1. Dean Marlowe earned this NFL award in Week 8
Dean Marlowe was chosen for the NFL Way to Play Award for exemplifying proper technique in Week 8. Every week a player is selected by a panel of NFL Legends, and they recognize current players at both the pro and high school level who exhibit an excellent playing technique. Each winner receives a $2,500 equipment grant through USA Football for the youth or high school football program of the player's choice. The winner is announced every week on NFL Network's Good Morning Football, and this is what Nate Burleson said about Marlowe this past week.
"Dean flying in there like Dean Cain, a little Superman with a super hit and a big play. I say all the time, you can make a big-time hit or have a big-time stop in a big-time moment of the game without getting a big-time injury. That's what this is about, the Way to Play is the game evolving into a safe way for us to go out there. We see the same type of highlights, the same type of hits, and the same type of action that we all love while remaining safe, so Dean Marlowe congratulations."
2. Dion Dawkins on what he's learned in the first half of the season
The Bills went 6-2 throughout the first half of the season, but McDermott said earlier this week that these next eight games are a whole new season. Dion Dawkins shared some lessons he has learned throughout the first half of the season that can make himself and this team better in the second half.
"We have to do a better job of not beating ourselves with the little mistakes," Dawkins said. "Penalties like false starts, [pass interference], holding or whatever, we have to do a better job of going in and playing one opponent and not two. In this game, it's hard enough to beat one opponent but when we're battling ourselves it could sometimes get difficult. But as long as we just focus on the fine details and what our coaches are teaching and coaching us to do, we'll be fine. Coach is right, the first half of the season is complete, now the next half we're 0-0, and we got to start all over."
3. Pay attention to this matchup for fantasy purposes
PFF fantasy football writer Ian Hartitz broke down the WR/CB matchups for Week 9. So far this season, the Seahawks defense has given up the most passing yards in the league. Hartitz suggests putting Stefon Diggs and Cole Beasley in your fantasy lineups.
The Seahawks have allowed 1,885 receiving yards to opposing WRs this season despite already having had their bye week. The Falcons are in second at 1,695. This isn't all on the secondary; nobody has posted a worse pressure rate than the Seahawks (22.2%). Still, this is clearly a matchup to target.
Diggs is the WR13 in PPR points per game this season and should be treated as a top-10 option in this potential blow-up spot. Smokey Brown has finished with fewer than 25 yards in three of his last four games and doesn't seem to be operating near 100%; I'd rather take a chance on Beasley against a secondary that has been roasted by slot receivers such as Julian Edelman (8-179-0), Russell Gage (9-114-0), CeeDee Lamb (5-65-0) and Cedrick Wilson (5-107-2).
