Yardbarker

Yardbarker

Tuesday, September 30, 2008

The Weekly Thermometer

The Counselor is IN:

Who is Hot?

QB Brett Favre was toasty hot last weekend. He went 24 for 34 and 289 yards. He had 6 touchdowns and an interception. The old gunslinger is back in town.

RB Larry Johnson was red giant hot. He ran for 198 yards on 28 carries. He had 2 touchdowns and a fumble. LJ is back and he demonstrated it against their nemesis the Broncos. I am not sure if it was a fluke or if LJ is for real but at least last week he was HOT, HOT, HOT!

WR Muhsin Muhammad was Sahara Desert hot. . He had 8 receptions for 147 yards and 1 touchdown. Amazing what leaving Chicago will do for a receiver.

Who is Lukewarm?

RB Deuce McAllister was lukewarm. He had 20 carries for 73 yards and a touchdown. This is great news for McAllister owners since he has not played much this year at all.

QB Kurt Warner was lukewarm. He was both hot and cold at the same time. It is like turning on the both and letting them fight it out which becomes lukewarm. He went 40 of 57 for472 yards with a touchdown. But he also had 3 interceptions.

WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh was lukewarm. He 6 rushes for 40 and 0 touchdowns. Housh was seen as top Tier fantasy WR. Now he is barely a WR2.


Who is Cold?

QB Brian Griese was blizzard cold. He was 15 for 30 for 149 yards and a touchdown. He had three interceptions. He did lead his team to a victory but was cold all day.

RB Edgerrin James is freezer cold. He rushed for 29 yards on 9 attempts. He did score twice which makes him a little less frosty.

The Cowboys Rushing Offense was sub-zero cold. They only had 11 rushing attempts for 44 yards. Did you forget that you can run the ball. Check the tape from week three Boys and get back to us.


The Counselor is OUT:


Sunday, September 28, 2008

Things that I have learned... Bucs vs. Packers

The Counselor is IN:

Things I Have Learned... from the Bucs vs the Packers.

1) The Bucs defense is back to their old selves. They were flying around the field, making plays, and hitting the snot out of the Packers.

2) WR Greg Jennings is past the title of emerging stud and holds the title of Stud Wide for the Packers. He is now the main target for Rogers. Driver is no longer number 1 on the list.

3) The Packers' defense is good but they can not win games alone.

4) The combination of running styles of Graham and Dunn is a great balance. Dunn is too old to carry the load alone but he is a great change of pace with his speed.

5) QB Aaron Rogers did not have a great game but had moments of brilliance. He looked like a fist year starter in this game. He did flash is potential and big play ability before he was injured.

6) Green Bay's running game was pitiful against a tough Tampa Bay defense. The Packers need to be able to run the ball so Rogers is not killed by the blitz or presses too hard.

7) Even though Tampa was able to run the ball, they kept throwing the ball and making mistakes. Griese was not impressive. They need to be able to run the ball to set up the passing game. They almost blew the game because they did not have confidence to run the ball like they should.

Those are a few things I learned from the Bucs vs the Packers game.


The Counselor is OUT:





Thursday, September 25, 2008

Week 4 Fantasy Injury Report

The Counselor is IN:

Here are the Week 4 fantasy injuries and my commentary.


Cardinals:
TE Jerame Tuman is questionable with a hamstring injury. He has not practiced on Wednesday. He is the third string guy so he has not fantasy value.

WR Steve Breaston has a hamstring injury and is probable. He is the third receiver for the Cardinals. He has limited value unless Boldin or Fitzgerald gets injured. His value of a return man may be in jeopardy.


Falcons:
RB Michael Turner is probable with a foot injury. He fully practiced on Thursday. He is an every week starter. Start him unless something changes.

WR Laurent Robinson has a sprained knee and is out for week 4. He has limited to no fantasy value.


Ravens:
QB Troy Smith is out with tonsil issues. He has lost a bunch of weight since he started battling these issues. He has lost the starting job which he was about to win in training camp. He isquestionable and the tonsils continue to haunt him. He has gained some of the weight back. It may be too late for him to get a chance to start at QB.

RB Willis McGahee has a cut on his eye lid and is listed as probable. What?!? A cut on the eye lid. McGahee is now sharing carries so that will affect him more than a cut on the eye lid.


Bills:
TE Derek Fine has a thumb injury and is out. He is coming back from thumb surgery. He should not be on your fantasy team.

WR Roscoe Parrish is out after having surgery on his thumb . He is out 4 to 6 weeks.


Panthers:
WR Ryne Robinson has a knee injury and is questionable. He is down deep on the depth chart. He practiced on Thursday and should play this weekend. He should not be starting for your team even for off weeks.

RB Jonathan Stewart is probable with a foot injury. He will play this weekend and is a good game against the Falcons.


Bears:
WR Devin Hester has a rib injury with torn cartilage and is questionable. He was limited in practice on Thursday. Check on him before starting him this weekend. There are a lot of expectations about Hester having a break out year as a receiver. He is still developing.

WR Brandon Lloyd is questionable with a sore hip. He missed practice on Thursday.


Bengals:
RB Kenny Watson is probable with an hamstring injury. He was limited in practice on Thursday.

TE Ben Utecht has a sternum injury and is probable. He has been limited in practice this week.


Browns:
WR Donte Stallworth has a quad injury and is questionable for Sunday. He limited in practice on Thursday. He will be a game time decision.

WR Joe Jurevicius is out until October with a knee injury.

WR Braylon Edwards
has a shoulder injury and is probable. He is expected to play this weekend.



Cowboys:
WR Sam Hurd is probable with a high ankle sprain. He fully practiced on Thursday. It looks like he should be back this weekend.

RB Felix Jones has a calf strain and is probable. He is expected to play Sunday and bring his big play ability with him.


Broncos:
RB Ryan Torain is out with a dislocated elbow. He will be out for a while.

WR Darrell Jackson has a calf injury and is listed as questionable for this weekend.


Lions:
Off Week 4


Packers:
RB Kregg Lumpkin has a hamstring injury and is questionable. He did not practice on Thursday. This rookie is third on the depth chart. He brings limited value.

WR James Jones is probable with a knee injury. He was limited in practice on Thursday.


Texans:

WR Kevin Walter is probable with a toe injury. He was limited in practice on Thursday.

RB Ahman Green has an ankle injury and is questionable. He was limited in practice on Thursday. He has lost his starting job to Slaton so his value is very limited.


Colts:
Off Week 4


Jaguars:
WR Troy Williamson is questionable with a thigh injury. He was limited in practice on Thursday.

RB Fred Taylor
has a hand injury and is probable for this weekend. He practiced fully on a limited basis on Thursday. He should play this weekend.

RB Maurice Jones-Drew
is probable with an ankle injury. He did not practice on Thursday. I believe he will play this weekend but he might be limited with the ankle injury.


Chiefs:
No significant fantasy injuries.


Dolphins:
Off Week 4


Vikings:
RB Chester Taylor is probable with a foot injury. He was limited in practice on Wednesday. He should be ready to play.

WR Sidney Rice is probable with a knee injury. He was limited in practice on Thursday. .

RB Adrian Peterson has a hamstring injury and is probable. He was limited in practice but does not have any tightness in the hamstring. He will be ready to play this weekend.


Saints:
WR Dave Patten has a groin pull and is questionable. He did not practice on Thursday.

WR Marques Colston is 2 to4 weeks with a torn ligament in his thumb. He had surgery on his thumb. This fantasy stud will not be available for a while.

RB Aaron Stecker
has a hamstring injury and is questionable to play this weekend. He was limited in practice this week. Stecker has limited value.

TE Mark Campbell is questionable with an hamstring injury. He did not practice on Wednesday.

TE Jeremy Shockey is out for 3 to 6 weeks after a
sports hernia surgery.


Patriots:
Off Week 4


Giants:
Off Week 4

Jets:
WR Laveranues Cole has a thigh injury and is questionable. He was limited in practice this week. I would keep him on your bench this weekend. Favre does need a healthy Coles against a desperate Chargers team but I am not convinced he will have him.

K Mike Nugent is listed as out for this week.

QB Brett Favre has an ankle injury and is probable. He continues to practice more every day. He will start this weekend.


Raiders:
RB Darren McFadden has a toe injury and is probable. He was limited on practice on Thursday. He is expected to start on Sunday.

RB Justin Fargus is questionable with a groin injury. He did not practice on Thursday.


Eagles:
TE L.J. Smith is questionable with back spasms. He did not practice on Thursday.

RB Brian Westbrook has an ankle injury and is questionable. He did not practice on Thursday. He will be a game time decision.

QB Donovan McNabb is probable with a sore chest. He did not practice on Thursday. He is expected to play this weekend.


Steelers:
RB Willie Parker is
out with a sprained left knee. He will be week to week.


Chargers:
RB LaDainian Tomlinson is probable with a toe injury. He practiced fully on Thursday. He is not 100% yet but he is getting closer.

TE Antonio Gates has a toe and hip injury and is probable.


Seahawks:
Off Week 4


49ers:
WR Bryant Johnson has a hamstring injury and is questionable. He will be a game time decision.


Rams:
RB Steven Jackson has a groin injury and is probable. Jackson stated his groin injury is fine and he will play.

WR Keenan Burton is out after having surgery of a torn meniscus cartilage.


Buccaneers:
WR Joey Galloway is listed as out with a foot injury.

QB Brian Griese is probable with
general soreness. He will play this weekend.


Titans:
QB Vince Young is out with a knee injury. Kerry Collins will be the starter until further notice.

WR Justin Gage
has a groin injury and is listed as probable. He practiced all week.

RB LenDale White is questionable with a shoulder injury. He practiced fully on Friday but was limited earlier in the week.

WR Justin McCareins has a groin injury and is questionable. He practiced on Thursday.


Redskins:
RB Clinton Portis is probable with neck stiffness. He is expected to play.

WR Malcolm Kelly has an ankle injury and is out.



The Counselor is OUT:


The Weekly Thermometer

The Counselor is IN:

Who is Hot?

RB Ronnie Brown was toasty hot last weekend. He went 17 for 113 yards, and4 touchdowns. He also threw a touchdown pass. Ronnie looked at like the early draft pick that the Dolphins were expecting to have.

RB Marion Barber was red giant hot. He ran for 142 yards on 28 carries and 1 touchdown. After a slow game against the Eagles, Barber proved he was a stud runningback against the Packers.

WR Brandon Marshall was Sahara Desert hot. . He had 6 receptions for 155 yards and 1 touchdown. His nickname is "Baby T.O." and you can see why.

Who is Lukewarm?

QB Chad Pennington was lukewarm. He was an efficient 17 for 20 with 226 yards passing. He had no interceptions and or touchdowns. He was not needed to light it up because of Ronnie Brown.

QB Gus Frerotte was lukewarm. He went 16 of 28 for204 yards. He had 1 touchdown and 1 interception. Not bad for the first start of the old back up. He might be just what the Vikings needed- someone who will not lose the game for you.

RB Jamal Lewis was lukewarm. He 12 rushes for 46and 0 touchdowns. 4.7 yards per carry is pretty good but Lewis is not getting the ball because the Browns are continually behind.


Who is Cold?

QB Tyler Thigpen was blizzard cold. He was 14 for 36 for 128 yards and a touchdown. He had three interceptions. He is being benched for Huard.

The Carolina Rushing attack is freezer cold. Williams and Stewart combined for only 17 carries for 42 yards. The Vikings are a tough rushing defense and the Panthers should be back to rushing a lot next week.

The Patriots Offense was sub-zero cold. The entire offense barely had over 200 yards against the Dolphins. This is not the 2007 Patriots that went 18-1.


The Counselor is OUT:

Sunday, September 21, 2008

Positivity: A Fine Sunday Indeed for Tony Romo

The following is a blog post I am re-posting from the blog Gryphon. "Positivity: A Fine Sunday Indeed for Tony Romo" is an interesting human interest story about the Dallas Cowboys' QB, Tony Romo. Even if you hate the Boys and Romo, I think you will find this story interesting and refresh to hear about a professional athlete.

Positivity: A Fine Sunday Indeed for Tony Romo
By RANDY GALLOWAY
rgalloway@star-telegram.com

Tony Romo had been somewhat of an NFL opening-week quarterbacking exception, enjoying a great Sunday in Cleveland, except, of course, for that bloody chin thing.

The weekend had also gone very well for Bill and Sharon White of Irving, who were returning late in the evening after an out-of-town trip.

The national news was about a day of QB disasters around the league, even at the elite level. Tom Brady, down and out for the season. Peyton Manning, looking feeble and lost. Carson Palmer, his once stellar reputation taking another plunge.

And for pure weirdness, there's Vince Young, a young man in obvious need of either a good shrink or a good butt-kicking.

Meanwhile, even as devout football fans, the Whites had been on the road and out of touch with the NFL events. They particularly didn't want to know the Dallas Cowboys' outcome. The TiVo at home was waiting. Bill planned to watch the Cleveland game immediately, with suspense attached.

But a couple of miles from the house, while driving on MacArthur Boulevard, the Whites had their own mini-disaster. A tire blew on the Mercury. Bill, luckily, managed to nurse his wounded ride off the street and into the lighted parking lot of a strip mall.

For troubling news on a Sunday, it didn't rank up there with taking a direct hit to the chin from the helmet of linebacker Willie McGinest, but Bill became a bit woozy himself when he discovered his jack was malfunctioning. Never a good thing at midnight.

Plan B kicked in, however. One of those cigarette-lighter-plug-in air compressors was available. Except it was leaking more air than it was pumping.

"I don't know, a hundred cars, probably more, had to go by. Nobody was stopping," said Bill. "That's just kind of the way it is in today's world."

And then ...

"Bill was fooling with that tire, and I was standing beside the car watching him," Sharon said. "The next thing I know, a nice-looking young man, very well-dressed, but with something strange on his chin, he walked up, smiled, and said, 'Hey, you need some help?' "

Sharon hadn't even noticed a car pull up.

So now it's Bill and the well-dressed young man both bent over a flat tire at midnight on a Sunday, trying to figure out why a faulty air compressor plugged into the cigarette lighter was leaking more than pumping.

"I didn't get a good look at him at that point," Bill said. "We were both trying to get the tire pumped up."

Sharon, however, took a second look. "You are Tony Romo," she said. No reply, just a smile, and then it was back to work on the compressor.

Finally, they got the tire aired up. Enough, anyway, to make a slow drive home.

"I didn't want to bother him," Sharon said, "but I asked again, 'You're Tony Romo, right?' " I knew it was him by then. But he smiled and said, 'Yes, ma'am.' "

Sharon: "I did something no 50-year-old woman should be doing, but I screamed real loud, and then jumped up and hugged him."

Bill's immediate response was "Don't tell me how you guys did. I'm going home to watch it."

By the next day, after seeing what the "something strange on his chin" was about, that made the Whites appreciate Romo's gesture even more.

"He gets almost knocked cold in that game, and I read it took 13 stitches to close the cut, and then there's a long flight home [the Cowboys charter arrived at around 11 p.m.] and Tony's got to be dog tired, but he still was a good enough person to stop and help us," Bill said.

"Look, we're driving a 10-year old car that is sitting in a parking lot with a flat tire in the dead of night. He could tell by that we're nothing special. But here's a young man making millions of dollars, and he's got all this fame and glory, and he does this?"

The Whites couldn't thank Romo enough. "But if I ever had the opportunity, I'd also like to thank two other people. His mom and dad," Bill said. "They obviously raised him right. We've got kids about his age. We know how difficult it can sometimes be in this day and age."

(An e-mail from Sharon alerted me to Tony's good deed. No Cowboys official knew about it even by Wednesday.)

Not that the Whites weren't already Romo fans, but ...

"After all this, what I realized is the athletic thing is Tony's gift, yet it goes beyond that," Bill said. "This was a good person we met. A good person with small-town values despite all the big-city fame and fortune."

Shrug off a blow to the chin. Win a game. Help strangers fix a flat. It was a fine Sunday for the kid.

Things I Have Learned... from the Seahawks vs the Rams

The Counselor is IN:

Things I Have Learned... from the Seahawks vs the Rams.

1) QB Hasselbeck appears to be comfortable with his mishmash group of wide receivers after a couple of weeks. Even with all the injuries, the Seahawks are still a pass happy offense.

2) The Rams coaching staff don't appear to know how to use Steven Jackson. They continue to try sweeps and pitches with a up the middle pounding back. Jackson is better at dives and off tackle runs than a sweep.

3) The Rams offensive line is a mess. I already knew this but this game drove home this point.

4) The Seahawks are not as bad as they looked the first two weeks. But I am sure that they are not as good as they looked this week.

5) The Rams are as bad as they have looked the last two weeks. It will be a long season for Rams fans.

6) RB Julius Jones is better than I thought he was last year with the Cowboys. He is a decent fantasy match up starter because of the weak NFC West.

7) It stinks to live out of the area of your team and to live where you get Rams games every Sunday.


Those are a few things I learned from the Cowboys vs the Eagles game.


The Counselor is OUT:



Thursday, September 18, 2008

Week 3 Fantasy Injury Report

The Counselor is IN:

Here are the Week 3 fantasy injuries and my commentary.

Cardinals:
TE Jerame Tuman is questionable with a hamstring injury. He has not practiced on Wednesday. He is the third string guy so he has not fantasy value.

WR Steve Breaston has a hamstring injury and is probable. He is the third receiver for the Cardinals. He has limited value unless Boldin or Fitzgerald gets injured. He is expected to play this weekend.


Falcons:
RB Michael Turner is probable with a foot injury. Michael is claiming that it is not serious. I am inclined to believe him. He is an every week starter. Start him unless something changes.


K Jason Elam has a hip injury and is probable. This injury is causing him pain on his plant foot. I would play your other kicker this week, just in case.


Ravens:
QB Troy Smith is out with tonsil issues. He has lost a bunch of weight since he started battling these issues. He has lost the starting job which he was about to win in training camp. He is out and the tonsils continue to haunt him.

RB Willis McGahee has a knee injury and is now not listed on the injury report. It does appear that he lost his starting job. McGahee will be a committee runner for the Ravens.

TE Todd Heap is probable with a wrist injury. He practiced fully on Thursday. He should start this weekend. Heap is not the fantasy stud of a few years ago but he can be a solid player for you.

WR Demetrius Williams has a hamstring injury and is probable. He practiced on Thursday. Williams should play on Sunday. The third wide for the Ravens has no fantasy value.


Bills:
TE Derek Fine has a thumb injury and is out. He is coming back from thumb surgery. He should not be on your fantasy team.

WR Roscoe Parrish is probable with a sore knee. He practiced on fully on Friday. This third wide receiver will play this weekend. His value is limited unless you receive return yards in your league.


Panthers:
WR Ryne Robinson has a knee injury and is questionable. He is down deep on the depth chart. He practiced on a limited basis.


Bears:
Devin Hester has a rib injury with torn cartilage and is questionable. He missed practice on Friday. He is not expected to play on Sunday. There are a lot of expectations about Hester having a break out year as a receiver. He is still developing.


Bengals:
QB Carson Palmer is probable with an ankle injury. He has practiced fully all week. I keep thinking he will break out of his funk. He is killing one of my fantasy teams.


Browns:
WR Josh Cribbs has a shoulder injury and is probable. He fully practiced on Friday and should play.

WR Donte Stallworth has a quad injury and is questionable for Sunday. He limited in practice on Friday. It does not look like he will play on Sunday.

WR Joe Jurevicius is out until October with a knee injury.

WR Braylon Edwards
has a shoulder injury and is questionable. He was limited in practice all week.

RB Jamal Lewis is probable with an ankle injury. He was limited in practice this week. I believe that Jamal will play this weekend.


Cowboys:
WR Sam Hurd is questionable with a high ankle sprain. He is getting close to being back. He wants to play this weekend but I would not count on it.

WR Miles Austin has spraining his right MCL and is probable. He looked good on Monday night. He will play on Sunday.

TE Jason Witten
is probable with a shoulder injury. He dislocated it on Monday night and played well afterwards. It looks like he will play. Witten is a tough TE and often plays through pain.


Broncos:
RB Ryan Torain is out with a dislocated elbow. He will be out for a while.

WR Darrell Jackson has a calf injury and is listed as out for this weekend.



Lions:
No significant fantasy injuries.


Packers:
RB Ryan Grant has a hamstring injury and is questionable. Grant did practice but without pads. I would expect him to play but to be limited in snaps. This should benefit Brandon Jackson.

Texans:
TE Mark Bruener is out this week with a hamstring injury. Bruener is the back up tight in for Houston and should not be on your fantasy team.


Colts:
TE Dallas Clark is now off the injury list after being listed as probable earlier this week. He should be a good start this week.


Jaguars:
WR Jerry Porter is questionable with a hamstring injury. He is expected to play this weekend. He was limited in practice this week.

WR Troy Williamson is out with a thigh injury.

RB Fred Taylor
has a toe injury and is probable for this weekend. He practiced fully on Thursday. He should play this weekend.

RB Maurice Jones-Drew
is probable with an ankle injury. Coach Del Rio assured the media that Jones-Drew will play.


Chiefs:
QB Damon Hurd is questionable with a head/neck injury. His condition is improving which is good news. QB Tyler Thigpin has already been named the starter. I am not sure who is better off this week at QB, the Chiefs or the Vikings.


Dolphins:
No significant fantasy injuries.


Vikings:
RB Maurice Hicks is probable with a foot injury. Hicks should not be on your starting lineup.

WR Bernard Berrian has a toe injury and is probable. He was limited in practice on Friday. He should start but I would be cautious of starting any Viking Wides until we see what Frerotte can do on the field.

WR Sidney Rice is questionable with a knee injury. He was limited in practice on Friday.

RB Adrian Peterson has a hamstring injury and is questionable. He is going to be a game time decision. If you can wait until game time to determine your lineup, then do so. If not, I would bench Peterson for this weekend.


Saints:
RB Duece McAllister is probable with a knee injury. He fully participated in practice this week. Duece may have lost the second back position to Thomas. His value is very limited unless he starts seeing many more carries.

WR Marques Colston is 3 to 5 weeks with a torn ligament in his thumb. He had surgery on his thumb last week. This fantasy stud will not be available for a while.

RB Aaron Stecker
has a hamstring injury and is questionable to play this weekend. He was limited in practice this week. Stecker has limited value.


Patriots:
QB Tom Brady was placed on the Injured Reserve with a torn ACL and torn MCL in his left knee. The video looked painful. This injury has devastated many fantasy owners.

RB Laurence Maroney has a shoulder injury and is questionable. He was limited in practice on Friday. After a great rookie year, Maroney's value has been limited with the Patriots. If the Patriots decide to focus on the running game later in the year, then his value should go up.

WR Kelley Washington is questionable with an ankle injury. Washington's value is limited even as the fourth wide for the Patriots.

RB LaMont Jordon has a foot injury and is questionable. He has missed much of practice this week.


Giants:
K Lawrence Tynes is listed as questionable for Sunday's game with a knee injury. He will be a game time decision. Start your backup kicker this week to be sure.


Jets:
WR Laveranues Cole has a thigh injury and is questionable. He was limited in practice this week. I would keep him on your bench this weekend. Favre does need a healthy Coles against a desperate Chargers team but I am not convinced he will have him.

K Mike Nugent is listed as out for this week.


Raiders:
WR Javon Walker is questionable with a hamstring pull. He practiced on Friday but is still seen as a game time decision.

RB Darren McFadden has a toe injury and is questionable. He received a shot for the pain on Friday.

RB Justin Fargus is questionable with a groin injury. Both main running backs are questionable. This is bad news for a team that does not want to throw the ball much.


Eagles:
WR Reggie Brown has a hamstring injury and is probable. He fully practiced this week and is expected to play this weekend.


Steelers:
QB Ben Roethlisberger is probable with a shoulder injury. He fully practiced on Friday. Big Ben should start this weekend.

WR Santana Holmes
has knee injury and is probable. He was limited in practice this week but expected to play. Holmes is not being targeted as much as Ward on the field and it might be related to Holmes' injury.


Chargers:
RB LaDainian Tomlinson is questionable with a toe injury. He missed some practice this week and still has some swelling. He may be a game time decision. It is hard not to start LT so you may want to wait until game time to set your roster if possible.


Seahawks:
RB Maurice Morris is listed as out with a knee injury. He hopes to be back in a couple of weeks.

WR Bobby Engram has a shoulder and is out for this week. He should be out for a few weeks.

WR Nate Burleson is out for the year with a torn knee ligament. The bad news for the Seattle passing game continues.

WR Koren Robinson has a knee injury and is questionable. It is scary enough that Robinson is back in Seattle and starting but now he too has an injury. He is expected to play and start. I would advice not to start Robinson.

WR Deion Branch is questionable with a knee injury. He did practice some this week. I would expect him to play.


49ers:
QB Alex Smith has been placed on the Injured Reserve with a shoulder injury. I bet the 49ers wished they had taken Rogers instead of Smith.


Rams:
WR Drew Bennett is out with a fractured his left foot. He will be out at least a month.

WR Donnie Avery has a knee injury and is probable. He fully practiced on Friday. He is expected to play this weekend. I expect to see him being used more and more as the season goes on.

WR Keenan Burton is out after having surgery of a torn meniscus cartilage.


Buccaneers:
WR Joey Galloway is listed as out with a foot injury.


Titans:
QB Vince Young is out with a knee injury. Kerry Collins will be the starter until further notice. Starting QBs are losing their jobs everywhere we look.

WR Justin Gage
has a groin injury and is listed as questionable. He did not practice on Friday. He is a game time decision. Keep him on the bench.


Redskins:
TE Chris Cooley is probable with a quad injury.

WR Malcolm Kelly has an ankle injury and is questionable. He is expected to play on Sunday.

WR James Thrash
is questionable with an ankle injury. Thrash believes he will play on Sunday. It will probably be in a limited fashion.


The Counselor is OUT:



The Weekly Thermometer

The Counselor is IN:

Who is Hot?

QB Philip Rivers was smoking hot on Sunday. He went 21 for 33 with 377 yards and 3 touchdowns. He also had an interception and a near fumble.

QB Jay Cutler was also red hot on Sunday. He went 36 for 50 with 350 yards. He had 4 touchdowns and 1 interception.

RB Darren McFadden rushed 21 times for 164 yards for an average of 7.8 yards a carry. He had a rushing touchdown.

Who is Lukewarm?

QB Jon Kitna was lukewarm this weekend. He went 21 for 41 with 276 yards. He had two touchdowns and three interceptions.

RB Steven Jackson rushed 13 times for 53 yards. Jackson and all of the Rams offense are getting off to a very slow start.

QB Brett Favre passed 18 completions out of 26. He had a mild 181 yards and a touchdown and interception.

Who is Cold?

RB Larry Johnson was icy cold. He rushed 12 times for 22 yards. He averaged 1.8 yards per carry.

RB Joseph Addai was blizzard cold. He had 15 carries for 20 yards. He averaged 1.3 yards per carry. He did have a touchdown. His offensive line is almost all injured.

QB Tarvaris Jackson was frosty cold. He went 14 for 24 for 130 yards. He averaged a mere 5.4 yards a pass. He was so cold that he is being replaced by Gus Frerotte.


The Counselor is OUT:


Things that I have learned... Cowboys vs Eagles

The Counselor is IN:

Things I Have Learned... from the Cowboys vs the Eagles. This was the Cowboys' home opener and the final game at Texas Stadium on Monday Night Football. I was able to attend this game at Texas Stadium.

1) The Cowboys defense is vulnerable to high octane offenses like the Eagles. The pass happy offense with a speedy nimble runningback like Westbrook almost scored at will against the Dallas Defense.

2) The Eagles Offensive line can dominate. They were able to give a ton of time for McNabb to pass the ball.

3) 35 year old WR Terrell Owens is still a touchdown machine. He is a great route runner and an over all stud wide receiver. He now owns second place on the all time receiving touchdown list (only behind Jerry Rice).

4) QB Donavan McNabb is truly healthy. He has not been this healthy in years. You can see it in his ability to move around, throw accurate passes, escape the rush, and run when needed.

5) QB Tony Romo is a very exciting quarterback. He makes mistakes like interceptions and fumbles but then come right back out gun slinging. He is fun to watch.

6) 29 year old RB Westbrook continues to be a stud. He does not appear to be losing a step.


Those are a few things I learned from the Cowboys vs the Eagles game.



The Counselor is OUT:



Thursday, September 11, 2008

Week 2 Fantasy Injury Report

The Counselor is IN:

Here are the Week 2 fantasy injuries and my commentary.

Cardinals:
TE Ben Patrick has an ankle sprain and is probable for this weekend. He is trying to take some of the playing time away from Pope. He was not the target of a pass last weekend.

TE Jerame Tuman is questionable with a hamstring injury. He has not practiced all week and is not expected to play. He is the third string guy so he has not fantasy value.


Ravens:
QB Troy Smith is questionable with tonsil issues. He has lost a bunch of weight since he started battling these issues. He has lost the starting job which he was about to win in training camp. He did not practice on Thursday.

RB Willis McGahee has a knee injury and is probable. He is expected to play this weekend.


Bills:
TE Derek Fine has a thumb injury and is out. He is coming back from thumb surgery. He should not be on your fantasy team.

WR Roscoe Parrish is probable with sore ribs and a sore knee. This third wide receiver will play this weekend. His value is limited unless you receive return yards in your league.

Panthers:
WR DJ Hackett is probable with a toe injury. He is the Panther's Third Receiver but has not spent much time in practice with Delhomme. I expect him to start slowly but to work himself into a lot of games. He is starting again this week because of the suspension of Steve Smith.

WR Ryne Robinson has a knee injury and is questionable. He is down deep on the depth chart. He practiced on a limited basis.


Bears:
Devin Hester has a foot injury and is probable. He was limited in practice on Thursday. He is expected to play and return kicks. There are a lot of expectations about Hester having a break out year as a receiver. He is still developing.


Bengals:
WR Andre Caldwell is questionable with a toe injury. He practiced fully on Friday.


Browns:
WR Josh Cribbs has an ankle injury and is probable. He believes he will play and has stated he is looking forward to Sunday's game.

WR Donte Stallworth has a quad injury and is questionable for Sunday. He did not practice on Thursday. It does not look like he will play on Sunday.

WR Joe Jurevicius is out until October with a knee injury.


Cowboys:
WR Sam Hurd is out with a high ankle sprain. He is expected to be out 1 to 3 weeks. He is ruled out for Monday night.

WR Miles Austin has spraining his right MCL and is questionable. He was able to practice on a limited basis. He is not ready to come back yet but may soon.

RB Marion Barber is probable with a rib injury. He practiced fully on Friday. He will play on Monday night.


Broncos:
WR Eddie Royal is probable with an ankle injury. Eddie should start this weekend oppisite of Marshall. He had a monster weekend last weekend. He should see a lot of single coverage with Marshall's return.

QB Jay Cutler has an ankle injury and is probable. There are 10 Broncos listed as probable. Jay will start and looked good on Monday.

RB Ryan Torain is out with a dislocated elbow. He will be out for a while.


Lions:
No significant fantasy injuries.


Packers:
WR James Jones has a knee injury and is probable. He practiced all week. He is recovering faster than expected.

RB Brandon Jackson is probable with a concussion. He fully practiced on Friday. He is backing up Ryan Grant and did steal carries last week.

RB Ryan Grant has a hamstring injury and is questionable. I would watch this one carefully. My gut tells me he will play but it might hamper his amount of plays.


Texans:
RB Ahman Green is doubtful with an ankle injury. Green is alreay having trouble staying healthy. I think he will lose his starting job by week 8.


Colts:
TE Dallas Clark is questionable with a knee injury. He was limited in practice on Friday. Sit him for this week- I know I did.


Jaguars:
WR Jerry Porter is questionable with a hamstring injury. He is expected to play this weekend.

WR Dennis Northcutt has a back injury and is probable. He was limited in practice on Friday but is expected to play.

WR Troy Williamson is out with a thigh injury.

WR Matt Jones is probable with a hamstring injury. He should play but do not expect the production he had last weekend.


Chiefs:
WR Will Franklin is questionable with a knee injury. He practiced all week. He should play this weekend but Franklin should have limited to no fantasy value.

QB Brodie Croyle has a seperated shoulder and is out for a few weeks. He should be no more than the third QB on your team.


Dolphins:
No significant fantasy injuries.

Vikings:
RB Maurice Hicks is questionable with a foot injury. He will be a game time decision. Hicks should not be on your starting lineup.

QB Tarvaris Jackson has a knee injury and is probable. He will play and has been fully practicing all week.


Saints:
RB Duece McAllister is probable with a knee injury. He fully participated in practice on Friday. Duece may have lost the second back position to Thomas. His value is very limited unless he starts seeing many more carries.

WR Marques Colston is 4 to 6 weeks with a torn ligament in his thumb. He had surgery on his thumb earlier this week. This fantasy stud will not be available for a while.


Patriots:
TE Benjamin Watson is questionable with a knee injury. Keep watch on this injury if you had planned on starting Watson this weekend.

QB Tom Brady was placed on the Injured Reserve with a torn ACL and torn MCL in his left knee. The video looked painful. This injury has devistated many fantasy owners.

WR Jabar Gaffney has a knee injury and is questionable. He has been limited in practice all week. I would not expect him to play on Sunday.

WR Randy Moss is probable with a back injury. He was limited in practice this week. He should play but we are unsure of his production without Brady.

Giants:
K Lawrence Tynes is listed as out for Sunday's game.


Jets:
WR Laveranues Cole has a thigh injury and is questionable. He was limited in practice this week. I would keep him on your bench this weekend.


Raiders:
WR Javon Walker is probable with a hamstring pull. He has practiced all week. Walker should start this weekend.

Eagles:
WR Reggie Brown has a hamstring injury and is questionable. He was limited in practice this week. He is not a good start against the Cowboys anyway. Keep him on the bench.


Steelers:
QB Ben Roethlisberger is probable with a shoulder injury. He fully practiced on Friday. Big Ben should start this weekend.


Chargers:
RB LaDainian Tomlinson is questionable with a toe injury. He is expected to play this weekend. I would continue to examine this until the start of his game. He did practice on Friday.

TE Antonio Gates has a toe injury and a hip injury. He is listed as probable. He is expected to play on Sunday.


Seahawks:
RB Maurice Morris is listed as out with a knee injury. He hopes to be back in a couple of weeks.

WR Bobby Engram has a shoulder and is out for this week. He should be out for a few weeks.

WR Nate Burleson is out for the year with a torn knee ligament. The bad news for the Seattle passing game continues.


49ers:
QB Alex Smith has been placed on the Injured Reserve with a shoulder injury. I bet the 49ers wished they had taken Rogers instead of Smith.


Rams:
WR Drew Bennett is out with a fractured his left foot. He will be out at least a month.

WR Donnie Avery has a knee injury and is probable. He fully practiced on Friday. He is expected to play this weekend against the Giants.


Buccaneers:
QB Jeff Garcia has an ankle injury and is questionable. The rumor is that Garcia had already lost his starting job to Griese. He is not a good start either way. Leave Garcia on your bench and follow this story closely.

WR Maurice Stovall is questionable with a back/neck injury. He practiced fully on Friday. He has no fantasy value.


Titans:
QB Vince Young is out with a knee injury. This injury apparently led to some other personal problems which may include suicide thoughts.


Redskins:
TE Chris Cooley is probable with a quad injury.


The Counselor is OUT:

The Weekly Thermometer


The Counselor is IN:

Who is Hot?

QB Donovan McNabb was flaming hot last weekend. He went 21 for 33, 361 yards, and 3 touchdowns. He tore up the Rams and made them look like lambs.

RB Michael Turner was red hot. He ran for 220 yards on 22 carries and 2 touchdowns. He proved that he can be an every down starting back after being a backup for a few years.

WR Eddie Royal was blazing hot. He made a huge splash for his first NFL game. He had 9 receptions for 146 yards and 1 touchdown. He will be starting opposite of "Baby T.O.".

Who is Lukewarm?

QB Eil Manning was lukewarm. He started off hot and cooled off in the second half. He was 19 for 35 with 216 yards passing, an interception and a rushing touchdown. This was a typical Eli performance.

QB Matt Hasselbeck was lukewarm. He went 17 of 41 for190 yards. He had 1 touchdown and 1 interception.

WR Roy Williams was lukewarm. He had 3 receptions for 47 yards and 0 touchdowns. Roy is expected to be a top level receiver. He did not demonstrate it last weekend.

Who is Cold?

QB Jason Campbell was icy cold. He was 15 for 27 for 133 yards and a touchdown. It sounds much better than he actually performed. If it was 3rd and 6, then he would throw the ball for 4 yard gain. This happened on most 3rd downs. Their punter was very busy. Campbell looked like a deer in headlights. He took a step back from where the end of last season.

The Rams Defense is quite chilly. They could not have stopped a team of retired nuns. They gave up 522 yards to the Eagles defense. The Rams D was so cold that it started snow in Philly over the weekend.

Jacksonville's running game was frost bit. Fred Taylor ran for only 18 yards for 9 carries. Maurice Jones Drew had 5 carries for 13 yards. They combined for a horrific 31 yards.


The Counselor is OUT:

Monday, September 08, 2008

Monday Night- Here I Come!

The Counselor is IN:

I have been a Dallas Cowboy fan for as long as I can remember. As my friend Kerrbob would say, "Larry's blood turns Blue and Silver in September." Because I live in Southwest Missouri and have not traveled much, I have never been to Dallas (except for a layover at the Airport).

This next weekend, I am taking a trip to Dallas with my wife and another couple. This next Monday Night, I will be in Texas Stadium for their home opener of their final season there.

I will be ready for some football!


The Counselor is OUT:


Sunday, September 07, 2008

Beasts of the East- Philadelphia Eagles

The Counselor is IN:


I wrote this article for a great series previews with the Cowboys Pride. This is one of four previews of the NFC East. We love to call it the "Beasts of the East".


Beasts of the East- Philadelphia Eagles

The Philadelphia Eagles were the only NFC East team to miss the playoffs last year. They want to change that this season. They are hoping that this pass happy offense can lead this team deep into the playoffs. They face the challenge of having 6 games in the toughest division in the NFL.


Major Transactions

New Free Agent Addictions

CB - Asante Samuel (NE)
DE - Chris Clemons (Oak)
FB - Dan Klecko (Ind)
LB - Rocky Boiman (Ind)
TE - Kris Wilson (KC)
RB - Lorenzo Booker(Mia)


Draft Class


2 - Trevor Laws, DT, Notre Dame
2 - DeSean Jackson, WR, California
3 - Bryan Smith, LB, McNeese State
4 - Mike McGlynn, T, Pittsburgh
4 - Quintin Demps, DB, Texas-El-Paso
4 - Jake Ikegwuonu, DB, Wisconsin
6 - Mike Gibson, T, California
6 - Joe Mays, LB, North Dakota State
6 - Andy Studebaker, LB, Wheaton
7 - King Dunlap, T, Auburn


Departures

CB William James (Buf)
DE Jevon Kearse (Ten)
DT LaJuan Ramsey
DT Ian Scott (Car)
LB Takeo Spikes
FB Thomas Tapeh (Min)



Previous Season Record:

The Eagles regular season record was 8-8. They missed the playoffs. They lost by eight points or less in five of their losses. They believe that they can win at least two more of these games this season.


The Eagles were 6th in told offensive yards in 2007. They were 10th in passing and 8th in running. But they were only 17th in points scored.


Projected 2008 Record:

I predict the Eagles to have a winning record this year but just barely. I can see the Eagles going 9-7 for the 2008 season.

Offensive Strength/Weaknesses:


Strengths:

QB Donovan McNabb is finally healthy this season. He should be much more efficient this year. He may not be able to run like he could in his youth but he still can move around in the pocket well.


RB Michael Westbrook should continue to be a stud as a slashing and receiving back. He runs with great speed and elusiveness. He has great hands and is one of the best targets for McNabb. He led the league in total yards from scrimmage last year.


The offensive line for the Eagles is very solid. They have maintained the same starting five for three years. They may not have the mammoth line of the Cowboys but the Eagles can protect McNabb and open holes for Westbrook.


Weakness:

McNabb’s top receiver last year was Kevin Curtis. Cutis is injured and expected to miss several games. It is tough to find that go to guy when your favorite target is not available.


Eagles have lacked a top tier wide receiver since McNabb was drafted. They did draft DeShawn Jackson this year that might develop into that top tier guy but probably not for a few years. They were unable to land any top level receivers in free agency again.


The Eagles do not have the bruising running game to run out the clock. Westbrook is not a typical between the tackles runner. They will have to rely on the passing game at the end of a game and that can bite them in a close game.


Defensive Strengths/Weakness:


Strengths:

Defensive Coordinator Jim Johnson is a master at the defensive scheme. He can get into the head of his opponents. He likes to blitz and blitz often.


The addition of CB Asante Samuel should solidify the secondary. Safety Brian Dawkins should have a few more good seasons in him. The pass defense will dominate a lot of teams.


The front four are tough and solid against the run. DE Trent Cole put up 12.5 sacks last season. They should be able to get to the quarter back and stop the run equally well.


Weaknesses:

The Eagles could only force a league low 19 turnovers last year. The addition of Samuels should help but they will have to perform much better this year.


The linebackers are a young group. They have a lot of potential and talent but have yet to put it all together on the field. Their linebackers are sure to struggle at times. In a few years, these men might be monsters, but they are not there yet.


Special Teams:

Special teams were a glaring issue for the Eagles last year. They had issues from field goal kicking, to kickoffs, to kickoff returns.


Last year the Eagles lacked an explosive return guy. They draft Jackson not only to help their receiving corps but also to be a return guy. The addition of Booker should also help in their kick off game.



Coaching:

As much as I dislike the Eagles as a Cowboys fan, I have always liked Andy Reid. I think Andy is a good coach. Often he does not see the need for a good running game when he could pass every down. With that said, Reid is a good coach.



How I see it:

I think that the success of the Eagles rides on the health of McNabb. To some extent, it also rides on the legs of Westbrook but not as much as McNabb. This team loves to air out the ball. McNabb has proven that he can get the ball to his lackluster receiving corps when he is healthy. If McNabb can play 16 games, this team may have double digit wins. Without him, they will likely be sub .500. The most likely scenario has McNabb only playing in 14 games and finishing around 9-7.


If the Eagles miss the playoffs again this year, both Andy Reid and McNabb will be gone form Philly next year.



The Counselor is OUT:


Thursday, September 04, 2008

Things I Have Learned...Redskins vs. Giants

The Counselor is IN:

Things I Have Learned... from the Redskins vs. the Giants. This was the season opening game with the world champs verses a divisional rival.


1) QB Eli Manning continues to lead his team in playoff fashion in the first half. The rest of the game he managed it but did not look nearly as sharp.

2) QB Jason Campbell is not as developed as I thought he would be in the early season. At times he looked like a rookie on the field. He would focus on just one receiver and hold onto the ball way too long. He never threw the ball past the first down marker on third down.

3) I thought the Giants Defense would have lost a step with some key lost players. This was not the case tonight. They brought the pressure against Campbell very successfully.

4) RB Brandon Jacobs ran like a Mac Truck. He kept his wheels turning and ran people over. He moved piles for yards down the field.

5) RB Clinton Portis looked good in the second half. I was surprised to hear that he just had his 27th birthday. I thought he was much older than that. I am sure I thought that because he has been injured so often.

6) WR Plaxico Burress is now healthy. He looked really good in this game. Amazing what signing a big contract can do to motivate you.

7) The Redskins Defense is not good enough to make up for how bad the Washington offense is.


Those are a few things I learned from the Redskins vs. the Giants game.


The Counselor is OUT:


Tuesday, September 02, 2008

Week1 Fantasy Injury Report - Thursday Edition

The Counselor is IN:

Here are the Week 1 fantasy injuries and my commentary. This is the Thursday Edition. I will put out an edition updating further the status for this weekend's games later in the week.

Thursday Game:

Giants:
No significant fantasy injuries.

Redskins:
WR Antwaan Randle El is probable with a broken hand. He is expected to play on Thursday. There is a concern about how he can catch with a broken hand.

Weekend Games (At this moment)

Cardinals:
TE Ben Patrick has an ankle sprain and is probable for this weekend. He is trying to take some of the playing time away from Pope.


Saints:
TE Martrez Milner is probable with a foot/ankle/toe injury. He is the backup and should not have much fantasy value.

Ravens:
QB Troy Smith is questionable with tonsil issues. He has lost a bunch of weight since he started battling these issues. He has lost the starting job which he was about to win in training camp.

TE Todd Heap has a calf injury and is probable. He should start this weekend.


Bills:
QB Trent Edwards is probable with a thigh bruise. He has been practicing and will play this weekend. Edwards should not be fantasy starter at this point.

TE Derek Schouman has a knee injury and is probable. This is another case of a backup TE on the injury list.


Panthers:
WR DJ Hackett
is probable with a toe injury. He is the Panther's Third Receiver but has not spent much time in practice with Delhomme. I expect him to start slowly but to work himself into a lot of games.

QB Jake Delhomme has an elbow injury and is probable. There are no concerns about him missing the game. It will be interesting to see which Delhomme shows up.

WR Dwayne Jarrett is probable. Everything is a go for this weekend. The sophomore Jarrett is vying for playing time.


Bears:
TE Desmond Clark
has knee injury and is questionable. If he does not play this, he might lose the starting role to Olson.


Bengals:
WR TJ Houshmandzadeh is probable with a hamstring injury. He practiced on Monday with no issues. He will start this weekend.

WR Chad Johnson has a shoulder injury and is questionable for this weekend. Ocho Cinco has spoken and declared himself 100%. This is coming from the guy who declared he would never play another game in a Bengals uniform this spring.


Browns:
WR Braylon Edwards
is probable with a foot injury. It has been reported that he looks good in practice this week.

WR Josh Cribbs has an ankle injury and is questionable. The Browns are being cautious with Cribbs. I would bet against him playing. No one should be starting Cribbs at this time.

RB Jamal Lewis is probable with a hamstring injury. He has not practiced yet this week and the coaching staff is getting anxious. Watch this injury closely.

QB Derek Anderson has a concussion and is probable. All signs point to him starting on Sunday. It could be a jarring blow to fantasy owners if he is not able to play.

WR Syndric Steptoe is probable with a shoulder injury. It appears he will play this weekend. He could steal some of the 3rd Wide and return duties if Cribbs is not able to play.


Cowboys:
WR Isaiah Stanback
has a dislocated left shoulder and is questionable. The Cowboys believe he will play and be the third Wide Receiver. He has practiced this week. I would not expect him to run back kicks until he is fully healthy.

WR Sam Hurd is out with a high ankle sprain. He is expected to be out 2 to 4 weeks. Hurd is missing a huge opportunity to prove himself as the third wide in Dallas and high ankle sprains have a tendency to linger on.

WR Miles Austin has spraining his right MCL and will be out 2 to 4 more weeks. Austin was getting noticed before his injury. He is also missing a chance to prove himself.


Broncos:
WR Darrell Jackson is listed as probable. He is expected to start this week with Marshall's suspension. I would expect his value to be at its highest this weekend.


Lions:
RB Brian Calhoun has been placed on the Injured Reserve and is done for the year.

RB Aveion Cason also has been placed on the Injured Reserve and is done for the year.


Packers:
WR James Jones has a knee injury and is questionable. He is expected to miss several more weeks. Jones should not be on the field this weekend.


Texans:
RB Ahman Green
is probable with a groin injury. He is expected to start. He is a risky start and both Slaton and Taylor will play this weekend. The tires are balding on the Green-mobile.

RB Chris Brown has been placed on the Injured Reserve.


Colts:

QB Jim Sorgi
has a knee injury and is probable. He is the only backup for Peyton and is expected to be ready this weekend.

QB Peyton Manning
is probable with a knee injury. He fully practiced on Wednesday. He will start for the Colts. Peyton should be ready to go but he may be rusty for a couple of games.


Jaguars:
WR Reggie Williams
has a hamstring injury and is questionable. He did not practice on Wednesday. He would be a risky start this week.

WR Jerry Porter is probable with a hamstring injury. He did practice on Wednesday. He should be a safe start for this weekend and give a boost the Jags receiving corp.

RB Maurice Jones-Drew
has an ankle injury and is probable. Drew has been fully practicing and appears to have overcome the ankle injury that has plagued him.


Dolphins:

RB Ronnie Bown
is probable with a knee injury.


Vikings:

WR Robert Ferguson
has an ankle injury and is questionable. It is unlikely that he will play this weekend. He only participated in individual drills on Wednesday. He should not be a starter for anyone at this time anyway.

RB Maurice Hicks is questionable with a foot injury. He is way down on the depth chart and his status should not really matter.

QB Tarvaris Jackson has a knee injury and is probable. He has practiced the last couple of days. He should be ready to play this weekend.


Saints:
No significant fantasy injuries.


Patriots:

TE Benjamin Watson
is questionable with a knee injury. He sat out of Practice on Wednesday. This appears to be a new injury. Keep watch on this injury if you had planned on starting Watson this weekend.

QB Tom Brady
has a foot injury and is probable. Brady was listed as probable during most of last season. I would ignore the probable status next to Brady.

WR Wes Welker is probable with a rib injury. He is fully practicing. He is safe to start this weekend.


Jets:

WR Laveranues Cole
has a thigh injury and is probable. He was limited in practice on Wednesday. I would watch him and see if he practices later in the week before starting him.

WR David Clowney has been placed on the Injured Reserve. He should not be on anyone's roster.



Raiders:

WR Javon Walker
is questionable with a hamstring pull. I would not be comfortable with starting him at this time. Check on his status later if you plan on starting him.


Eagles:

WR Reggie Brown
has a hamstring injury and is questionable. He is also an iffy start at this time.


Steelers:
QB Charlie Batch
was placed on Injured Reserve. He was only the backup anyway.


Chargers:

QB Philip Rivers
is probable with a knee injury. He has played during the pre-season and he should be fine to start this weekend.

TE Antonio Gates has a toe injury and is probable. He is still suffering with this toe injury but he should play this weekend. We will see how much the toe injury will slow him down.


Seahawks:

WR Deion Branch
has a knee injury and is questionable. Continue to keep an eye on Branch and how much he practices this week.


49ers:

WR Arnaz Battle
is probable with a hamstring injury. He looks ready to play this weekend. I would not start a 49er receiver unless you have no other choice.

WR Bryant Johnson
has a hamstring injury. He should be on the field this weekend. See above post.


Rams:
WR Drew Bennett
is probable with a groin injury. He should be starting this weekend.


Buccaneers:
WR Michael Clayton
is probable with a chest injury. He was limited in practice this week.

WR Antonio Bryant
has a knee injury and is probable. He should be starting this weekend opposite of Galloway.


Titans:
WR Justin McCareins
is probable with an illness. He was limited in practice in on Wednesday.

QB Vince Young has an injured right hand and is probable. He was limited in practice on Wednesday. He should be fine to start this weekend.

RB Chris Henry is listed as probable. He should be available as the third running back.


The Counselor is OUT: