Fantasy Source

Sporting News, The, Nov 5, 2001 by Matt Pitzer

If there is one place the Buccaneers do not want to be as they try to climb back in the NFC Central race, it is in Green Bay.

The Packers struggled in a 14-10 loss in the first meeting between the teams back on October 7. However, the Packers have made the Bucs' annual visit to Lambeau Field a scary one. Tampa Bay has not won in Green Bay since 1989, and Brett Favre and Ahman Green will be ready to bounce back from both the earlier loss to Tampa and an ugly defeat in Minnesota.

Both Green and Favre are good starts. Even though Favre had two picks returned for touchdowns in his past three games, he has thrown only three interceptions in nine career home games against Tampa Bay. And Green had one of the best games of his season-ending flourish last year against the Bucs, totaling 152 yards and two TDs, including 78 yards receiving, in a 17-14 win.

* The best defenses of the past two seasons meet this week when Baltimore visits Pittsburgh. This is one of those games in which the kickers are the only offensive players you want. The scoring by both teams from their two meetings last year totaled 31 points.

* On the other hand, the Lions could get into a shootout as Marty Mornhinweg faces his old club--the 49ers. In three starts since returning to the lineup, Detroit quarterback Charlie Batch has eight TD passes and is averaging 307.3 passing yards.

* Atlanta's Tony Martin, who is coming back after missing four weeks because of a broken clavicle, might be worth picking up if he's available. He played well in the first two games and should do so again with Shawn Jefferson banged up and Terance Mathis struggling.

* One of the big impacts of Week 8 will be from the teams that are off. The star-studded Vikings and Rams do not play, meaning a ton of potential points will be on the sideline.