Even rarer is when said matchup comes down to, not only the Monday night game, but to one of the defenses in the Monday night game..and that is all. Well such a thing is what happened to me, this very Monday.
Entering Monday I was clinging to a slim three point lead in my work league, with my opponent having only the Eagles defense left to play. Now, I will admit, and I am sure I am not alone, that I rarely look at the scoring settings for defense/special teams. If the defense/special teams unit scores touchdowns and or gives up few points, they are probably good, but rarely do I delve too deep into the actual settings surrounding defensive scoring. In fact, I usually end up using several different defenses throughout the season. Without checking the actual settings, I was aware of the fact that, whatever those actual settings may be, the Eagles were projected to get four points and if they did I would lose and fall to 1-1. Now, for a frame of reference, I am in five fantasy leagues and this was the only league where the Monday Night game would play any role in the outcome. As in I was 1-3 in my other four leagues, barring a minor miracle (like T.Y. Hilton outscoring Ahmad Bradshaw by 55 points) regardless of what happened in this game. I needed this win. In my mind, I deserved this win. Another factor at play was the fact I was playing the commissioner of the league and he sits diagonally across from me, so this matchup was for bragging rights and trash talk for at least the next week or so. Like I said, I needed this. In come the Colts.
The Colts were well on there way to keeping the Eagles from getting four points, right into the fourth quarter. I was down by, I believe, .7 or something, while he Colts were up 27-20, fairly deep in Eagles territory, with under six minutes to go. At this point, margin for error was slim, for both myself and the Colts. The Colts were in field goal territory! I feverishly scrolled through the league settings on my phone and found that just one, yes one, more Colts point or about 25 more Colts yards would get me the "W". The Colts tried playing mostly a ball control, clock eating offense all game, so when third down happened, with the Colts well within Adam Vinatieri's range (Vinatieri is roughly 857-858 from that range, indoors, I think) I was starting to get confident that I had this sewn up. Victory would be mine. I would be first in my work league at 2-0. All the Colts really needed to do, was not turn the ball over! Then, well, then it happened.
Jon Gruden, up in the booth, said, something along the lines of it's smart to run the ball, here, but if you pass, you have to make good decisions. Yep, I was screwed. On third down, the Colts choose a pass play (oh boy, increased chance at a turnover) and Luck spots T.Y. Hilton, throws it his way, and Hilton, of course, seemingly falls down and the ball falls right into the arm of an Eagles defender. All they needed to do was NOT turn the ball over! Upon seeing replays it was clear that Hilton was held, interfered with, dragged to the ground. whatever you want to call it, but without any call from the referees. But, hey, that was what it was, I was still down. The good news was there was still plenty of time left for the Colts to get the ball back after the Eagles possession. I now just needed a Colts score of any kind and about 50 yards or so from their offense. Piece of cake right? Wrong.
The Colts have Andrew Luck who seemingly thrives under pressure, in the waning minutes of close games (although I think the fourth quarter comeback/ clutchiness "statistic" is overrated and needs to be qualified a bit more, but that's for another day) so of course they would give him the ball and let him create. It would be a magical drive, getting me the needed yards and score for the victory, right? Wrong. The Colts run back-to-back conservative run plays from their 20, that get little yardage, setting up 3rd and long-ish with just under three minutes left to be played The Colts were not playing to win, in my mind, they were playing not to lose. The Colts punted. The Colts would not get the ball back, would be awarded no points and could only hope that God would have mercy on their souls. On my living room couch, staring at Andrew Luck on my TV screen, might as well have been me staring into a mirror.
Yep, the "Luck Face" (now almost as popular as the "Eli Aww Shucks Face") said it all. A heartbreaking week two lost for both of our squads, but at least he still got paid for the losing effort.
The Colts seemingly snatched a defeat from the jaws of victory. Sure, the interception should have been a penalty, but it wasn't. The play itself was not necessarily a bad call, per se. It was borderline gutsy, but not really. What baffles me, is how the Colts leaned a bit more to the unconservative side, in that situation and then, in a tie game, late, with Mr. late Game Hero on their side, went towards the ultra conservative side? It's mind bottling.
Anyways, for those of you not at all interested in my fantasy woes ( I am sure you are few and far between) or the plight of the Eagles defense in the fantasy sense, here's some other fantasy foofarah:
- I still think Justin Hunter will have a breakout week some day and I think that someday is Sunday against the Bengals, who are giving up decent fantasy points to receivers.
- Dan Carpenter has more fantasy points than Chad Henne and almost as many as EJ Manuel.
- Well, as a Ledarius Green owner, I can't say Antonio Gates' demise being grossly exaggerated, pleased me much. At some point Green is a factor...maybe even in 2014. Gates, by the way was 54.5% owned in week two.
- Get on the Brain Quick bandwagon, well, quickly, especially in PPR. Even with the Rams QB situation he has 14 receptions, seven in each game and the Rams play Dallas' not so big "D" this week.
- The Texans D gets the Giants this week....might be a tough week for owners of Giants "skill" players, just sayin'.
- Well, maybe not Larry Donnell. Donnell has 12 catches for 137 yards and a touchdown this season. At this point he is the only one consistently getting balls from Eli. Yes, I am aware of my wording.
- Remember when everyone jumped to get Allen Hurns? Two catches, 13 yards in week two.
- Go Paul-in! Cousins to Paul could be a big, big combo this week!
- Justin Forsett still lying around on a good many waiver wires and the Browns have allowed the 7th most rushing yards in the NFL through two weeks. I like Forsett to outshine Bernard Pierce.
- Anyone who drafted Steve Smith, Sr. is a lucky duck.
- Dennis Pitta owners have a bounty on Owen Daniels' head yet?
- Not sure who is actually thinking it, but if you are thinking about starting Bishop Sankey this week, don't. If a big breakout happens, it won't be at Cincy....wait for Indy.
- Kendall Wright on the other hand, should get back on track. The Bengals have given up 33 receptions for 348 yards and two TDs in two games this season.
- RG III you are my fantasy kryptonite.
- If you're trying to replace RG III and Kirk Cousins is gone, Josh McCown could have a decent Thursday night in Atlanta. McCown is averaging more fantasy points than Kaepernick, Flacco, Dalton and that no name in New England, Tom Brady.
- Speaking of Brady, he did this last season with the slow fantasy start. Don't panic, it'll come soon..ish. Probably.
- If Desean Jackson doesn't suit up on Sunday in Philly, I like Andre Roberts for a big play. Decent deep play, anyways against the Iggles.
- Ryan Fitzpatrick? Really? Ah, who am I kidding? I'd follow that gorgeous beard to the ends of the Earth!
- I don't see Ahmad Bradshaw slowing down any in Jacksonville; the Jags have allowed 289 yards and four TDs on the ground this season.
- Mark my words, Shane Vereen will have a big fantasy week in week three.
- Same goes for Joique Bell!
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