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PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY | ProFootballWeekly.com | THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2016
Where’s the run-first Bears offense we expected to see?
O
ops, they did it again! John Fox continues to insist the Chicago Bears’ offense – his offense as he let us know when Adam Gase moved on and he plugged in Dowell Loggains as offensive coordinator – is a run-first scheme in which he will send running backs at the opposing defense in waves until he finds the hot hand. Realizing that quarterback scrambles and sacks are called as pass plays in the huddle, Loggains called 18 runs and 36 passes in Week 1 against the Texans, in spite of the fact he had an offensive line playing together for the first time and the Texans offer one of the best if not the best pass rushes in the league. The Bears totaled 62 yards rushing, a 3.4-yard average. On Monday night, the Bears bounced back with 18 called running plays for 64 yards, a 3.6-yard average, while throwing the ball 32 times. Through two weeks, the Bears are the opposite of a run-first team. Fox claims the problem is the Bears have been playing from behind, but
Philadelphia when the that’s not true. Bears ran the ball seven The Bears trailed the consecutive times for Eagles by just two points 39 yards before Cutler Monday night until 53 turfed a throw two yards seconds remained in in front of Zach Miller on the third quarter, and a third on six. in Week 1 until 12:30 remained in the game. Here are three causes The plan to use runof doubt. ning backs in waves has That series followed also been grounded. the Cutler strip-sack and In Houston, Jeremy fumble when he allegedly aggravated his thumb Langford had 17 carries, injury. It appeared LogKa’Deem Carey got one HUB ARKUSH and rookie Jordan How- harkush@ProFootballWeekly.com gains was running out of @Hub_Arkush ard never left the bench. need rather than by plan. Against the Eagles, Langford got the first Langford got 11 carries, Carey two, three carries for 12 yards, Kevin White Howard three and former fullback Paul than took an end-around for nine yards Lasike got the ball for one two-yard dive and Howard followed with consecutive on third-and-1. runs of 10 and eight yards. Perhaps had Carey not dinged a hamHoward had become the hot hand, string, Loggains might have stuck to the but the Bears inexplicably went back to plan in Week 2, but we have reason to Langford on second-and-2, when he was doubt it. dumped for a four-yard loss, setting up The closest Loggains has come to callthe failed Cutler third-down toss. ing plays the way Fox has indicated he The Eagles then drove eight plays and would was in the third quarter against 68 yards to take a 16-7 lead with just un-
der a minute left in the quarter. Still trailing by only nine points with a full quarter to play and evidence of their best drive of the game accomplished on the ground the previous possession, Loggains came out throwing the ball on first down. Cutler threw the horrible pick, and it was game over. The coaching staff is not responsible for Cutler’s poor decisions, bad throws or injuries. It is responsible for not putting him in a position to succeed. The Bears’ pass protection was marginally better against the Eagles than Houston, but still awful. What should you always do with an offensive line struggling to learn to play together and struggling even more in pass protection? The age-old mantra is you run the ball, run it again and then run it some more. So what are we missing? So far, it’s just points and wins. There’s that, and now possibly as many as four starters on defense out with injuries, and Cutler, too. Any chance they’ll start running the ball in Dallas?
Pro Football Weekly is produced by Shaw Media, the Daily Herald Media Group and the Chicago Sun-Times in partnership with other Illinois daily newspapers.
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Defense starting to impress, too
Nice bounce back from O-line in Washington
Will be 1 again, but not with Jacoby Brissett
1-1 on 9 points and without a touchdown
Need more from offense down the road
Showed some real spunk in Detroit
Looks like Newton’s back now
Short on talent but Kelly can coach
How do you like Bradford now?
That’s what you call a bounce back
Osweiler shaky, defense intimidating Is this the Aaron Rodgers we know?
Lots of talent but something’s missing Time to put four quarters together
Surprise is they’re doing it with “D”
1 week it’s the “d, next week the “O”, what’s next? Scoring 7 ½ points a game is a real problem
20. DALLAS COWBOYS 21. LOS ANGELES RAMS 22. TENNESSEE TITANS 23. SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS 24. DETROIT LIONS 25. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS 26. MIAMI DOLPHINS 27. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS 28. WASHINGTON 29. CHICAGO BEARS 30. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS 31. BUFFALO BILLS 32. CLEVELAND BROWNS
Are Titans any good or Colts game a fluke?
The Vikings move up to No. 5 in the rankings after beating the Packers in Sam Bradford’s debut
14. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES 15. OAKLAND RAIDERS 16. BALTIMORE RAVENS 17. TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS 18. ATLANTA FALCONS 19. SAN DIEGO CHARGERS No Week 2 jinx on Wentz
Offense is working but the “D” a mess They’re an awfully shaky 2-0 Talk about Jeckyl and Hyde
Matt Ryan’s got it going on
Impressive, what’s gotten into these guys?
Better than expected in Denver Close but no cigar is still 0-2
Problem is without Brees, they’re not even close More than a few missing pieces
More talent than this but sure not showing it Quit on the way to Oakland A mess from the top on down
You all know why they’re here
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PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY | ProFootballWeekly.com | THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2016
1. PITTSBURGH STEELERS 2. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS 3. DENVER BRONCOS 4. CAROLINA PANTHERS 5. MINNESOTA VIKINGS 6. ARIZONA CARDINALS 7. HOUSTON TEXANS 8. GREEN BAY PACKERS 9. CINCINNATI BENGALS 10. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS 11. N.Y. GIANTS 12. N.Y. JETS 13. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY | ProFootballWeekly.com | THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2016
By
KEVIN FISHBAIN
Bears rushing offense vs Cowboys run defense If there’s a game to finally get the ground attack going, it should be this one, especially with the injury to Jay Cutler. The Bears go against a Cowboys defensive front that allowed Matt Jones to rush for 4.7 yards per carry, the same average that Rashad Jennings and Shane Vereen combined for vs. Dallas the week before. Jeremy Langford had a couple nice runs against Philadelphia and Jordan Howard showed a spark on his three carries, but it hasn’t been nearly enough. The Bears also aren’t running the ball as often as we expected, especially in the first half. They need to get Langford and Howard to the second level behind athletic interior offensive linemen Kyle Long, Cody Whitehair and Josh Sitton. Sean Lee is an instinctive run stopper for the Cowboys at linebacker, and Tyrone Crawford is solid at defensive tackle, but this is not a formidable front seven, especially compared to what the Bears saw in Week 1. Expect to see more of the ground game, which has to be desperate enough to eke out an advantage here.
EDGE u BEARS
Bears passing offense vs Cowboys pass defense This would be a cinch for the Bears if Cutler was healthy, but we’re not ready to give it to Brian Hoyer. Alshon Jeffery has been dominant in the first halves of the first two games, before the defenses took him away. It’ll be on Hoyer to try to get Kevin White and Zach Miller involved. Eddie Royal has been one of the top bright spots for the
offense, both as a receiver and punt returner thus far, and he could have a one-on-one advantage if he goes against Brandon Carr or Orlando Scandrick, if we’re to assume Morris Claiborne will get his shots at Jeffery. The Cowboys are missing key pass rushers, but did hit Kirk Cousins nine times last week – three coming from David Irving. Second-year safety Byron Jones is athletic and will try to make a big play in center field. We can be confident that the Bears’ pass catchers will find ways to get open against the Cowboys’ secondary, but can Hoyer (or Cutler, if he miraculously recovers from his sprained thumb in time), be able to consistently make big plays? This offense has stalled too often.
EDGE u COWBOYS
Cowboys rushing offense vs Bears run defense
Cowboys passing offense vs Bears pass defense Another week, another rookie quarterback in his first primetime game against Vic Fangio’s defense. Carson Wentz performed better than the stats showed, making big plays amidst heavy pressure. Prescott is more mobile and he’s been efficient through two games, completing 62.7 percent of his passes without turning it over. It helps to have a great O-line, plus Elliott and of course Dez Bryant, one of the best receivers in the game, who will be an immense challenge for Tracy Porter. Cole Beasley leads the Cowboys in receiving and ageless tight end Jason Witten will stretch the seam, attacking a Bears team without Trevathan. As of press time, starting defensive backs Adrian Amos and Bryce Callahan are in the concussion protocol, which could thrust a rookie safety into the spotlight and Sherrick McManis at nickel corner. The Bears have done a good job limiting passing yards through two games, but without key starters and going against a great wideout like Bryant, it’s hard to see them winning this matchup, even against a rookie.
Many Bears fans salivated over the thought (or pipe dream) of Ezekiel Elliott taking over for Matt Forte. Instead, the former Buckeye went to Dallas at No. 4. He has an outstanding size/ speed combination to break off big runs and gain yards after contact, but he’s only rushing at a clip of 3.3 yards per carry. Alfred Morris is a solid veteran to complement Elliott, as the pair goes behind the best offensive line in football. Without nose tackle Eddie Goldman (ankle) and inside linebacker Danny Trevathan (thumb), it’s hard to see how the Bears’ front seven – which has looked good through two games – wins enough battles at the point of attack to contain Elliott. This will be an important game for Jerrell Freeman, who was outstanding vs. Philadelphia, but Akiem Hicks, Mitch Unrein and Jonathan Bullard will need to make plays up front to set Freeman up to get stops. It’s too tall a task for this ‘D’ to win this matchup without two of its best players.
Looking at the third phase, Royal has been effective for the Bears returning punts, but Deonte Thompson has not been dynamic returning kickoffs, and Connor Barth missed his only field goal attempt. Dan Bailey is one of the league’s better kickers. It’s a home game for Dallas in JerryWorld on national television, and the Cowboys should have plenty of confidence after last week’s win against Washington. The Bears are hurting, on short rest and on the road likely without several starters. It’s a perfect storm for a loss against a team that is on the Bears’ level.
EDGE u COWBOYS
EDGE u COWBOYS
EDGE u COWBOYS
Sunday’s overall edge
7:30 p.m. Thursday, CBS
Houston, 1-6 all time vs. Belichick but against an unknown in Jacoby Brissett, look to spoil NFL’s best homefield advantage.
CARDINALS AT BILLS 12:00 p.m. Sunday, FOX
Another 40-spot from Arians’ offense could leave Rex rethinking which coordinator he axed over “mini bye.”
VIKINGS AT PANTHERS 12:00 p.m. Sunday, FOX
Bradford will be hard-pressed to repeat dazzling debut on road versus conference champs in backup RB battle.
BRONCOS AT BENGALS 12:00 p.m. Sunday, CBS
Dalton and Bengals’ struggling O-line finally get a home game, but it’s against NFL’s nastiest ‘D.’
LIONS AT PACKERS 12:00 p.m. Sunday, FOX
Detroit broke its Lambeau curse but arrives in Title Town severely wounded, not unlike G.B. offense.
RAVENS AT JAGUARS 12:00 p.m. Sunday, CBS
Gus Bradley better draw some inspiration from the comeback stories of Mike Wallace and Dennis Pitta – and fast.
BROWNS AT DOLPHINS 12:00 p.m. Sunday, CBS
It figures to be a busy afternoon for punters Britton Colquitt and Matt Darr.
In Week 2, Dak Prescott led Dallas to a fourth-quarter touchdown to beat Washington
AP PHOTO
WASHINGTON AT GIANTS 12:00 p.m. Sunday, FOX
Reported infighting in Washington locker room due to Cousins’ struggles and this is best defensive test yet.
RAIDERS AT TITANS 12:00 p.m. Sunday, CBS
Struggling Raiders’ D finally gets run-first offense – whether that serves as necessary respite remains to be seen.
49ERS AT SEAHAWKS 3:05 p.m. Sunday, FOX
One offense’s struggles is to be expected but the other’s raising red flags in Pacific Northwest.
RAMS AT BUCCANEERS 3:05 p.m. Sunday, CBS
Dreaded cross-country trip for Rams after emotional upset vs. Seattle should spell opportunity for Bucs to rebound.
CHARGERS AT COLTS 3:25 p.m. Sunday, CBS
Philip Rivers still has Antonio Gates, at least; the already-desperate Colts readying for another home shootout.
JETS AT CHIEFS 3:25 p.m. Sunday, CBS
With Charles nearing return, would Chiefs field calls on backup RBs? Ageless Forte and Fitzpatrick carried Jets last week.
STEELERS AT EAGLES 3:25 p.m. Sunday, CBS
Explosive Pittsburgh offense not as surprising as impressive ‘D;’ Wentz’s Eagles face step up in class.
FALCONS AT SAINTS 7:30 p.m. Monday, ESPN
Brian Hoyer may need to start at quarterback in place of Jay Cutler, who injured his thumb.
AP PHOTO
Can the New Orleans ‘D,’ facing a daunting 0-3 start, keep this one close against NFL’s highest-rated passer?
PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY | ProFootballWeekly.com | THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2016
TEXANS AT PATRIOTS
PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY | ProFootballWeekly.com | THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2016
-7 Hub
Kevin
Arthur
Bob
Adam
Pro Football Weekly
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ARKUSH
FISHBAIN
Bears 13, Cowboys 16
Bears 17, Cowboys 23
The Bears don’t have the talent or enough healthy bodies for the upset, but expect a huge effort from their vets.
Fox and Fangio do enough game-planning to keep undermanned Bears in it against an average Cowboys team.
SEASON RECORD: 1-1 SEASON VS. SPREAD: 1-1
SEASON RECORD: 1-1 SEASON VS. SPREAD: 0-2
ARKUSH Bears 14, Cowboys 21 Any respite the Bears offense might get courtesy of Cowboys ‘D’ offset by Chicago’s own dire injury situation. SEASON RECORD: 1-1 SEASON VS. SPREAD: 1-1
LEGERE
JAHNS
Bears 13, Cowboys 27
Bears 13, Cowboys 20
Bears lacked depth before Monday night’s carnage, but they get another chance at a rookie QB.
Rookie QB Prescott is going to open up a big bag of salt and pour it all over Bears’ wounds. Who plays for the Bears?
SEASON RECORD: 1-1 SEASON VS. SPREAD: 1-1
SEASON RECORD: 0-2 SEASON VS. SPREAD: 0-2
Jon
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Eric
Dan
Kyle
Northwest Herald
Kendall County Record
Daily Chroncile
Pro Football Weekly
Kankakee Daily Journal
STYF
SHARP
Bears 14, Cowboys 24 Monday night looked bad. Bears play in prime time again; while it’s hard to imagine a win, maybe it won’t be as ugly. SEASON RECORD: 2-0 SEASON VS. SPREAD: 2-0
Bears 10, Cowboys 27 Too many injuries right now to even consider Chicago for the win column this week. SEASON RECORD: 1-1 SEASON VS. SPREAD: 1-1
OLSON
NABORS
Bears 20, Cowboys 19
Bears 10, Cowboys 23
Someone’s gotta pick the Bears. Cowboys rookie QB Prescott vs. Bears backup QB Hoyer a fair fight.
Hey, Brian Hoyer was a playoff QB last year, so he could turn things ... Oh, never mind.
SEASON RECORD: 1-1 SEASON VS. SPREAD: 0-2
SEASON RECORD: 1-1 SEASON VS. SPREAD: 1-1
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Is White’s breakout season two years away?
F
ind a talented receiver entering his third season and try to draft him. It’s a popular strategy for fantasy football because it used to be a fact of life for many receivers in the NFL. Demaryius Thomas, Dez Bryant, Roddy White, Greg Jennings, Chad Johnson, Steve Smith and Reggie Wayne are just some of the receivers who broke out and became stars in their third campaigns. And this brings us to Bears receiver Kevin White. Is he heading down the same path as some of the aforementioned players? Is he going to require that much time? That much work? Patience might not be a virtue for fans and talking heads, but it is for some front offices. And the Bears will be patient with White, who is essentially a rookie after missing all of last season following shin surgery. Waiting until 2018 for big things from White might not be ideal. But
again, White wouldn’t aged 70 catches, nearly be the first to follow 980 yards and more that path. Thomas and than eight touchdowns Bryant were certainly as rookies. worth the wait. The Bears still need White is learning White to produce. It’s his first NFL playessential that he bebook and expanding comes a contributor in his route-running. But some capacity. It’s also he’s also in the proimportant that he flashcess re-establishing all es his star-worthy qualities at times. the athletic traits that “He needs to just let made him a top-10 pick plays come to him,” in the 2015 draft. ADAM JAHNS general manager Ryan It’s all going to take ajahns@ww.com Pace said during his time. It’s why offensive @ajahns pre-game interview on coordinator Dowell WBBM-780 AM on MonLoggains said he’s going to simplify routes and concepts day night. for him. “Basically, this is like a rookie It also doesn’t help to follow season for him. … Those plays will the 2014 draft class of receivers. It come. Kevin is going to get his chances. He just has to be ready for them.” changed expectations for production. There were 15 receivers taken in Can we wait and see what linethe first three rounds in 2014, includbacker Nick Kwiatkoski, safety Deon ing five in the first round. Those five Bush and cornerback Deiondre’ Hall receivers – highlighted by the emerbecome before ridiculing the Bears gence of Odell Beckham Jr. – aver-
•••
for passing over quarterback Dak Prescott three times in the fourth round? Can we also wait to see what Prescott turns into as well? We’re only two weeks into the season. Yes, there is a lot to like about the Cowboys’ fourth-round selection. But in a month from now, Prescott’s narrative could be very different. Remember, quarterback Robert Griffin III was the future of Washington, until he wasn’t in major flameout fashion.
•••
The competition at cornerback should intensify with Kyle Fuller expected to do more at practice this week after being inactive the first two games following knee surgery in the preseason. Second-year cornerback Jacoby Glenn, though, has had strong moments starting in Fuller’s place. Despite his slight frame, Glenn is a willing tackler, and he’s got a knack for getting his hands on passes. Glenn has broken up four passes in the first two weeks.
OPINION
Injuries decimate Bears defense, thrusting more young players into spotlight
A
Bears defense that wasn’t all that impressive at full strength will be operating shorthanded for the foreseeable future. No level of coordinator Vic Fangio’s defense was spared in Monday night’s 29-14 loss to the Eagles. Quarterback Jay Cutler’s sprained thumb got the headlines, but the much more significant injuries were on the defensive side of the ball. The decimation started up front with nose tackle Eddie Goldman, the 2015 second-round pick, who is expected to be a defensive centerpiece for years to come. But Goldman suffered a high ankle sprain and was carted off in the fourth quarter, an indication that he won’t be back soon. Best guess is that he misses 3-5 games. The Bears were already thin at tackle, and the top backup to Goldman on their depth chart is Will Sutton, who lacks the size and strength to anchor that Goldman possesses. The 6-foot-4, 320-pound Goldman was
also fourth on the team 30 tackles. He showed a with four sacks last year knack for being around as a rookie. the ball and had one of Mitch Unrein, who is the Bears’ eight interceptions, along with listed as one of the starting ends, has played on five pass breakups. He’ll the nose before and could have an opportunity to move back to that spot. build on last year’s surprising production. Inside linebacker Danny Trevathan was the Outside linebacker Bears’ high-profile signLamarr Houston, who ing in free agency and didn’t start either of was expected to be an imthe first two games but pact player in the middle led the Bears with eight BOB LeGERE of a rebuilt defense. Like sacks last season, sufrlegere@dailyherald.com fered a season-ending Cutler, he also suffered a @BobLeGere torn ACL in his left knee sprained thumb against that will end his season. Philadelphia, and was Houston’s absence means more scheduled for surgery Wednesday snaps for rookie Leonard Floyd, who morning. had 60 in the season opener, the most Trevathan will not be placed on injured reserve, although he is expectof any Bears OLB. Floyd had 5 tackles ed to miss multiple games. Jonathan and half a sack in the season opener, although he wasn’t as much of a Anderson filled in Monday night presence in Week 2. The increased after Trevathan was hurt. The 2015 playing time should speed Floyd’s deundrafted free agent out of TCU began last season on the practice squad velopment, even if the Bears have to but wound up starting three games live with some growing pains. and finishing 10th on the team with A secondary that was already with-
out cornerback Kyle Fuller, who is still working his way back from Aug. 11 arthroscopic knee surgery, took additional hits vs. the Eagles. Starting safety Adrian Amos and nickel cornerback Bryce Callahan are both in the concussion protocol and neither finished the game. Chris Prosinski, who subbed in when Amos left, suffered a calf contusion. The injury epidemic leaves Fox’s winless team shorthanded and scrambling to remain relevant. “I’ve always been of the belief that tough times don’t last, tough people do, and injuries are a part of that,” Fox said. “We’ll figure it out. I like our roster, I like our choices, and we’ll do everything we can to get everybody ready for Dallas.” That should be a monumental undertaking, given the poor performance of a healthy team in the loss to the Eagles. “(Monday) night was not acceptable,” Fox said. “Our fans were great, the atmosphere was great, the stage was great. We weren’t, and we have to get it fixed.”
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PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY | ProFootballWeekly.com | THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2016
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PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY |
Waiver wars begin as injuries mount By J.C.
TALON
Fantasy writer | ProFootballWeekly.com
W
eek 2 featured a cavalcade of significant fantasy injuries. Danny Woodhead is done for the season and Jay Cutler will miss time with a thumb injury. Josh McCown has been ruled out for this week. As of this writing, Jimmy Garoppolo and Adrian Peterson had not been ruled out, but seem unlikely to play in Week 3. Those with highly questionable statuses include Doug Martin, Thomas Rawls, Donte Moncrief, Jonathan Stewart, Ameer Abdullah and Arian Foster. Julio Jones and Doug Baldwin were dinged, but should play. Let the waiver wars begin. On to Week 3 …
MATCHUPS TO EXPLOIT Arizona Cardinals
OPPONENT: AT BUFFALO BILLS, SUNDAY, NOON It will be a long flight and an early start for Arizona, but we still think the Cardinals will score points in this game. The Amazing Ryan Brothers have created quite the circus in Buffalo. The Bills’ defense is surrendering more than 400 yards per game. The obvious solution to your defensive ineptitude: Fire your offensive coordinator. Chris Johnson ran 16 times for 54 yards and a TD in garbage time last week. It was, by far, his best performance since getting injured last season. It will be interesting to see how he’s used in more competitive games. MUST START: David Johnson, Larry Fitzgerald SOLID PLAY: Carson Palmer, Michael Floyd, Chandler Catanzaro, Cardinals D/ST WORTH A LOOK: Chris Johnson, John Brown, Jaron Brown, Darren Fells
Tennessee Titans
OPPONENT: VS OAKLAND RAIDERS, SUNDAY, NOON The knee-jerk here would be bullish on the Raiders, but a quick glance at the stat sheet proves otherwise. Sure, it’s a small sample size, but after two games the Raiders are giving up more yards than any other defense – and it’s not even close. Oakland has given up an average of 517.5 yards per game. The next-worse defense is New Orleans at 451.5 ypg. The Titans currently have the NFL’s 13th-ranked defense at 338 yards per game and have surrendered just one offensive touchdown in two games. It would not be crazy for owners of Russell Wilson, Andy Dalton or Tyrod Taylor to consider starting Marcus Mariota this week. MUST START: DeMarco Murray, Delanie Walker SOLID PLAY: Ryan Succop WORTH A LOOK: Mariota, Derrick Henry, Tajae Sharpe, Rishard Matthews LAST RESORT: Andre Johnson STAY AWAY: Titans D/ST
New York Giants
OPPONENT: VS WASHINGTON, SUNDAY, NOON The Washington defense is tied for 27th in yards allowed, which is a huge improvement from 2015 when they finished 28th. OK, maybe it’s not a “huge” improvement. The Giants offense is coming off a disappointing zero-touchdown performance against a weak New Orleans defense. New York did manage to eke out a win and outgained the Saints 417 yards to 288. Through two games, the Giants are averaging just 3.2 yards per running play and have
yet to find the end zone on the ground. Look for their success to come through the air. MUST START: Odell Beckham SOLID PLAY: Eli Manning, Sterling Shepard, Josh Brown WORTH A LOOK: Rashad Jennings, Victor Cruz, Giants D/ST LAST RESORT: Larry Donnell
Miami Dolphins
OPPONENT: VS CLEVELAND BROWNS, SUNDAY, NOON The Browns’ defense is currently ranked 20th in yards allowed, which is about 10 spots better than it will likely be at season’s end. Miami struggled on offense for the first six quarters of the season, but put up 21 points in the second half at New England. It would be surprising if they didn’t score at least 27 in this game. If Arian Foster is out, the Dolphins will probably go with a running back-by-committee approach. Jay Ajayi has the most potential, but Damien Williams and Kenyan Drake also will get touches, thus limiting the fantasy value of all three. With Cody Kessler starting at QB for Cleveland, this would be a good week to play Miami’s D/ST. MUST START: Jarvis Landry, Dolphins D/ST SOLID PLAY: Ryan Tannehill, Andrew Franks WORTH A LOOK: Ajayi (if no Foster), DeVante Parker, Jordan Cameron LAST RESORT: Williams, Drake STAY AWAY: Foster*
ALSO CONSIDER
San Diego Chargers
OPPONENT: AT INDIANAPOLIS COLTS, SUNDAY, 3:25 Allowing 848 yards in two games, the Colts have picked up defensively right where they left off in 2015. Despite losing Keenan Allen and Danny Woodhead, the Chargers look rejuvenated on offense. Melvin Gordon is an excellent play this week.
Atlanta Falcons
OPPONENT: AT NEW ORLEANS SAINTS, MONDAY, 7:30 New Orleans somehow managed to keep the Giants’ offense out of the end zone in Week 2, but this is a plus matchup for Matt Ryan, Julio Jones and the rest of the Falcons. Devonta Freeman is the main back in Atlanta – and he played very well in Oakland last week – but Tevin Coleman is getting about 42 percent of the carries and is cutting into Freeman’s fantasy production.
MATCHUPS TO AVOID Minnesota Vikings
OPPONENT: AT CAROLINA PANTHERS, SUNDAY, NOON It’s still unclear whether Carolina’s defense is the beast it was last season. They just gave up 27 points to a Blaine Gabbert-led 49ers’ offense. But even after that performance, the Panthers are seventh in fewest yards allowed. This looks like a below-average matchup for a Vikings team that is bound to hit some speed bumps as Sam Bradford gains familiarity with his new team. We are assuming that Adrian Peterson won’t play with his torn meniscus. That leaves Matt Asiata and Jerick McKinnon in line for more rushing attempts. Even with Peterson, the Vikings are dead last in the NFL in rushing with just 95 total rushing yards and 1.9 yards per attempt. Asiata and McKin-
non (both averaging 2.7 ypc) have had a little more success than AP (1.6 ypc). Asiata has carried 10 times to McKinnon’s three. However, with a week to game-plan, we think McKinnon has more upside … but we’re not high on either back. SOLID PLAY: Stefon Diggs WORTH A LOOK: Bradford, McKinnon (if no Peterson), Vikings D/ST LAST RESORT: Asiata, Blair Walsh STAY AWAY: Adam Thielen
Washington
OPPONENT: AT NEW YORK GIANTS, SUNDAY, NOON Splurging on free agency rarely succeeds in transforming teams, but the Giants are starting to look like an exception to the rule. Through two games, they are yielding just 308 yards per game on defense. Last week, New York held Drew Brees and the Saints to 13 points, 288 total yards and allowed only one first down on the ground. Conversely, Washington has struggled. Despite erratic play, Kirk Cousins threw for 364 yards against Dallas, but he’ll face a tougher defense this week. Rookie receiver Josh Doctson was well covered by the Cowboys at the goal line, but that did not stop Cousins from stubbornly (and repeatedly) forcing the ball his way. Cousins is lucky to have thrown only one pick in the end zone. MUST START: Jordan Reed WORTH A LOOK: Matt Jones, DeSean Jackson LAST RESORT: Cousins, Doctson, Jamison, Crowder, Dustin Hopkins STAY AWAY: Washington D/ST
Chicago Bears
OPPONENT: AT DALLAS COWBOYS, SUNDAY, 7:30 Avoiding Bears has less to do with the Cowboys’ defense and more to do with the Bears’ offense. Chicago was sputtering with Jay Cutler at the helm, but at least he was good for a couple of jump-ball passes to Alshon Jeffery. Brian Hoyer will take over this week, and he might just be the worst starting QB this side of Case Keenum. After two weeks, the Bears are unraveling. This might be a good time to snag Jordan Howard off your waiver wire. He’s probably worthless this week, but if Monday night was any indication, he could be the Bears’ starting RB before long. SOLID PLAY: Jeffery WORTH A LOOK: Jeremy Langford LAST RESORT: Eddie Royal, Zach Miller, Bears D/ST STAY AWAY: Hoyer, Kevin White, Connor Barth
ALSO BEWARE
New England Patriots
OPPONENT: VS HOUSTON TEXANS, THURSDAY, 7:30 New England’s offense floundered after Jimmy Garoppolo went down with a shoulder injury. If he can’t go Thursday, downgrade all your Patriots against a good Houston defense.
Cincinnati Bengals
OPPONENT: VS DENVER BRONCOS, SUNDAY, NOON You obviously have to play A.J. Green, but take a close look at other Bengals. Denver’s defense is excellent. Last week, they held Andrew Luck and the Colts to under 200 yards passing. No Indy receiver crested 50 yards in the contest.
* — Check injury status
By JOHN
I
SAHLY
jsahly@shawmedia.com
’ve written this before, but it’s worth repeating: You are not going to win $1 million playing daily fantasy football. It’s fun to try, but if that’s your goal, you’re going to end up disappoint-
ed. If you’re a first-time player, or even if you’re not, it’s a good strategy to try to build your bankroll and your return on investment in safer strategies. Blowing your bankroll going for the big bucks can be fun for a few hours, but if you’ve got nothing left to play with for the next week, you’re just a sucker. Cash games are the best way to build your bankroll and, with enough success, you can then use those profits to go after bigger tournaments. When I talk about cash games, what I mean are 50/50s, where the top half of the field doubles their entry fee, and head-to-heads, where you just have to beat one person to win.
AP PHOTOS
David Johnson, C.J. Anderson and DeAngelo Williams are examples of running backs who stay on the field because they can catch as well as run Because cash games are a lot easier to make money off of – after all, we’re not looking to beat a field of thousands, just finish in the top half – that changes how you want to construct your lineups. We’re looking for the highest floor possible in our cash games. Safe choices that will get plenty of opportunity to score on a consistent basis. In general, this is my cash game strategy: 1) Aim for 2.5-3x the player’s sal-
ary In tournaments, we want to maximize the number of points we get, but in cash games, we’re looking for consistent players who can hit between 2.5 and 3 times their salary. If a player costs $5,000, for example, then I’m looking for 12.5-15 points to meet value. In general, a roster that nets you 125-150 points will put you in a positive ROI in cash games on a site like DraftKings. 2) Chalk is OK Don’t worry about getting too
cute with your cash game lineups. Just because a player will be highly owned doesn’t mean that’s a bad thing. There’s a reason that player will be on a lot of rosters, and it’s because he’s in a good situation to hit a safe floor. 3) RBs that see the field I want a running back that can catch and run, and generally stays on the field for all three downs. A guy like Jeremy Hill, who cedes time to Gio Bernard, isn’t as safe a play because he isn’t out on the field for as long, whereas players like David Johnson, DeAngelo Williams (for now) and C.J. Anderson are on the field more often. 4) Where to spend down If I can, I try not to pay up at quarterback in my cash games. The difference between QB1 and QB10 most weeks isn’t enough to justify spending up. But the difference between WR1 and WR10 can be much more volatile from week-to-week. I’ll also look for a cheaper tight end and a cheaper defense in a good spot, while aiming to pay up for at least one big wide receiver.
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PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY | ProFootballWeekly.com | THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2016
DFS: Cash games are best way to build profit
PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY | ProFootballWeekly.com | THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2016
OVERVIEW
What type of divine intervention will we see this time, after Green Bay in Week 13 last season needed the Rodgers-to-Rodgers connection at the buzzer to avoid being swept by Detroit for the first time since 1991? The Packers’ offense, putrid in their loss to the Vikings on Sunday Night Football, actually appears worse off less than 10 months later. So too does the Lions’ defense, particularly with injuries clouding the availability of perhaps its two best players — DE Ezekiel Ansah (ankle) and WLB DeAndre Levy (quad). The Lions took part in one of Week 2’s biggest eyesores, falling 16-15 at home to Tennessee after tying a franchise record with 17 penalties, and losing Ansah, LBs Kyle Van Noy (calf) and rookie Antoine Williams (ankle), and RB Ameer Abdullah (foot) to injuries. Matthew Stafford’s career-best streak of pass attempts without an interception was snapped at 212, when his final throw, with Detroit trying to rally in the closing minute, was picked off just a first down or two short of setting up Matt Prater for a potential game-winner.
If that sounds familiar, well, it’s because Aaron Rodgers’ final pass attempt was intercepted with his team driving for a potential tie or win.
MATCHUP TO WATCH
The ringleader of Green Bay’s increasingly stout run ‘D’ and dangerous interior pass rush, DT Mike Daniels will battle the Lions’ best interior blocker, RG Larry Warford. Daniels terrorized Minnesota’s Brandon Fusco en route to a sack, two tackles for loss and two QB hits. Though Daniels and Warford, coming off his second consecutive strong performance, know each other well, it’s first-round LT Eric Decker who’ll get his first experience against Clay Matthews. Decker, after a strong NFL debut, came down to earth with a pair of sacks surrendered last week. Matthews is settling in nicely outside, where he’s allowed to use his unique combination of fury and power to get after quarterbacks.
BY THE NUMBERS
Dom Capers’ ferocious front has produced seven sacks, 19 tackles for loss and 14 QB hits in his first two games combined.
OVERVIEW
With just two weeks to learn a new offense, Sam Bradford, in his Vikings debut, delivered perhaps his best NFL performance – a testament not only to him but a remarkable coaching job and the sensational play of WR Stefon Diggs. Bradford stood tall in a consistently crumbling pocket and delivered one intermediate strike after the next (9.23 yards per attempt), none more impressive than his rocket to Diggs for the decisive score late in the third quarter. In addition to Norv Turner’s experienced staff and Diggs’ star rising in front of our own eyes, Minnesota’s triumph in the inaugural game at U.S. Bank Stadium was made possible, of course, by the defense. It wreaked plenty of havoc for a second consecutive week, increasing its takeaway total to six through just two games despite playing without two key starters because of knee injuries – CB Xavier Rhodes and DT Sharrif Floyd. But the only knee anyone in Minnesota wanted to talk about Monday was the right knee of Adrian Peterson, who suffered a torn meniscus in the same knee in which he tore his ACL in 2011. The in-
jury isn’t catastrophic – Peterson could be back to 100 percent in 4-6 weeks – but Minnesota needs a vast turnaround from the offensive line to prevent future injuries to Bradford and Peterson.
MATCHUP TO WATCH
Fans of linebacker play are in luck, as outside of Seattle, and perhaps Chicago, these could be the top two linebacker groups in the league. We’ll focus on Anthony Barr and Eric Kendricks, the NFC’s Defensive Player of the Week in the opener, against Carolina’s creative and expansive power run game. Only Green Bay and Seattle have allowed fewer yards per carry in the NFC than Minnesota (3.3 YPC), which spoiled the debut of exotic smashmouth back Derrick Henry in Tennessee in Week 1 and limited Packers backs to 53 yards on 19 totes Sunday. In front of Barr and Kendricks, powerful nose guard Linval Joseph collides with one of the NFL’s best centers, Ryan Kalil.
BY THE NUMBERS
Diggs leads the NFL with 16 catches for 285 yards (17.8), including 12 chain-moving receptions.
B
ased on the fumbles, interceptions and false starts that have become a hallmark in Washington since Daniel Snyder took ownership of the team, it should be no surprise that the NFC “Least’s” surprise 2015 champion is somewhat in disarray just two weeks into the season. But the Way We Hear It, the varying levels of operation at which the mess is spreading have to be cause for new concern. First, we’ll report that according to our sources, head coach Jay Gruden appears to be more a victim than a cause of the current confusion. Some NFL insiders questioned Gruden’s readiness and worth when Snyder tabbed him as his sixth head coach since buying the team in 1999, but as Marty Schottenheimer, Steve Spurrier, Joe Gibbs, Jim Zorn and Mike Shanahan all learned before him, Washington can be a very difficult place to work. You don’t need a ton of sources to know that Schottenheimer, Gibbs and Shanahan are all highly qualified coaches who failed trying to work and coexist in D.C. We can give Snyder a pass for not getting that Spurrier apparently just didn’t really care – or should we? – and Zorn was a wild hare he just needed to tame. Gruden has, in fact, given the team its most professional appearance in years, getting his feet on the ground with a 4-12 2014 after inheriting Shanahan’s 3-13 club, and then making a five-game improvement and division leap from worst to first last year, while making Kirk Cousins look like a Pro Bowl quarterback in the process. But therein lies a great deal of the rub. Through two weeks of 2016, Cousins has looked very much like a fourth-round pick forced into action by the team’s rush to rid itself of 2012 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Robert Griffin III. We know according to multiple sources it was Snyder who was anxious to mortgage the team’s future for RGIII, and it was Snyder who used RGIII to sabotage Shanahan, but it is unclear who was in a hurry to cut the cord. We’ve also heard in a number of circles that it was team president Bruce Allen, a winner of the gene pool from his dad George but with no football experience of his own, who couldn’t resist the temptation to spend tens of millions of Snyder’s wealth on Josh
Washington owner Dan Snyder and head coach Jay Gruden Norman and that he had no trouble at all getting Snyder on board. According to our sources, Gruden’s and GM Scot McCloughan’s opinions of the move weren’t deemed all that relevant, although it is unclear how strongly either tried to resist if at all. Norman is a very good cornerback, but he is not the best available even though he is now the highest paid. Nor does he fit like a glove in defensive coordinator Joe Barry’s defense. That, along with the fact that he is at times a painful pimple in the Washington locker room and on the sidelines, is why Carolina was anxious to see him go. Finally, there is McCloughan, recognized as an excellent judge of NFL talent but also saddled with some well-documented off-the-field challenges, who had a rather strange offseason. Washington had huge needs on all three levels of the defense and at running back going into the draft. McCloughan surprised many when
AP PHOTO
he took wideout Josh Doctson in the first round, LB Su’a Cravens – a great athlete but a “tweener” without a position – in the second round and then Kendall Fuller of the famous NFL Fuller family, a cornerback coming off a disappointing season at Virginia Tech due to a bum wheel. Insiders were confounded. While we never judge a draft in less than two or even three seasons, Washington’s defense is clearly not improved to date with little help from the GM’s efforts. The bottom line is, the Way We Hear It and hard as it may be to believe, Washington just keeps getting to be a harder and harder place for NFL talent to succeed.
WHICH NEW QB IS THE REAL DEAL?
Young quarterbacks in starring roles are among the many storylines of the 2016 season to date, as is the rush to judgment that NFL fans and media alike make if it feeds their
Twitter accounts and multiplies their “likes!” The bottom line is that Jimmy Garoppolo, Carson Wentz, Dak Prescott and Trevor Siemian are all stories worth following and all have impressed to varying degrees, but The Way We Hear It, only one has shown enough, covering the full breadth of what a top signal-caller needs to display, to be close to becoming anointed as the real deal. The most obvious dividing line is the Patriots and Eagles are winning in large part because of Garoppolo and Wentz, while the Cowboys are winning with Prescott, and the Broncos either with or in spite of Siemian. To be clear, our sources like all four and think all but Siemian – it’s not if but when for Paxton Lynch in Denver – are assured of being relevant for some time to come. But when it comes to being a guy you build a club around, there is at least a question or two about all but one. Wentz looks really exciting, with the most impressive comparison we’re starting to hear being Ben Roethlisberger. But the Bears were able to confuse and fluster him through most of the second and third quarters in Week 2, and there is still much for him to learn about the NFL game. Prescott has shown the ability to avoid costly mistakes in a small sample size, but he hasn’t offered any of the ‘wow’ moments Wentz and Garoppolo have. There is still much to learn about his arm talent and how it will translate in the NFL over the long haul. According to our most trusted sources, Garoppolo is the one to be the most excited about right now. In his roughly six quarters, he has shown everything you hope to see in a top end QB and has particularly impressed with his pocket savvy, ability to keep plays alive and make plays where none appeared to exist. And, of course, as any good mystery would have it, Garoppolo will be the first to return to the bench either due to his injured shoulder or the return of the great one, Tom Brady, for Week 5. The Way We’re Hearing It, Belichick and company have a developing problem on their hands, as Garoppolo may be too valuable to simply barter for help elsewhere, and he may be too difficult to keep happy and under control if Tom Brady sticks around as long as he hopes to. This story will be fun to watch for some time to come.
PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY | ProFootballWeekly.com | THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2016
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With Bears 0-2, what can fans look forward to? NATE KEVINATKINS FISHBAIN Danny Trevathan lost to thumb surgery, the Bears just lost their big-money offseason free agent. But there are reasons to get excited, sure: Leonard Floyd started for the second time, and only figures to play more with the loss of Lamarr Houston. That will help his development. Deiondre’ Hall looked capable at cornerback, and Jonathan Bullard will only get better. Here’s one thing I like about the defense, Kevin: Floyd, Goldman, Bullard and safety Adrian Amos have a chance to be on the next really good Bears team – whenever that is. Should the Bears embrace that youth already? Or just
PATRICK FINLEY FINLEY PATRICK
worry about results? Fishbain: I’ve been trying to figure out how exactly the Bears continue to ‘embrace that youth.’ Should Bullard play more snaps than Mitch Unrein? Should we see Hall on the field even when Kyle Fuller returns? Floyd is already getting a ton of snaps, so it’s hard to find where John Fox can get younger. You’re not going to replace second-year safeties with a rookie like Deon Bush. Should Nick Kwiatkoski replace Trevathan instead of Jonathan Anderson? They seem to be embracing the youth, but it’s a veteran coaching staff. Are you going to tell John Fox and Vic Fan-
gio to worry less about the results and more about 2017?
Finley: In a weird way, Kevin, Jay Cutler’s thumb injury – and general ineptitude of the offense through the first two games – might push the Bears in the opposite direction. Entering Sunday night’s game in Dallas, and certainly the next week’s home contest against the Lions, the Bears should acknowledge that the best path to victory is to ugly up the game. That means running on offense and leaning on their veterans on defense. Does that seem like the right idea to you? Fishbain: Well, a game
plan focused on running the football allows the Bears to feature Jeremy Langford and Jordan Howard, while also developing Cody Whitehair. Trying to win on defense is still going to have to rely on youngsters like Floyd and Amos and Jones-Quartey, so I think the Bears will still know a lot more about the future. My concern is how a backup at quarterback could stunt the development of any of the younger players on either side of the ball. Then what would fans have as reasons for hope?
Fishbain: Brian Hoyer could impact Kevin White’s development, for sure. And fans have been waiting for him to flash the athleticism that caused the Bears to draft him seventh in the 2015 draft. But the facts are the facts, and White wasn’t connecting with Cutler in their first two games, totaling six catches for 51 yards before the quarterback was hurt. I’m being both optimistic and pessimistic at the same time, Kevin: it can’t be much worse.
PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY | ProFootballWeekly.com | THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2016
I
n this week’s ‘Take 2,’ Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun-Times and Kevin Fishbain of Pro Football Weekly give their thoughts on what’s worth watching in the remaining 14 games of this Bears season that appeared to unravel on Monday night in a loss to the Eagles. Fishbain: Patrick, we all know the statistics about 0-2 teams and making the playoffs. We don’t need to go there, because who predicted this team to make the postseason anyway? But there is a long way to go this season and with several starters injured, Bears fans are already starting their countdown clocks to next year’s NFL Draft. This is a young team, though, with players worth getting excited about, right? Maybe a defense whose revamped front seven has been the main bright spot through two games? Finley: It’s been brighter than the rest of the Bears’ dim performance, which ain’t saying much. With
PRO FOOTBALL WEEKLY | ProFootballWeekly.com | THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2016
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