Man, what an absolute stink-bomb by the Colts offense yesterday. Peyton Manning throws two picks, zero touchdowns, and only racks up 125 yards against the Browns' sorry defense. Joseph Addai only nets 57 yards on the ground, and loses a fumble. Obviously, the receivers all sucked, due to Manning's poor day. At least the defense came through with a big effort, which cleared the path to a team victory. That's really all that matters to them, but for fantasy owners it could have been a devastating blow with playoff spots on the line. The key for owners of Manning, Addai, Reggie Wayne, and Dallas Clark is to take a deep breath and realize this was an aberration. The weather wasn't exactly ideal -- as you could see on the missed field goals -- and it won't be a factor again. The Colts play the hapless Bengals and Lions at home in the next two weeks, and then head to Jacksonville.
Two inside games, and one in Florida? Sounds good to me. I'm quite confident in the Colts offense to light up fantasy scoreboards, especially in the next two weeks.
Other Reality Checks
Matt Cassel - We warned you last week about this bad game, and he made good on our promise. Now you have to look forward, and you can expect a return to being a starting fantasy quarterback. The Seahawks do not pose any hint of resistance through the air.
Brandon Jackson - He's not the starter, but Ryan Grant got hurt and Jackson benefited from the playing time. I tell you what, though, Jackson looks like he's a better runner. He's got a bit more burst, and I love how his center of gravity is much lower than Grant's. Keep an eye on this situation, because Jackson could be a nice X-factor -- if he gets the job -- for your fantasy team down the stretch.
Steven Jackson - He's back, and he looked very solid. He wasn't spectacular, but the Dolphins have a good run defense. With Arizona, Seattle, and San Fran on the slate for the next three weeks, Jackson is going to be a force in the playoffs -- assuming he doesn't have a setback this week. Of course, you likely aren't a Jackson owner in the playoffs, considering he was a first-rounder.
Gus Frerotte - You expecting a 99-yard touchdown pass and a rushing score every week? I thought not.
Oakland pass defense - The Raiders have been routinely handcuffing opposing pass offenses for the past month. It would be easy -- because the team sucks -- to just see "vs. OAK" next to a player and get all excited. I'll just say this, I would not be one bit excited to use Philip Rivers as my QB1 next week, especially if it's the first week of your playoffs.
Patriots backfield - It's hard to run on the Steelers defense -- or do anything on them, for that matter -- but Sammy Morris got the goal line carry, averaged 4.5 yards per, and had the most carries. He's going to be the man moving forward on the ground, and the Pats have three favorable running matchups coming up.
