For those of you Fantasy owners perched atop your league standings, you have probably at least glanced at your team’s playoff matchups. If you are an Aaron Rodgers owner, you are probably feeling pretty good to see a Week 15 road game at Kansas City and then a Week 16 meeting with the Caleb Hanie led Bears at Lambeau. Visions of TD’s by the Jordy-full may begin to fill your mind. As you see it, this is a deserving reward for a long season spent analyzing trades, planning for bye weeks, and avoiding the big injury. Simply put, #12 is going to light it up. Right? Not so fast. Let us travel back in time to 2007, to a rainy day in Foxboro.
The Pats are cruising through the season 13-0, dominating their opponents behind Tom Brady’s record breaking season. He will finish the season with 4806 yds and 50 tds. This day, however, will be different. It is December 16 and driving rain with gusty winds could make the passing game brutal. The NY Jets are in town on the wake of the “Spygate” scandal. But more importantly, it is week 15 of the Fantasy Football season – Playoffs. All season, fantasy teams across the nation have been rolling over opponents with Brady’s Madden-like production. True, a playoff match-up against the Jets is less than optimal, but certainly exploitable by this Tom Brady. As the game progresses, however, it becomes clear that a force more powerful than Eric Mangini’s defense is at work. The wind and the rain forces Brady to hand it off. Again. And Again. With every Laurence Maroney three yard run, another fantasy season trickles down the drain like a skunky keg of Sam Adams. Maroney finishes with a career high 26 carries, but Tom Terrific finishes the day with just 12 completions for a whopping 140 yards and an INT. Sure, the Pats win, but every Tom Brady owner curses the day. The hopes and dreams of an entire season is lost in a swirling New England wind.
Back to 2011, Rodgers is having a conspicuously similar season. At times, the Pack and Rodgers look simply unstoppable. However, Winter in the Midwest, if nothing else, is unpredictable. Blizzard-like conditions could surface in either locale — conditions that would wreak havoc with any passing attack. In a game like this, you may see more one yard touchdowns by John Kuhn than passing touchdowns by Rodgers. Am I telling you to bench him in bad weather, no. But consider the possibility that Rodgers’ MVP numbers could become quite pedestrian when you need them the most. Keep your expectations in check or explore your other options. If you have another solid quarterback on your bench with a favorable matchup, consider him. Check the weather reports prior to gametime. Gather your information and make the best decision you can. Then stick with it. Just remember that Mother Nature can play tough “D”.
Sources:
Yahoo Sports! Boston.com