The Chicago offensive line ranks as the top "Flop" of Week 4. The line couldn’t run-block and served as a veritable turnstile for the Giants’ defensive front. "It’s your turn to hit Mr. Cutler now. That will be two tickets."
Seriously, that was one of the more excruciating viewing experiences of my football-watching life. And, before you scoff, remember that I attended Northwestern and went on road trips across the Big 10 before the Gary Barnett "Expect Victory!" days kicked into high gear.
Let’s stay in Chicago. I won’t pile on Cutler too much at this point. Cutler completed 8-of-11 attempts for a paltry 42 with an interception and nine sacks before departing with a concussion. I don’t know what else to see. The rest of the offense falls in line right behind him.
Matt Forte was limited to 26 rushing yards on 12 carries. He added two catches for seven yards. Following four weeks of play, the Bears have yet to score a rushing touchdown. Forte is averaging 33.5 rushing yards per game, having failed to top 30 rushing yards in three consecutive games. He’s amassed just 58 receiving yards in the past three weeks following his huge Week 1 effort against the Lions. Sigh.
Eli Manning was shut down for the second straight week. The Bears limited Manning and the New York passing attack to 195 yards with two sacks and two interceptions. In the past two weeks, Manning has averaged 290.5 yards per week with four sacks and four turnovers.
Steve Smith caught four passes for 30 yards against the Chicago secondary. He’s caught four or more passes in every game this season, but has been limited to 43 receiving yards or fewer in three of those contests.
The Broncos did a fabulous job to contain Chris Johnson of the Titans, his second weak performance in four weeks (Week 2 versus Pittsburgh). Denver did a fantastic job of tackling up front, limiting the workhorse tailback to 19 carries for 53 yards and his second lost fumble of the season. Johnson has carried the ball 59 times for 267 yards in the Titans’ two wins. He’s amassed just 87 yards on 35 carries in the home losses to Pittsburgh and Denver.
The Arizona running game was invisible on Sunday in the blowout loss to San Diego, offering zero support to the struggling Derek Anderson Tim Hightower carried the ball seven times for 24 yards, while Chris "Beanie" Wells logged just five carries for 19 yards. Wells caught one pass for six yards. That game was a train wreck, topped only by whatever moniker you use to describe the Sunday nightcap.
The Eagles did well to take Santana Moss out of Sunday’s game, thereby leaving fantasy owners who had been riding Moss’ hot hands in PPR leagues distraught. He was targeted once during Sunday’s win at Philadelphia and did not catch a pass.
The Ravens produced a huge road win against the Steelers, stifling the downfield passing game that Charlie Batch was able to lead against the Buccaneers in Week 3. Lardarius Webb was one of the true heroes of this game, doing a fabulous job downfield on Mike Wallace. Wallace was limited to two catches for 24 yards on six targets.
Teammate Hines Ward caught two of the four passes thrown to him by Batch for a paltry 14 yards.
Week 3 superhero Anquan Boldin came back to earth on Sunday against the Steelers. His 68 receiving yards cannot be dismissed altogether, but it was a pedestrian effort in non-PPR leagues. However, Boldin did catch seven balls in this contest. It was his third game this season with at least seven receptions (27 catches overall).
Seattle quarterback Matt Hasselbeck connected with 10 different receivers on Sunday. Unfortunately, Hasselbeck never found a rhythm with any of these receivers and couldn’t break through the St. Louis defense (three points scored). He passed for 191 yards with four sacks, a lost fumble and an interception. Newly-signed Brandon Stokley was Hasselbeck’s leading receiver with four receptions for 62 yards.
Jacksonville receiver Mike Sims-Walker was shut out for the second time this season. He failed to record a catch and was targeted just once against the Colts. Sims-Walker caught two passes in Week 3 against Philadelphia following a huge Week 2 effort in a blowout loss to San Diego. He represents a mighty dangerous play at this point.
The Green Bay running game has sputtered since Ryan Grant went down with his injury. On Sunday, both Brandon Jackson and John Kuhn failed to surmount much of an attack on the Lions in Week 4. Kuhn led the Packers with 39 rushing yards on nine carries. Jackson amassed 33 yards on his nine carries. Might the Packers make a deal before the October 15 deadline?
I shan’t belabor the point. The Jets stomped all over the Bills, and only quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick was able to provide any semblance of success on the ground. Marshawn Lynch carried the ball four times for eight yards and lost a fumble. Lynch had topped 60 rushing yards in back-to-back weeks before this week’s disappearing act. Can the Bills get a win in Week 5 against Jacksonville?
With Andre Johnson sidelined, Kevin Walter drew coverage from Nnamdi Asomugha and failed to register much of a final stat line. He caught four passes for 35 yards on six targets, his second straight game with fewer than 40 receiving yards. Jacoby Jones stood in line for a big game with Walter drawing Asomugha, but he was invisible in the passing game. He recorded a single catch on three targets.
Michael Vick’s early departure from Sunday’s game against the Redskins made DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin afterthoughts in the passing game. LeSean McCoy and Brent Celek were targeted early and often once Kolb entered the game. Jackson finished the game with three catches for 19 yards, while Maclin produced a single catch for 15 yards. Jackson was targeted seven times in the game. Maclin was targeted only twice.
I send another short note to implore Kurt Warner to hang up his sparkly vest and get back to quarterbacking. Your former team, the Cardinals, need you desperately. Your former coordinator, Mike Martz, could probably use a call of support this morning after watching his quarterback hit.
Derek Anderson lost his tenuous grip on the Cardinals’ starting job in Week 4 following a 7-for-14, 64-yard performance with two interceptions against the Chargers. One of his interceptions was returned for a touchdown. Anderson had eked out a win in Week 3 against the Raiders, only to implode against San Diego. The Max Hall era has begun in Arizona, or so it would appear.
Unfortunately, Anderson’s struggles limited the production of top target Larry Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald caught seven passes for 56 yards, his third game with fewer than 60 receiving yards this season. The seven receptions aided owners in PPR leagues, but didn’t offer much to owners in standard leagues.
I close out the "Flops" of Week 4 with two receivers from Oakland. Yes, we placed high expectations on receivers in Oakland. Granted, both players entered the weekend with moderate injury concerns (groin and clavicle, respectively), but answered the bell.
Darrius Heyward-Bey popped onto the radar for Week 4 against the struggling pass defense of the Texans. We salivated (that’s too strong) at the prospect of Bruce Gradkowski bringing the crowd to its feet in Oakland. Heyward-Bey was limited to one catch for two yards on five targets. Louis Murphy caught one pass late in the comeback effort against the Texans for five yards. Murphy was targeted seven times in this game.
