Is Kenny the man now?

When The NFL Goes To London, Do Brits Call It Soccer?

The Miami Dolphins have found the best way to keep the boo birds away from their 0-7 team. Play your next home game out of the country. The Miami Dolphins will “host” the New York Giants at Wembley Stadium in London in the first regular season NFL game this coming week. Exhibition games are fine, but what will the travel do to the competing teams. Time zone differential will not be an issue as London is five hours ahead of Miami so a one p.m. Miami start will be a six p.m. London start. So who will be affected?  That is the point.

Making this more of a concern is the statement by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, who is putting out feelers about a Super Bowl in London. His speech at an Arizona luncheon indicated an interest in considering this foreign location. While this could have an appeal to media moguls and corporations, it does little for the fans of the two teams who would have to cross the Atlantic just to see their team. 

The Treasures

Jesse Chatman, Running Back, Miami Dolphins
7 Carries, 73 Yards Rushing, One Touchdown; One reception, Nine yards

So why is he on this list? It is not for his statistics before this week’s games because he had only rushed 13 times for 44 yards and zero touchdowns. No it is because starting running back Ronnie Brown has been lost for the balance of the season with a torn ACL. Brown was on his way toward a Dolphins record of five consecutive 100 yard games when he was injured trying to make a tackle on the Patriots’ Randall Gay following an interception. Former Patriot, Patrick Cobbs also came in and rushed three times including one into the end zone for his first career touchdown. Cobbs could challenge Chatman for carries. 

Kenny Watson, Running Back, Cincinnati Bengals
31 Carries, 130 Yards Rushing, Three Touchdowns; One reception, Nine yards

Who needs Rudi Johnson? Actually, Cincinnati does. Watson benefited from playing against a fading New York Jets defense. Next week the Bengals play the Pittsburgh Steelers. The best thing for anyone considering grabbing Watson would be for Johnson to start and need to be replaced by a fresh Watson.

Roddy White, Wide Receiver Atlanta Falcons
Eight receptions, 110 yards, One Touchdown

Lost in the Atlanta Michael Vick hoopla is a good season by Roddy White. So far this year, White has 33 catches for 530 yards and two scores. He should easily top 1000 yards and may end up with top ten numbers. He is only in his third year and should grow as a receiver.

Brandon Stokley, Wide Receiver, Denver Broncos
Five receptions, 70 yards, One Touchdown

Brandon Marshall is drawing double team action on the field and DUI arrests off of it. Brandon Stokley has been a major target of Jay Cutler. Expect him to maintain a major source of numbers.

Selvin Young, Running Back, Detroit Lions
Two Carries, One Yard Rushing, One reception, 16 yards

Note that starting running back Travis Henry left the game with badly bruised ribs. Henry also has a pending suspension that should be coming along shortly. If no one has Young or is foolish enough to release him, get him and store him on your bench. You will be glad you did.

Bobby Engram, Wide Receiver, Seattle Seahawks
Six receptions, 73 yards

Engram has become the primary target in Seattle. In Week Six, he caught nine passes for 120 yards. Shhh. Bobby Engram is currently a top 20 receiver and very few people know it.

Donald Lee, Tight End, Green Bay Packers 
Three receptions, 75 yards

It is likely that Bubba Franks is just a memory. Lee is the tight end that makes Bret Favre’s heart flutter in the red zone. And he took one pass 60 yards. Lee should be a good source of cheap touchdowns.

Fool’s Gold

Sage Rosenfels, Quarterback, Houston Texans
22-35, 290 Yards Passing, Four Touchdowns, Three Interceptions

Matt Schaab went down with a hip injury and is day-to-day like all of us. Sit down. Brace yourself. The Texans did not trade for Schaub to enter a quarterback controversy. Sage Rosenfels will only play if Schaub regardless of how many touchdowns he throws. If you have Schaab, and have room, pick up Rosenfels as a bookend. Otherwise do not put your time in Rosenfels.

Maurice Morris, Running Back, Seattle Seahawks
10 Carries, 42 Yards Rushing, Two receptions, 18 yards

Here is another backup back who is definitely worth picking up as a bookend for Shaun Alexander who is consistently underperforming. Alexander rushed 19 times for 47 yards in week seven. I am one of the Alexander owners gnashing his teeth as I look at all the other options that were available with my draft pick. Still, I cannot see Morris supplanting Alexander in the Seahawk backfield barring injury. 

Roydell Williams, Wide Receiver, Tennessee Titans
Five receptions, 124 yards

Williams is hot and cold but has yet to have over 299 yards in a season. He will top that with last week’s 124 yards but don’t expect another week like this, unless it is week eight against the Oakland Raiders.

Trent Edwards, Quarterback, Buffalo Bills
11-21, 153 Yards Passing, One Interception

On the good side, this was his third straight start and fourth game as J.P. Losman’s replacement. On the bad side, Edwards really has nothing statistically to show for it. Only once has he broken 176 yards and he has one passing touchdown and four interceptions. On the plus side, he has quarterbacked the Bills to victories over the Jets and the Steelers. An enigma wrapped up in a puzzle. Avoid him. 

Priest Holmes, RB Kansas City Chiefs  
4 Carries, 9 Yards Rushing; One reception, minus six yards

Holmes made his first appearance a non-memorable one. As much as I admire the career of Priest Holmes, he is not likely to produce any meaningful statistics this year. One, he has to jump over a very competent Larry Johnson and two, he is very rusty. He has played in a total of 15 games over the past three years and zero games last year. Oh yes, and he is 34 years old.

Now, a Moment of Real Life

I was watching football from a local sports bar this past weekend and had the misfortune to see a Miami Dolphin fan wearing a Dolphins jersey. He seemed like a nice guy with a realistic view of his team. My problem was rooting loudly for the Patriots as they poured it on. The fan kept verbally reminding me and my friends of the old Dolphin days in the 1970s and we would smile. I kept thinking of my long suffering Red Sox days. From before I was born until 2004, the Red Sox would always lose the winner take all seventh game of a World Series. However, there was that year every decade where they would win the American League pennant. The Dolphins won the Super Bowl in 1972 and 1973. They last won a Conference Championship in 1984. Since 2003, the Dolphins have won 19 games and lost 36. Currently, they have lost their starting quarterback and starting running back to injury as well as trading their top receiver. Maybe they just won’t come back from London. 

I realize as a New England resident that I lead a charmed life during the last few years. The Patriots are the favorite to win the Super Bowl, although it clearly is too early to feel confident. The Red Sox are entering the World Series as 2-1 Vegas favorites. The Boston College Eagles are second in the BCS standings. The Celtics are one of the top picks to win their NBA Eastern Conference. These are fun times but I still remember the pre-Bill Belichick Patriots and the pre-Terry Francona Red Sox and I try to maintain some humility. We shook hands with the Dolphin fan as we left.

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