Brian Westbrook- While QB Jeff Garcia may be receiving all of the credit for the Philadelphia resurgence, it's the steadiness of Brian Westbrook that has been the key to their clinching of the playoffs. In the game Westbrook had one of his best games of the season rushing as he had 26 carries for 122 yards. He has shattered every previous career high he has had rushing the ball this season. He has twice as many 100 yard rushing games this season as he had in his whole career up to 2006. While he may not be getting all the accolades, Westbrook has put together one of the best seasons for a RB in 2006.
Tony Romo- The Romo show may have taken a horrible turn on Christmas during his game against Philadelphia. The Dallas QB had looked seemingly invincible in all of his November starts, but in three of his last four games he has thrown for multiple interceptions. Romo was very inaccurate all game long and finished 14 for 29 with 142 yards, 1 TD, and 2 INTs. He should finish strong with a game against Detroit, but his real test will be the playoffs. Unless Dallas can get some help, that test will come in Seattle against one of the most underachieving teams in football.
Eli Manning- Another struggling QB over the weekend was Giants QB Eli Manning. In a must win game, the Giants just did not show up. Eli was off his rhythm one game and attempted only 2 deep passes despite losing 30-7. He finished 9 for 25 with 74 yards, 1 TD, and 1 INT. This performance looks even worse considering Eli started the game 6 for 6 including a 55 yard touchdown. If Eli cannot come up big next weekend in a win and in game against Washington, it will be a very long off season for the former number one pick.
Ladell Betts- How good is this guy? With another huge performance on Sunday, Betts broke 1000 yards this season despite having limited work for half the year. Betts, who has shown he can handle a substantial amount of carries weekly, ran for 129 yards and 2 TDs on 29 carries. Since Clinton Portis has went down, it has just been monster week after monster week for Betts. He should finish strong with a game a home versus the Giants on Saturday night. With the way Betts has played this year, the Redskins are now faced with some tough decisions about their RB next season.
Rex Grossman- Going into this game, Grossman knew that he would be replaced at some time to get Brian Griese some work. While he did play, Grossman was overall very effective executing a game plan concentrating on short passes and reducing mistakes. He finished the day 20 for 36 withe 197 yards and a TD. In the short work that Griese got, he was 6 for 9 with 51 yards. Grossman would have to have a complete meltdown in week 17 or the playoffs the be replaced at this point. I also feel that the Bears are going to be comfortable having him at QB in 2007.
Jon Kitna- Recapping Lions games weekly has been an interesting experience this season. The one constant besides losing that I have seen in this team is that the Lions ownership just absolutely adores Jon Kitna. No matter how poorly he played they always said he was doing well and the clear starter for not only the remainder of 2006 but also 2007. Kitna finally made the team look smart as he completed 27 of 45 passes fr 283 and 3 TDs against the Bears. While this isn't the same Bears defense he faced earlier in the season, it is still an impressive performance. Kitna hasn't had a horrible season considering his team, and I assume he'll be the starter next season. However, the Lions will most likely replace him midway through the season with whoever they take as their QB of the future in the 2007 draft.
Reggie Bush- Against an uninspired Giants team, Bush had his best day of his career running the ball. Coach Payton was able to quickly realize that the Giants were not quick enough to handle Bush. He made the rookie the focal point of the offense all day long. Bush dazzled the New York crowd and finished with 126 yards and 1 TD on 20 carries. In three of his last four games, Bush has looked like one of the best players in the NFL. It was very promising to see him be able to pick up his yardage rushing rather than receiving on Sunday. He looks like a top 10 RB for next season.
Steve Smith- This would be a good time to point out how utterly pathetic Steve Smith has been since Jake Delhomme hurt his thumb. In my eyes, Smith gave up on the rest of this season following their loss on Monday night to Philadelphia. He's had five catches here and four catches there, but we're used to seeing Smith give 100% on every play and fight to get open. Yes, part of the blame can be given to having Chris Weinke at QB, but Smith has not been his dominant self either. No catches on week 16 was a fitting end to a very disappointing season for Smith and his fantasy owners.
Michael Vick- The only bright spot of this performance was that Vick became the first QB in NFL history to rush for 1000 yards in a single season. Other than that NFL first, Vick had another sub par performance on Sunday. In a must win game, Vick finished 9 for 20 with 109 yards and 2 INTs. With all the blame given to his WRs and coaches, the fact is that Vick cannot play like that and expect to win games in this league. The Falcons are virtually done, and if i were a betting man, I'd say Jim Mora Jr. was done too. Matt Schaub is a free agent next season, and the Falcons are going to have to make some decisions about whether Michael Vick can truly lead this franchise.
Shaun Alexander- One player who did show up in the fantasy finals was Shaun Alexander. He had arguably his best game of the season as he ran for 140 yards and 2 TDs on 31 carries. It looked like that would be enough to overcome the struggles of Matt Hasselbeck again, but some poor defense cost them the game. Alexander looks healthy which is a great sign for the Seahawks going into the playoffs. His value will be lower than it ever will be again going into 2007 which makes him somewhat of a sleeper for your draft.
Marc Bulger- It was an absolute monster performance of Marc Bulger against the Redskins on Sunday. He threw for a season highs as he finished with 388 yards and 4 TDs. It has been a career season for Bulger as he has broken 4000 yards for the first time in his career and also set a career high in TDs. His 23 TD to 8 INT ratio is one of the best in football. As long as Coach Linehan is still in St. Louis, Bulger's career is set to take off and flourish. Fantasy owners can pat themselves on the back if they took a risk on Bulger this season.
Steven Jackson- Another equally impressive season for a Rams player was had by Steven Jackson. The Rams RB, who is clearly no among the league's elite, had 150 yards rushing, 102 yards receiving, and 2 TDs which included the game winning score on Sunday. In the midst of all this, Jackson, who had just 43 receptions all last season, broke the team record with 88 this season. He almost had 1000 yards both rushing and receiving this year. The Rams still have a playoff shot, and Jackson will face his first test in weeks when he plays Minnesota on Sunday. Regardless of what happens, he is clearly one of the league's bright stars for the future.
Issac Bruce- He once was one of the best WRs in football, but these days Issac Bruce is just a solid number two WR in the NFL. However, on Sunday Bruce may have had the last great game of his career. Bruce, now 34 years old, racked up 9 catches, 148 yards, and a TD en route to a victory over Washington. It was great to see after only playing 11 games the year before that Bruce was able to play a whole season and top 1000 yards receiving in 2006. He's one of the most underrated WRs of his era, and he showed that he still had some skills on Sunday.
Frank Gore- The Niners only have themselves to blame for why they are not still in the playoff hunt in week 17. Gore, who has been one of the best RBs all season, received only 11 carries on Sunday. In his limited work he had 51 yards and 2 TDs. Part of his lack of work was because they got behind 20-3 early, but when the going gets tough, you must rely on your stars. The Niners are done this year, but considering Frank Gore is just starting a great career, they will be a force to be reckoned with for years to come.
Matt Leinart- Due to a shoulder injury, Matt Leinart was forced to leave his team's win early on Sunday. The injury will keep him out for next week, but should have no effect on his status for next season. Before leaving, Leinart was off to a good start with 162 yards and a TD. In his relief, Kurt Warner came in and played adequately enough to hold onto the lead. The Cardinals play San Diego next week, so their offense may suffer a tad with Warner behind center.
Edgerrin James- It was a season that started off horribly for the former Pro Bowl RB, but Edge did put together a nice finish for respectable numbers in 2006. On Sunday, James ran for 105 yards on 29 carries to put his season total over 1000 yards on the ground. Edge has now topped 100 yards in three of the last four weeks which gives hope for him next season. As unlikely as it seemed a month ago, I expect Dennis Green to be back as coach for what will be a team that may surprise in 2007.
Tony Romo- The Romo show may have taken a horrible turn on Christmas during his game against Philadelphia. The Dallas QB had looked seemingly invincible in all of his November starts, but in three of his last four games he has thrown for multiple interceptions. Romo was very inaccurate all game long and finished 14 for 29 with 142 yards, 1 TD, and 2 INTs. He should finish strong with a game against Detroit, but his real test will be the playoffs. Unless Dallas can get some help, that test will come in Seattle against one of the most underachieving teams in football.
Eli Manning- Another struggling QB over the weekend was Giants QB Eli Manning. In a must win game, the Giants just did not show up. Eli was off his rhythm one game and attempted only 2 deep passes despite losing 30-7. He finished 9 for 25 with 74 yards, 1 TD, and 1 INT. This performance looks even worse considering Eli started the game 6 for 6 including a 55 yard touchdown. If Eli cannot come up big next weekend in a win and in game against Washington, it will be a very long off season for the former number one pick.
Ladell Betts- How good is this guy? With another huge performance on Sunday, Betts broke 1000 yards this season despite having limited work for half the year. Betts, who has shown he can handle a substantial amount of carries weekly, ran for 129 yards and 2 TDs on 29 carries. Since Clinton Portis has went down, it has just been monster week after monster week for Betts. He should finish strong with a game a home versus the Giants on Saturday night. With the way Betts has played this year, the Redskins are now faced with some tough decisions about their RB next season.
Rex Grossman- Going into this game, Grossman knew that he would be replaced at some time to get Brian Griese some work. While he did play, Grossman was overall very effective executing a game plan concentrating on short passes and reducing mistakes. He finished the day 20 for 36 withe 197 yards and a TD. In the short work that Griese got, he was 6 for 9 with 51 yards. Grossman would have to have a complete meltdown in week 17 or the playoffs the be replaced at this point. I also feel that the Bears are going to be comfortable having him at QB in 2007.Jon Kitna- Recapping Lions games weekly has been an interesting experience this season. The one constant besides losing that I have seen in this team is that the Lions ownership just absolutely adores Jon Kitna. No matter how poorly he played they always said he was doing well and the clear starter for not only the remainder of 2006 but also 2007. Kitna finally made the team look smart as he completed 27 of 45 passes fr 283 and 3 TDs against the Bears. While this isn't the same Bears defense he faced earlier in the season, it is still an impressive performance. Kitna hasn't had a horrible season considering his team, and I assume he'll be the starter next season. However, the Lions will most likely replace him midway through the season with whoever they take as their QB of the future in the 2007 draft.
Reggie Bush- Against an uninspired Giants team, Bush had his best day of his career running the ball. Coach Payton was able to quickly realize that the Giants were not quick enough to handle Bush. He made the rookie the focal point of the offense all day long. Bush dazzled the New York crowd and finished with 126 yards and 1 TD on 20 carries. In three of his last four games, Bush has looked like one of the best players in the NFL. It was very promising to see him be able to pick up his yardage rushing rather than receiving on Sunday. He looks like a top 10 RB for next season.
Steve Smith- This would be a good time to point out how utterly pathetic Steve Smith has been since Jake Delhomme hurt his thumb. In my eyes, Smith gave up on the rest of this season following their loss on Monday night to Philadelphia. He's had five catches here and four catches there, but we're used to seeing Smith give 100% on every play and fight to get open. Yes, part of the blame can be given to having Chris Weinke at QB, but Smith has not been his dominant self either. No catches on week 16 was a fitting end to a very disappointing season for Smith and his fantasy owners.
Michael Vick- The only bright spot of this performance was that Vick became the first QB in NFL history to rush for 1000 yards in a single season. Other than that NFL first, Vick had another sub par performance on Sunday. In a must win game, Vick finished 9 for 20 with 109 yards and 2 INTs. With all the blame given to his WRs and coaches, the fact is that Vick cannot play like that and expect to win games in this league. The Falcons are virtually done, and if i were a betting man, I'd say Jim Mora Jr. was done too. Matt Schaub is a free agent next season, and the Falcons are going to have to make some decisions about whether Michael Vick can truly lead this franchise.
Shaun Alexander- One player who did show up in the fantasy finals was Shaun Alexander. He had arguably his best game of the season as he ran for 140 yards and 2 TDs on 31 carries. It looked like that would be enough to overcome the struggles of Matt Hasselbeck again, but some poor defense cost them the game. Alexander looks healthy which is a great sign for the Seahawks going into the playoffs. His value will be lower than it ever will be again going into 2007 which makes him somewhat of a sleeper for your draft.
Marc Bulger- It was an absolute monster performance of Marc Bulger against the Redskins on Sunday. He threw for a season highs as he finished with 388 yards and 4 TDs. It has been a career season for Bulger as he has broken 4000 yards for the first time in his career and also set a career high in TDs. His 23 TD to 8 INT ratio is one of the best in football. As long as Coach Linehan is still in St. Louis, Bulger's career is set to take off and flourish. Fantasy owners can pat themselves on the back if they took a risk on Bulger this season.
Steven Jackson- Another equally impressive season for a Rams player was had by Steven Jackson. The Rams RB, who is clearly no among the league's elite, had 150 yards rushing, 102 yards receiving, and 2 TDs which included the game winning score on Sunday. In the midst of all this, Jackson, who had just 43 receptions all last season, broke the team record with 88 this season. He almost had 1000 yards both rushing and receiving this year. The Rams still have a playoff shot, and Jackson will face his first test in weeks when he plays Minnesota on Sunday. Regardless of what happens, he is clearly one of the league's bright stars for the future.
Issac Bruce- He once was one of the best WRs in football, but these days Issac Bruce is just a solid number two WR in the NFL. However, on Sunday Bruce may have had the last great game of his career. Bruce, now 34 years old, racked up 9 catches, 148 yards, and a TD en route to a victory over Washington. It was great to see after only playing 11 games the year before that Bruce was able to play a whole season and top 1000 yards receiving in 2006. He's one of the most underrated WRs of his era, and he showed that he still had some skills on Sunday.
Frank Gore- The Niners only have themselves to blame for why they are not still in the playoff hunt in week 17. Gore, who has been one of the best RBs all season, received only 11 carries on Sunday. In his limited work he had 51 yards and 2 TDs. Part of his lack of work was because they got behind 20-3 early, but when the going gets tough, you must rely on your stars. The Niners are done this year, but considering Frank Gore is just starting a great career, they will be a force to be reckoned with for years to come.
Matt Leinart- Due to a shoulder injury, Matt Leinart was forced to leave his team's win early on Sunday. The injury will keep him out for next week, but should have no effect on his status for next season. Before leaving, Leinart was off to a good start with 162 yards and a TD. In his relief, Kurt Warner came in and played adequately enough to hold onto the lead. The Cardinals play San Diego next week, so their offense may suffer a tad with Warner behind center.
Edgerrin James- It was a season that started off horribly for the former Pro Bowl RB, but Edge did put together a nice finish for respectable numbers in 2006. On Sunday, James ran for 105 yards on 29 carries to put his season total over 1000 yards on the ground. Edge has now topped 100 yards in three of the last four weeks which gives hope for him next season. As unlikely as it seemed a month ago, I expect Dennis Green to be back as coach for what will be a team that may surprise in 2007.
-David Cassilo
Contact at asuhouse@aol.com
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