There were an unusual amount of big defensive performances yesterday. An unusual amount of missed kicks, too. But one of my big takeaways from the week is the familiar but painful realization that one thing your fantasy team can't do is play defense. Pretty sure we all have stories of a loss that would have been a win against a different -- any other, in fact -- playoff opponent. I always say that making the fantasy playoffs is about skill but winning in the playoffs is about luck. Hope it was with you this week.
Vikings at Bucs: Vikings moving the ball well early, with a Dalvin Cook touchdown; he'd have a good day. Otherwise, the Vikings offense did little aside sitting around watching Dan Bailey miss kicks, and I'm going to put some of the blame on Kirk Cousins. Unusual amount of time holding the ball in the backfield, apparently waiting for a receiver to come open. An odd day against the Bucs where a team ran it better than passed it. Tom Brady was missing throws for a lot of the game but made enough plays late, and the Bucs defense also stepped up. That will probably stick a fork in the Vikings in the NFC, while the Bucs playoff odds look a lot better. Bailey missed about a billion field goals and extra points for the second straight week and I don't even need to check to know he's not going to have a job by Wednesday.
Cardinals at Giants: For a month, the Cardinals offense has been struggling and the Giants Defense has been lights out. How could that get messed up? It did in a big way, with all key Cardinals delivering and the Giants defense getting pushed around and run over all game. Big game for DeAndre Hopkins, quiet game for the Giants offense, which didn't put any points on the board for most of the game -- didn't even cross midfield until late. Daniel Jones playing hurt is the likeliest answer (not that he's great, but he usually isn't that bad). Colt McCoy in late, but that late was too late. And the Giants let Dion Lewis vulture a short touchdown from Wayne Gallman as the cherry on top -- nice.
Kansas City at Dolphins: Patrick Mahomes started out shaky with 2 picks (one off his receiver's hands) and taking a 30-yard sack. Anyone worried? Not me. Mahomes came roaring back and both Hill and Kelce had huge days. Another dud from CEH though. Best thing about him this season is being able to use just three letters and have everyone know who you mean. DeAndre Washington didn't work out so great. But the guy had 15 touches and I watched him come inches from punching in a late touchdown (Tua Tagovailoa scored the next play on a keeper). Lynn Bowden ended up having a nice PPR day, Mike Gesicki had another good game but left with injury. DeVante Parker shut out, with some near-misses (including one in the end zone), not that that makes anyone feel better.
Titans at Jaguars: Gardner Minshew got back into this one, appropriately because he's Jacksonville's best quarterback currently. But their defense is absolutely awful and as a result A.J. Brown, Derrick Henry (especially, and naturally) and Ryan Tannehill all had good games. As it should be. Quiet start for James Robinson but he finished respectably. At least Jacksonville has one position sorted!
Cowboys at Bengals: Whoa how bad are the Bengals these days? They made Dallas look good. Bengals offense has clearly cratered without Burrow and Mixon. Suddenly A.J. Green looks like the best player. I'm not sure why Mixon would play the last three weeks of the season, what's the point. Dallas had a good game including a defensive touchdown, but it doesn't really seem fair beating up on Cincinnati, plus Amari Cooper was the only decent fantasy performer, which is disappointing.
Texans at Bears: We figured the Bears offense for good numbers. David Montgomery's long touchdown to open the scoring provided just that, and then Mitchell Trubisky and Allen Robinson did the rest. Taking one more weapon, Brandin Cooks, from Deshaun Watson, proved to be the tipping point, although he did have a rushing score overturned by replay (and the Texans then failed to get in the end zone, frustrating. Bears still alive for the postseason? Mebbe. Touchdown for Jimmy Graham, 4 catches for Cole Kmet -- those are the best receivers after Robinson in this offense. Decent numbers for Coutee and Hansen if you started them.
Broncos at Panthers: I have a spot for the Broncos; my son (born when we lived in Denver) likes them, Drew Lock seems like a likable guy. So good on him for having a big game, throwing 4 touchdowns against a Panthers defense that has had kind of a Jekyll and Hyde season. Breakout game for K.J. Hamler, I'll look for the table of all the times a team has drafted two wideouts in the first three rounds and the one selected 2nd has turned out better. It happens more than you'd think. Big game for Mike Davis, hope you started him (everyone who drafted Christian McCaffrey this year will always insure their top running back by selecting his backup going forward).
Jets at Seahawks: Anything need to be discussed here? Laugher for Seattle. We're one week closer to the end of the Adam Gase era. Nothing went right for the Jets, who missed their chances to get a win earlier in the season and are now operating on fumes. Their lack of resistance prevented Seattle from putting up better numbers, unfortunately.
Colts at Raiders: Somebody asked me on Saturday if Cam Akers was now the best of the rookie running backs. I resisted answering, and today someone will probably ask if Jonathan Taylor is, after his breakout game here. Raiders haven't played good defense all season and now they're getting worse. They're firing their defensive coordinator, which you might think couldn’t hurt but the Jets gave up 40 points yesterday. The T.Y. Hilton resurgence continues. Two really good teams in the AFC South.
Washington at 49ers: Tough watching poor Terry McLaurin these days, with lesser quarterbacks sailing passes over his head or otherwise off target. But Washington's defense dominated a lifeless 49ers offense, in which the Nick Mullens era has good and well run its course. And another touchdown for Jeff Wilson, who the 49ers didn't even keep on their initial roster but are now giving goal-line totes ahead of Raheem Mostert, Jerick McKinnon, anybody else. Can't recommend this backfield at all, a rarity in the Shanahan (father or son) years. Brandon Aiyuk had a nice game, some receiver had to; Deebo Samuel left early with a hamstring injury, which apparently might be it for a really disappointing season. Washington is in the driver's seat in the NFC East. San Francisco is quietly playing out the string.
Saints at Eagles: Upset special here, with Jalen Hurts making a good case to keep the job the rest of the year and outplaying New Orleans' running quarterback Taysom Hill. Hill finished with decent numbers but struggled for the vast majority of this one and was the main reason the Saints lost. Their defense obviously didn't do enough against Hurts (106 rushing yards), either. A garbage-time touchdown to Jared Cook saved both his and Hill's day, but not a good showing. Saints needs to get Drew Brees back, even though this cost them the No. 1 seed in the NFC. Big game for Miles Sanders, on the bench in most leagues, I suspect, after struggling lately and facing the league's best run defense (coming into the game, anyway). Tough one for the Saints and Hurts' doubters.
Falcons at Chargers: Apparently the Chargers front office really likes Anthony Lynn. I'm not sure why. This is a talented team that just makes bad decisions at crucial times. They won this one, mostly because Matt Ryan made bad decision after bad decision (3 interceptions). Worst was the Chargers failing to get a field goal off before the half after some lousy play calls. Anyhoo, I'd be lying if I said I didn't want more out of Justin Herbert, but at least he was better than Ryan, and his various receivers had good games, including Austin Ekeler (Mike Williams left with an injury). Nice game for Calvin Ridley, as almost always, and also Russell Gage (who threw a touchdown to Ridley; Ryan didn't even get that). Not too good for any other Atlanta players. The shootout we were hoping for didn't really happen; unfortunate.
Packers at Lions: Ho-hum. Packers offense did whatever it wanted in this one, with another big game from Aaron Rodgers (that's probably going to knock me out of the playoffs in a league, alas), at the expense of Aaron Jones (and Jamaal Williams got a decent amount of run, disappointing). Couldn't even let him have a late rushing score, alas. Lions made things presentable all the way up to a near-miss of an onside kick, but there was never much doubt that Green Bay was going to win. Three-back committee for Detroit, not great. Matthew Stafford sidelined late with a rib injury after a late hit, so we might get Chase Daniel next week.
Steelers at Bills: The highlight of the entire first half was an image of wings being sauced that aired shortly before the break. Big story I think was Diontae Johnson dropping a couple of early slants and getting benched for a half; he was back with a few receptions late but a bad beat if you lost a close one with Johnson (I was facing him so I approved of Mike Tomlin's move). Steelers incapable of running the ball and you start to wonder why they don't give Anthony McFarland more of a chance. Bills offense also struggling early but then they got Stefon Diggs going and he dominated. Is Pittsburgh the worst 11-2 team we've ever seen? Discuss. Great defense and nice QB-WR group and not much else.
Monday, Monday: This will theoretically be the game where the Browns punch their ticket as a legit playoff team, running roughshod over the Old Browns in a national spotlight game. And yet, the Ravens still have some fight left, shown by nearly beating Pittsburgh with their practice squad team and then clobbering Dallas. I'm going with Ravens 24, Browns 20, and hoping the Browns defense doesn't do too much, helping me move on in the playoffs. While remembering you can't control luck.