The Giants are 3-8 since the mid-point of 2012, and after a total no-show in Carolina, it's time for Tom Coughlin, offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride and Eli Manning to take more heat. Benching a running back isn't going to cut it this week.
Speaking of which, David Wilson looked great and would have scored a 17-yard TD were it not for a marginal holding call. Wilson's final numbers were poor, but it wasn't his fault the Panthers front seven were meeting him four yards in the backfield. If the Giants eventually look like an NFL team, there's still huge upside here.
Ben Roethlisberger got 9.9 YPA, Jay Cutler got 5.3, but the Bears won by 17, thanks for five turnovers, two of which resulted in TDs.
Colin Kaepernick wishes he had Tom Brady's receivers. Anquan Boldin is far too slow to be the only game in town. They need Vernon Davis back, and they should deal for Kenny Britt or Josh Gordon. In the meantime, Kaepernick is not a top-10 QB.
Trent Richardson's value is also significantly down - he was outplayed by Ahmad Bradshaw who has always been effective, and Bradshaw isn't going away. While Richardson might see the majority of the work once he's up to speed, it'll be 60/40 at best so long as Bradshaw's healthy. That's not what you paid for with a top-10 pick.
With five tackles on Sunday, Aldon Smith sure keeps his motor running.
Assuming his thigh injury is no big deal, C.J. Spiller is in Richardson territory - a 60/40 timeshare at best - something on which you did not count when you used a first-round pick on him. Unlike Richardson, at least Spiller can do a fair amount with less work.
The Jets receivers are pretty good - Stephen Hill looks like a possible game-breaker, Santonio Holmes is still a skilled route-runner and pass catcher, and so is Jeremy Kerley. The offensive line and Bilal Powell aren't bad, either, and Geno Smith looks like a player. This team has a fair chance of making the playoffs.
When Bills lineman Alex Carrington went down with a injury near the end of Sunday's game, Jets fans booed on the assumption he was faking it. It was a hell of an acting job as Carrington went so far as to get carted off the field and was later placed on IR with a torn quad tendon. Not since Daniel Day Lewis in "Lincoln" has someone more thoroughly inhabited a role.
The Saints have a good defense.
The Cardinals are very generous to tight ends - both Jimmy Graham and Jared Cook had monster days against them.
Dwayne Bowe is being hurt less by Alex Smith's arm than the strong play of the Chiefs defense. Why take a chance when you don't have to? As soon as a team makes the Chiefs throw further down the field, Bowe will have a bigger role.
I gave Erickson 6:5 odds on Ray Rice playing more games than Darren McFadden. So far he's winning.
The Ravens are going to make the playoffs for the sixth time in the Joe Flacco/John Harbaugh era, and they'll be the last team favorites like the Broncos and Pats want to play if/when they get there.
Cecil Shorts would be Jerry Rice on the Patriots. What a great receiver, even with a below-average quarterback as the only game in town against a top secondary.
How grating are those Microsoft ads?
Getting zero points from your kicker (Josh Brown) is a special circle of fantasy hell.
The Bengals let Jonathan Franklin average 7.9 YPC, but held Aaron Rodgers to 5.7 YPA. Incidentally, does anyone remember how bad Franklin supposedly was in camp? What about the Jets?
The Dolphins RBs saw only 13 attempts combined in a close game. It's hard to see Lamar Miller earning his draft-day cost especially with Daniel Thomas getting the goal-line work.
Jacquizz Rodgers and Jason Snelling both averaged 4.8 YPC but Rodgers saw more carries, while Snelling saw more targets. There was no compelling reason to sign Steven Jackson this offseason.
After missing two games with a suspension, Josh Gordon saw 19 targets. He's on pace for 100-targets through three games now.
Why is the only league I have Jordan Cameron, Peyton Manning and LeSean McCoy the low-stakes 16-team Vegas one? Can I swap it out for one of my struggling NFFC teams?