Week 5 (2009) Sunday Happenings

First Matchups of Sunday:
Washington v. Carolina
Pittsburgh v. Detroit
Cincinnati v. Baltimore
Cleveland v. Buffalo
Minnesota v. St. Louis
Dallas v. Kansas City
New York Giants v. Oakland
Tamba Bay v. Philadelphia

• Clinton Portis scored a touchdown.  It's been a drought for the former fantasy star, but he found pay dirt today on a pass from Jason Campbell.  He owes it to a turnover-riddled Carolina offense, namely a fumble from DeAngelo Williams.  Update: Portis tackled in the end zone for a safety.
• Anyone who happened to start Ahmad Bradshaw today should be thanking the fantasy gods for their good fortune.  One quarter, two touchdowns for the running back.  (Also has 60 yards rushing and a 55-yard reception)
• IDP Update: Jared Allen is a goldmine.  52-yard fumble return for a touchdown.  It's a good day for the Vikings.
• IDP Update: Ed Reed returns an interception 52 yards for a touchdown.
• The Cowgirls seem incapable of living up to the hype.  They're down 10-0 against the Chiefs.  Mike Vrabel scores a touchdown, just like his good ol' days as a Patriot.
• The Giants game is already a rout with 10 minutes left in the second quarter.  It's pretty pathetic at 28-0 in favor of New York.
• Steven Jackson continues to disappoint as he fumbles at the goal line.  He seem incapable of breaking the plane.  On the bright side for Jared Allen owners, he now has two fumble recoveries.  He's worth more than Jackson at this point by a long shot.
• Donovan McNabb is back in fine fashion with two touchdowns, but neither goes to his normal beneficiaries, so it's unlikely you're capitalizing on his receivers.  Update: Make that three touchdowns before the half.  If you started rookie Jeremy Maclin, rejoice.  You made a decision the rest of us wouldn't have and it payed off.  Royally.
• The Vikings defense has recovered another fumble.  That's three at the half.

Halftime score updates:
BAL: 7    CIN: 3
MIN: 17    STL: 3
CLE: 3    BUF: 0
WAS: 10    CAR: 2
KC: 10    DAL: 3
NYG: 31   OAK: 7
PIT: 21   DET: 13
PHI: 21  TB: 7

• If you started any Browns player, shame on you.  Derek Anderson is 1-of-8 for 16 yards.  There's not much to be said for the Bills other than Marshawn Lynch has some decent receiving yards and will hopefully post more in the rushing section as the second half progress.
• Happy belated birthday Brett Favre.  Your first touchdown as a 40-year old quarterback to Visanthe Shiancoe looked like the young you all over again.
• Portis update: Rushing touchdown brings his total to two.  For all those owners who decided to bench him this week, find a friend and hug it out.
• It looks like Ray Rice was the Baltimore back to start this week in the platoon.  His 48-yard touchdown catch increases his value further as the PPR back between him and Willis McGahee.
• Big Ben Roethlisberger is spreading the touchdowns out between three players.  Hines Ward, Heath Miller and Mike Wallace (Yahoo!'s Brad Evans' shocker special for the week) all have one.
• DeAngelo Williams had a wide open lane on the outside to blast past the Redskins defenders for a touchdown.  He looked like he did late last year.
• Miles Austin was the Cowboys receiver to play.  Sorry Patrick Crayton.
• Tony Romo may keep his job after all.  He owes it all to the above receiver.
• Kellen Winslow put up numbers reminiscent of his fantasy heydays - over 100 yards and two touchdowns.

Final Scores:
NYG: 44    OAK: 7
MIN: 38    STL: 10
CIN: 17    BAL: 14
CLE: 6     BUF: 3
CAR: 20    WAS: 17
PHI: 33    TB: 14
DAL: 26   KC: 20 (OT)

Second Matchups of Sunday:
Atlanta v. San Francisco
Denver v. New England
Jacksonville v. Seattle
Arizona v. Houston

• Atlanta is making a mockery of San Francisco.  They've put up 14 points in under ten minutes.
• The debut of Knowshon Moreno as a starter in the "Wild Horses" formation was certainly exciting, but Belichick rallied the troops and put a start to that nonsense.  Moreno just fumbled the ball, ruining a nice run for a first down.  Jerod Mayo was there for the stop and forced fumble.
• Matt Ryan and Roddy White have all the chemistry they need.  They've connected for two touchdowns already, with one of them a 90-yard catch-and-run.
• Brandon Marshall has his second over-the-cornerback touchdown catch in two weeks.  The Broncos managed to march downfield, going from first down to first down.  Eddie Royal looks like he's back in the mix as well.
• Michael Turner has two touchdowns.  It's an offensive stomping from the Falcons.
• The return of Matt Hasselbeck has produced two touchdowns, one each to Nate Burleson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh.  The Seahawks are crushing the Jags.
• Kurt Warner is back to his Kurt Warner ways.  Larry Fitzgerald benefits greatly.
• Tom Brady is connecting all over with Wes Welker.  The Broncos can't contain the slot with Welker running the routes.
• Make that two touchdowns for Houshmandzadeh.  Where are the Jaguars?
• Forgot to post halftime scores.  I should be flogged.
• Roddy White and Miles Austin both surpass 200 receiving yards and two touchdowns for each.  If you're sporting both of these receivers, go out and get a drink.  There's nothing left but to wait for your opponent's tears.
• Randy Moss' first catch of the day (besides that wacky interception on the Hail Mary pass by Kyle Orton at the end of the first half) was a big one.  The Patriots are just outside of the red zone.
• Burleson has two touchdowns as well.  Hasselbeck seems to flawless at this point with no interceptions and (count 'em) four touchdowns.
• Matt Schaub and Andre Johnson hook up for a touchdown on a quick screen pass from 11 yards out and give fantasy value to their names needed to compete with the other major quarterback/receiver tandems today.
• IDP Update: Nick Reed returns a fumble 79 yards for a touchdown.
• Another two touchdown day for a big receiver.  Congratulations Andre Johnson.
• It's a decimation for the 49ers.  Matt Ryan just dashed in for a one-yard touchdown run.
• Denver's special teams gave the Patriots two extra chances at a scoring drive thanks to penalties on the punt.  Those sorts of mistakes normally cost you, but their defense stood strong for over six minutes to set up a third punt.  They need to take it down the field for a touchdown to tie it up.
• And Denver does it.  98-yard scoring drive ties it up at 17 points.  The Patriots have over five minutes, however, to answer.  The touchdown belongs to Brandon Marshall who fakes an inside move, cuts to the outside and dives in giving him two touchdowns on the day.  Again, a major receiver putting up double scores.
• IDP Update: Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie returns an interception 49 yards for a touchdown against Houston.
• A goal-line stand for Arizona paid off.  Chris Brown fails to found the end zone with three tries.  Win for Arizona.
• The Seahawks blowout of the Jags was just bloody.  Same goes for the Falcons crushing the 49ers.
• Beautiful kick by Matt Prater for the overtime win.

Final Scores:
SEA: 41   JAX: 0
ATL: 45   SF: 10
ARI: 28   HOU: 21
DEN: 20    NE: 17 (OT)

Final Matchup of Sunday:
Indianapolis v. Tennessee

• Even Drew Brees owners are bound to envy Peyton Manning owners.  He just can't seem to do any wrong.
• Tennessee is incapable of doing...well...anything.  The Colts have it all.
• Austin Collie is racking up catches left and right.  Reggie Wayne doing the same doesn't surprise us as much.
• Is Tennessee ever going to answer the Colts?
• No.
• Vince Young is out to throw.  This game is over.  Can Young really be the future of the Titans?  Probably not.
• Collie ends it as the more productive receiver.  That's bound to happen when defenses have to account for someone like Wayne.  Someone has to benefit from that double coverage.

Final Score:
IND: 31   TEN: 9


Monday night should yield a good one.  A mighty ground-game prepares to take on a mighty run defense.  Can Ronnie Brown produce like Pierre Thomas did against Rex Ryan's Jets?  Mark Sanchez looks to remind people that he isn't just full of beginner's luck.