|
|
Q: Considering that New England and Denver are both in the playoffs, and Tampa Bay is definitely out, which QB do you expect to see the most action this weekend -- Tom Brady, Jake Plummer or Brad Johnson? My first reaction was to go with Johnson, but I am worried that the team might want to give one of the backups some experience. What are your thoughts?
A: This always is a tricky situation for fantasy owners late in the season. What appears to be a great matchup actually can turn out a nightmare because so many teams have little (or nothing) to play for in Week 17, so they rest their key players or try to get a look at younger players.
Denver really has nothing to play for in Green Bay on Sunday and already has announced that Clinton Portis won't play. Similarly, coach Mike Shanahan hasn't ruled out giving Plummer some bench time in an effort to keep him healthy. I don't see Plummer lasting all four quarters, since all Denver has to gain is a possible move to the No. 5 wild-card spot from No 6.
Johnson is coming off a very strange game (four TDs, four INTs) and has looked shaky in recent weeks. However, Tampa Bay already knows what it has in No. 2 guy Shaun King, and using rookie Chris Simms isn't an option at this point. So, Johnson should play the entire game.
The Patriots still are fighting to lock up home-field advantage in the AFC, and because they play in Saturday's early game, they won't have the luxury of knowing the outcome of the Chiefs-Bears game. For that reason, Brady should play extensively. It also should be noted that he is facing the Bills' third-ranked pass defense, which shut New England out in Week 1. If the Patriots get a nice lead, though, I wouldn't be surprised to see Brady holding the clipboard.
So, I'd say Johnson is the
most likely to last the entire game.