Monday Night Observations

Not bad

I didn’t have that much at stake in this game — I had the Vikings in my home picking pool, needed the Vikings kicker to have an okay game, wanted something out of Rome Odunze and DJ Moore, not too much out of Aaron Jones or Justin Jefferson, and all of that more or less happened. I won in three of five NFFC leagues, including the Primetime, and including one Online where my first four picks were Ja’Marr Chase/Ladd McConkey/Xavier Worthy/Rashee Rice. And I took Jordan Addison in the seventh (back when I didn’t think his suspension would coincide with Rice’s).

• JJ McCarthy started slow, but he passed the eye test for me in the second half, particularly on the TD run. And he gets Addison back in three weeks. McCarthy also showed good mental toughness bouncing right back from the pick-six.

• Aaron Jones salvaged his day with the touchdown catch, a route on which he excels, but Jordan Mason ran with much more burst and power.

• Justin Jefferson was invisible for most of the game, but caught the TD in the second half once McCarthy had more time to throw. Nothing to worry about there.

• I passed on TJ Hockenson for Mark Andrews in the Primetime, so I was relieved to see he didn’t do much either. I don’t think it means much — McCarthy didn’t even look for Jefferson until the fourth quarter.

• Caleb Williams moves better than I realized, was very evasive in the face of the rush. Don’t know if people saw the hit piece on him (won’t link to it because it’s probably bullshit, but you can look it up if you’re so inclined), but he played okay until the Vikings defense clamped down hard in the fourth quarter.

• Olamide Zaccheaus looks like a headache for Moore/Odunze/Burden/Loveland owners. Seven targets, two more than Moore. Also a headache for me having to type his name. Odunze saw nine looks and is 50/50 to emerge as Williams’ first read.

• D’Andre Swift had a modest game, but 17 carries and five targets is plenty, and he looked good despite the lack of big plays.

• Both punt returners (Devin Duvernay and Myles Price) looked good.

• Cairo Santos was very shaky, the Bears might need to find themselves a Younghoe soon. By contrast, my guy, Will Reichard drilled a 59-yarder with a few yards to spare.