The excitement continued during the second week of the 2012 NFL playoffs, as those teams that advanced to the Divisional Round were left with a tough act to follow after Wild Card weekend.  And they didn’t disappoint, thanks in large part to an extraordinary finish in San Francisco, another exciting finish in Baltimore, and a big upset in Green Bay.  Each of those contests, along with the weekend’s other game, which featured a romp by the Patriots over the Broncos, treated us to plenty of great plays.

Below, we treat you to the five best from this weekend’s NFL playoff action.

5.  Lee Evans one-handed grab - There weren’t many spectacular plays in this game, largely due to the stellar play of both defensive units.  However, we were treated to one incredible play on offense, and it comes courtesy of the left hand of Ravens’ wide receiver Lee Evans, who made this grab late in the third quarter to give his team the first down and keep their drive alive.

4.  Alex Smith 28-yard Touchdown Run - Alex Smith was having a terrific day throwing the ball, but his best play of the day may have been the one he made with his feet late in the fourth quarter with his team trailing by one point.  This looked like it would be the game-winning touchdown, but little did we know that he would need one more thrilling moment in order to earn the victory for his team.  Needless to say, this won’t be the last you see of Alex Smith on this list.

3.  Deion Branch 61-yard touchdown pass from Tom Brady - With just over two minutes remaining in the first half and the New England Patriots leading by a score of 21-7, they looked to be in control, but Brady knew that there was still plenty of time for him to add more points on the board before heading into the locker room for halftime.  He wouldn’t take long to add those points, as he connected with Deion Branch down the sideline on the first play of the drive for the 61-yard touchdown.

2.  Hakeem Nicks 37-yard Hail Mary Touchdown Reception from Eli Manning - With only six seconds remaining in the first half and the ball on the Packers’ 37-yard line, many of the people inside Lambeau, including the Packers’ defense, probably figured the Giants would simply try to set up a long field-goal attempt.  They didn’t.  Instead, the Giants went for it all, as Eli aired one out to Nicks, who came down with the ball in the end zone and gave his team a 20-10 lead heading into the half.

1.  Vernon Davis Game-Winning Touchdown Pass From Alex Smith - During what may have been the most exciting final four minutes of any playoff game in NFL history, the San Francisco 49ers capped off their brilliant game-winning drive in the final minute with this touchdown pass from Alex Smith to Vernon Davis, which gave them the 36-32 victory while bringing back memories of Montana-to-Clark and Young-to-Owens in the process. Here is another look at the play, with calls from both the Saints’ and the 49ers’ radio stations.

And in addition to making its way into the books as one of the all-time great catches in franchise’s history, Vernon Davis’ game-winning touchdown was also worthy of its very own Tecmo Bowl remake.

Check it out.

Every year, around draft time (right now), names get bandied about as precautionary tales of how not to utilize your draft picks. It should be no surprise, either, as NFL draft picks are worth their weight in gold in a league where the average career hovers somewhere around 16 minutes. This list is a little quarterback-heavy, but that should be no surprise, as they often get picked first, and have the highest expectations to live up to. But I’m equal opportunity, so let’s look at 9 instances where it all went wrong.

9. Akili Smith
The third pick by the Bengals in 1999, Smith didn’t make a name for himself by being atrociously awful, but rather by being so forgettable that he will forever be little more than one more misstep in the Bengals mediocre recent history. The quarterback lasted four year, throwing less than 500 attempts, and ending up with a rating of 52.8. Not the stuff dreams are made of. He kicked around the CFL, as so many draft busts do, before retiring altogether in 2007.

8. Matt Leinart
Few college players ever have had more going for them than Matt Leinart did. He decided to stick around USC for his Senior year, making him a fan favorite, and taking his team back to the championship, only to lose to Texas in one of the most exciting bowl games ever. However, once he got to Arizona, selected tenth, he never lived up to the hype. He played well, but fallouts with the coaching staff, as well as the decision to bench him in favor of Kurt Warner seemed to be a death blow from which he may never recover. Warner is currently serving as the back-up to Matt Schaub in Houston, and didn’t take a single snap all last year.

7. Alex Smith
Smith was taken 1st in the 2005 draft, which could also be known as bust-o-rama, featuring the likes of Cedric Benson, Pacman Jones, Mike Williams in just the first ten picks. Smith was the hope to which the 49ers grabbed onto in their darkest hour. Unfortunately, that hope was short-lived. Smith has seemed to fall just short of “competent” at the QB position. He hasn’t proved himself bad enough to warrant benching, which might actually be a liability, as his presence can virtually guarantee that the 49ers will never catch any postseason success.

6. Cedric Benson
The 4th pick in the 2005 draft showed lots of promise from his days at UT, but Benson couldn’t stop getting out of trouble. His abilities on the field were good (not great), but the image problems he created for the Bears couldn’t be ignored. He got with a boating-while-drunk charge that ended with him getting pepper-sprayed in 2008, then again that same year for driving drunk. He was waived by the Bears, and was picked up by the Bengals, though he got hit in 2010 with an assault charge for punching a bartender. Nice.

5. Tony Mandarich
This #2 pick out of Michigan State was thought to be a sure thing, as most offensive lineman are. However, he seemed to deflate after coming out of college, dropping almost 30 lbs, leading many to believe that he was juiced up during his collegiate days (my hunch is “yes”). Injuries sustained during his brief career back up that assessment, and he unceremoniously walked away from the league, mullet and all, three years after being drafted. It doesn’t help that the players drafted around him were Troy Aikman (1), Barry Sanders (3), Derrick Thomas (4), and Deion Sanders (5).

4. Pacman Jones
Good player, awful person. Really, just the worst. Drafted in 2005 as a CB from West Virginia, Pacman made a name for himself as a standout kick returner and solid coverage back. Actually, he made a name for himself by being a huge a$$hole, but he WAS a strong player. After repeated incidents off the field, Roger Goodell made an example out of Jones by suspending him for a year not for any particular transgression, but just for being a bad dude. Following the suspension, the Titans couldn’t get rid of Jones fast enough; he was traded to the Cowboys, where he did lots of great stuff like attack the bodyguard that was supposed to keep an eye on him.

3. JaMarcus Russell
The slightly-more-modern Ryan Leaf, Russell took all the goodwill he accumulated and pissed it away in very short order after his leap to the NFL. JaMarcus Russell held out the entire preseason, eventually wrestling $68mm away from the Raiders, with almost half of it guaranteed. They are probably kicking themselves for that decision. His third season, he was named the starter, so naturally he showed up to training camp 35 pounds overweight, as he had the previous year. The lack of dedication to his team was telling, and after getting pinched for possessing codeine cough syrup, or “purple drank,” Russell was shown the door after tossing 18 touchdowns and 23 INT’s. He’s currently a “free agent” (Unemployed).

2. Brian Bosworth
Before he won our hearts as a movie star in fare such as “Stone Cold,” The Boz was an utter disappointment for the Seattle Seahawks. Having left Oklahoma with an ungodly amount of hype, he ended up wallowing in the NFL, as the linebacking prodigy garnered only four sacks in three years. He did make a name for himself, however…when Bo Jackson ran his ass over for a touchdown on a Monday night game.
 

1. Ryan Leaf
The alpha and omega of draft busts. High expectations? Yup. Raw talent? Of course. Crappy work ethic? The worst. Sense of entitlement? Uh-huh. Trouble post-NFL? You bet!

Leaf is almost universally considered the biggest draft bust in NFL history. Picked behind Peyton Manning, Leaf lasted four years in the league compiling a miserable 50.0 QB rating and bouncing between practice squads and bench jobs for four teams over five years.

One must also factor in what the Chargers gave up to get this guy. They were sitting with the third pick, but to guarantee they got Leaf, they traded two first-round picks, a second-round pick, and Eric Metcalf to move up ONE SPOT to get Ryan. Whoops.

After making zero impression, Leaf was asked to be the Tampa Bay Buc’s fourth-string quarterback. I didn’t even know such a position existed. I thought the fourth-string quarterback was the punter.

And then he got busted with prescription painkillers while coaching at West Texas A&M in 2008. Awesome.

It can be difficult to identify such players, and that is why we here at TPS are going to help you out. Each Tuesday for the remainder of the season, we will give you some players to look out for that may be on your waiver wire. These players are the ones we assume are available in most leagues, but beware. There may be better free agents out there that we have not listed because we just assume that someone should already have taken them. If one of those guys is a free agent in your league, PICK HIM UP!

Here is a look at some guys you may want to take a look at in you league:

Alex Smith, SF, QB: If you are looking for a quarterback and haven’t went out and got Alex Smith yet, we recommend you act quickly.  The former first overall pick seems to finally be coming around and that has been great news for the San Francisco 49ers.  While Smith did not put up great numbers last week against the Colts, he did post 198 yards and a touchdown against an Indianapolis pass defense that had previously given up only two scores through the air.  With games against the Titans, Bears, Jags, Seahawks and Lions still to come, Smith may become a valuable second half fantasy sleeper.

Ryan Moats, HOU, RB: When Steve Slaton was benched for fumbling early in the Texans’ game at Buffalo, several fantasy owners saw their first round pick continue what has been a disappointing season thus far.  If they are looking for some way to make up for this bust, we recommend the addition of Ryan Moats to their team.  Moats was spectacular coming in to relieve Slaton as he rushed for 126 yards on 23 carries and three touchdowns.  While Gary Kubiak has not yet decided who his feature back will be, you can expect Moats to get plenty of carries as he has become the Texans most reliable backfield option.

Justin Fargas, OAK, RB: Don’t expect Fargas to save your fantasy season, but he can provide some quality numbers to those looking for a week nine replacement.  With McFadden out, Fargas has done an impressive job carrying the load in the Raiders’ backfield and their match up next week against the Chiefs is an intriguing one.  Last time the two teams met, the Raiders got their first, and only, victory of the season.  Expect this match to be another close one and that should give Fargas plenty of opportunities to run the ball against a poor Kansas City run defense.  If you need a one-week replacement, Fargas may be your man.

Malcolm Floyd, SD, WR: With Chris Chambers now out of the picture, Floyd has moved into the Chargers starting line up along side Vincent Jackson.  Although he will not be putting up similar numbers to the Chargers go-to guy, he will see more action in their aerial attack, and that can make him a valuable addition to any fantasy team in need of a wideout.  In his first stint as a starter in week 8, he posted 64 yards on two catches.  Expect those numbers to improve as he becomes more familiar with his upgraded role.

Kevin Walter, HOU, WR: Not only was there a change in the Houston Texans backfield over the weekend, but they also lost their star tight end Owen Daniels for the season, causing them to make some adjustments in the passing game.  Matt Schaub struggled throughout the game without Daniels, but with a full week of practice ahead, they should be able to sort out a new game plan in their passing attack and you can expect that to involve a lot more of Kevin Walter.  Injuries have slowed him through the first half of this season, but given the opportunity he may be able to get back to the form that saw him record eight touchdowns in 2008.

It can be difficult to identify such players, and that is why we here at TPS are going to help you out. Each Tuesday for the remainder of the season, we will give you some players to look out for that may be on your waiver wire. These players are the ones we assume are available in most leagues, but beware. There may be better free agents out there that we have not listed because we just assume that someone should already have taken them. If one of those guys is a free agent in your league, PICK HIM UP!

Here is a look at some guys you may want to take a look at in you league:

Alex Smith, SF, QB:  After Shaun Hill could not get the job done last week against the Houston Texans, Alex Smith came in and recorded 206 yards and three touchdowns in just one half of playing time.  He has since been named the started byb 49ers head coach Mike Singletary.  Although he has not proven enough to warrant a starting position on any fantasy roster, the former first overall pick did show signs that perhaps he can develop into what San Fran had hoped when they drafted him back in 2005.  He is worth a back up roll for those in need of depth at the quarterback position, and although his week 8 match up against the Colts is not a favorable one, he may become useful down the road against some much weaker opponents.

Shonn Greene, NYJ, RB:  When Leon Washington went down with a season ending injury, the stock of rookie running back Shonn Greene skyrocketed.  Greene gave fantasy owners a taste of his potential after he ran for 144 yards and two touchdowns against the Oakland Raiders on Sunday, and he will be in line for an increased role in the Jets offense for the remainder of the year.  With his explosive ability to make big plays, he will be a hot commodity on the waiver wire, and well worth a spot on most fantasy rosters.

Justin Fargas, OAK, RB: It is hard to give a spot on your fantasy team roster to any player from the Oakland Raiders, but with a few more bye weeks ahead, Justin Fargas may actually have some value.  Since Darren McFadden was sidelined with an injury a few weeks back, Fargas has stepped in and produced some decent numbers, tallying 9 fantasy points in each of the past two weeks (in standard leagues).  Those are not bad numbers when you consider his opponents and the fact that the Raiders were down big and had to abandon the running game early against the Jets.  He has yet to score a touchdown, but if the Raiders can find a way to move their offense close to the opponents goal line, Fargas may become quite the valuable back.

Mike Wallace, PIT, WR:  I am usually not too high on number three wide receivers, but in the case of Wallace, he is well worth the shot.  The Steelers have become a throw-first team and Roethlisberger has been putting up big numbers in the passing game thanks to his abundance of targets.  Wallace has seemingly become a reliable one and his ability to make the big play makes him all the more valuable to fantasy owners.  If you are looking for a one-week replacement at the wideout position, Wallace may be your man.  But we should also note that the Steelers are on the bye for week 8.

Michael Crabtree, SF, WR: We had him on here last week and we will keep him here again.  Some may have been hesitant to pick up Crabtree prior to seeing him play any games in the NFL, but he was on the field often for the 49ers on Sunday and he looked good.  The first round pick out of Texas Tech caught 5 balls for 56 yards in a losing effort to the Texans.  As the season progresses, expect him to see more passes thrown his way causing his fantasy numbers to grow.

So what does that mean for former first overall pick (and perhaps the biggest bust since Ryan Leaf), Alex Smith?

It looks like it will be another year on the bench for Smith, but while he failed to impress coaches with his arm, he may have turned some heads with his blocking.

During the 49ers preseason game against the Oakland Raiders this past weekend, Smith was unable to complete much, so when your QB can’t get anything going through the air, you team is forced to try something different in order to get the offense going.  San Fran’s coach, Mike Singletary did just that, and must have been impressed with what he saw from Alex.

With the reverse taking form, Smith found himself out in front of the ball carrier, and like any good teammate, he was looking for something to block.  That something came in the shape of a 6-6, 265 pound Greg Ellis.

Smith was clearly looking to prove something and win a starting spot on the roster as he laid out the Raiders’ large defensive end with a vicious hit.  It may not have earned him the starting quarterback position, but don’t be surprised to see Smith making blocks for running back Frank Gore as the team’s new fullback.

Hat Tip Video – [Second-String Fullback]

The Draft is a way for a team to get better and also a way to get even worse.  Here is a look at the biggest draft busts from 2002-2006.

I will give the players drafted in the last two years the benefit of the doubt, because they have not played  enough football to be considered a bust.

David Carr, Houston Texans, 2002, #1,

Carr was supposed to be the face of the Texans franchise when he was drafted first overall in 2002 out of Fresno State.  Instead he became a poster-boy for a horrible draft year. Are you paying attention Detroit Lions.

Charles Rogers, Detroit Lions, 2003, #3,

Rogers was yet another Matt Millen first-round mistake.  During his short career Rogers was plagued by injuries and inconsistency.  The last we herd from this guy he was on his way to the slammer.

Robert Gallery, Oakland Raiders, 2004, #2,

Gallery was supposed to be the pillar of Oakland’s O-line when he entered the league in 2002.  Since then they have tried him at different positions, but he is not the type of lineman they thought they were getting.  Unlike the previous two busts, at least he is still on the team, so he gets some credit.

Alex Smith, San Francisco 49ers, 2005, #1,

In all fairness to the 49ers, the 2005 draft was one of the worst in recent memories, as there were multiple first-round busts.  However, that  still does not excuse them from wasting a valuable pick on Smith.  He still has a chance to prove he can play, but that doesn’t seem likely.

Vernon, Davis, San Francisco 49ers, 2006, #6,

What a surprise, another horrible pick for San Fran.  Davis has only been in the league for  2 years, but he is yet to prove he belongs there.  Davis is the classic example of a guy who had a great combine and was drafted way too high.  He is still young and has chance to start  producing, just make sure this guy is not on you fantasy team.

Honorable mention:  Joey Harrington, Reggie Williams, Byron Leftwhich,Troy Williamson,

Aaron Kelly, WR Clemson

Many rated this guy a second round prospect a year ago, but his involvement in an inept offense sees him fall back into the fourth or fifth. He’s a very lean guy and uses his 6ft5 200lb frame to his advantage; bullying corners by getting his body between the ball and them and shows unexpected slight of feet around the sideline. He isn’t just a jump and catch Matt Jones player; at the combine he proved he’s a big play threat by running a 4.49 and jumping 38inches – phenomenal for his size considering Jeremy ‘the fastest man alive’ Maclin could only manage a 4.45 on the slow Lucas Oil Stadium track. As far as technical abilities this guy has strong hands; not crazy Larry Fitzgerald catch-behind-the-head-one-handed hands but naturally good hands that make drops a non issue. He looks a little awkward when running routes and didn’t have the efficiency with his feet you want to see when making cuts, which contributes to his tendency to ‘freestyle’ in college games. Kelly had meetings with the Bears and Patriots at the combine and is a very interesting prospect from a physical standpoint, time will see if he can adapt to the professional game. Could be the next… Marques Colston.

Nate Davis, QB Ball State

Teams are scrambling a little for QBs in free agency (Sage Rosenfels and Matt Cassell getting trades), so the last thing they wanted to see was a weak draft class. Past Stafford, Sanchez and Freeman who will all go inside the top 20, pickings are a slim. Pat White will be drafted next but not purely on his QB skills, and after a weak showing from the seniors at the Senior Bowl Nate Davis will likely be the next guy off the board. A lot is made of his athleticism but he’s very much a passer first, and shows nice decision making skills when it comes down to extending the play, running for the first or getting rid of the football. Then there’s his arm which has people salivating the most; not only can he throw it deep, but he’s accurate when going deep as well. His short-mid range accuracy is a little susceptible however, a big problem when the deep option is locked down by NFL calibre safeties. Teams are also going to love his intangibles; a leader of his team and shows great poise which make throws look effortless – having said that he faced weak competition. Davis needs to be refined, but makes a great project QB for a team looking 3 seasons down the line as supposed to 2009. Look for a team like Carolina or Seattle to jump on him in the fourth. Could be the next… Byron Leftwich done right.

Chris Clemons, SS Clemson

Don’t want to make it a Clemson love in, but I really liked this guy at the combine. Maybe lacks outstanding size at 6ft and is physically inferior to top prospect Sean Smith, but looked very smooth in drills and showed nice hands when catching. He also ran the fastest 40 of any defensive back at the draft so you can pencil him in for the Raiders already; Oakland need a safety after Gibril Wilson was cut and Al Davis is a sucker for a fast 40. Could be the next… Nick Collins.

Jonathan Luigs, C Arkansas

The best centre class in a long time with two of the best college prospects at the position in Alex Mack and Max Unger for a decade means Luigs slips back – but don’t forget that this guy can play. Luigs possesses quick feet, plays aggressively but stays smart and leads the line well. He lacks the versatility of an Unger or Mack, and also has big question marks over his strength and power meaning he could be bullied at the top level. I also don’t like the fact he has an arm span well under 33inches at 31 ¼, which he hides behind his rapid footwork. Arizona wants a centre after multiple snap problems in the playoffs, and Luigs could be their guy. Miami and New England will also consider him. Could be the next… Tom Nalen.

Singletary started the off-season with what most people would consider two back-up quarterbacks in Shaun Hill and Alex Smith (Who just reworked his contract to stay with the team) and so far has only added another in Damon Huard.  With no attempts made to acquire a young QBs with starting experience through either trade or free agency (namely Chris Simms, Brady Quinn, Derek Anderson, Matt Cassel, or Jay Cutler), and not much expressed interest in taking a QB high in the draft, it seems as if Singletary is handing the reigns of the offense over to Hill.

Singletary has said that it is going to be an open competition between Hill and Smith for the starting job.  However, it doesn’t seem likely at this point the first thing Smith is going to do after getting healthy is going to be winning the starting job from a guy that has a career QB rating of 90.4 and career 7-5 record with the organization (Opposed to a rating of 63.5 and a record of 11-19 for Smith).

But is this a bad thing? Hill has competed 64% of his passes as a 49er and has a 2:1 touchdown to interception ratio.  Granted he doesn’t have the arm strength one would like out of a starting QB but neither does Chad Pennington and look what his mix of leadership ability and football smarts brought to his team, same goes for Jeff Garcia who has been to 4 Pro Bowls.  Hill may not be our answer for the next decade, but he just may be the answer for the next two to five years, and until then the 49ers can save a bit of cap room by not signing a big name QB and building up their Offensive and Defensive lines.

The skills of the player seem an obvious start point for evaluation, but if recent history tells us anything GMs don’t find this easy. Arm strength is atop of many personnel coordinators’ list of desired attributes, and it got JaMarcus Russell ahead of Brady Quinn in 2007 and Joe Flacco flying up draft boards last year. It’s a pretty contentious issue and I personally don’t find it the be all and end all, since modern football is putting a greater emphasis on a game of efficiency since 60+ yard aerial plays tend to land in the hands of Ed Reed; throwing a more accurate seam route that bends away from the safety is a far more realistic goal than a deeper vertical. The biggest arm in the draft has catapulted Matthew Stafford to the top, and if he is throwing to one of the best down field threats in the league Calvin Johnson he’s going to need it. You also have to consider that division rivals Green Bay, Chicago and Minnesota all struggle to defend the deep ball thanks to a combination of slow corners and poor safety play, but if Chad Pennington has shown us anything it’s that a big arm isn’t everything.

NFL teams love the intangibles, the skills you can’t put numbers to or glean from a combine. Matt Ryan earned the respect of the league and teammates with his high intelligence, character, leadership, clutch performances and game management skills, whilst JP Losman wound up offensive linemen with his erratic play and penchant for escaping the pocket without warning. Consequently, a lot of my skepticism about Mark Sanchez is because of his intangibles; a lack of game experience doesn’t help, and he has reportedly come across as borderline arrogant in interview. A USC quarterback who is a little too self confident and might be susceptible to off the field distractions. Where have I seen that before? Hmm.

As far as physical attributes go, I love Josh Freeman. 6’6″ and above average athleticism make this guy super impressive and I hope a team polishes his mechanics and turns him into a real force. You can’t talk physical freaks without mentioning Pat White. I understand his athleticism and NFL teams hate facing option plays that are pass or run, but at 6′ and under 200lbs he’ll be the shortest starter in the league by a long way, face practical problems of seeing over linemen and will have major durability concerns. He has his heart set on being a QB but suspect mechanics make that a struggle to believe – a slot receiver/returns man/backup within 3 years.

That’s the QB, but you also have to consider your own team. A bad line can kill a young QB – David Carr literally had the talent knocked out of him. Whether it’s through injury, demoralization or a total halt to development, careers can be put to rest if you don’t protect your signal caller. San Francisco and Detroit gave up more sacks than anyone else, and whilst I expect Detroit to add an offensive tackle at 20 giving Stafford the bare minimum protection, I really worry about Sanchez’s safety if he lands in San Fran. He isn’t mobile and may not have the game time experience to make veteran moves like spotting blitzes or quick reads; this may be enough to make offensive tackle the 49ers’ selection at 10. You also need to supply your QB with a strong running game to rely on – look what it did for Matt Ryan last year. If you can help reduce the number of third and 9 passing situations faced, you’ll keep a rookie QB’s turnovers to a minimum. Luckily for this year’s quarterbacks, most of the teams in the market for them have competent run games (Gore, Kevin Smith, Derrick Ward, Thomas Jones, AP), but what teams won’t do is sit on a QB and let him get used to the NFL’s speed under a veteran’s tutelage. Detroit, Tampa and San Francisco don’t have this luxury.

Finally you have to consider the pro style versus college system debate. Even if not all gimmick offenses produce busts it certainly helps, and that’s why professional sides value experience of 3, 5 and 7 step drops as well as depth to a QB’s route vocabulary – talk to Alex Smith if you need further clarification. Stafford and Sanchez ran pro-offenses, whilst Pat White and Texas Tech’s Graham Harrell suffered from the number inflating shotgun gimmickry that can ruin a prospective pro.

Any position can bust, but when a QB goes down he goes down in a big expensive fireball. You have to limit the scope for failure, and looking at the player’s skills, the protection you’ll offer him and whether he’s a system quarterback with no transferable skills to the pros are good starts to finding the solution to a pivotal position.