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No matter if it’s week 2 or week 10, injuries are going to get in the way of our fantasy lineups on game-day and week 16 was no stranger to big time injuries.

From Steve Smith’s broken arm to Ricky Williams and his injured shoulder, we’ve got it all here in the latest edition of the Infirmary Report, the first article to read for what happened on Sunday.

So make sure that you know all the big injuries and check us out every single week right here at www.fsc.fm!!!

Running backs

QUESTIONABLE
Ricky Williams (Shoulder), Miami Dolphins
Williams left Sunday’s game in the 3rd quarter with a shoulder injury and was not able to return to the game. Ricky ran the ball 10 times for 35 yards and added four receptions for 23 yards before leaving. The extent of the injury is not yet known but look for Lex Hilliard to get a lot of touches in the offense next week if Williams misses week ore more. “Sexy” Lexy had two TDs and was used extensively in the passing game after Williams left the field, so Hilliard could be worth some consideration.

QUESTIONABLE
Brandon Jacobs (Knee), New York Giants
Jacobs performance and overall speed have been very disappointing this year, so much that he even took himself out of the game Sunday. Jacobs went to the locker room to get X-rays and did not return. The veteran RB said his knee “took about as much as it could take” and he just needs rest. The results of Jacobs’ X-rays are unknown at this point but it would not be a shock to see him in street clothes for next week’s game against the Vikings.

QUESTIONABLE
Pierre Thomas (Ribs), New Orleans Saints
Thomas injured his ribs on a 26-yard carry in the second quarter, but managed to return to the game after being looked over briefly by team doctors. He didn’t play much after that and did not come out of the tunnel after halftime with the rest of the team. Pierre said after Sunday’s loss that he “thinks he’ll be fine” despite not playing any of the 2nd half. More information will be available later in the week but it’s doubtful that we’ll see much of Pierre Thomas week 17.

Wide Receivers

QUESTIONABLE
Steve Smith (Forearm), Carolina Panthers
Smith broke his forearm during a 27-yard touchdown reception in the third quarter, and said he knew immediately something was broken. “After I caught the ball, he hit me and I staggered into the end zone,” Smith said. “I got tackled again, and when I got up I could feel it was kind of heavy and it was grinding. So I knew immediately.” It looks like the surgery for Smith but at least he left with a bang, giving his loyal fantasy owners a 4 catch, 60 yards, + TD performance. Look for heavy doses of Muhsin Muhammad next week.

Tight Ends

OUT
Marcedes Lewis (Concussion), Jacksonville Jaguars
Marcedes Lewis left Sunday’s game against the Patriots in the first quarter with a head injury and did not return to the game. It has been confirmed that Lewis suffered a concussion in the loss to New England. This is a near-guarantee that the former UCLA Bruin will miss Week 17 with the league closely monitoring the treatment of concussions this season.

DOUBTFUL
Tony Gonzalez (Shoulder), Atlanta Falcons
Gonzalez was sidelined with a calf injury to start the second half of Sunday’s game and did not return. The All-Pro caught just two passes for 17 yards before leaving and his status for week 17 is completely up in the air with a lot of doubt, considering he didn’t come back into the game at all. Gonzalez is only 4 catches away from 1,000 career receptions, so there’s a chance he might suit up but we’ll know more later in the week.

Linebackers

OUT
Rey Maualuga (Ankle), Cincinnati Bengals
Maualauga limped off the field in the first quarter Sunday with an ankle injury and has been ruled out for the rest of the game. Maualuga got tangled up with a blocker but after hopping to the sidelines, he was eventually carted to the locker room for further examination. Rey Maualuga has been officially diagnosed with a fractured left ankle, meaning that the rookie is done for the year. The Bengals will likely use veteran backup LB Rashad Jeanty as Maualuga’s replacement for the rest of the way.

QUESTIONABLE
Channing Crowder (Foot), Miami Dolphins
Dolphins LB Channing Crowder left Sunday’s game with an apparent right foot injury and did not return. After receiving treatment on the bench, Crowder limped to the locker room without his shoe on. Reggie Torbor will likely fill in at Crowder’s “MIKE” spot.

Defensivebacks

OUT
Reed Doughty (Ankle), Washington Redskins
Redskins Safety Reed Doughty left the team’s game against the Cowboys with an apparent right ankle injury and did not return. Doughty got sandwiched between a couple of Cowboys tacklers after grabbing his first career interception late in the second quarter. He had to be helped to the bench and was eventually taken to the locker room for X-rays. He was replaced by S Kareem Moore, who might play out the last game of the season week 17 against the Chargers.

It’s been a rough season for injuries and week 15 was no exception in that department.

From Michael Vick’s injured thigh to DeAngelo Williams and his bum ankle, we’ve got it all here in the latest edition of the Infirmary Report, the first article to read for what happened on Sunday.

So make sure that you know all the big injuries and check us out every single week right here at FantasyFootball.com!!!

Quarterbacks

DOUBTFUL
Michael Vick (Thigh), Philadelphia Eagles
Michael Vick left Sunday’s game against the 49ers with a bruised thigh. Vick was stopped on a 3rd & 1 late in the first quarter and took a shoulder to the leg at the end of the play. He limped off the field on his own power and did not return to the game. Vick was seen hobbling around the locker room post-game and his status for Week 16 is uncertain but it doesn’t sound too serious, so he shouldn’t miss a lot of time. Regardless, Vick isn’t on many fantasy radars for this year but he’s almost certain to be in the mix next season on a different team.

DOUBTFUL
Charlie Frye (Head), Oakland Raiders
Charlie Frye left Sunday’s game in the fourth quarter with an apparent concussion after being tattooed by Broncos’ LB Andra Davis. Frye smacked his head on the turf pretty hard and was surrounded by trainers for an extended period before being taken out of the game. While it looks like Frye might possibly have a concussion, it’s interesting that Coach Tom Cable has already gone out and named Frye the starter for week 16 if he’s healthy.

Running backs

QUESTIONABLE
DeAngelo Williams (Ankle), Carolina Panthers
DeAngelo Williams left Sunday night’s game with a left ankle injury and did not return. Williams had 13 yards on six rushes and a three-yard catch before exiting but he was taken to the locker room for further examination at the end of the first quarter, killing many fantasy owners hopes/dreams. This is the same ankle that kept Williams out of the team’s week 13 game against the Bucs, so his status for next week is very much in doubt. Jonathan Stewart gets a significant upgrade if Williams is ruled out.

DOUBTFUL
Michael Turner (Ankle), Atlanta Falcons
Michael Turner left Sunday’s game after just one carry for seven yards. Turner got the ball on the Falcons’ first possession of the game but got tripped up at the second level and did not return to the game after re-aggravating his ankle injury. The Burner didn’t sound too optimistic in the post-game press conference; “I’ve got to start all over again (rehabbing),” he said. Turner refused to say that he would shut it down for the year but admitted that his injured ankle just isn’t strong enough to take a hit.

Wide Receivers

QUESTIONABLE
Eddie Royal (Neck), Denver Broncos
Eddie Royal left Sunday’s game in the fourth quarter with a neck injury. He appeared to suffer the injury on a punt return and did not return to the game. Brandon Stokley replaced him and immediately broke a 63-yard reception to put the Broncos in scoring position. The extent of Royal’s injury is unknown at this point but it’s almost irrelevant from a fantasy perspective, as Royal has been a huge disappointment for fantasy owners this year. It’s likely just a stinger but keep tabs on this one if you’re still holding on to Royal for some strange reason.

Defensive Ends

OUT
Adewale Ogunleye (Leg), Chicago Bears
Ogunleye left Sunday’s game in the third quarter with a lower leg injury and did not return. Coach Lovie Smith said that the defensive end “has a fractured Lower left leg” and Ogunleye was seen in the locker room after the game with crutches and a walking boot. With Ogunleye looking to be done for the year, Mark Anderson and Gaines Adams should see a healthy increase in minutes.

Linebackers

DOUBTFUL
Keith Bulluck (Knee), Tennessee Titans
Keith Bulluck was injured during the third quarter when his left knee gave out while he was being blocked by Dolphins’ guard Justin Smiley. Bulluck immediately grabbed for his knee when he went down and was unable to leave the field on his own power, but the team is initially calling the injury only a “sprain.” He was last spotted walking into the stadium tunnel with two team trainers. It’s never a good sign when players collapse like that, which makes Bulluck’s week 16 status very doubtful.

Defensivebacks

OUT
Lardarius Webb (Knee), Baltimore Ravens
Lardarius Webb left Sunday’s game with what was initially being diagnosed as a “sprained right knee” but it turned out to be much worse than that. Ravens beat writer Aaron Wilson reports that CB Lardarius Webb is done for the year with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee. Webb was having a tremendous season and his loss will definitely hurt a Ravens’ secondary that is already very banged up. Look for the Ravens to hit the free agency market for a corner very soon.

I’M ALIVE!!! …Barely but still surviving and striving to hoist that ever elusive championship trophy and while there may not be a fortune on the line, there’s bragging rights that I am not letting go of at any cost this week!

• You all saw it Sunday and you all know what a big fan I am of Brandon Marshall but that 21 catch performance now belongs in the record books, the gloves he wore are on their way to Canton, and young Mr Marshall belongs in Hawaii. (Please Vote Brandon Marshall to the Pro Bowl)

• Thanks Randy! I had a long shot chance to make it into the staff league playoffs at FantasyFootball.com but thanks to Randy Moss completely tanking it last Sunday against the Panthers, I lost to JC last week. I haven’t seen Moss act like this since his stint with the Raiders. (Trust me folks it doesn’t get any lower than losing to JC by the way)

• Speaking of the Raiders, I’ve never liked JaDumbass Russell and he’s proving exactly how completely useless he is now that he’s been out-performed by the likes of Bruce Gradkowski and Charlie Frye. By all rights Frye should be job-less and Gradkowski should be a career backup. . . paging old man Davis, it’s time to pull the plug on this failed experiment.

• Quick, who is leading the league in TD receptions right now? The NFL has a strong case of VD taking over and I don’t see it stopping. Vernon Davis and the 49ers play the Eagles this week, who are giving up the most pts of any team in the league to the Tight End position. Alex Smith has been playing very well in the new-look San Fran offense and with the team continually airing it out more, Davis looks to finish the season very strong.

• Oh if you haven’t heard, apparently Dolphins’ WR Ted Ginn Jr. was a no-show for a foot race w/ Chris Johnson of the Titans. Johnson says that Ginn was “talking about how he could beat me,” Johnson said. “When it came down to it, he was a no-show.” I don’t blame Ginn for chickening out because there’s no question in this contest. . . Chris Johnson would have smoked him.

• Finally, a tip of the cap and “mile-high” salute goes out to the podcast. It’s been a year since we started up The Fantasy Exchange Podcast and I’ve gotta say that it’s been a blast! The reason we haven’t missed a week since we started back in December of ‘08, is because of the people that have the same addiction as we all do here. FF is all year, I’m always thinking about it day and night because it’s not just a hobby, it’s a way of life! Catch the 1 Year Special Tonight.

Alright, it’s time to get down to business and I’ve got a hankering for another sixer of fantasy goodness. So lets pop the top, keep our eyes on the prize because the trophy is trophy high, and it is glorious. . .

QB Jason Campbell – Washington Redskins

Looking for a good QB Match-up this week? Yeah, I thought so. I’m not the biggest Jason Campbell fan but I’m not going to ignore the fact that the Giants are giving up a lot of TDs through the air this year. 23 to be exact and only the Titans, Bucs, Lions, Packers, and Seahags have been burned more times this year. I’m also looking at the recent Skins’ games and giving them respect where it’s due in the fact that they’ve been putting up a lot of points on the board, with Campbell throwing 7 TDs in the last three games. This isn’t a “set it and forget” match-up but it looks to be getting even better with the Giants best corner Corey Webster potentially out for the game. Look for the Skins to go to the air early and often in this one.

RB Arian Foster – Houston Texans

I think it’s safe to say that the Kubes has a bit of a man-crush and/or sex-panther for rookie Arian Foster, who ended up getting 13 carries(more than any RB in the game) for 34 yards rushing. You’ve gotta like the fact that he was targeted 4 times, catching all of them, for 4 receptions and 54 yards through the air. The key factor was another Ryan Moats fumble early in the 4th quarter, which resulted in a healthy dose of Foster from that point on. Foster caught 2 key passes late in the 1st half of this game to get Houston in range to kick a field goal which Kris Brown would later miss but he appears to be doing everything right with his opportunity and he’s got a lot of upside going up against the 27th ranked rushing defense this week(Rams).

WR/RB Josh Cribbs – Cleveland Browns

Jack of All Trades but Master of None? You honestly have to give this guy consideration due to the variety of ways he can put points up for you. Not only is he playing wildcat QB, he’s returning kicks, catching passes, making tackles, and now the Browns are reporting that Josh Cribbs may be moving to full-time RB this week. It couldn’t come at a more opportune moment, as the Brownies travel to Arrowhead Stadium this Sunday to play one of the worst rushing defenses in the league. We’re talking about a deep league where you could start a WR3 that will get you 3-4 catches, 40-50 rushing yards, and a potential score if all goes well. Whatever receiving and return yardage you get will be gravy on the side but I’m liking that kind of potential from the WR spot.

WR Devin Aromashodu – Chicago Bears

Wow! This was a complete slap in the face for me, being a loyal and faithful Earl Bennett supporter but it appears that Devin Aromashodu has played his way into Devin Hester’s job. Hester looks to miss yet another week with his ailing calf injury and Aromashodu caught 8 receptions for 76 yards last week, but the play that spoke volumes for me was the TD pass in the red-zone that Cutler put on the back of his shoulder that “the other Devin” made a terrific adjustment to catch. It was an interesting moment of chemistry displayed by the two and I really like the match-up this week against a struggling Baltimore secondary. Cutler has proven that he’s going to throw it and he desperately needs another WR to step up. Aromashodu could be that guy.

WR Danny Amendola – St. Louis Rams

If this kid isn’t Wes Welker Junior, then I don’t know who is. Seriously, he’s another Texas Tech kid turned pro WR but Danny Amendola hasn’t had an easy road to getting his shot at making plays. He’s gone from the Cowboys, to the Eagles, and now the Rams but he’s really carving out a nice niche for himself in the Rams’ offense. Granted, the Rams offense is bound to be completely different next year but for right now, Amendola is getting a lot of receptions and looks to get even more with the Rams continuing to utilize the short passing game. The Rams have been giving him opportunities to make plays in space and he’s got a lot of upside going into a match-up against the Texans indoors in St. Louis. Only worth consideration in PPR leagues.

TE John Paul Foschi – Cincinnati Bengals

I seriously just wanted to say; “John Paul Foschi” a few more times before the day is up. There hasn’t been a TE in Cincinnati worth picking up ever and I don’t see that changing anytime soon. The only thing John Paul Foschi has going for him, outside of a totally bad-ass given birth name, is that he is “the guy” by default at TE for the Bengals. Cincy has simply run out of TEs to play and Foschi has found himself getting 2 receptions a game but I see things being a little bit different this week against the Chargers who are giving up a lot of points to TEs on the year. I’m not saying that Foschi is “the pickup” but he’s not a terrible option if you’re in a very deep league and you just lost Zach Miller or the Brent Celek injury turns out to be more significant than the team is reporting right now. That way you can tell you opponent that you kicked their ass with “a scrub named John Paul Foschi”. Desperation play ONLY!

Thanks for reading folks and if you’ve got any comments, questions, or complaints please bang them out below and you can also send ‘em my way to thefantasyexchange@gmail.com

Alright Folks, It’s time for the latest installment of THREE & OUT. A weekly column featuring one of the bigger stories of the weekend, a nice pick up for your IDP league, a must-start match-up, and player that needs to be on your bench this upcoming week.

• Why isn’t Brian Orakpo being mentioned in the rookie of the year discussions with his 11 sacks on the year?
• Maybe the rookie discussions have been dominated by Jairus Byrd and his league leading 9 Interceptions?
• Great blast from the past on Monday Night seeing Ahmad Brooks rack up 3 sacks against the Cardinals. Maybe there’s still some hope for the former Virginia Cavalier?
• Speaking of blasts from the past, how about Jeramiah Trotter back w/ the Eagles racking up tackles like the good old days.
• James Anderson, Dan Connor, Chris Harris… none of them are Thomas Davis and none of them are coming close to the monster numbers Davis was putting up before the injury.
• Chargers LB Shaun Phillips is quietly having a solid season and is tied for the league lead in forced fumbles to go with his 7 sacks.

Alright enough of that, it’s time to find you some waiver players in the latest edition of “3 & Out”. . .

LB Leroy Hill – Seattle Seahawks

He’s no glamor pickup and while Hill has always had a ton of talent, he was slowed early this season by a lingering groin injury but is just now getting close to full gear again. Now that Leroy Hill is back, rookie Aaron Curry had been relegated to 2 downs only but with Curry now potentially missing time with a hip pointer, Hill is looking like a nice fill-in on IDP rosters. Hill should be a nice addition if you’re in a deeper league because the Seahawks don’t really have a lot figured out on offense and Hill is an unquestioned 3 down LB at this point.

S Tyrone Carter – Pittsburgh Steelers

Now it’s no secret that the Steelers have been stinking up the joint with sub-par play on both sides of the ball but it’s not bothering IDP owners who were smart enough to scoop up Polamalu’s backup, Tyrone Carter, because he’s been producing great numbers. His tackle numbers are very respectable and teams see him as a weak spot, making him a likely target on a lot of play calls. Not only have the numbers been steady but I have my doubts on Polamalu and his hair making a come-back this season, which makes Carter a nice DB to close out the season in tackle-heavy leagues.

DE Corey Williams (CLE) @ Kansas City Chiefs

After seeing the Browns play the Steelers this last Thursday, I thought I was watching the ‘85 Bears defense with the elaborate blitzes and multiple fronts. One of the key performers for the Browns in that game was Corey Williams, who broke free for two sacks and 5 tackles. He also had 5 solo tackles last week and looks to be a major player in the DL rotation for the Browns going forward. You’ve gotta like his match-up against a Kansas City offensive line that is very reminiscent of swiss cheese. Might be a nice DL fill-in for week 15.

LB Justin Durant (JAX) vs Indianapolis Colts

I don’t care if I’ve got to beat it into the ground but the Colts are one of the most stingy teams when it comes to giving up points to linebackers. I like Justin Durant a lot and he’s definitely one of the top LBs to target next year but not this week. I’m leaving him on the bench for better days against teams that don’t air it out with deadly precision like Peyton Manning and company are known for doing on a regular basis. It’s doubtful that you’ve got a better option at this point and while I’m not crazy about Durant this week, I do have to remind folks that he did get 10 total tackles the last time these two teams played. The Colts will look to beat the Jags through the air and I don’t see Durant having a lot of say in this one statistically.

Thanks a ton for reading and please bang out some feedback or comments below. You can also e-mail our staff questions, comments, and even complaints to show@idpreport.com

By: Ross Mandel
NFLDraftbible.com

Week 14 was Continuation Sunday. I’m not talking about the atrocious refereeing: the “dead ball” fumble in the Giant game, the game-stealing calls in the Saints game…etc. No, I’m referring to the actual games, where the top teams remained unbeaten and the terrible teams solidified their draft status. A few borderline playoff teams displayed their weaknesses, letting us all know that even if they do somehow squeak into the post-season, they’re not going to participate for very long. Other fringe squads moved up the playoff ladder, served their fans a bit more hope with wins…and forced them to scour the Web for tiebreak scenarios. That’s what makes this time of year so exciting for football fans—each game…each quarter…each play could determine the fate of our team. Wins in September are forgotten. Losses in December are magnified. All that matters now is: what have you done for me lately?

The New York Giants haven’t done much for their fans lately. Correction: they’ve provided us with a whole bunch of frustration and caused a rise in “I broke my remote and need a new one” phone calls to cable companies. The loss to the Philadelphia Eagles was the latest in a series of torturous defeats by Big Blue, a team which can’t get out of its own way. The Giants outgained Philly 512-374, held a ten-minute time of possession advantage, and wasted one of the best performances in Eli Manning’s career on Sunday night. The amazing thing is Manning—who went 27-38 for 391 yards and three touchdowns—should have had an even better night against the overrated and predictable Philadelphia defense; his receivers dropped potential big-gain passes all over the field. But, even with those drops, the problem wasn’t the offense.

Once again, the defense was exposed. Once again, Bill Sheridan comes up wanting as a defensive coordinator. Tricks and gadgets don’t work forever—Aaron Ross isn’t a safety; disguising so-called sophisticated coverage packages against a team with decent skill position players isn’t a viable 60-minute option; and DeSean Jackson made a mockery of the entire unit. Time and again the electric Jackson ran free through the clueless New York secondary, hauling in long gains without a defender on the screen. When it was all over, Jackson had six catches for 178 yards and a touchdown…oh, and he also added a 72-yard punt return for a touchdown. The almost-funny thing about many of his receptions was the fact that Jackson actually had to sit and wait for the passes to come to him. Donovan McNabb’s floaters had no competition, so open was Jackson.

Whenever McNabb faded back and read a few chapters of a book with all of the time he had, it became a forgone conclusion that he was going to find an open receiver. As has been the case throughout the season: when you can’t rush the passer and can’t cover receivers, your defense is in trouble. Yes, the Eagles had a defensive score and a special teams touchdown, but really…Jackson running amok was the key to the game. The cries of, “Well, the Giants would have won if it wasn’t for the Jacobs fumble and the punt return” are useless. Fumbles are part of the whole game. They count. Do you realize how many times you could say, “If such and such didn’t happen”? Please.

There are two simple points: One, the Eagles’ playmakers made big plays when they were there to be made while the Giants left too many on the field. And two, the Giants defense is poorly prepared and suffers from an embarrassing (to Giant fans) lack of talent. You want a stat to chew on? Here are the teams that give up more points per game than the Giants: Detroit, St. Louis, Tampa Bay, Kansas City. That isn’t company you want to keep in any statistic. Sadly, the Giants seem destined to share another trait with those NFL afterthoughts: failing to make the playoffs. And even if 7-6 New York does sneak into the postseason, does anyone really think they’re going to catch fire and win a game or two? I didn’t think so.

The Jets, meanwhile, walked all over Tampa Bay and kept their own playoff hopes very much alive. These New Yorkers are also 7-6 but have a bit more hop to their step than their roommates, and well they should. Tampa isn’t a quality NFL team, but all you can do is win the games in front of you and the Jets did that, holding Tampa to 124 total yards of offense en route to a breezy 26-3 victory. Tampa could manage only six first downs on the day as Gang Green constantly harassed Josh Freeman, forcing him into the following numbers: 14-33 for 96 yards and three interceptions. Yikes. Relentless pressure on a rookie quarterback was the game-plan and Rex Ryan’s defense enforced that plan to the max. Everything went the way it was supposed to in Tampa: the defense played well, Thomas Jones ran effectively, Kellen Clemens didn’t throw an interception, and the Jets dictated the pace of the game. It was a business trip and the Jets took care of their business.

The Jets are in the thick of the wild card chase, but they have a couple of obstacles—namely Miami and Jacksonville. The New Yorkers are 0-3 against their fellow wild card contenders and need things to break their way if they want to qualify for the playoffs. Should they end up tied with either of the Floridians, they will be watching the postseason instead of participating in it. But check out the schedule: Miami has a road trip to Tennessee, then home games against Houston and Pittsburgh. The Fish won’t win all three of those, but should win the home games and finish 9-7. Don’t even tell me that they can’t beat Pittsburgh; I’m not hearing that nonsense. Jacksonville—who owns the head-to-head against the Jets but not against Miami after losing to the Dolphins this past Sunday—has Indy at home, then trips to New England and Cleveland. I see two losses in there and an 8-8 finish. Jacksonville can spend the offseason lamenting the week 14 loss to Miami.

The Jets finish with Atlanta, at Indy, and home against Cincy. They’re not beating Indy, Atlanta is fading fast, and Cincy may already be locked into the three seed. If the Bengals are locked in, they will rest many of their starters in week 17 which would make things much, much easier for the Jets. Basically, it comes down to this: If Miami wins two of their last three games, they’re going to end the Jets’ season by virtue of their two head-to-head wins. I know the Ravens are involved as well, and they’ll likely finish 9-7…but the first thing that’s done when there are three teams in the mix is to break any divisional ties and Miami trumps the Jets. New York needs Miami to lose two games before they can even worry about Baltimore. I wouldn’t bet on the Jets making the playoffs, but it’s not out of the realm of possibility. Crazy things happen every week. Just ask the Steelers.

Around the League…

To see the defending champs lose to Kansas City, Oakland, and now Cleveland…it’s really quite amazing. It can’t be a matter of skill; the Steelers have talent. So what is it? Injuries to Aaron Smith and Troy Polamalu’s have been costly, but their absence isn’t enough to lose to that trio of teams, is it? Ben Roethlisberger has been a banged up, but it’s not like he’s missed ten games. Hines Ward questioned Roethlisberger’s commitment to the team and it might have caused waves in the locker room, but those are just words. Ike Taylor and a few other players have looked old or worn down, but still, should they be getting torched by the Chiefs and Raiders? Bryant McFadden is gone, but the Steelers lose guys every season and manage to compensate.

None of the above is the sole cause, but when you combine them all, you get a mediocre season. Steeler fans have been spoiled—you cannot expect everything to fall into place each year. This is your year to suffer some disappointment. I’m sure you’ll be back in 2010. That organization is too solid to be down for more than a season.

Two unbeaten teams…it’s a Super Bowl dream come true. Imagine the ratings if the undefeated Colts face the undefeated Saints? Both teams have clear paths to finish 16-0…but they won’t face each other in the final game of the season. I know it’s sacrilege, but let me have some fun arguing the other side of the “Colts and Saints seemed destined to meet in the Super Bowl” fantasy.

Just this week, the Saints were gifted a couple of calls against Atlanta—a ridiculous pass interference call and a shaky fumble recovery went against the Falcons—which helped them secure their latest win. Funny how the unbeaten team that is going to get massive TV ratings come playoff time got a couple of crazy calls, huh? I’m just saying.

The Saints have struggled against mediocre teams and that defense can be had. I know they turn teams over on a regular basis, but that unit reminds me of the Eagles’ D—a defense that makes enough exciting plays to obscure the fact that the rest of the time, it gives up yards and points. They’re a middle-of-the-pack defense and I’ll tell you something else—much as I hate to even discuss kickers, the Saints are going to regret not having a real one on their team before the season is over. I’m just saying—there are chinks in the armor.

As for Indianapolis…I have more faith in them. However, I also know that they want no part of the Chargers. Some teams just match-up well against others and it’s no coincidence that San Diego, even with Norv Turner, has knocked the Colts out of the post-season the past two seasons. Last year the Chargers won 23-17 in overtime as Darren Sproles ran wild, stepping in for the injured and sulking LaDanian Tomlinson. San Diego also KOed the Colts’ season the previous year…and did so without Tomlinson (surprise, surprise) AND Philip Rivers, who was sidelined for much of the second half. Billy Volek had to take snaps in the fourth quarter and still the Bolts managed to hold off Manning and company.

The Chargers managed, in both games, to limit the Indianapolis offense. Peyton Manning got his, but he had to dink and dunk for most of the game and when the Colts had to run the ball, they were unable to do so. The pace of each game was not what Indy wanted. Teams like Jacksonville and Houston manage to play this sort of game against the Colts, but they never manage to close the deal. Say what you want about Rivers, but the man competes for 60 minutes…and more if it’s necessary. That’s what you need—a leader that KNOWS his team can beat anyone. Despite his yapping and raging emotions, Rivers is that guy. You want to tell me San Diego lucked out twice, I can understand that. Having said that, I’m not buying it. I’m hoping that the two teams face each other again in the playoffs. It will make for an interesting third act. I’m just saying.

In the NFC, there are those who believe the Vikings are the biggest threat to the Saints. Brett Favre and Adrian Peterson combine with a solid, aggressive defense which poses a major danger to New Orleans. That’s true. Others think that the Eagles, with their blitzing defense and big-play offense might have the best chance to knock off the lossless Crescent City darlings. But I’m telling you right now—beware the Packers. I know they’re a wild card team at best, but the offensive line is getting healthy and finally protecting Aaron Rodgers. The Pack have won five in a row and it’s no coincidence that the sacks against total has decreased over that span. In the two losses—to Minnesota and Tampa—before the current streak, Rodgers’ offensive line yielded twelve sacks. That’s an insane total. Some of it was Rodgers’ fault, but it was mostly due to injuries on the line.

Now, with the line regaining strength, Rodgers and the offense are thriving. They’ve given up only ten sacks in their last five games; an astronomical improvement. If Green Bay is able to give Rodgers time like that, the offense is scary and will put major points up against anyone. And don’t sleep on the Green Bay defense. They’ve given up just 14 points per game over the last five and fewer than 20 per game over the whole season. It’s the team that peaks at the right time that plays in the final game and while Green Bay certainly isn’t the favorite to emerge from the NFC, neither was Arizona. I’m just saying.