Fantasy football: Week 13 replay

By Michael Salfino, Special to the Rocky

Published December 1, 2008 at 9:50 a.m.
Updated December 1, 2008 at 9:50 a.m.

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Points were generally scarce in Week 13, with 15 teams scoring 17 or fewer points.

While some will blame the generally inclement weather, there were other factors in play as the defenses had a clear upper hand irrespective of the gray skies and wind-swept rain.

Converting on the goal line was trouble. Even the Colts were shut out on fourth-and-inches when a Peyton Manning sneak ended with a fumble. Manning had been 4-for-5 throwing on fourth-and-fewer than 2 yards. I'd take my chances with the ball in his hand as a thrower, not a runner.

Indy tried to spread the Browns out with three wide receivers, but Cleveland didn't bite. The sneak wasn't there. Manning then brought Reggie Wayne in motion, but that dragged another defender in the box when Wayne settled as a wingman. Manning should have audibled into a pass or called a timeout. Even the great ones can make mistakes when the bullets are flying and the play clock is winding down.

Teams need to run out of pass looks on the goal line and pass out of run looks. But they can't telegraph it by switching receivers for blockers -- like the Eagles did in Week 12 to set up Ed Reed's record-setting interception return.

The other thing losing teams that struggled to score did poorly in Week 13 was spreading out defenses between the 20s. The Jets are run-happy now with Thomas Jones, but Jones is not a skilled receiver. Leon Washington is the player you need to exploit linebackers in coverage. By the time the Jets began deploying Washington (three catches, 60 yard) as a receiver, it was too late.

Denver, conversely, did a great job utilizing slot receivers against the Jets' 3-4 defense. The outside guys were not a factor other than on a busted play that led to a long Eddie Royal score. But the tight ends (13 catches, 149 yards combined) especially killed the Jets, and slot man Brandon Stokley finished off New York with the 39-yard scoring dagger.

The 3-4 defense teams like the Jets typically struggle covering interior guys because that responsibility falls to DE/OLB hybrids primarily built to rush the passer and hold up in run defense.

Denver's passing formations spread out the defense and created natural, wide running lanes for converted fullback Peyton Hillis (129 yards and a TD).

It's untrue that the Patriots have stopped throwing intermediate passes with Matt Cassel. In fact, their 22.5 percent rate (through Week 12) of attempting passes 11-20 yards from scrimmage is slightly over NFL average. That's also higher than the percentage of intermediate passes Patriots attempted in their record-setting 2007 season. New England's problem is that Cassel can't connect on these throws: a 70 QB rating even before the Steelers whipped him.

Cassel backers take heart: No first-time starting QB passes every test. The Steelers pass defense is supercharged right now, led by Troy Polamalu, who seems to be deploying clones when he routinely threatens blitz by stepping into the line and then fires out to break up or pick off deep throws.

Stunning stat of the week: Entering Week 13, teams threw 11 passes in the direction of Raiders cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha. That's not just completions but all passes. And that is a shutdown cornerback.

The Giants shocked me by coming out firing in Plaxico Burress' absence at Washington. No Plax means eight- and nine-man fronts because there's no receiver defenses fear enough to double cover. The game film from Sunday will give future opponents second thoughts, though, because while they may not fear any Giants target, they should fear Eli Manning.

On the other side of the field, Jason Campbell can't get anything going against single coverage and thus runs his backs right into those eight-man fronts. The Skins move the pile well enough, but there's no explosion and thus little scoring.

Nice to see Donovan McNabb rebound with such a good game. I was surprised he had another chance after the undeserved benching. Everyone slumps, and McNabb is a borderline Hall of Famer. He's going to be Philadelphia's Patrick Ewing. Eagles fans will miss him when he's gone because odds are they'll have one of the 15 or so starting QBs who can't really play. Look at Detroit, which has been looking for a quarterback since Bobby Layne.

Looking ahead to Monday night, Kevin Walter is feasting because of double coverage teams dedicate to Andre Johnson. Unfortunately for Johnson owners, you don't get points for that.

The Texans get their big runs out of the wing formation -- running weak (away from the two-TE side). You have four blockers on four defenders on that weak side. Without formation tricks like this, it's impossible to get blockers one-on-one against defenders because the QB is useless on running plays. That's why the Wildcat offense has been such a big deal this year -- it makes everyone a threat in the running game.

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