A sports blog by and for Midwest Sports Fans
Defense versus Offense is the quintessential argument in sports. Saturday, another chapter will be written on this polarizing subject as the second-ranked 49ers defense will be faced with the task of shutting down the high-powered offense that may seem to be on the heels of another dominant victory.
Despite Tebow 3:16, this is, without question, the most interesting playoff game for me this weekend. So let’s set the stage…
In one of the most promising, if not the best, Monday Night Football match-ups of the season, the Pittsburgh Steelers (10-3) head west to take on the San Francisco 49ers (10-3).
Unlike last week’s less-than-stellar showing from the Rams and Seahawks, this game features two teams each near the top of their conference, both fighting for playoff seeding and the hope of a first-round bye.
The game will kick off a crazy holiday week for the NFL, with games on five of the next eight days. This one has the potential to be a slugfest and will definitely be worth watching Monday night.
Thanksgiving is a football fan’s dream: plenty of good food and plenty of good football.
Even though some fantasy owners don’t like their guys playing so early, it could actually work in your favor if you are down a pretty big margin after the Thursday games have ended and taking a big risk is necessary.
No byes again this week, so getting a lucky matchup with your opposition missing Aaron Rodgers and Matt Forte are over.
Please, enjoy your holiday and this week’s Stock Report. (And find a replacement for Fred Jackson fast.)
Jon will have the overall Week 12 start/sit post ready to go for tomorrow morning, but with three games on Thanksgiving Thursday I thought it might be helpful to do a special start/sit column for those games.
So in this post I’ll do just that, providing analysis and recommendations for the key players you need to decide on before Turkey Day.
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Hey fantasy fanatics! Who’s ready for week 11? How are your teams shapin’ up? Let’s take a look at the important injuries for Week 11 and who we all need to keep an eye on heading into Sunday.
Week 8 of fantasy football has arrived, and the playoffs are seemingly right around the corner. While it is important to get your rosters set now for the long run, you also needs wins, especially during these bye-riddled weeks, to make sure you get a shot at the second season.
Here are some last minute tips on some players who could disappoint this week, as well as some others who are set up for success to help your fantasy team in Week 8.
It is already the sixth week of the NFL season, and the players and teams who are for real are becoming apparent. The standings are beginning to take form, and some teams have already seen their playoff chances dashed.
Here are some tips for those who may have any last minute questions for Week 6.
Everyone loves to draft a guy that he thinks is a sleeper. Why? Because it’s our way of proving to everyone else that, “Yes, I know more than you.” Beyond that, it’s simply quite fun to draft a guy that surprises everybody else.
Like I said before, it’s not that fun to draft Ichiro. You know exactly what you’re getting. (Or at least you used to know, before this season.) On the flip side, thinking about Jason Heyward’s upside gives us all visions of glory.
But when it comes to drafting running backs for your fantasy football team this year, save the “sleepers” for other positions.
Editor’s Note: Griffin Gotta’s weekly MNF coverage on MSF is sponsored for the second straight year 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.
Visit the Sadler’s Smokehouse website: Sadler’s Smokehouse
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Because I write these previews on Thursday, I can’t very well give you my thoughts on yesterday’s slate of games at the moment. This is something you’re all torn up about, I’m sure, but that’s the way it goes.
Instead, I want to fill the little intro this week with an irrelevant wish:
After spacing out and driving straight on a green arrow signal, I wish there was a way I could tell the person I cut off, through some kind of mind signal, that I’m not really an asshole, just an idiot, my bad. That’d make me feel better.
With that, let’s take a look at the Monday night matchup between the New Orleans Saints (-6) at San Francisco 49ers.
In this week’s edition of I’ll Tell You This, we feature a new segment at the end of the article. Check it out and give me your feedback! Here we go….
1 – NFL Injuries
Three weeks are now in the books in this young NFL season, and injuries have already began to raise its ugly head.
First of all, and likely worst of all, The Miami Dolphins received news today that Chad Pennington’s shoulder injury, which occurred during Miami’s loss to San Diego, is likely to end Pennington’s season. Pennington tore a capsule in his throwing shoulder, and will likely be replaced for the season by back up QB Chad Henne.
The upstart 49ers took what could be a devastating hit to their offense as Frank Gore went down on his first rushing attempt. X-rays were negative as to any broken bones, although Gore underwent an MRI late on Monday evening. The 49ers are claiming that this injury is not related in any way to Gore’s ankle sprain last week in his 207 destruction of the Seattle Seahawks.
In the third quarter of the Colts’ handling of the Arizona Cardinals, pro-bowl DE Dwight Freeney was taken to the locker room with what was said to be a quad injury. Freeney said when he was held by a member of the Cardinal’s OL, he felt a pop in his quad. Freeney was also scheduled to have an MRI on Monday night.
On Bill Polian’s radio show, Polian gave little information, but did go on record saying:
“The docs will report to us later this evening, so we’ll know something then, but I don’t think there will be anything definitive for quite a while… The positive side is that he basically said, ‘I can walk, I can play.’ The good news is I don’t have any bad news.”
I’ll Tell You This: All three of these injuries are devastating to their respective teams.
Miami is 0-3 and cannot afford to lose another game. Unfortunately for them, their star QB is now gone for the season. Chad Henne is unproven, and things could go from bad to worse for the Phins.
I don’t think the Frank Gore’s injury is really worth worrying about. With no broken bones, at worst, Gore may be out a couple of weeks. In a weak division, San Fran already has a 2-1 record.
The Colts have got to be worried about losing Freeney. Who knows when Bob Sanders will come back, and the last thing that this defense wants to see is their leader, and best player, on the sidelines for any large amount of time.
2 – The Colts
Speaking of the Indianapolis Colts, they displayed quite an impressive game in a blowout win of Arizona.
I am neither a 49ers fan, nor particularly a fan of the University of Miami. But I have always been a big Frank Gore fan.
He has a great backstory, which I’ll get to a minute, and is the kind of athlete that you root for regardless of whether he’s on your team or not.
But right now, the big news about Frank Gore is that he is injured…again…and his fantasy owners will have to make alternate plans for the next couple of weeks.
One play into the 3rd Quarter, 49ers RB Frank Gore scampered for a long TD. The run gave him 206 yards on 12 carries with almost the entire second half to play.
Adrian Peterson currently holds the single-game rushing record with his 296-yard performance as a rookie. Gore needs 91 yards over the next 29 minutes of okay to break Peterson’s record.
Stay tuned….and go Browns!!!!
Update for Week 16: Frank Gore’s status is till in doubt for this Sunday’s Week 16 game between the San Francisco 49ers and St. Louis Rams. Monitor Gore’s status throughout the week, and pick up DeShaun Foster if he is still available in your league. We highlighted DeShaun Foster in this week’s Sleeper Focus, and he could provide good numbers again if he starts in palace of Gore.
Fantasy football owners who have ridden San Francisco 49ers running back Frank Gore into the playoffs received some bad news this morning when they checked for an injury update: Frank Gore will not play on Sunday in the 49ers Week 15 matchup against the Miami Dolphins.
Frank Gore has an ankle injury and his availability had been in question all week — he was listed as questionable on the official injury report. In fact, earlier in the week the 49ers signed Thomas Clayton off of their practice squad for depth which, as Adam Schefter of NFL.com reported, tipped off that the 49ers were not optimistic about Frank Gore’s chances of playing.
If you are a Frank Gore owner and now have a hole in your lineup because of his absence, you should run to the waiver wire and see if DeShaun Foster is available. The former Carolina Panther will start in Frank Gore’s place; and while he does not have a great matchup against a solid Dolphins’ D, he will be getting starting RB touches.
DeShaun Foster only has 78 yards rushing on the season, be he has scored a TD on a reception. And Mike Martz is very creative in how he uses his running backs. Frank Gore is just south of 1,000 yards right now, and also has 42 receptions for 367 yards. Especially if you are in a PPR league, DeShaun Foster could be a nice little diamond in the rough for you today.
There is no word on how long the 49ers expect Frank Gore to be out. He did make the trip to Miami with the team, and the 49ers were hopeful that he could test out the ankle in pregame warmups and that he would be okay. This was obviously not the case, however, as the team announced last night that Frank Gore would sit the Sunday Week 15 matchup out.
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