From pass protection to run blocking, every aspect of the modern NFL offence runs through the O-line. Aside from skill position players themselves, nothing has a larger impact on the outcome of a play call than the battle up front. In the Offensive Line Overview series, we look at which of the league’s 32 offensive lines are trending up and down.
Without further ado, let’s check in on the state of the NFL’s trenches heading into Thursday Night Football.
I ran a bit longer than usual with the Thursday game in this week’s Spotlight article, so I figured I’d post it early in the blog section to keep things moving.
Arizona vs. Denver
Open: 39.5 O/U, ARZ -1.5
Live: 42.5 O/U, DEN -1.5
If the game features any flickers of extended competence, it should primarily be in the running game, for either and maybe even both teams. That’s not necessarily because either team will run well on their own account, but rather because these teams rank first (Arizona) and second (Denver) for most running back fantasy production allowed. Hooray!
That was the worst of both worlds. I had the Packers -9,5 (thanks Dalton Del Don) in the Supercontest, but most of my pool took the Packers in Survivor. It’s always an odd feeling where you’re rooting for one side (Packers) all game, then you shift once you realize the cover is dead and root for the other team to win outright.
I have a bunch of teams, and the task is to make the waiver deadlines, set the lineups and repeat. It doesn’t matter if I win 107 to 105, or lose 158 to 156. Make the waiver deadlines, set the lineups, repeat. At the end of Week 16, we’ll see. Far more emotionally taxing is the Supercontest with the $1.5 million prize, where we still have a pulse, but it was teetering for a bit in the early games.
Last week Count Chocula was beaten soundly by a team reluctant to part with Todd Gurley. I have two thoughts on the loss.
1. Silver lining is it keeps the chase alive. With Gurley, winning the title would be a near foregone conclusion (barring massive injuries).
2. In the best Forrest Gump voice I can muster, “That’s all I have to say about that.”
Welcome to the sixth week of the NFL season and the RotoWire & FanDuel Fantasy Football Championship.
And for the sixth week, we will be without both New Orleans and Detroit who are on bye weeks. New Orleans will especially be missed.
Also, this might be the first of the rest of the season where the term: ‘Game Time Decision’ will be in effect. There are three just off the top of my head in Jets RB Isaiah Crowell, Bucs TE O.J. Howard and Colts TE Eric Ebron among many others. The key time for the actives and inactives is 11:30 a.m. Eastern Time.
In terms of the RotoWire FanDuel Fantasy Football Championship, it is straightforward. We’re running a $10 contest in each of the first 10 weeks of the season, where the top 150 users double their cash. You’ll compete against fellow RotoWire readers as well as three experts: Kevin Payne, Jeff Erickson and Derek Van Riper. Beat all three experts in one week and you’ll earn entry to Week 11’s Free Play championship round. The top 120 players in that round will win a prize, with the first-place contestant coming home with $1,000 and a two-year subscription to RotoWire. You can sign up for this week’s competition here.
