Ups and Downs - Week 4

Week 4 Ups

Brett Favre

Yeah, as you all probably know by now - I love me some Favre - almost enough to run out and buy some Wrangler jeans and a farm right now. Although after all the comments and puppy dog eyes he was making when he mentioned Favre I think John Gruden likes Favre waaay more than I do. Brett played a heck of a game against his old team and showed many of us he can still throw the rock at 40 years old. Favre's 271 yards and 3 TDs (and 0 Ints which is impressive for Brett) kept the Vikings a perfect 4-0 this season.

Rashard Mendenhall

I would just like to say I was on this guy's bandwagon at the beginning of the year and actually drafted him in a couple of fantasy leagues, so I'm not late to the party on this one. It looks like the tough love Coach Tomlin showed Mendenhall in week 3 really hit home when he ran all over the Chargers on Sunday night for 165 yards and 2 TDs. He needed to have a big game to remind the Steelers why they spent a first round pick on him two years ago. With a few more games like that - and Willie Parker not getting the tough yards and staying injured- he could find himself as the featured back in Pittsburgh.

Steve Smith

So, which Steve Smith is "the other" Steve Smith now? New York Giants' Steve Smith has been on fire so far this season which is the exact opposite of his namesake in Carolina. I figured Eli Manning would have to throw to someone, but I didn't know he would find a sole mate so early in the season. Granted some of the defenses he has torched haven't been the leagues best he should have plenty of practice catching the magic bean and scoring TDs by then. If this guy is still available in your fantasy league grab him while you can. You will thank yourself later.

Week 4 Downs

Tony Romo

Week 1 Tony Romo looked like a football god throwing all over the place against the Bucs...then reality set in and has apparently stuck for the last three weeks. Romo followed up a horrible week 2 with a mediocre week 3 and week 4 wasn't much better. With a 67.1 Qb rating, 0 TDs and 1 Int in week 4 there is much to be desired from Anthony Romo. Yeah, I'm just going to call him Anthony until he is cool enough, or makes his reads, to be Tony again. I think he misses TO more than he wants to admit.


Steven Jackson

Poor SJax. An incredible talent almost wasted on such a terrible team. It's tough enough to be a running back in the NFL and even harder when the opposing team knows you are the only legitimate offensive threat on the Rams' roster. He has been getting his carries, but not much for yards and he has 0 TDs on the season. It's not his fault he hasn't exploded yet. It's hard to break off a run with 9 guys on your back.

Roddy White

Ok, so I know he was on bye last week but I'm a little behind. Mr. White goes out last season, blows up, gets paid like the "#1" receiver he says he is in the off season, and then decides to take a vacation on the field every week. I wish that series of events summed up my last calendar year. Roddy White has 15 receptions and 119 yards and 1 TD through three games this season. By comparison, Mr. Smith mentioned above has had two games where he has more than 100 yards in a single game. It's time to find that 2008 swagger you had.

Crabtree Continues Holdout

Michael Crabtree still isnt at 49'ers camp and it doesn't look like he will be there any time soon. Crabtree, the tenth pick in this year's draft, wants more money than Raider and seventh pick Darrius Heyward-Bey's 5 year, $38.25M ($23.5M guaranteed) because he was projected to be higher on the draft board than DHB in mock drafts.

That's crazy and absolutely rediculous. The notion he is willing to sit out the entire season this year to re-enter the draft next year is even more crazy. I seriously doubt a NFL franchise will want to take a wide receiver with a top five pick who hasn't played in a year. Sounds like he needs to play some more poker and learn how to bluff before he sits down with the big boys.

Michael Crabtree hasn't proven anything in the NFL and seems to think he is worth Larry Fitzgerald money right out of college. Sure, Crabtree was a great college receiver but that doesn't mean anything in the NFL. Ryan Leaf, Charles Rogers, and Peter Warrick , to name a few, were all great college players at their own positions but turned out to be busts in the NFL. Until Crabtree proves he is even worth a dollar he needs to get paid like the tenth pick in the draft should - not on how high you were projected to be drafted.

Historically rookie wide receivers don't fare well in their first year in the league. NFL cornerbacks are faster, stronger, and smarter than in college and his routes are going to have to be flawless in order to get open for a reception. It's hard to practice your route running if you aren't at practice. The longer he holds out the worse off he, and the 49ers, are going to be going into the season.

Crabtree needs to get his head out of the clouds and his butt into camp. He has a lot to prove before he has the clout to demand more money. I really hope the 49ers call his bluff and if he isnt bluffing he could prove to be the dumbest football player of all time.

Vick to 'Skins? Campbell can't be happy

I feel bad for Jason Campbell. First the whole Jay Cutler business, then the Redskins talked about drafting a quarterback and today the news is that Michael Vick is close to signing a deal with the team and compete for his job. This guy can't seem to catch a break.

According to ESPN, an anonymous Redskins coach is quoted as telling FOX 31 in Denver "There is definitely a number of us who would love to have him play here. I can tell you I would not mind at all."If that isn't a slap in the face for the former first round pick, I'm not sure what is.

Statistically Campbell is the better quarterback having posting a higher career completion percentage (59.7) and passer rating (80.4) than Michael Vick (53.8 and 75.7 respectively) and has shown improvement in his stats since he was drafted in 2005. Vick's stats are as choppy as a nervous chef on Hell's Kitchen trying not to get yelled at by Gordon Ramsay.

Yeah, Michael Vick is/was more exciting to watch than Jason Campbell but if you want a guy to throw the ball to your receivers then Campbell is your guy, not Vick. If you want your quarterback to run for 1,000 yards, then Vick if your guy. The Redskins need to make up their mind on Campbell. Is he your guy or not?

The Redskins need to pick a quarterback and get behind him. No matter who is under center if they don't feel supported by the head coach and the front office then they are not going to perform at a high level. The Redskins need to get behind Campbell and stay there if they want to win this season.