Detroit Fantasy Football Week 9 Recap: Midpoint madness rules as Lions lose to Seahawks

November 9, 7:20 AMDetroit Fantasy Sports ExaminerDarwin (Deni) Martin

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Wonder what Lions Head Coach Jim Schwartz is thinking as Detroit
loses for the 7th time this season? (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

It has to be “midpoint madness”. It’s a condition that occurs in week #9 of the NFL season. Your team is up by 17 points, then their opponent scores 25 unanswered points and you close the game by tossing a pass intereception for a touchdown.

Detroit’s 32-20 loss to Seattle Sunday placed renewed emphasis on two harsh facts: (1) the Lions cannot defend the football against a veteran quarterback, especially a former All-Pro like Seattle’s Matt Hasselbeck, and (2) Matthew Stafford is playing like a rookie quarterback.

It’s a fantasy football truism: If your quarterback is scheduled to play the Lions this week, start him and expect some big numbers. Cruise through the statistics for opposing quarterbacks over the last 9 seasons. You’ll probably see enemy QB’s completing over 60% of their passes for over 300 yards and a couple of touchdowns against the Lions.

Hasselbeck probably knew this when he stepped into the huddle trailing 17-0. I can imagine him saying to his teammates: “We’ve got them right where we want them.” The Seattle QB completed 39 of 51 passes for 329 yards and one TD pass against the Lions.

Matthew Stafford looked great in the 1st quarter, but pro football requires four quarters of solid play. He went from the smiling quarterback to the frustrated quarterback, though the best illustration of frustration came near the end of the game when Lion rookie Brandon Pettigrew got in a scuffle with one of the Seahawks. The look on his face made it clear that he’s tired of giving away leads and losing football games.

But what can you do? The Lions equaled their scoring quota of 17 points per game in the 1st quarter. Unfortunately, they’re giving up almost 30 points a game.

Now the Lions are in a legitimate race for the 1st draft pick in 2010, as they are one of five teams with a 1-7 record. And their opponent next week is the 7-1 Minnesota Vikings in Minneapolis. Can you sense Brett Favre grinning at the prospect of playing Detroit again?

Well, the week 9 fantasy football predictions couldn’t be that bad. Let’s compare them with the results.

“The Lion who will roar” – Major Groan:  Imagine the reversal of fortune that Matthew Stafford experienced Sunday. In the 1st quarter, he throws two TD passes and the Lions seem primed to break their 15-game road losing streak.  Oh, oh, here comes the Seattle defense and they’re seeing spirals.  Stafford throws 5 interceptions in the last 3 quarters of the game and finishes with a QB rating below 50.

“On Par Lions” – Major Groan:  It seemed so convincing when Bryant Johnson and Brandon Pettigrew caught TD passes. “Got ‘em on the ropes,” you figure. “Now the Seattle pass coverage will loosen up and we can throw to Calvin.” Nope. Calvin Johnson didn’t come close to the predicted 6 catches. He caught 2 passes for 27 yards.

“Bench that Lions” – Groan:  Maybe it’s better to recommend benching Kevin Smith if you’re looking for a better than average performance from the Lions running back. He had his longest run of the season (31 yards) and averaged 5.2 yards per carry against Seattle. Those pass interceptions neutralized the Lions’ success running the ball.  Detroit outgained the Seahawks in rushing yards, 114-55. Sadly, you are not awarded a win based on a statistical victory.

For Detroit fantasy owners with players on other teams, here’s what was predicted and the results:

“I wish I had him this week” – Minor Groan:
• Ray Rice, RB, Baltimore – Rice was outdueled by the Bengals’ Cedric Benson. Rice ran for 48 yards and one TD. Benson had 117 yards and one TD. It didn’t help that the Ravens started the 2nd quarter behind 14-0.
• Aaron Rodgers, QB, Green Bay – Rodgers threw 2 TD passes and 3 interceptions and the Packers gave up 21 4th quarter points to the previously winless Buccaneers.
• Randy Moss, WR, New England – Thank you, Randy!  Moss caught 6 passes for 147 yards. His 71-yard TD catch and run will be among the week 9 NFL highlight clips.

“Expect a Downturn” – Yippee:
• Steve Slaton, RB, Houston – Slaton carried the ball 6 times for 17 yards, though teammate Ryan Moats didn’t fare any better with his 16 carries for 38 yards against the Colts.
• Darren Sproles, RB, San Diego – Sproles ran only once for one yard, but caught 5 passes for 22 yards. The difference maker for San Diego was QB Philip Rivers, who made the key throws that beat the Giants.
• Antonio Gates, TE, San Diego – Gates caught 5 passes for 67 yards, which is just a whisker below average for him. His teammate, Vincent Jackson, also caught 5 passes, but two of them were for touchdowns.

Who surprised you or disappointed you in week #9? Here’s your opportunity to share your opinions and expertise with me and other fantasy sports enthusiasts. You can submit your answers to these questions by choosing to “Comment” on this story or email me at deni-martin@att.net.

A preview of week #10 – who should have a good week and who should you should consider planting on the bench this weekend.