Pop the champagne (or other frosty beverage). Raise a glass to the “Heroes” of championship week 2010. Shouldn’t that have a bunch of “powered-by” statements associated with it?
It’s been a fantastic week of NFL action, replete with dizzying highs and maddening lows. Let’s tout the gifts bestowed upon us by this weekend.
I begin in Green Bay, where Aaron Rodgers eviscerated the Giants.
Rodgers completed 25-of-37 attempts for a career-best 404 yards with four touchdowns (to tie a career mark), including an early 80-yard strike to Jordy Nelson. I salute those owners who shook off any fears of post-concussion issues and started Rodgers on Sunday afternoon. Your faith was rewarded.
• Nelson caught four passes for 124 yards and lost a fumble.
• James Jones logged one touchdown reception from Rodgers and finished the game with four receptions for 36 yards. He could have had a much bigger day had it not been for a huge drop.
• Greg Jennings didn’t score, but he did post a strong day with seven receptions for 142 yards.
Mario Manningham led the Giants with four receptions for 132 yards and a touchdown. It was Manningham’s eighth touchdown grab of the season.
Hakeem Nicks continued his dominant season with a six-reception, 93-yard day against the Packers that included a touchdown. Is he a top-5 wide receiver for 2011?
Josh Freeman was on the radar for fantasy owners as a low-end QB1 option because of his consistent production throughout the season. We know of his low turnover rate and ability to run the ball. Freeman took full advantage of his glorious opportunity at home against the sieve-like Seattle pass defense. He completed 21-of-26 attempts for 237 yards and five touchdowns, adding four carries for 23 yards (two sacks). Seriously, owners plugged him in to receive a steady point base from the quarterback position. They left with one of the best performances of the season.
• Mike Williams didn’t amass a huge yardage total, as we’ve been accustomed to, but did find the end zone twice. He’s now caught a total of 10 touchdown passes this season. He finished this game with three receptions for 44 yards on seven targets.
• Kellen Winslow led all tight ends with 98 receiving yards on seven receptions with two touchdowns. One of those touchdowns came in grand fashion, as he was on the ground, rolled back up and bounced off defenders for the final five yards to get into the end zone. Following that debacle in Week 15, Winslow was not to be denied on Sunday.
• LeGarrette Blount rushed for a career-high 164 yards on 18 carries, including a 53-yard run. Blount needs 60 rushing yards in Week 17 to reach 1,000 for the season.
Chicago quarterback Jay Cutler will drive you mad on occasion. He’s also flash glimpses of greatness on occasion, as he did against the Jets. Cutler scored on an early bootleg before stretching the defense to complete three touchdown passes. He finished with 215 passing yards while completing 13-of-25 attempts. In this game, Cutler became the first Chicago quarterback to pass for 3,000 yards in back-to-back seasons.
Johnny Knox led the Bears with four receptions for 92 yards and scored twice on beautiful play calls and throws from Cutler. He added 11 rushing yards to afford you a bonus point.
Matt Forte became first running back to run for 100 yards against the Jets this season. He ran for 113 yards on 19 carries with a touchdown, adding four receptions for 56 yards. Chester Taylor was still called upon for several short-yardage plays, but that didn’t stall Forte’s production this time out.
They’re celebrating Tim Tebow in Denver today, as the rookie quarterback passed for 308 yards with a touchdown, adding 27 rushing yards and a touchdown. He overcame an early interception to produce a tremendous effort for faithful Denver fans who attended the game, fantasy players and Gator nation. Tebow also led his first come-from-behind win over the sinking Texans. Say what you will about him. Tebow knows how to lead.
Arian Foster rushed for 91 yards and a touchdown while adding four receptions for 44 yards in the crushing road loss. Foster has now eclipsed 2,000 total yards with 16 total touchdowns for the season.
Kansas City quarterback Matt Cassel racked up a monster game in the Chiefs’ home beat-down of the Titans. He obviously crushed expectations in this contest with 314 passing yards three touchdowns and 20 rushing yards.
Jamaal Charles caught two early touchdown passes from Cassel to the get the Chiefs rolling. He finished with four receptions for 40 yards and rushed for 77 yards. Thomas Jones continues to log a sizable touch count, but Charles’ dominance and explosiveness once he gets to the edge cannot be denied.
Dwayne Bowe emerged from a mini-funk to produce a dominant effort in the win over Tennessee. Bowe caught a 75-yard touchdown pass from Cassel late in the first half and finished the game with six receptions for 153 yards. He leads the NFL with 15 receiving touchdowns.
Do we dare ask the question about distractions in Cincinnati? With Chad Ochocinco and Terrell Owens out of the lineup, a calm and effective Carson Palmer led the Bengals to a huge home win and eliminated the Chargers from playoff contention. Palmer completed 16-of-21 attempts for 269 yards with four touchdown passes and did not turn the ball over against the strong San Diego defense.
Jerome Simpson emerged as Palmer’s top option, an explosive deep threat with a tremendous first step. Simpson caught six passes for 124 yards with two touchdowns, including a 59-yarder.
Rookie tight end Jermaine Gresham scored early in the Bengals’ crushing win over San Diego. Gresham caught four passes for 56 yards. We haven’t seen the consistency that we anticipated coming into the year, but Gresham’s potential is obvious. Can the Bengals solve some of their issues this off-season to maximize Gresham’s contribution in 2011?
Ryan Mathews assumed the top spot in the San Diego offense once Mike Tolbert left the game with a neck injury (he reportedly had movement in his extremities last night). Mathews rushed for 55 yards with a touchdown, adding three receptions for 28 yards. He demonstrated the burst that had us intrigued on draft day during his 23-yard touchdown run. The bitter taste left in the mouths of those who drafted him may create bargain opportunities in 2011.
The Titans were crushed by the Chiefs, but wide receiver Kenny Britt rediscovered his magic with Kerry Collins (235 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions). Britt caught four of his nine targets for 89 yards with a touchdown.
Jared Cook is making the most of his shot as the top tight end in Tennessee. He caught five passes for 96 yards and a touchdown.
Joe Flacco didn’t post a big day, but he did connect with veteran receiver Derrick Mason on another touchdown throw. Mason caught four passes for 50 yards. He’s caught 54 of 91 targets this season for 718 yards and six touchdowns.
Tom Brady only passed for 140 yards (15-of-27 attempts), but he tossed three touchdowns. Brady also rushed for 13 yards. Take the extra point where you can. Of course, the big story here is the fact that Brady has now thrown 22 touchdown passes since his last interception and broke a record set by Bernie Kosar.
Rookie tight end Rob Gronkowski dominated in the red zone once again. He caught four passes for 54 yards with two touchdowns to bring his season total to nine.
Folk hero Danny Woodhead posted a huge effort in the split backfield against the run-deficient Buffalo defense. Woodhead ran for 93 yards on 13 carries, including a 29-yard touchdown sprint. He also added three receptions for 32 yards.
BenJarvus Green-Ellis didn’t add to his touchdown log on Sunday. However, he did power through the Buffalo defense for 104 yards on 19 carries, including a 15-yard sprint.
Michael Crabtree has driven fantasy owners crazy this season and he likely spent Week 16 on most fantasy benches. Crabtree sprinted to the end zone early on a 60-yard touchdown reception and established a new season-high with six receptions for 122 yards. He’s caught 45 of 85 targets this season for 572 yards and five touchdowns this season. A coaching change and quarterback shuffle should help his production in year three. Fantasy owners burned on an early selection this year will steer clear in 2011, potentially presenting a bargain opportunity.
Danario Alexander led the Rams with six receptions for 99 yards as St. Louis moved closer to a playoff berth (the winner takes all on Sunday). I’m intrigued to watch how his role evolves as the receiving corps rounds out for Sam Bradford in 2011.
Shaun Hill returned to the lineup and led the Lions to another road win. He passed for 222 yards with two touchdowns. Hill has averaged 281 passing yards in the eight games he’s completed in 2010.
Brandon Pettigrew has been a solid contributor to PPR lineups this season. However, his infrequent red zone targets made him a difficult playoff start. Those who trusted him were rewarded with a four-reception, 74-yard performance, including an early touchdown.
Brandon Marshall was a hero for owners in PPR leagues once again. He logged 10 receptions for 102 yards, yet another double-digit reception total. He’s tied for 14th in total targets this season (11
Mike Thomas was the leading receiver for Jacksonville in its loss to Washington. Thomas caught six passes for 96 yards and a touchdown. While his touchdown romps have been infrequent, Thomas has been a valuable PPR receiver this season.
Shonn Greene didn’t amass a huge game against Chicago, but I’m hanging a star on how he run in Sunday’s loss. He ran with purpose for the first time in awhile during this game, finishing the day with 70 rushing yards on 11 carries. Greene also added two receptions for 14 yards.
Correll Buckhalter was the star of the day for Denver with Knowshon Moreno banged up. He amassed 92 yards on 14 touches (three receptions for 50 yards) and scored both as a runner and receiver. His touchdown reception came from 23 yards.
Owen Daniels continued his late-season surge with a strong game against the Denver secondary. He caught eight passes for 73 yards, including a touchdown.
Jacoby Jones didn’t find the end zone, but he emerged as Matt Schaub’s top target in Andre Johnson’s absence. He caught five passes for a total of 115 yards in the loss to Denver.
It doesn’t matter who is throwing the ball to Brandon Lloyd right now. He’s going to fight through defenders to make a play. Lloyd caught five passes for 111 yards from Tim Tebow on Sunday, including a 41-yard reception. Lloyd always had the flair for the dramatic catch, dating back to his days at Illinois, and it’s been fun to watch him play a prominent role and stay healthy.
I debated leaving Peyton Manning out of this piece, but I can’t deny his three touchdown passes. He passed for only 179 yards (16-of-30) and threw two interceptions. However, he also ran for 25 yards to offset one of the miscues. Of course, owners will be talking about his impression of “The Westbrook” at the close of the game.
Jacob Tamme was Manning’s top target, producing a fantastic seven-reception, 78-yard day in the victory.
Zach Miller’s production had been spotty since returning to the Oakland lineup. Those who plugged him in for a date with Indianapolis were rewarded with a strong nine-reception, 66-yard performance that included a touchdown grab.
Ben Roethlisberger passed for 320 yards and a touchdown, a 41-yard strike to Mike Wallace. (four receptions for 104 yards). He also rushed for a touchdown, absorbed three sacks and lost a fumble.
Miles Austin’s early slip helped put the Cowboys in a difficult position, but he redeemed himself late with a long touchdown reception. Auston led the Cowboys with 115 receiving yards on six receptions. Despite a number of quiet weeks this season, Austin is on the verge of a 1,000-yard season for the Cowboys.
Jason Witten continued his second-half surge and impressive connection with Jon Kitna. He set a new career-high with his eighth touchdown of the season and finished the game with eight receptions for 45 yards.
Andre Roberts was the “Hero of the Day” offensively for Arizona. He excelled on special teams, as always, and led the squad with five receptions for 110 yards and a touchdown in the comeback victory.
I would be remiss if I failed to recognize the impressive concentration and big-play ability of the secondary. I know. They’ve also been torched with regularity. However, the Cardinals did the job early on miscues by Dallas receivers on Saturday night, returning two Jon Kitna interceptions for touchdowns.
