LeSean McCoy is one of the biggest 2011 Pro Bowl snubs

by Jared Smola

2011 NFL Pro Bowl rosters were announced on Tuesday.  The Falcons and Patriots – leaders of their respective conferences – received the most selections. 

Atlanta will send 7 players to Hawaii, highlighted by Matt Ryan, Michael Turner, Roddy White, and Tony Gonzalez. 

Tom Brady will start at QB for the AFC and will be joined by 5 of his teammates, including rookie CB Devin McCourty.  The Rutgers product is the first rookie CB to be selected to the Pro Bowl since Charles Woodson back in 1999.

Starting opposite Brady will be Michael Vick, capping off an incredible comeback season.  The backup QBs in the NFC are Matt Ryan and Drew Brees.  Aaron Rodgers was left out, but it’s tough to argue with the Ryan and Brees selections.

Philip Rivers and Peyton Manning are the subs in the AFC.  Matt Cassel and his brilliant 27-to-5 TD:INT ratio was snubbed.

Draft Sharks homeboy Jamaal Charles was surprisingly – but deservingly – selected to his 1^st Pro Bowl.  Maurice Jones-Drew and Arian Foster were shoo-ins at RB in the AFC, but J-Chaz got the nod over Peyton Hillis and Darren McFadden.

At the RB position in the NFC, LeSean McCoy sticks out as a big-time snub.  He was much more productive than Steven Jackson, racking up more total yards and TDs through 16 weeks.  Michael Turner draws the start for the NFC, with Adrian Peterson joining Steve Jax on the bench.

The NFC nailed its WRs, with Roddy White and Calvin Johnson as the starters, and Greg Jennings and DeSean Jackson serving as backups.  That’s a pretty impressive foursome!

There’s not much to argue with at WR in the AFC either.  Andre Johnson, Reggie Wayne, Brandon Lloyd, and Dwayne Bowe were the 4 best, although Lloyd is more deserving of a starting spot than Wayne.

Tony Gonzalez was selected on name-value alone.  There’s not a whole lot to choose from at TE in the NFC, but Chris Cooley and Vernon Davis were more deserving.  Gonzo will backup Jason Witten. 

The AFC TE selections were cut-and-dry: Antonio Gates and Marcedes Lewis.  Gates gets the nod as the starter despite missing 5 games.

The complete Pro Bowl rosters can be found here.

Lenny has an idea for how to handle Sal Alosi and "Trip Gate."

Monday Night LAP Dance
Leonard A. Pappano
December 20, 2010

The LAP Dance is for entertainment purposes only. It employs literary devices such sarcasm, satire, stereotypes, exaggeration, complete fabrications and slander (or is it libel?). The opinions and delusions expressed are purely those of the author. Any offense given is unintended. Please read at your own risk.

** The Vikings playing a home game outside in late-December. If only for a night, all is right in the NFL… so let’s ruin the moment and pick on some people around the league.

** Giants rookie punter was instructed by HC Tom Coughlin to punt the ball out of bounds… instead of putting a line drive directly into the hands of DeSean Jackson for a game-winning return with no time on the clock. To his credit, Coughlin manned up and took the heat. “I’ll take full responsibility for that last play,” Coughlin insisted after the game. When I contacted suspended Jets strength coach Sal Alosi about the play and Coughlin’s response, he snapped, “Take responsibility?!… Hey, I woulda run out and tackled that showboating son-of-a-bitch (DeSean Jackson) at the 1 yard-line.” Alosi 1 Coughlin 0.

** Speaking of Alosi and “Trip Gate,” here’s a take that I haven’t heard expressed in the mainstream media: In baseball, if a guy crowds the plate, the pitcher throws a brush-back pitch. Or if a batter gets beaned in the bottom of the 5th, an opposing batter gets beaned in the top of the 6th. It’s an unwritten rule that keeps everyone on “friendly” terms. If the Jets crowded the sideline to intimidate or impede a gunner, is it crazy to expect a gunner who gets blocked out of bounds to lay the lumber to someone standing too close? Maybe it’s just me, but if I were a gunner, I woulda fixed Sal Alosi’s scheme by knocking him flat on his ass. Hard.

** After yesterday’s Giant meltdown, the New York media began asking team co-owner John Mara about hiring Bill Cowher as the next head coach. “That’s ridiculous. That is ridiculous,” Mara said. “Are we down to that? We were writing Bill Cowher stories two months ago and now we are going to write them again. That’s ridiculous.” Maybe – but no more ridiculous than giving up 28 points in the game’s final 7 minutes against the hated Eagles.

** Eagles QB Michael Vick said last week that he “would love to get another dog in the future.” Hey — I got a lot of one-liners I could use here, but since I love a good steak, criticizing Vick for wanting a dog would only make me a hypocrite. Well, not that being a hypocrite should prevent anyone from ridiculing or lampooning a public figure, but ya know what I mean…

** In a recent radio interview, Tim Hasselbeck said that Rams rookie Sam Bradford is the best QB in the NFC West. He might have been slighting his older brother, Seahawks QB Matt Hasselbeck, but Tim made sure to pile on by saying that WR Mike Williams was the best player on the Seahawks offense and that Matt “has never been good enough to carry an offense.” Maybe it’s coincidence, but Hasselbeck got pulled from yesterday’s shellacking against the Falcons and replaced by Charlie Whitehurst. I’m guessing Christmas dinner is going to be a little frosty at the Hasselbeck house.

**My Fantasy Co- MVPs for 2010 are Browns RB Peyton Hillis, whose ADP was 14.05 but stands as the second-best RB in fantasy, and Arian Foster, whose ADP was 3.12 but is currently the top fantasy RB. Either of those two picks got fantasy owners huge value.

** Back in the good old days, QBs called their own plays. Nowadays, well, players are encouraged not to think, but simply to act on what their told. A case in point occurred in the Jags/Colts game. On a crucial 4th-and-1 for the Jags, the coaches called for a pitch to Maurice Jones-Drew OR a QB sneak by David Garrard if the Colts’ defensive scheme allowed for it. Though the defensive scheme allowed for it, Garrard didn’t hear the call for the QB sneak due to a helmet malfunction. He ran the pitch play, MJD dropped the pitch and the rest is history. When asked after the game why he simply didn’t run a QB sneak in any event, Garrard replied, “The thing of it is, it’s not in my head to call it. I’m just thinking of calling the play that is called.” A mind is a terrible thing to waste – especially with a QB.

** Ravens QB Joe Flacco was visibly upset when he took a knee from Saints DE Alex Brown after Flacco was already on the ground. WR Derrick Mason ragged on the officials after the game. “I mean come on,” Mason said. “You have to protect our quarterback. I know his last name is not (Drew) Brees or (Peyton) Manning or (Tom) Brady. But our quarterback is very good.” Yeah, and if your QB’s name is Roethlisberger, they let Ravens defenders break his nose without any penalty. Derrick, give it a rest.

** Titans HC Jeff Fisher gave out only one game ball yesterday – to his OC Mike Heimerdinger, who has continued coaching despite being treated for cancer. Fisher said Heimerdinger was in a “battle for your life, so come on up.” Fisher gave Heimerdinger the ball and hugged his friend. The Titans gave Heimerdinger a loud round of applause, and he quietly said, “Thanks.” Amen.

** Congrats to Saints QB Drew Brees. He became only the third QB in NFL history to post 5 consecutive 4,000-yard seasons. The other two are Dan Marino and Peyton Manning… On the flip side, Cowboys LB DeMarcus Ware has gotten double-digit sacks for 5 straight years. The last NFL player to do that was Simeon Rice from 2001-2005.

** How in the world did Patriots 313-pound offensive lineman turned kick returner, Dan Connolly, lumber for 71 yards yesterday? You could have timed the play on a sun dial – yet the Packers couldn’t seem to bring him down. Hey, next time, kick away from this guy.

** The Steelers have now lost games to the Ravens, Saints, Patriots and Jets – all likely playoff teams. As long as HC Mike Tomlin has to face a team with inferior talent, his team will have a chance. But expect him to be outcoached – as he was yesterday vs. Rex Ryan – once the playoffs begin.

** Ok, everyone thinks they can outcoach the guys calling the shots of their favorite team. It’s worse with me, since I think I can outcoach all of them (with the exception of Bill Belichick). My beef with most coaches is that they play-call waaaaay tooooo conservatively. So God bless Packers HC Mike McCarthy for starting last night’s game with a successful onside kick against the Patriots. It led to a FG for the 14-point underdog Packers, who almost pulled the upset.

** After yesterday’s 0-4 performance, every team in the NFC West has at least 8 losses, ensuring that the eventual division winner will finish no better than .500. Parity has turned to parody.

** Only 13 teams have had the same starting QB for the entire season this year. Seven starting QBs have been rookies, the most since 2004.

by Jared Smola

If you subscribe to the Draft Sharks way of doing things, you grab a defense with one of your last few picks and then work the waiver wire throughout the course of the season so that you’re always using a defense with a favorable matchup.  I’ve been highlighting low-end defenses with strings of juicy opponents all year.  Time for one more edition for the crucial weeks of the fantasy football playoffs:

Miami Dolphins

Here’s a defense that could play a pivotal role in a championship run. The Dolphins D has been solid all season, currently ranking 5th in total defense, 8th in points allowed, and 7th in sacks. OLB Cameron Wake has been a breakout sensation, tallying a league-leading 14 sacks. The Fins run D has been rock solid too, anchored by DT Randy Starks. You won’t find a more favorable Week 15-16 schedule, as Miami hosts the Bills and Lions in the final 2 rounds of most leagues’ fantasy playoffs. They’re a sure-fire top-10 play in both of those matchups.

Dallas Cowboys

From broken collarbones to fired coaches, it’s been a tumultuous season in big D.  And let’s be honest – the defense has been pitiful.  Heading into Week 15, the Cowboys rank 25^th in yards allowed and 31^st in scoring defense.  Brutal.  Their forte in past seasons has been getting to the QB, but they haven’t even been able to do that this year, ranking just 20^th in sacks.  All that being said, this unit has been making plays lately.  2 weeks ago, they picked off QB Peyton Manning 4 times, returning 2 of them for scores.  They added 2 more INTs against the Eagles last week.  Granted, they’ve still been giving up loads of points and yards, but those takeaways are big points in most fantasy leagues.  Expect more of that the next 2 weeks against the Redskins and Cardinals.

New England Patriots

The Patriots defense has taken a lot of flak this season, but it’s a young unit that is improving by the game.  They quietly rank 9^th among team defenses in standard-scoring leagues, thanks in large part to 4 TDs.  That’s a bit fluky, but their 20 INTs – 2^nd-most in the league – sure aren’t.  This is a ball-hawking secondary led by stud rookie CB Devin McCourty.  Look for New England to add to its takeaway totals in the next couple weeks against the Aaron Rodgers-less Packers and the Bills.

Lenny recently had the pleasure of speaking with former Head of Officials Mike Pereira.

Monday Night LAP Dance

Leonard A. Pappano

December 6, 2010

The LAP Dance is for entertainment purposes only. It employs literary devices such sarcasm, satire, stereotypes, exaggeration, complete fabrications and slander (or is it libel?). The opinions and delusions expressed are purely those of the author. Any offense given is unintended. Please read at your own risk.

** In the last LAP Dance, I identified Lee Harvey Oswald as the lone gunman in the assassination of President John Kennedy. Within minutes, FOX’s Rules Analyst Mike Pereira called me to say that after reviewing the Zapruder film, he had conclusive evidence that the assassin fired his shot from the grassy knoll… and so I stand corrected.

** For whatever it’s worth, with QB Brett Favre out of the game, the Vikings scored a season-high 38 points – including 3 TDs for RB Adrian Peterson and 2 TDs for WR Sidney Rice. It didn’t hurt that the Vikings were playing the Bills.

** Something to consider as a fantasy player: Six undrafted RBs are leading their respective NFL teams in rushing yards this year. Arian Foster, Mike Tolbert, Fred Jackson, BenJarvus Green-Ellis, Chris Ivory, and LeGarrette Blount.

** Broncos RB Knowshon Moreno could be on the short list for Breakout Fantasy Player for 2011. He has averaged 142 yards from scrimmage the past 4 games, along with a 5.4 yards per rush average. Nice numbers.

** Jimmy Johnson said yesterday that Auburn QB Cam Newton would be a top-10 pick in the 2011 NFL Draft. Could be. But for some reason, the kid doesn’t impress me as an NFL prospect. He seems to have trouble throwing spirals, and his delivery reminds me of Vince Young’s. I guess we’ll know how it pans out in a few years.

** I’m generally sympathetic to the players in the upcoming CBA negotiations. But the folks they have representing them are flat out goofy. After the good news a couple weeks ago that the NFLPA representatives and the league made some headway in discussing an 18-game schedule, NFLPA executive director, DeMaurice Smith, issued a statement saying that an “internal deadline” had passed to get a new deal done. Whatever the hell that was supposed to mean, both sides will continue to negotiate this winter, and it’s a good bet they’ll reach a new agreement in the next 3-6 months.

** Referee Ed Hochuli yesterday flagged rookie Lions DT Ndamukong Suh for 15 yards for “an unnecessary non-football act” after he sacked QB Jay Cutler. An unnecessary non-football act. Sounds like a phrase the commish should use in disciplining players.

** Turn out the lights, the party’s over… For those of us who grew up as kids watching Monday Night Football in the 1970s, today brings a tinge of sadness with the news that former Cowboys QB Don Meredith has passed. He added some levity to balance out Howard Cosell, and was just plain enjoyable to listen to.

** Three weeks ago, after the Broncos thrashed the Chiefs 49-29, KC head coach Todd Haley refused to shake hands with Broncos head coach Josh McDaniels. After the Chiefs avenged their defeat yesterday 10-6, Haley gave McDaniels a hug after the game. It turns out to have been a good-bye hug.

** After watching last night’s Steelers/Ravens game, it makes you wonder if the officials don’t have it in for the Steelers when it comes to personal fouls. LB James Harrison has been nailed for a handful of questionable personal fouls over the past few weeks. Meanwhile the referees ignored a blow the head which broke Ben Roethlisberger’s nose, and a hit on a defenseless Heath Miller that I thought literally broke his neck. The essence of officiating is to be consistent. Can’t say that for crews handling the Steelers’ games.

** 49ers President, Jed York, keeps insisting that his 4-8 Niners can still make the playoffs. The sad truth is that he’s right. The NFC West is being headed up right now by a pair of 6-6 teams, and the Niners play 3 of its remaining 4 games against division rivals.

** Colts QB Peyton Manning has 4 INTs and 2 pick sixes in each of his last two games. Who woulda thunk it?

** TOP 5 POWER RANKINGS

1. Patriots: They should beat the Jets tonight… pretty handily at that. They are starting to play their bestball at the right time.

2. Falcons: Hey, 10-2 says it all. QB Matt Ryan has engineered a pair of 4th quarter game-winning drives the last two weeks.

3. Saints: The defending Super Bowl Champs have won 5 straight. Gotta give them some love.

4. Jets: Unfortunately the Patriots play in their division. They’ll vault to the top spot if they pull off the upset tonight.

5. Steelers: At least for this week, they deserve a top 5 spot. Their defense is scary good. And Ben did pretty well wearing a Herman Munster boot.

** In case you missed it, the University of Cincinnati mascot was arrested this weekend for throwing snowballs at a football game. It seems a bit over the top on the part of the cops – until you actually watch the video and realize he was likely arrested for simply throwing them like a girl.

** One of my favorite NFL beat writers, Jennifer Floyd Engel of the Star Telegram, has this observation about why Jerry Jones might not be falling over himself to announce the interim head coach Jason Garret for the 2011 season: “[Jones’] hesitancy is, in part, because the NFL takes the ‘Rooney Rule’ very seriously. It is a well-intentioned rule, misapplied in situations like Dallas when an interim candidate has clearly won the job. Why force a promising minority coach to go through the motions with Jerry when another candidate so obviously has the job? Not the best use of anybody’s time. ”

** The Giants spent the 15th pick in the draft on DE Jason Pierre-Paul, whose stock sky rocketed up some NFL team draft boards because of a YouTube video showing the athleticism of huge dude who could do a series of backflips. After a slow start to the season, Pierre-Paul has two sacks in each of his past two games – which has some Giants fans starting to do back flips.

** If you celebrate Hanukkah, blessings to you and your family!

Monday Night LAP Dance
Leonard A. Pappano
November 22, 2010

The LAP Dance is for entertainment purposes only. It employs literary devices such sarcasm, satire, stereotypes, exaggeration, complete fabrications and slander (or is it libel?). The opinions and delusions expressed are purely those of the author. Any offense given is unintended. Please read at your own risk.

** Anyone who can help settle a Draft Sharks office bet will get a free DS t-shirt. Paul Dietrich insists that ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Shrek’s Lord Farquaad are half-brothers. I’m saying Schefter and Farquaad are just home boys who hang out together – kinda like a Matt Damon-Ben Affleck thing. Please email us if you can clear it up.

** Check out this beauty from Steelers HC Mike Tomlin after his franchise QB Ben Roethlisberger got sucker punched by Raiders DT Richard Seymour. “I got big-time respect for Richard Seymour as a football player. That guy’s got an 11-year resume that’s pretty impressive as a professional … I’m not going to let that play cloud my opinion of Richard Seymour.” Some punk tries to knock out your starting QB and that doesn’t “cloud” your opinion of him? Huh. What WOULD cloud your opinion of him, Mike?

** Saints QB Drew Brees broke Archie Manning’s franchise completion record. Brees got his 1,850th completion in the second quarter against the Seahawks. Manning played 10 seasons with the Saints. Brees is in his 5th season with New Orleans.

** Just a guess, but now that Brad Childress has been forced into a well-deserved early retirement, look for QB Brett Favre’s NFL record of 295 consecutive games starting to come to an end sooner rather than later. The future Hall of Famer sucks, and his team is going nowhere. Might as well give some other QBs a go.

Power Rankings:

1 Patriots: Their young defense is starting to mature. Consecutive wins against the Steelers and Colts say it all.

2. Jets: They might be getting a little lucky, but Pittsburgh throwaway WR Santonio Holmes is heating up. They have a Monday night showdown against the Patriots coming up December 6.

3. Falcons: Atlanta is on a 4-game winning streak – tied with Green Bay for longest in the NFL right now.

4. Ravens: They’ll spank the Steelers in two weeks and wrap up the division by Christmas. They might be the team to beat in January.

5. Eagles: Michael Vick is the NFL’s highest rated QB, and they just beat the Giants. How sweet would an Eagles/Falcons NFC Championship Game be?

** If you’re looking for a very cool and unique gift for the holidays, check out viewsport.us. I was sitting in a local coffee shop a few weeks ago and overheard a guy who was marketing sports apparel. Big deal, right? Well, this apparel actually reveals a logo image when it gets wet (i.e., when you sweat from your workout, the logo appears). I’m getting some shirts just so I’ll know when I’m allowed off the exercise bike. Can’t get off till you see the logo! Anyway, check out the viewsport.us site. They’ve gotten some love from the Wall Street Journal, Time.com, and Slam Magazine in December. They’re happy to customize apparel for you as well. If you’re coaching a football team, this might be a good way to motivate the kids to hit it hard. First one whose logo appears gets to be captain that week. Lotsa great ideas you could do with it. Good luck to Joe Yacano and Ben Wood with their business venture.

** Here’s a quote from Randy Moss last week before the Redskins game – as it was noted by some folks that the Titans new WR seems jovial in practice. “This team already had a great personality before I came, man,” Moss said Friday. “But just being loose and having fun. It is good to have fun, because if you don’t have fun this game won’t last long to you. I have been able to survive 13 years with having fun, cutting jokes and making guys laugh and them making me laugh.” Moss was blanked by the Redskins yesterday, after posting 1 catch in garbage time the previous week. What’s more important, however, is that he is having fun.

** Chris Collinsworth AND the Toyota Tiny Football League. Wow! … NBC has thought of everything to maximize our football viewing enjoyment.

** Dear Abby answered a letter from a woman who complained about the loud noise of the Thanksgiving Day football games at her family gathering – and her two uncles who talk about betting on sports while the kids are within ear shot. My advice? Girl, drop $500 on the Patriots and pull up a chair… have your husband make you a cosmopolitan while you’re at it.

** Panthers HC John Fox last week defended his decision to tap free agent Brian St. Pierre and plug him in as the team’s starting QB over rookie Tony Pike in Sunday’s game against the Ravens. “All our decisions are based on right away who gives us the best chance to win. I think (Pike) understands that. I think everyone in that locker room understands that,” Fox said after last Friday’s practice. On the other hand, after St. Pierre completed 46% of his passes, while tossing 2 INTs, maybe it’s time to give the rookie some game experience.

** In the wake of the coaching change in Dallas, the LA Times interviewed former Cowboys coach Barry Switzer to get some thoughts on owner Jerry Jones. While some folks knock Jones for micromanaging his team, Switzer absolved his former boss. “Jerry Jones does not have one thing to do with what happens on that football field, I promise you,” Switzer said. Not sure I’m buying that one.

** So an 8-year-old Jets fan gets tackled by a drunken Browns fan at last Sunday’s game… and no red-blooded American male walking by had the sense to beat the living snot out of this idiot?

** I’m not much of an ESPN fan, but their “30 for 30” series is nothing short of brilliant. Can’t wait for them to be available to buy.

** Mike Jurecki of XTRA Sports 910 AM in Phoenix reports via Twitter that the Arizona Cards will go after QB Marc Bulger in the off season. Go figure.

** Terrell Owens was upset by the 2-8 Bengals’ collapse at home to the Bills. “Terrible. I have no answers for you. I have no sound bites for you,” Owens said after the game. “All I know is right now, we are terrible. And maybe it is — everybody wants to blame me. It’s my fault. Maybe I’m bad luck. But at this point, it’s just unthinkable. Unbelievable.” TO, relax. The Bengals sucked long before you got there. And they’ll suck long after you’re gone.

** On this day in 1963, President John F. Kennedy was assassinated by Lee Harvey Oswald in Dallas. Stumped two people with this factoid today.

** The Baltimore Ravens defense hadn’t scored a defensive TD all year – then put up 2 in 11 seconds on a pair of INTs in the 4th quarter against the Panthers.

** With 132 rushing yards yesterday against the Browns, MJD rushed for 100-plus yard in 3 consecutive games for the first time in his 5-year career. What’s more astounding is that the Jags pulled out a 24-20 win despite turning over the ball on 5 consecutive possessions.

** I have a soft spot in my heart for Titans QB Vince Young. I hope the kid can come back from yet another emotional meltdown and do well in the league…. Or get out of the league and get on with his life. He’s got money and youth. He needs to go find contentment.

** Teams winning the turnover battle are 104-27 this season. That stat seems to have the highest correlation to wins and losses.

** Vikings DT Kevin Williams had his last name misspelled on his jersey yesterday as “Willaims.” Holy cow, I can’t beleive someone would be so carless.

** Chiefs WR Dwayne Bowe has caught a TD in 6 consecutive games – breaking the team record set up former KC great Otis Taylor.

** On that thought, have a Happy Thanksgiving (a few days early)!! … I hope you take some time to gluttonize, watch football, and reflect on all your blessings!

David Garrard could help lead your fantasy team to a title.

by Jared Smola

Joe Montana, Terry Bradshaw, Troy Aikman.

These guys were all clutch performers.  They had ice in their veins.  Balls of steel.

Whatever you wanna call it, these guys led their teams to multiple Super Bowl victories.  When the stakes were highest, they got the job done.

So that got me thinking: are there QBs playing now that tend to come up big during the fantasy playoffs?

I went back and looked at the top-7 QBs from Weeks 14 to 16 over the past 5 seasons to find out.

The usual suspects lead the way.  Drew Brees and Peyton Manning are the only QBs with 4 top-7 finishes over the past 5 seasons.

Manning has been especially impressive.  He’s been a top-4 QB during the fantasy playoffs in 4 straight years.  Some people want to devalue him every August because they think he’s always resting down the stretch with the Colts’ playoff spot secured.  But that simply hasn’t been the case.  Unless your league still uses the archaic tradition of holding its championship game in Week 17, Peyton Manning is money in the fantasy playoffs.

Behind Manning and Brees, there was just 1 guy with 3 top-7 finishes during the fantasy playoffs over the past 5 seasons.  It isn’t Tom Brady.  Not Philip Rivers. 

It’s David Garrard.

In 2005, 2007, and 2008, Garrard was a stud during the all-important Weeks 14 through 16. 

In ‘05, he totaled 758 passing yards with 2 TDs and 0 INTs in the fantasy playoffs.  Solid.  But he also added 86 yards and 2 more scores on the ground.  It was good enough for a 4^th-place finish over that 3-game stretch.

2007 saw Garrard toss 7 TDs compared to just 2 INTs in Weeks 14 through 16.  He tallied 626 passing yards, 35 rushing yards, and scored another TD on the ground.  He ranked 3^rd among QBs during the fantasy playoffs that year.

Finally, in 2008, Garrard compiled 745 passing yards with 4 TDs and 2 INTs.  He added 51 yards and a score rushing.  That placed him 6th at his position.

So can he pull the trick again in 2010?  It’s definitely possible.

Garrard has had an up-and-down campaign, but he’s caught fire of late.  After torching the Cowboys for 260 and 4 back in Week 8, Garrard came off his bye week and dominated the Texans to the tune of 342 yards and 2 scores this past Sunday.

He’s a streaky player, and it looks like he’s getting hot at the right time again.

Adding to the intrigue is Garrard’s schedule the rest of the way.  His final 7 opponents have an average ranking of 20^th in fantasy points allowed to QBs.  Only 2 teams – the Giants and Titans – have an easier schedule against QBs for the balance of the season.

Garrard still faces 3 teams in the bottom-7 against QBs – although one of those is the Texans in Week 17 – and only has 1 more game against a top-12 unit.

His opponents during the fantasy playoffs?  Oakland (13^th), Indianapolis (15^th), and Washington (32^nd).  Not too shabby.

It wouldn’t be shocking to see Garrard once again post top-5 numbers over that all-important 3-game stretch.

Unless you own one of the 5 or 6 matchup-proof QBs, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to add Garrard to your QB-by-committee and potentially ride him to a fantasy championship.

by guest writer, Mike Pallaci

One of the many things that has made being a Bills fan for the past decade or two so painful is not just that they lose, but how they lose.  I’ve never seen a team find more creative ways to lose games.  From baffling coaching decisions, to impossible plays being made by the opposition, to complete 4^th quarter boneheadedness on the part of their own players, the Bills are the masters of the soul-sucking loss.  My friends and I joked one day that if there was an ESPY for the Most Creative Way to Lose a Game, or for the Most Soul-Sucking Loss, the Bills would not only win the award, they would probably secure all of the nominations.  I tried to narrow it down to 10, but I couldn’t.  Ever hear of a Baker’s Dozen?  Here’s a Bills Fan’s Top 10 Nominees for the ESPY for Most Inexplicable Loss:

1.) 2008:  Playing a “home game” in Toronto, where the fans are heard on national TV chanting “Let’s go Dolphins,” the game is on the line and JP Losman, the Bills’ turnover machine of a backup QB, is in the game.  The Bills face a 1^st and goal at the 3 yard line, so they call a corner fade pass (because at this point in the game, Marshawn Lynch is only averaging 8 yards per carry).  The pass is naturally intercepted, ending any realistic hopes of a playoff spot.

2.) 2008:  In a game in which their star running back is gashing the Jets defense for over 6 yards per carry, the Bills take the ball with four and a half minutes to go and a 3 point lead.  Despite the Jets playing a 9-man front, Lynch runs for 4, 5, 3, and 5 yards on the first four plays of the drive, and they have a 2nd and 5 with 2:05 left.  So with the running game rolling, they make the obvious play call – they drop the aforementioned turnover factory of a backup QB back for a pass, he does his trademark hold it too long routine, rolls to his right, is stripped from behind, and the fumble is recovered and returned for the game-winning TD.  Milestone:  the first time I have sworn at the TV during a Bills game in front of my son.

3.) 2007:  Playing in front of the loudest Buffalo crowd in years while I’m stuck at work on a Monday night, the 1-3 Bills injury-ravaged defense, playing without roughly half of its starters, forces the 4-0 Cowboys into 6 turnovers and leads by 8 with 3:45 left.  Game over.  But wait – Tony Romo and his 5 INTs leads the Cowboys down the field for a TD with 36 seconds left.  The two-point conversion attempt is slapped away from All-World WR Terrell Owens by 4th string CB Jabari Greer – game over.  But wait – the Cowboys recover the onside kick.  But wait – the replay shows the Cowboys touched it before 10 yards.  Game over.  But wait – the call is somehow upheld on review.  With no timeouts left, Romo completes a long pass to TO.  But wait – he was out of bounds, it is reversed.  13 seconds left, no timeouts.  Game over.  But wait – the Bills inexplicably give up two easy passes to the sideline (how do you not defend the sideline when they have no timeouts and only 13 seconds left on the clock???) and the Cowboys have the ball at the Bills’ 35.  Nick Folk kicks a game-winning 53 yard field goal – game over.  But wait – the Bills called timeout before the snap.  Game over.  He can’t possibly kick a game-winning 53 yard field goal twice in a row – he sucks, it’s a miracle he made it once.  But wait – the f%$er makes it again.  Game over – for real this time.  I leave the doctors lounge at work, kick the Cowboy fan tech in the groin, punch my nurse in the face, walk into my next patient’s room and say “What the hell do YOU want?”

4.) 2000:  After a hard fought road playoff game, the Bills celebrate after Rob Johnson, making his second start of the year, leads them on a drive for a game winning FG after starting the drive with no timeouts and 1:47 left.  With just seconds to go, the Bills kick off, scrub FB Lorenzo Neal picks up the squib and hands to Frank Wycheck, who throws – FORWARD – to Kevin Dyson, who runs down the sideline for the winning TD.  Referee Phil Luckett, who became the first official in recorded history to screw up a coin toss on Thanksgiving in Detroit the year before, somehow looks at the replay and fails to see what everybody else did – that the ball was thrown forward – so the play stands, and the Bills are eliminated.  The Titans go on to the Super Bowl; the Bills haven’t been back to the playoffs since.

5.) 2007:  In a game where the Bills have lost their starting FS for the year with a broken leg, their starting CB for the year with a broken forearm, their fill-in starting LB and best special teams player for 6 weeks with a sprained knee, and their #2 TE and special teams stud forever with a broken neck, they somehow lead Denver by 2 as first-year starter Jay Cutler takes the ball with 2:13 left.  After converting two 4th downs on the drive, Cutler completes a pass that puts Denver in field goal range with 14 seconds left.  With no timeouts left, the offense sprints off the field, the field goal team sprints on (a play that every team in the NFL practices and says takes 16 seconds if done perfectly), and miraculously gets the ball snapped before time expires, kicking the game winning field goal.  My 7-year-old son goes up to his room, lays in bed and cries.  Another milestone:  the first time I felt like a bad father for raising my son to be a fan of this team.

6.) 2004:  The Bills have high hopes for the season as they open at home against Jacksonville.  The defense has been stifling all day, and they lead 10-6 as Jacksonville takes the ball with 2:16 left and one time out.  On 4th and 14, Byron Leftwich heaves a desperation pass down the sideline for Jimmy Smith, who is covered like a blanket by the self-proclaimed Playmaker, Nate Clements.  Rather than bat the ball down and secure the victory, The Playmaker tries to pad his stat sheet and secure a spot on ESPN NFL Primetime by going for the interception.  The ball goes through his hands and into Smith’s for a first down and a 45-yard catch.  After converting another 4th down, the Jags have 1st and goal from the Bills 7.  After three incompletions, they line up for one more play with just seconds to go.  With no time left on the clock, Leftwich hurls a desperation pass towards the back of the endzone in the direction of a receiver nobody has ever heard of before (Ernest Wilford), who despite being triple-covered, hauls in his first catch of the game for the winning score.

7.) 1989: Trailing 34-30 with time running out in a wild card playoff game in Cleveland, Jim Kelly leads the Bills on a drive that is giving Cleveland fans John Elway flashbacks. On 3rd down, Kelly passes for Ronnie Harmon in the endzone, who lets the winning TD go right through his hands.  On 4th down, Kelly can’t find anybody open, scrambles, and throws a desperation pass towards the goal line, which is intercepted by Clay Matthews. Game over. Harmon, in post-game interviews, says the ball was overthrown. SI’s cover the following week shows his hands cradling the ball right before he dropped it. Harmon never plays for the Bills again, leaves for San Diego, and becomes one of the best pass-catching RBs in the league.

8.) 2004: The Bills need a little bit of help, but after winning 6 straight games to overcome an 0-4 and 1-5 start, a win over the Steelers at home will probably put them in the playoffs as one of the hottest teams in the league. The Steelers have nothing to play for – their playoff seed is secured regardless of the outcome, so they’re playing their 2nd and 3rd stringers for most of the game. They start 2nd string QB Tommy Maddux, who plays about 2 1/2 quarters.  Then they bring in 3rd stringer Brian St. Pierre, who was just activated from the practice squad 2 days before the game. St. Pierre and the Steelers call one pass (an incompletion) the rest of the way.  #1 RB Jerome Bettis sits. #2 RB Duce Staley plays the first quarter, the #3 RB plays half of the 2nd quarter, then gives way to #4 RB Willie Parker, an undrafted rookie free agent, who proceeds to gash the Bills for 102 yards in the last 2 1/2 quarters without the threat of a passing game. Somehow the Bills starters are trailing the Steelers’ no-names by 2 in the 4th quarter, but they’re driving when Drew Bledsoe fumbles, and James Harrison returns it for a TD. Buffalo gets one more TD, but can’t recover the onside kick, and the Pittsburgh Busboys and Trash Collectors win. To add insult to injury, the help that they needed (the Jets and somebody else losing) happens. A win would have put them in the playoffs.  Of course, they haven’t been to the playoffs since.

9.) 1998: The Bills lead the Patriots by 4, but the Pats are driving in the game’s closing minutes. On 4th down, the Pats’ Drew Bledsoe passes to Shawn Jefferson, who catches the ball out of bounds right around midfield with a few seconds left. The referees meet to talk it over, and without realizing his mike is on, referee Jeff Triplett is heard saying “Just give it to ‘em.” They do. There’s time enough left for one more play. Bledsoe fires a Hail Mary to the endzone, and Henry Jones knocks it away from Terry Glenn. The Bills celebrate – except there’s a flag on the field. They called pass interference. In the endzone. On a Hail Mary. The replay, of course, doesn’t even show contact, let alone pass interference. In 30 years of watching football, it is still the only PI call I’ve ever seen on a Hail Mary to end a game. One untimed down from the 1, which Bledsoe completes to Ben Coates for the winning TD. The Bills leave the field in disgust, and refuse to come out for the PAT, so Adam Vinatieri runs it in for the 2-point conversion and 4 point win. Ralph Wilson, one of the most mild-mannered and classiest owners in sports, is fined $50,000 by the league for his post-game comments lambasting the officials.

10.) 2009:  After an offseason that started optimistically with the signing of Terrell Owens, then devolved into chaos when they traded All-Pro LT Jason Peters when they couldn’t sign him, followed by a 3-game suspension of All-Pro RB Marshawn Lynch, then by the firing of their offensive coordinator 10 days before the opener, then by the release of their new starting LT 6 days before the season, leaving them with a first-time OC and one starter on the O-line who started last year (at a different position than this year), and a starting LT who has never taken a snap in the NFL, the Bills open as a hopeless 13-point underdog at New England on Monday night.  Inexplicably, the have a 24-13 lead (against a team that has beaten them 11 straight times) with 5 minutes to go.  My brother texts me with “Oh my God…” which makes me want to drive 40 minutes to his house and cut his throat (Has he no appreciation of history?  Does he not know that he just guaranteed we would find a way to give it away now?)  The Pats get the ball, and score with 2:06 left.  The Pats still have all three timeouts left, so they kick deep against the Bills hands team, and Leodis McKelvin runs the ball out of the endzone to try and run the clock past the two minute warning – a reasonable play, except he fumbles while fighting for extra yardage at the end of the return (not a reasonable play) and the Pats recover.  Brady promptly puts the Pats in the endzone again, giving the Pats the lead and the eventual victory, sucking the soul out of me again.  To add to the joy of the opener, the Bills lose starting MLB Paul Posluszny for at least a month to a broken arm (the second time in his three years in the NFL that he has broken his left arm in Foxboro in September) and starting DE Chris Kelsay to a knee injury.

11.) 2009:  The 1-3 Bills and 0-4 Browns are locked in one of the worst football games ever seen.  The combination of windy conditions and two awful football teams is painful to endure.  The game is so bad that owner Ralph Wilson cancels the planned halftime ceremony to get his Hall of Fame ring for fear of being booed.  The Bills started the game without their two starting safeties and their starting MLB, then lost two more LBs to injury during the game, leaving them with two players who weren’t taken in the NFL draft at the OLB positions and their worst starting OLB in the middle.  The Bills commit 15 penalties, 13 of which are accepted, including 9 false starts (9 FALSE STARTS!! AT HOME!!!), 2 personal fouls and an offsides.  All six offensive linemen who played were flagged at least once, most of them twice.  The Browns somehow find themselves tied at 3 late in the fourth quarter despite having a QB who is 2-17 (11.8%) for 23 yards and one interception for a robust 15.4 QB rating.  Yes, that’s an NFL QB that is 2-17 for 23 yards late in the 4^th quarter – and is tied.  They drop back to punt with about 2:30 left, and Roscoe Parrish, who has already ran backwards 15 yards on a previous punt return, tries to pick up a rolling ball off the turf, muffs it, and Cleveland recovers.  Cleveland kills clock and kicks the game-winning field goal with 26 seconds left.  They proceed to try and give the game back to the Bills by kicking the ensuing kickoff out of bounds, but the Bills can’t even cross midfield until the last play on their pathetic attempt at the “Cal Band Play.”

All you Bills fans out there can feel free to add your own nominee.  We could even make it fun and have a vote.  Or we could all commit mass suicide.  Either way.

Referee Gene Steratore was the subject of much debate this past Sunday

Monday Night LAP Dance
Leonard A. Pappano
October 25, 2010

** Going into yesterday’s game against the Patriots, the Chargers were first in overall offense, first in overall defense – and first in overall stupidity. They came out well atop the rest of the NFL in the last category. It’s hard not to blame HC Norv Turner at this point.

** I can’t figure out the visceral reaction by some NFL players to the league’s insistence that they will begin more rigid enforcement of rules pertaining head/neck shots. The rule is meant to protect players. Period. I understand there’s an amount of pride by some guys who can deliver a game-ending blow – but most of these players weren’t even born when Darryl Stingley suffered a paralyzing neck injury in 1978. Too bad the NFLPA didn’t pipe up and tell some of its more vocal players to zip it. Most of the folks in the union are old enough to know better than to fall silent on the issue.

** There were 9 INTs returned for TDs on Sunday – the most on any one day in NFL history.

** QB Ryan Fitzpatrick delivered the Bills’ first 300-yard performance (374yards to be exact) from a QB since 2006. To go along with his career-best 4-TD performance, Fitzpatrick almost led the upset of the year against the Ravens. Bills fans are chattering that they want Stanford QB Andrew Luck in the 2011 NFL Draft. Let’s see if Fitz can change anyone’s mind. In any event, ya gotta feel good for the guy.

** I’m a Steelers fan. Jared and Kevin are Dolphins fans. And, yes, we all watched the game together yesterday. Peaceably for the most part. Until the end of the game when Jared noted that referee Gene Steratore was a Pittsburgh native – at which point I had to remind Mr. Smola that no Italian-American would compromise his integrity for the sake of a football game… Not even a Steelers game…. unless it’s a playoff game… and/or there is a six-figure payoff involved.

** I had the all-bench team yesterday for my FFPC Red vs. Blue Expert’s League team: Raiders RB Darren McFadden and Titans WR Kenny Britt both sat it out for me. Yes, I cried. Hard.

** Britt’s 225 yards were the most ever given up to one player in Eagles’ franchise history. Maybe Britt should get into a bar room brawl every week.

** A quick heads up to check out the “Live Draft Sharks Chat” on the draftsharks.com site this Friday at 4:30 pm ET. Bring your questions or comments and our very own Jared Smola will help you out.

**If you’ve still not joined the FREE DraftSharks.com Text Updates, it’s not too late. Just text 35350 and put “draftsharks” (no quotation marks) in the text. You’ll automatically be added to the list. The only cost is whatever your cell carrier charges.

** Niners QB Alex Smith reportedly spent the day in a London hospital, as medical staff examined his injured shoulder to see if he’ll be able to play this Sunday at Wembley Stadium. Smith is still waiting on results but should know something by Christmas.

** Bucs HC Raheem Morris as quoted after his team beat the Rams yesterday to improve to 4-2: “We’re 4-2. We’re the best team in the NFC. Yeah, I said it. We’re excited.” The sad thing is – he might actually be right.

** A traveling tip… and really, you can’t get this anywhere else. Some DS writers were surprised to learn that I never stop at any public restrooms when driving long distances. I learned a few years to find the nearest hotel off the highway for any pit stops. My hotel of choice is the Hampton Inn. Their bathrooms are spotless, the staff is always friendly – and you can grab a free newspaper on the way in, and a free coffee on the way out. If you decide to stop there to clear your bowels, tell ‘em Lenny sent you. And don’t forget to stay there when you need an overnight visit.

** Vikings HC Brad Childress criticized the officials after his team had 3 TDs reversed by replay against the Packers. Chilly said it was “the worst officiated game I’ve ever seen.” The only bad thing about the officiating is that 2 of those 3 plays were called TDs in the first place.

** Gotta respect Peyton Manning for his decision to terminate any further contract talks with the Colts until the end of the season. “Peyton didn’t want any contract discussions or distractions during the season,” said his agent Tom Condon. Too many other NFL players have pouted through similar circumstances.

** Former Patriots OG John Hannah was named as the 24th best NFL player of all time by the NFL Network. That ranking is about 14 spots too low. For a game that is won in the trenches, Hannah should be given a little more love as probably the game’s best-ever offensive lineman.

** We had 2 other families at the Pappano “Man Cave” to watch the late afternoon games. One of the wives caught wind of a rumor that I hate to be asked questions during the game. Not true, I assured her: “Holy cow – did you see that cheerleader shakin’ it?” or “Can I get you another beer?” are two of the best questions you can ask me when I’m watching football – so ask away.

** The highlight of the food-fest was a lights-out macaroni and cheese recipe I got on the internet. Highly recommended.

** The QB from Santa Claus, Indiana (Jay Cutler) handed out Christmas presents early with 4 gift-wrapped INTs to Redskins CB DeAngelo Hall. The bye week couldn’t have come at a better time for Cutler and the Bears. Remember that Cutler bounced back from a 5-INT game last year in Week 10 to have a productive final 7 games.

** Things I say that make people mad: Any game in which you can’t play defense against an opponent should not be categorized as a sport. For example, Texas Poker, NASCAR, golf, swimming, marathon running – none of them is a sport. They take a great deal of skill, I agree. But they are not sports – any more than competitive eating is a sport. Now, if you could club your opponents at each green, golf would be a sport, and a damn fine one at that. And, yes, by my definition, NBA basketball is not a sport either, as most teams don’t play defense. Come to think of it, WNBA basketball isn’t a sport either because well, because it’s the WNBA. See, you can’t read THAT from an ESPN writer.

** How would this prop bet have looked in August? In Week 7, WR Mike Williams would outperform WR Larry Fitzgerald. The former USC standout had 11 catches compared to 3 for the Cardinals Pro Bowler. And for the season, Williams has 32 catches vs. 29 for Fitzgerald.

Maybe a new hat will help Tony Romo and the Cowboys get back in the win column

Monday Night LAP Dance
Leonard A. Pappano
October 18, 2010

** I wish producers would ban the term “rookie mistakes” from being used by NFL game announcers. Gentlemen, the old, fat guy on the couch knows not to catch the punt at the 3 yard line. A 22 year-old professional who played 4 years of high school football, 3-4 years of college football, and went through an NFL training camp and several preseason games should know the same thing.

** Part of offering the color commentary on a game involves stating the obvious. I get it. They’re killing time between plays. But Chris Collinsworth has taken it to a new level. Enough already. It’s the final game of a long Sunday. Just pan the crowd in between plays and show us the hottest chicks or the best drunken fan fights.

**A group of about two dozen people protested the return of Ben Roethlisberger outside Heinz Field yesterday. As a Steelers fan and father of a daughter, I’m not unsympathetic to their view. And I’m glad we live in a country where even a minority opinion can be peaceably promoted. But… I was a bit upset to learn that the protest group offered VEGAN options at its tailgate party. That’s just wrong.

** Brett Favre is scheduled to meet with NFL Vice President of Security tomorrow about allegations he sexually harassed former Jets employee Jenn Sterger. The meeting is just a formality. I have to backpedal from what I said last week, as it looks like nothing will come of these charges after all. Sterger issued a statement last week in which she referred to the “alleged” incident. She isn’t going there, and I frankly don’t blame her. Maybe all the justice she wanted was served in the nut-shot Favre took in practice.

** A few people emailed me last week because my list of the all-time top-6 NFL players were all Italians. As I noted in the blurb, last Monday was Columbus Day. It was a joke. I’m stupid — but not THAT stupid. But I’m still stupid enough to have misidentified Gino Marchetti as a New York Giant. He was, of course, a Baltimore Colt.

** I used to be a big proponent of the excessive celebration penalty. But after watching Cowboys WR Miles Austin get flagged for leapfrogging Roy Williams in the end zone, it seems that the cure is worse than the disease. Loosen up the rules and let the players (and fans) enjoy a TD.

** Steelers LB James Harrison was asked what his thoughts were after he knocked out Browns WR Josh Cribbs with a wicked shot to the head. “That ends the wildcat,” said the Pro Bowl LB without a hint of sarcasm.

** Top-5 NFL (read: AFC) Power Rankings:
1. New England Patriots – Best QB in the league and second-best coach in NFL history.
2. NY Jets – They do everything well, and find a way to win.
3. Indianapolis Colts – Peyton Manning can carry a team.
4. Baltimore Ravens – took the Patriots into OT and beat the Steelers at Pittsburgh
5. Pittsburgh Steelers — solid defense, but 3-game road trip will expose them as the team that ended 2009. Ravens already did that in Pittsburgh.
 

** The 2-4 San Diego Chargers lead the NFL in total offense (433 yards per game) and total defense (255 yards per game). Don’t be shocked if they beat New England in San Diego next Sunday, and eventually sneak into the playoffs.

** The 1-4 Dallas Cowboys are 4th in total offense and 3rd in total defense. If they have any shot at the playoffs, QB Tony Romo needs to go Ryan Leaf on a reporter instead of acting like Richie Cunningham in that goofy hat he wears to the post-game press conferences. Tony, throw a chair, drop a string of f-bombs. Something. Anything to make folks (especially your teammates) think that losing actually pisses you off.

** The Bills managed to avoid a loss yesterday. A great day in western New York.

** The Palm Beach Post reported that the Dolphins signed WR Davone Bess to a 2-year deal that makes him the NFL’s highest paid slot receiver. Even more than New England’s Wes Welker. Gotta admit — I didn’t see that one coming.

** The NY media is delusional for defending the pass interference call that was gifted to the Jets yesterday. The call against Denver S Renaldo Hill at the 2 yard line was easily the worst call of the 2010 season thus far. Mark Sanchez heaved a deep pass to Santonio Holmes on a 4th-and-6, and he and Hill were jockeying for position when the referee tossed the flag. Terrible.

** Kolb vs. Vick. I would pick Vick because I like the way he hands off the ball to LeSean McCoy better.

** Here’s a gem from the Baltimore Sun: “After the New England Patriots gained 24 yards on a first-and-25 play, outside linebacker Terrell Suggs and Patriots quarterback Tom Brady got into an animated verbal exchange as they walked down the field. It got so heated that the players banged their facemasks against each other. Asked about the conversation, Suggs said, ‘He was trying to tell me how to bag a Hollywood actress. He was like, ‘Sizzle, if you want to get a Hollywood actress, take my seminar on Saturday.’ When informed that the chat didn’t seem that friendly, Suggs replied, “You have to read his lips. We were going over the Dow, the economy and politics. We really don’t talk football out there.” Ok, Terrell – check this. Before you started running your mouth at the league’s best QB, your team was winning. By the time it was over, Brady had kicked your ass. Connect the dots, Sizzle.

** Redskins RB Ryan Torain showed last night that he has the talent to be in the NFL. But, honestly, he has to be the slowest 225-pound RB in the league. His Combine 40 time was 4.61. From what I’ve seen, you could time the kid on a sun dial.

** Mike Mulligan of the Chicago Sun Times suggested that the Bears “bench” offensive coordinator Mike Martz. His complaint was that the Bears threw the ball 79.7% of the time on Sunday, and that Martz was turning the Bears into a one-dimensional throw-long-often offense. We’re giving the Windy City writer a mulligan for making such ridiculous criticisms. Jay Cutler should be throwing the ball till his brains ooze out his ears, or until he breaks something that can’t heal in 6 days. Mr. Mulligan obviously has no appreciation for the millions of Cutler owners across America.

** The Saints were 31st in rushing offense until yesterday’s 212-yard effort. They also had season highs with 475 total yards and 31 points. Seems like they did that most every week last year.

** Raiders QB Jason Campbell finished the day against the Niners completing 8-of-21 passes for 83 yards and 2 INTs. That garnered him a QB rating of 10.7 – a single-game low to which even JaMarcus Russell never descended.

** Greg Jennings’ 133-yard day against the Dolphins was the first 100-yard day by any Packers WR this season.

This is one of the few PG-rated Favre pictures you'll find on the internet nowadays.

Monday Night LAP Dance
Leonard A. Pappano
October 11, 2010

** If you know a die-hard Brett Favre fan – and you’re trying to think of a Christmas gift – I have an idea for a framed Favre picture… but good luck getting it autographed.

** All seriousness aside, my hunch is that there is a suspension coming for Favre based on his alleged sexual harassment of Jenn Sterger in 2008. The mainstream media is downplaying the allegations. As the NFL Network’s Fran Charles put it this morning, the NFL is investigating Favre for “improper behavior towards a former Jets employee.” Ok, I guess that’s one way to put it. I’m willing to give Favre the presumption of innocence. But assuming the league finds the evidence compelling, Commissioner Goodell is gonna have a hard time sweeping this under the rug during the league’s incessant promotion of Breast Cancer Awareness month.

** Even though Niners HC Mike Singletary is steamed at his starting QB, fantasy owners are thrilled with Alex Smith’s performance. It’s hard to quibble with 309 yards and 3 TDs against the Eagles. He even hooked up WR Michael Crabtree and Vernon Davis each with 100-plus yards and a TD. Let’s hope Singletary doesn’t tamper with fantasy success in trying to redirect his team’s 0-5 start. He said Smith will be the starting QB for at least another week.

** Took a peek back at last year’s player stats to see how trends continued (or discontinued) after the first 5 weeks of the NFL season. Interesting stuff: Eight of the top-10 QBs through week 5 were also top-10 QBs from weeks 6-17. That’s remarkable consistency. For RBs, WRs and TEs it was a different story. Only 5 out of 10 kept up with their top-10 performance. Coincidentally, that exact rate of 50% was true for all 3 positions.

** The Philly media was falling over itself heaping praise on RB LeSean McCoy for playing a stellar game with a cracked rib last night. Nick Fiero from the Eagles Insider led the charge under the headline “LeSean McCoy could be legend in the making.” Wow! One fantasy writer wasn’t nearly as impressed. In a phone conversation this morning, Matt Schauf from Fantasy Sports Business (fantasysportsbusiness.com) told me he had a hard time acknowledging McCoy’s accomplishment. “I’m not taking anything away from him,” Schauf said, “But I once watched 16 hours of football with hemorrhoids the size of golf balls… but no one is giving me any props for it.” Until now.

** Circle the upcoming Browns vs. Steelers contest as one that might be history-setting for a fantasy defense. Browns HC Eric Mangini has said that rookie QB Colt McCoy might get his first NFL start this Sunday in Pittsburgh.

** CBS analyst Charley Casserly reported that Tom Brady and Randy Moss got into a spat in the Patriots locker room. As the story goes, the two exchanged barbs over each other’s hair – with Moss claiming that Brady’s hair looks like a girl’s. When asked about the report today, HC Bill Belichick responded with: “That’s news to me.” Back in January when Casserly reported that Brady had broken ribs, Belichick had this gem: “Who’s been more wrong than Charley Casserly since he left the Redskins?” Mmmmm – how about Matt Millen since he left the Lions?… Or Ralph Wilson as the current owner of the Bills?

** Ravens RB Ray Rice finally lived up to his first-round billing, and had these words after he rushed for 133 yards and 2 TDs yesterday against Denver: “It’s funny… People take the fantasy football stuff serious. I try not to let anybody down. At the same time, I’ve faced some tough fronts this year. So today, fantasy owners that drafted me, I got you some points, now give me some slack.” Ray, most folks spent a top-4 pick to draft you. So you don’t freakin’ tell us to cut YOU some slack — we tell you to cut US some slack. (To be read aloud in your best New Jersey Italian accent with your right index finger poking the air for emphasis).

** I fell in love with WR Brandon Lloyd back in 2004 after watching him twist his body to make a few catches that only Gumby could come down with. I fell out of love just as quickly when the guy didn’t do squat the following few years. I’m still waiting for him to fall off a cliff after posting some crazy numbers this year – but maybe he’ll prove me wrong. Good for him!

** A shout out to a fantasy pioneer Charlie Wiegert, who was recently let go by Liberty Media Corp., the corporate masters of Fanball.com. Charlie was one of the good guys of the fantasy industry, and drew my admiration for taking on the Major League Baseball Players Association in a landmark legal case that put an end to the players union’s shakedown of fantasy game operators a few years ago. Here’s wishing Charlie the best.

** Jennifer Floyd Engel of the Star-Telegram quoted an unnamed Cowboys player who was tired of QB Tony Romo getting a “free pass from the coaches and from you frauds in the media.”

** Some hometown news: Rochester native and former professional hockey player Craig Charron is currently undergoing treatment in his fight against stomach cancer, which was diagnosed earlier this year. The 42-year-old lives in Rochester with his wife and four young children. In an effort to fund his illness and his children’s education, a 5K race – The Cardinal Race for Courage – is being held on the campus of St. John Fisher College in Pittsford, NY on November 7th. Learn more about the race, including information regarding registration, by clicking right here. Thank you for your support against this awful illness.

** As NFL Network continues the countdown of the best 100 NFL players of all-time, here is my list for the top 6…. Enjoy the rest of your Columbus Day.

1. Dan Marino (QB Dolphins)
2. Gino Marchetti (DE NY Giants)
3. Mark Bavaro (TE Giants)
4. Nick Buoniconti (LB Dolphins)
5. Tony Boselli (T Jaguars)
6. Sabby Piscitelli (S Bucs)