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Week 4 Observations

Not only was it a 13-game week, but most were low-quality. No one wants to watch BAL-CAR as it is, and even less so in a blowout. Tennessee against anyone is a bad game, and that too was lopsided from the outset. If the NFL's serious about generating interest overseas, MIA-OAK is probably not the ideal showcase. The Ryan Fitzpatrick-EJ Manuel duel was close at least, and Fitzpatrick laid claim to the 30th-best QB title beyond any doubt. I know I'm leaving out a few thrillers like SD-JAX, and GB-CHI (at least fantasy owners got their fill), but aside from the Falcons-Vikings and Steelers-Bucs, none of whom are contenders, there wasn't much.

That brings us to the 49ers-Eagles game which should have been good, but it was unwatchable (and unlistenable thanks to the booth - more on that below.) Aside from the Eagles never getting their offense on the field because of all the defensive and special teams TDs, every drive seemed to have three reviews and five penalties. After the Zach Ertz fumble, I flipped to avoid commercials, and checked back what seemed like 20 minutes later, and the Niners were only 10 yards closer. I don't know if it's the new rules, but it seems like there's always an offensive hold, which pushes the team back, causes them to run an extra play, get to 3rd and long, and then there's always a defensive hold to get them the first down where they were before the offensive hold, only seven real-life minutes later.

• It looks like the Colts are finally letting Andrew Luck sling it. Too bad I have zero shares of him.

• Nick Foles played a poor game, but don't get too concerned about him or the team's skill players. The fluky TDs kept them off the field, and the 49ers defense got a lot of rest.

• Jeremy Maclin made one of the best catches I've ever seen in a huge spot. He's emerged as the clear No. 1 there.

• When you're irritable due to bounces not going your way (and losing a survivor entry on the Steelers' last minute collapse), it's especially tough to take Joe Buck's smooth, know-nothing banter.

Charlie Whitehurst actually didn't look bad - some dropped passes, fumbles and untimely penalties did the Titans in - not that anyone cares.

 What's the deal with Ken Whisen-punt not playing Bishop Sankey from the outset? His "footwork"? As Jeff Erickson pointed out, this is the same genius who refused to play No. 13 overall pick, Michael Floyd, his rookie year.

• Antonio Brown went 7-131-2 and completed a 17-yard pass, but his day could have been much bigger. He dropped a perfectly thrown 50-yard bomb, and Ben Roethlisberger missed him by a couple yards on another deep ball after he'd gotten behind a defender (I think they were both on the same drive, so he couldn't have had both, but either way he'd have pushed 200 yards and three scores.)

• Keenan Allen again looked like the Chargers' No. 1 WR, but this annual early-season Eddie Royal nonsense is annoying. The truth is Philip Rivers is playing at such a high level he can turn anyone into a red-zone target, just like Peyton Manning did with Wes Welker and Aaron Rodgers does with Randall Cobb.

• Blake Bortles didn't do much in the second half, but overall he passed the eye test, particularly with his ability to throw on the move and make plays on the ground.

You could make a case Jordy Nelson is the No. 1 overall player in an NFFC-style 2-RB, 3-WR, 1-FLEX PPR league. The case distinguishing Eddie Lacy from Trent Richardson is harder to make.

 Teddy Bridgewater looked great in his first start, both in the pocket and as a scrambler, but he might never have a better matchup than that defense at home in his entire career. He also got hurt late, so Christian Ponder might be starting the Thursday night game.

• Cordarrelle Patterson doesn't seem to be a big part of the Vikings game plan. Matt Asiata does - and he was competent enough - but Jerick McKinnon looks like a future star (he runs a 4.37 and looks like he's shot out of a cannon.)

• The Falcons are the poor man's Saints - great at home, bad on the road. I might have to auto-back/auto-fade them against the spread based on venue the same way I do with the Saints.

• I guess the optimal strategy this year was just to take the oldest player available. You'd have Peyton Manning, Fred Jackson, Reggie Wayne, Steve Smith, Antonio Gates and Adam Vinatieri.

• I couldn't put my finger on what was so annoying about that new U-2 song until today: It's a soundtrack for a commercial. I mean it IS a commercial, but it's also a song, and it sounds like one of the fake songs (I think "jingle" is the word for it) you hear in commercials.

• How many backs would you rank ahead of DeMarco Murray going forward? Think the answer is zero.