Week 9 Results
Houston (at LA Chargers) - 8 sacks, 1 fumble recovery, 1 INT
Poor Justin Herbert.
A Look Ahead: @CLE IND BAL - Deshaun Watson will start in Week 10. We might have preferred Shedeur Sanders for our purposes, but this is still a good enough matchup for D/ST scoring to keep the Texans and also get matchups against the Colts and Ravens coming up.
NY Giants (at Philadelphia) - 7 sacks, 1 fumble recovery
Unfortunately, Joe Milton III did nothing to dispel the notion that he isn't an NFL starting quarterback in his first start for the Eagles. He might not even be better than Tanner McKee. We'll continue to target the Eagles with our rent-a-defenses after their bye either way.
A Look Ahead: WAS JAX @IND - Week 12 at Indianapolis looks like a good place to come back to the Giants D/ST.
Kansas City (vs NY Jets) - 5 sacks, 1 fumble recovery
The Jets actually moved the ball consistently in this game... until they got into scoring range. Forcing five field goal attempts doesn't accrue any fantasy points for D/ST plays, but it should.
A Look Ahead: @ATL ARI BUF - We'll stick with the Chiefs this week so we can start them against Carson Beck in Week 11.
Buffalo (at Minnesota) - 2 sacks, 1 fumble recovery, 2 INTs
And a whole lot of boos from the home Vikings crowd. The Bills defense has put together two good games in a row, albeit against teams that realized they don't have a healthy, starting-quality quarterback.
A Look Ahead: @NYJ MIA KC - Sometimes you just stick with a hot shooter. The Bills D/ST is in play for Week 10.
Chicago (vs Tampa Bay) - 4 sacks, 2 INT, 1 DEF TD
The Bears jumped out to a lead and got the Bucs out of their ground-and-pound comfort zone. Baker Mayfield is taking too many sacks, and he also threw a pick-six to Jaylon Johnson in this game. We may target the Bucs with the Lions D/ST on the other side of Tampa's Week 10 bye.
A Look Ahead: BYE NO @DET - We may come back the Bears D/ST in Week 11, and they'll be worth a what-the-heck rent-a-defense play in any given week now that they have Jeffery Simmons.
Coulda, Shoulda, Woulda
San Francisco (vs Las Vegas) - 2 fumble recoveries, 3 INT, 1 DEF TD
Rookie linebacker Jalen Duggar got the pick-six as the 49ers defense is looking like a tough draw coming out of their bye. They are worth a look against the Cowboys this week.
Tampa Bay (at Chicago) - 1 sack, 1 fumble recovery, 4 INTs
Caleb Williams started red hot and then seemed to get too casual with his reads, letting the Bucs back into the game. We'll continue to use the Bucs D/ST when possible once they get past their bye this week and then the Lions in Week 11.
Green Bay (at New England) - 4 sacks, 1 fumble recovery, 3 INTs
Jonathan Gannon's defense is getting better every week, and they are about to get back Micah Parsons. Jordan Love, Christian Watson, and Matthew Golden are putting opposing offenses behind the eight ball with the best vertical passing game in the league to help matters.