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 itin 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. Our day is still coming. For the moment, however, the day belongs to DeAngelo Williams.
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… award honors this week.
Favre split his touchdowns between Coles (3), Jerricho Cotchery (2) and rookie TE Dustin Keller (1) on Sunday in a beat down of the Cardinals. The Jets even threw on a fourth-and-one play…for a touchdown. The final score was 56-35.
Favre noted it took so long to develop chemistry with Coles in particular because Coles’ nagging thigh injury limited their reps together through training camp. Coles went into the game with 10 catches and one touchdown through three games.
“I can’t tell you how many people within this organization have told me — week in and week out — if you just throw the ball to L.C., he’ll make a play,” Favre said. “I didn’t go out there [Sunday] and say ‘I’m just going to throw it to L.C.’
“The guy’s a playmaker. Our communication has been great regardless of what people may think. We talk about more things than we have actually gone out and practiced. So I think it’s a work in progress, but I think he’s a heck of a player. You’ve got to find a way to get him the ball.”
If it’s still a work in progress, the Favre-Coles fantasy connection should come up big for owners this season. Favre’s upcoming schedule will provide him plenty of opportunities for more record days.
Although they didn’t show it, Arizona had been playing some very good defense until Sunday. The Cardinals had no answer and gave Brett room to throw all day. Something tells me the Cardinals won’t play that soft of a defense again this season, but it’s just a hunch.
And maybe next time the Jets will have a record day in their actual uniforms instead of in Titans throwbacks that looked like Oakland Raiders practice squad jerseys. Heaven forbid they keep wearing them to prevent a jinx.
If they want to worry about a jinx, there’s always theMaddencurse…
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.
“They outplayed us. They outcoached us,” Patriots coach Bill Belichick said. “They obviously deserved to win.”
Who could have imagined that Bill Belichick would be uttering those words after their win streak was put to an end…at home in New England…to the Miami Dolphins…for the Dolphins’ first win of the season?
Sunday’s performance even made Ricky Williams get all Ricky-like.
Williams, though, said he saw this kind of performance coming. He explained with a story about growing wheat.
“You plant the seed, and the time between when you see nothing and when you see the sprout is just one day – it can happen just like that,” he said. “We just have to keep on working and reaping our harvest.”
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.
You know, I never really doubted Brandon Marshall. Going into Week 2 against San Diego, I expected him to make his presence known but not blow it up like he did. Some analysts are already proclaiming him the wide receiver to beat this year for the top fantasy spot. I am not too far off from saying the same.
Brandon Marshall ended the night with 18 receptions for 166 yards and a score which broke the Broncos’ record for receptions in a single game and got dangerously close to Terrell Owens’ NFL record of 20 receptions. “Baby T.O.” is on his way up the charts.
That dominant performance against a tough San Diego defense takes home a “Dude…” award this week. For kicks and since the game tape doesn’t focus in just on Marshall’s supreme play, here is another video of Marshall.
Who can resist a highlight reel set to Foo Fighters?
As you noticed in Week 1, throughout the season, we’ll be handing out “Dude…” awards to the players that left us speechless in fantasy football this weekend. Not all the biggest performers will take one home — we expect you to have three touchdowns, Tony Romo — but the guys that surprise or impress beyond their potential will be handsomely rewarded.
After all, while an NFL career can be short, articles last a lifetime.
If you don’t understand our use of “dude,” well, I guess the land of commercials might help us explain the meaning here.
Fantasy Football Fools is a fantasy football blog that doesn't take itself too seriously. Sure, we give you fantasy football strategy tips and advice, but we also make sure to include the jokes and fantasy football culture that makes it all worth playing.
