text:
QBs: (1 pt per 25 yds passing;
6 pts for all TDs, -2 pts/INT or fumble)
RBs/WRs/TEs: (1 point per 10
yards rushing/receiving, 6 points per TD)
Note: Teams that have a fantasy
relevant TE will be included. Also, for the first weeks, projected
fantasy points allowed will be used as teams have yet to establish
any trends. After the first month of the season, this column will
take on the look it had last season as there will be enough information
to start analyzing trends.
Falcons @ Vikings
Joey Harrington/Joe Horn/Michael Jenkins/Alge
Warrick Dunn/Jerious Norwood (vs. MIN)
Passing Game Thoughts: While
Vick's departure isn't going to do wonders for the team's success
in general, Joey Harrington figures to improve the overall efficiency
of the passing game by several percentage points, even with Petrino's
emphasis on throwing the ball down the field. The biggest beneficiaries
would figure to be Joe Horn, Roddy White and Alge Crumpler. However,
White has yet to flash any degree of consistency with his hands,
therefore, expect Horn to be the top dog in the receiving game
with Crumpler not falling too far behind him. Of course, Horn's
age and recent injury history suggest that, once again, Crumpler
is best fantasy property to own in the Atlanta passing game.
So good was the Vikings run defense last year, that in some games,
opponents made themselves one-dimensional. However, for the teams
that could afford to do so, this proved to be a worthwhile strategy.
Former Bengal defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier will be asked
to take the place of Mike Tomlin, who became the Steelers head
coach in the offseason, and do something Tomlin couldn't
do – pressure the passer. He will attempt to bring more
blitzes to counter the lack of pressure this unit was able to
apply on the quarterback as a whole last season. It stands to
reason that this would open up more big plays for the offense,
but will also create more opportunities for the Vikings to create
big plays on their own end of the things. While as a rule, it's
not a great idea to take much for the preseason, the Vikings have
shown themselves to be more of a big play defense already. This
not only bodes well for the offense - which will struggle - but
for fantasy owners that are looking for a cheaper option than
the Bears and the Ravens in their drafts.
Running Game Thoughts: Most
of the same cast of characters that ended the 2006 season return
again this season. However, it would be foolhardy to expect this
unit to lead the league in rushing as it has in each of the past
three seasons, due to the absence of one Michael Vick. Petrino
has installed a belief of beating defenses up physically as opposed
to the cut-blocking scheme the previous regime used to gain such
gaudy numbers on the ground. Needless to say, this is a running
game in transition, as it moves away from the athletic lineman
required to make the zone-blocking scheme work to more imposing
behemoths. With Dunn coming off recent back surgery, the time
may be right for Norwood to step up and assert himself as the
big-play back on a more consistent basis than he was able to last
season. Although, don't expect that to happen against the Vikings,
who allowed just one running back to top 15 fantasy points last
season, with the effort coming in week 17 against the Rams'
Steven Jackson.
There may not be a more imposing set of run-stoppers in the league
than the Vikings pair of Williams: Pat and Kevin. Both require
a double team on a consistent basis, which makes this unit struggles
against the pass – and in particular the pass rush –
even more confounding. With the two Williams as anchors, expect
another solid year for the Vikings run defense. The beneficiaries
of those two mammoths will be LBs Ben Leber, EJ Henderson and
Chad Greenway. Another player that contributes to the run defense
is cornerback Antoine Winfield. This unit allowed an amazing 2.8
yards per carry a season, and while it would be impossible to
ask for a repeat, don't expect that number to go up significantly.
Joey Harrington: 195 yds passing/1 TD/2 INT
Joe Horn: 55 yds receiving
Michael Jenkins: 50 yds receiving
Alge Crumpler: 55 yds receiving/1 TD
Warrick Dunn: 40 yds rushing/25 yds receiving
Jerious Norwood: 45 yds rushing/20 yds receiving
Tavaris Jackson/Troy Williamson/Bobby
Wade/Jim Kleinsasser
Chester Taylor/Adrian Peterson (vs. ATL)
Passing Game Thoughts: Much like the Falcons running game will
be in transition, the Vikings passing game has a similar outlook.
When the season starts on Sunday, quarterback Tavaris Jackson
will be making just the third start of his career. While he'll
have an upgraded collection of talent surrounding him in this
campaign, the talent he possesses at receiver and tight end does
not figure to be relevant in fantasy circles for at least another
year. As such, expect high rushing totals from the second-year
veteran from Alabama State and a fairly high number of catches
from Chester Taylor once again this season.
With the Falcons' pass defense figures to get a boost from former
cowboy defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer, who returns to the 4-3
scheme that he spent most of his career teaching as opposed to
the 3-4 scheme that Dallas coach Bill Parcells asked him to run.
Unlike previous DC Ed Donatell, Zimmer's primary focus is maximizing
his player strengths, as opposed to strictly forcing turnovers.
This bodes well for Anderson, Abraham and Rod Coleman, assuming
the last of those three can return quickly from his ruptured right
quadriceps injury that he suffered in the spring. This may also
bode well for DeAngelo Hall, who still has room for improvement
despite having a reputation as a shutdown CB despite making the
Pro Bowl for the second time last season. What does not bode well
is that Abraham and Coleman are either injury risks or are coming
off serious injuries.
Game Thoughts: Little changes in the run game for the Vikings.
The line returns intact, however, the backfield gets a big play
boost from rookie Adrian Peterson. While the smart money would
be to say that Peterson will quickly take the job starter Chester
Taylor, it stands to reason that this may play out like the Dominic
Rhodes/Joseph Addai situation from last season. Until HC Brad
Childress gives us more of an indication of where he is going
with this duo, the safe play is to consider both #3 RB options.
Play your roster just like Childress has done with his, meaning
Taylor should be viewed as a low #2 RB until he actually loses
the job, while Peterson should only see your starting lineup as
a flex or when the Vikings face some of the weaker defense on
their schedule.
As hard as it may be to believe, the success of this run defense
could hinge on the health of defensive tackle Grady Jackson. He's
one of a handful or couple helpful players in the league that
has enough size on the defensive line to tie up multiple blockers.
His presence in the middle of that defense is vital considering
the lack of size that exists behind him, particularly in OLBs
DeMarrio Williams and Michael Boley. While rookie defensive end
Jamaal Anderson may end up one day being a stellar run defender,
it's likely too much ask of him to become one in his first season.
Combine that with fellow end John Abraham, who tends to get a
bit overaggressive in his pass rush, and it opens up running lanes
for opposing backs. This unit finished in the top 12 in fantasy
points allowed to running backs even with Donatell calling the
shots last season, so the potential for this team to stop the
run on a consistent basis is possible, so long as it remains healthy.
Tavaris Jackson: 165 yds passing/40 yards rushing/1 TD/1 INT
Troy Williamson: 70 yds/1 TD
Bobby Wade: 40 yds
Jim Kleinsasser: 15 yds
Chester Taylor: 65 yds rushing/25 yds receiving
Adrian Peterson: 55 yds rushing/10 yds receiving/1 TD
Panthers @ Rams
Jake Delhomme/Steve Smith/Keary Colbert
DeShaun Foster/DeAngelo Williams (vs. STL)
Game Thoughts: This offense is about one thing: Steve Smith
staying healthy. When he is going strong, Delhomme is an above-average
fantasy QB and no CB or double team in the league can stop Smith
– it really is that simple. Colbert has seemingly emerged
from the depths to impress in camp this preseason and will do
his best to exploit the single coverage he will see all season
long. Look for a good game by all players involved in the Panthers'
passing game in Week 1.
The pass rush should be improved from last season, but it won't
completely make up for a lack of experience at the CB position.
The Rams, who couldn't exactly afford to be set back on
defense, will be without starting CB Fahkir Brown for the first
four games of the season due to suspension. Not that Brown had
much of a chance against Smith on turf, but figure second-year
CB Tye Hill will have even more issues despite his incredible
speed. Smith gets to a defense with his compact size, speed, quickness
and incredible jumping ability and fearlessness.
Running Game Thoughts: Foster has been named the starter for
Week 1, which may be all you need to know about whom to start
this week. Usually, it's not that cut-and-dried, but the
Rams will struggle against the run again this season. I do like
Williams for the season as he is the more-gifted runner, however,
this same "we'll wait-and-see" approach to the
running game by two different coordinators has to make one wonder
if Williams is not meeting the "need" in practice.
Selecting DE Adam Carriker and moving him to DT will likely pay
off big for the Rams defense…down the road. It was the second-worst
run defense in the league last season (145.1 yd/game) and permitted
10 individual rushers to eclipse the century mark. That kind of
"leakage" does not get fixed overnight. The run defense
should be marginally better, but the Rams will need their offense
to overcome their defense once again this season. As such, Foster
and Williams should have nice days on the ground.
Jake Delhomme: 255 yds passing/3 TD/1 INT
Steve Smith: 110 yds receiving/2 TD
Keary Colbert: 50 yds
DeShaun Foster: 85 yds rushing/1 TD/20 yds receiving
DeAngelo Williams: 55 yds rushing/35 yds receiving/1 TD
Marc Bulger/Torry Holt/Isaac Bruce/Drew Bennett/Randy
Steven Jackson (vs. CAR)
Passing Game Thoughts: Torry Holt's recovery from knee
surgery has to be a concern. Six months after having a procedure
to remove "loose cartilage", the receiver estimated
he is somewhere in the neighborhood of 70-80%. If that is truly
the case, Holt becomes a mid-#1 fantasy WR as opposed to an elite
one. The good thing for the Rams though is they have three receivers
on their roster who have served as a #1 WR at some point in their
careers (Bennett, Bruce), so there isn't a great need to
write off the passing game just yet, even if neither WR is quite
the caliber of Holt. The Rams have such a plethora of receiving
options available to them to start the season, it would take a
catastrophic series of events for this offense not to finish in
the top 10 in most every important offensive category.
If there was one opponent the Rams would not have liked to face
in Week 1, it would have likely been the Panthers. In Chris Gamble,
Ken Lucas and Richard Marshall, Carolina has three cornerbacks
that can potentially take advantage of the weakened Holt. Combined
with an incredible pass rush, the Rams do not match up all that
well the front four of the Panthers and the Panthers have a set
of cornerbacks that can run the field with their receivers. The
one big advantage the Rams do have in this contest, however, is
that they will get to play on the Edward Jones Dome turf, as opposed
to the natural grass Bank of America Stadium. Given the situation,
expect this to be one game where the Rams find Jackson and rookie
Brian Leonard out of the backfield a number of times to offset
the pass rush.
Running Game Thoughts: It is slightly ironic that following the
breakout season of Jackson, the Rams would face the team that
brought their him and his offense to a screeching halt in Week
11 last season. Jackson rushed only seven times and caught seven
more passes in a 15-0 loss in which the Rams running back posted
57 total yards, by far, his worst total of the season. Don't
expect a repeat of that performance. Following the Panther debacle,
Jackson touched the ball at least 27 times in each of the final
six games. As far as the season goes, people should not expect
a repeat of his 90 receptions from last season. However, he will
still be the meal ticket for this high-powered offense.
At 100%, Carolina could be a top 10 defensive unit. Speaking
of which, Dan Morgan's presence almost single-handedly transforms
this unit from a good defense to a great defense. In seasons in
which he plays the majority of the games, the Panthers defense
can sometimes be borderline dominant. Depth behind him is important,
though, as he has yet to make it through a full season. Drafting
Jon Beason is/was supposed to help that, however, the rookie is
starting out his career behind WLB Na'il Diggs on the depth
chart. The Carolina defensive unit allowed their fair share of
100-yard rushers last season, but surrendered just eight rushing
scores. With Morgan in the lineup and the defensive line seemingly
healthy, expect the rushing yards allowed to go down and the scoring
to stay about the same.
Marc Bulger: 255 pass/3 TD/1 INT
Torry Holt: 65 rec/1 TD
Isaac Bruce: 55 rec
Drew Bennett: 45 rec/1 TD
Randy McMichael: 40 rec/1 TD
Steven Jackson: 85 rush/1TD/35 rec
Broncos @ Bills
Jay Cutler/Javon Walker/Rod Smith/Daniel
Graham & Tony Scheffler
Travis Henry (vs. BUF)
Passing Game Thoughts: As long as Cutler is not surprised by
the speed of the Bills defense, he should have little trouble
picking it apart. However, as stated earlier, expect a heavy dose
of Henry in this contest against his former team. Expect a modest
effort from passing game, as Denver concentrates on exposing the
undersized front of the Bills.
Much like Spikes and Fletcher's departure in the front seven,
losing cornerback Nate Clements from the back four also does little
to inspire confidence in the Bills defense. While Terrence McGee
is a capable cornerback, the jury remains out on whether second-year
cornerback Ashton Youboty or eight-year veteran Kiwaukee Thomas
will be able to hold up under on a regular basis against some
of the better passing games in the league. As a result, safeties
Donte Wittner and Ko Simpson will need to spend the majority of
their time playing back as opposed to moving into the box to defend
the run – something the Bills need to have, extra defenders
in the box. Therefore, it's hard to imagine the Bills having much
success stopping the Broncos with just seven undersized players
playing the run. Do expect Walker to beat this pass defense deep
at least once in this game.
Game Thoughts: On the surface, it would appear the Broncos
are a good matchup for the Bills defense. Much of his success
of the Broncos running game is based on athletic lineman who are
able to go to the perimeter before their defensive counterparts
are able to seal them off, allowing the running back to make his
one cut and go. However, expect the Broncos to be able to show
both sides of their running game -- power and speed -- in this
contest. One of the advantages to acquiring Travis Henry is his
power and the uncanny ability to not go down on first contact.
This will endear him greatly to coach Mike Shanahan.
The 2007 edition of the Buffalo Bills defense is interesting
from the standpoint that this will not be a unit that teams want
to face when they are trailing. This is a very quick defense that
will give offenses fits in the passing game. However, this unit
lacks any kind of significant bulk up front, therefore, they figure
to get bullied by power running teams. And while size alone does
not determine the ability to stop the run, it does not figure
to be a good sign the Bills have only one 300-pound-plus lineman
on the roster, tackle Tim Anderson. In the offseason, Buffalo
watched linebackers London Fletcher and Takeo Spikes leave and
were held hostage by defensive tackle Darwin Walker, who eventually
worked his way into a trade to the Bears. Even with a combo of
Spikes and Fletcher, the Bills allowed 4.6 yards per carry, among
the worst such averages in the league. So while the addition of
Penn State linebacker Paul Posluszny was a positive move, it does
not figure to fill a void left by two former Pro Bowl linebackers.
Jay Cutler: 250 pass/1 TD/1 INT
Javon Walker: 90 rec/1 TD
Brandon Marshall: 55 rec
Daniel Graham & Tony Scheffler: 30 rec/35 rec
Travis Henry: 125 rush/2 TD/10 rec
JP Losman/Lee Evans/Peerless Price
Marshawn Lynch (vs. DEN)
Passing Game Thoughts: Unfortunately for the Bills, their pass
offense begins and ends with JP Losman to Lee Evans. Considering
that All-Pro cornerback Champ Bailey will be tracking him all
day, it figures to be a long day for Evans and the Bills passing
offense. Roscoe Parrish could be a wild card in this equation,
but cornerback Dre' Bly should be able to limit him as well.
While covering Evans is never an easy day at the office, Bailey
and Bly will be helped by a Jim Bates-coached defense that will
make sure to force Losman to throw the ball quickly, largely negating
the deep ball Losman and Evans are so proficient at.
Running Game Thoughts: While, in theory, the Bills offseason
acquisitions of guard Derrick Dockery and tackle Langston Walker
were much-needed, the offensive line is in need for further repair.
And while the Broncos preseason performance was hardly inspiring
on the defensive side, they should have enough ammunition to shut
down the run in this contest as rookie Marshawn Lynch struggles
to find his way through the first half of the Buffalo schedule.
LB DJ Williams has not quite picked up the MLB position as quickly
as the Broncos would have preferred after letting Al Wilson go
in the offseason. That said, given the overall improvement of
the Broncos defense, safety John Lynch should be able to move
into the box to be the eighth man and cover up for any shortcomings
against the run, at least in this game.
JP Losman: 200 pass/1 TD/2 INT
Lee Evans: 50 rec
Peerless Price: 40 rec
Marshawn Lynch: 55 rush/1 TD/20 rec
Chiefs @ Texans
Damon Huard/Eddie Kennison/Dwayne Bowe/
Tony Gonzalez
Larry Johnson (vs. HOU)
Passing Game Thoughts: It'll be interesting to see after an offseason
– in which his starting job was threatened –whether
Huard will be in sync with the rest of his offense. It is almost
a given that he will look for Gonzalez on a regular basis. Rookie
Bowe also figures to give this passing game a boost. However,
for those people counting on a Chiefs passing game for fantasy
points this season, they may be in for a long year. This game
may be a one-game reprieve, for while Houston will have an improved
defensive unit, they are still a bit weak in the back four.
The Texans have made substantial improvements to their defense
over the last couple years. With what should be an improved pass
rush, Houston should be able to cover up their secondary weaknesses
on a more regular basis. Cornerback Dunta Robinson is a solid
piece who has suffered from multiple seasons of an anemic pass
rush. That said, expect a return to his rookie season in which
he was able to pick off six passes. The recent trade acquisition
for safety Michael Boulware was a solid move as well to shore
up what has been long been a weakness.
Game Thoughts: Perhaps one of the more interesting things
to look for in week one will be the availability and usage of
running back Larry Johnson, who has had less than two weeks of
camp to prepare for the season. He reported in remarkable shape
but the jury is out on whether his personal training regimen can
hold a candle to the rigors of a regular season schedule. Assuming
he will be somewhat limited in this contest because of the holdout,
it likely begins a stretch of five games to start the season in
which Johnson will likely struggle putting up #1 RB-type running
back fantasy numbers. Consecutive years of losing Hall of Fame
linemen also figure to drag down LJ's per carry average numbers
to around 4.0 yards per carry market, down from the 5.2 he averaged
in 2005 and 4.3 average in 2006.
One nugget that has not received as much pressed as it probably
should have because of the Texans woes over the years has been
the improved play of former first-round defense of tackle Travis
Johnson, who apparently had a fire lit under him in the offseason.
A properly motivated Johnson - who could be a force against the
run to go along with second-year defenseman Mario Williams and
rookie defensive tackle Amobi Okoye - could mark the beginning
of a stellar young defensive line in Houston, something the team
has probably been expecting for some time considering that each
of those players are first-round picks. Having Johnson fulfill
his potential against the run would do wonders for the defense
as Okoye and Williams are more pass-rushing threats - at this
point – than run stoppers. Of course, behind them as rookie
of the year to DeMeco Ryans, who is nothing short of a tackling
Damon Huard: 190 pass/2 TD/1 INT
Eddie Kennison: 40 rec
Dwayne Bowe: 50 rec
Tony Gonzalez: 55 rec/1 TD
Larry Johnson: 100 rush/1 TD/30 rec/1 TD
Matt Schaub/Andre Johnson/Jacoby Jones/Owen
Ahman Green (vs. KC)
Passing Game Thoughts: Matt Schaub figures to lead to improved
passing offense, keyed by the continued development of receiver
Andre Johnson and the hands of Ahman Green out of the backfield.
There is, of course, rookie sensation and preseason hero Jacoby
Jones, who put on a show in the return game and also a little
bit in the field during a four-game exhibition slate. The offensive
line, while not significantly improved, is better than last season.
This should allow Schaub to have that extra split-second more
than his predecessor, David Carr, was able to get in the backfield.
Schaub, however, is a good decision-maker and should not need
the extra time that Carr seemingly needed -- the very thing that
eventually forced the former #1 overall pick to be cut from the
With what figures to be a limited offense, Kansas City may be
able to make up for it with their defense. Pass rush remains an
issue but the back seven looks to be in as good of shape as it
has been in some time. LB Donnie Edwards returns for his second
tour of duty with the team and has always been a solid tackler
and stellar performer in coverage. LB Napoleon Harris joined the
team as a free agent from Minnesota and LB Derrick Johnson figures
to improve and what will be his third year. At cornerback, Ty
Law and Patrick Surtain are not what they once were but they are
also no slouches either. What this matchup will boil down to is
Kansas City's ability to rush the passer versus Schaub's ability
to get rid of the ball quickly.
Running Game Thoughts: Ahman Green is the most noteworthy acquisition
for the run offense this season in Houston and symbolic of the
upgrade of personnel the Texans are trying to make to their team.
The offensive line that Green joins in Texas does not figure to
be much of an upgrade or downgrade from the unit that he leaves
behind in Green Bay. The scheme remains the same and the surrounding
talent is comparable, thus, don't expect much of a drop-off for
Green this season. In this contest, Green should touch the ball
at least 25 times, making things very easy in the passing game
and in play action for Schaub.
It's a shame that at the same time the defense is getting fixed
in Kansas City, the office is falling apart. As a result, expect
teams to continue pounding the ball against the Chiefs defense
as they will have little reason to pass given that the Kansas
City offense will struggle to score points. At least in this game,
that will play right into the hands of the Texans, who would like
nothing more than to make Schaub's debut a 20-to-25 past attempt
affair. HC Gary Kubiak and OC Mike Sherman would be plenty happy
running the ball all day with Green and Ron Dayne.
Matt Schaub: 220 pass/2 TD/0 INT
Andre Johnson: 90 rec/1 TD
Jacoby Jones: 50 rec/1 TD
Owen Daniels: 40 rec
Ahman Green: 85 rush/1 TD/20 rec
Dolphins @ Redskins
Trent Green/Chris Chambers/Marty Booker/David
Ronnie Brown (vs. WAS)
Passing Game Thoughts: Because of what figures to be an average
line at best, opponents will likely show no mercy in blitzing
Trent Green. This will make Ronnie Brown and/or Jesse Chatman
vital in the passing game as they will need to make a decent living
getting first downs when the line is an able to protect Green
long enough so that he can find Chambers downfield. Also look
for tight end David Martin to be a valuable outlet receiver in
this contest.
On the other side expect the Redskins to blitz mercilessly as
that is defensive coordinator Gregg Williams' calling card. This
should translate into a fairly productive day for the Redskins
defense from a fantasy perspective and a rather tough day for
the passing offense for the Dolphins.
Game Thoughts: Right away, we will likely get to see just
how much of the offensive wizard new HC Cam Cameron is. The offensive
line figures to be an improvement over last year, but they still
figure to be a below average unit as a whole. Rookie C Sampson
Satele has been a pleasant surprise in training camp, but perhaps
he is the only member of the line that registers as a noteworthy
blocker upfront in what is a totally revamped line for running
back Ronnie Brown and potential handcuff Jesse Chatman, who Cameron
appears to be very impressed with. Tackle Vernon Carey was establishing
himself as he force on the right side, however, Cameron saw the
need for his talents on the left side, which is always a risky
proposition. In time, this could turn into a good unit. For now,
it could be the one thing that hinders its potential to become
a high-scoring unit this season.
The additions of London Fletcher and LaRon Landry, plus the return
of the entire defensive line from injury last season figures to
make Williams' unit much more like the 2005 edition as opposed
to the 2006 unit that had trouble stopping run or pass or forcing
turnovers. So long as the defensive line stays healthy this season,
which it was not able to last season, this unit should a fair
amount of success, keeping the Dolphins in check. Fletcher is
the linebacker that is a consistent tackler and make all the calls
for the defense the team has missed since Antonio Pierce departed
for the Giants two seasons ago. That by itself should enable the
Redskins defense help recapture some of its 2005 magic.
Trent Green: 235 pass/1 TD/1 INT
Chris Chambers: 80 rec
Marty Booker: 40 rec
David Martin: 50 rec/1 TD
Ronnie Brown: 80 rush/1 TD/35 rec
Jason Campbell/Santana Moss/Antwan Randle El
/Chris Cooley
Clinton Portis/Ladell Betts (vs. MIA)
Passing Game Thoughts: With offensive coordinator Al Saunders
returning for his second year, expect this offense to be much
more fluid than it was a year ago. It also helps that quarterback
Jason Campbell was able to take all the preseason snaps and also
get a few starts toward the end of last season. There's reason
to believe that at least two members of this passing offense can
be fantasy relevant, and possibly even worth #1 consideration
at their position -- not overall -- but certainly as top 10 fantasy
options. Getting Campbell experience will be very important to
this offense as he possesses the tools, including the arm strength
that Mark Brunell has lacked for some time, to get receiver Santana
Moss and tight end Chris Cooley involved in just about every game.
If there is a weak link to the Dolphins defense, look to the
back four. CBs Will Allen and Travis Daniels have yet to strike
fear into the hearts of any opposing offensive coordinator and
the same goes for safeties Yeremiah Bell and Renaldo Hill. What
would really help this unit is if second-year cornerback Jason
Allen to take the next step and relegate either Daniels or Will
Allen to nickel back duty. All told, however, this unit is directed
by defensive coordinator Dom Capers, who generally gets the most
out of his defenses every year. But this unit, when it fails to
pressure the passer, will get beat.
Running Game Thoughts: I, for one, particularly like the addition
of guard Pete Kendall to the offensive line. The addition of a
12-year veteran more than makes up for the loss of fellow guard
Derrick Dockery to the Bills in the offseason. When healthy, this
can be and should be one of the finer run blocking units in the
league. What that should mean is either Portis or Betts is in
for a fine year, and possibly both. They will have their hands
full against a particular the good run-stopping unit in Miami
but as we have seen from Joe Gibbs since he returned to the NFL,
he will continue running the ball religiously.
While a defense as a whole is getting to be older unit, it is
still a very effective unit, holding opponents to 3.5 yards per
carry last season, one of the top marks in the NFL. This unit
cannot take much in the way of injuries as has little depth beyond
the starters. However, so long as linebacker Zach Thomas is patrolling
the middle of the field, it can be hard for many offenses to eclipse
the four-yard per carry mark.
Jason Campbell: 220 pass/1 TD/1 INT/20 rush
Santana Moss: 65 rec/1 TD
Antwan Randle El: 40 rec
Chris Cooley: 60 rec
Clinton Portis: 60 rush/1 TD/10 rec
Ladell Betts: 50 rush/35 rec
Patriots @ Jets
Tom Brady/Randy Moss/Donte Stallworth/Wes
Welker/Ben Watson
Laurence Maroney (vs. NYJ)
Game Thoughts: Without a doubt, New England upgraded what
was - by far - their weakest unit last season. It's generally
a good sign of growth at a position whenever a team can just release
their leading receiver from a season ago. Even though he missed
the entire preseason, one has to expect that Moss will suit up
and contribute heavily in Week 1 as will Dante Stallworth. However,
as any experienced fantasy player can tell you, trying to get
into the mind of HC Bill Belichick when it comes to setting a
starting lineup can be nearly impossible. All in all, the off
season acquisitions could contribute more to tight end Ben Watson's
bottom line as he will roam single-covered in just about every
game with the defenses preoccupied with the deep threats of Moss
and Stallworth.
Getting first-round pick cornerback Darrelle Revis into camp
on time was necessary for this passing defense to improve. That
did not happen, and as a result, so it's hard to expect much improvement
from this unit until later in the year. Improvement is inevitable
for this defense, but it will take time and is still very much
a work in progress, meaning that the Patriots were not the first
team the Jets would have liked to see on Opening Week.
Running Game Thoughts: If their third preseason game against
the Panthers was an indication -- which it probably wasn't --
Lawrence Maroney could be in for a large number of carries this
season. However, that game was needed more for knocking the rust
off the Patriots' power running game as much as anything,
as Maroney had yet to see any action in the preseason. More than
likely, backup Sammy Morris will take his fair share of the workload
from Maroney to keep them fresh, much like Corey Dillon did for
him last year before Maroney got hurt, but just not to the same
The Jets are doing what they can to emulate New England but until
they can find themselves a massive nose tackle, it's going to
be a hard sell to get this Jets defense into the top 10 where
it wants to be. Second round LB David Harris should be able to
force his way into the starting lineup at some point this season,
which would boost what is only a slightly above-average linebacking
corps. How quickly he is able to make that jump may determine
whether the Jets once again allow 4.6 yards per carry or if they
can take the next step up and became an average run-stopping defense.
Tom Brady: 275 pass/2 TD/0 INT
Randy Moss: 65 rec/1 TD
Donte Stallworth: 80 rec/1 TD
Wes Welker: 40 rec
Ben Watson: 40 rec
Laurence Maroney: 90 rush/1 TD/20 rec
Chad Pennington/Laveranues Coles/Jerricho Cotchery
Thomas Jones (vs. NE)
Passing Game Thoughts: Here we go again, Pennington has a solid
year and stays healthy and he's already fielding questions
about when he'll lose his job to Kellen Clemens. (Must be
a thing w/ New York QBs…) Either way, Pennington is a caretaker
QB at his best who will minimize risk for his offense. With the
acquisition of Jones, it makes even more sense to just "take
what you can get" as Jones should be able to carry the load
in the running game if he needs to. Cotchery really burst onto
the scene last season, making Coles and Cotchery one of the better
tandems in the league.
Ponying up the big bucks for LB Adalius Thomas was a good move
and what a transition for him…going from Rex Ryan's
pressure defenses to Bill Belichick's multiple defense.
Most defensive players don't get the pleasure of working
with either in their career; he gets both. His versatility should
continue to make this defense one of the best in the league. Getting
CB Asante Samuel back just before the end of the preseason was
also a much-needed get, especially in light of S Rodney Harrison's
four-game suspension to open the season.
Running Game Thoughts: I feel Leon Washington is going to get
used a bit more than some people believe, relegating Jones from
the feature-back status some think he will have to more of a 75-25
workload split. That aside, having a proven RB they can go to
will be important as the Jets face a more difficult schedule and
much higher expectations. Also, losing G Pete Kendall will reduce
the effectiveness of the running game. Jones was, of course, sidelined
with a calf injury in the preseason but should be good to go for
the opener. That said, it doesn't mean he will light it
up. I believe the Jets – as a whole – will struggle
much more than many expect this season.
Losing DE Richard Seymour will hurt this unit, but backup Jarvis
Green is one of the better reserves in the league, so a dramatic
falloff should not be expected. Belichick's units are almost
always very good against the run and well-disciplined and there
is little reason to expect that to change anytime soon.
Chad Pennington: 275 pass/1 TD/1 INT
Laveranues Coles: 90 rec
Jerricho Cotchery: 75 rec/1 TD
Thomas Jones: 60 rush/1 TD/20 rec
Eagles @ Packers
Donovan McNabb/Kevin Curtis/Reggie Brown/LJ
Brian Westbrook (vs. GB)
Passing Game Thoughts: If in fact HC Andy Reid can turn the full-time
play-calling duties over to OC Marty Morningweg, gone will be
the days of McNabb lighting up the skies with deep balls. But
fear not, McNabb – in his current state – should be
at least as effective as Jeff Garcia was for the Eagles down the
stretch, meaning Westbrook will be involved - but more than that
- McNabb doesn't have to be Superman anymore. While his
fantasy point totals may not rival last year's, owners may
rejoice if they can get a full 16 games from him. That alone will
likely solidify another top 8-10 finish in the fantasy QB standings.
This will be a much different unit from the defense McNabb &
Co. faced on Monday Night Football last season. The Packers were
one of the best defensive teams in the league down the stretch
in 2006 and there is little reason for that to change this time
around. If the Packers do have a weakness against the pass, it
would be that the safeties are average at best, so they could
get beat deep.
Game Thoughts: The Eagles sport one of the better offensive
lines in the business and for the first time in the Andy Reid
era, they will get to show their wares more often in the ground
game. While this is a pleasant development for Westbrook, it is
hard to imagine Correll Buckhalter and Tony Hunt not stealing
a few of the all-important goal-line chances from him. Either
way, if you are a fan of the numbers Westbrook posted down the
stretch last season and don't mind putting up with the injury
headache that Westbrook can provide from time-to-time, then by
all means, enjoy the ride.
The Packers counter with a unit that finished right around the
league average of 4.1 yards/carry. With the addition of rookie
DT Justin Harrell, who should work himself into the regular DT
rotation in short order, and aggressive nature of LBs AJ Hawk
and Nick Barnett, this unit may knock a tenth of yard or more
off last season's average. In regards to this game, Green
Bay will likely struggle with Westbrook in the open field, as
will most teams.
Donovan McNabb: 245 pass/2 TD/1 INT
Kevin Curtis: 60 rec
Reggie Brown: 80 rec/1 TD
LJ Smith: 25 rec
Brian Westbrook: 65 rush/55 rec/1 TD
Brett Favre/Donald Driver/Greg Jennings
Brandon Jackson (vs. PHI)
Passing Game Thoughts: The success of this offense depends on
the right arm of Favre – as it has for so many years –
and the health of Driver, who is nursing shoulder and foot injuries.
Greg Jennings is not quite ready to be a #1 WR yet and rookie
James Jones will be a work in progress, despite a stellar preseason.
The offensive line remains intact, although the depth is questionable,
so an injury up front could make Favre regret returning for another
DC Jim Johnson hasn't met a blitz he doesn't like,
but he's had to dial his aggressive schemes back in recent
years as his secondary has aged and lost some key components.
Lately, the play of the safeties has declined as S Brian Dawkins
winds down his spectacular playing career and Sean Considine has
struggles to establish the all–around consistency that Johnson
needs to ratchet up the pressure. As a result, this team can get
beat deep.
Running Game Thoughts: While the Packers essentially sent away
one former Nebraska Cornhusker (Ahman Green) for another (Jackson),
it's hard to say Jackson is going to just step right in
and not miss a beat. Green was – and still is – one
of the faster backs in the league who is also a fine receiver.
Jackson should fare just fine in the latter, but he will never
be the big-play back Green was. As a result, the ground game will
initially be asked to maintain just enough of a threat to make
Favre's play-action fakes worth carrying out. And even though
the defense figures to be the best unit on the team, they will
need Jackson to keep them rested.
Even with some upgrades up front, Philadelphia will struggle
to dramatically improve their 4.5 yards/carry average from a season
ago. What will help is a rebuilt LB corps that will be more effective
blitzers as well as better tacklers. Assuming they can get first-round
effort from their pair of high-pick DTs – Mike Patterson
and Broderick Bunkley, this unit can reclaim its rightful place
among the top 10 overall defenses.
Brett Favre: 230 pass/2 TD/2 INT
Donald Driver: 75 rec/1 TD
Greg Jennings: 80 rec/1 TD
Brandon Jackson: 65 rush/1 TD/20 rec
Steelers @ Browns
Ben Roethlisberger/Hines Ward/Santonio
Holmes/Heath Miller
Willie Parker (vs. CLE)
Passing Game Thoughts: As I have stated in some of the preseason
articles, this offense will be as much about Big Ben's arm
and accuracy as it has been since the days of the Tommy Gun. We
will also likely see the all-around game of Parker in action as
he could push 40-50 receptions if this offense does what I think
it will. Either way, expect the spread 'em out philosophy
of OC Bruce Arians to make everybody listed above fantasy-relevant.
Cleveland may once again have issues on defense this season,
but they figure to be against the run and not against the pass
unless they suffer a rash of injuries once again in the back four.
The CBs go four-deep and I like the ability of S's Sean
Jones and Brodney Pool to take another step up this season. Kamerion
Wimbley remains the only major threat that teams must prepare
for when pass blocking and, as a whole, the rest of the front
seven is uninspiring. Expect quality TEs and pass-catching RBs
to have field days against the Browns.
Game Thoughts: It's hard for me to see Fast Willie
gut a defense for 200-plus rushing yards (like he did last season
twice, including the Browns once) again this season given the
change in offensive philosophy, but the former Tar Heel may do
it in all-purpose yards. That said, issues and inexperience on
the offensive line likely drops the running game's effectiveness
down a notch from last season. And since the commitment to run
will not be there as it has been in past seasons, Parker could
disappoint in more than just a couple of games against the Ravens.
That said, don't expect this game to be one of those games.
The Browns still need another strong year of drafting and free
agent pickups on the defense to fix the mess former HC Butch Davis
left behind for HC Romeo Crennel. Outside of Wimbley, the other
members of the front seven are upgradeable. The defensive line
is old which, in turn, makes the job of the four LBs that much
Ben Roethlisberger: 235 rush/2 TD/1 INT
Hines Ward: 90 rec/1 TD
Santonio Holmes: 65 rec
Heath Miller: 25 rec/1 TD
Willie Parker: 100 rush/1 TD/25 rec
Charlie Frye/Braylon Edwards/Joe Jurevicius/Kellen
Jamal Lewis (vs. PIT)
Passing Game Thoughts: The fun is just about to begin for Frye…how
long can he keep his job? The Browns have done a fine job of assembling
quality receiving options over the past few years, but how much
does it mean if Frye can't avoid throwing it to the other
team (17 INTs). If he can maintain his 64% completion and throw
it to the guys in orange helmets, he may hold the job until midseason.
Seriously, through the first month of last season, Frye was a
startable fantasy option (2 TDs or more in three of his first
four games) before the running game became less than average and
the offensive line fell on their face. Both should be much-improved.
Even though the likely game of musical chairs will likely hurt
his fantasy bottom line, I do like Edwards to beat defenses on
a somewhat regular basis, starting with this game.
With CB Ike Taylor hopefully returning to form and S Troy Polamalu
healthy – which he wasn't last season – this
unit may be able to return to its normal perch inside the top
5-10 defenses. It will be interesting to see the affect that new
HC Mike Tomlin will have on this Dick-LeBeau-coordinated defense
and whether the zone blitz starts mixing in with the Cover 2.
Either way, expect better play from the secondary as a whole but
a small falloff in the pass rush, meaning the Steelers could be
beaten by some of the better passing games in the league this
Running Game Thoughts: What a terrible way for Lewis to kick off
his career. Times and coaches change, but as long as Pittsburgh
has a solid force in the middle (before Casey Hampton, it was
Joel Steed), it will likely hold rushing games to under 4.0 yards/carry.
Still, with an improved offensive line, Lewis still has a decent
shot of compiling a few yards, but hardly a fantasy-worthy line
for his owners.
As stated in the preceding paragraph, a strong noseguard –
and in Pittsburgh's case, a strong front three – gives
the LB corps all the help it needs into making plays. Throw in
Polamalu and the Steelers run defense will be good for several
more years. All in all, it figures to be a long day for Lewis
& Co.
Charlie Frye: 180 pass/1 TD/2 INT/25 rush
Braylon Edwards: 75 rec/1 TD
Joe Jurevicius: 40 rec
Kellen Winslow: 40 rec
Jamal Lewis: 40 rush/15 rec
Titans @ Jaguars
Vince Young/Brandon Jones/Eric Moulds/Bo
Chris Brown/LenDale White (vs. JAX)
Passing Game Thoughts: What a tough opening week test! Young
faces the same team he had two of his worst games against as a
rookie, going a combined 23-for-51 for 248 yards in two games
against the Jags, accounting for just one TD in those games. And
since the personnel around Young has fallen off somewhat, don't
expect a big game this time around either. Scaife has a fair history
against the Jags, but playing a road game in Jacksonville early
in the season when their defense is healthy is not a recipe for
fantasy success for any Titan.
If you don't know it already, let me remind you: The Jags
are world-beaters at home and get beat up on the road. I'm
ready to revise that statement at any time, but it's become
quite a pattern. In regards to the personnel, it's hard
to see this group of receivers doing much damage against CBs Rashean
Mathis and Brian Williams. S Gerald Sensabaugh is good to go and
as long as Sammy Knight is in the league, he will likely improve
his team's pass defense. Rookie S Reggie Nelson should be
able to contribute at a moment's notice as well, making
the Jags heavy favorites to shut down any Titans attempt to mount
a worthy passing attack.
Running Game Thoughts: Young had a combined 18 yards rushing
in his two games against the Jags, so for one week, discount the
possibility he will contribute in that area either. Assuming the
Titans are able to move the ball against Jacksonville, it will
likely because Chris Brown is flashing some ability and not LenDale
White. As for the season, expect White to stay healthy longer
and be the better performer of the two. Even with the above average
offensive line the Titans have, it's just hard to imagine
they will be able to do much against the healthy front seven of
the Jaguars, especially on the road.
It bears repeating: The Jags are world-beaters at home and get
beat up on the road. I'm ready to revise that statement
at any time, but it's become quite a pattern. Marcus Stroud
and John Henderson are nearly impossible to account for, making
MLB Mike Peterson's job pretty easy. The defense seems to
fall apart each year when Peterson goes down, but until that happens,
figure that moving the ball on the ground against this team will
be a tough chore.
Vince Young: 150 pass/1 TD/2 INT/15 rush
Brandon Jones: 40 rec
Eric Moulds: 25 rec
Bo Scaife: 60 rec/1 TD
Chris Brown: 30 rush/15 rec
LenDale White: 45 rush
David Garrard/Dennis Northcutt/Ernest Wilford
Fred Taylor/Maurice Jones-Drew/Greg Jones (vs. TEN)
Game Thoughts: I have a high degree of respect for OC Dirk
Koetter, much as I do for the ability of Garrard. As such, there
will be a fantasy-worthy receiver coming out of this offense and
I believe that WR will be Northcutt. He possesses the route-running
ability the rest of his Jags teammates do not. Expect that to
start right away in Week 1 against the Pacman Jones-less Titans,
who while they addressed the secondary in the offseason, were
not going to find a player of Jones' caliber on the open
The Titans actually did just about as well as they could have
covering up for the Jones debacle, but I don't see a CB
on the roster at the present time that can be considered a #1
CB option. The Titans will need to play more zone and hope their
pass rush can make up for that deficiency, something it may be
able to do against an average pass-blocking offensive line like
the Jaguars. The Titans really like what S Chris Hope has been
able to do from a talent and leadership standpoint, so blown assignments
should not be something Tennessee allows a whole lot this season.
Running Game Thoughts: The Jags could find the ground game stumbling
a bit early on. I believe the short-term loss of C Brad Meester
to injury will stunt the growth of the running game for at least
a bit. And this is where, even if it was handled poorly, the promotion
of Garrard was a smart move. His mobility will keep this offense
moving. Also, with the return of fullback Greg Jones, does the
work at the goalline become a three-way split between Jones'
one-yard plunges, Jones-Drew from the five and Garrard on a rollout?
This should be interesting.
As much as I sung the praises of the Jags' defensive line,
the Titans may be slowly building their way toward the Jags. Mind
you, they won't match them in effectiveness this season,
but I really like the addition of DT Corey Simon, assuming he
is all the way back – or can get there. It was the third-worst
unit in stopping the run last season, something that should not
happen again in 2007.
David Garrard: 240 pass/2 TD/1 INT/30 rush
Dennis Northcutt: 50 rec/1 TD
Ernest Wilford: 55 rec
Fred Taylor: 80 rush/20 rec
Maurice Jones-Drew: 50 rush/1 TD/30 rush
Greg Jones: 20 rush/1 TD
Bears @ Chargers
Rex Grossman/Bernard Berrian/Muhsin Muhammad/Desmond
Clark/Greg Olsen
Cedric Benson (vs. SD)
Passing Game Thoughts: This area of the offense begins and ends
with you guessed it: Grossman. I suppose since he is in America's
"Second City" it is appropriate that he is ridiculed
as much, if not more, than Eli Manning. It's hard to believe
that for a player who just played his first full season as a pro
that he faces the scrutiny he does. He had a grand total of seven
career starts before last season, meaning he is just a pup regardless
of whether or not he's 27 years old. Don't allow the
fact that he took chances (admittedly, some not so great ones)
down the field distract you from what he actually did, lead a
team to a Super Bowl. That said, any QB worth his weight will
learn from his mistakes in his second full year, something the
Bears should expect to happen. He will also benefit greatly from
the addition of Olsen and continued maturation of Berrian.
It finally clicked for CB Quentin Jammer and his fellow secondary
mates last season, as the area of the defense that had been the
weak link for so long finally was on par with the run defense.
Being that new DC Ted Cottrell is from the same school of pressure
defense as Wade Phillips is, don't expect much of a drop-off.
Losing LB Donnie Edwards to Kansas City won't help them
in mid-range coverage, but the Chargers already allowed the most
fantasy points to TEs last season anyway, so it probably seemed
as if it were a fair tradeoff to let go of a old reliable piece
of the defense so they could develop younger options, like ILBs
Stephen Cooper and Matt Wilhelm. As 60 sacks a season ago will
attest, the pass rush is one of the league's best.
Running Game Thoughts: I'm not getting the sense this is
the Cedric Benson show quite yet. Sure, he will be the bellcow,
but I get the sense he will come out on 3rd-and-5 or longer more
often than not in favor of Adrian Peterson and Garrett Wolfe.
However, for the first two downs – if he can stay healthy
– he should be a fine option in what should be a pretty
balanced offense. I would expect a down game against the Chargers
though, as they will likely make sure the Bears RBs can pick up
the blitz as they try to rush Grossman into some poor throws.
I'll keep harping on this until America knows: does anyone
notice that when a defense has a solid All-Pro presence at DT/NT,
how often that defense is solid against the run? In Jamal Williams,
San Diego has one of the best. Much like the Steelers, Igor Olshansky
and Luis Castillo do a fine job of flanking him, freeing Shawn
Merriman and Shaun Phillips to wreck havoc in the backfield.
Rex Grossman: 220 pass/1 TD/2 INT
Bernard Berrian: 75 rec
Muhsin Muhammad: 45 rec
Desmond Clark: 25 rec
Greg Olsen: 25 rec/1 TD
Cedric Benson: 75 rush/10 rec
Philip Rivers/Vincent Jackson/Malcolm Floyd/Antonio
LaDainian Tomlinson (vs. CHI)
Passing Game Thoughts: This team would look good on a basketball
court and not only because Gates was a former college basketball
standout at Kent St. Rivers - all 6-5 of him - throwing to a trio
of 6-5 WRs, each of which can jump and all of which have good
hands. And point guard LT, the runt of the litter at 5-10, is
so elusive and multi-faceted that a defense can only do so much
to stop him. Enough of the basketball analogy…this offense
can be freakishly good. Rivers is a great decision-maker that
could very well end up pushing the fantasy elite at QB this season
with Norv Turner calling the shots. Chicago may be able to limit
the point total somewhat in this contest, but this offense could
have a season for the ages in 2007.
I love the fact that the schedule makers gave us this game right
away in Week 1 to get us salivating, but it may not be the only
time we see it this season. Adding DT Darwin Walker and S Adam
Archuleta – a great fit in HC Lovie Smith's Cover
2 – makes this defense even better and deeper than last
season's edition. Teams may struggle to keep this unit under
four sacks a game and with the athletes in the back seven, turnovers
will be aplenty. If there is one defense that can keep San Diego
under control this season, this defense may be the one.
Game Thoughts: I'm not going to tell you anything
you don't already know here. Tomlinson, one of the best
running backs to ever play the game, runs behind one of the best
offensive lines in football and now has the benefit of having
one of the best play callers in the game directing the offense.
This should be fun for all LT owners and torture for those that
play against him.
Losing a stout run stopper like DT Tank Johnson will hurt, but
Dusty Dvoracek and Anthony Adams are more than capable. The addition
of Archuleta figures to improve the run defense as well and keeping
FS Mike Brown back in center field can only help this defense,
which is even better when he is healthy. All in all, don't
expect a huge performance from LT in Week 1; his fun will come
later in the season.
Philip Rivers: 180 pass/1 TD/1 INT
Vincent Jackson: 55 rec/1 TD
Malcolm Floyd: 35 rec
Antonio Gates: 50 rec
LaDainian Tomlinson: 85 rush/1 TD/30 rec
Lions @ Raiders
Jon Kitna/Roy Williams/Calvin Johnson/Mike
Tatum Bell/Doug Duckett (vs. OAK)
Game Thoughts: The Mad Genius is back once again. Much
like the Rams when they selected Torry Holt (when they already
had Isaac Bruce in his prime and Az Hakim in his second year),
the Lions selected Johnson when they already stud WR Roy Williams
and 2006 NFC reception leader Mike Furrey. Will this be a re-birth
of "The Greatest Show on Turf"? Not quite yet, as
Mike Martz would tell you, he's missing that piece in the
backfield, Marshall Faulk. So let's push that discussion
aside for now. In terms of the season, Johnson will have a better
year than Furrey while Williams manages roughly the same numbers
as last season. However, for the purposes of this one game, I
look for Furrey to outperform his teammates, so long as they put
him in the slot and let Johnson and Williams absorb the coverage
of Raiders CBs Fabian Washington and Nnamdi Asomugha.
The Raiders feature the #1-ranked pass defense from last season
and for good reason. They have three players in the secondary
that can cover just about any receiver and S Stuart Schweigert
– at his best – is an above-average centerfielder.
Add in two players in the front four who have the ability to hit
double-digits in sacks and Oakland should have little trouble
registering another fine finish against the pass. All in all,
in a week that features polar opposites facing each other, this
one figures to be every bit as intriguing. Martz has no problem
calling more passes than runs no matter what defense he is calling
plays against, so we get to see right away just where this defense
Running Game Thoughts: This may be one game the Lions want to
consider finding out just how improved the Raiders run defense
is going to be this season. The latest word seems to be that Bell
and Duckett will split the work, which means owners can go crazy
over the 10 carries a piece that each RB will see. My opinion
is the Lions are hoping and praying Kevin Jones returns around
Week 6 because they would just as soon not make this a committee
and they would just as soon not count on Bell or Duckett as a
primary ball carrier all season long.
As good as the pass defense was in 2006, the run defense did
not hold up their end. Of course, they were not helped by an offense
that could not move the ball to save their life. Just a slightly
improved offense will help things immensely. As such, expect a
better showing than the 25th-best run defense (134 yds/game).
With the Lions' line still a work in progress and the commitment
to the run very low, expect the Raiders to make Detroit's
offense look average, if only for a week.
Jon Kitna: 260 pass/1 TD/3 INT
Roy Williams: 60 rec
Calvin Johnson: 50 rec/1 TD
Mike Furrey: 80 rec
Tatum Bell: 60 rush/30 rec
Doug Duckett: 25 rush/1 TD
Daunte Culpepper or Josh McCown/Jerry Porter/Ronald
Curry/Zach Miller
LaMont Jordan (vs. DET)
Passing Game Thoughts: One can only assume the QB slot will be
filled by Culpepper this week or soon thereafter. Either way,
this offense will be better if only because they subtracted two
of the worst play-callers in our generation. It's really
hard to go much further with the weekly or seasonal aspirations
until we know who will be directing the offense, although it wouldn't
be all that surprising if Porter, Curry and Miller were not all
worth starting in three-WR leagues before the end of the year.
The fact that the Lions play Cover 2 helps them, but it cannot
make up for the lack of a quality cover CB. To be successful this
season, they will need a standout season from their front four
– something they probably won't get in more than half
the games they play in. Whoever ends up starting for the Raiders
at QB, figure that he will have a fair amount of success in Week
Running Game Thoughts: Once again, bringing in a couple of fresh
faces (OC Greg Knapp, HC Lane Kiffin) to run the offense should
help the running game as well. And they didn't waste time
in plugging offensive linemen where they thought they belonged,
including former LT Robert Gallery at guard. All in all, it all
bodes well for Jordan, who actually ran pretty well in limited
preseason action. Don't expect him to be 2005-good, but
he'll certainly be a fair #3 RB option, good enough for
use in weeks against weaker defenses – like this week.
Like Oakland, Detroit also finished in the lower half against
the run last season and haven't done a great deal to improve
it on the surface. What this unit will give is effort and that
will keep them in a lot of games. One thing that will be important
to the success of this defense is the consistency of DT Cory Redding.
Did he have a "contract year breakout" or did the
light come on after he was moved inside? His play may determine
whether teams have to fear facing Detroit's defense or whether
they will look forward to it.
Daunte Culpepper or Josh McCown: 215 pass/1 TD/1 INT/20 rush
Jerry Porter: 60 rec
Ronald Curry: 60 rec
Zach Miller: 50 rec/1 TD
LaMont Jordan: 80 rush/1 TD/20 rec
Buccaneers @
Jeff Garcia/Joey Galloway/Maurice Stovall
Cadillac Williams (vs. SEA)
Passing Game Thoughts: Bringing in Garcia in the offseason should
bring this offense something it hasn't seen lately: consistency.
And if he can be the caretaker he has been this decade (13 INT
in 2003 is his high), there figures to be a couple of winners
in this offense. Expect Galloway, who seems to be productive more
often than not no matter who the QB is, to benefit the most. Also
expect him to draw CB Marcus Trufant, who has been receiving glowing
reports after his move to LCB. HC Jon Gruden is a master at using
formation to free up a player he wants to get involved, so don't
be surprised to see Garcia and Galloway put up some decent numbers.
I also like Stovall to emerge past the logjam at WR opposite Galloway,
maybe even finding his way into three-WR leagues this season.
An improved OL will also allow this to happen.
The Seahawks figure to be improved in this area in 2007. The
deep ball really seemed to hurt this team throughout the season,
but a few things should rectify that this time around: Trufant's
move would appear to give Seattle a Pro Bowl performer at CB again,
the drafting of rookie CB Josh Wilson and getting Deon Grant to
pair up with Brian Russell at safety should eliminate the marginal
play of the safeties from a season ago. The Seahawks are also
have more depth and are more talent at DE, meaning they could
get a fair amount of pressure on the QB this season. Having a
healthy Patrick Kerney and Julian Peterson in the same front seven
figures to give Seattle a leg up on most of the offensive lines
it will face.
Running Game Thoughts: Raise your hand if you were burned by
the Cadillac last season. Well, I would have been too, but I was
fortunate enough not to have a late first-round pick last season.
That said, I expect some 2005-type production out of him this
season, because not only is he healthy again, he has a healthy,
has what should be an above-average offensive line and an accommodating
schedule. Add in the fact that he should see more work in the
passing game as well and I like him – at the very least
– as a low-end #2 fantasy RB.
This unit has potential to be one of the top overall defenses
in the league if DT Marcus Tubbs could stay healthy, which, once
again, will not happen as he will miss the season. His girth does
a great job of clogging up the middle and would make MLB Lofa
Tatupu more effective than he already is. As is, teams should
have a fair amount of success running against Seattle, as I like
Cadillac's chances to have a good day if he sees 20 carries
or more.
Jeff Garcia: 195 pass/1 TD/1 INT/20 rush
Joey Galloway: 65 rec
Maurice Stovall: 60 rec
Cadillac Williams: 75 rush/20 rec
Matt Hasselbeck/Deion Branch/DJ Hackett/Marcus
Shaun Alexander (vs. TAM)
Passing Game Thoughts: Do I expect the Seahawks passing game
to proceed without a hitch with out Darrell Jackson? Yes and no.
Branch has been asked to step right in and take over Jackson's
old spot, which may lead to a slight drop-off at first because
Jackson and Hasselbeck had built quite a chemistry over the years.
But Branch is an underrated WR and Hasselbeck is an accurate and
pretty good signal-caller, so expect that duo to improve throughout
the season. Hackett really emerged in 2006 as he filled in for
Jackson several times down the stretch. Adding Pollard was a significant
move as well as it will keep defenses honest as Pollard has very
good hands and will be – at the very least – a chain
Up until last season, DC Monte Kiffin was able to overcome the
lack of talent being introduced into the defense as the Bucs'
front office focused on getting Gruden some pieces to help the
offense. The dam finally broke last year as the defense just got
too old. Enter LB Cato June, who may be the heir apparent to Derrick
Brooks, and DE Gaines Adams. I also like the selections of Sabby
Piscaitelli and Tanard Jackson in the secondary, although neither
is expected to start right away. Playing the Tampa 2 will keep
the passing numbers respectable, but I'm not all that inspired
by the run-stopping capability on the defensive line. Tampa will
be better at stopping the run than they were last season, but
I still fear they could get exposed and will be ultimately what
keeps the defense from making a dramatic improvement.
Game Thoughts: Much as I was leading up to above, Seattle
will give Alexander every opportunity to see how much the Bucs'
middle-of-the-pack run defense has improved. HC Mike Holmgren
has evolved over the years into a play caller who doesn't
mind sticking with the ground game, something he wasn't
always willing to do. Expect that to be on display in Week 1 as
both teams feel the other one out in the running game.
The Bucs finished right in the middle in rushing yards allowed
per game (120.1) and I don't see much reason to adjust that
number all that much for this season. In fact, it's probably
a pretty fair estimate on what they will surrender in Week 1.
Matt Hasselbeck: 195 pass/1 TD/1 INT
Deion Branch: 70 rec
DJ Hackett: 55 rec
Marcus Pollard: 35 rec
Shaun Alexander: 85 rush/2 TD/10 rec
Giants @ Cowboys
Eli Manning/Plaxico Burress/Amani Toomer/Jeremy
Brandon Jacobs (vs. DAL)
Game Thoughts: It is my sincere hope that the boost in
WR depth and personnel helps Eli Manning have a standout season
– if for no other reason – than to get all the unreasonable
talking heads in the media (and you know who you are) to stop
bashing him. Understand he will never be the most accurate QB
around, but he actually improved his completion percentage by
5% last season. And the guy has had consecutive 24 TD pass seasons,
something only the quartet of big bro Peyton, Carson Palmer, Tom
Brady and Drew Brees have managed to accomplish. He's done
this with a cast of WRs who give less than 100% (Burress), a WR
who tries but blew out his knee (Toomer) and a TE who isn't
always as consistent as his final numbers suggest he is (Shockey).
Getting WR Sinorice Moss back healthy and drafting WR Steve Smith
should vault Manning into the next tier of quarterbacks, so long
as his line gives him the necessary time this season.
However, Manning may not get off to a good start in new HC Wade
Phillips is able to get his defense revved up right away. Assuming
they can stay healthy for the most part, this is a stout group
that has a lot of pieces in place. Turning DEs Chris Canty and
Marcus Spears loose up front figures to be just what the doctor
order and look for DeMarcus Ware and rookie Anthony Spencer to
meet at the QB a time or two. Combine that with CB Terence Newman's
coverage and S Ken Hamlin's ability to play center field
and Dallas has the makings of a top 5 defensive unit.
Running Game Thoughts: I admit it…I'm intrigued.
Does this offense become a power-running one or does it only shift
just a bit as they feature Jacobs in both the running and passing
game? Jacobs has good enough hands, but it will be interesting
to see how low he can run halfway through the season and if the
tens of tacklers that go for his legs on a tackle will eventually
slow him down. Both are fair questions and fair concerns. For
the purposes of this game, expect a fair number of negative plays
as the Cowboys will get into the backfield a handful of times.
But I do like Jacobs' ability to be mildly productive in
this game. The Giants will pound Jacobs up the middle early and
often to make Dallas think twice about bringing the heat.
Conversely, expect Dallas to bring the heat until New York makes
them respect the run. With S Roy Williams working his way inside
the box, the front seven of the Cowboys is good enough to stop
the run without getting too cute with pressure tactics. It will
make for yet another intriguing matchup.
Eli Manning: 210 pass/1 TD/2 INT
Plaxico Burress: 60 rec
Amani Toomer: 35 rec
Jeremy Shockey: 40 rec/1 TD
Brandon Jacobs: 55 rush/20 rec
Tony Romo/Terrell Owens/Terry Glenn/Jason Witten
Julius Jones/Marion Barber (vs. NYG)
Passing Game Thoughts: For the first time since he became a menace
to offensive and defensive coordinators alike, I rolled the dice
on Owens in a fantasy draft. Why? OC Jason Garrett has not only
said he needs to make sure Owens gets the ball, he actually then
gets him involved in the first play or two of the game. And though
preseason doesn't mean a lot to a large number of people,
placating the prima donna WR early in the game goes a long way
in making sure you get a full day's work out of him. And
when that happens, Romo will be much more at ease to throw to
his other options knowing he won't be the next victim of
a tirade. If Glenn shows any hint of slowing down (knee surgery),
expect Patrick Crayton to fill in without missing much of a beat
and also expect Witten to turn in another fine season.
This is not a good matchup for the Giants, as the front seven
will need to cover up for the back four most of the season. New
York will blitz a lot more this season than last and while that
is good against most teams, there may be no better receiver at
taking a short five-yard pass all the way for the score like Owens.
I actually think new SLB Mathias Kiwanuka will adapt very quickly
to playing LB (from DE) and do a fair job of limiting the TE in
the passing game. Once again, though, how well CBs Corey Webster
and RW McQuarters hold up in one-on-one situations will determine
the success of this unit.
Running Game Thoughts: For
fantasy owners, I think this has the potential to be a mess. The
production will be there, but I have a bad feeling this situation
isn't going to play out exactly as it did last season. Don't
get me wrong, Barber inside the 20 and every few series while
Jones gets the start and most of the other carries. I just feel
before the end of the season, there will be a blowup coming from
the Cowboys offense – and it won't be Owens. For the
purposes of Week 1, Jones enjoyed little success against the Giants
and Barber had one good game. Expect that to be the case here
The Giants have enough in their front seven to do a serviceable
job stopping the run. Getting DE Michael Strahan back and fresh
will help improve that aspect of the defense as he plays the run
better at this point than he rushes the passer. MLB Antonio Pierce
is a key cog in maintaining order and is a fine tackler. Lastly,
having converted LB Kiwanuka at LB places the bulk of a DE five
yards from the line of scrimmage. They should hold up well against
the run.
Tony Romo; 265 pass/2 TD/0 INT/20 rush
Terrell Owens: 90 rec/1 TD
Patrick Crayton: 40 rec
Jason Witten: 60 rec/1 TD
Julius Jones: 65 rush/20 rec
Marion Barber: 35 rush/1 TD/20 rec
Ravens @ Bengals
Steve McNair/Mark Clayton/Derrick Mason/Todd
Willis McGahee (vs. CIN)
Game Thoughts: Much like the running game, expect the passing
game to be efficient. Also, much like the running game, expect
consistent numbers but few big plays. There seems to be a lot
of buzz thrown in the way of Clayton as far as a solid #2 fantasy
WR, but I'm still under the belief that Heap is McNair's
#1 option, particularly in the red zone. That said, don't
be surprised if Clayton (and Heap) both look good in Week 1 as
the Bengals will need to prove their CBs can play more like its
2005 instead of 2006.
Coattailing off the last point of the Ravens, the Bengals need
to adopt the ballhawking ways of two seasons ago as opposed to
the passive approach of 2006. It starts with the pass rush, which
should be slightly improved, and filters down to the health and
approach of the cornerbacks and safeties. Having S's Madieu
Williams and Dexter Jackson healthy all season would be a boon
for this defense. I expect the Bengals will have a decent amount
of success frustrating McNair, although a big play made against
this defense would hardly be a surprise.
Running Game Thoughts: Waving good-bye to Jamal Lewis could not
have been easy, but it was necessary move. The Ravens will never
be the most exciting or the best big-play offense, but the team
simply needed more than Lewis was giving it. And given the defense's
ability to stifle opponent's ability to move the ball and
score, McGahee's workload and consistency should be just
about as good as any RB in the league. While I do expect the Bengals
to defend the run better than they have in recent seasons, McGahee
should not have a problem putting up numbers befitting of a #2
fantasy RB this week at the very least.
At the heart of the Bengals inability to stop the run over the
Marvin Lewis regime is the lack of depth at DT and the carousel
of MLBs the team has experienced. They believe both problems have
been addressed and they have actually improved against the run,
finishing in the top half of the league in 2006. Expect them to
finish just outside the top 10 in stopping the run if they can
stay healthy, another thing that Cincinnati has struggled with
over the years. It will start in this game as McGahee has a good,
but not great performance against the Bengals.
Steve McNair: 230 pass/1 TD/1 INT/20 rush
Mark Clayton: 80 rec
Derrick Mason: 45 rec
Todd Heap: 65 rec/1 TD
Willis McGahee: 85 rush/20 rec
Carson Palmer/Chad Johnson/Doug Houshmandzadeh
Rudi Johnson (vs. BAL)
Passing Game Thoughts: Palmer has a career QB rating of 91.5
against Baltimore against Baltimore – an incredible number
for the talent this defense possesses – so understand Palmer
will not exactly break down just because he is facing the Ravens.
Getting WR Tab Perry back healthy will increase Cincy's
ability to convert third downs – something it struggled
with in 2006 – and make Chris Henry's absence easier
to swallow until he returns in the second half of the season.
All in all, the Bengals will still put up some nice numbers in
this game yardage-wise, but expect the Ravens to be able to keep
this game in the teens.
Even though they face some of the high-powered offenses in the
NFC West this season, perhaps no other team the Ravens meet this
season will give the Ravens defense a tougher test than the Bengals.
They could draw a break though if RT Willie Anderson is not 100%
and LT Levi Jones is not reinstalled in the lineup. Those two
are two big reasons why the Bengals have surrendered just nine
sacks to the Ravens in the teams' last five games. However,
the Bengals have quality replacements for both, although neither
are quite on that level.
Running Game Thoughts: When the Ravens defense has been right
– 2005 excluded – Rudi Johnson hasn't had any
more success against Baltimore than any other runner. However,
he probably doesn't get the ball enough against teams just
like the Ravens. (Then, you look at the totals at the end of the
year and see he had another 350-carry season.) Rudi's forte
is wearing out a defense and that is something he can do against
Baltimore if given the chance, of course, that does necessitate
Cincinnati being able to convert third downs and jumping out to
a two-score lead so they can kill the clock. It wouldn't
be too surprising to see Rudi score in this game, but he will
be kept in check yardage-wise.
Losing LB Adalius Thomas will hurt against the run and the pass,
but not so much that this unit will not be very effective stopping
the run. DT Kelly Gregg and Haloti Ngata anchor a stellar front
four and, as always, MLB Ray Lewis will be there to benefit from
the line's effectiveness. There is no reason that the 2007
Ravens cannot match their second-place finish against the run
from last season.
Carson Palmer: 250 pass/1 TD/1 INT
Chad Johnson: 70 rec
Doug Houshmandzadeh: 75 rec/1 TD
Rudi Johnson: 65 rush/1 TD/20 rec
Cardinals @ 49ers
Matt Leinart/Anquan Boldin/Larry Fitzgerald
Edgerrin James (vs. SF)
Passing Game Thoughts: Yet another intriguing matchup. Just how
much and how long new HC Ken Whisenhunt can stick with the run
in this game (and this season, for that matter) to compensate
for a defense that is already battered will be interesting. All
in all, I expect the Cardinals will need to ditch their running
approach before too long in this matchup as the Niners will score
a few points. While I do think the Cardinals will be able to pound
the ball against some of their opponents, I don't think
this will be one of those games. That said, Larry Fitzgerald may
have a tough time doing all that much against CB Nate Clements,
although no CB can actually shut down either one of the Cardinals'
WRs. As such, I like Boldin to beat CB Walt Harris at least one
time and expect some of the trickery that Whisenhunt as become
known for, especially on the Monday Night Football stage.
This defense has improved by leaps and bounds since HC Mike Nolan
took over two seasons ago. He should have playmakers at two linebacking
spots (ILB Patrick Willis and OLB Manny Lawson) and the makings
of a fine secondary. This will give him the chance to dial up
a few blitz packages the likes of what he was able to do when
he ran Baltimore's defense.
Running Game Thoughts: Will James carry the ball more than last
year, possibly not. Will he be more effective? Very likely. With
the addition of assistant Russ Grimm and more attention being
paid to the o-line, expect James to come back to the 4.0 yards/carry
level he should be at. I actually do like the ability of the Cardinals'
line to handle the Niners' defensive line, but James will
have to get his numbers due to a lot of attempts as he isn't
going to break many long runs.
Once again, the Niners have made some solid additions to solidify
the defense. I like their ability to take the next step as a unit,
but suspect that run defense will be a bigger issue than the pass
defense will be. None of the front three possess the skill or
the bulk necessary to demand a double team, meaning teams will
have a fair amount of success against them. However, once again
don't look for James to pile up huge rushing numbers against
this defense because he just is not a breakaway back anymore.
Matt Leinart: 235 pass/1 TD/1 INT
Anquan Boldin: 80 rec/1 TD
Larry Fitzgerald: 60 rec
Edgerrin James: 60 rush/30 rec
Alex Smith/Darrell Jackson/Arnaz Battle/Vernon
Frank Gore (vs. ARI)
Passing Game Thoughts: I have a funny feeling this offense takes
a step back, even with the addition of Darrell Jackson. Just about
everywhere former OC Norv Turner has been, the next year the offense
takes a big hit. The Niners have the talent to stop that trend,
but I think there will be a small falloff regardless, in the passing
and running game. As such, I expect Smith to break out in a big
way potentially next year, but not this year. If he does break
out, I expect it to be because of Davis, who I see being a handful
for just about any defense he faces this season. Assuming good
health, I expect him to finish right behind Antonio Gates as fantasy's
best TE.
I have the utmost respect for DC Clancy Pendergast, who routinely
makes some decent lemonade out of some rotten lemons on this defense.
Outside of S Adrian Wilson, most people would have trouble naming
the true standouts on this defense, which is usually a good barometer
of the talent he has to work with. I like the addition of CB Rod
Hood to help Arizona address the third-worst passing defense in
the league last season. Once again, though, the toughest matchup
for the Cardinals will be against Davis, so expect him to have
a field day.
Game Thoughts: San Francisco has also built a pretty formidable
line, thus I expect Gore to put up some fine numbers, even if
he falls off of last year's pace ever so slightly. That
pace won't fall off in this game, however, as Gore is set
up to have another fine outing against the Cardinals (256 total
yards, 4 TDs in two games last season).
It's amazing to me that this rag-tag unit finished in the
middle of the pack in rushing yards allowed (118.3) and yards/carry
(4.1) last season. Early reports on NT Gabe Watson sound very
good, which would give the Cardinals a strong interior presence
against the run – a quality that have not had in years.
However, even if we assume Watson fulfills expectations, offenses
can easily gameplan for the Cardinals at this point. Until they
acquire more talent, this will be an average unit at best.
Alex Smith: 210 pass/1 TD/0 INT/20 rush
Darrell Jackson: 55 rec
Arnaz Battle: 40 rec
Vernon Davis: 50 rec/1 TD
Frank Gore: 100 rush/1 TD/30 rec
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text:
|With Dad's help, a very early attempt at
cursive writing to Mammy.
|Not a Silverwood milkman, but the same sort.
|A carter with milk leaving TradFest 2013, Dublin.
Milkman image from Suzanne57 on PhotoBucket.
|With Dad's help, a very early attempt at
cursive writing to Mammy.
|Not a Silverwood milkman, but the same sort.
|A carter with milk leaving TradFest 2013, Dublin.
This is lovely - I hopped over from another person who joined my blog, and am delighted to find such a treasure.ReplyDelete
Hello Lizy,
Thanks very much for your lovely comments! It's nice to hear from you.
Jenn, I love the story of your mom and the milkman. It made me smile. The translations remind me of travelling with our parents when it seemed like my mom had a long list of things we weren't supposed to say depending on where we were.ReplyDelete
Hi Charlotte,
Thanks very much for your comments! I'm glad the story brings a smile to your face. It does to mine too. Such a good idea that your mom had, since you just never know what might not quite translate.
Oh my gosh, the story about your mom and the milkman is so funny. It made me laugh out loud -- and now I will go to bed with a smile on my face. Thanks for sharing, Jenn.ReplyDelete
Hi Nancy,
Thanks very much for your comments! It makes me laugh out loud too. Glad to be sending you to bed with a smile on your face. You've given me one too, thank you. Sweet dreams!
Comments on this blog are always deeply appreciated; however, in the spirit of true collegiality, I ask that you do not write something you would not say to me in person.
This blog is CAPTCHA free, but because of spammers, comments moderation is in operation for posts older than two days.
Any comments that are mean-spirited, include URLs which are not connected to the post topic, contain misinformation, or in any way resemble advertising, will be removed.
Cheers, Jennifer

subset: commoncrawl


text:
When she arrived at a polling site at P.S. 91 located in her native Glendale, Crowley told a group of local reporters that she was confident she would win and wished her rivals luck after it was all over.
The 30-year-old raised more money than her opponents, rallied eclectic support, and had her politically connected family - including Congressman Joseph Crowley - help endorse the fight.
Unfortunately for Crowley - and despite the confidence - she lost the election by a mere 38 votes to Republican candidate Anthony Como, who has been in office ever since.
Tom Ognibene, a seasoned politician who once held the position, came in third place followed by Ridgewood resident, Charles Ober, who found himself in last despite snagging a coveted New York Times endorsement.
Since it was a special election to finish what would have been Dennis Gallagher's term - who was forced out of office amid scandal - an election is being held on November 4 to determine who will officially retain the council member position.
And both Como and Crowley, who are the two current candidates vying for the position, realize how close the final numbers can get.
That was a prime topic of discussion at the Woodhaven House on Tuesday night when former New York City Mayor Ed Koch, flanked by Congressman Crowley and other Queens Democratic leaders, showed their last-minute support for Elizabeth Crowley in the upcoming election.
Despite a relatively quiet campaign - especially when compared to last summer's - Crowley has recently built up steam in the final lap.
"When we last left off in this room, we were all expecting and anticipating a great victory," said Congressman Crowley to supporters at the restaurant Tuesday night, referring to the special election. "And many of us felt let down because we came up in the end 38 votes short. When anyone ever tells you their vote doesn't count this is a great example of every vote counts."
Currently, Crowley has out-funded Como's campaign by a 2 to 1 margin and despite a more hushed approach, her supporters believe a clear victory is in sight.
"She's an incredible trooper and she did an outstanding job," said Congressman Crowley of his cousin.
Ed Koch, a three-term New York City Mayor who took over in 1977, supported Liz Crowley in the special election and continues to pull for the Glendale resident.
"When Elizabeth called me up during that special election and asked me to come in I said 'Sure,'" he said. "And I don't support many. I support the ones that believe in the same goals and ideals that the people of New York and that I have."
Koch then said that he first ran on a "common sense" approach that appealed to the middle-class and despite being liberal, he was a liberal who wanted what was best for the people. That's what he feels Crowley brings to the table.
"It's common sense and that's what she [Elizabeth Crowley] has and she demonstrated that to me when she came to my office and I said I would support her and I'm happy to," he said. "I'm sorry that she lost the first time, but by such a narrow number that I'm convinced that we will win this time.
"She will make a great member of the council," the former mayor continued. "But she can only get elected if we're knocking on every door until 9 o'clock when the polls close."
Crowley graciously accepted the support before stressing how constituent support is, indeed, the key to victory.
"Every vote really does count," she said. "It's going to be a different situation in November. People are coming out to vote for a president. We have to make sure that they vote all the way down the line. Remember, it's only one vote that you need more than your opponent."