Foolish Thoughts

These sudden, mysterious and largely unreported injuries have got to stop. Last week, Carson Palmer was a late scratch. This week, the victim was Matt Schaub, who was hit by a virus the night before the game.

I normally set lineups Saturday night and then let them run, but this sudden injury plague makes me want to start checking again five minutes before game time on Sunday…and then at four minutes, two minutes and one minute until kickoff.

Thanks to the virus, Matt Schaub turned over the reigns to Sage Rosenfels. He looked like he was the hero of the Texan-kind…until he decided to go airborne. When, as a quarterback (and a big one at that), do you EVER think to go airborne to make a play? It wasn’t even a necessary hurdle attempt.

Stay on the ground and slide, Sage. The air will only hurt you.

The running back we all doubted in Carolina stepped up big against the Chiefs. No, it’s not the biggest accomplishment in life to run over the Chiefs defense, but Williams did it in style AND takes home the Dude… award this week because of it — mostly because we doubted him. Unfortunately for all the Stewart owners out there (including me), Williams didn’t share the TD wealth and got several carries close to the goal line.

Williams ended the day with 123 yards rushing, 25 yards receiving and three touchdowns. That’s Ronnie Brown-esque, but, not taking away from his Dude… award-worthy week, I wouldn’t expect that kind of output on a regular basis from the “starter” in Carolina. Jonathan Stewart is building momentum to take over that starting job, and nothing is better than a running back with a nickname like “The Daily Show.” Let’s hope Stewart has just as much wit and much more nasty.

Highlight reel of Williams’ performance this week:

“Daily Show” owners shouldn’t get worried just yet.

After a poor showing on Monday night against the Chargers, Brett Favre came up big in Week 4 with a six touchdown performance against the Arizona Cardinals. The prototypical gunslinger quarterback hit 24 of his 34 pass attempts for 289 yards. The six TDs was a career high for the veteran, 38-year-old QB.

He found an unlikely hero in Laveranues Coles, bringing down three of the six touchdowns on Sunday. The touchdowns were a career high for Coles as well. While the quarterback and receiver didn’t have great chemistry to start the season — partly because Coles was injured and partly because Coles was against the Jets’ ditching of his friend and former QB Chad Pennington — they seem to be on the same page now, the end zone page.

For career days in reality and massive point totals in fantasy, Favre and Coles share Dude…

Where did that Carson Palmer injury come from on Sunday morning? I lucked out played against him this week, but I didn’t hear a word about it until I saw him putting up zero points heading into halftime. Enough with the quiet injuries already.

I’m still shocked there was an Ocho Cinco sighting without Palmer in the lineup.

Denver Broncos lose to the Kansas City Chiefs. That was unbelievable enough, but it just sounds silly when you consider that both Eddie Royal and Brandon Marshall had big days. Unfortunately, they also fumbled. They’ll have to fix up that offense before Tampa Bay this week. I don’t think Larry Johnson is that good. Denver’s defense is that bad.

Royal had 100+ yards in the loss. I see him taking a Patrick Crayton of 2007 value. When Marshall has an average or less spectacular performance, Royal will have a big game, but when Marshall is out of this world, Royal is limited to something around 80 yards and a rare TD.

David Garrard might be hitting his stride.

You knew it was coming — the “Dude” mention, not the five touchdowns against the New England Patriots.

Brown, who probably sat on your bench this week, gave owners a lovely surprise when he ran in four touchdowns with 113 yards rushing against a defense that hadn’t given up a single rushing touchdown this season, and as if that wasn’t enough (and to anger all Chad Pennington owners, a sour lot already), Ronnie Brown threw a touchdown pass to Anthony Fasano.

Apparently, Bill Belichick doesn’t watch a lot of Arkansas games. Maybe he should start. The direct snap drove the New England defense wild all day. I guess they put so much faith in a quarterback to win that they cannot fathom a QB being removed from the play.

From the Palm Beach Post:

“They outplayed us. They outcoached us,” Patriots coach Bill Belichick said.

Thought we weren’t going to mention the old Q this week? Topping Brandon Marshall’s debut, Boldin racked up three touchdowns in Week 2 against the Miami Dolphins. What a great way to treat the team you want to trade for you, but I guess he wanted to put on a show.

Boldin’s final stat line for the day was six catches for 140 yards and three TDs. He showed up Larry Fitzgerald, who brought in just six catches for 153 yards and no scores. To Fitz’s credit though, he was facing the tougher Miami coverage all day — what little coverage there was. Looks like Warner should make both of these WRs studs this season.

Here’s all three of Boldin’s shots in the red zone mixed in with some of Week 2’s best plays.

I’m still not exactly sure why Boldin would push to be traded to a team like the Dolphins other than their lack of a true threat at wide receiver.