2011 IDP Game Notes: Week 2
Hello and welcome everyone to the 2nd weekly installment of “IDP Game Notes” brought to you by IDP Guru staff writer, Johnny Davis. This column is quickly turning into one of the most comprehensive, all-encompassing IDP articles anywhere. And it’s free!
– Oakland MLB Rolando McClain (7-3, 3 passes defensed) finally decided to show what he can do. SS Tyvon Branch (6-2) continues to produce. FS Michael Huff (4-2, PD) was limited with a groin injury, but still put up some numbers. FS Matt Giordano (4-3) filled in while Huff was out. DE Matt Shaughnessy (3-1) and DT Richard Seymour (2-1) quieted a bit after reaching the QB in week 1.
– Ugh … for the second week in a row, Carolina lost a key LB when Thomas Davis (2-3) tore his knee apart again. While many were expecting MLB Dan Connor (2-0) to emerge in Jon Beason’s absence, it was SLB James Anderson (7-2) who took advantage on this day. DE Charles Johnson (4-0, 1 sack) played another good game, while DE Greg Hardy (1-1) came back down to Earth.
– It was another ugly day for the Chiefs, but at least their safeties got plenty of tackles in Eric Berry’s absence: Jon McGraw (5-5, int, 2 PD), Sab Piscitelli (5-3), and Kendrick Lewis (5-0). ILB Derrick Johnson’s (4-0, 3 PD) day could’ve been worse.
– With MLB Gary Brackett out with injury, LBs Pat Angerer (3-5, FF) and Kavell Connor (4-6, FF) are trying to pick up the slack. SS Melvin Bullitt (4-5) and FS Antoine Bethea (3-5, PD, fumble recovery) were in on a lot of plays. DE Dwight Freeney (2-0, FF, 1 sack) is still a great big-play option.
– Minnesota CB Antoine Winfield (11-0) put up a ridiculous tackle number. MLB E.J. Henderson (5-1) was the better Henderson on this day but still nothing to write home to Momma Henderson about. SLB Chad Greenway (2-3) was pretty quiet. DE Jared Allen (1-0, 1 sack, PD) salvaged his IDP day with a sack. FS Husain Abdullah (6-0, int, PD) had another good day.
– I expected Chicago MLB Brian Urlacher (2-1) to have a monster day as he played the game for his recently deceased mother, but instead WLB Lance Briggs (10-1) was the Bear to shine in the box score. DE Israel Idonije (3-3, 1 sack) had a nice day. DE Julius Peppers (1-0) was quiet.
– Jacksonville MLB Paul Posluszny’s (4-4) numbers looked better in week 2, but it’s still not the dominant performance he’s capable of. SLB Daryl Smith (5-1), DE Matt Roth (3-0, 1 sack), and CB Rashean Mathis (7-0, int, PD) got in on the tackle party.
Seahawks @ Steelers
– A few Seattle IDPs racked up some tackles – SS Kam Chancellor (5-4), FS Earl Thomas (5-1), and WLB Aaron Curry (4-2, PD) – but there’s not much to get excited about past that. MLB David Hawthorne (2-1) played but didn’t rack up the numbers.
– Baltimore’s usual suspects had great statistical days – ILB Ray Lewis (6-2, PD), FS Ed Reed (5-3), and OLB/DE Terrell Suggs (2-1, int, PD) – but the real story here comes from SS Tom Zbikowski (5-1) and CB Lardarius Webb (9-1, PD). Zbikowski continues to outshine Bernard Pollard (1-0). Webb looks like a legit tackle-producer, but his playing time might get cut if Jimmy Smith and Chris Carr can get back from injury.
– Arizona’s DBs continued to put up numbers: FS Kerry Rhodes (7-1, 1 sack, PD), rookie CB Patrick Peterson (5-3), and SS Adrian Wilson (3-1, int, 2 PD). With ILB Daryl Washington out with a calf injury, a couple of LBs looked decent: ILB Paris Lenon (4-2, PD) and ILB Stewart Bradley (5-2). Lenon suffered an ankle injury, so monitor his situation.
– San Fran’s stud ILB Patrick Willis (8-1, FF) showed why he is considered an elite IDP, but the 49ers’ other ILB Navorro Bowman (9-1, PD) had his second-straight big game to make a case for his own IDP value. DE Ray McDonald (1-0, 1 sack) at least registered a sack for all the people who picked him up off the waiver wire. SS Donte Whitner (4-0, int, PD) had another good day as FS Dashon Goldson remained sidelined due to injury.
– Miami DE Randy Starks (6-0) got plenty of tackles, OLB Cameron Wake (2-1, 1 sack) got to the QB again, and ILB Karlos Dansby (4-0) hurt his groin. Meanwhile, a handful of DBs put up some numbers: FS Reshad Jones (4-2, 1 sack), SS Yeremiah Bell (4-5), CB Vontae Davis (6-0), and CB Sean Smith (4-2, 2 PD).
– San Diego FS Eric Weddle (8-4) lived up to the hype after an unspectacular week 1. ILB Donald Butler (5-3, 1 sack) had another good tackle day. DT Antonio Garay (4-2), SS Bob Sanders (4-2), and ILB Takeo Spikes (1-6, PD) are also noteworthy.
– Whoah, a handful of Cincy IDPs had big days: DE Michael Johnson (7-0, FF, 1 sack), MLB Rey Maualuga (6-1), and WLB Thomas Howard (7-1). FS Reggie Nelson (3-1, FF) and DE Carlos Dunlap (4-0) also showed up.
– It looks like Atlanta has two of the top tackle threats among their LB corps: MLB Curtis Lofton (6-4, 2 PD) and WLB Sean Weatherspoon (7-3). DE Kroy Biermann (2-2) fell back down to Earth after flying off the waiver wire in many leagues. DE Ray Edwards (2-0, fumble recovery) at least had 64 yards on a fumble recovery.
– St. Louis MLB James Laurinaitis (9-5) was in full-on beast mode, while FS Quintin Mikell (6-1, int, PD) racked up some numbers, as well. The D-line showed up: DE James Hall (3-1, 1 sack), DE Chris Long (3-0, 1 sack, PD), and rookie DE Robert Quinn (2-0, 1 sack). For the second week in a row, CB Justin King (8-1) had huge numbers.