After weeks of unproductive numbers, Vincent Jackson (83) finally found the end zone again.

If the old adage that it’s hard to beat a team three times in a season is true, then it must be equally hard to lose to a team three times in a season. Fortunately, that held true for The Thamesmen in the first round of the fantasy football playoffs this week. After ending the regular season on a three-game skid, The Thamesmen finally pulled it together against a team that they lost to twice during the season. It helped that Drew Brees, my opponent’s starting quarterback, put up a dud for once, mustering only three points. It’s a good thing, too, because The Thamesmen’s QB, Tom Brady, didn’t exactly tear it up as he posted a paltry seven points. However, a stellar day at wide receiver by the Jackson Two — Vincent (108 yards, 2 TDs) and Desean (140 yards, 1 TD) — led a balanced effort from the rest of the lineup. Adrian Peterson and Antonio Gates each chipped in a TD, and I even got 11.5 points from the Houston defense. I’m up by 28 points, so unless Lawrence Tynes and Osi Umenyiora both have career games tonight for my opponent, I’m going to the title game.

My other team, Outlaws of the Marsh, was not so fortunate in its league’s postseason. I actually made all the right lineup moves this week and even got great production from my wideouts, which had been the Outlaws’ Achilles heel all season. I got double figures from Derrick Mason (87 yards, TD) and Chris Chambers (114 yards, TD), not to mention good games by Philip Rivers (308 yards, 3 TDs), Dallas Clark (95 yards, 2 TDs), and Rashard Mendenhall (111 total yards, TD). My opponent was putting up points, too, but I was still in good position to pull out a win until DeAngelo Williams tweaked his ankle in the Sunday night game, departing for the night without putting up a single fantasy point. It went downhill from there, as I watched Adrian Peterson and Steve Smith find the end zone for my opponent while cursing Jonathan Stewart for racking up the yards and TDs that should have rightfully been Williams’ (and mine). It all added up to an eight-point loss, ending my reign as the defending league champion. Oh well. I won a bunch of games and put up some respectable point totals despite having a crappy receiving corps. It was a solid season.

Week 15 Highs and Lows

Brett Favre’s December magic the last couple seasons has been a disappearing act.

• It sure looks like Brett Favre is going through another late-season swoon. Last season, he threw two TDs and nine interceptions in the Jets’ final five games after a strong start. This year, he has thrown four interceptions and just three TDs in his last three games after putting up 24 TDs and just three INTs in the first 11 games. It doesn’t help that he hasn’t had Percy Harvin at full strength the last couple weeks.
• Matt Cassel had been on the skids ever since I sort of praised him as a viable fantasy starter a few weeks back, having thrown seven INTs and just one TD in three games. He got the cure-all on Sunday — the Cleveland Browns. The Chiefs lost, but Cassel threw for a healthy 331 yards and two TDs. Like I said before, he really is a feast-or-famine guy.
• Somebody explain to me how Ben Roethlisberger can throw three touchdown passes and have none of them go to Hines Ward, Santonio Holmes, or Heath Miller?
• Don’t anoint him the starter in Carolina for next season yet, but Matt Moore sure made a fine case to stay the starter the rest of the season with his 299-yard, 3-TD performance against a tough Vikings defense. Again, the Panthers’ offense is actually pretty decent when its quarterback isn’t throwing the ball into the ground or into opponents’ arms. Jake Delhomme, pack your bags.

Jerome Harrison’s day by the numbers: Rushing yards — 286. Touchdowns — 3. Fantasy impact — 0.
• Really, did anybody see Jerome Harrison’s ridiculous 286-yard, 3-TD game coming? Those 286 yards were only 15 fewer than what he had the entire season going into Sunday’s game, and those three TDs were three more than what he had going in. In his previous five games, he had average 2.3, 3.8, 1.5, 3.5, and 1.3 yards per carry, respectively. And that’s how one of the greatest rushing days in league history became one of the biggest wasted efforts in fantasy football history.
• Jay Cutler’s season is approaching Madden-level of ridiculousness. Before this season, I thought it was only possible for a quarterback to throw 30 interceptions in a season in a video game, but Cutler is on track to prove me wrong. With three more INTs on Sunday, he now has 25 on the year. His last two opponents, the Vikings and Lions, aren’t particularly fearsome against the pass, but Cutler has been throwing picks against just about everybody.