There was no doubting which was the top match-up in Week 4 of the Titan Sized Fantasy League as the two leading sides in the Eastern Division went head to head to fight for first place. With the team owners being the new Fantasy writer and the site editor, reputations as well as points were on the line.
YORKSHIRE TYKES 146 STRAIGHT CASH HOMEYS 146
The unbeaten Tykes (owned by yours truly) were 2-0 heading into the clash, whilst the Homey’s (owned by Brandon Clark) were 2-1, so half a game behind the English owned team.
On any other day the 28 points earned for the Tykes by Matt Forte of the Bears (205 yds rushing with 1TD + 23 yards receiving) would have been a stand out performance. But he was overshadowed by Homeys quarterback Aaron Rodgers who threw for 408 yards and 4 touchdowns and rushed for 36 and two more TD’s in the Green Bay Packers 49-23 win over Denver. That performance was worth 45 Fantasy points and was the major contributor the Homey’s 146 points earned.
The Tykes would have been blown away but for a phenomenal performance by the Baltimore Defense who notched up three of the Ravens touchdowns in their 34-17 win over the Jets, and saw them rack up 32 Fantasy points.
It left things finely balanced going into the Monday Night Football between Tampa Bay and Indianapolis. There was a 22 point gap between the two sides with the Homey’s leading 142-120. But the Tykes had Bucs QB Josh Freeman and TE Kellen Winslow to contribute, with the Homeys waiting on the performance of Colts RB Joseph Addai.
As it was Addai rushed for just 41 yards and caught 1 pass for 7 yards to see 4 points heralded. Kellan Winslow caught 5 passes for 33 yards, leaving it all for his QB Freeman to do. He didn’t disappoint producing his best performance of the season throwing for 287 yards and a TD and rushing for 27 yards and another TD to lead the Bucs to a come from behind 24-17 win and grab 23 Fantasy points, leaving the match up as a tie.
Whilst I can only rue the decision to leave Philly’s Michael Vick on the bench (416 yds passing + 75 rushing and 2TD’s = 29 points), Brandon must be kicking himself for preferring the Giants Ahmad Bradshaw (39 yards rushing + 11 receiving + 1TD – 1fumble = 8pts) and Detroit’s Jahvid Best (47 yds rushing + 27 receiving = 6pts) in his line-up when on his bench he had Beanie Wells of the Cardinals (138 yds rushing +3 TD’s = 31pts) and San Diego’s Darren Sproles (75 yds rushing + 57 receiving = 12 pts).
In fact Straight Cash Homey’s left 109 Fantasy Points on their bench this week, a figure which bettered the total of the other 4 teams which played this week. The Tykes remain a half game clear in the East.