The Tebow Effect

Not to long ago I introduced to you a theory on judging NFL quarterbacks knows as the "Jerk Test". Well today I plan on laying out a possible exception to that test known as the "Tebow Effect".

To sum it up quickly the Jerk Test is a method of gauging how much of a jerk an NFL quarterback is. Unlike most situations in life, the Jerk Test proposes that being a jerk is a positive attribute for a quarterback to have. This allows him to be the alpha dog in the locker room and take control of the huddle. But what if a quarterback is so far the opposite way that his teammates are drawn to him? What if the player is such a great person that he is automatically considered the leader of the team? This is the Tebow Effect.

The Denver Broncos began the year an underwhelming 1-4. That's when the inevitable was forced into action. The fans wanted it, the media wanted it, and although the coaches may not have wanted it, Tim Tebow was thrust into the starting quarterback role. Amazingly after that the defense began to play at a much better, and the team began winning games. 5 out of their next 6 to be exact! But it's not JUST the winning that makes this story an interesting one, but the way they are winning. After Tebow got the starting job the organization traded away his best weapon, Brandon Lloyd, away to the Rams. Tim Tebow by all means is not a great passer of the football. He often misses wide open players on what seem like easy balls. He has forced the Broncos' coaching staff to create a college type option offense that to be polite, is not very attractive to watch. Yet despite all of these things Tim Tebow finds away to take his team down the field at the end of the game and win it. Their defense is playing at a level nobody saw coming. They get exceptional effort from their Special Teams. The opponent often appears to melt down down the stretch opening the door for a Tebow lead victory. Is this all just a string of good luck? Is it chance? Or is Tim Tebow actually in some way responsible for giving the seemingly dismal Broncos a shot at the playoffs?

Tim Tebow is not like any professional athlete of my lifetime. He seems to live his life in a pure and virtuous way that most people cannot rap their minds around. He devotes his life to Jesus and is always quick to thank Him for everything he has done and accomplished. Tim Tebow lives his life as a God fearing man and is completely comfortable telling the world about it. He seems to be the opposite of a jerk. Maybe he is such a great person that the entire team is completely behind him. Maybe they believe? Maybe the have become subject to the Tebow Effect...

So from now on this is how we will define the Tebow Effect:

#TebowEffect - When things inexplicably begin turning right for a team due to the presence of a single player who has captivated his/her team through their good virtue. It is a corollary to the QB Jerk Test.

Class Dismissed,
Student of Sports

PS: Gotta give rookie Von Miller some love. He has turned into an absolute BEAST on this Denver defense. Clearcut defensive rookie of the year.

Go For IT or Stay Away Week 12

We are coming down to the wire, the bye weeks are over, and in most leagues the playoffs start either next week or the week after. If you are still in the race, these are very important weeks in the Fantasy Football season. Below I mention guys that I think you should Go For It or Stay Away on this Thanksgiving weekend. Here we go.

Go For It

Quarterbacks

Cam Newton Car- Newton has struggled recently, but has still put up pretty decent fantasy numbers because of his ability to run as well as pass. This week he plays the Colts, who have given up the 4^th most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks. I see a big bounce back game for Cam Newton this week, Go For It! Honorable Mention- Matthew Stafford, Matt Ryan, and Tim Tebow.

Runningbacks

Rashard Mendenhall Pit- I could see the Steelers putting this game against the Chiefs away very early, which could lead to a lot of touches for Mendenhall against one of the worst rush defenses in all of football. If you have Mendenhall, this is a great week to start him.

Cedric Benson Cin- The Bengals play the Cleveland Browns this week. The Browns are a team that have struggled against the run. Benson has been playing well recently and I expect that to continue. Honorable Mention- Jonathan Stewart/Deangelo Williams, Ryan Grant, Beanie Wells, and Joe McKnight.

Wide Receivers

Roddy White Atl- White has been one of the biggest disappointments in fantasy football this season. He has been a decent target for Matt Ryan, but has simply not put up the numbers that we are used to. That being said, he has a great match up this week and I look for him to get plenty of looks. Go For It with Roddy White this week.

Larry Fitzgerald Ari- Maybe it is a little obvious, but just making sure. Very good match up for Fitz this week against the Rams, and he has been on fire as of late. The quarterback situation is shaky at best, but it does not seem to matter, Fitzgerald still gets his. Honorable Mention- Desean Jackson, Percy Harvin, Nate Burleson, and Antonio Brown.

Tight Ends

Brandon Pettigrew Det- The Lions play the Packers in a big Thanksgiving Day game. Green Bay has struggled to cover the Tight End all season, and I see this one turning into a shootout. Love me some Brandon Pettigrew this week, Go For It! Honorable Mention- Heath Miller and Kellen Winslow Jr.

Stay Away

Quarterbacks

Andy Dalton Cin- Dalton has been very good this season as a rookie, but seems to me to be a guy that is never going to blow you away with his fantasy numbers. He has a pretty tough game against a Cleveland defense who has been pretty solid against quarterbacks this season. Probably a decent game for Dalton, but there are better options out there. Stay Away from Andy Dalton if possible this week. Dishonorable Mention- Ryan Fitzpatrick, Joe Flacco, and Rex Grossman.

Runningbacks

Demarco Murray Dal- The Cowboys play the Dolphins on Thanksgiving Day this year, in what could turn into a very good game. The Dolphins have played very well recently, some of that they can thank their offense, but another big part is their rush defense. They have given up the 2^nd fewest fantasy points to opposing running backs. If you must start Murray you can, but do not be fooled, he is not a great option this week.

Toby Gerhart Min- With Adrian Peterson probably out, you would think Gerhart would be a solid option. Think again. The Vikings play the Atlanta Falcons this week, whose defense has dominated the rushing attack of opposing teams all season. Look for very little production out of Gerhart. Stay Away. Dishonorable Mention- Maurice Jones-Drew, Reggie Bush, and Chris Ogbonnaya.

Wide Receivers

Stevie Johnson Buf- The guy just has not had it this year. In his last seven games he has not put up a double digit fantasy scoring game, according to standard scoring. He has struggled a lot, and this week should not be any better against the Jets who have been the 3^rd best team against fantasy Wide Receivers. Stay Away from Stevie Johnson this week.

Mike Williams TB- He has been a fantasy disappointment for the most part this season, but has started to come on strong as of late. I do not mind him the rest of the year, but I do not think this is the week for him. The Bucs take on the Titans, who are very good against the pass. If possible, I would try and Stay Away from Williams this week. Dishonorable Mention- Andre Johnson, Dwyane Bowe, and Sidney Rice.

Tight Ends

Antonio Gates SD- Not too big on the Chargers this week against the Broncos, and this includes Antonio Gates. I am not saying you should automatically bench Gates, but there are better options out there. In one league I have Gates and Pettigrew, I am starting Pettigrew for this week. Dishonorable Mention- Vernon Davis and Mercedes Lewis.

So, it is now crunch time. We are down to the wire. If you are fighting for a playoff spot, this is probably a must win for you. This piece is to help you in the best way that I can. These are a handful of players who I recommend you Go For It or Stay Away, and as always if you have any questions about your rosters do not hesitate to tweet me @FfootballQA. Good luck, and have a great Thanksgiving!

Go For It or Stay Away Week 11

Week 11. Playoff races are starting to come down to the wire. Chances are that after this week, you have two or three games left in the regular season. This is crunch time, you want to be sure that you are making the correct decisions. That is why I am here, give this a read and hopefully it helps you dominate you league in Week 11.

Go For It!

Matthew Stafford Det- I realize that Stafford was absolutely terrible this past week against the Bears. He threw four interceptions and two that were returned for TD's, I would understand if you want to bench him. But to quote the great Lee Corso, not so fast my friend. Stafford has been very good this year, and has all the weapons he could want at his disposal. With Best probably still out he will be throwing a ton. Stick with him this week in a game that could turn into a Matthew Stafford vs. Cam Newton shootout. I see a nice bounce back game for Stafford this week, go for it!

Brandon Jacobs NYG- This is of course assuming Ahmad Bradshaw is out again this week. I like Jacobs in a game against the Eagles who have struggled against the run all season. The Giants offense is on a roll recently and that does not spell good things for the Eagles, I could easily see Jacobs getting a few goal line carries this week, and he usually converts on those.

Marshawn Lynch Sea- Lynch has been a beast the past two weeks, and this week should not be any different against the Rams who have given up a ton of points to fantasy running backs this season. Lynch on fire recently and if I own him I am definitely starting him.

Dwayne Bowe KC- Matt Cassel is out and replacing him is Tyler Palko. Ouch. I think overall this could hurt his value, but at the same time if I was Palko, trying to succeed as a QB in the NFL, the guy I would be looking for is Dwayne Bowe. I could see Palko trying to force the ball to him all night against the Patriots who have given up the most fantasy points to opposing wide receivers. Go for it with Bowe, at least for this week.

Stevie Johnson Buf- This guy has struggled at times this year, but he is still clearly a very talented receiver. The Dolphins have been much easier to pass on this season than run. While I realize that Fred Jackson will still probably be the main man the Bills offense, I think the passing game gets it going this week. Like Stevie Johnson as a start this week.

Benjamin Watson Cle- This one is for you Jimmy Graham and Owen Daniels owners who need a replacement for your Tight End on a bye. Watson has been hit or miss this year, but does get red zone looks from Colt McCoy. The Browns play the Jaguars this week who have given up the second most fantasy points to opposing Tight Ends.

Stay Away

Tim Tebow Den- First of all I want to say, I do like Tebow as a fantasy QB as long as he has a job as a starter in the league. He always seems to get his on the ground and usually does enough through the air to put up good fantasy stats. That being said, I do not like him this week against the Jets. I still think he will have a decent day on the ground, but not enough to make up for the fact that I would not be surprised to see him complete zero passes against Revis and Co. Stay away from Tim Tebow this week if possible.

Beanie Wells Ari- Wells seemed to hit a wall last week against the Eagles. Philadelphia is easier to run on than this weeks opponent, the San Francisco 49ers. The 49ers have been the best team in the league against the run this week and I do not really see much changing this week.

Fred Jackson Buf- Jackson has played very well this year, and there is a chance that you do not really have another option to put in your lineups over him. I am not a huge fan of Jackson this week. He will get his touches but the Dolphins have surprisingly been great against the run this year, and have been exposed through the air. The way to attack them is by passing the ball. I think Fred Jackson is a very average day this week. Stay away from him if at all possible.

Roddy White Atl- White has destroyed fantasy teams all season long. At the beginning of the year he was considered the 1B to Andre Johnson's 1A. He was right there. He rarely seems to do anything anymore. This week the Falcons take on the Titans, who have been very good against the pass. I just do not see White breaking out of his funk this week. Stay away.

Vincent Jackson SD- He has been completely hit or miss this season. Jackson has had a couple of big games surrounded by a lot of low scoring games. I think he puts up another low scoring game against the Bears who are a very good defense that defends the pass well. If I was a Jackson owner I would be looking for other options this week.

Ed Dickson Bal- Dickson had his best game of the year last week, catching two TD passes. I am putting him here so you guys do not get too excited about a game that I think was a bit of a fluke. He has been pretty good this year, but you can not expect that kind of production out of him this week against the Bengals who have defended the TE very well this year. Stay away from Ed Dickson, there are better options out there.

Well guys, there you have it. The Go For It or Stay Away for week 11. Hopefully this piece helps you make some decisions this week. We are hitting the stretch run to the playoffs. These games are very important. Make sure you think about your lineup decisions and put the best guys in there. If you need any help do not hesitate to send me a tweet @FfootballQA. Good luck!

It Seems So Simple, Until You're Locked Out

The other day Ray and I were playing a little hoop at our local park. It's something we do whenever we have a chance because playing basketball is a simple way for us to get some exercise in while having a good time. We're not exactly "good" at basketball... I mean, good is relative though.. right? It doesn't matter because most importantly we have fun! (Yeah, we suck.) ANYWAY. We have fun. Simple fun. Simple...

What a lovely hobby.

Simple is a funny word isn't it? It's meaning is rather... well... simple. Dictionary.com defines simple as easy to understand; to deal with. But what is simple to some isn't always simple to others. Take playing the guitar for example. My brother makes it look so smooth, effortless, SIMPLE! But put a guitar in front of me and I can't even play a chord. Golf is a great example. What some people use as a simple relaxing hobby, others struggle with and get extremely frustrated with. Simple is a funny word.

Up until recently playing basketball seemed simple too. Something Ray and I played, something we watched, something we rooted for. Something that now because of the stubbornness of millionaires and billionaires we probably won't get to enjoy this year. Now if you've read my blog entries before, most notably Coach Gets Fired; Fans Miss the Point, you know that on big issues like the NBA lockout, I don't like coming down too firmly on one side. I'm not an expert and don't enjoy pretending to be so I don't feel comfortable siding with one party without knowing all the facts. I do however feel like I have an expertise in being a fan. And I know exactly what is happened to us here.

If only it were this easy..

The players claim they have been "locked out" and maybe technically that's true. They're not locked out though, if they wanted to play this season they could have begun serious negotiations in the summer instead of saving their cracker jack negotiation tactics for now. (Sarcasm people) And the owners who try to act like they are the only people thinking about the fans. WAY OFF. Real smart giving the players an ultimatum last week, because EVERYBODY knows the best way to end negotiations is with scare tactics. Please. So do you know who are really the ones being locked out? The people who really are the victims? The people who REALLY seem to care? You guessed it, that's us. Because of the moronic negotiations between two pigheaded sides seemingly hellbent on ruining all the momentum the NBA gained last season, we are going to miss a season of basketball. I've got news for people. When David Stern or Billy Hunter try and tell you they care about the fans and are trying to do what's in the best interest  for us, they're lying. Neither side cares about us. They care about money and that's all they've ever cared about. So when they try to feed that bull to you on press conferences you are totally within your rights to throw whatever blunt object you have around you at he TV in frustration. This entire negotiating process has been a joke and now we're all screwed.

When did playing basketball stop being so simple?

Class Dismissed,
Student of Sports

Coach Gets Fired; Fans Miss the Point

Last night was probably one of the craziest nights in sports history of my life time.

Sometimes in sports it's appropriate to cheer and sometimes it's appropriate to laugh. Usually on this blog I deal with those two, cheering and most of all laughing. The latest events involving some former Penn State employees are not matters to laugh at, there is nothing to cheer, but we are left to somehow make sense of all of this. A hideous crime against humanity was committed and was allowed to continue for years. The perpetrator of these crimes is a monster, the scum of the Earth, accused of committing a crime that turns the stomach. A crime that everyone, even the worst of us, find issue with.

Sandusky being detained by Pennsylvania authorities

A few days ago when the news of allegations against Jerry Sandusky surfaced, allegations I don't want to get to deep into because of their just sickening nature, I had a feeling this would blow up. And last night, it blew up. Unfortunately for all parties involved I think the passion that was on display last night was misguided.

A little bit after 10:00pm EST the news broke out that legendary Penn State football coach, Joe Paterno, had been fired. The university decided to fire him in an effort to move forward, past this scandal appearing to have some control. When this termination was announced it was met  with a shocked reaction by the media. They seemed overtaken by this news. I'll be the first person to admit that Joe Paterno is a legend and up to this point has literally been Penn State, but the media's reaction at the press conference confused me. Were they really so shocked at the news of his firing? Did they really feel the dismissal of "Joe Pa" more significant than the disgusting crimes that were committed by Sandusky? It seemed to me as if they were missing the point. As legendary as a coach as Paterno is I think that in this story, his fate is an insignificant factor. I gave them the benefit of the doubt though and chalked it up to spur of the moment reactions that once rationally thought about would be put aside.

After the press conference the madness began.

It began rather peacefully with people, most likely Penn State students, protesting in Penn State and at Paterno's modest home. They were protesting what they felt was a wrongful termination and they had impressive numbers. Once again this took me by surprise. Did they feel somehow Paterno was a victim of all of this? Did they feel THEY were victims in this? No, no they couldn't. They couldn't be that ignorent. That's what I kept telling myself. This mass of angry protesters couldn't possibly think that the firing of Joe Paterno was more important than what had happened to the poor young boys who had horrible crimes committed against them. Or could they? Were they just completely missing the point? Nobody seemed to be thinking about the children. There were no signs, no chants, no mention of the real victims in all of this. Everyone seemed so preoccupied with their own selfish agenda that they were completely missing the point. Once again, I gave them the benefit of the doubt and hoped that more rational minds would prevail in the end.

Police attempting to control protesters

As the night went on I began to become convinced that even if there were any rational minds in attendance, there were so few that their voice was not heard. The protesters went on to flip over a news van, knock out lights, hurl rocks at the police. All reactions that both stunned and infuriated me! Why was nobody this angry when the allegations came out but now that a coach had been fired people at State College decided to rise up? Nobody stepped in to stop what Sandusky had been doing for years but everybody seemed to be more than willing to show their support for a football coach. A football coach! You know that I am as big of a sports fan as it gets but this scandal has nothing to do with sports. This transcends and goes so far beyond sports. This is a scandal against humanity and makes petty sports issues seem insignificant. They were this passionate over a man who was a football coach. A football coach who did what was legally right, but probably came up short morally in doing what was right. A football coach who must have been aware of Sandusky visiting a closed practice in 2007 with a young boy and did NOTHING about it. A football coach who allowed Sandusky to use University facilities for years after hearing about the accusations against him. Why were these protesters ignoring the real grux of this scandal and focusing their concern on the termination of a football coach? It sickened me. It sickened me to think that people could be so far off of the point. It sickened me that half of the people protesting were probably drunk and completely unaware of what was going on. It sickened me that people were forgetting the real victims of these crimes and as a result of that, disrespecting them.

Do I think Joe Paterno should have been allowed to finish the season? I don't know, probably not. Should he have been allowed to coach and get a final hurrah this weekend? Maybe. But considering the magnitude of the crimes against humanity here do I really give a damn about how who coaches the Penn State football team any time in the future? Not at all.

The real face of this scandal.

Notice that Paterno's name isn't mentioned in the title of this post and there are no pictures of him. I did this because it's wrong for us to make him the face of this issue. The real face of this story should be the monster also known as Jerry Sandusky. Unfortunately with that too, people seem to be missing the point.

One more thing. Pray for justice to be served in this case. Pray for the people who seem ignorant to the real problems at hand. And most of all pray for the victims and their families who have been affected by this horrible crime against humanity.

I'll finish with a quote from Irish philosopher Edmund Burke.

"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing."

Class Dismissed,

Student of Sports

Go For It or Stay Away Week 10

The bye weeks are over!... just kidding. Strangely, there are no byes for week 10, but the 4 remaining teams who have not taken a week off will take one on week 11. Whatever works best NFL. Anyways, here is my Go For It or Stay Away for week 10.

Go For It

Mark Sanchez NYJ- In past years I have not been a big believer in Sanchez. The Jets have always asked so little out of Sanchez, usually running the ball more than most teams. The offense has been running as much as usual recently, but Sanchez has really been good in the play action game. I love the match-up against the Patriots, and with the way he has been playing, go for it!

Maurice Jones-Drew Jac- Jones-Drew is a must start for almost every team if you have him, but this week I am a very big fan of his. The Colts have struggled in pretty much every aspect of the game this year, and run defense has been no exception. I am looking for a big game from Jones-Drew this week.

Ben Tate Hou- Obviously, Arian Foster is the starter in Houston, but in a handful of games this year both Foster and Tate have exploded. The Bucs have struggled against the run, especially in games in which DT Gerald McCoy is out. McCoy is now out for the year. I think even with Foster being the main guy, there will be enough to go around and Tate will be a solid start this week as a RB2 or Flex play.

Percy Harvin Min- I have been waiting for this guy all season, and his past couple of games he has started to come through. In my opinion, he is by far the most talented WR on the team. The Vikings play Green Bay this week. The Packers have struggled against the pass, but with Aaron Rodgers running that offense the way he has, this game could get ugly early. That could mean a lot of chances for Harvin. Go for it!

Desean Jackson Phi- We have always known that Jackson is completely all or nothing. He breaks through for a big TD catch in some games, but he also has games where he does absolutely nothing. This year has been rough for Jackson, but against the Arizona Cardinals, who give up the 7^th most points to fantasy Wide Receivers, I expect Jackson to have one of his signature big games.

Brandon Pettigrew Det- This one is pretty simple. Pettigrew is Matthew Stafford's second option after Calvin Johnson, and the Bears give up the most points per game to Tight Ends in the league. Pettigrew is a solid start for this week.

Stay Away

Andy Dalton Cin- Dalton has been very solid for the Bengals so far in his rookie year. This week though, he faces the Steelers. Recently, the Steelers defense has really started to come around, and I think this week will be a tough one for Dalton. I like Pittsburgh to really send Cincinnati back down to earth this week. Stay away from Andy Dalton if possible.

Ahmad Bradshaw/Brandon Jacobs NYG- As of right now it is not clear to who is going to be starting for the Giants at running back this week. Personally, I think that Bradshaw will play, but probably be very limited in his first game back from his foot injury. I do not like either of the Giants backs this week against a very tough 49ers run defense.

Marshawn Lynch Sea- Lynch really broke out last week against the Cowboys rushing for 135 yards and a score, but this week Lynch faces a very tough and hard nosed Baltimore defense who is only allowing an average of 11.1 points to fantasy running backs. If possible I would be staying away from Lynch this week.

Pierre Garcon Ind- The Colts have been nothing short of pathetic so far this year. Garcon seemed to have a good rapport with Curtis Painter and was being targeted 10-15 times a game. Late in the game last Sunday, Indianapolis coach Jim Caldwell decided to make the change to Dan Orlovsky so the value of Garcon has seemed to have taken a hit. Also, the Colts play the Jaguars this week, who have played very well against the pass. Stay away for Garcon.

Brandon Lloyd Stl- Not a big fan of Lloyd this week. He faces the Cleveland Browns and that probably means a one on one match-up against Joe Haden. Haden has played very well so far this season and should be able to hold Lloyd from doing much against the Browns. Stay away from Lloyd if at all possible.

Vernon Davis SF- Davis is the 49ers leading receiver this season, but San Francisco plays the New York Giants this week, who have done a real good job defending the Tight End all season long allowing only 5.9 points a game to starting Tight Ends. If possible stay away from Davis this week.

There you have it. My week 10 Go For It or Stay Away. Hopefully, this has helped you make some decisions on your fantasy line-ups for this week. As always, if you need some more help, do not hesitate to send me a tweet @FfootballQA. Good luck!

SOS Pick'em Week 9

Another not so impressive week for us here at the SOS blog as all three of us went 1-3 with only 1 point. It may not be a bad idea to after looking at our picks go and gamble on the opposites. Luol, Deng.

So let's get right to it.

Student of Sports (15-17, 18pts)

New York Giants (+8.5) over NEW ENGLAND.. Bold prediction: The GMen sign David Tyree off the street just to torment the Pats. Deng.

Chicago (+6.5) over Philadelphia

SAN DIEGO (+5.5) over Green Bay

And my upset of the week is the J-E-T-S JETS JETS JETS!  to beat the Bills in Buffalo. Put it on the board!

Ray "Box" (13-19, 15 pts)

New York Giants (+8.5) over NEW ENGLAND

Atlanta (-7.5) over INDIANAPOLIS

NEW ORLEANS (-7.5) over Tampa Bay

And for his upset Ray is going to stay on that Tebow bandwagon and take the Broncos over the Raiders. Apparently his ticket to the Tebow bandwagon is non refundable..

Fantasy Guru Dan (1-7, 1pts)

Cincinnati (+2.5) over TENNESSEE

PITTSBURGH (-3.5) over Baltimore

Cleveland (+10.5) over HOUSTON

Dan is going to use the Bengals  as his upset for the weekend.

Enjoy the games guys!

Eli Manning and the Jerk Test

The poster boy for the jerk test.

Some of you might remember on our very first SOS podcast, Ray and I were having a discussion on quarterbacks. He brought up a very good point when discussing why Tony Romo wasn't having the success many thought he should be. That point was that Tony Romo is just too nice of a guy. He said that if you look at successful NFL QBs a lot of them appear to be jerks, Ben Roethlisberger is the crown jewel of this theorem. I found this fascinating and decided that maybe the "jerk test", as I decided to call it, was a good way of measuring quarterbacks. And to be completely honest when applying the jerk test to many NFL quarterbacks, many of the successful ones pass.

Look at Green Bay Packers QB Aaron Rodgers, have you ever noticed that whenever he scores he obnoxiously puts an imaginary championship belt on his waist? Doesn't it piss you off but because he's so good you can't say anything about it? Well Packers fans may think this is me ripping on their franchise QB but it's not. It's me saying Rodgers passes my "jerk test" and therefore, will be able to succeed as an NFL QB.

The king of the "F-U".

Not good enough for you? What about Peyton Manning. Doesn't he just ooze of that control freak like jerkyness? That's him passing the jerk test. Tom Brady? Any time you're coach is evil genius Bill Belichick and you participate in running up the score on teams, you probably pass the jerk test. Mike Vick? I think we all know why he passes the jerk test. Phillip Rivers, Cam Newton, Jay Cutler! All guys who on paper pass the jerk test and have had some level of success in the NFL.

So maybe there really is something to this jerk test. Maybe NFL QBs need to be able to have that "F-U" attitude from time to time so they can take total control of their team and let everyone know they're the alpha dog in the room. Maybe they need to show other players on their team and players on the other team not to mess with them. Maybe NFL quarterbacks need to be jerks.

Proving this man is a jerk is no easy task.

After trial and error it just seemed like every great quarterback some way, shape or form had just the right amount of jerk in them. This made me feel great about Ray and my new theory on quarterbacks but made me feel not so great about something else.. My favorite team, the New York Giants, have a quarterback more likely to say "awhh shucks" than "oh s**t!". Eli Manning just seems like a happy go lucky fella who wouldn't hurt a fly! HOW ARE MY GIANTS SUPPOSED TO WIN WHEN THEIR QUARTERBACK IS SO GOSH DARN NICE! On paper it didn't seem like Eli Manning passed the jerk test.. This was very discouraging. But wait a second? He DID lead my Giants to a Super Bowl title not so long ago so maybe there is hope. Than I remembered his draft day in 2004. A day where he was picked by the San Diego Chargers but said he would refuse to play with them and forced his way to my Giants. This gave me hope until I began to fear that maybe his father, Archie Manning, had more to do with this apparent D-bag move than Eli. Archie was always a good NFL quarterback, it's not out of the realm for him to pass the jerk test. All hope seemed to be lost. I was stuck to rooting for a team who's quarterback, by all accounts, seemed to be a great guy. I know, it does't get any worse than that! Then something magical happened. Something I was sure was sent from the heavens themselves down onto me as both a Giants fan and co-inventor of the jerk test! A story about Plaxico Burress being disappointed with Eli Manning for not visiting or communicating with him when he was in prison. These men were partners for years on the Giants and Eli couldn't do so much as to write Plax a letter when he was in jail! What a jerk!! What a beautiful jerk! Yes! Eli manning is a jerk and the proof is all in this yahoo story: Plaxico Burress vents on Eli Manning Tom Coughlin. Now Eli Manning is in the middle of his greatest season to date! Coincidence? I think not, my friend! What an awesome, magnificent, wonderful bastard!

Unfortunately for some fans, their teams aren't as lucky when it comes to having a jerk quarterback as the Giants are. Jerks like Eli Manning don't grow on trees you know! (I am totally loving this.) Teams like the the Falcons, Cowboys and Redskins all have quarterbacks who come up with failing grades on the jerk test, and therefore may be in trouble. Tony Romo, Matt Ryan, John Beck... Grow a pair a piss some people off! Turn over some tables in the locker room! Park in a handicap parking spot ! Do something, ANYTHING to pass the jerk test. I once heard a story about Tony Romo helping people on the side of the road with a broken down car. This should make Cowboy fans sick! This man is not a jerk.

As of now I can't name a current quarterback who is successful and doesn't have a little bit of jerk inside of them. Maybe one day there will be an exception to the rule. Doesn't every rule have an exception? I guess we'll have to wait and see.

Can he be the exception to the rule?

But as for now I'm content, because Eli is just enough of a jerk for me.

Class Dismissed,
Student of Sports



PS: Expect the picks up either later today or sometimes tomorrow.

Go For It or Stay Away Week 9

Detroit, Carolina, Minnesota, and Jacksonville are on a bye this week. Between those four teams, there is a lot of fantasy firepower. I am here to help guide you through another tough week in fantasy football. I hope this is a lot of help. Now, lets get started.

Go For It

Quarterback

Eli Manning NYG- The healthy Manning brother takes on the Patriots this week. New England was just torched by Ben Roethlisberger last week. Eli has been playing well lately, and I expect him to have a great game in a shootout against the Pats.

Running Backs

Cedric Benson Cin- Benson is back after a one game suspension. The Bengals take on the Tennessee Titans, whose defense has been vulnerable against the run. I look for them to try and take the pressure off of Andy Dalton and pound the rock with Benson. Go for it!

LeGarrette Blount TB- It appears that Blount will play this week. Assuming he does I expect big things out of him. The Saints have struggled against the run this week and in a big divisional game I expect the Bucs to try and run the ball to keep Drew Brees and the boys off of the field. Love me some LeGarrette Blount this week.

Wide Receivers

Jon Baldwin KC- Baldwin showed why the Chiefs took him in the first round of last years draft on Monday night. He made an incredible play on a 39 yard TD reception. While he is a risky play, I like the potential for Baldwin this week against the Miami Dolphins who rank near the bottom in pass defense in the NFL.

Roddy White Atl- Roddy White has been one of the biggest disappointments in Fantasy Football this year. Coming into the season he was either the #1 or #2 ranked WR by most people and has not performed up to those expectations. That being said, I love the match up for him this week and he has shown signs of turning it around recently. I say go for it when it comes to Roddy White this week.

Tight End

Jake Ballard NYG- Ballard has really started to become a solid target for Eli Manning. This week they play the Patriots, who cannot seem to be able to cover the middle of the field. I think this means a big day for Jake Ballard. Go for it!

Stay Away

Quarterback

Ryan Fitzpatrick Buf- I think that Fitzpatrick will have a decent game on Sunday, but I do not expect a big fantasy day out of him. The Jets are vulnerable against the run and that is where I expect the Bills to attack them. I think they will run Fred Jackson all day and that limits Fitzpatrick's value. Stay away.

Running Backs

Ryan Torain Was- Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. I have been fooled over and over this season by Washington Running Backs. They have not been playing well, and on top of that there is no way to guess who is going to get the most touches. Personally, I am staying away from Torain.

Chris Johnson Ten- Talk about a bust. Chris Johnson has been the biggest disappointment in the NFL this season. While I still think that there is a chance that he bounces back, I am not betting on it. He will be taking on a tough Bengals defense, and Javon Ringer really took over late in the game last week. No thank you Chris Johnson.

Wide Receivers

Anquan Boldin Bal- Boldin looked fantastic last week against the Cardinals. The difference between the Cardinals defense and the Steelers defense is huge. The Steelers looked good against Tom Brady and company last week and I expect to see more of the same against the Ravens. Stay away from Anquan Boldin.

Stevie Johnson Buf- Buffalo faces the New York Jets this week. That means a one on one encounter with Mr. Darrell Revis for Johnson. That usually means trouble for all WR in the NFL, and as I mentioned when I talked about Fitzpatrick I think they will try and run Fred Jackson wild all day. If you can help it, stay away from Stevie Johnson this week.

Tight End

Heath Miller Pit- Miller had a great game last Sunday, attacking the middle of the field over and over again against the New England Patriots. This week the Steelers play the Baltimore Ravens, who have a much better defense that will be defending that middle of the field. He had a great game last week, but do not go crazy on Miller, stay away from him this week.

There you have it, a handful of players that I say Go For It, and some that I think you need to Stay Away. We have some tough decisions as fantasy owners on who to replace guys like Adrian Peterson, Calvin Johnson, and Cam Newton. This piece is to help you make those decisions, and if you have guys on your rosters that I did not mention and would like help on those, do not hesitate to send me a tweet @FfootballQA.