About Kurt Backert

Kurt's passion for the game began in the 60's watching the Colts on TV and at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore. He began following the statistics of not only his beloved Colts but also those of the Colts opponents, with a keen eye on Vince Lombardi's Packers. His thirst for and attention to statistical detail would eventually lead Kurt on a journey to the world of fantasy football in the late 1980's where he's captured more titles than John Wooden's UCLA Bruins Kurt carries a distinction that no other fan of the NFL can boast about. He is the reigning NFL National Trivia Champion and he credits his Dad for passing on such passion for the game, something Kurt also hopes to pass along to his 9-year-old son.

Ravens go against odds in AFC Championship rematch

Posted on January 18, 2013 by Kurt Backert

By beating the Broncos 38-35 in Denver and winning the 4th longest game in NFL history, playing 16;42 into overtime, the Ravens earned the right to play for the AFC Championship. This will be head Coach John Harbaugh and quarterback Joes Flacco’s third AFC title game together and they’ve lost both. Can the third game be the charm? The Ravens travel to Foxboro, MA to take on Bill Belichick and Tom Brady for the second consecutive year in the title game with revenge on their minds. The New England duo has … Continue reading →

John Harbaugh and Joe Flacco Match Hall of Fame Legends

Posted on January 7, 2013 by Kurt Backert

With the Ravens 24-9 victory over the Colts Sunday in Baltimore, Head John Harbaugh and his quarterback Joe Flacco have matched the successful starts that Hall Of Fame head coach Paul Brown and Hall of Fame quarterback Otto Graham of the Cleveland Browns had to begin their professional careers. Harbaugh was named head coach of the Ravens for 2008, and Joe Flacco was plucked from the University of Delaware in the first round of the 2008 draft to be the Ravens future franchise QB. As it turned out due to … Continue reading →

Fantasy Blitz, Week 7: History and starts

Posted on October 20, 2012 by Kurt Backert

The best part of the NFL is its history. Why? Because it has a habit of repeating itself; you want to know what will happen this Sunday…just take a view back of the previous 92 seasons. This week we have our sleepers and a fast view of the most important games these teams played against each other…, History and Sleepers, First the History then your Sleepers, Titans at Bills – In the 1992 playoffs Buffalo backup quarterback Frank Reich led a Bill comeback from a deficit of 35-3 to beat … Continue reading →

Week 5 fantasy notes, sleepers, and bye week replacements

Posted on October 6, 2012 by Kurt Backert

Green Bay Packers v Arizona Cardinals - Wild Card Round

Week 5 Cowboys, Lions, Raiders, and Buccaneers have the bye this week Dolphins at Bengals – Bengal secondary is a weakness, Dolphin wide receiver Davone Bess is averaging 5 receptions and 74 yards a game. Packers at Colts – With Greg Jennings missing, James Jones is a good play against the Colts who have allowed the sixth most fantasy points to wide receivers. Ravens at Chiefs – WR Jonathan Baldwin is seeing more passes than Steve Breaston, while the Ravens have allowed the fourth most passing yards. Titans at Vikings … Continue reading →

The “passing” of the torch

Posted on October 4, 2012 by Kurt Backert

Throughout the wide world of sports it has been said often, “records are meant to be broken”. And you know what? They’re right! Some sports are defined by numbers. For instance, in the NBA, the number is 100 – that was how many points Wilt Chamberlain scored for the Philadelphia Warriors in game against the New York Knicks in 1962. In baseball there is 56 – the number of consecutive games that Joe DiMaggio hit in safely in 1941. Then there is football and for me that number has always … Continue reading →

Week 4 fantasy news, notes, and sleepers

Posted on September 29, 2012 by Kurt Backert

Panthers at Falcons – Although he had fewer snaps than Jacquizz Rodgers last week, running back Michael Turner is still a must start. In his last 5 games against the Panthers Turner has averaged almost 100 yards and one score a game. Patriots at Bills – Running back Fred Jackson is back but keep him on your bench; the Patriot run defense is one of the most improved in football, allowing just 3.5 yards a carry. Vikings at Lions -Vikings WR Jerome Simpson comes back from suspension and Christian Ponder … Continue reading →

FANTASY BLITZ: Week 3 is a must win week for some

Posted on September 22, 2012 by Kurt Backert

Plus Fantasy Sleepers, and Notes I crunched the statistics going back to 1983 for the fantasy leagues that I have managed. Most were 12 to 14 team leagues with six teams making the playoffs. Just 16% of teams starting the fantasy year 0-3 made the playoffs. If you have not won yet, you, pay close attention! If you are unbeaten so far, trust me the odds are you will lose this week… Winning Advice Rams at Bears, With running back Matt Forte out this week, Michael Bush will get the … Continue reading →

Fantasy Flashback: Celebrating 50 years of Fantasy Football – Jerry Rice

Posted on September 20, 2012 by Kurt Backert

To celebrate the 50th season of fantasy football we will take a look back at some notable and surprising fantasy performances of the past 50 fantasy seasons that involved NFL teams playing each other this week. Since the 49ers visit the Vikings Sunday, this week we venture back to 1995, to Monday Night Football. December 18, 1995 – the 8-6 Vikings met the defending champion and 10-4 49ers at Candle Stick Park in what would be one of Jerry Rice’s greatest games. By 1995 fantasy football was starting to gain … Continue reading →

Week 2 Fantasy Blitz

Posted on September 14, 2012 by Kurt Backert

Week 2 7 Touchdown Passes, Fantasy Sleepers, and Notes The Vikings play the Colts this week. I would be remiss if I did not mention the fantasy day that Vikings quarterback Joe Kapp had against the Baltimore Colts week 2 1969. Kapp was in his third year in the NFL, after joining the Vikings from the Canadian Football League in 1967. He bombed the defending NFL champion Colts that Sunday in Bloomington, Minnesota with 7 touchdown passes, 1 int., 449 yards passing, and 14 yards rushing, 50 fantasy points. That … Continue reading →

Fantasy News and Notes: Bears at Packers Thursday Night Football

Posted on September 13, 2012 by Kurt Backert

A Few Notes and Sleepers for Thursday Night Football Bears at Packers This is the 183rd regular season meeting between the Bears and Packers dating back to November 27, 1921…the Bears, then known as the Chicago Staleys, were sponsored by Staley Starchworks and led by player/coach George Halas….The Green Bay Packers, who in 1921 were also a company owned team, owned by the Acme Meat Packing Company, and led by player coach Curley Lambeau….Staleys won 20-0 on their way to winning their first championship for the team that would become … Continue reading →

FANTASY FLASHBACK: Before there was Tebow

Posted on September 12, 2012 by Kurt Backert

Fantasy Flashback, Celebrating 50 Years of Fantasy Football 1963-2012 To celebrate the 50th season of fantasy football let’s look back at some notable and surprising fantasy performances of the past 50 fantasy seasons that involved NFL teams playing each other this week. Our first dose of fantasy history… Week 8, 1973, Sunday November 4, Chicago Bears at Green Packers Lightly regarded Bears quarterback Bobby Douglass, known more for his running than his inaccurate passing had his finest statistical game of his 10-year career on this day in Titletown. Douglass at … Continue reading →

FANTASY BLITZ: 2012 Week 1

Posted on September 8, 2012 by Kurt Backert

NFL’s 93rd Season The First Full Weekend A lot has changed with Fantasy Football since it first started in September 1962. With many outlets now on the web for fantasy advice, getting up to date injury information and getting various weekly player rankings is just a click of your mouse away. The intent of my notes each week is to give you my view on some of the more subtle matchups each week. A correct tweak here or there to your weekly lineup is the difference between caring and not … Continue reading →

Fantasy News and Notes – NFL Kickoff

Posted on September 5, 2012 by Kurt Backert

Fantasy Notes 2012 NFL’s 93rd Season Opener Wednesday Night Special Cowboys at Giants This is the 100th regular season meeting between the Cowboys and Giants, dating back to 1960, Cowboys lead the series 56-41-2…Tony Romo threw for 538 yards, six TD’s, and one int in 2011 against the Giants…but will face them without his go to receiver , the injured TE Jason Witten who will be replaced by John Phillips…WR’s Miles Austin and Dez Bryant will play but will be slowed by injuries…WR Kevin Ogletree will see the ball as … Continue reading →

The Post Season History: Giants v. 49ers

Posted on January 18, 2012 by Kurt Backert

The Giants and the 49ers are meeting this Sunday in the 80th NFL-NFC championship game. The Giants who joined the NFL in 1925 are making their 19th championship game appearance; the 49ers who joined the NFL in 1950 will be playing in their 13th title game. Between them they have won twelve league championships and 8 Super Bowls, along with that rich tradition each team brings to the table Sunday, they have met each other in 7 memorable post season games, in each of the Wild Card and Divisional rounds … Continue reading →

FANTASY BLITZ: Fantasy News & Notes Week 17

Posted on December 31, 2011 by Kurt Backert

Cardinals John Skelton will start at quarterback Sunday against the Seahawks Falcons; team is saying Michael Turner will get his same workload, but my bet is Jacquizz Rodgers and Jason Snelling share snaps Panthers, Congratulations to Cam Newton for breaking the rushing touchdown record for quarterbacks with 14 this year, Steve Grogan a rookie with the Patriots in 1976 had set the record with twelve in a 14 game season. Grogan was the last QB to call his own plays full time in 1990, the last of the true … Continue reading →

Fantasy News and Notes Week 16

Posted on December 24, 2011 by Kurt Backert

Congratulations, if your team is still playing, that means you should be playing for a championship. For newer players and leagues this is the first time in years where we were not wondering if some star fantasy players were going to sit or play because their teams had wrapped up home field for the playoffs. That was always the case for the past several years with Peyton Manning, as we all know he is sitting for different causes in 2011. With playoff seeds still very much up in the air, … Continue reading →

The Original Christmas Day Football Game

Posted on December 22, 2011 by Kurt Backert

Saturday December 25th 1971 Up to 1971 the NFL avoided playing on Christmas day. Case in point, in 1960 the championship game, which would have been played on Sunday December 25, 1960, was moved to Monday December 26 out of respect for the holiday. By the 1970’s television money ruled the NFL, and the networks felt that daytime Monday football would draw less ratings than a Christmas game, so the 1971 Divisional playoffs started on Saturday December 25th, with two more divisional playoff games to be played the next day. … Continue reading →

Week 15 Fantasy Notes & Positional Rankings

Posted on December 16, 2011 by Kurt Backert

Panthers, Panthers have never won at Reliant Stadium, losing a regular season game in 2003 there, and later that season they lost SB XXXIII to the Patriots Bengals, WR Jerome Simpson has had five 100 yard receiving games in his brief NFL career, he faces a Ram pass defense that is allowing the fifth most fantasy points to wide receivers Cowboys, Tony Romo has 5 scoring throws and no interceptions his last 2 games….he has great match up against the Buccaneers 27th ranked pass defense this week….although Miles Austin is … Continue reading →

Week 13: Fantasy News, Notes & Positional Rankings

Posted on December 2, 2011 by Kurt Backert

Fantasy News and Notes Cardinals, QB Kevin Kolb will play Sunday against the Cowboys…. ending John Skelton’s career Ravens, The Browns have the top ranked pass defense in the NFL…which is why their run defense is 29th. Ray Rice is an automatic start but if you need a RB this week, take Ricky Williams Panthers, The Panthers have the most favorable rushing match up of the week, facing the Buccaneers 30th ranked run defense, DeAngelo Williams, Jonathan Stewart, and Cam Newton will have a solid fantasy day Bears, Jay … Continue reading →

Week 12 Fantasy Positional Rankings

Posted on November 25, 2011 by Kurt Backert

Click on the links below for the Fantasy Blitz Week 12 positional rankings: · QUARTERBACK · RUNNING BACK · WIDE RECEIVER · TIGHT END · KICKER · DEFENSE