Tuesday, May 7, 2024

Detroit plays San Francisco so load lineup with Niners

It was another week and another Stevie E. win behind a strong performance by Rams quarterback Marc Bulger.

Broncos quarterback Jake Plummer continued his tear and Tennessee's Steve McNair was nearly perfect on 15-of-16 passing.

Styf says start 'em

Here's some advice: Pick up Jacksonville's Troy Edwards and start him. Yes, Jimmy Smith is returning, but Edwards, the former Steelers wide receiver who was signed by the Jaguars on Sept. 23, came out less than a week later and lit up Houston for 111 yards on three catches with a touchdown.

Byron Leftwich likes him as a top receiving option and that is more than half the battle.

Once again, the easy starts are anyone playing the Lions, i.e. Terrell Owens, Tai Streets, Jeff Garcia, Kevan Barlow and Garrison Hearst. We just have to see who will score the most.

McNair continues to be a solid passer and is a must-start after working through injuries to lead his team to another victory. Make sure that you put your Dolphins back in the lineup, with Ricky Williams, Jay Fiedler and Randy McMichael certain to play well in New Jersey.

This is a week to certainly start Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb. Yes, he has struggled this season, but he has played against stellar Tampa Bay and Buffalo defenses.

Stevie E. says sit 'em

The Saints are struggling and it is showing in the statistics of quarterback Aaron Brooks, who has four touchdowns and three interceptions.

It won't get any easier for Brooks when he faces the Panthers' stifling defense on the road Sunday.

Jaguars receiver Jimmy Smith returns in Week Five from a four-game substance-abuse suspension. But that doesn't mean the heralded receiver is worth a start this week.

Expect a rusty Smith, saddled with rookie quarterback Byron Leftwich, to struggle in the weeks ahead.

Avoid Bengals running back Corey Dillon, who is slowed by a groin injury. It is uncertain whether he will play and unlikely that he'll be effective.

Stevie E. says add 'em

Steelers quarterback Tommy Maddox has finally arrived 11 years after he joined the NFL.

Last year, Maddox was impressive in winning the starting job. This year, he's proving that his success was no fluke as he leads the league in passing yardage.

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If he is available in your league, pick him up before someone else finds him.

Bengals quarterback Jon Kitna is no solution and might not last long at the helm for the NFL's worst team as rookie Carson Palmer waits in the wings.

But if you need a quarterback to carry you through a bye week, Kitna and his 939 passing yards might be the answer.

Rookie receivers seem to be the in thing this season, as a pair of them are ranked in the top 10. Take Texans rookie receiver Andre Johnson and Cardinals rookie receiver Anquan Boldin off the market quickly.

Styf scouts the Spartans

This should be another excellent week for former Spartans players.

The X-factor, Paul Edinger, did score 12 points last week and outscored Plaxico Burress. Remember - you heard it here first.

The ex-Spartans player who will have a surprise week: Muhsin Muhammad. Carolina plays a struggling Saints team (1-3) and is ready for a big week from the MSU alumnus.

Also, look for Charles Rogers to perform. Yes, the Lions are a poor team, but they are playing San Francisco, a team that was lit up by Gus Frerotte (remember his head butt of the wall as a Redskins player?) and the undefeated Minnesota Vikings (4-0).

Burress will play at Heinz Field against Cleveland under the lights, where he loves to shine.


Styf's picks Steve E's picks
QB Steve McNair Drew Bledsoe
RB Priest Holmes LaDainian Tomlinsonr
WR IRandy Moss Terrell Owens
TE Alge Crumpler Bubba Franks
DEF Tennessee Buffalo
MSU Charles Rogers Derrick Mason
Last Week 49 63
Total 153 189
Record 1-2 2-1


Jon Styf can be reached at styfjona@msu.edu. Steve Eder can be reached at ederstev@msu.edu.

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