I didn't realize how hard it would be to write an alliterative title but I'm quite proud of my work. If only Jane's name was Patty or Pam. I also may or may not have spent more time writing the title than the MOTW below.
MOTW
6. Fe-Brees vs. 8. Afghanistananis
Even with a win last week, Jon's team is fading fast. David Johnson still hasn't lived up to his top-5 billing, even after his OC got fired. AJ Green will miss a few weeks, his RB2 slot is still a mess until Michel can come back healthy, the Baltimore WRs are fading... but none of that seems to matter as long as Brees continues his MVP-worth season. He'll have a chance to solidify his position in the playoffs against a direct competitor for one of the spots. Dan has been one of the most opportunistic managers this season. He pounced on DeSean Jackson after David Y dropped him for no clear reason. He picked up Conner and has reaped the benefits of Bell missing over half the season. He's gotten one of the best kickers in the league when Mike realized he didn't want to keep 2 on his roster. He's even picked up Dion Lewis who has served as a solid RB2/3. This amazing luck on the waiver wire has allowed him to survive the loss of McKinnon, Jimmy G, and Ajayi and the underwhelming performance of Fitz and Keenan (until last week). If Dan can sneak into the playoffs, he might be able to make some noise and he's headed in the right direction, winning 4 of his last 5 and scoring over 100 points in each contest. How will each team fare in week 10?
Jon's Top 3:
1. Brees (QB) - 32
2. DJ (RB) - 24
3. Jets (DEF) - 21
I don't know if you guys saw the news but Brees actually had a private meeting with his doctor yesterday. He's been experiencing some back pain due to carrying the Saints AND Jon's team on his back towards the playoffs. For a man generously listed at 6 feet, that takes a toll. Luckily, it shouldn't affect his throwing at all, especially against a Cincinnati team that got torched by Matty Ice. As long as Dalton can make it competitive, expect Brees to whip out and slam his penis on everyone's collective desk. While I'm not a DJ believer for the rest of the year (I think he's a high-end RB2 at best) he should get the volume and opportunities he's used to against a Chiefs defense that is getting better but still gets destroyed on the ground. Add that to his usage as a receiver and I wouldn't be surprised if he ends up with 30+ touches. KC will win the game, but it doesn't mean Arizona won't score 21+ points. Expect a good chunk of that production to be on DJ's shoulders. The Jets are the lucky winners in the "who gets to play the Bills this week?" sweepstakes. They're just salivating at the chance to destroy what's left of Nathan Peterman's confidence. If he didn't have issues before, Bowles, on the hot seat, should throw everything he can to get a dominant victory for his team. All I can say is, I feel bad for the Bills D as they will never get to experience the glory of facing the Peterman/Allen/Anderson trio (other than in practice). Side Note: I think the reason the Buffalo defense has been good to this point is because they gain so much confidence practicing against the putrid offense. I'm sure some of you read The Ringer but there's an insane stat in one of their articles for those that don't: Buffalo QBs have thrown as many TDs to their own players as they have to opposing players. W. T. F.
Dan's Top 3:
1. Brown (WR) - 30
2. Wilson (QB) - 29
3. Allen (WR) - 21
The key to being a great wide receiver is to have a name that ends in an O that you can hold for long periods of time (e.g. ANTONIOOOOOOO, JULIOOOOOOO, DEANDREeeeee...EEEEEEEEE). The Panthers couldn't stop Humphries (a white guy) from torching them so can you imagine what Antonio is going to do? Russell Wilson always picks up his production in the second half of the season. I'm pretty sure Pete has told him multiple times the season starts in September, but Russell waits until it gets as cold in Seattle as it was in Wisconsin, where he played college ball. While the Rams can seem daunting, especially so due to their familiarity in the division, they just got torched by the Saints for 45 points. Russell will get his. Keenan Allen is finally coming back to form after a dreadful first half of the season. Tyrell Williams has been stealing all his TDs and the Melvin + Ekeler backfield has been so good on the short throws, Keenan has been the odd man out. But Rivers wasn't freezing out his man. He was just building up the skill of the other weapons in his arsenal so that when the games started to get more intense in November-February, he'd have more options than to throw 25 times to Keenan. Now that those other weapons are in place and other teams have to account for them, Keenan should get more singled coverage, where he thrives. He's not the fastest, biggest, or most athletic guys, but he's one of the best route-runners and intermediate threats in the league. I haven't seen many people shake off prime Richard Sherman at the line but that's what Keenan is capable of. Expect a big day against a Raiders team that just traded away their most talented remaining pass rusher. No pressure + Rivers's quick release + matchup problems = big day for the Chargers passing game.
X-Factor: Michel (RB, Jon) vs. Cohen (RB, Dan)
The RB2 battle between these two teams may end up deciding the victor in this particular battle. Michel has thankfully returned from injury to prevent a trade-rape of Jon. The question is, will he be 100%? And even if he is, will Belichick trust him like he did prior to the injury? The Titans run defense is stout but Michel should be able to get 12+ against them if he's able to get 20+ touches. Cohen had a dreadful showing last week but that was mostly due to the fact that the Bears defense got more opportunities to score than the offense. Once they were up by 20 points (which I think was mid-way through warm-ups) Cohen wasn't needed. Against a Detroit team that should put up more of a fight (and potentially make it a shootout on the fast turf), Cohen could be leaned on heavily to put the Bears in a position to succeed.
The Real X-Factor: Who is Jon going to play at WR3? Will Dez's contract get signed before this week's games? And even if it does, will he be able to contribute? Is Jon willing to go without a WR3 in a crucial matchup? Who would he drop on his team to pick up a bye-week filler?
Potential Starters Missing Due to Bye:
Jon: Brown (WR), Crabtree (WR)
Dan: Tucker (K)
Winner: Dan
I just think there's too much talent for Jon to overcome and we're not even sure who his third wide receiver is going to be. There's still a chance Michel isn't 100% which makes the RB2 battle tilt in Dan's favor. That, coupled with the WR talent disparity and Russell's ability to match Brees, should result in a win for Dan and a more exciting final 3 weeks of the season.
Good luck to all!
Simon Kim
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