Friday, 14 September 2007 - 12:00 AM

Colts’ defense is big surprise


It comes as no surprise that the first week of the NFL regular season brought many fantasy surprises and that they came in the trite forms of the good, bad

and potentially ugly.

The good even began a few days before Sunday kickoff as Indianapolis stifled New Orleans’ offense, allowing only 10 points, intercepting two passes and

holding Reggie Bush and Deuce McAllister to 38 rushing yards each.

No one questioned the strength of the Colts offense, but the D was draped in a costume generally reserved for The Riddler after some offseason personnel

losses. The unit began the season, though, by stomping one of last year’s NFC finalists, winning 41-10, and making itself a hot fantasy pickup.


A valid pickup as well, for the Saints can’t be as bad as they looked; there’s no way Joe Horn was that important. Even with his old team’s poor opening

performance, though, Horn must still wish he was in Louisiana.

The Falcons, Horn’s new squad, were expected to be bad, but looked even worse last week, scoring only one fourth-quarter field goal against Minnesota. QB

Joey Harrington almost reached 200 yards passing (199), but threw two interceptions, leading rusher Warrick Dunn ran for only 55 yards on 22 attempts and

Alge Crumpler led receivers with four catches for 40 yards.

Former top receiver Horn caught only one pass, but at least it went for a respectable 14 yards. I said it last week, and I now reiterate, stay away from the

Falcons as if they’ve been starved for three weeks and you’re wearing a suit of pork.

Maybe Atlanta’s fortunes would be a little better if it didn’t let Matt Schaub go west to Texas. Schaub began his tenure as a starter by going 16-of-22

passing with a TD as the Texans got a 20-3 win over the Chiefs. The QB is owned in less than a quarter of ESPN fantasy leagues, but his apparent chemistry

with receiver Andre Johnson (7 catches, 144 yards and a touchdown <a href="http://www.ticketwood.com/nfl/Indianapolis-Colts-Tickets/index.php">Colts

tickets</a> ) should see that number rise throughout the season.

The Houston game also saw some of the potentially ugly, as Kansas City running back Larry Johnson — the consensus third pick in fantasy drafts — got only 43

yards rushing.

Sure, he had a contract holdup and missed some of training camp and sure coach Herm Edwards said that Johnson wouldn’t get his full workload because of it,

but I’m afraid I have had something to do with this. Sports Illustrated, John Madden and King Tut get more press, but I may be working on a little curse of

my own.

Last season, I harped upon the benefits of taking Shaun Alexander as the top fantasy pick, got lucky enough to draft him as such, and he went on to break his

foot — apparently a key body part for someone who runs for a living. My position dropped a bit this year, but I selected Johnson at No. 3 and left the draft

a happy boy.

This week, though, the Chiefs draw the Bears — who held LaDainian Tomlinson to 25 yards rushing in Week 1 — and follow that up with the Vikings, who gave up

96 total yards rushing to Atlanta, and San Diego, which allowed only 80 rushing yards against Chicago.

It’s tough not to ride someone chosen with such a high pick, and it’s possible LJ will get his legs back into game shape through these next couple weeks and

shine. If not, I offer my tears as part of a collective pool that his owners can use to drown ourselves.