Is Kellen Winslow on his way out of Cleveland?

Perfection. The idea that one can somehow be perfect, without flaw, or achieve a state of completeness without fault. In the world of sport, perfection is defined somewhat differently. Baseball has the perfect game, truly a rare event. But it’s a strangely achieved sort of perfection. Baseball is a team sport, played by nine men on the field. But the perfect game is attributed to only one of those men, the pitcher. The pitcher must face 27 batters and retire them all without any reaching base. There have been 17 official perfect games in baseball history.

There is also a perfect game in football. Similar to baseball, the perfect game in football refers to the accomplishments of one player, the quarterback. Except in football, perfection is considered the achievement of a passer rating of 158.3, and 34 different quarterbacks have done it. I have to admit that I don’t get the whole passer rating thing. I was raised to believe in 100 as the pinnacle of success, the best you could possibly do on any test. How can you possibly do better than getting 100 percent correct? Not only that, but 158.3 doesn’t really mean you were perfect, because a quarterback does not have to complete every pass to achieve that rating. Sorry, I don’t get it.

The better measure of perfection in football is the perfect season. Of course, we all know that the only team to achieve a perfect season is the 1972 Miami Dolphins. The team posted a perfect 17-0 season, capped by a 14-0 victory in Super Bowl VII over the Washington Redskins. No other team has accomplished this feat, this perfection.

Oh, the Patriots came mighty close last season. They won 18 games en route to the Super Bowl earlier this year, only to lose to the Giants, thereby ruining an otherwise perfect season. I seriously doubt that any team will ever come that close again, especially in the parity age of the NFL. The Patriots were just a fluke of circumstance.

By the way, did you know that the Patriots were perfect last week? Yep! They played an entire game without a single penalty. How often do you think that happens? In the 731 games played since the 1970 AFL/NFL merger, there have been 50 teams (including the Patriots) that have achieved the penalty-free game. Of course, just like everything else in football, the Patriots’ perfect penalty free game wasn’t really penalty free. There was a holding call made against a Patriots lineman, but the Rams declined it. There was also a facemask grab by a Patriot defender that was seen by the TV audience but not the game officials. So perfect is a relative term.

All of which leads me to this; if the Detroit Lions and/or Cincinnati Bengals manage to go all season without winning a single game (a very real possibility), will they be considered perfect losers?

Stock Up

Matt Schaub, QB – Houston Texans – It has taken a bit long, but the Texans quarterback has finally settled in and begun to play the game in accordance with his talents and the vast talent that surrounds him on offense. Schaub, WR Andre Johnson, and TE Owen Daniels have combined to make the Texans passing game a threat to be reckoned with. Johnson now leads the NFL in receptions and yardage, and Daniels, with 32 receptions, 392 yards, and two touchdowns is among the better tight ends in the game. It wasn’t long ago that Schaub was in danger of losing his job to Sage Rosenfels, but his performances in the last three games, all wins, have been simply stellar. There are some tough games ahead for the Texans, but Schaub’s improved passing will make him a decent fantasy option for the rest of the season, and someone to target in a trade if you can get him.

Ray Rice, RB – Baltimore Ravens – The Ravens have finally discovered how to use rookie Ray Rice effectively. For the last three games he’s been the feature back on third down, and he’s done a terrific job in that role. He had over 100 all-purpose yards last week, including 64 yards rushing on just eight carries. In the last two games he’s caught five passes for 83 yards, averaging 16.5 yards per reception. Keep an eye on the Ravens’ use of Rice to see if they continue to increase his overall role in the offense. If they do, he could become a nice flex option in your fantasy lineup, especially in PPR leagues.

Nate Washington, WR – Pittsburgh Steelers – In the last three games, Washington has had three touchdowns on passes of 48 yards or more, including a 65 yard touchdown against the Giants. He had another long TD reception in that same game called back on a penalty. That was the game Santonio Holmes did not play in because the team disciplined him for his marijuana arrest, and Washington stepped up his game to fill the void. He has obviously gained quarterback Ben Roethlisberger’s trust, and should continue to get plenty of looks going forward. Washington is the fastest receiver on the Steelers and is equally effective as a wide out or out of the slot. That kind of versatility and speed gives him the kind of game breaking ability that the Steelers need and will continue to capitalize on. Washington makes a great flex option now, and could eventually be a solid WR2; if not this season, then certainly next year. Keeper leaguers take note.

Stock Down

Kellen Winslow, TE – Cleveland Browns – Winslow was suspended last week for making comments that team ownership found offensive and insubordinate. The suspension was later rescinded, but he didn’t play against Jacksonville anyway. Prior to that he missed another game due to a staph infection that put him in the hospital for a couple of days. Otherwise, Winslow has not been anywhere near the offensive force he was last season when he averaged 13.5 yards per reception and had 1106 total receiving yards and a team leading 82 receptions. The way things are looking right now; Winslow could be on his way out of town when the season ends, unless the Browns can persuade him to renegotiate his hefty contract to ease his cap number. With Steve Heiden performing quite well during Winslow’s absence (8 rec. 132 yds.), Romeo Crennel doesn’t feel any sense of urgency to appease Winslow’s whiny demands to be more involved. No matter what, Winslow is no longer the valuable tight end he once was.

Jonathan Stewart, RB – Carolina Panthers – Stewart has not had the big breakout type season that many touts predicted for him. He is developing a reputation as a dancer behind the line of scrimmage who doesn’t hit the hole quickly enough to be an impact running back. On the plus side, he leads the team in touchdowns with five, but he has yet to rush for more than 80 yards in a game. Clearly, he needs more seasoning and will continue to serve as more of a change of pace back to DeAngelo Williams, greatly diminishing his fantasy value. Keeper leaguers should hang on to Stewart for next season, but redraft players shouldn’t expect him to be any more than an injury replacement or bye week option, except during Week 15 when the Panthers face the Denver Broncos.

Earnest Graham, RB – Tampa Bay Buccaneers – The Bucs offense is in trouble. With Jeff Garcia under center, the passing game is really only used to set up the run-oriented offense. The absence of Joey Galloway has left Garcia without a true downfield threat; so opposing defenses are simply stacking the box and stuffing the run. It didn’t matter in the first four weeks, as fullback B.J. Askew provided yeoman service as the primary blocker for Graham. Now Askew is gone, along with second-string fullback Byron Storer, leaving the Bucs without any true fullback to block. As a result, the Bucs run offense is only averaging 2.5 yards per carry in the last two games. This is largely because Graham is being asked to block more, which limits his effectiveness and his fantasy worth. It doesn’t appear that this is likely to change any time soon, so don’t rely on Graham as any more than a flex option at best.