Attention Fantasy Football Players: Revised Week 9 Outlook for Matt Schaub

Earlier this week in my start em, sit em post, I recommended that you should start David Garrard over Matt Shaub in Week 9. I’ll let you read the post to get the full detail of the reasoning, but it boiled down to the following two points:

#1 – the Colts have the 7th best pass defense in the league in terms of yards given up (180.1 yards per game) and have given up the fewest touchdown passes (three). Thus, I looked at Matt Schaub as a shaky start.

#2 – David Garrard and his Jaguars are at home this week taking on the Kansas City Chiefs and their crappy pass defense. Garrard is only playable when he’s at home and this seems like about as plum a matchup as you’ll get if you’re a Garrard owner.

There is a problem though. A couple of them. And I’m changing my vote to Schaub over Garrard for Week 9.

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Sunday Night Football: Dallas at Philadelphia Preview and Prediction

Who isn’t excited for the showdown on Sunday night?

The Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles are two franchises that despise one another, which always makes for quality television, as well as a good game too. Yet, let’s not forget the last time these two teams met in December of 2008, which was a complete blowout and hardly a game Cowboys fans want to remember.

Losing to their most hated rival 44-6 on the final weekend of the season clearly was not a happy ending or cherry on top of a topsy-turvy 2008 season. For the Cowboys that game has been erased from their minds and currently the squad focused on the 3-game winning streak that has them at the top of the NFC East standings.

Ever since Tony Romo as been at the helm, the Cowboys are 11-1 in November, which includes a win against the Eagles in Philadelphia in 2007. This game means more for to the ‘Boys than the Eagles, especially with all the hype that surrounded this team last season and the scrutiny they continue to receive on a weekly basis.

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Steelers-Broncos Monday Night Football Preview and Prediction

Editor’s Note: AJ Kaufman’s weekly MNF coverage on MSF is sponsored by Sadler’s Smokehouse, a producer of premium pit smoked meats that are best described by Sadler’s slogan: Legendary since 1948.

Sadler’s premium meats are perfect for tailgating on Saturday, for grilling out at home on Sunday, or for when you are hosting a group of friends, or even just the family, on Monday night.

With a variety of delicious choices (beef, pork, ribs, turkey, brisket, and more) and availability at grocery stores throughout the U.S., Sadler’s meats are the tasty, convenient choice when you want to watch the big game and eat well while you’re doing it.

Check out Sadler’s Monday Night Football Recipe of the Week: Sadler’s Smokehouse Pulled Pork Stew

Visit the Sadler’s Smokehouse website: Sadler’s Smokehouse

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Monday Night Football

Pittsburgh Steelers (5-2) at Denver Broncos (6-1)

• Steelers-Broncos Date: Monday, Nov 9th
• Steelers-Broncos Kickoff Time: 8:30 pm
• Steelers-Broncos TV Network: ESPN
• Steelers-Broncos Announcers: Mike Tirico, Ron Jaworski, and Jon Gruden
• Steelers-Broncos Point Spread: Steelers -3 (as of Saturday morning)
• Steelers-Broncos Over-Under: 40 (as of Saturday morning)
• Steelers-Broncos Spread Pick by Jerod: Did the glass slipper fall off of Denver last week in Baltimore? Or was it just a one week blip? We will certainly find out Monday night, but I think Denver is good enough to get more respect than being a three point home dog. Pittsburgh has been uneven this year and I think Denver will be able to slow down Big Ben and the passing game. With Rashard Mendenhall’s fumbilitis, I think plenty of opportunities will be there for Denver to get good field position and win a low scoring game. Steelers-Broncos free pick: Broncos +3

Steelers-Broncos MNF Preview and Analysis

While analysts around the league have suggested that last week’s loss against the then .500 Ravens is a “sign of things to come,” Broncos fans need not get wrapped up in such conjecture.

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NFL and College Picks for November 7th and 8th

The Guru still lives up to his name in the pro game, being 17-11 for the season so far.

Still not so hot with college though. 12-16-1 in a disappointing year so far.

Click here to see Jerod’s picks from earlier this week and then follow after the jump for this week’s college and NFL picks.

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NFL Betting: Week 9 Odds and Picks: Chiefs-Jaguars, Panthers-Saints, Pittsburgh-Denver

Goodbye baseball, hello NFL betting.

OK – the end of the baseball season doesn’t mean we all have to start betting on football. But we sports fans sure will be watching it and some of us will wager on it for office pools, friendly bets and so on. Let’s try a few more Week 9 NFL picks.

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The Circle City Holds its Collective Breath (Update: Indy Now Hyperventilating)

If an entire city holds its breath, does everything in that city turn purple?

Will the city ultimately “pass out?” (Which I guess would be manifested in power outages, stalled cares, and the like…)

Will bloggers strain to adequately develop forced metaphors instead of getting right to the point?

Well, we’re going to find out, because the entire city of Indianapolis is about to hold its collective breath while it awaits the results of yet another Bob Sanders visit to see Dr. James Andrews.

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Week 9 Injury Updates: Devin Hester, Calvin Johnson, Roddy White, Donald Driver, More

As we do every Friday, let’s roll through the NFL injury report and assess the carnage from a fantasy perspective.

Cardinals-Bears Injuries

Devin Hester injury update: Hester has missed two straight days of practice because of an ankle malady. As with Boldin, Hester’s participation on Friday will help determine whether he plays on Sunday or not.

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The Debate by the Lake: Browns Fans Disagree on Planned MNF Protest

Before we get into the heart of this post and this week’s podcast, let me just type something that all of our Browns readers can agree on:

Pittsburgh sucks.

Everyone nod in agreement, put down the Stadium Mustard, and now prepare to be separated into two distinct camps (both of which still hate Pittsburgh, no worries there).

In one corner: supporters of Dawg Pound Mike Randall and the walk-in-late protest that he and Mobile Dawg Tony Schaefer are planning for next Monday’s Browns-Ravens game in Cleveland Browns Stadium. If you side here, you most likely think Eric Mangini should have been shown the door with George Kokinis.

In the other corner: supporters of the opinion held by fellow die-hards like Peter Pattakos of ClevelandFrowns.com, who do not understand what will be accomplished by purposefully settling into their seats after kickoff. If you are on this side, you most likely believe that the correct next step for the Browns is something other than a knee-jerk firing of the head coach.

And now we bring you what I am officially dubbing The Debate by the Lake in which Dawg Pound Mike and Cleveland Frown Peter go head to head discussing their beloved Browns.

Two men with the same ultimate goal, but vastly different opinions on what the franchise and its fans should do next in an effort to get there.

Enjoy.

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Chiefs Fans Join Activism Trend: Demand Season-Long Deactivation of Larry Johnson

Who knows what will come it, but Browns and Chiefs fans are fed up, pissed off, not taking it anymore, and letting the management of their beloved teams know about it.

Two Browns fans recently announced their plans to lead a protest during the 1st quarter of next week’s Monday nighter between the Browns and Ravens in Cleveland. The plan has received plenty of national pub and even merited a meeting with Browns owner Randy Lerner yesterday.

In Kansas City, fans are petitioning Chiefs GM Scott Pioli to not allow Larry Johnson back on the field.

Their reasoning?

He is close to becoming the franchise’s all-time rushing leader, needing 80 yards to pass Priest Holmes, and they do not believe that Johnson is worthy of sitting atop that esteemed list.

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Greatness: Norman Chad on NFL Relocation to LA

Norman Chad is one of the most unique sportswriters in the business today. Without question, he is one of the funniest and most entertaining, filling his columns with an insightful whimsy that can be a breath of fresh air from the life-or-death nature of so many sports perspectives.

Our very own AJ Kaufman emailed me a link last night to Chad’s most recent column on the possibility of the NFL relocating back to LA. As Midwesterners, it’s difficult for us to have a truly informed perspective on this topic.

But luckily, that’s why we have Norman Chad. Excerpt and link after the jump:

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NFL Betting – Week 9 Lines and Picks: Cardinals-Bears, Chargers-Giants, Eagles-Cowboys

NFL betting is passing the halfway point and the decisions are getting tougher as slumping teams surprise and powerhouse teams falter.

Does Week 9 have any surprise NFL picks in store for us? Let’s have a look.

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Browns ’soul searching’ continues; GM Kokinis escorted out, Kosar could be in

Just hours after “soul-searching” about the fate of his Cleveland Browns, team owner Randy Lerner put his frustration to action with the removal of Browns General Manager George Kokinis, who was reportedly seen being escorted out of the Browns practice facility in Berea on Monday morning.

The Browns were not saying whether Kokinis resigned or was fired. However, late speculation from various media sources is, Kokinis was dismissed “with cause.”

The beleaguered — and largely absent — Kokinis, hired at the suggestion of Browns Head Coach Eric Mangini, seems to have been made the sacrificial lamb for the Browns 1-7 season, its anemic so-called offense, and the general frustration, malaise, and chaos that has been the Cleveland Browns organization since Mangini took the helm early this year.

As of Tuesday, Cleveland NBC affiliate, WKYC Channel 3 and the Lake County News-Herald have reported that Lerner has been speaking with former Browns GM Ernie Acorsi about the idea of possibly becoming the Browns next general manager with the purpose of grooming former Browns quarterback Bernie Kosar for that role.

However, The Plain Dealer is reporting that Acorsi, is in retirement with no desire to go back to work.

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Top 10 Most Likely Candidates to be the Next GM of the Cleveland Browns

In case you have not heard, George Kokinis was fired yesterday from his role as GM (General Mute) of the Cleveland Browns.

He had been on the job for less than a year and was reportedly at odds with head coach Eric Mangini as early as training camp. Rumors have since swirled that former Colts, Browns, and Giants GM Ernie Accorsi will be hired by Browns owner Randy Lerner soon.

We here at Midwest Sports Fans, however, are not so sure. Accorsi is a GM with a pretty successful track record and his hiring would almost seem to be too logical and sound a choice for the Browns.

So we put together top 10 list of candidates who – based on the Browns moribund history since being reinstated in 1999 -are probably more likely to be named General Manager than a former Super Bowl architect.

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NFL Power Rankings: Week 9 (It’s Not Unusual to Have the Saints at #1…)

Another great week of NFL action: the Colts won (but looked human), the Saints continue to roll, and the Giants continue to spiral out of control.

It seems like every week brings more drama to the stage during what has been a very exciting season thus far that we are now halfway through.

One thing is for sure….THE REDSKINS DIDN’T LOSE THIS WEEK! (But the Browns did!)

[Editor's Note: There you go dick Myles. Keep rubbing salt in the wound jackass buddy. Keep kicking Browns fans when they're down you no talent ass clown my friend.

I can't wait until Peyton Manning retires and your one-man franchise returns to sucking and all of its fair-weather fans go away.  Go ahead, shake your head. But you know it's true.]

Now, onto this week’s Power Rankings.

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George Kokinis Fired “With Cause” as Browns GM

Surprising news broke in Berea this evening. Browns GM George Kokinis, who has been on the job for less than a year, was fired on Monday.

Apparently a quick disintegration of his relationship with Eric Mangini helped spur his ouster.

ProFootballTalk was all over this story tonight. Here are the links to their coverage:

• Mangini, Kokinis marriage was doomed from the start
• Browns officially address firing of GM George Kokinis
• Report: Kokinis fired “with cause”

Also, there is this, from the News-Herald:

• Kokinis Out, Ernie Accorsi In