All new faces take home trophies again….Shawn can pick Free Agents like nobody’s business….X-Factor finally breaks thru….Early success is quickly forgotten….Some streaks continue….and Chump Survivor in this week’s issue….
Ben Roethlisberger (AND)
After 2 weeks in a row ending in 2nd place for this award….RG3 went all out in the 1pm game on Sunday to try and reach the top spot….21 of 34 for 221 yards and 1 TD in the air was worth a pedestrian 90.44 Quarterback rating….but this rookie took off on the ground as well adding an additional 85 yards on 12 carries (7.08 average) and 1 more trip to pay dirt….he pulled all the stops at game end piling on 29 of those yards and 3 of his 17 1st Downs in the final 1:01 of game clock for a league leading 28 points….But it was still only good enough for 2nd place….Big Ben Roethlisberger was in a firefight with Carson Palmer in the 4pm games….he ends with the most completions (36) on the 2nd most attempts (49) for the most yards (384) and the most TD’s (4) on the weekend….good enough for a 123.1 Quarterback rating….He was in sync with his entire receiving corps managing a 73.4% completion rate to 10 different players….The effort is good enough for his 1st Player of the Week Award on the year….the 2nd trophy for Armed N Dangerous….and keeps them in 1st place in the Storm Division….
Andre Brown (RNT)
David Wilson was a 4th Round Pick in the 2012 TBFL Draft….But it is the undrafted back-up Andre Brown….who previously had a career total of 2 carries for -1 yard before this season….that is benefitting from the Ahmad Bradshaw injury….In early week action he averaged 5.65 yards per carry gaining 113 yards and 2 TD’s on the ground….In addition to piling up 5 1st Downs….he caught 3 of his 5 targets for an additional 17 yards in a 27 point losing effort for Runs N Throses….Maurice Jones-Drew challenged him on Sunday averaging 6.32 per carry totaling 177 yards and 1 score on the ground….but he ends up 1 reception (or 3 yards on the ground) short of tying for the top spot….of course the best Running Back performance on the weekend was the 288 total yards from scrimmage from Jamal Charles….while sitting on the Bay Area Thrashers bench….This is the 1st award for the waiver wire wonder and the 1st on the year for Runs N Throses….
A.J. Green (XFA)
3 Wide Receivers managed to top the 30 point mark in Week 3….Torrey Smith overcame the loss of his brother earlier in the day to pile on 127 yards and 2 TD’s against the Bubba Army defense….but ended on 30 points after only pulling in 60% of his 10 targets….Megatron managed 1 score and hauled in 10 of his 12 targets for 164 yards in handing Warriors loss #101….but he still fell 2 catches short of the trophy….Only 8 seconds had come off the clock when A.J. Green sprinted 73 yards for a score on the 1st catch of the game….he would catch 8 of his next 10 targets for an additional 110 yards in the air and add 1 carry for 11 yards to total 34 points…. As an added note….1st Down is apparently Green’s specialty as 8 of his 9 catches this weekend and all 6 of his 1st Downs came on 1st Down plays….17 of his 21 catches on the year have been on 1st Down….He has only been targeted on 3rd Down 2 times all year (both incomplete) and has not been involved on any 4th Down plays….This is his 1st Player of the Week award on the season and the 1st for X-Factor who are now tied for 10th longest win streak to start a season with 3….
Jason Hanson (BBA)
Usually it is the Kickers that we remark are inconsistent and never repeat at the top of the Player of the Week chart….but this year no position has managed a repeat performance from the same player or the same team….Jason Hanson did manage to finish 1 missed Field Goal away from taking this award from Gostkowski in Week 2….And in Week 3 they swap positions….Both players were perfect on their combined 13 attempts….But Hanson took advantage of his 1 extra opportunity to get the long ball bonus with a 53 yarder to steal the title….He is the 3rd Kicker on the year to end on 16 points….It is his 1st Player of the Week award on the year and the 4th for Bubba Army who are now only a Quarterback trophy away from hitting for the cycle….
Arizona Cardinals (RNT)
2 Defenses went Helmet-2-Helmet this week in a battle for Player of the Week honors….UO Grandmasters’ Chicago Bears squad gave up only 6 points to a Rams offense that looked to be on fire in Week 2….They racked up 6 Sacks and 2 Interceptions including a 45 yard Pick-6 in the 4th Quarter for good measure to total 26 points….But as our Running Back award should show you….never rule out a Runs N Throses free agent acquisition….The Cardinals matched the 6 points allowed to the Eagles offense….stopping them 3 times from their own 1 yard line including a 97 yard ‘Vick-6’ Sack and Fumble Recovery for a Touchdown as time expired in the 1st Half….They totaled 5 Sacks and 2 More fumble recoveries to edge out the Bears with 27 points….It is their 1st trophy on the year and the 2nd earned for Runs N Throses….
Team of the Week
X-Factor has been hidden in the shadows so far this year….Hurricanes has been the favorite in the Buccaneers Division since before the Draft….Rookie sensation RG3 has managed to be 2nd best 3 weeks in a row….#1 Overall Pick Ray Rice has been within 1 or 2 points of Player of the Week honors….and while finally pulling 1 out in Week 3….AJ Green still trails Hurricanes’ Megatron by 2 points as best starting Wide Out on the year….But they pulled it all together in Week 3….Even after falling into a 36 point hole facing the Defense of the Week with their own -10 outing from the Lions….They managed to hit 93.9% team efficiency and do something Hurricanes has failed to do so far….Win Team of the Week….Their 1st on the year and 11½ time since joining the league in 2007….Both teams are now tied in 10th place with 3 wins to start the season….Hurricanes win streak now stretches to 8 regular season games….tied for the 6th longest of all time….
Chump of the Week
It did not take long for the mighty to fall….Team of the Week to open the season….Husslers has since had an All-Play record of 2 and 20 dropping to the Chump spot 2 weeks later….11 of 18 roster positions scored 6 points or less including half of the starters….79.1% team efficiency was actually higher than their opponent in Week 3….but unfortunately their best possible lineup (86) was still only good enough to potentially beat Fudgie Whales (80)….Roster maintenance has to be looked at here as Quarterback Alex Smith has outscored the starter from the bench all 3 Weeks….and the 4 Free Agent acquisitions made by Husslers have scored a total of 30 points after being acquired….Only 2 points scored are currently keeping them out of 4th place in the Bandit Division….
RNT Extra
Runs N Throses proved to be the wisest of us all last week….his 2 Free Agent acquisitions in Week 3 BOTH won Player of the Week honors….but have their lineup decisions really mattered?….They have managed to play an award winner every week in 2012….In Week 1 they could not lose playing Chump of the Week Bay Area Thrashers….and now in Weeks 2 & 3 they could not win playing Team of the Week winners Bubba Army and X-Factor….Things either look really good or really grim for Week 4 opponent Armed N Dangerous on T&A Night….
Chump Survivor
With our 2nd Week of Chump Survivor….the Chump of the Week is again the team that is eliminated from competition….Average scoring in the league fell for the 2nd straight week down to 103.8 but the bottom score actually increased by 5 points….the next 4 names on the list ominously are the rest of the Bandit Division and the loss leading Warriors (101)….
