Woah, I had a bad week at 3-4 (4-3 now Shazier is not playing) for predictions with Ben's knee still pending, bringing the Total to 10-5. (11-4) Happily I was wrong on Shazier's Shoulder, as it turned out to be a burner instead of a subluxation. It was properly diagnosed and he will return this week. I felt our team was going to rely a little heavier on the run, and I'm a bit disappointed that Vick didn't run more, but 160 yards is not close enough to 200 for me to take credit on.
Steve Smith was shut down for the first time this year, which was something I didn't think was possible. Our secondary is improving and gave Flacco fits. They were not our expected achillies heel as they recorded an INT and a very athletic FR.
The inactive list threw me for a loop when we chose to activate Chick. Moving Lyons to the PS. As much as we harp on our team moving players to the PS, there is a distinct tactical advantage to waiving a player just before a Thursday game. It gives very little time for the rest of the league to pick up a new player, when their game plan and personnel is already in place for their Sunday/Monday games. Smart work Colbert (who gets very little love around here). I am surprised Chick was inactive, since he was called up and we had Shazier out, but the biggest head scratcher was having our #2 and #3 TEs inactive for a game where it looked like we needed more blocking help for Vick and a commitment to the run. I'm not against Villanueva being a surprise TE, he has the size, can block, and was a TE in College, but I want to his pass catching utilized in the RZ. Bellicheck would not let those talents go unused.
For this week The predictions are easy. Everyone seems to be practicing fully with no setbacks. Cortez Allen, Shazier, McCullers, Spaeth, and Wheaton are all participating fully and will play on Monday. This creates an interesting scenario. We only have 2 players that will be sitting on the Inactive list due to injury this week. Ben and Ventrone. We now have 5 spots to fill with healthy players, and one of them will not be Landry Jones. My best bet is to follow the trend of who has been inactive:
1. Ben
2. Ventrone
3. Jessie James (Since Spaeth is active and they've shown they're willing to keep 2TEs on the inactive list with a backup QB...)
4. Chickillo was inactive last week, and should be inactive this week
5. Boykin - Can't seem to get on the field and with Allen returning, he's the odd man out.
6. LT Walton - no stranger to the IL, He'll sit with the return of McCullers. Cam can stay in the DE rotation and McCullers can spell McClendon
7. Todman. he didn't get a snap last game, so I don't expect him to get a hat this game
Updated inactive list in responses below vvvvvvv
This moves us to who will be cut to make room for Bryant returning to the team? As I said in earlier posts, I think it comes down to Todman and Nix. Nix is being utilized, so I'm predicting Todman being waived. (though I'm still super confused to why we are carrying 2 FBs...)
This week we are going to see an offensive transformation. It was viewable in the preseason, and now will be on display prime time Monday night. Bryant's return opens up the vertical passing game. He has the speed, hight, and leaping ability to be a serious downfield threat. His abilities to make the big play on the deep pass would make Jump-ball-Joe Flacco cream his panties if he had him as a receiver. This kid is a matchup nightmare, and we would be 3-1 if he decided he liked football field turf more than natural 'grass'. In preseason, against first team defenses, no one had an answer for him. He was open, and when he wasn't, he was using his size and athleticism to make plays on the ball. The only way to stop him was to foul him. He racked up a few PI penalties because he's just too big to cover downfield. We finally have that tall speedy WR we always wanted, and the reason we wanted it, is it creates a mismatch whenever he is on the field. His presence will have a domino effect for the WR corp, and Bell as a pass catcher. Once he burns the d for a big play, defenses will have to bracket him and commit 2 men. AB demands 2-3men to bracket him. Our #2 Wheaton will now be in the slot along with Miller being covered by LBs! If you go dime to commit 6 DBs you have 2 on AB, 2 on Bryant, 1 on Wheaton, 1 on Miller, and Bell can come out to be defended by a LB! This is the personnel package we drafted to be a league wide mismatch, and with Ben at the helm, we dominate games. With Vick in the game, I'm not looking for domination, but I'm looking for him to have more success in the passing game than he had last week. He is a capable thrower and now has his best and favorite preseason deep ball target in Bryant. Look for Vick to have a better day this week and hopefully pull off a nice upset win in SD on MNF. (Bryant is now out. I will have to put this prediction on hold until he returns, but it will hold true once he steps on the field).
Steve Smith was shut down for the first time this year, which was something I didn't think was possible. Our secondary is improving and gave Flacco fits. They were not our expected achillies heel as they recorded an INT and a very athletic FR.
The inactive list threw me for a loop when we chose to activate Chick. Moving Lyons to the PS. As much as we harp on our team moving players to the PS, there is a distinct tactical advantage to waiving a player just before a Thursday game. It gives very little time for the rest of the league to pick up a new player, when their game plan and personnel is already in place for their Sunday/Monday games. Smart work Colbert (who gets very little love around here). I am surprised Chick was inactive, since he was called up and we had Shazier out, but the biggest head scratcher was having our #2 and #3 TEs inactive for a game where it looked like we needed more blocking help for Vick and a commitment to the run. I'm not against Villanueva being a surprise TE, he has the size, can block, and was a TE in College, but I want to his pass catching utilized in the RZ. Bellicheck would not let those talents go unused.
For this week The predictions are easy. Everyone seems to be practicing fully with no setbacks. Cortez Allen, Shazier, McCullers, Spaeth, and Wheaton are all participating fully and will play on Monday. This creates an interesting scenario. We only have 2 players that will be sitting on the Inactive list due to injury this week. Ben and Ventrone. We now have 5 spots to fill with healthy players, and one of them will not be Landry Jones. My best bet is to follow the trend of who has been inactive:
1. Ben
2. Ventrone
3. Jessie James (Since Spaeth is active and they've shown they're willing to keep 2TEs on the inactive list with a backup QB...)
4. Chickillo was inactive last week, and should be inactive this week
5. Boykin - Can't seem to get on the field and with Allen returning, he's the odd man out.
6. LT Walton - no stranger to the IL, He'll sit with the return of McCullers. Cam can stay in the DE rotation and McCullers can spell McClendon
7. Todman. he didn't get a snap last game, so I don't expect him to get a hat this game
Updated inactive list in responses below vvvvvvv
This moves us to who will be cut to make room for Bryant returning to the team? As I said in earlier posts, I think it comes down to Todman and Nix. Nix is being utilized, so I'm predicting Todman being waived. (though I'm still super confused to why we are carrying 2 FBs...)
This week we are going to see an offensive transformation. It was viewable in the preseason, and now will be on display prime time Monday night. Bryant's return opens up the vertical passing game. He has the speed, hight, and leaping ability to be a serious downfield threat. His abilities to make the big play on the deep pass would make Jump-ball-Joe Flacco cream his panties if he had him as a receiver. This kid is a matchup nightmare, and we would be 3-1 if he decided he liked football field turf more than natural 'grass'. In preseason, against first team defenses, no one had an answer for him. He was open, and when he wasn't, he was using his size and athleticism to make plays on the ball. The only way to stop him was to foul him. He racked up a few PI penalties because he's just too big to cover downfield. We finally have that tall speedy WR we always wanted, and the reason we wanted it, is it creates a mismatch whenever he is on the field. His presence will have a domino effect for the WR corp, and Bell as a pass catcher. Once he burns the d for a big play, defenses will have to bracket him and commit 2 men. AB demands 2-3men to bracket him. Our #2 Wheaton will now be in the slot along with Miller being covered by LBs! If you go dime to commit 6 DBs you have 2 on AB, 2 on Bryant, 1 on Wheaton, 1 on Miller, and Bell can come out to be defended by a LB! This is the personnel package we drafted to be a league wide mismatch, and with Ben at the helm, we dominate games. With Vick in the game, I'm not looking for domination, but I'm looking for him to have more success in the passing game than he had last week. He is a capable thrower and now has his best and favorite preseason deep ball target in Bryant. Look for Vick to have a better day this week and hopefully pull off a nice upset win in SD on MNF. (Bryant is now out. I will have to put this prediction on hold until he returns, but it will hold true once he steps on the field).
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