-Bey will go down as one of the worst picks in NFL history (think Tony Mandarich).

Question #5: Do you see significant playing time for David Clowney as the year progresses? – Carney, Hamilton, TX

Carney: Not really unless there is an injury for the JETS. This week, he makes a terrific play as Cotchery is out. But long-term, he will sit behind Cotchery and Braylon.

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NY Jets - Miami Dolphins rivalry stands alone as truly one of a kind

It isn't the NFL's longest standing rivalry, but in a class of most bizarre and strange happenings, the Miami Dolphins - New York Jets rivalry stands alone as truly one of a kind. This rivalry has produced some of the most memorable moments, dramatic finishes, miraculous comebacks, and exciting classic shootouts the NFL has ever seen.

The Dolphins face the Jets tonight on Monday Night Football in an AFC East rivalry that throws off intensity that you don't often find in the NFL. It's more like a great college football rivalry. Sure the Patriots have been the class of the AFC East for some time now, but if you grew up as a Dolphins or Jets fan the 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s, the Jets vs. Dolphins rivalry is where it’s at.

The Jets hold the all-time series lead in this rivalry at 46-40-1. As for tonight, Miami and their Wildcat offense will wear their orange jerseys for only the fourth time in team history and the first time since 2004. They will be going up against one of the best defenses in the NFL and see the debut of Braylon Edwards as NY Jet.

The game is has sub-stories all around. Pennington out for the year, Parcells at the helm, Mark Sanchez responding to adversity, the Chad Henne era, Braylon Edwards, the Wildcat, the Seminole, and it goes on and on.

Let’s take a look at just a few of the memories this rivalry has produced. I could mention sub-stories for every year, you may have other games prominent in your head, but here are what I think are the top 15 Jets / Dolphins moments / games (in chronological order).

Dec. 2, 1969 in NY: - Joe Namath out-slugs Bob Griese:

In a game featuring two Hall of Fame quarterbacks, Joe Namath and Bob Griese put on a show that would catapult this rivalry for years to come. This game had six lead changes from two high powered offenses as both defensives struggled tremendously. But in the end, it was "Broadway" Joe and the Jets that prevailed by a small margin.     Result: New York 34 Miami 31

Nov. 19, 1972 in MIA: - Dolphins beat Jets to keep perfect season intact:

Miami was down during the entire game, but they still managed to keep up with the Jets. Miami scored the final touchdown of the game with less than 1:30 on the clock to keep their undefeated season intact. Miami went on to win Super Bowl VII and finish with an unprecedented, untouched 17-0 undefeated season. The NFL's only perfect season.     Result: Miami 28 New York 24

Jan. 23, 1983 in MIA: - A.J. Duhe stars in AFC Championship Mud Bowl:

Probably the biggest game in this rivalry to date was the 1983 AFC Championship, more appropriately known as "The Mud Bowl". After sweeping the Jets during the regular season by scores of 45-28 and 20-19, the two teams would meet again, this time with a trip to Super Bowl XVII on the line. A slippery, sloppy, muddy field kept both teams scoreless in the first half, however that would all change in the second half. All game, it was a classic defensive battle that featured ten turnovers, eight of them were quarterback interceptions. The star of the game was undoubtedly Dolphins linebacker A.J. Duhe who picked off three of Jets quarterback Richard Todd's five interceptions, returning one 35 yards for a touchdown which helped seal the win and sending Miami to Super Bowl XVII. It also marked the third time in Dolphins history that they shutout the Jets and the first time Miami defeated the Jets three times in one season.     Result: Miami 14 New York 0

Nov. 10, 1985 in MIA: - "Super" Duper's last minute heroic 50 yard touchdown catch:

After being sidelined for seven weeks with a broken leg, Mark "Super" Duper had the game of his life when he came back on this day to play the Jets. He set a Dolphins club single game record with 217 receiving yards, but not before helping Miami catapult to victory. Down 17-14 with less than a minute to play, Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino fired a 50 yard touchdown pass to "Super" Duper for the win.     Result: Miami 21 New York 17

Sept. 21, 1986 in NY: - Ken O' Brien outguns Dan Marino:

In one of the greatest, classic shootouts in NFL history, quarterbacks Ken O' Brien and Dan Marino put on an offensive performance no Dolphin or Jet fan should ever forget. Both defenses looked absolutely foolish as the two quarterbacks combined set NFL single game records of 884 net passing yards and ten touchdown passes, records that still stand to this day. Marino completed 30 of 50 passes for 448 yards and six touchdown passes. Mark Duper and Mark Clayton had big games each having over 100 yards receiving (Duper with 154, Clayton with 174). Ken O' Brien threw four touchdown passes all to wide receiver Wesley Walker, including the one in OT for the win.     Result: New York 51 Miami 45 / OT

Dec. 7, 1987 in MIA: - Marty Lyons clips Dwight Stephenson:

No Dolphin fan will ever forget. Mention the name Marty Lyons to any Dolphin fan, and emotion bordering on hatred will emerge. Miami won the game that night but came out of it with a HUGE loss. Marty Lyons and Dwight Stephenson were teammates at the University of Alabama and were good close friends up until that faithful night in Miami. The hit came on a fumble return when Marty Lyons took a cheap shot by going low and doing an illegal chop block right at the right knee of Dwight. Dwight's knee turned into a mangled mess with permanent ligament and nerve damage, forcing him to retire early. After the game, Marty Lyons so distraught over what he did, went to the Dolphins locker room to apologize, but Dolphins head coach Don Shula chased him out in one of the most ugly profanity-laced tirades in NFL history. Dwight Stephenson is known to many as the greatest center of all time when he was elected to the pro football hall of fame in 1998.     Result: Miami 37 New York 28

Oct. 23, 1988 in MIA: - Dan Marino throws for 500 yards...but loses:

Dan Marino put on another great performance however he came up short. On this day, Dan Marino joined a small, select few of quarterbacks to throw for more than 500 yards in a single game. Marino threw for a career high 521 yards (NFL record: 554 by Norm Van Brocklin). Marino completed 35 0f 60 passes, threw for three touchdown passes, but five interceptions led to his demise.     Result: New York 44 Miami 30

Nov. 12, 1989 in NY: - Pete Stoyanovich's 59 yard field goal:

The second longest field goal in NFL history at the time was made in this game when Miami kicker Pete Stoyanovich nailed a 59 yard field goal with less than 2:30 on the clock to help seal the win.     Result: Miami 31 New York 23

Dec. 22, 1991 in MIA: - Season Finale - Winner takes all, Loser goes home:

The season finale in 1991 between the Jets and Dolphins had so much on the line. The winners would clinch the final AFC Wildcard spot in the playoffs, and the losers would have their season come to an end. It was a seesaw battle all game, but in the end it would be another chapter in this storied rivalry. Miami took the lead 20-17 with 44 seconds remaining, however when the Jets got the ball, they drove down the field, and tied the game to force OT on Paul Allegre's 44 yard field goal. Allegre came through for the Jets once again in OT with a 30 yard field goal, sending the Jets in the playoffs, and sending Miami home.     Result: New York 23 Miami 20 / OT

Nov. 27, 1994 in NY: - Dan Marino's infamous "fake spike":

Undoubtedly the single greatest play in Dan Marino's glorious career. What Dan Marino did on this play absolutely tortured the Jets and their fans so bad, it would haunt them for years to come. Heading into the fourth quarter, Miami was down 24-6 and were simply being outplayed. Marino, however never gave up. He drove the Dolphins to two scores, thus making the score 24-21. Marino got the ball one last time and on this drive, single handedly changed the course of history for the entire Jets franchise. Marino drove the Dolphins down the field and within the Jets five yard line. With 30 seconds remaining, and the clock continuing to wind down, it appeared Marino was going to spike the ball to stop the clock and send out the field goal unit to tie the game. But the kick was never needed. Instead, Marino took the snap from center, and fired the ball in the corner of the end zone, passed Aaron Glenn and into the hands of Mark Ingram. When the snap happened, the entire Jets defense froze thinking Marino spiked the ball. It was Mark Ingram's fourth touchdown catch of the game, which tied a club record with former Dolphins wide receiver Paul Warfield. Miami went on to win and as for the Jets, after that play, for the rest of that year and the following two years, the Jets compiled a record of 4-32. The "fake spike" destroyed the Jets franchise for two years, while during that time, Miami won one AFC East Division title and made the playoffs both years.     Result: Miami 28 New York 24

Dec. 13, 1998 in MIA: Sunday Night Football for the Division lead:

After starting 4-0 only to lose to the 1-2 New York Jets in New York by a score of 20-9, these two teams would meet again, this time with identical 9-4 records with the division lead, and possibly the division title on the line. The Jets walked away from this game with the win, the lead, and ultimately their first AFC East Division Title. The Jets would go all the way to the AFC Championship game, only to lose to Denver 23-10. As far as Miami goes, Miami would make it to the second round of the playoffs, only to get blown out by Denver 38-3. Denver eliminated both New York and Miami from the playoffs that year.     Result: New York 21 Miami 16

Oct. 23, 2000 in NY: - The Monday Midnight Miracle at the Meadowlands:

It wasn't the 1992 AFC Wildcard game where the Bills made up a 32 point deficit to beat the Oilers 41-38 in overtime, but it sure was similar. Many people say it was the greatest Monday Night Football game in NFL history, and also one of the greatest comebacks in NFL History. The Jets and Dolphins waged a war so big, that the game lasted over four hours. In the first half, everything went right for the Dolphins. They had a long touchdown run, a long touchdown pass, and a trio of field goals. As far as the Jets, everything that could go wrong, did. Quarterback Vinny Testaverde threw three interceptions, running back Curtis Martin had 30 yards on the ground, and the Jets could only manage two first downs in the first half. At halftime, the score was 23-7 in favor of Miami. By the end of the 3rd quarter, Miami had a commanding 30-7 lead and ironically, in the most memorable quote during the game, Dolphins quarterback Jay Fiedler walked over to defensive end Jason Taylor and said this: 

Jay: "They ain't coming back on us!"
Jason: "Hell No! You Kidding?! C'mon now."

The jinx was set. From the start of the fourth quarter, the floor fell out from underneath Miami. Vinny Testaverde threw a pair of touchdown passes, one almost intercepted by Dolphins cornerback Sam Madison but caught by Jets receiver Laverneus Coles. The score now went from 30-7, to 30-13, to 30-20. The Jets kept clicking and Miami kept faltering. After a field goal by John Hall, narrowing the margin even more, Vinny Testaverde fired a touchdown pass to Wayne Chrebet to tie the game 30-30. Before the fourth quarter, the Jets were so bad, their fans were actually leaving the stadium. Now all of a sudden, the Jets tied the game and the fans were piling into the stadium again. After the Wayne Chrebet touchdown, it took only two plays for Miami to respond. Jay Fiedler fired a long touchdown pass to Leslie Shepard to retake the lead 37-30. Vinny Testaverde was then given one last chance to tie the game. With less than a minute left on the clock, and the Jets inside Miami's five yard line, the most memorable play of the game happened when Testaverde hit his offensive tackle Jumbo Elliott for a touchdown pass on a tackle eligible play. The score was now 37-37 going into OT. After playing absolutely miserable in the first three quarters, Vinny Testaverde was 18 for 26 for 235 yards and four touchdowns in the fourth quarter alone. He threw five touchdowns overall. After having only five first downs in the first three quarters, the Jets had a whopping 20 in the fourth. In OT, Jay Fiedler was picked off for the third time which set up the dramatic finish. John Hall nailed a 40 yard field goal capping off a 23-point, fourth quarter deficit forever known to Jet fans as the "Monday Midnight Miracle at the Meadowlands".     Result: New York 40 Miami 37 / OT

Oct. 14, 2001 in NY: - Miracle at the Meadowlands..Part II:

It wasn't as dramatic as one year earlier, but the game ended in similar fashion. Once again, for the second consecutive year in New York, the Jets were able to overcome a Miami deficit and secure a win. At halftime, Miami held a lead of 17-0 and outgained the Jets 250-27 in offensive yardage. That would change once again, and in similar fashion the Jets scored 21 unanswered points, which included two long touchdown passes from Vinny Testaverde to Laveranues Coles, and Curtis Martin rushing for 120 yards, which allowed New York to outgain Miami 159-19 in offensive yardage in the third quarter. In the closing moments of the game, Jay Fiedler was giving a chance to lead Miami to a comeback win, however an ill-advised throw in double coverage caused the pass to be picked off by linebacker Marvin Jones, clinching the win for the Jets by a score of 21-17. However the significance of the game happened at a Miami press conference after the game when Miami middle linebacker Zach Thomas came and spoke out about both teams claiming that both teams "suck", which led to their meeting only four weeks later.     Result: New York 21 Miami 17

Sept. 22, 2002 in MIA: - Miami ends eight game losing streak:

The Jets tortured Miami for eight straight games until this day. Two streaks were on the line. The Jets winning streak against Miami, and Miami had a 16 game home winning streak in the months of Sept. and Oct. However, at this time, guess which team was the last to beat the Dolphins in Miami in the months of Sept. and Oct.? Thats right - the New York Jets 24-14 in 1993. Plus, Miami was 2-0 heading into this game. Miami got a lot of help from their new running back Ricky Williams who rushed for 151 yards on 24 carries, including a 53 yard touchdown run. Miami whopped the Jets in this game and in a ironic twist of fate, it was after this game that Vinny Testaverde got benched and the new starting quarterback for the Jets, would be Chad Pennington.     Result: Miami 30 New York 3

Oct. 15, 2006 in NY: - The Miss - The Comeback that Could of Been:

So close, yet so far. Miami tried to exact some revenge from six years ago and have their own "Miracle at the Meadowlands". It was not meant to be. The Dolphins were heading into this game at 1-4 and searching for answers on offense, while the Jets even though at 2-3 were playing great football and playing in tight games. After a 3-0 halftime score in favor of the Jets, the Jets absolutely blew the Dolphins away when Jets kicker Mike Nugent hit another field goal, and quarterback Chad Pennington hit two long touchdown passes to Laveranues Coles to open the score up 20-3 with less than 13 minutes to play. Miami didn't give up though as Dolphins quarterback Joey Harrington who played miserable in the first three quarters was on fire in the fourth. He finished 27 of 43 for 266 yards with a touchdown strike to wide receiver Chris Chambers, but two interceptions cost him. The touchdown to Chris Chambers happened with less than nine minutes on the clock, narrowing the margin to 20-10. With less than four minutes of play time left, Dolphins running back Ronnie Brown, who had his first 100 yard rushing game of the season, had a one yard touchdown run, to narrow the score to 20-17. Miami got the ball one last time. Joey Harrington got Miami in striking distance by firing a trio of passes to wide receivers Wes Welker, Chris Chambers, and rookie Derek Hagan, as well as a strike to tight end Randy McMichael. Miami got in field goal range and called for their kicker Olindo Mare to attempt a 51 yard field goal with 33 seconds left to force OT. Mare kicked it but it was short and wide right, and the Jets held on to win as Miami will have to wait for its miracle another day.     Result: New York 20 Miami 17

Brain James is an independent sports journalist. Brian has been covering major professional sports for over 25 years.

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Roto-Rx - Answering Your Fantasy Football Questions

If your question was not answered this time, you can go directly to the source @ https://www.roto-rx.com/where Dr. Roto will answer all your Fantasy Baseball and Football questions.

The Doctor is in...

Question #1: Who gets a better bump in fantasy value, Mark Sanchez or Braylon Edwards from the Edwards move to NY? – Jonathan, Almador City, CA

Jonathan: Dr. Roto will say Sanchez. Edwards is another weapon that should help Sanchez find his other players a bit more (paging Dustin Keller) and open up the offense too.

Question #2: Would you start McNabb this week or wait a week? – Pat, Temple University

Pat: I don't know who your backups are, but McNabb should be a decent play this week against Tampa. Tampa has been horrible on defense and this game should be a nice transition game for McNabb as he recovers from his injury.

Question #3: I have two Steelers running backs and need to dump one to fill other needs. Should I keep Parker or Mendenhall? – Adam, Binghamton

Adam: Willie Parker is still not fully recovered from his injury. Mendenhall is a sure starter against Detroit. Short-term pick is Mendenhall, although keep listening to what Mike Tomlin says about the situation. Willie Parker may be football's version of Wally Pipp.

Question #4: I’ve been offered a trade, Steve Slaton for Brandon Jacobs. Should I pull the trigger for Slaton? – Tim, Baldwin Park, CA

Tim: Slaton finally had a good game last week against the Titans. Jacobs has been struggling somewhat this season, but should get healthy against the Raiders. Tough call here, but I think I would stay with Jacobs. Slaton seems a bit tentative in his running and has had problems holding onto the ball. Jacobs is on one of the top rushing teams in the NFL. Close one, though....

Question #5: Who is the better fantasy QB, Aaron Rodgers or Matt Schaub? – Douglas, Reno, NV

Douglas: Dr. Roto is a fan of both QB's this year. Rodgers has a great arm, plays in an explosive offense and runs very well for a QB. Big problems are that is OL stinks and he has the toughest playoff schedule around. Schaub has some big weapons in Houston. He just needs to stay injury free. Dr. Roto will take Rodgers by a hair...mainly because of those rushing yards which may add up as he runs for his life most games!

The Doctor is out...

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Roto-Rx

If your question was not answered this time, you can go directly to the source @ https://www.roto-rx.com/ where Dr. Roto will answer all your Fantasy Baseball and Football questions.

The Doctor is in...

Question #1: Do you think Michael Crabtree will have a fantasy impact THIS YEAR? – Elvis, Irving, TX

Elvis: Crabtree finally signed with the 49ers. Great for him, but not so special for fantasy leaguers. We are in Week 5 now and it should take him at least 4 weeks or so to get accustomed to what they are doing in SF. That put us at Week 9. Then he has to build some trust with Shaun Hill which takes time. Also, remember that the 49ers are a run first team. He may help later in the seaosn, but Dr. Roto is not counting on him.

Question #2: The Saints defense looked good last week. They are not taken in my league, should I grab them? – Lawrence, San Bernardino, CA

Lawrence: Go get 'em. The best part about the Saints is that their offense is so good that most teams will be playing catch up each week. That means more sacks and INT's. Dr. Roto loves the Darren Sharper pick up. The Former William and Mary grad has been a stud in the secondary for the past 12 years...he's way underrated as a defensive player.

Question #3: Which running back on the Dolphins will have the best fantasy year? – Dennis, Notre Dame University

Dennis: No brainer on this one...Ronnie Brown.

Question #4: Joe Flacco seems to be throwing more this year. Would you play him over rookie Mark
Sanchez? - Joseph, St. Petersburg, FL

Joseph: Flacco has a year under his belt and has the confidence of Cam Cameron and John Harbaugh. Sanchez has played well, but he is still a rookie. Flacco was Dr. Roto's sleeper QB before the year started ...no reason to get off his bandwagon now.

Question #5: What is your opinion of Brett Favre at this point in his career? Is he a viable option for my fantasy team? - Carlos, Arlington, TX

Carlos: Favre is a fantasy nightmare. He will have some great games, and he'll have some bad ones. The Vikings are a run first team with the best RB in the NFL. When Peterson has his great days, Favre could be looking at 15-22 for 150 yards and a TD. Favre makes for a great backup/BYE week play. He is certainly worth having on your roster...just not as a starter.

The Doctor is out...

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Monday Morning Quarterback

NFL Week #1 Recap

News, Notes and Tidbits from around the league

STANDOUT PERFORMERS

QB’s

Drew Brees, Saints, matched a franchise record with six touchdown passes, finishing with 358 yards in a 45-27 victory over the Lions.

Tony Romo, Cowboys, threw for a career-best 353 yards and three touchdowns without an interception in a 34-21 victory over the Buccaneers.

Joe Flacco, Ravens, threw for career highs of 307 yards and three touchdowns, including the go-ahead 31-yard score to Michael Clayton in a 38-24 victory over the Chiefs.

Matt Ryan, Falcons, threw for 229 yards and two touchdowns without an interception in a 19-7 victory over the Dolphins.

Peyton Manning, Colts, was 28 of 38 for 301 yards with a touchdown and an interception in a 14-12 victory over Jacksonville.

RECEIVERS

Brandon Stokley, Broncos, only caught one pass — but it was a big one. He grabbed a deflection and ran 87 yards with 11 seconds left to give Denver a 12-7 win over the Bengals.

Reggie Wayne, Colts, had 10 catches for 162 yards and what wound up being the decisive touchdown, a 35-yarder in the third quarter of a 14-12 win over Jacksonville.

Devery Henderson, Saints, caught five passes from Drew Brees, finishing with 103 yards and a touchdown in a 45-27 win over the Lions.

Patrick Crayton, Cowboys, had four catches for 135 yards and one of Tony Romo's three touchdown passes in a 34-21 win over Tampa Bay.

Tony Gonzalez, Falcons, caught five passes for a team-high 73 yards, including a 20-yard touchdown in a 19-7 win over Miami.

John Carlson, Seahawks, had six catches for 95 yards and two touchdowns in a 28-0 win over the Rams. The tight end also opened running lanes for Julius Jones, who had 117 yards rushing.

RUNNING BACKS

Adrian Peterson, Vikings, ran for 180 yards and three touchdowns, including a 64-yard run in the fourth quarter that sealed a 34-20 win over Cleveland.

Thomas Jones, Jets, ran for 107 yards and two touchdowns in a 24-7 win over Houston.

Mike Bell, Saints, ran 28 times for 143 yards in a 45-27 win over Detroit.

Ray Rice, Ravens, carried 19 times for 108 yards in a 38-24 victory over Kansas City.

Cadillac Williams, Buccaneers, ran 13 times for 97 yards and a touchdown while splitting time with Derrick Ward in a 34-21 loss to Dallas.

SPECIAL TEAMS

DeSean Jackson, Eagles, returned a punt 85 yards for a touchdown — the second longest in franchise history — during a 38-10 rout of the Panthers.

Jeff Reed, Steelers, kicked a 33-yard field goal with 10:28 left in overtime to give Pittsburgh a 13-10 victory over Tennessee.

Joshua Cribbs, Browns, scored on a 67-yard punt return for Cleveland's first touchdown in a 34-20 loss to the Vikings. His seventh career punt return TD tied Eric Metcalf for most in franchise history.

Hunter Smith, Redskins, scored from 8 yards on a fake field goal in the first half of a 23-17 loss to the Giants.

DEFENSE

Sheldon Brown and Darren Howard, Eagles. Brown made two of their five interceptions, and Howard had two of their five sacks in a 38-10 win over Carolina.

Kroy Biermann, Falcons, forced an early fumble in a 19-7 win over Miami. The backup defensive end also had a pair of sacks.

Victor Abiamiri, Eagles, picked up Jake Delhomme's fumble and plunged 2 yards for the go-ahead touchdown in the second quarter of what turned into a 38-10 rout.

Osi Umenyiora, Giants, ran back a fumble 37 yards in his return from a knee injury, leading the Giants to a 23-17 win over the Redskins.

YES A FRANCHISE CAN HIT ROCK BOTTOM IN WEEK #1

The Bengals have found plenty of ways to lose a ballgame over the last few years. This one may have trumped them all. Broncos wide receiver Brandon Stokley grabbed a deflected pass from quarterback Kyle Orton and raced 87 yards with 11 seconds left to give Denver a 12-7 victory. Stokley even burned a few extra seconds by taking his time going into the end zone.

EXPENSIVE MISCUES

Carolina quarterback Jake Delhomme was benched after completing only 7 of 17 passes for 73 yards and throwing four interceptions. He also lost a fumble in the 38-10 rout by the Eagles. Delhomme tossed five picks and lost a fumble in the Panthers' 33-13 playoff loss to Arizona in January, but still got a five-year, $42.5 million contract extension in April.

ROOKIE REPORT CARDS

Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez was impressive in his first career start, completing 18 of 31 passes for 272 yards with a touchdown and an interception in a 24-7 win at Houston. Sanchez became the fourth rookie quarterback since the merger to win his first start on opening day on the road. The Panthers' Chris Weinke beat Minnesota 24-13 in 2001; the Broncos' John Elway beat Pittsburgh 14-10 in 1983; and Buffalo's Joe Ferguson beat New England 31-13 in 1973.

Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford didn't fare nearly as well in his debut, completing 16 of 37 passes for 205 yards with three interceptions in a 45-27 loss to the Saints.

FITTING TRIBUTE

The Eagles' defense did more than just wear a decal on their helmets in memory of late defensive coordinator Jim Johnson, who died of cancer, they also put together a tremendous performance against Carolina. Led by new coordinator Sean McDermott, Philadelphia had five interceptions and five sacks while allowing only 169 total yards in a 38-10 rout.

MILESTONES

Carolina's seven turnovers in a 38-10 loss to Philadelphia matched a team record. ... Baltimore amassed a franchise-record 501 yards in its 38-24 win over KC. ... Falcons TE Tony Gonzalez became the 21st player in NFL history with 11,000 yards receiving. ... Peyton Manning tied Johnny Unitas' Colts franchise record with his 118th victory. ... Tampa Bay's Ronde Barber had his 24th career sack against Dallas, adding to his record total for a cornerback. ... Joshua Cribbs' seventh career TD punt return tied Eric Metcalf for most in Browns history.

TRENDS

The Browns fell to 1-10 in season openers since 1999 with their 34-20 loss to Minnesota, but they did score their first offensive touchdown in seven games. ... Broncos coaches are 9-0 in regular-season debuts, not counting interim coaches, after Josh McDaniels got an improbable 12-7 victory at Cincinnati. ... The Cardinals' 20-16 loss to San Francisco was their first to an NFC West team in two seasons.

STATS

The Falcons scored 10 points off turnovers in their 19-7 victory over Miami. ... Chiefs RB Larry Johnson managed only 20 yards on 11 carries at Baltimore. ... The Vikings outgained the Browns 225-89 on the ground, led by 180 from Adrian Peterson in a 34-20 victory. ... The Saints were 9 of 13 on third-down conversions in their 45-27 win over Detroit. ... The Chiefs' Brodie Croyle is 0-9 as a starting quarterback. ... The Rams committed 10 penalties in their 28-0 loss to Seattle, including two personal fouls by OL Richie Incognito.

INJURED

Eagles QB Donovan McNabb cracked a rib during a 38-10 rout of Carolina. Coach Andy Reid did not rule him out for their next game. ... Colts WR Anthony Gonzalez strained a knee ligament against Jacksonville. ... Giants RB Danny Ware dislocated his left elbow returning the opening kickoff against the Redskins. Giants rookie WR Hakeem Nicks sprained his left foot. ... Seahawks LB Leroy Hill hurt his groin and LB Lofa Tatupu injured his hamstring. ... Texans WR Andre' Davis suffered a concussion.

SUNDAY NIGHT LIGHTS

Aaron Rodgers finally has his signature game-winning drive, throwing a 50-yard rainbow to Greg Jennings with 1:11 remaining to give the Green Bay Packers a come-from-behind 21-15 victory over the division rival Chicago Bears in Sunday night's opener.

QUOTES

Joe Namath, praising rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez, who led the Jets to a 24-7 win at Houston.

"His offensive line did a hell of a job, but he did a great job of finding time with his feet, just to move subtly. ... I don't doubt even a little bit that he doesn't have poise at this stage."

Cowboys wide receiver Roy Williams who took the place of Terrell Owens who is now with Buffalo, after Tony Romo threw for 353 yards and three touchdowns in a 34-21 win over Tampa Bay.

"Career-high passing yards? Without T.O.? No, it's good. It's good for him. It's good for this team. It was a team effort. Everybody contributed.”

TONIGHTS GAMES

Buffalo at New England (7 p.m. ET) Terrell Owens takes the spotlight in his first regular-season game with Buffalo, against a Patriots defense that wants to prove it's just as strong missing five veteran starters.

San Diego at Oakland (10:15 p.m. ET) The Raiders, an NFL-worst 24-72 the past six seasons, try to show they're headed in the right direction against LaDainian Tomlinson and the Chargers. Oakland has lost its last 10 appearances on Monday night.

Mike Cardano is the founder of the Around The Horn (Baseball Blogs) and Extra Point (Football Blogs). Mike is also the founder of the fantasy sports games Ultimate Franchise Baseball™ and Ultimate Franchise Football™.

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Why Not Marvin?

We are now in the middle of the dreadful NFL preseason. Brett Favre is back out of retirement once again, Michael Vick is finally in an NFL uniform (although I think the Michael Vick Experience theme park ride is still out of order) and the games that actually matter are rapidly approaching.

But there is still one thing that hasn’t happened yet.

Marvin Harrison still does not have a job in the National Football League.

Why do you ask? Well that’s the problem… I just don’t know.

Let’s figure out what we do know about Harrison. He is 36 years old (pretty old for a wide receiver). He played in all but one regular season game in 2008 and only had 60 catches and five touchdowns. And that came after the 2007 season in which he only played in five regular season games due to a knee injury. So the man hasn’t really done much in a while.

But he was still a number one receiver on a team that won the Super Bowl not too long ago. Harrison scored 10 or more touchdowns in eight consecutive seasons. With that said, he is being overlooked by every team in the league.

Wouldn’t you think at least one team could use him? There are plenty of teams desperately in need of a receiver, yet Marvin seems to be invisible.

The Chicago Bears thought they solved all of their problems by trading for quarterback Jay Cutler. But if Cutler’s number one target is Devin Hester then there is a major problem in Chicago.

How about those New York Jets? What could be better for Mark Sanchez than a veteran receiver with a Super Bowl ring to be a mentor for him and the young receivers Jerricho Cotchery and Chansi Stuckey?

Jeff Fisher and the Tennessee Titans have openly said that they have no interest in acquiring Marvin Harrison. WHY? Harrison set the NFL record for most receptions in a season and yet there is no space for him on a team with Justin Gage and Nate Washington as their top two receivers. (Wasn’t Nate Washington the no.3 receiver in Pittsburgh last year?)

Then there are the Vikings, Dolphins, Jaguars, Giants and Chargers – all of which could use some more talent and depth at the wide receiver position.

It’s not like he is going to demand a lot of money. A one-year deal with Marvin Harrison definitely couldn’t hurt - so the economy is not a good excuse to not sign him. - Michael Klopman

Barkley Wins Starting Job with Golden California Locks

When Matt Barkley was named the Southern Cal starting quarterback on Thursday, nobody was surprised. Even those who had not witnessed a single snap from USC camp, nor had followed the progress of the three-way quarterback competition between Barkley, Aaron Corp and Mitch Mustain. So why did so many people see this one coming? USC has not only produced some of the finest college quarterbacks this decade. They've produced some of the prettiest as well.

From the moment we first saw Barkley's golden hair and determined, photo shoot stare in those Rivals and Scout photos, we knew. It wasn't even fair.

The Trojans have churned out some outstanding quarterbacks this decade. There are some tough acts to follow in that group and as long as the list continues to grow, their successors will face a progressively steeper mountain to climb. Years of exceptional recruiting has gone into compiling such an impressive list of quarterbacks. What's their secret? USC scouts place extra importance on their quarterbacks' looks. And it's paid off.

The benefits of this system go beyond the raw confidence that these quarterbacks bring to the field. There is the influx of female fans that attend games. Calendars and appearances in GQ bring the program some added exposure. It opens up the window for unique team sponsorship opportunities from companies like Bed Head, Banana Boat and others providing products that make up that essential laidback California look.

I'm sure that Barkley's performance in spring practice and, more notably, in camp had a little something to do with his ascension to the top of the depth chart. I am, after all, a realist. But when you have a system that hasn't failed this decade, then why change suit now?

Carson Palmer got things started in 1998. He would go on to win the Heisman Trophy in 2002 and was selected first-overall in the 2003 NFL Draft by the Cincinnati Bengals. He gave new life to the Bengals and was featured in an ill-advised hot dog advertisement.

Next up was Matt Leinart, who took over in 2003 as a sophomore. He won the Heisman Trophy in 2004 and was drafted 10th overall in the 2005 NFL Draft by the Arizona Cardinals. He partied with some ASU girls in a hot tub and dated Paris Hilton since his arrival in the NFL.

John David Booty, who many believed would eventually beat out Leinart once he learned the offense, took the reigns as a junior in 2006 after Leinart's departure. He played two seasons as the Trojans starting quarterback, winning two Rose Bowls. While at SC, his last name prompted some women to get creative in their support of the Trojans.

Then came Mark Sanchez, who, like his predecessors, waited patiently for his opportunity. Sanchez started only one season for the Trojans, winning the Rose Bowl before being selected fifth overall by the New York Jets. He posed for GQ in the offseason.

Matt Barkley will be the first Trojan to start the season opener as a true freshman, meaning he's already made Trojans history. There are a few tough acts he has to follow, but Barkley's obvious talent will make him the face of the USC offense. He also seems to have that unflappable football confidence that makes so many quarterbacks great. Expect to see Barkley under center in the Coliseum for the next few years.

Danny Hobrock is a sports journalist who primarily covers college football and professional baseball. He is a contributor for several sports related blogs and is the former editor of a political and current events website.