NFL Week 12 Wrap-up

Theres a big divide between the best and worst in the NFL this here. So how do you stop the best, and how do you improve the worst?:

Stopping the Best:
Indianapolis Colts
I'm chosing the Colts to cover first because they have the most obvious flaws. Yes, they have the best passing game in the league. They have nothing else, though. Their running game is the second worst in the league. Their defense, though third in points allowed, really can't stop anybody when it comes down to it. They're products of playing in a week division. While they beat the powerful Patriots, it was due more to defensive breakdowns against Peyton Manning than anything else. Not to mention the Colts arguably biggest weakness, run defense, couldn't be exploited by a Pats team without much of a running game of their own. The key to beating the Colts is disguised agression. Manning has never been a very mobile QB. While he has improved from early in his career, he's still slow and can be brought down. The problem, of course, is how. The Colts are one of the best teams in the league at picking up the blitz, and Manning is probably the best in the league at reading and reacting to defenses. The best option, then, is to run the ball straight at the Colts D, and disguise blitzes as much as you can. I know it goes against NFL logic, but maybe the best strategy is to not show blitzes, ever. If Manning can't read a blitz coming, he can't react to it before the snap. Disguising a blitz as a Cover 2 defense on every play, in my opinion, would keep Manning from making the reads he has become famous for making.

New Orleans Saints
How do you solve a team that throws the ball, runs the ball, and scores points at will? And has a pass defense that can stop the leagues best? You keep the ball away from them. For a team that was one of the best at stopping the run early due to the fact that teams simply couldn't run the ball against them due to the score, they're now ranked 20th in the league. The teams that have given the Saints the most trouble have been teams that run the ball well. The New York Jets. The Miami Dolphins. The Atlanta Falcons. The St Louis Rams. The teams they've blown out have struggled running the ball. The Detroit Lions. The Buffalo Bills. The NY Giants. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers. And now, the New England Patriots. The Saints can be beaten if a team comes in with a strong running game, doesn't commit turnovers, and stick with their gameplan. In my opinion, if they played again right now, the Jets would beat the Saints. That has more to do with the Jets improvements in ball protection and defense than it does in the Saints being a team on the decline. They aren't, they can just be beat with a solid gameplan.

Imprving the Worst:
Cleveland Browns
Fixing the Browns doesn't have much to do with on field play, and has almost everything to do with management, from the top down. I told my girlfriend earlier this season that the best thing the Jets did in the offseason was get the Browns to sign Eric Mangini. Since Mangini was hired, the Browns have given the Jets Braylon Edwards and the draft pick they used to select Mark Sanchez in exchange for some draft picks, some special teamers, and the swine flu. As a result, the Browns are left almost talentless. Brady Quinn and Derek Anderson can still be good QBs, but they need to be trained the way the Jets are handling Sanchez: slowing them down and reminding them when they need to protect the ball and when they need to make a play. Looking ahead to the offseason, the Browns need to almost completely rebuild. They can keep which ever QB they want, but they need to restart their running game, bring in some talent at wide receiver, and field a defense that can stop somebody. With only five picks in the 2010 Draft, it will be difficult, but with three of them in the first 2 round, not impossible.

St Louis Rams
The Rams have pretty much the same problems as the Browns on defense, but the opposite problem on offense. They have a strong running game, but no QB. Marc Bulger and Kyle Boller aren't going to get it done. However, Steven Jackson has gone from being one of the leagues best backs to being an afterthought, since everything around him is so bad. Did you know he already has over 1,100 yards and is second to only Chris Johnson for most rushing yards? I didn't. He can't carry the load himself, though, and the teams second leading rusher is Boller, with 63 yards on 12 attempts. Once they address the QB problem, which should be easy in the draft, they need to get a back that they can depend on in the future. Jackson doesn't have many more years like these left in him. They also need to address their secondary. They have a decent D-line, and a strong group at LB, but when you get past that, there isn't much there. They have youth, so maybe they can improve through experience, but James Butler and Oshiomogho Atogwe don't bring enough of a veteran presence to bring the new guys along. With any luck, free agency will really help this team out.

Injuries:
Chris Cooley, TE, Redskins: out for the season with a lower-leg injury
Jeremy Jarmon, DL, Redskins: out for the season with a knee injury
Shaun Rogers, NT, Browns: out for the season with a knee injury
DeSean Jackson, WR, Eagles: status uncertain with a concussion
Matt Ryan, QB, Falcons: out at least this week with turf toe

Fantasy Studs:

1. Drew Brees. Just like I predicted, Brees shredded the Pats defense for 371 yards and 5 TDs.
2. Brett Favre. The old man is still slingin' it, with 392 yards and 2 TDs
3. Aaron Rodgers. The kid can throw it, too, with 348 yards and 3 TDs of his own.
   

Fantasy Duds:

1. Jake Delhomme. He threw 1 TD, but it was to the wrong team. Is it the 4 picks or broken finger that could lose him his job?
2. Jason Snelling. Just 8 yards on 4 carries and a lost fumble.
3. Patrick Crayton. Shut out against the Raiders.
   

Week 11 Picks:
Straight up: 12-4, 113-62 overall
ATS: 8-7-1, 96-77-2 overall
o/u: 9-7, 83-89-3 overall

Questions for Week 12:
With their QBs injured, how will teams play in the playoff push?
Ben Roethlisberger and Kurt Warner didn't play this week after suffering concussions in Week 11. Matt Ryan went down with turf toe early this week. The Steelers and Cardinals lost, but the Falcons won behind Chris Redman. Chances are, Warner and Roethlisberger will play this week, and we already know Ryan will be out. With all three teams competing for playoff spots, will backups have to play a big factor in their futures?

Is there a rift in the Steelers?
After Roethlisberger practiced all week, doctors told him to sit out on Saturday. It was the right thing to do for someone still suffering the after-effects of a concussion, but some players were upset to find out he wouldn't be playing at the last minute. Hines Ward, the most outspoken teammate on the subject has since apologized, but what about the rest of the players questioning Big Ben's toughness? Will this cause problems with the Steelers still competing for their division and leading in the Wild Card?

How much longer can the Vince Young Express keep rolling along?
The Titans became the first team to ever win five straight after losing their first six. This week, they face the Colts. They are the perfect team to use the gameplan for beating the Colts I layed out above. Although I worry that their defense may not be agressive enough to get after Manning. In fact, their second to last in the league in pass defense. Can they beat the unbeaten? Or does the streak end here?