Comments (5,286)

By Brian Consolazio, December 1, 2009 8:04 pm

#1 Star: Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers
Alma Mater: Cal
Stats (11/26): 28 for 39 348 Yards, 3 TDs, 0 INTs, 124.7 QB Rating

Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers continued their push for one of the NFC Wild Card spots in a huge Thanksgiving Day beat down against the Detroit Lions 34 – 12. Rodgers matched a career high in touchdowns this week and once again showed what he can do with time in the pocket.

Down 7 – 0, Rodgers connected with Donald Lee on a seven yard touchdown reception to the right to tie the game at seven. With the Packers up 13 – 7 at halftime, Rodgers kicked it up another notch in the second half completing another seven yard touchdown score, this time to Donald Driver, and a 21 yard shot down the middle to James Jones to give the Packers a 27 – 7 lead late in the third quarter. The Packers would coast to victory and Rodgers would also finish the game with his second highest QB Rating of the season.

Rodgers had his fourth 340+ yard game of the season and the Packers are 3-1 this season when he has hit that mark. If he can continue to get time in the pocket and spread the ball around like he has (completed passes to eight different receivers), the Packers should continue to roll right along and get into a playoff spot.

# 2 Star: Justin Forsett, Seattle Seahawks
Alma Mater: Cal
Stats (11/29): 22 Rushes for 130 Yards, 2 TDs

With Julius Jones still out due to injury, Justin Forsett once again put up huge numbers to lead the Seattle Seahawks to victory this week over the St. Louis Rams 27 – 17. Forsett also led the Seahawks to their first road victory of the year, coming in at 0-5.

Forsett started off the scoring in the game with a three yard rush to the right to give the Seahawks a 7 – 0 lead. Up 17 – 10 early in the fourth quarter, Forsett pounded in a two yard rush to the left this time to put the game out of reach at 24 – 10. Forsett averaged 5.9 yards per carry and posted his second 120+ yard game in his three starts.

I know the old saying goes “you cant lose your starting position to injury”, but Mora is going to have a tough decision when Jones comes back next week. Forsett has 385 yards with a 6.8 yard average while Jones has 392 yards on a 3.7 yard average. You make the call.

# 3 Star: Andre Iguodala, Philadelphia 76ers
Alma Mater: Arizona
Stats (11/24 – 11/30): 18.6 Pts, 7.4 Rebs, 6.6 Asts, 2.6 Stls, 37% FG Pct

The Philadelphia 76ers are not off to the best start in the world (5-13) and have lost seven straight, but they definitely cannot point the finger at their star shooting guard/small forward Andre Iguodala. Iguodala has found a way to put up his usual points as well as spread the ball around leading the 76ers in assists in all five games during the week.

On November 25th, against the Boston Celtics, Iguodala posted his best game of the week. He had 25 points, nine rebounds, nine assists, and one steal in the three point loss. Against the Hawks on November 27th, Iguodala again flirted with a triple double, posting 16 points, nine rebounds, eight assists, and two steals. Against the Spurs two nights later, Iguodala once again filled the stat sheet with 21 points, eight rebounds, seven assists, and a season high five steals.

If Iguodala can continue to put up these types of numbers, and anyone else on the team can step up and help him out a little, the 76ers could potentially turn things around. Iguodala is a superstar in the league and it is a shame that he plays on such a bad team where a lot of people don’t get to see him to often.

Honorable Mentions:

Cal’s Tony Gonzalez (9 Receptions for 83 Yards)
USC’s Brian Cushing (11 Tackles, 1 INT, 1 TD)
UCLA’s Baron Davis (21.3 Pts, 3.7 Rebs, 6.0 Asts, 1.0 Stls 52% FG Pct)
Stanford’s Brook Lopez (21.8 Pts, 10.0 Rebs, 1.8 Asts 1.3 Blks 49% FG Pct)

Comments (5,284)

By Brian Consolazio, November 24, 2009 9:36 pm

#1 Star: Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers
Alma Mater: Cal
Stats (11/22): 32/45 for 344 Yards, 2 TDs, 0 INTs, 108.0 QB Rating

With the Green Bay Packers going into a critical game on Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers, they got exactly what they needed from their star quarterback Aaron Rodgers to keep their playoff hopes alive. Rodgers threw a season high 45 times in the game and also completed a season high 32 of those passes to lead the Packers to a 30 – 24 victory.

Rodgers did most of his damage in the first half of the game, throwing for 274 yards and both of his touchdowns. The biggest play of the game came in the second quarter when the Packers were up 6 – 3 and Rodgers found Greg Jennings down the middle of the field for a 64-yard touchdown reception off of a nice play action fake to give the Packers a 13 – 3 lead. Later in the quarter, Rodgers hit Jordy Nelson for a seven-yard score to give the Packers a 20 – 3 lead that they would never lose.

Rodgers completed passes to seven different receivers, with all of them catching at least two balls. If Rodgers can continue to get good protection in the pocket like he did in this one, I think the Packers still have a shot at squeezing into one of the NFC Wild Card spots.

#2 Star: Brook Lopez, New Jersey Nets
Alma Mater: Stanford
Stats (11/17 – 11/21): 18.5 Pts, 10.7 Rebs, 2.0 Asts, 4.0 Blks, 41% FG Pct

For the New Jersey Nets, things can’t get much worse. They are 0-13 to start the season and have been plagued with injuries. One person they cant blame for their early season struggles is last year’s first round pick Brook Lopez.

In Lopez’s three games this week he recorded two double doubles with monster games against both the New York Knicks and Indiana Pacers. Against the Knicks, Lopez scored 18 points and grabbed 12 rebounds to go along with four blocks in only 31 minutes of play in the seven point loss. Lopez was even more dominant against the Pacers, and in his 46 minutes of play he recorded 26 points, a season high 16 rebounds, and a season high five blocks as well.

Brook Lopez has continued his early career success with five double-doubles this season. I’m starting to get the feeling that Lopez will get overlooked in the eyes of most people like the St Louis Rams’ Steven Jackson for the sole purpose that he is on a bad team, but I can almost guarantee you that this won’t be the last time you see him on this list.

#3 Star: DeSean Jackson, Philidelphia Eagles
Alma Mater: Cal
Stats (11/22): 8 Receptions for 107 Yards, 1 TD, 1 Rush for 10 Yards

What a shocker here, when the Philadelphia Eagles are struggling and need a win, they always seem to get a huge night from their star wide receiver DeSean Jackson. This time with a 5-4 record going into Sunday, Jackson showcased his top notch speed on Sunday Night Football in the Eagles 24 – 20 win over the Chicago Bears.

Jackson matched a season high eight receptions in the game, proving to be more reliable then just a big play receiver who makes two to three catches a game. Jackson did however show his big play abilities as well in this one, when he burned the entire Bears secondary on a play action fake, scoring a 48-yard touchdown reception to give the Eagles a 17 – 12 lead late in the third quarter. Down 20 to 17 in the fourth, on the Eagles eventual game winning drive, Jackson made three catches for 24 yards, all for first downs.

DeSean Jackson now has touchdowns in five different games on the year and in those games the Eagles are 4-1. I don’t know if Jackson has a problem with his consistency, but when he is on, the Eagles seem to win, and they will definitely need more big games like this to stay in playoff contention.

Honorable Mentions:

Oregon State’s Steven Jackson (24 Carries for 116 Yards, 1 TD)
Cal’s Tony Gonzalez (8 Receptions for 82 Yards, 1 TD)
Cal’s Jason Kidd (8.5 Pts, 7.5 Rebs, 9.5 Asts, 3.5 Stls, 32% FG Pct)
UCLA’s Russell Westbrook (18.5 Pts, 3.5 Rebs, 6.0 Asts, 1.5 Stls, 44% FG Pct)
Washington’s Dashon Goldson (8 Tackles)

Comments (5,245)

By Brian Consolazio, November 18, 2009 3:56 am

#1 Star: Maurice Jones-Drew, Jacksonville Jaguars
Alma Mater: UCLA
Stats (11/15): 24 Rushes for 123 Yards, 1 TD, 2 Receptions for 22 Yards

The Jacksonville Jaguars vs New York Jets turned out to be one of the best football games of the week, and Maurice Jones-Drew once again showed why he is one of the best running backs in the game leading his team to a 24 – 22 victory over the New York Jets in the Meadowlands.

Just three minutes into the game, Jones-Drew broke a 33 yard rush to the left side to give the Jaguars the early 7 – 0 lead. The game went back and forth throughout, and with the Jags trailing 22 – 21 with 5:04 left in the game, they started a drive that would prove to be the game winner.

Although Jones-Drew only had the one touchdown, his biggest play came right after the two minute warning when the Jags were at the Jets 10-yard line on 2nd and 6. Jones-Drew rushed up the middle for nine yards and took a knee at the Jets one to all but seal victory as the Jaguars were able to ice the game from there and kick a game winning field goal as time expired.

After the game, Jones-Drew apologized to his fantasy owners for not taking the easy touchdown that the Jets were giving him. He stated that the team always comes first, and that selfless play earned him the number one spot this week. If Jones-Drew continues to play this well, the Jags could potentially make a run at the Wild Card this year.

#2 Star: Steven Jackson, St Louis Rams
Alma Mater: Oregon State
Stats (11/15) 26 Rushes for 131 Yards, 1 TD, 9 Receptions for 45 Yards

With the St Louis Rams going up against the New Orleans Saints this weekend, it looked as though the Saints would breeze to another win and stay undefeated through their first nine games. Although they did end up winning the game, Steven Jackson and the Rams made sure that it wouldn’t be easy for them.

Steven Jackson finished the game with the third most rushing yards of the week, and he seemed to rush at will on the Saints all game long with his five yard average. His longest rush of the game came on the second play of the game (30 yards) and set the tone for the rest of the way. With 55 seconds left in the first half down 14 – 7, Steven Jackson rushed to the right for a two yard TD to tie the game up before half time.

It was another frustrating loss for the Rams, but they have to have some confidence going into their game next week against the Arizona Cardinals after proving this week that they can hang against anyone.

#3 Star: Justin Forsett, Seattle Seahawks
Alma Mater: Cal
Stats (11/15) 17 Rushes for 123 Yards, 1 TD, 5 Receptions for 26 Yards

Justin Forsett rounds out the top three this week and is also the third running back to make the list. With Julius Jones out with a chest injury, Forsett finally got his chance to start his first game of the year and was able to shine throughout.

Forsett’s 7.2 yards per carry was best in the league this week among running backs who rushed 15 times or more, and he showed his explosive speed and breakout ability every time he touched the ball. Justin Forsett’s 11-yard touchdown run with 20 seconds left in the first quarter topped off an impressive 99-yard drive for the Seahawks, and even though they lost the game, Forsett was able to get a career high in rushing yards with 123.

I’m not sure how long Julius Jones is supposed to be out, but I think Justin Forsett guaranteed himself a lot more carries the rest of the way even if he splits time with Jones. This was a promising start for the Seahawks and Forsett, and I look for them to be able to build on Forsett’s potential and be a fun team to watch for the remainder of the year.

Honorable Mentions:

Oregon State’s TJ Houshmandzadeh (9 Receptions for 165 Yards)
Stanford’s Oshiomogho Atogwe (5 Tackles, 1 INT, 1 FF, 1 Pass Deflection)
Oregon State’s Sabby Piscitelli (9 Tackles, 1 FF)
Arizona’s Gilbert Arenas (20.0 Pts, 5.5 Rebs, 9.0 Asts, 2.5 Stls, 7.0 TOs, 37% FG Pct)
UCLA’s Baron Davis (19.3 Pts, 5.0 Rebs, 7.3 Asts, 2.3 Stls, 2.7 TOs, 40% FG Pct)

Comments (5,250)

By Brian Consolazio, November 11, 2009 3:26 am

#1 Star: Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City Thunder
Alma Mater: UCLA
Stats (11/3 – 11/8): 20.7 Ppg, 5.3 Rebs, 8.0 Asts, 1.0 Stls, 49% FG Pct , 1.3 3 Pters

With the Oklahoma City Thunder off to a somewhat hot start of 3-3 (they hadn’t won their third game until game 27 last year), they can thank the solid play of second year point guard Russell Westbrook. Although only going 1-2 last week, the Thunder did get a big win against the Orlando Magic, and Westbrook led the Thunder in assists in all three games.

On November 6th against the Houston Rockets, Westbrook put up his best game of the week (in a losing effort) going 14 for 25 from the field with a team high 33 points and team high seven assists. In the lone win for the Thunder, on November 8th against the Orlando Magic, Westbrook notched his third double-double of the season with 17 points and 10 assists.

I still wouldn’t consider the Oklahoma City Thunder any threat to make the playoffs in the Western Conference this year, but with their run and gun style and Russell Westbrook maturing into a speedy and smart point guard, they should at least be exciting to watch this year.

#2 Star: Matt Cassel
Alma Mater: USC
Stats (11/8): 23 for 39, 262 Yards 2 TDs 0 INTs, 96.3 QB Rating

With all the talk this week about Larry Johnson getting suspended by the Kansas City Chiefs, not many people were giving them much of a chance to beat the Jacksonville Jaguars. Although the Chiefs (1-7) did end up coming up a little short on Sunday, they were reminded that they have a pretty good quarterback on their team when given the chance to throw the ball more.

Down 24 – 6 with 4:26 to go, Cassel showed an amazing no-quit attitude and did everything he possibly could to get his team back in the game. Cassel’s biggest play came with 2:32 left in the game when he connected with Chris Chambers for a 54-yard touchdown pass down the right side of the field. Moments later, after an onside kick recovered by the Chiefs, Cassel again drovethe Chiefs down the field and completed a five yard pass to Chambers to make it 24 – 21 (Cassel completed the two point conversion as well). Matt Cassel also completed passes to nine different receivers in the game, making it difficult for the Jaguars to know who to defend.

Although the Chiefs weren’t able to complete the comeback, many good things can be taken from this game. Maybe with Larry Johnson out of the lineup the Chiefs will start to focus on throwing the ball a little more, and Cassel will be able to show why he got paid so much money in the off-season to be the starter of this team.

#3 Star: Maurice Jones-Drew
Alma Mater: UCLA
Stats (11/8): 29 Rushes for 97 Yards, 1 TD, 3 Receptions for 37 Yards

After another upsetting loss for the Jacksonville Jaguars last week against the 0-6 Titans, they bounced back by yet again giving most of the workload to Maurice Jones-Drew. His 32 total touches made up for 47% of the Jaguars total plays ran, and proved once again that when he is given the ball a lot, good things are going to happen.

With the Jaguars up 17 – 6 late in the fourth quarter, Maurice Jones-Drew struck for his lone touchdown bursting up the middle for a 10 yard gain making it 24 – 6. This proved to be the game winning touchdown for the Jaguars, and his nine yard rush with 55 seconds left iced the game officially for Jacksonville, who moved to 4 – 4 on the year.

Eight Games into the season we are all starting to see a very noticeable pattern with the success of the Jacksonville Jaguars, and how their star running back Maurice Jones-Drew performs. If they have any chance of going into New York and beating the Jets, they are going to need to continue to give Maurice Jones-Drew the majority of the touches and see where he can take them.

Honorable Mentions:

Stanford’s Brook Lopez (19.0 Ppg, 8.7 Rebs, 1.3 Asts, 1.7 Blks, 53% FG Pct)
USC’s Brian Cushing (12 Tackles, 1 Pass Deflection)
USC’s Terrell Thomas (9 Tackles, 1 INT, 1 Pass Deflection)
Arizona’s Andre Iguodala (20.3 Ppg, 5.0 Rebs, 3.0 Asts, 2.0 Stls, 54% FG Pct)
Stanford’s Greg Camarillo (5 Receptions for 71 Yards)

Comments (5,286)

By Brian Consolazio, November 3, 2009 2:47 pm

#1 Star: Chase Utley, Philadelphia Phillies
Alma Mater: UCLA
Stats (10/28 – 11/2) : 6 for 18, 6 Runs, 5 HRs, 8 RBIs, 1 SB, .333 avg

With the Philadelphia Phillies playing on the biggest stage in baseball, the World Series, they are getting exactly what they need out of their all-star second basemen Chase Utley. Although down in the series three games to two right now, you certainly can’t fault Utley. His five home runs have tied Reggie Jackson’s 1977 record for most in a World Series.

Chase Utley had three multi-hit games (games one, four and five), two multi-home run games (one and five), and three games where he has recorded at least two RBIs (one, four and five). In Game One, in his second at bat against CC Sabathia, Utley homered to right field to give the Phillies a 1 – 0 lead. In his next at bat in the sixth inning, he again blasted one over the right field wall that extended the Phillies lead to 2 – 0 and turned out to be the game winning run.

In game five, with the Phillies down 1 – 0 in the bottom of the first, Utley delivered again, this time a three run shot into right field. The Phillies never looked back, and Utley’s insurance home run in the bottom of the seventh (giving the Phillies a 7 – 2 lead) ended up being the game winning run again.

The Phillies still have a long way to go if they are going to win the World Series, but if anyone is making things difficult on the Yankees, it’s Chase Utley. He is putting together an MVP-like series and would very likely win the award if the Phillies can somehow come back and win it all.

#2 Star: Gilbert Arenas
Alma Mater: Arizona
Stats (10/27 to 10/31): (Per-Game Averages) 28.0 Points, 1.7 Rebounds, 6.7 Assists, 1.0 Steals, 2.3 3-Pointers, 50% FG PCT

The Washington Wizards were a pathetic 19-63 last year (tied for second worst in the NBA) with tons of questions surrounding the team. Will Gilbert Arenas be able to get back to his 2006-07 form after playing a combined 15 games the last two years? Or will the Wizards and Arenas continue to struggle and be one of the worst teams in the league?

Of course the health question cannot be answered in the first week of the season, but so far so good for Gilbert Arenas and the Wizards. The Wizards are 2-1 this season, and Gilbert Arenas has been leading the way. Arenas has led the Wizards in points in all three games this year, and his best game this week came on Halloween Night when he was 9 for 13 shooting, 11 for 12 from the line, 3 for 4 from behind the arc, and had 32 points and 7 assists in a 123 – 104 win over the New Jersey Nets.

The Wizard’s success this season starts and ends with Agent 0. If he can stay healthy for the entire season (knock on wood), the Wizards should be a respectable team throughout the year and be a surprise team in the East after last year’s horrible season.

#3 Star: Steven Jackson
Alma Mater: Oregon State
Stats (11/1): 22 Rushes for 149 Yards, 1 TD, 3 Receptions for 17 Yards

The St Louis Rams were 0-7 going into their week eight match up with the Detroit Lions. Steven Jackson almost single-handedly made sure they didn’t fall to 0-8 with his huge game in the 17 – 10 St Louis Rams victory.

With the game tied at 10 – 10 with 1:38 left in the game, Steven Jackson put an exclamation point on the game when he broke a 25-yard run to the right side to give the Rams a 17 – 10 lead. This was the first Rams rushing touchdown of the season and it provided the game-winning score.

Slowly but surely, Steven Jackson has been putting together one of the most underrated performances of the year. With these 149 yards he is now tied for second in the NFL in rushing (784 yards), and although he only has one touch down, he is still putting up great numbers with a team that everyone knows is going to run the ball as much as possible. The Rams probably wont win many more games this year, but I really respect the effort Steven Jackson has put together all year and am glad that he is at least able to celebrate this one.

Honorable Mentions:

Cal’s Aaron Rodgers (17 for 28, 287 Yards 3 TDs 0 INTs, 5 Rushes 52 Yards, 108.5 Rating)
UCLA’s Maurice Jones-Drew (8 Rushes for 177 Yards, 2 TDs)
USC’s Mark Sanchez (20 for 35, 265 Yards 2 TDs 0 INTs, 4 Rushes 6 Yards 1 TD, 100.3 Rating)
Washington’s Brandon Roy (27.0 Pts, 4.8 REBs, 4.8 ASTs, 2.0 3-Pointers, 39% FG PCT)
Oregon’s Aaron Brooks (21.0 Pts, 3.0 REBs, 8.5 ASTs, 1.0 STLs, 2.3 3-Pointers, 50% FG PCT)

Comments (5,250)

By Brian Consolazio, October 27, 2009 9:32 pm

#1 Star: Carson Palmer, Cincinnati Bengals
Alma Mater: USC
Stats (10/25): 20/24, 233 Yards, 5 Touchdowns, 146.7 QB Rating

The Chicago Bears came in at 3-2 after losing a tough game to the Falcons last week, and the Cincinnati Bengals came in at 4-2 after a letdown loss to the Houston Texans. Both teams were looking for a bounceback win, which should have provided a tough, competitive game; but Carson Palmer and the Bengals had other ideas.

The Cincinnati Bengals scored early and often, and Carson Palmer went 20 for 24 (83.3%) with 233 yards and five touchdowns (tops in the NFL this week). On the Bengals first drive of the game Palmer connected on a nine yard touchdown to Chris Henry. With one minute and seven seconds left in the first quarter, Chad Ochocinco caught an eight yard strike from Palmer. Palmer led the Bengals to points on all five first half possessions, including four touchdown passes.

If the Bengals weren’t up 31 – 3 (effectively ending the need to pass), there is no telling how many more yards and touchdown passes Carson Palmer could have racked up. If this offense can continue to click like it did last week, you will be seeing a lot more of Palmer on this list.

#2 Star: Chad Ochocinco, Cincinnati Bengals
Alma Mater: Oregon State
Stats (10/25): 10 Receptions for 118 Yards, 2 TDs

Chad Ochocinco also had his say in the Bengals 45 – 10 romping of the Chicago Bears. Ochocinco made it 14 – 0 late in the first quarter with his eight yard touchdown reception. While up 31 – 3, Ochocinco added even more insurance for the Bengals grabbing his second score, a 13 yard reception late in the third quarter making it 38 – 3.

Like Carson Palmer, Ochocinco did most of his work in the first half of this blowout game. He had eight catches for 103 yards, completely making a joke of the Chicago Bears secondary. Once again if this game was close I would have loved to see how many yards and touchdowns Ochocinco could have had, but I guess we will have to wait for another week to see if these guys can keep up their success together.

#3 Star: DeSean Jackson, Philadelphia Eagles
Alma Mater: Cal
Stats (10/26): 2 Receptions for 69 Yards, 1 TD, 1 Rush for 67 Yards, 1 TD

After the Philadelphia Eagles lost a shocking game last week to the Oakland Raiders 13 – 9, many people wondered who would step up for the Eagles and get them back on track against the Washington Redskins.  With no touchdowns last week and really no explosive plays at all, DeSean Jackson made sure that would not happen back-to-back weeks as he electrified Monday Night Football fans accross the country with two huge plays.

Jackson finished the game with only two receptions for 69 yards, and one rush for 67 yards, but in his three touches he managed two touchdowns. On the first drive of the football game DeSean Jackson took a reverse handoff from Donovan McNabb, and ran down the left side of the field nearly untouched to give the Eagles the 7 – 0 lead that they would never lose. If one huge play wasn’t enough, Jackson struck again on the first play after the two minute warning of the first half, on a third and 22 at his own 43 yard line. Jackson burnt the corners and was wide open down the sideline where McNabb hit him in stride for his second touchdown of the game untouched.

Many Eagles fans have been concerned about DeSean Jackson and his ankle problems over the last couple of weeks but if this game wasn’t a sign that he is starting to feel better then I don’t know what is. Look for Jackson and the Eagles to continue to pile up some victories the rest of the way.

Honorable Mentions:

Cal’s Aaron Rodgers (15/20, 246 Yards, 3 TDs, 155.4 QB Rating)
Oregon State’s Steven Jackson (23 Rushes for 134 Yards)
Washington’s Dashon Goldson (6 Tackles, 1 Forced Fumble, 1 Fumble Recovery)
USC’s Terrell Thomas (5 Tackles, 1 Interception, 4 Pass Deflections)
Cal’s Thomas DeCoud (10 Tackles, 1 Sack, 1 Pass Deflection)

Comments (5,247)

By Brian Consolazio, October 20, 2009 3:47 pm

#1 Star: Maurice Jones-Drew, Jacksonville Jaguars
Alma Mater: UCLA
Stats (10/19): 33 Carries for 133 Yards, 3 TDs, 5 Receptions for 45 Yards

With the Jacksonville Jaguars still struggling, and Maurice Jones-Drew publicly stating his frustration about not getting the ball enough this season, Jones-Drew showed exactly what he can do when given the opportunity this week against the St Louis Rams. His 33 rushes (most in the NFL) for 133 yards (fourth this week) and three TDs (most in the NFL) led the Jaguars to a 23 – 20 win over the Rams.

Maurice Jones-Drew scored all three touchdowns for the Jaguars this week, but the fourth quarter was really where he took over the game. Jones-Drew ran for 74 yards in the fourth quarter with two TDs. His one yard TD run with 8:05 left in the game gave the Jags a 13 – 10 lead, and his three yard shot up the middle also gave them the lead at 20 – 17.

With this big win the Jacksonville Jaguars moved back to .500, and it looks like they are starting to understand that their best chance of winning is to give opponents a healthy dose of Maurice Jones-Drew.

#2 Star: Brian Cushing, Houston Texans
Alma Mater: USC
Stats (10/19): 9 Tackles, 1 INT, 2 Forced Fumbles, 2 Pass Deflections

With the Houston Texans going into Cincinnati to play one of the hottest teams in the league, not many people were picking Houston to win. The Texans did pull off the upset though, thanks to Brian Cushing’s huge performance and allowing zero points in the second half of the game for the 28 – 17 victory.

The Houston Texans took a 21 – 17 lead in just under four minutes into the third quarter, and this is when the defense really stepped up. Cushing’s first forced fumble came on the next possession, stopping the Bengals at midfield with a hit on Daniel Coats. With 5:38 left in the game and the Bengals down 28 – 17, Cushing once again forced a fumble, this time on J.P. Foschi to all but seal the victory for the Texans. The Texans couldn’t run the clock out though, and Cushing did seal the game with 1:48 left when he intercepted a Carson Palmer pass at the Houston 26 yard line.

The Texans moved to 3-3 after their impressive win against the Cincinnati Bengals, and with the offense clicking as well as it is, if Brian Cushing and the Texans defense continue to play at a high level, they should be a tough team to beat down the stretch.

#3 Star: Zach Miller, Oakland Raiders
Alma Mater: Arizona State
Stats (10/19): 6 Receptions for 139 Yards, 1 TD

After an embarrassing 44 – 7 loss to the New York Giants last week and the Philadelphia Eagles coming into Oakland this week, it looked like it was going to be another disaster for the Oakland Raiders. Shockingly, the Raiders were able to pull off the huge upset, thanks in large part to Zach Miller. His six receptions for 139 yards and one touchdown led all Raiders receivers in all categories, and his yardage was tops among NFL tight ends.

Zach Miller’s biggest play of the game came in the first quarter when Jamarcus Russell dumped a 16 yard pass to him down the middle and let Miller do the rest of the work. Miller got a few key blocks from Louis Murphy and was able to finish the play with an 86 yard touchdown reception, the longest pass play for the Oakland Raiders in 25 years. This touchdown also proved to be the only touchdown of the game, and the Oakland Raiders were able to fight off the Eagles 13 – 9.

13 points isn’t an offensive explosion, but it was enough to get the Raiders a much needed win.

Honorable Mentions:

Cal’s Aaron Rodgers (29-37 358 yards 2 TDs 1 INT, 3 Rushes for 9 Yards, 113.7 QB Rating)
Any other week Rodgers would have made the top three with this line, but in a big week for other players I would have liked to see a few more TDs and 0 INTs against the Lions to crack the list.

Oregon State’s Sammie Stroughter (3 Receptions for 65 yards, 142 Return Yards, 1 TD)
Stroughter also had a game worth talking about where his biggest play was a 97 yard kickoff return for a touchdown to narrow the Panthers lead to 21 – 14.

Stanford’s Oshiomogho Atogwe (10 Tackles)
Oregon State’s Nick Barnett (8 Tackles, .5 Sacks)
Oregon State’s Steven Jackson (16 Rushes for 50 Yards, 6 Receptions for 78 Yards)
Oregon’s Jonathan Stewart (17 Rushes for 110 Yards, 1 TD, 1 Fumble)

Comments (5,289)

By Brian Consolazio, October 13, 2009 4:18 pm

# 1 Star: Andre Ethier, Los Angeles Dodgers
Alma Mater: Arizona State
Stats (10/7 – 10/10): 5 Runs, 2 Home Runs, 3 RBIs, .500 AVG

The Los Angeles Dodgers seem to go only as far as their right fielder Andre Ethier’s bat takes them. In the final 12 games of the regular season the Dodgers went 5-7 and looked to be going in the wrong direction with Ethier going 3-for-34 during the slide with one home run and five RBIs.

Things changed quickly come playoff time though, and during the Dodgers three game sweep of the Cardinals, Andre Ethier led the way batting .500 with two home runs, two doubles, one triple, five runs, and three RBIs.

Ethier’s two home runs both proved to be critical in the outcomes of those games, and if he can keep this hot streak going, it would definitely help the Dodgers in their efforts to knock off the defending champs.

#2 Star: Andre Carter, Washington Redskins
Alma Mater: Cal
Stats (10/11): 6 Tackles, 2.5 Sacks, 1 Forced Fumble, 1 Pass Deflection

In what has been a largely disappointing season so far for the Washington Redskins, it was nice to see a big performance from defensive end Andre Carter.

In the 20 – 17 loss to the Carolina Panthers, Andre Carter had six tackles, two and a half sacks, one forced fumble and one pass deflection.  Carter’s two and a half sacks this week were ranked second to only James Harrison and his three for Pittsburgh.

As Washington’s offense continues to struggle, Andre Carter and the defense will have to continue to play at a high level to give the Redskins a chance to win each week.

#3 Star: Chase Utley, Philadelphia Phillies
Alma Mater: UCLA
Stats (10/7 – 10/12): 5 Runs, 1 Home Run, 1 RBI, 2 SBs, .429 AVG

The defending World Series Champions clinched the final spot in the NLCS Monday night, and Chase Utley proved to be a key factor the entire series.

Chase Utley finished the four game series with five runs, one home run, one RBI, two stolen bases and a .429 batting average. Utley’s five runs were tops on the Phillies during the series, and his two stolen bases also led the team.

Usually known for his power, Utley showed his versatility during this big series and if he stays hot with Ryan Howard, Jayson Werth and Raul Ibanez behind him, the Phillies will be awfully tough to beat.

Honorable Mentions:

USC’s Matt Cassel (253 Yards, 2 TDs, 0 INTs, 28 Rushing Yards)
Oregon State’s TJ Houshmandzadeh (5 Receptions for 77 Yards, 2 TDs)
Cal’s Marshawn Lynch (17 Carries for 69 Yards, 6 Receptions for 56 Yards, 0 TDs)
Arizona’s Antonio Pierce (8 Tackles, 1 Fumble Recovery)
Oregon’s Nick Reed (3 Tackles, 1 Sack, 1 Fumble Recovery, 1 TD)
USC’s Terrell Thomas (4 Tackles, 1 Sack, 1 Forced Fumble, 1 Pass Deflection)

Comments (5,286)

By Brian Consolazio, October 6, 2009 12:13 pm

#1 Star: Steve Smith, New York Giants
Alma Mater: USC
Stats (10/4): 11 Receptions for 134 Yds, 2 Touchdowns

Over the last few years, it hasn’t been uncommon to see a wide receiver by the name of Steve Smith near the top of the league in productivity.

But this year it hasn’t been the Carolina Panthers veteran; it’s been Steve Smith of the New York Giants, who once again led the Giants to victory with his league-high 11 catches for 134 yards (12.2 yd avg) and two touchdowns.

Smith leads the league in receptions (34), yards (411), and touchdowns (4) on the year as well, and if Eli Manning can continue to hook up with him on a regular basis the Giants (4 – 0) will be extremely hard to beat this year.

#2 Star: Brandon Morrow, Seattle Mariners
Alma Mater: Cal
Stats (9/30): 8 IP, 1 Win, 1 Hit, 2 Walks, 0.00 ERA, 0.38 WHIP, 9 Ks

In a what has been a frustrating year for Brandon Morrow (injuries and switching to a starter), Brandon Morrow showed signs of how dominating he can be when healthy.

Against the Oakland A’s, Morrow started off by retiring the first 10 batters he faced, five by strikeout.  After giving up his lone hit of the night, he went on to retire another 13 straight with four more strikeouts before walking two straight batters. He got out of the eighth inning untouched, finishing up an outstanding effort.

Hopefully Friday’s start was just a sign of things to come for Brandon Morrow and the Mariners.

#3 Star: Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers
Alma Mater: Cal
Stats (10/5): 26/37, 384 Yds, 2 TDs, 1 INT, 2 Rushes for 16 Yds

In the highly anticipated showdown between the Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings, both quarterbacks lived up to expectations.

Under constant pressure the entire game (8 sacks), Rodgers was still able to have an amazing game through the air, throwing for more yards than any other QB in Week 4 with 384 on 26 – 37 passing. Rodgers also threw for two touchdowns and had one interception.

Although the Packers ended up losing the game, I believe that Aaron Rodgers gained a lot of respect from his teammates for his resilient performance, and that the Packers will be a tough team to play the remainder of the year.

Honorable Mentions:

UCLA’s Eric Byrnes (2 Runs, 2 HRs, 5 RBIs, 1 SB, .400 BA)
UCLA’s Brandon Chillar (10 Tackles)
Oregon State’s TJ Houshmandzadeh (8 Receptions for 103 Yards)
USC’s Clay Matthews (3 Tackles, 1 Forced Fumble, 1 Fumble Recovery for 42 yds and a TD)
Arizona’s Antonio Pierce (7 Tackles, 1 Forced Fumble)
Arizona State’s Terrell Suggs (6 Tackles, 1 Sack, 1 Forced Fumble, 1 Pass Deflection)

Comments (5,285)

By Brian Consolazio, September 29, 2009 8:28 am

#1 Star: Maurice Jones-Drew, Jacksonville Jaguars
Alma Mater: UCLA
Stats (9/27): 23 Carries for 119 Yds, 3 TDs, 4 Receptions for 28 Yds

The Jacksonville Jaguars were 0 – 2 going into this weekend’s game against the Houston Texans and Maurice Jones-Drew made sure that the Jags would not drop to 0 – 3. Jones-Drew had 23 carries for 119 yards (5.2 avg) and three touchdowns, all proving to be huge plays for the Jags.

Down 14-10 in the second quarter Jones-Drew broke a 61 yd run to give the Jags a 17-14 lead. Down 21-17 Jones-Drew found the endzone again on a one yd TD to give the Jags a 24-21 lead. With the score tied at 24 going into the fouth quarter, Jones-Drew powered his way to his third score of the game and the eventual game winner.

The Jags will need more games like this out of Maurice Jones-Drew if they are going to have any chance of making the playoffs.

#2 Star: Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers
Alma Mater: Cal
Stats (9/27): 13/23, 269 Yds, 2 TDs, 8 Rushes for 38 Yds and 1 TD

With the Green Bay Packers going up against the woeful St Louis Rams, Aaron Rodgers did exactly what was expected of him in the 36-17 blowout. Rodgers went 13 for 23 with 269 yards averaging 20.69 yards per completion and had a 126.9 QB efficiency rating.

Rodgers was able to spread the ball around the entire field, completing passes to six different receivers. His eight rushes for 38 yards was also second on the team (4.8avg), and his rushing TD made his final game stats that much more impressive.

With a big showdown coming up next week against Brett Favre and the Minnesota Vikings, look for Aaron Rodgers to build off this game and bring his best to what will be one of the biggest games of the season for the Packers.

#3 Star: DeSean Jackson, Philidelphia Eagles
Alma Mater: Cal
Stats (9/27) 6 Receptions for 149 Yds, 1 Touchdown

DeSean Jackson has become the reliable deep threat wide receiver that the Eagles had hoped he would when they drafted him two years ago. Jackson posted his third straight game with a TD, and his second straight game with over 100 yards receiving.  Jackson had six receptions for 149 yards (second only to Santana Moss’ 178 yards this week).

Jackson showed his explosiveness in the second quarter in this one when he caught a slant from Kevin Kolb and blew by the secondary for a 64 yard score.

Regardless of who takes the snaps behind center in Philidelphia it looks like DeSean Jackson is going to be their go-to receiver, and if he can continue to have big games like this, look for the Eagles to be a big threat in the NFC again this year.

Honorable Mentions:

Cal’s Scott Fujita (9 Tackles)
Arizona’s Trevor Hoffman (1 Win, 2 SVs, 0.00 ERA, 0.33 WHIP)
Arizona’s Nick Hundley (4 Runs, 2 HRs, 6 RBIs, 2 SBs, .333 BA)
Oregon State’s Steven Jackson (27 Carries for 117 Yds, 5 Receptions for 46 Yds, 1 Fumble)
USC’s Steve Smith (7 Receptions for 63 Yds, 1 TD)

Comments (5,286)

By Brian Consolazio, September 22, 2009 9:49 am

#1 Star: Jacoby Ellsbury, Boston Red Sox
Alma Mater: Oregon State
Stats (9/15 – 9/21): 6 Runs, 2 Home Runs, 8 RBIs, 2 SBs, .387 BA

The Boston Red Sox got another solid performance from another Pac-10 player this week in Jacoby Ellsbury. The Red Sox leadoff batter got hits in all seven games during the week which included four multi-hit games. Ellsbury also scored runs in four different games, and had at least one RBI in four games as well.

On September 20th, Ellsbury put together his best game of the week going 3 for 4 with two runs, a double, a HR, three RBIs and his 63rd SB of the year. The Boston Red Sox went 5 – 2 during this stretch, and with strong play from the top of the lineup they look to be a big force in the AL Playoff picture again this year.

#2 Star: Sabby Piscitelli, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Alma Mater: Oregon State
Stats (9/20): 9 Tackles, 1 Interception, 1 Fumble Recovery, 1 Pass Deflection

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have started the season 0 – 2, but one of the bright spots has been second year safety Sabby Piscitelli. In Tampa Bay’s week two loss to Buffalo, Piscitelli had nine tackles, an interception, a fumble recovery and a pass deflection.

Piscitelli’s fumble recovery was recovered at his own 20 yd line where he ran for 72 yds to the Bills eight yard line. This resulted in one of the three scores for the Bucs, and if he can continue to make big plays like that the Bucs should be able to start putting some wins together. Piscitelli has 17 tackles over his first two games and looks to be a real threat this year in the Bucs secondary.

#3 Star: Steve Smith, New York Giants
Alma Mater: USC
Stats (9/20): 10 Receptions for 134 Yds, 1 Touchdown

In the home opener of Jerry Jones $1.15 billion stadium, with 105,121 fans in attendance, the New York Giants narrowly edged out the Dallas Cowboys in a game that saw eight lead changes. The Giants did it through the air with Eli Manning spreading the ball mainly to Steve Smith and Mario Manningham.

Smith caught 10 passes for 134 yds (13.4 avg) and 1 TD.  When the game was on the line and the Giants were down by 1, Eli Manning connected with Steve Smith three times, all for first downs. The Giants were able to finish off the amazing drive with a field goal and won the game 33 – 31.

Steve Smith has become one of Manning’s favorite targets, and is tied for the lead in receiving yards on the season with 214. He is evolving into a premier wide receiver in the NFL.

Honorable Mentions:

Washington State’s Erik Coleman (9 tackles)
Arizona State’s Andre Ethier (6 Runs, 3 HRs, 7 RBIs, .292 BA)
Cal’s DeSean Jackson (3 Rushes for 15 Yds, 4 Receptions for 101 Yds, 1 TD)
Oregon State’s Steven Jackson (17 Rushes for 104 Yds, 4 Receptions for 15 Yds)
Oregon State’s Chad Ochocinco (4 Receptions for 91 Yds, 1 TD)

Comments (5,283)

By Brian Consolazio, September 15, 2009 4:02 pm

#1 Star:  Dustin Pedroia, Boston Red Sox
Alma Mater: Arizona State
Stats (9/7 – 9/13): 5 Runs, 3 Home Runs, 6 RBIs, .421 BA

With the Boston Red Sox barely holding onto the AL Wild Card with a three game lead over the Texas Rangers, Dustin Pedroia did everything he possibly could to keep the Red Sox out in front. During the six game week, Pedroia recorded hits in all six games, which also included three multi-hit games. Boston went 5 – 1 during this hot week for Pedroia and extended their AL Wild Card lead from three games to 4.5.

During a double-header vs division rival Tampa Bay on the 13th, Pedroia hit a two-run HR in the top of the 8th of game one to break a 1-1 tie. The lead he gave the Red Sox would stand as the game ended 3-1. Dustin Pedroia won the AL MVP last year and he looks to be putting together clutch weeks at the end of this year as well.

#2 Star:  Troy Polamalu, Pittsburgh Steelers
Alma Mater: USC
Stats (9/10): 6 Tackles, 1 Interception, 2 Pass Deflections (in 1 half)

The defending Super Bowl Champion Pittsburgh Steelers suffered a big blow Thursday night when Pro Bowl safety Troy Polamalu tore the medial collateral ligament in his left knee, sidelining him for three to six weeks.

Before this injury occurred however, Polamalu showed exactly how big of a playmaker he is making six tackles, one interception and two pass deflections in only the first half of the game.

I’m sure most of you saw his great one-handed interception at his own five yard line to prevent any scoring threat from the Titans.  It will be interesting to see how Pittsburgh does without him, as he is easily one of their biggest threats on defense.

#3 Star:  Mike Bell, New Orleans Saints
Alma Mater: Arizona
Stats (9/13): 28 Carries for 143 Yds (1 lost fumble)

With Pierre Thomas out of the lineup, many people thought that Drew Brees would have to do without the “true” running game against the Detroit Lions. Mike Bell proved that theory wrong with his 143 yd performance averaging 5.1 yds per carry.

Bell was second in the league in rushing yards this week (behind only Adrian Peterson) and made a strong case for himself to still get his share of carries when Pierre Thomas comes back from injury.  I am curious to see what Sean Payton does when Pierre Thomas gets back and how he finds a way to spread the ball around to all three of his talented running backs.

Honorable Mentions:

Stanford’s Oshiomogho Atogwe (6 Tackles, 2 Ast Tackles, 1 INT, 2 Pass Deflections)
Cal’s DeSean Jackson (2 Rushes for 33 Yds, 2 Receptions for 9 Yds, 109 Return Yds with a TD)
UCLA’s Maurice Jones-Drew (21 Carries for 97 Yds 1 TD, 5 Receptions for 26 yds)
Arizona State’s Zach Miller (6 Receptions for 96 Yds)
USC’s Mark Sanchez (18/31 272 Yds, 1 TD, 1 INT, in debut W)
UCLA’s Chase Utley (5 Runs, 2 Hrs, 5 RBIs, 2 Sbs, .308 BA, Phillies 5 – 2 during stretch)