There's no time to waste this week. The games start early with a match-up on Thursday night in San Francisco as the 49ers take on the Chicago Bears at Candlestick Park. So make sure you've got your line-ups set in time.
Last week I decided to make my predictions with my colleague Ray Tannock, so I boldly made some calls I might not normally have made. The week played out even more strangely than a some might have suspected (you can read my entire Monday Morning Wrap-up). So let's go back and see how Ray and I fared. Ray went 8 - 6. Not great but he can still hold his head up. I had my worst week ever, going a paltry 6 - 7. Bold picks like Miami over New England killed me. But Green Bay losing to Tampa, Tennessee over the 49ers, and the Cowboys over the Eagles were surprises. To top it off, Kansas City nearly overcame the Jags, and swift starts by Carolina and Detroit made their games interesting as well. Go back and read the predictions for yourselves.
This week I'll have to have a solid week to right my ship. A sub-500 week just won't fly.
–Team Defense Start and Sit – Week 10–
Key:
|
Start 'em |
Sit 'em |
Plug and Play |
| Solid defensive option | If they are on your bench, leave 'em there | Reasonable risk/reward option |
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As mentioned above, the games start early this week with a Thursday night match-up by the Bay.
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Chicago Bears at San Francisco 49ers |
Both these team's have been struggling to get it together. Both are relying on their tight ends as primary redzone weapons. The Bears running game has disappeared, while Frank Gore has scored on everyone. Both team's have been poor on defense vs. the rush and pass of late. This could turn into a high scoring shoot out. If it does, I think the 49ers defense will create a turnover which will swing the game. The Bears are poor on the road, and can be sloppy on offense.
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Atlanta Falcons at Carolina Panthers |
This game could go either way. Both team's have talented running backs, and top receivers. However, the Panthers are much more prone to turnovers. They are 31st in the league in turnover differential and no one has coughed up the ball more than Carolina's 24 giveaways. The Falcons Michael Turner played the Panthers twice last season. In one game he did nothing, in the other he scored four times. Which player will we see Sunday? The Panthers have been weak vs. the TE position, which bodes well for Tony Gonzalez.
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Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Miami Dolphins |
Last week was a welcome reliefs to Bucs coach Raheem Morris and the Tampa faithful. The defense stepped up in a big way, and young QB, Josh Freeman looked poise for his first career start. That said, the Dolphins won't play sloppy ball like the Packers did. The Dolphins should handle this game with relative ease and create some nice turnovers in the process, making their defense a solid option this week.
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Detroit Lions at Minnesota Vikings |
The Lions have proven themselves to be tenacious. Earlier in the season, they shut down the Vikings for a half. That said, the Vikings are too much for Detroit, and the Lions are too prone to turnovers. The Vikings defense will pounce on any mistake, and rookie QB Matthew Stafford is always good for at least one interception a game.
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Jacksonville Jaguars at New York Jets |
The Jaguars have been a mixed bag this season as have the Jets. However, Jacksonville is worse on the road, and the Jets are quietly in get their team back on the same page. The Jags may find themselves on the hard road to a tough loss this week. New York has a rookie QB who is prone to mistakes, but I expect coach rex Ryan will let Thomas Jones and Shonn Greene do the heavy lifting.
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Cincinnati Bengals at Pittsburgh Steelers |
This may well be the game of the week. The Bengals have been outstanding this season, surprising teams left and right. The Steelers who had never lost in Ohio under Ben Roethlisberger took their 2nd loss of the season in Cincy, week 3. This time the Bengals come to Heinz field. Pittsburgh's defense has come alive, and the team is much better than they were in week 3. It should be a very aggressive game on both sides, but the Steelers should get payback this week.
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New Orleans Saints at St. Louis Rams |
Other than a decent day for Rams RB, Steven Jackson, St. Louis fans should not find much to smile about this Sunday. The Saints are simply too much for them and should easily move to 9 - 0. The Saints defense has 4 defensive touchdowns in their last three games, so the turnover friendly Rams could easily lose the game to the Saints 'D' alone.
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Buffalo Bills at Tennessee Titans |
Both of these teams are better than their respective records show. The Bills tend to drive opposing team's crazy, especially in the passing game. That said, the Titan's should keep the ball on the ground vs. the league's worst rush defense. Chris Johnson should eat up yards and the clock on the way to the team's third straight win. But don't count the Bills out. If Vince Young tries to air it out, the Bills defense can turn the tide in an instant.
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Denver Broncos at Washington Redskins |
The Redskins simply can't seal the deal this season and they are facing a Broncos team that has lost back to back games after winning six straight. It will be an ugly day in Denver for the Redskins. The one bright spot could be a solid day from Ladell Betts filling in for Clinton Portis, but there's simply no way this defense will lose three straight.
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Kansas City Chiefs at Oakland Raiders |
The last time these two met it was a 13- 10 snoozer in at arrowhead. Both teams are more desperate since then. I expect more scoring, but not a lot more excitement. The Chiefs defense is a reasonable plug and play because the raiders are so turnover prone. Both team's RBs could run all day.
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Seattle Seahawks at Arizona Cardinals |
The Seahawks defense could rack up some decent fantasy points against turnover prone Kurt Warner, but the Cardinals should hand the banged up Seasquabs yet another loss. Seattle isn't very solid on the road, and they couldn't beat the Cards at home. I think they'll put up more of a fight this week, but they will lose.
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Dallas Cowboys at Green Bay Packers |
Two great QBs with teams going in opposite directions. The Pack's offensive line has been terrible lately, and as good as Aaron Rodgers is, he can't solve all their woes. While the Cowboys defense has gotten better each week, the Pack's has slowed down. This is an intriguing match-up I think could be explosive offensively. Dallas looks better at the outset, but my gut is saying hometeam.
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Philadelphia Eagles at San Diego Chargers |
Both teams have a lot riding on this game. The Chargers have been on a tear of late, and the Broncos two losses have left them one game apart in their division. The Eagles play in league's toughest division and need every win to compete with the Giants and Cowboys. This game could hinge on Philip Rivers penchant for interceptions vs. the games most opportunistic defense. Donovan McMabb has been a tale of two quarterbacks since his return. The eagles should take this game, but...
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New England Patriots at Indianapolis Colts |
Another game with high expectations and potential shoot out written all over it. The league's two most prolific QBs face off with Indy's undefeated streak against the Pats freight train offense. The Colts have looked decidedly human lately adding even more intrigue to the match-up. If either team gets significantly behind, this game could turn into a final play win. Neither team surrenders many turnovers, so neither team defense is advisable this week.
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Baltimore Ravens at Cleveland Browns |
Baltimore went to 3 - 0 after they trounced the browns in week three. After that, the browns switched to Derek Anderson at QB and the wheels seem to come off the cart for the Ravens, who have been a mess since. Joe Flacco has regressed and only RB Ray Rice has made the team look legitimate. This week the Browns go back to Brady Quinn at QB, and the Ravens go back to their last shining moment before the season went sideways. Look for the Raven's to put another W in the win column, but expect Cleveland to put up a better fight.
Other articles:
Week 10 RB Start Sit
Week 10 TE Start Sit
Week 10 Hot Cold Report
