2009-11-25 15:46:06
By ANDY CLENDENNEN
Fantasy Writer
RealTime Fantasy Sports
Ah, now this is more like it. After a couple of weeks of fair-to-middling games, we have three games on the slate this week that are well worth taking the time to watch. And, even better, all will be on TV and in prime time. While you may be in the full throes of the Meat Sweats after your turkey Thursday, you can comfortably doze in your favorite chair and check out the Giants in Denver. Then, Sunday night's game features Pittsburgh at Baltimore, while Monday Night Mayhem pits New England at New Orleans. Wait a minute, you say - Giants and Denver? Since when did THIS turn into a must-see game? Well, how about since both teams have traveled a similar path this season, and it's about time to turn things around or perhaps start playing for next week.
Denver, as well documented, started the season 6-0 before falling faster than Bear Stearns. Losers of their past four games, the Broncos haven't shown any signs of life on the field, except when WR Brandon Marshall is berating RB Knowshon Moreno for fumbling. (Knowshon's comeback should have been "yeah, well at least I was in camp with the rest of my teammates.") The Giants have fallen on similarly hard times, yet no one seems to be talking as much about their fall. They won their first five games before dropping four straight to New Orleans, Arizona, Philadelphia, and San Diego. Following a bye week, New York needed overtime to drop Atlanta, so it's not exactly as if the Giants are back on track. And it doesn't get easier - after Denver, they host Dallas and then Philadelphia. What started out on the schedule of a battle of potential defensive-minded teams has turned into just the opposite. In their past five games, the Giants have allowed more than 33 points per game. The Broncos haven't fared much better, allowing more than 29 points per game in their past four. This, after allowing 26 points in their first four games combined. Quick question - aside from playing in the AFC North, what do Pittsburgh and Baltimore have in common? Right - they've both been SWEPT by division leader Cincinnati. So what's left? Why, to beat up on each other, of course. Then again, nothing is a sure thing when a team like the Bengals can sweep the defending champs and Baltimore, then decide to lay an egg in Oakland. The Steelers hold a one-game lead on Baltimore and are one game back of the Bengals. So, if Baltimore wants anything to do with winning the division, this is a must-win game. Four of the Ravens next six games should be eminently winnable (Green Bay, Detroit, Chicago, and Oakland). But with two games remaining against Pittsburgh, those two games could spell the difference between conference champs and third place. Winning the home game is a must for Baltimore. It's even more important as the Steelers' remaining schedule is even easier than Baltimore's, if that's possible. Check out this cakewalk into the postseason: Oakland, Cleveland, Green Bay, and Miami. You have to figure the Steelers win all of those, and will probably win at least one of the two Baltimore games. Cincinnati, meanwhile, has games remaining against Minnesota and San Diego, both on the road. Long story short, this division is completely up for grabs and whichever team wants it will have to earn it. And the proving grounds start now. Finally, to cap off the week, we get a battle of New England vs. New Orleans. Another quick quiz: Why the New in their names? New England is easy - one of the earliest European settlements featured travelers from England settling down in Plymouth, Massachusetts. New Orleans is a little more difficult, but that's why I'm here. The city was named in honor of a former Duke of Orleans, an area in France. So, this could hearken back to Old World battles between the Anglophiles and the Francophiles. OK, history lesson over. Monday night's game should be a lesson in offense. Saints QB Drew Brees is second in QB rating, Patriots QB Tom Brady is fifth. New England WR Randy Moss is second in receiving yards and teammate Wes Welker is fifth. The Saints are first in total offense, just 44 yards head of New England. The difference is in the defense: New England is sixth in team defense, while the Saints are 17th. Survey says that New Orleans will lose its first game of the year on Monday. Now, onto things we've learned: Cincinnati is messing with karma at just the wrong time: Why on earth would the Bengals, a team priding itself on camaraderie and cohesiveness, bring in a malingerer such as RB Larry Johnson? Have the Bengals already reached panic mode? The good news out of Cincy is that RB Cedric Benson may return this week. And that's good news indeed for a team that has surprisingly managed to stay out of the headlines for all the wrong reasons this year. The Bengals don't need to start showing up in the tabloids and police blotters now, in the midst of their best season since Tim Krumrie and Anthony Munoz patrolled the trenches. QB Josh Freeman may be the future in Tampa: But the future is not quite now. Against New Orleans, who we already established doesn't exactly have an overpowering defense, the former Grandview (Mo.) High product completed barely half of his 33 passes for just 126 yards. The kid will be good, but he's not quite ready just yet. Give him another year to develop and perhaps another weapon or two offensively and he'll be good to go. Kudos to the Bucs for realizing they are going nowhere this year and have voluntarily started a quarterback who began the season at No. 3 on the depth chart. More teams should do this. (Cleveland, anyone?) Contributor Andy Clendennen previously worked for The Sporting News web site, for which he wrote a weekly fantasy baseball advice column. In addition to The Sporting News, Andy has worked as a sports writer for 10 years, in St. Louis and in Colorado. | 
