quickdraw

It seems since the Bucs got healthy again at WR Clayton has been a little less involved. The problem is that while the Steelers and Big Ben have been winning Hines hasn't been a huge part of the plan. I would lean toward Clayton only because I think that game could be more of a shoot out. I think the Jets and Steelers could be an old-fashioned 14-10 game.

Need to pick one of the two: McCareins vs. Steelers T.J. Houshmandzadeh vs. Pats Is Houshmandzadeh's success just due to Palmer playing better? He's put up some decent numbers two weeks in a row.

I've sat Eddie all but one of the last few weeks and I picked up T.J. Houshmandzadeh a couple weeks ago. Have they played their way into starter status? I'm getting nothing out of my other WRs and have been winning on the strength of Brees, The Bears or the Colts Def along with my RBs (Julius & Kevin Jones and Westbrook)...If I even got a few points out of my WRs it would be a bonus at this point.

I think the key is they do have other options this year. If you take away Gates or the pass in general I'm sure you'll see another 35 carry game from LT. But if other teams are content to take their chances with Brees and Gates, then the Chargers have demonstrated they are not stupid. They aren't going to run LT (at still less than 100%) or throw it to him in the flat just to get him touches...they have other things they can do and do well. Just be thankful that there have been a number of short yardage chances and LT has made most of those payoff.

If you do something like this (say 6 teams) one thing I've seen done is that Seeds 1 & 2 (on a bye) submit a line-up for Week 14. They can then use their Week 14 or 15 score against the team they match up against in the 2nd Round. It keeps everyone active in Week 14 and it gives the division champ a little extra reward.

The problem we had with 6 was a couple times we ended up with 6 teams with good records and 6 teams with bad records and the playoffs were all but decided by week 10 (in fact that would have happened this year). In the case not only would the 6 losers lost interest I think the 6 teams were in would have lost interest too. With 8 (and I understand people thinking that's too many) usually if you've scored well but have a bad record because of bad luck on weekly match-ups you still get in. For example this year I would have been out of luck. I am 4th in the league in points but would have been out of the playoffs. Our 8 team way I have a legitimate shot at the 4th spot (and in fact if the playoffs were today I would be in). I have been on the other side of the table, I was the number 1 seed the one year we had a sub .500 team win the title. We have had some discussion about going to something like they do in antsports where you "victory points" for scoring well even if your team doesn't win. That way if you cut the playoffs down to 4 or 6 teams, there is less of a chance a team that doesn't score well but is just really lucky gets in.

We actually let in 8 of the 12. In theory the 4 or 5 best teams should advance to week 2 of the playoffs. The reason we do this is it keeps interest in the league going even if you're having a rough year. Up until this week almost everyone had some shot at one of the 8 spots (in fact I think only one team is totally out of it though a couple would need everything to fall just right). It's only backfired on us once where a sub .500 team got hot and won the title. In the post season all your scores are cumulating, as you lose you get knocked into the losers pool (where the 4 teams that were left out have been playing). Week 17 is a free-for-all high-scoring team wins $$$, but there is one game played too. The team with the lowest points in the regular season plays the team in the playoffs with the lowest cumulative score or next lowest if it's themselves. The team that loses that game has his team renamed by the league for then next year, so there is incentive to try and win.

I have the Bears and Colts defenses. The Cowboys are still on the WW (where they usually belong). I was leaning toward the Bears by a narrow margin. A defense that likes to force turnovers playing a rookie QB who also has a rookie RB in the backfield. Would any of you play one of the other defenses -- The Colts may have their way with the Lions?

The Bears' Defense can be entertaining. As bad as they were last week if Briggs picks off that Manning pass or they pick up the fumble they forced on a kick-off it might have at least been a game. Okay maybe not, but it was the Colts, this wasn't the first team Indy has done that to this season. I think the Bears could force three or four turnovers with a rookie QB and RB in for Dallas and maybe Chicago maybe scores once on defense too, so I figure the final at 10-6 DA' BEARS!!!

Are there any RBs potentially better on waivers in your league? He got 30 carries yesterday; at this time of year any Free Agent running back that gets that many touches is worth a pick-up.

I got ZERO from two of my players (Givens who I guess is now invisible with Branch back and Lloyd plus I sat Westbrook) and still won. Eddie Kennison saved my butt. Of course if he had ONE more yard I would have won the week. The really great thing is we play DHs on 3 weeks so we can play all the teams. This game counted as two and put me back into the last playoff spot.

Played Thomas Jones and sat Brian Westbrook. Glad all the sites I subscribe to suggested sitting Westbrook against the tough Redskins Defense. Also sat Justin McCareins for Brandon Lloyd. And yet I still may win. I know it's ultimately my decision, but I really wonder what it is you have to do to become an "expert" on some of these sites.

I wanted to pick up the Colts Def this week so I put that in as my first claim and as a flyer I put in for JJ thinking I had no chance and someone would pick him up. No one did and I got both. If nothing else I have K. Jones, J. Jones and T. Jones as possible keepers next year.

Special Teams pts count (Yardage counts only for a bonus on a score). Blocked FGs, Punts things like that count. There is a penalty over 30 of -3 pts., and that's what I wonder about. From what I've read Indy is very ordinary on Special Teams; while the Bears Special Teams are a squad strength. Plus as a Bears' fan it's nice to have a rooting interest (though I have Thomas Jones back this week)

12 team league but we have mandatory roster limits and everyone has two defenses. I had Carolina early on and drafted the Bears as a hunch. After Carolina failed it's been picking up teams here and there. I picked up Indy figuring even if the Bears win Krenzel is good for 3 or 4 sacks and a INT or two...