Tuesday Morning Quarterback

Player of the Week: You know, no matter how many times I watch him play, no matter how many times I write about how great he is, both on the field and off, I never get bored. You would think that this boyish giddiness was coming from a first time owner, but I've owned LaDanian Tomlinson in fantasy football every year since 2001. He is just unbelievable. In the much hyped "Battle of the Running Backs", LTD showed Larry Johnson who the big swinging dick in the NFL truly is as he torched the Chiefs defense for 199 rushing yards with 2 TDs, one of which was an 85 yarder -- the longest of his famed career. He also threw in a catch for 5 yards just to get his all-purpose yardage over the 200 mark. LJ? Pfffft! 84 piddly-ass yards. Anyone with a first or second overall pick that passed up on Tomlinson for those other two clowns should have to pay a penalty fee in your league.



You're en route towards some extra holiday cash if you started:

QB Peyton Manning, IND -- 282 passing yards-4 TD, 10 rushing yards
QB Michael Vick, ATL -- 237 passing yards-4 TD, 1 INT, 56 rushing yards
QB Rex Grossman, CHI -- 339 passing yards-2 TD
QB Alex Smith, SF -- 162 passing yards-2 TD, 33 rushing yards
QB Tony Romo, DAL -- 278 passing yards-2 TD, 1 INT
QB Jay Cutler, DEN -- 261 passing yards-2 TD, 1 INT, 10 rushing yards
RB LaDanian Tomlinson, SD -- 199 rushing yards-2 TD, 5 receiving yards
RB Steven Jackson, STL -- 127 rushing yards-2 TD
RB Frank Gore, SF -- 144 rushing yards, 34 receiving yards-1 TD
RB Brian Westbrook, PHI -- 97 rushing yards-2 TD, 40 receiving yards
RB Willie Parker, PIT -- 132 rushing yards-1 TD
WR Marvin Harrison, IND -- 86 receiving yards-3 TD
WR Laveraneus Coles, NYJ -- 144 receiving yards-1 TD
WR Joey Galloway, TB -- 107 receiving yards-1 TD
WR Terrell Owens, DAL -- 69 receiving yards-2 TD
WR Javon Walker, DEN -- 84 receiving yards-1 TD
TE Desmond Clark, CHI -- 125 receiving yards-2 TD
TE Jerramy Stevens, SEA -- 64 receiving yards-1 TD
K Stephen Gostkowski, NE -- 4 FG, 4 XP
K Mike Nugent, NYJ -- 4 FG, 2 XP
DEF New England Patriots -- 4 INT, 4 sacks, 1 DTD
DEF Dallas Cowboys -- 2 INT, 4 sacks, 1 DFR, 1 DTD

You're en route towards returning some of those holiday gifts you overspent on if you started:

QB Joey Harrington, MIA -- 20 passing yards, 2 INT
QB David Carr, HOU -- 127 passing yards, 4 INT
QB Phillip Rivers, SD -- 97 passing yards, 2 INT
QB Carson Palmer, CIN -- 176 passing yards
QB Steve McNair, BAL -- 0 passing yards, 0 points (left game with injury)
RB Tatum Bell, DEN -- 29 rushing yards, 12 receiving yards, FL
RB Reggie Bush, NO -- 14 rushing yards, 19 receiving yards
RB Julius Jones, DAL -- 26 rushing yards
WR Marty Booker, MIA -- 2 rushing yards, 0 receiving yards
WR Chris Chambers, MIA -- 11 rushing yards, 0 receiving yards
WR Greg Jennings, GB -- 5 receiving yards
WR Donte Stallworth, PHI -- 5 receiving yards
WR Drew Bennett, TEN -- 0 receiving yards, 0 points
WR Roy Williams, DET -- 11 receiving yards
TE Antonio Gates, SD -- 7 receiving yards
TE Owen Daniels, HOU -- 9 receiving yards
K Kris Brown, HOU -- 1 XP
K Ryan Longwell, MIN -- 1 XP
DEF Seattle Seahawks -- 24 PA, 390 TYdA

You just got your Christmas goose early this year if you knew to start:

QB Tim Rattay, TB -- 268 passing yards-3 TD, 1 INT
QB Kyle Boller, BAL -- 238 passing yards-2 TD, 1 INT, 12 rushing yards, FL
RB Kevin Faulk, NE -- 22 rushin gyards-1 TD, 46 receiving yards-1 TD
RB Vernand Morrency, GB -- 54 rushing yards-2 TD
RB Mike Bell, DEN -- 61 rushing yards-2 TD
WR Demetrius Williams, BAL -- 100 receiving yards-1 TD
TE Robert Royal, BUF -- 62 receiving yards-1 TD
DEF Tennessee Titans -- 3 INT, 5 sacks, 1 DFR, 3 DTD

News & Notes

A shootout in the RCA Dome last night? Not when the only one packing heat was Peyton Manning and the Colts. Amidst the inane ramblings of Tony Kornheiser and his cries of not winning "the big game", Peyton hooked up with old stalwart Marvin Harrison three times in the endzone, while the Colts D made Carson and Co. look like they belonged in the Kiddie Korrall. Fantasy owners don't care about his Super Bowl. He just won them "the big game" here in Week 15.

Aside from the fact that you can have an elite back on a mediocre team tearing up the fantasy world, all Frank Gore and the Niners taught me is that the Seahawks are just a shell of the team they were last year. Swept by San Francisco? No Bowl for you!!

In the immortal words of Ground Control to Major Tom -- "Commencing countdown, engines on." LaDanian...31 and counting.

Fantasy owners everywhere getting a little taste of mid-season Michael Vick just in time to put him into your lineup for next week's championship? Suckers!!!

I hope this past week helped you finally answer the question of whether to play Julius Jones or Marion Barber each week.

Yup! Nothing like a game against the Lions to build you up a little. Brett Favre sets the NFL record for most completions, tosses 3 INTs and still comes out a winner. I hear Roy Williams is guaranteeing a number one draft pick now.

But it looks like Detroit has a little competition as Oaktown seems to just be handing over games to build up the loss column. 5 turnovers? "Why don't you just give them the king!?! Give it to 'em!!" (mid 80's SNL reference to Jim Belushi as a chess team coach -- wish I could find the video to link it -- this blurb is great if you know it -- oof!)

It's Murphy's Law. Raise your hand if you sat someone better in favor of Drew Brees. Just what we all needed for the playoffs this week.

You know, Ladell Betts is making an awfully strong case for trading Clinton Portis. And I'm talking both fantasy and reality.

O.K. Just 2 weeks left in the season. Some fantasy leagues still going. Will the real Rex Grossman please stand up.

And how about that Bears/Bucs game? If this happened a few weeks earlier, Tim Rattay would have been jumping off waiver wires just in time to ruin your fantasy team. Let Joey Galloway owners reap these garbage time benefits. The rest of us should consider ourselves lucky.

Fast Willie Parker -- coming to a top 5 draft choice near you

All right. Sure. It was Joey Harrington and ::pause, slight chuckle:: Cleo Lemon, but that Buffalo D is gonna win someone a fantasy championship here.

Can someone please tell me which friggin Bell to play!?!?! The dude over at ESPN.com is right. If you have them both, then you should be allowed to start the UberBell each week.

By the way, speaking of Denver...this Arizona game is just the beginning for Jay Cutler. He's going to have a tremendous next 2 weeks. Keeper league owners get ready.

Now that's teamwork. If Vince Young can't win the game for you, the defense comes to the rescue. This team is playing the spoiler and are going to be something to watch next year.

And seriously...what's with the friggin' Jags?

I only ask this because I know the Giants aren't really as bad as they're playing, but is Jeff Garcia going to lead the Eagles into the playoffs and maybe beyond?

I'm still trying to figure out how the Browns put up 17 points. Kyle Boller to the rescue??? I'm not so sure these guys are going to be able to hang with San Diego in the playoffs anymore.

Ah yes, just what the Patriots need. An easy tune up game to get hot right before it really matters. The Jets fan in me is cringing.

And speaking of...

8-6? Chad and Laveraneus win us a meaningful December game? My Jets in a playoff hunt? It's a Christmas miracle!!!!!