All in The Family: Weeks 1 & 2

Well, with the start of the NFL playoffs and the surging Phils, we’re not at the point of apologizing for a delay in updating our BSB fantasy football league (Jack-O vs. The Dix), but it’s getting close to that point.  And, there has been some fascinating upheaval in the All in the Family BSB fantasy football league.  So, let’s catch up on the big offseason news and then give recaps of the first two weeks of thrilling action.

Expansion
First of all, we are proud to announce that the All in the Family league has expanded AGAIN.  At the 11th hour of the inaugural season, our league expanded and brought in two more teams.  This first season will consist of six teams–all of which are populated by “brothers” (or at least guys with the same last name).

• We all know that the league was formed in the spirit of The Dix–Waters team of all Johnsons
• The impetus of the league was when Bry challenged Waters with the Jack-O’s (all Jacksons)
• Doogan and J followed suit, entering Jones & the Last Name Crusade (all Joneses) and the Black Smiths (all Smiths), respectively
• At the 11th hour, David wanted in with Big Willie Style (all Williamses), and Ina rounded out the 6-team league with Charlie Brown (all Browns)

So, that is where we our in Season 1:  six teams, an absolute grudge match every week, and all the marbles going to the winner of All in the Family.  We also included, in the rules, that there would be four individual defensive players each week (1 DL, 1 LB, 1 DB, and 1 Flex).

Week One
The kickoff was, well, everything we hoped it would be and then some, as there were grudge matches left and right, one semi-close game, and a ton of excitement and hype.  Let’s run down the games one-by-one, starting with the challenge that started it all.

The Dix 51 – Jack-O’s 20
There are no words to really express the statement that The Dix made in their very first game in this league.  They have been preparing for this game for 8 years now, playing exhibitions against “real” teams, and all of it came to a head, as they dominated the Jack-O’s to make a statement to the rest of the league that they are the big dogs. 

The biggest of The Dix made his mark in Week One

In fact, with the exception of one player, The Dix didn’t even really have a great week.  But, that one player, Chris (TEN) had 29 points, single-handedly outscoring the entire Jack-O team.  It was a down week for the usually fantastic receiving corps, as Andre (HOU) only had 3 and Calvin (DET) only had 5.  Bryant (DET) actually chipped in 2 for the best set of receivers in the league.  The other running back, Larry (WAS), got a point for the team he used to carry.  The leader of the defense was LB Derrick (KC), who had 11 tackles and a forced fumble.  Jarret (BAL) also chipped in a half of a sack.

On the other side, the Jack-O’s were not very good in this one.  Their best contributor was their captain, Steven (STL), who had 9.  Not having Vincent (SD) is brutal, but so is the poor performance of DeSean (PHI) didn’t help.  Fred (BUF) had 2 points as a starting RB, while Brandon (GB) scored 8 filling in for Ryan Grant, but wasn’t in the starting lineup.  Tavaris (MIN) didn’t play, so they got nothing from the QB spot.  The defense was okay, despite the late scratch of LB D’Qwell (CLE) from the Browns starting lineup.  Kareem (HOU), Tanard (TB), and Tyson (KC) all played well.

In the end, the Jack-O’s just had no answer for Chris Johnson and took a brutal beating on opening day.

Black Smiths 39 – Jones & the Last Name Crusade 30
With the two teams’ offensive stars essentially cancelling each other out, the closest game of the opening week came down to a big point total by, arguably, the best defense in the league–The Black Smiths.

Daryl leads the Black Smiths to a Week One victory

The Black Smiths did get 14 points from their big gun, Steve (CAR), which was enough to make up for zero points from the running back position.  The Other Steve (NYG) had 4, while Brad (NYJ) actually rushed for 27 yards and made a tackle on special teams for 3 points.  The big advantage of the Black Smiths over everyone else is that they actually have a quarterback, but this week, they won without him, as Alex (SF) only had 1 point.  But, again, the best defense in the league made the difference–particularly Daryl (JAX), who had a monster game with 5 tackles, an interception, a forced fumble, and a pass defensed.  Eric (NYJ) and Antonio (HOU) also contibuted for this stellar defensive unit.

On the other side, Jones & the Last Name Crusade also prides themselves on their defense, but for its depth more so than its top-level talent.  The captain of the squad, Maurice (JAX), did his part with 11 points, while Felix (6) rewarded Doogan for starting him over Thomas (KC) by putting up 6.  The defense is deep, but depth is less important when there are only 4 spots.  Dhani (CIN) led the way with 7 tackles.

The Black Smiths got a nice victory here on opening day, despite no production from Alex Smith.  Their defense might be the best in the league, and Daryl Smith gets the game ball from this one.

Big Willie Style 50 – Charlie Brown 33
It was actually a pretty encouraging debut for an under-appreciated Charlie Brown team, but Big Willie Style really answered the bell and won decisively.  They may take exception to the crowning of the Black Smiths as the league’s best defense.  Theirs is not too shabby, and it carried them today–well, that and a couple of Mikes.

Mike & Mike are stylish for Big Willie

Big Willie Style might be a real sleeper team this year (especially if Yahoo! ever gets their act together and changes the starting lineup configuration like I asked them to before the first week).  Here, in Week One, they had the most balanced attack of all the teams in a nice win.  They were led by Cadillac (TB), who put up 10 points without a touchdown.  Their captain, DeAngelo (CAR), added 6, while a pair of Mikes (TB and SEA) added 10 and 6, respectively.  There wasn’t even any room for Ricky’s (MIA) 6 points on the bench.  And, that was only the offense.  The defense was fantastic, as well.  Tramon (GB) had a fumble recovery and 3 pass defenses.  Mario (HOU) had 2 tackles and a sack, and D.J. (DEN) had 9 tackles.  There even got 5 tackles and a sack from a guy on their bench, Corey (DET).  What a week for Big Willie Style!

On the other side of this game, you have to be somewhat encouraged if you’re a Charlie Brown fan, as they hung tough with a good team, despite only getting points from one offensive player.  Their captain, Ronnie (MIA), hit for 15 points.  The big advantage for Charlie Brown is that they have the only two kickers in the league.  Their starter, Josh (STL) gave them 8 points.  They also got a combined 10 points from their two defensive backs, C.C. (DET) and Sheldon (CLE).

People should take notice–Big Willie Style might just be a real contender for the title here.  They have a ton of balance and talent to boot.  I’m not so sure The Dix are “scared,” but they might be a little concerned.  The game ball here goes to Mike Williams–both of them.

Week Two
The rivalries of Week One gave way to another set of great games in Week Two.

Big Willie Style 45 – Black Smiths 41
The best game of the week pitted two teams that won their first games and were ready to try and go 2-0.  Another balanced attack by Big Willie Style proved enough to withstand a furious Monday night comeback, let by Alex Smith.  The battle of the two best defenses was swayed by a HUGE day from Mario Williams, and Big Willie Style is 2-0 heading into a Week Three showdown with The Dix.

Again, the Mikes combined for a big number, but this one was all TB Mike, as he had 11.  SEA Mike only had 1.  And, again, the running back combo of DeAngelo (CAR) and Cadillac (TB) proved potent, putting up 13 points.  Roy (DAL) continues to struggle, but there might be help on the horizon, as this deep team had some decent wide receiver performances on the bench from Roydell (WAS) and Stephen (ARI).  But, the real story here is the defense.  Maybe spurred on by people dubbing the Black Smiths the league’s best defense, this unit was fantastic.  Mario (HOU) had 3 sacks and 2 pass defenses.  D.J. (DEN) had 3 tackles and a 0.5 sacks.  Pat (MIN) added a forced fumble, while the other part of the Williams Wall, Kevin (MIN) had a sack on the bench.  This defense is really good.

Alex sure made Big Willie sweat on Monday night

Down 21 points heading into the Monday night game, the Black Smiths were almost carried all the way back by the league’s only quarterback, Alex (SF), who threw for 275 yards and 1 TD, but it wasn’t quite enough.  Good Steve (CAR) had 13, while Okay Steve (NYG) had 4.  The rest of the offense was non-existent…almost literally.  And, as for the highly-touted defense, well they struggled.  Antonio (HOU) had 0, Eric (NYJ) had 1 and Will (NO) had 3 to try and help the Monday night comeback (ironically, Will Smith couldn’t beat Big Willie Style).  The lone bright spot on this side of the ball was, again, Daryl (JAX), who followed up a big Week One with 7 more points in Week Two.

Although Alex Smith made it really interesting, Big Willie Style’s defense led the way to another victory.  Mario Williams was clearly the player of the game, and this team has a lot of confidence heading into its Week Three showdown with The Dix.

The Dix 44 – Jones & the Last Name Crusade 38
With the impressive win for Big Willie Style and a bit of a struggle for The Dix, this league might not be the runaway we thought it would be.  The Dix were very vulnerable this week, and Jones & the Last Name Crusade nearly pulled off the upset.  Both teams’ captains had monumentally terrible weeks, which made for an interesting matchup.  In fact, it was defensive personnel decisions that will have Jones fans wondering what could have been.  

Some teams tout their defense (Big Willie Style); some tout their running backs (Jones & the Last Name Crusade); some even tout the fact that they actually have a quarterback (Black Smiths), but no one has a unit quite like the wide receiving corps of The Dix.  (Yes, I said no has a unit like The Dix.)  And, they proved that in Week two.  Calvin (DET) put up 16 in the early game and maybe that inspired Andre (HOU) to top it, as he went for 24 in the late game.  This was very much needed, as their go-to guy, Chris (TEN), only had 2 points.  They didn’t get much from their defense either, as Derrick (KC) was the only starter to get any points whatsoever, logging 7 tackles.

Andre celebrates The Dix 2-0 start

Just like Chris Johnson of their opponent, the go-to guy for Jones & the Last Name Crusade faltered this week.  Maurice (JAX) only had 2 points.  His slack was picked up by touchdowns from Jacoby (HOU) and James (GB), and 83 yards rushing from Thomas (KC), but it still stings to lose to The Dix by 6 when your best player only rushes for 31 yards and a fumble.  But, the worst part of this loss for Jones is the points that were left on their bench on the defensive side of the ball.  Big days from Pacman (CIN) and David (JAX) were wasted on the bench, as poor days from Jason (TEN) and Brad (GB) counted as starters.

This is a real gut-wrenching way to lose a game for Jones & the Last Name Crusade, but what did we expect when we entered a league against a team that’s been playing this game for almost a decade?  The Dix just know how to win, and they got it done today without the help of their best player.  As good as Calvin Johnson was today, Andre Johnson was the clear MVP of this Week Two matchup.

Jack-O’s 49 – Charlie Brown 38
What an exciting week, as every game was within 12 points.  This one went to the Jack-O’s, as their two best players really stepped up big time.  Charlie Brown got a surprisingly great game from Donald Brown and a special teams touchdown from the unlikely source of Antonio Brown, but it wasn’t enough, and they fall to 0-2.

With Vincent out, the fate of the Jack-O's season rests in the hands of DeSean

This game for the Jack-O’s was all about DeSean (PHI), who, overly anxious to make up for the MIA Vincent (SD) in the first week, rebounded with a huge Week Two.  135 yards and a TD gave DeSean a big 22 points.  They also got 13 from their captain, Steven (STL), even though he failed again to reach the end zone.  It’s tough now with three running backs, as Brandon (GB) had 10 in the starting role, but they also had 10 on the bench from Fred (BUF).  The defense continues to be a big question mark for this team, as they only got 5 total points from their defense, and now it has gotten a lot worse, as safety Tanard (TB) has been suspended for at least the rest of this season for his second substance abuse infraction.  (By the way, am I the only person in the country devastated by the suspension of Tanard Jackson?  You know, other than, well, Tanard Jackson.)

Charlie Brown falls to 0-2 with the loss here, but there were some positives to take away here.  The offense might not be just the Ronnie (MIA) Show, as Donald (IND) had a huge day and Antonio (PIT) had a punt return for a TD.  And, on defense, the secondary continues to be the bright spot of the team, as Sheldon (CLE) has another interception, and C.C. (DET) plays another nice game.

Charlie Brown is going to struggle this year, but they do have a future here.  Donald Brown looked good and the defense is okay.  The Jack-O’s–led by game MVP DeSean Jackson–got the win here, but this was a really bad week for the team off the field.  Not only does their awful defense lose maybe its best player to suspension (Tanard Jackson), but Vincent Jackson wasn’t traded, which means he cannot play until Week Seven, and there are reports that he might not play at all this year.  This Vincent Jackson news is absolutely crippling to the Jack-O’s…but hey, they are still just one Brett Favre injury away from a starting quarterback.

Standings
2-0 Big Willie Style (96 points)
2-0 The Dix (95 points)
1-1 Black Smiths (80 points)
1-1 Jack-O’s (70 points)
0-2 Charlie Brown (71 points)
0-2 Jones & the Last Name Crusade (67 points)

Week Three Matchups
Week Three is a huge week to see where these teams really are, at this point, with some nice matchups, headlined by a battle for first.

The Dix (2-0) vs. Big Willie Style (2-0)
Clearly the best two teams in the league through two weeks and they get to prove it on the field in Week Three.  Both teams are 2-0.  Big Willie Style has 95.7 total points, while The Dix have 95.4.  Can the Big Willie Style defense, which is fantastic, overcome The Dix fantastic offense?  We will see.  Chris Johnson gets to run on the Giants, while Andre Johnson gets to catch passes against the Dallas secondary.  The matchups for Big Willie Style are not good at all.  DeAngelo Williams has to run on the Cincy defense.  Cadillac and Mike Williams have to face Pittsburgh’s defense (and might be benched), while Ricky Williams has to run on the Jets defense.  It’s not a great week for Big Willie Style to get their big test, but they are scared, as they are playing with a lot of confidence.  For what it’s worth, the Yahoo! projections have Big Willie Style winning this game 53-51.

Jack-O’s (1-1) vs. Jones & the Last Name Crusade (0-2)
The Jack-O’s will try and build upon their first win last week, while Jones & the Last Name Crusade will try and bounce back from a brutally tough loss to The Dix.  The big question mark in this game is Maurice Jones(-Drew) and whether he’ll be the guy that Jones fans hoped he would be.  The Jack-O’s still aren’t whole and are vulnerable here.  Coach Bry has a decision to make between Brandon Jackson and Fred Jackson, so it’s hard to say what will come of that.  The Yahoo! projections have Jones & the Last Name Crusade as favored to win this game 42-36.

Black Smiths (1-1) vs. Charlie Brown (0-2)
The third matchup pits a solid Black Smith squad against a young and hungry Charlie Brown team looking for their first ever victory.  The question mark for Charlie Brown is will Donald Brown match against Denver what he did against the Giants.  If so, they’ve got a real shot here.  On the other side, the Black Smiths were supposed to have a phenomenal defense, but, outside of Daryl Smith, it has been rather ordinary so far.  Another question for the Black Smiths is will they ever get anything out of a running back?  That remains to be seen.  This game might pivot around each team’s big advantage that they have over the rest of the league.  The Black Smiths have the league’s only quarterback, so will Alex Smith put up big numbers that can’t be matched?  Conversely, Charlie Brown has the league’s only kicker, so will Josh Brown be the difference this week?  We will find out.

Until next week…