Week 10 Predictions

Game to Watch: Panthers @ 49ers: On Sunday, the two hottest teams in football (apart from Andy Reid's Chiefs) will battle late in the afternoon. The Carolina Panthers, led by quarterback Cam Newton, have flown under the radar, as they sit at 5-3, just one game behind the New Orleans Saints. The competition may be weak, but in their last four games, Carolina's offense has averaged 32.5 points per game, an astounding statistic. Cam Newton's passing statistics are not jaw-dropping, yet they are good enough to get the job done. Meanwhile, the San Francisco 49ers' offense has been rolling ever since their terrible offensive performance against Indy. The running game ranks first in the league thanks to running back Frank Gore and quarterback Colin Kaepernick, as they have averaged 153.0 yards per game. The San Francisco 49ers have always been strong in their own stadium, so we see the 49ers beating Cam Newton and the Panthers on Sunday.
49ers over Panthers 37-31

Stand Out Performance: TE Jimmy Graham: Apart from a terrible performance against the New England Patriots, tight end Jimmy Graham has been incredibly consistent throughout the season. If Graham's incredible play continues, he will record 1,492 receiving yards and 20 touchdowns, where both would be NFL records among tight ends. The Dallas Cowboy pass defense has been absolutely atrocious in 2013, ranking 31st overall in passing yards allowed per game. Be prepared for a monster performance by this monster of a tight end.
TE Jimmy Graham: 145 receiving yards, 2 TDs

Player to Watch: QB Nick Foles: Who would have thought that Nick Foles, a third round pick out of Arizona in the 2012 NFL Draft, would tie the NFL record for passing touchdowns at 7. Sure, it was against the Oakland Raiders' defense, but 7 passing touchdowns is a sensational number that deserves to be discussed. The Eagles offense has been an emotional roller coaster so far this season, with its many ups and downs. The Eagles are going up against a very beat-up Packers defense. Nick Foles will not throw for 7 touchdowns, no how, no way; however, we can see Nick Foles passing for several touchdowns in a narrow victory over Green Bay.
QB Nick Foles: 285 passing yards, 3 passing TDs, 1 INT

Week 10 Predictions:

Redskins over Vikings (Incorrect)

Seahawks over Falcons

Bengals over Ravens

Lions over Bears

Eagles over Packers

Colts over Rams

Giants over Raiders

Steelers over Bills

Titans over Jaguars

49ers over Panthers

Cardinals over Texans

Broncos over Chargers

Saints over Cowboys

Buccaneers over Dolphins

Last Week: 9-4

2013 Season: 92-41 (69.1%)

Start 'Em, Sit 'Em (Week 10)

Start 'Em:
Pierre Thomas, RB, New Orleans Saints
Thomas continues to get consistent touches for the Saints, both in the passing and rushing game, making him a fairly low risk option. The adage goes "low risk, low reward," however, this week, with the Saints heading into a shootout against the Cowboys, Thomas could provide a quite high reward for fantasy owners.

Keenan Allen, WR, San Diego Chargers
Allen is in the middle of a breakout year, and his production does not seem likely to end any time soon. It is undeniable at this point that he is Phillip River's number one option, and he has a favorable matchup against the Denver Bronco's defense this week. Chances are, the Broncos will get up early and the Chargers will air the ball out the remainder of the game, which means big numbers for Keenan Allen.

Jake Locker, QB, Tennessee Titans
At this point in the season, you should have noticed a positive trend in terms of fantasy points when offensive players go up against the Jaguars. Locker is having a great season (despite being injured for two weeks) against some quality defenses, including an outstanding performance against the stout 49er's defense.  The jags, on the other hand, do not have a quality defense, and should be lit up by Locker.

Sit 'Em:
BenJarvus Green-Ellis, RB, Cincinnati Bengals
The "Law Firm" has put in another unremarkable, but at times productive, season. As the year has gone on, though, Giovani Bernard has been receiving a significantly larger workload than Green-Ellis. Additionally, the Bengals go up against the tough Raven's run defense that has allowed only one rushing touchdown all year.

Anquan Boldin, WR, San Francisco 49ers
Boldin looked as if he was going to have a great year after a huge week one performance, but since then he has looked quite underwhelming. Vernon Davis has emerged as the clear-cut number one option for the 49er's offense and Boldin has been forced to play second fiddle. To make matters worse, this week, Boldin goes up against the tough Panther's pass defense that ranks second in fantasy points allowed to opposing wide receivers.

Joe Flacco, QB, Baltimore Ravens
After receiving a huge contract during the offseason, Flacco has failed to impress.  On sunday, the Ravens face a Bengal's defense that has had a great season so far. Flacco has struggled against lesser defenses such as the Dolphins, Texans, and Bills, so it seems likely that Flacco will have a difficult sunday against the Bengals.

NFL Power Rankings Week 10

1. Kansas City Chiefs: The Kansas City Chiefs are the only perfect team remaining this season, and even though their Week 10 Bye gives them time to prepare for Denver in Week 11, it is unlikely that they can beat the Broncos. We expect there to be a new team at number one in the power rankings in two weeks time.

2. Denver Broncos: In my mind, the Denver Broncos are by far the best team in the National Football League, but there is some unwritten rule where the undefeated team must be number one in power rankings; otherwise, I would have Denver at number one in a heartbeat. So far, quarterback Peyton Manning is the clear favorite to win Most Valuable Player.

3. Indianapolis Colts: Thanks to a field goal shank in overtime by Houston's kicker, the Indianapolis Colt's narrowly squeaked by the Houston Texans. Nevertheless, Andrew Luck led the tenth game-winning drive of his career, proving that the Colts are extremely dangerous in close match ups.

4. San Francisco 49ers: This week's game against the Carolina Panthers is a dangerous game for the San Francisco 49ers, where the Panthers have maintained a 5-3 record entering Week 10. Ever since scoring a combined 10 points in Weeks 2 and 3, San Francisco's offense is averaging 34.8 points per game. The 49ers offense, particularly the running game, looks very dangerous, and I can see them at number one in the power rankings by the end of the regular season.

5. Seattle Seahawks: Similarly to Indianapolis, the Seattle Seahawks almost lost in Week 9, the only difference being the Seattle Seahawks were playing at home. Everyone knows the Seahawks at home is just like Popeye on spinach; once they have their secret weapon, good luck beating them. Yet the Seahawks were playing Tampa Bay, who have yet to win so far in 2013. This narrow victory definitely hurts their stock in the power rankings.

6. New England Patriots: FINALLY. Quarterback Tom Brady seems to have found his groove, especially with a healthy Gronk and Amendola in the starting lineup. If Brady is able to continue with this incredible hot streak, then the New England Patriots will shoot up the power rankings faster than a healthy CJ Spiller.

exposay.com

7. New Orleans Saints: Who would have thought that the New York Jets would take control of their game against the New Orleans Saints. Coach Rex Ryan remains undefeated in games against brother Rob, the Saints' defensive coordinator. Looking forward, the Saints have several big games, and there is little doubt in my mind that the Saints will lose at least three more games before the end of the season.

8. Cincinnati Bengals: After upsetting teams such as San Francisco and New England, the Cincinnati Bengals lost to the Miami Dolphins in one of the ugliest games of the season last Thursday. Now that Cincinnati has that terrible performance out of their system, we expect nothing but the best from the Bengals.

9. Detroit Lions: Coming off of a Bye in Week 9, the Detroit Lions must play Chicago on the road. This game has the potential to be a blowout for the Lions offense, especially if Jay Cutler is not playing on Sunday. Calvin Johnson is healthy once again, causing defensive coordinators to panic in preparation for this offensive weapon.

10. Chicago Bears: Yes, the Chicago Bears beat the Packers on Monday Night while Green Bay was missing Aaron Rodgers, but Chicago was also missing their starting quarterback due to injury. Does this mean Chicago would still have won if both quarterbacks were healthy? That is unclear. What we do know is that Matt Forte is a complete stud, quite possibly the best running back of the 2013 season. 

Heisman Watch (Week 10)

A shallow foray into the plethora of college football coverage out there (googling "Heisman watch") quickly reveals the flavor of our Heisman week after last Saturday, a day where the top 5 or so prospects shined, some on bigger stages than others. AJ McCarron is finally making some noise, proving my point that for a quarterback candidate (so, any candidate) team success is almost as important as the numbers. There's a new guy who's cracked my list here, hello Bryce Petty, and though he has yet to prove himself in a big game he'll shortly be getting the call, which should be fun to watch. Without further ado…

1) Marcus Mariota had an off week, I'll be the first to admit. I had him pegged for 400 yards through the air against the Bruins last Saturday, but he fell back to earth with a mediocre 21-28 for 230 yards passing yards, with 1 TD and nothing really going on the ground. That being said, you don't lose Heisman races with average performances, and we can look at what Mariota didn't do: He didn't turn the ball over in a big game, and he didn't lose. In fact, he won big, a 42-14 stomping over the much lauded Bruin defense. Without a bad performance, I can't bring myself to drop the Hawaiian from my one spot, keeping my eye on his so far video-game like numbers. Numbers like 2281 yards through the air, 20 touchdowns, and 0 interceptions through 8 games. Oregon remains unbeaten, and two studly running backs (DeAnthony Thomas and Byron Marshall, who combined for five TD's last week) will keep the pressure off Mariota, allowing him to go deep for big plays and run the ball a fair amount (we know Heisman voters love their dual threat QB's) As long as Oregon is winning big, (and they don't look like they're planning on stopping)  Mariota will reign supreme. Back to my theory that a winning team will keep it's quarterback in the Heisman picture, even after an off day.

2) Jameis Winston had a 35 point first quarter against the Wolfpack. Now had NCST looked like anything but a half decent middle school flag football team out there, Winston would be getting more praise and we would be hearing more about his deserving the #1 ranking. However the Wolfpack could have run their cheerleaders out there to show some proper tackling technique, and so this week, tough luck Jameis, but you stay in the two hole. Winston gets the opportunity this week in a huge game against #7 Miami (almost everyone else will be at home, watching during a bye week, including Mariota) so check next week to see if these two have traded places. Winston has already stepped up big against Clemson, but this game is, if possible, as important. An in state traditional rival, a top 10 team, a big conference matchup… Keep in mind as well that almost every other team in the top 10 has a bye week, and so all eyes on famous Jameis this Saturday. He could very well have his (second) Heisman moment.

3) AJ McCarron: I am not a huge fan of McCarron, but at this point you have to hand it to the guy. He's the leader of what is really looking like an unstoppable team. Alabama will play in the national championship this year, and chances are McCarron will win his third national title. No wonder his girlfriend's… well… 3 national titles! Just the sound of that makes you imagine sports center exploding. Here come the dynasty montages, here comes the historical perspective, here come the interviews, and more interviews, and more montages, the "Best Ever?" tab on the left hand side of the screen...but I digress. McCarron has looked like an NFL quarterback this year, simply put, against for the most part very impressive SEC defenses. With a great receiving core at his disposal (see an earlier article) and every quarterback's best friend in TJ Yeldon (money sign double throat slash), McCarron has clawed himself into this race. He's still about 400 passing yards short of making my top spot, but as the big no doubter wins pile up, we have to ask "how much longer can he not be in the conversation?"

4) Johnny Manziel had some choice words last Saturday on the Jumbotron down in College Station this week, (really? Tiger Woods? Did anyone else find that kind of strange?) but Heisman voters will grudgingly give him this: the kid can play. No matter what he does off the field, short of second degree murder, he will remain on the field, and when he's on the field there's a sense that anything can happen. This is why he's so much fun to watch. He dazzled again against Vanderbilt this week, a nice 53 spot which featured 4 touchdowns.  However with 2 losses, (in which he scored a combined 83 points against Alabama and Auburn defenses) his team has dragged him almost out of the race. Some people still love the kid for number one, but for me you need to be leading your team to undefeated greatness. Many would disagree with that standard, but when there are Marcus Mariota's and Jameis Winston's out there, I know who goes in my top spots.

5) Bryce Petty: Here's an easy way to drag yourself into the national conversation: Score an average 63.7 points a game. The junior quarterback down in Baylor has long had reason to quietly raise his hand and ask why he isn't being talked about, but apparently one Heisman quarterback from Baylor is enough for the next several years. Petty had big shoes (or big socks) to fill after RGIII's Heisman career at Baylor, but he has proved he's more than up to the task. For now, this guy still isn't in the elite category simply because his schedule has been softer than mashed potatoes, but he must be licking his chops: The next 3 weeks (after a bye this time around) bring Baylor some real football teams, in #13 Oklahoma, #15 Texas Tech, and #18 Oklahoma State. The entire Bears team has been waiting for these three games, to put on an offensive show like they are capable of, but in particular this is Petty's time to step up. If he does, I don't know what will do in the BCS or the Heisman conversation.

Best Pictures (Week 10)

Bob Leverone/AP Photo

Kim Klement/US Presswire

Michael Perez

Michael Perez/AP Photo

Jeff Chiu/AP Photo

Julio Cortez/AP Photo

Genevieve Ross/AP Photo

Genevieve Ross/AP Photo

Week 10 Predictions

     Doug Martin has wasted no time in adjusting to life in the National Football League. Martin's 251 rushing yards and 4 touchdowns propelled him into the fantasy football spotlight, removing Arian Foster from the top back in fantasy sports. Within Martin's own division is another major storyline of Week 10, where Atlanta looks to take on the struggling Saints and move one step closer to the undefeated season. Drew Brees, however, has made it his mission to lead New Orleans through this adversity and hopefully hand their rivals a loss. Surprisingly, this matchup is not the game of the week. That award is handed to the Sunday Night showdown between two Super Bowl contenders; the Houston Texans of the AFC, and the Chicago Bears of the NFC. Expect a low scoring game between the two best defenses in the league, but we can also expect another exciting Sunday.

Charles Tillman

Game to Watch: Houston @ Chicago: Apart from an embarrassing loss to the now red-hot Aaron Rodgers, Houston has been nearly unstoppable, and has played with a new ferocity. This team is now centered around star defender JJ Watt, one of the best in the league at tipping passes and sacking the quarterback. Basically, his side of the field is off limits for any offensive player. The offense has their own backbone in running back Arian Foster, a scoring machine and the main reason why this offense has been able to score so often. On the other side of the football we have an equally competitive defense in Chicago. Historically, the Bears have been extremely intimidating on defense, and this year has been no different. However, for the first time, opposing teams may have to worry about this offense, where quarterback Jay Cutler and wide receiver have picked up from where they left off in Denver. The chemistry at times is inconsistent, but tomorrow will be the most important game for these two offense weapons. Defensively,Houston and Chicago are basically equal, so offense will be the difference maker.
Bears over Texans 17-10


Stand Out Performance: QB Matt Ryan: Playing against the New Orleans Saints defense is a dream for any quarterback, and Matt Ryan would like nothing more than to humiliate their division rivals. Ryan's leadership is no longer questioned by the football world, and another win over the Saints would back up MVP talk. Ryan was likely not happy with his scoring performance last weekend (0 touchdowns) but the yardage total was not a problem. New Orleans has allowed a worrisome amount of passing touchdowns, passing yards, and completions, and I  can safely assume this problem will not be fixed by tomorrow. Not only does Matt Ryan have a motivation to stomp this defense, but his success will come easily as well.
Matt Ryan: 295 passing yards, 3 passing TDs, 1 rushing TDs, INT


Player to Watch: WR Brandon Marshall: His stellar performance against Tennessee proved the strength of Marshall's bond between himself and quarterback Jay Cutler. Marshall's three touchdowns were huge momentum builders in a dominating 50 point win. Unfortunately, Tennessee is no Houston, and it will be more difficult for Chicago to adapt. Therefore, Marshall's performance will be the clear cut X factor, and the inconstancy of Cutler and Marshall will have to end if they wish to defeat Houston. Ironically, Marshall's lowest yardage mark of the season was Chicago's only loss, an away game against Green Bay. Both teams have had difficulty with the Pack, but otherwise, both season's have been almost flawless. If Marshall were to play his heart out and score at least one touchdown, a win can be expected.
Brandon Marshall: 90 receiving yards


Week 10 Predictions:

Colts over Jaguars

Ravens over Raiders

Broncos over Panthers

Giants over Bengals

Dolphins over Titans

Lions over Vikings

Patriots over Bills

Falcons over Saints (OT)

Buccaneers over Chargers

Seahawks over Jets

Eagles over Cowboys

49ers over Rams

Bears over Texans

Steelers over Chiefs

Last Week: 11-3

2012 Season: 83-46 (64%)