The final week of the NFL season is always weird, since some playoff-bound teams rest regulars and some also-rans take a look at next year’s players.
But for fantasy GMs with assets on teams playing must-win games, Week 17 was golden. Just ask those starting Donovan McNabb, who threw for two touchdowns and ran for a third score during Philadelphia’s 44-6 demolition of the Cowboys.
McNabb wasn’t the hottest fantasy commodity in the league this season. You will recall that Eagles coach Andy Reid benched him back in Week 12. After that, though, McNabb turned back the clock by throwing nine TD passes against just one interception.
He pushed his season passing yardage total 3,916, a new career high. It will be interesting to see what becomes of McNabb next season, given all the scuttlebutt about his declining ability.
The Eagles must allow him to continue his run, right?
Here were some other good, bad and ugly developments during the final week of regular season play:
GOOD: Panthers running back DeAngelo Williams continued his statistical assault, rushing for 178 yards against the Saints. This was his seventh 100th-yard game in his last nine outings. Running mate Jonathan Stewart added 56 yards and a TD. It was business as usual for Carolina’s ground game, which will be very popular in 2009 drafts.
BAD: Nasty weather ruined Matt Cassel’s passing day in Buffalo. The Patriots stayed on the ground and pounded out a 13-0 victory. Cassel put the ball up just eight times, throwing for just 76 yards and no touchdowns. This was not the big finish some fantasy GMs were hoping for.
UGLY: Jets quarterback Brett Favre threw three more interceptions Sunday, giving him nine picks against just two TD passes during the last five games of the season. He is talking retirement, again, and this time he is admitting that his shoulder might be toast. His exciting first half of this season seems like a long, long time ago.
GOOD: Remember when Rams running back Steven Jackson was a Top 10 pick in almost every fantasy draft? Sunday we saw why – and why he will go very high next year, too. He piled up 215 yards from scrimmage in a 31-27 loss to the Falcons and rushed for two touchdowns. Despite all his injury issues, he has strung together four consecutive 1,000-yard seasons.
BAD: Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo completed his December swoon and tanked his ’09 fantasy value. During the lopsided loss to the Eagles, he passed for just 183 with no touchdowns. He threw an interception, lost two fumbles and suffered three sacks. Even Jessica Simpson will likely mark him down to a late-round pick next season.
UGLY: The battered Browns offense mustered just 126 total yards against the Steelers. The only hero in the 31-0 loss to Pittsburgh was running back Jamal Lewis, who rushed for 94 yards for Cleveland. Fill-in quarterback Bruce Gradkowski completed just five passes for 18 yards. Yeech!
GOOD: Saints quarterback Drew Brees had to keep throwing, given the depleted state of the New Orleans ground game. Fantasy GMs owning Brees didn’t mind – since he tacked 386 passing yards and four more TDs onto to his impressive 2008 totals.
BAD: The Bears defense went down to Houston and yielded 455 yards and 31 points to the Texans. Chicago didn’t earn a sack or make an interception.
UGLY: Buccaneers running back Cadillac Williams was building some ’09 fantasy value in the season finale. He rushed for 78 yards and two touchdowns on 12 carries. He caught five passes for 37 yards. But then he suffered another catastrophic knee injury, reminding us just how cruel that sport is.
GOOD: Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson finished a challenging season on a strong note, rushing for 96 yards and three touchdowns against the hapless Denver defense. That’s highly efficient production on just 14 touches.
BAD: Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger absorbed still another knockout blow Sunday. When will Pittsburgh quit exposing him to so much abuse? And will all these concussions finally take their toll on his long-term statistical value?
UGLY: The Lions offense outside of receiver Calvin Johnson, who caught 12 TD passes and had 17 receptions of 25 yards or more. What if he had a top-notch quarterback throwing him the ball and a real running game opening up deep passing routes?
GOOD: The Giants finished with two 1,000-yard rushers, Brandon Jacobs and Derrick Ward. That hadn’t happened in the NFL since 1985. With so many good two-back combos in the league these days, odds are we’ll see it happen again soon.
