THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 17.2007
SPORTS 3B
>> FANTASY FOOTBALL
'Duel in Dallas'dominates NFL weekend action
This week's crop of games was highlighted by what ESPN called the "Duel in Dallas" where the undefeated New England Patriots defeated the previously undefeated Dallas Cowboys to give them their first loss of the season. The rest of the NFL had some exciting action as well. Here are the top performers from the past weekend.
BY KELLY BRECKUNITCH
KANSAN COLUMNIST
KBRECKUNITCH@KANSAN.COM
CREAM OF THE CROP
Brady was able to throw against the Cowboys' defense all day. The "Duel in Dallas" turned into a blow out quickly. The Patriots couldn't get the running game going at all, but it was unnecessary as Brady and the New England receivers had the Dallas secondary beat all day. Brady completed 31 of 46 passes for 388 passing yards and five touchdowns. If Brady keeps up this pace he will easily break the record for most touchdown passes in a season.
RB Adrian Peterson, Minnesota Peterson is running away with rookie of the year, literally. He has been the anchor of the Minnesota offense so far this year and has stepped up big against Chicago on Sunday. Peterson ran for 224 yards on 20 carries and had three rushing touchdowns on Sunday. He will be a big factor in Minnesota's success the rest of this season.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
WR Wes Welker, New England — When the Patriots signed so many wide receivers in the offseason, most experts just gave them the Super Bowl championship. Randy
Moss has been the top receiver in the Patriot's boosted offense, but when they played the Cowboys this Sunday, Welker stepped up in a big way. He had 11 receptions for 124 yards and two touchdowns. One thing is for sure after Sunday's game; the New England receiving corps is stacked.
Minnesota running back Adrian Peterson couldn't be brought down on Sunday. Peterson ran for 224 yards on 20 carries and had three rushing touchdowns against Green Bay.
TE Chris Cooley, Washington — The Redskins may have lost to the Packers on Sunday, but it was a close game and the Redskins should be pleased with the result. They still look like one of the better teams in the NFC, and Chris Cooley had a very good game on Sunday. Cooley had nine receptions for 105 yards and one touchdown. The Redskins will definitely be a team to be reckoned with the rest of the season.
Jacksonville D
Green, Houston's starting running back, to 44 yards rushing and did not allow a touchdown pass by Matt Schaub. The Jaguars will provide some tough competition for the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC South division.
K Matt Stover, Baltimore
—The Jaguars played against a tough Texans team this past Sunday. The Texans have put together a bona-fide offense for the first time in the team's history. On Sunday, though, the Jaguars were able to stop the Texan's offense. The Jaguars forced three turnovers, held Ahman
K Matt Stover, Baltimore
Stover has been around the NFL for a long time. He has been with the Ravens for a while now, so he is used to impudent offenses. The Baltimore offense struggled on Sunday against a porous Rams defense, but Stover was able to carry the load. He hit five of five field goals, including a 43-yard attempt. The Ravens can always count on Stover to come through in the clutch when they need him.
ROTTEN APPLES
OB Gus Ferotte. St. Louis
The Madden jinx may have caught up to Titans' quarterback Vince Young, who suffered an injury in Sunday's game against Tampa Bay, but Frerotte had a worse performance on Sunday. Frerotte threw for 208 yards but also had five interceptions and was sacked four times. The Rams need Frerotte to perform well while Marc Bulger is sidelined with an injury.
RB Shaun Alexander, Seattle
— The Seattle passing game was working on Sunday night, but Alexander was not able to gain any momentum on the ground. Alexander carried the ball 14 times for 35 yards. The Seahawks need
Alexander to step up and take some of the pressure of Matt Hasselbeck and the passing game.
WR, Marques Colston, New Orleans
The Saints got their second victory of the season on Sunday, but Colston was not a factor in the game. Colston had one catch for two yards. Yes, the catch was for a touchdown, but he was relatively quiet throughout the game. The departure of Joe Horn was supposed to mean a bigger role for Colston in the Saints offense, but they forget about him on Sunday.
player stats
TOP PERFORMERS
Tom Brady
31/46
388 passing yards
5 Touchdowns
TOP PERFORMERS
Rex Grossman was their quarterback and they still made it to the Super Bowl. This year they have had some injury problems, but they just haven't looked like the same Bears defense that we know. They gave up 34 points to a Minnesota offense that is basically one-dimensional. Why not put 11 defenders on the line? What's Tarvaris Jackson going to do to you? The Chicago defense will need to pull itself together if the team wants to compete with the Packers in the NFC North.
Adrian Peterson
Wes Welker
11 catches
124 receiving yards
2 Touchdowns
Abram Peterson
20 carriages
24 rushing yards
3 touchdowns
POOR PERFORMERS
Shaun Alexander
14 caries
35 rushing yards
208 passing yards
5 interceptions
sacked four times
TE Alge Crumpler, Atlanta
Marques Colston
1 catch
2 receiving yards
1 Touchdown
TE Age Crumpler, Atlanta Crumpler is arguably the best receiver on the Falcons' team. On Monday night though, he had one catch for nine yards. Crumpler is one of the best tight ends in the NFL and the Falcons should use him more in their passing offense.
K Sebastian Janikowski,
Oakland — Janikowski really can't be blamed for his performance on Sunday. The Raiders couldn't get anything going on offense and Janikowski suffered for it.
Janikowski didn't even attempt a field goal. He made his only two extra point attempts, but the Raiders need to generate some offense so that Janikowski can put some points on the scoreboard.
Chicago D — The Bears have always been known for their defense. Last year
Chicago D
Edited by Meghan Murphy
NHL
Avalanche rally to beat the Flames 5-4
ASSOCIATED PRESS
DENVER — Ryan Smyth scored twice and then had the decisive goal in the shootout as the Colorado Avalanche rallied from a four-goal
deficit to beat the Calgary Flames 5-4 on Tuesday night.
Jarome Iginla, who had two goals and an assist for the Flames, had Calgary's only goal in the shootout.
The Flames took a 4-0 lead on Iginala's second
who was pulled in favor of Jose Theodore.
Avalanche defenseman Kurt Sauer tied the game with 3:38 left in the second period with a shot from the point that was tipped.
That's when the Avalanche started their comeback, and it came with help from the Flames. All four Colorado goals banked off Calgary
players, starting when Smyth's shot from the left circle went off the stick of defenseman Robyn Regehr 13 seconds after Iginla had made it 4-0.
goal of the game 2:50 into the second period. Iginla took a pass from Alex Tanguay, blew by defenseman Brett Clark and beat Peter Budaj with a high shot. That ended Budaj's night.
Smyth set a Colorado franchise record with 12 shots on
goal.
Kiprusoff midway through the second period. Andrew Brunette's pass toward the net hit off defenseman Adrian Aucoin's skate and in to make it 4-3 just 2:32 later.
Avalanche defenseman Kurt Sauer tied the game with 3:38 left in the second period with a shot from the point that was tipped by Eriksson.
Colorado made it 4-2 when Calgary defenseman Anders Eriksson kicked a rebound of a shot by Smyth past a sprawling Miikka
Midway through the third period. Colorado nearly took the lead on a 3-on-1 rush, but Kiprusoff made a great glove save on Ian Lapertriere.
The Flames appeared to be in control with a 3-0 lead after the first period. Defenseman Dion Phaneuf made it 1-0 lead 6:54 into the game. Forty-eight seconds later, Marcus Nilson's backhander went off defenseman John-Michael Liles as he slid into Budaj, and the puck slipped between the goalie's leg pad and the post to make it 2-0.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Calgary Flights right winger Eric Godard, right, gets hit in the face by a punch from Colorado Avalanche right winger Scott Parker in the second period in Denver on Tuesday.
GET TICKETS AT
GRINDERS IN KANSAS CITY,
BOTTLENECK IN LAWRENCE,
OR ONLINE AT
WWW.CROSSROADSKC.COM
Sun Oct 28
YONDER MOUNTAIN
STRING BAND
HALLOWEEN!
Wed October 31
GOGOL
BORDELLO
w/ Dub Trio & DJ Dubta
Tue Oct 16
THE GRANADA
1020 MASS ST. LAWRENCE KS
Thu Oct 11
TOOTS & THE
MAYTALS
w. Chris Pierce
BLACK REBEL MOTORCYCLE CLUB
Wed Oct.17
DRIVE BY
TRUCKERS
Sat Oct 27
Sat Oct 27
YONDER
MOUNTAIN
STRING BAND
THE BUTTLENEck
720 NEW HAMPSHIRE - LAWRENCE NS
WED OCT 10
LUCERO w/BOBBY BARE JR.
FRI OCT 12
TANGLEWEED
SAT OCT 13
THAT 1 GUY w/STINGRAYS
MON OCT 15
SICK OF IT ALL/GUTS KELLY
TUE OCT 16
THE DEAD KENNY Gs
FEATURING MIKE DILLON
w/ THE MASBIRDS
WED OCT 17
GRIMY STYLES
SAT OCT 20
ROGUE WAVE
SUN OCT 21
DARK FUNERAL
w/NAGLFAR / DAATH / MOLECH
MON OCT 22
CARIBOU w/BORN RUFFIANS
TUE OCT 23
STRUNG OUT
w/I AM GHOST / EVERGREEN TERRACE
WED OCT 24
CORNMEAL w/GRAZGROVE
THU OCT 25
ARCHITECTURE IN
HELSINKI w/GLASS CANDY /
PANTHER / NEON DANCE PARTY
SAT OCT 27
TRUCKSTOP
HONEYMOON
TUE OCT 30
JESU w/FOG / TORCHE
FRI NOV 2
BIG SMITH
SAT NOV 3
BACKYARD
TIRE FIRE
SUN NOV 4
JASON ISBELL
w/CRACKER
WED NOV 7
STEVEN KELLOGG
& THE SIXERS
w/THE ALTERNATIVE ROUTES
ERI NOV 9
THURSDAY
FRI NOV 9
THURSDAY
MON NOV 12
MEAT PUPPETS
TUE NOV 13
MARY GAUTHIER
w DANA JONES