The NFL season is now halfway over, and reality has set in for most teams and fanbases. The Giants have finally accepted their limitations, the Browns fired their coach, and Jameis Winston got benched after throwing four picks. The Jets stink, the Colts have turned things around, and some players care more about their own egos than winning.
The scores this week were: Texans over Dolphins 42-23, Eagles over Jaguars 24-18, Panthers over Ravens 36-21, Chiefs over Broncos 30-23, Steelers over Browns 33-18, Seahawks over Lions 28-14, Bengals over Bucs 37-34, Bears over Jets 24-10, Redskins over Giants 20-13, Colts over Raiders 42-28, Cardinals over 49ers 18-15, Rams over Packers 29-27, Saints over Vikings 30-20, Patriots over Bills 25-6.
The Rams are 8-0, which seems rare in recent memory. They have only needed one fourth quarter comeback all year, so almost all of their wins have been convincing. Todd Gurley is a star, finishing with 195 total yards this week. He ran for 208 two weeks ago. Aaron Donald got off to a slow start, but now has eight sacks after adding two this week. The possibility of going 16-0 is on the table, but that is unlikely due to their tough second half schedule. Their biggest liability moving forward is CB Marcus Peters. The former Pro Bowler has struggled mightily this year, with his penchant for allowing big plays. The Rams were very active this offseason, so it would not be surprising if they added a corner before the trade deadline. Their next three games are against the Saints, Seahawks and Chiefs. If they win all those, I’ll feel comfortable predicting them to win the Super Bowl.
Speaking of the Rams, they needed some good fortune against Green Bay this week. It looked like the Packers were going to have another chance for late magic, but the football gods had different plans. This was a relatively low scoring game, mostly due to great QB pressure from both teams. The Rams trailed 10-0 at one point. It ended up being a see saw affair where the Packers had a chance to drive the field and win late. However, Ty Montgomery inexplicably ran the kick return out of the endzone and subsequently fumbled. Even worse, he apparently decided to defy the coaches after he got upset about being taken out at RB on a previous drive. Aaron Rodgers was deprived a chance at handing the Rams their first loss, and he was visibly agitated on the sideline. Albeit just one game, this loss may cause some upheaval in the locker room. Montgomery could be cut, and questions about Mike McCarthy’s leadership are now being raised. This could all be a non-issue in a few weeks, but this is a rare speed bump for a seemingly well run franchise.
All of a sudden, here come the Colts. This team is healthy for the first time in a while, and everything is starting to click. The o-line looks great all of a sudden. This has made life easier for Andrew Luck, and Marlon Mack has turned into a top level back. Mack ran for 132 yards, one week after running for 126 (he is the first Colt to run for 100 yards in consecutive games since Joseph Addai in 2007). Luck did a great job spreading the ball around. All three of his tight ends caught a TD, and newly acquired Dontrelle Inman contributed with 52 receiving yards. The team is 3-5, but lately they have looked better than the record indicates. It appears Coach Frank Reich has corrected some issues, so this team could be a real threat down the stretch.
The Cleveland Browns decided to clean house. Their 2-5-1 start isn’t horrific considering they doubled their win total from the previous two years, but I guess GM John Dorsey has seen enough. He fired HC Hue Jackson, followed by the axing of OC Todd Haley. Their controversial DC Gregg Williams (see bountygate) is the interim coach, and the Browns optimism that fans and myself had is gone now. It seem the main reason these firings happened now is because Jackson and Haley were clashing, which could hold back Baker Mayfield’s development. Some of this tension was on display during HBO’s Hard Knocks. Jackson and Haley are both offensive coaches, so this kind of back-and-forth can be make life abstruse for Mayfield. Also, things got worse when Jackson suggested he should get more involved in the offense last week. The friction became unbearable at that point, so this is where they find themselves. Chaos is no stranger to the city of Cleveland, so whoever the next coach is will have his work cut out for him.
Jameis Winston is bad. In more ways than one. I thought he may be done during the preseason due to his off the field issues, but he served his three game suspension and won his starting job back. Since then, he has thrown ten picks. He is tied for most in the league despite playing three less games. He threw two picks in each of his previous three starts. He got benched for Ryan Fitzpatrick Sunday after throwing 4 more, and he could possibly be done. Fitzpatrick played very well for the rest of the game, and Tampa scored 18 unanswered points to it. Tampa announced Fitzy will start the next game, but what does the future hold? Winston was a first overall pick and supposed to be the starter for years to come. Moving on from him will been a huge admission of failure, but it seems they don’t have a choice. Keep in mind, many wanted him gone for reasons other than his play.
New York football fans are a depressed bunch this year. The Giants are 1-7, and they may finally be forced to bench Eli Manning. He has struggled all year, and his performance Sunday was particularly bad. He was 30-47 for 316 yards with a touchdown and two picks, most of which came in garbage time. More importantly, he was 2 of 14 on third down, and 1 for 4 in the red zone. The Giants offense has been allergic to the end zone, and Eli is the guy running the show. A full-fledged rebuild may be around the corner for Big Blue. They traded Snacks Harrison and Eli Apple, and they’re apparently shopping OBJ, Landon Collins, and Janoris Jenkins. The thing is, this rebuild could have started earlier. The Giants had high hopes for this season, despite winning three games last year. They convinced themselves they could turn things around quickly, and that Eli was still a star. Both are severely untrue, so hitting the reset button looks like their only option. Maybe they will take finding their QB of the future seriously now. The Jets played the Bears minus Khalil Mack this week, and their offense was straight abysmal. They only produced 207 total yards, they were three of 14 on third down, and had six three and outs. The running game averaged 1.8 yards per carry, and the receivers could not get open at all. They also had several drives stifled by false start penalties, of which they had five. Sam Darnold has clear ability, but the situation around him is hindering his growth. HC Todd Bowles is on the hot seat most likely, considering that young offensive coaches are the trend now. Especially considering that Darnold’s development it the number one priority for the organization. I doubt anything will happen midseason, but it would be shocking if Bowles is back next year.
Tuesday, October 30, 2018
Tuesday, October 23, 2018
NFL Week 7
Kickers, blowouts, and questionable decisions were the themes of Week 7. Only a few games were particularly exciting, but a rare big midseason trade occurred. The Cowboys acquired Amari Cooper from the Raiders for a first round pick. One can never tell how a midseason trade will work out, but it should help considering he is a huge talent upgrade. He will fill the number one receiver role for Dallas vacated by Dez Bryant.
The scores this week were:
Broncos over Cardinals 45-10, Chargers over Titans 20-19, Colts over Bills 37-5, Panthers over Eagles 21-17, Bucs over Browns 26-23 (OT), Lions over Dolphins 32-21, Texans over Jaguars 20-7, Vikings over Jets 37-17, Patriots over Bears 38-31, Saints over Ravens 24-23, Redskins over Cowboys 20-17, Rams over 49ers 39-10, Chiefs over Bengals 45-10, Falcons over Giants 23-20.
Both the Ravens-Saints game and the Cowboys-Redskins games came down to controversial/interesting kicks. Dallas kicker Brett Maher missed a 52 yarder that would have been from 47 if not for a phantom illegal procedure penalty on the previous play. The Ravens scored a potential game tying touchdown against the Saints, but lost on Justin Tucker’s only missed extra point of his career (he was 222 of 222 before that).
Despite their disappointing loss, the Ravens appear to be a legitimate team. They stand at 4-3, but their superior defense has them in contention every game. The 11 sack performance they put up against Tennessee last week may have felt like a fluke, but the Titans’ o-line is one of the best in the league. Coming into Sunday, the Ravens defense only allowed 12.8 points per game. They stymied a superb Saints offense, which gained no traction whatsoever until the very end of the first half. It seemingly took forever, but the Saints’ finally took off in the fourth quarter and scored 17 points. The Saints were constantly aggressive, and went for it on fourth down several times. They recognized Baltimore’s ability to control the clock, so they attempted to take control themselves. Although it did not work early on, Sean Payton’s aggressiveness gave his team confidence in the end.
Another week, and yet another overtime game for the Browns. It’s getting ridiculous at this point; four of their seven games this year have ended in extras. This one also was decided by a kicker, as Chandler Catanzaro of the Bucs hit a 60 yard game winning field goal after missing one from 40 at the end of regulation. Baker Mayfield’s expression afterward said it all. Jameis Winston had one of those games where he produced a lot of yards, but also made key mistakes. He finished with over 400 total yards, but he played poorly down the stretch and had three turnovers. It seems the Bucs would have easily lost if they were not playing against a truly cursed franchise. Cleveland showed flashes of why they’re on the rise, but learning how to win regularly may take some time. Mayfield showed flashes of greatness, but the offense stalled too often. Second round pick Nick Chubb had 80 rushing yards in his first start post-Carlos Hyde, which is promising. Don’t forget he had 105 yards on three carries week 4 against the Raiders. Cleveland also had 14 penalties. That is not a formula for winning football.
Sean Payton was applauded for his boldness this week, but some coaches get carried away. The Titans fell victim, as they were another team that lost a close game they shouldn’t have. They had a chance to tie and go to OT, but that did not happen. Head coach Mike Vrabel decided to go for two after the potential tying TD, only to have it backfire. Pundits will debate over whether or not this was a good idea. I think it’s crazy quite frankly. People will defend him by saying he believed his team would convert the play, but one could also say he did not trust the team enough to win in OT. Certainly things are the norm for a reason. I believe Vrabel is a really good coach, but he got too clever for his own good here. Tennessee did what they had to do late to tie the game, but it was all for naught. Considering these two teams may be competing for a playoff spot, losing the tiebreaker could hurt Tennessee down the road. The Chargers won their fourth straight game Sunday, and they are starting to mimic the Air Coryell days. Tyrell Williams, Keenan Allen, and Mike Williams had 245 combined receiving yards. Tyrell had a 75 yard TD in the first quarter, and Mike had one for 55 yards in the third. They were up 17-6 at this point had to hang on until the end. They were a two-point conversion away from blowing this stellar offensive performance, and facing a similar fate to the Eagles. But they won, so all is well in Los Angeles for now. Speaking of which, the Rams unsurprisingly crushed the 49ers.
The Patriots keep finding ways to win, even if it takes some luck. Chicago was inches away from tying the game on the final play, as Mitchell Trubisky connected with Kevin White on a Hail Mary and watched him get tackled at the one yard line. Had they tied it and eventually won, Trubisky’s flaws would have been forgotten and he would be a hero this week. Instead, it was just another close loss. Trubisky looked good, and particularly impressed with his 81 rushing yards. He made smart decisions, and he took off running when plays broke down instead of forcing bad passes. He still did look inaccurate at times, so the jury is still out on Trubisky’s ability moving forward. He seems Bortles-esque at times. The Pats fell behind early, but a 95-yard kick return and a blocked punt for a TD allowed them to take control. They have been utilizing their running game very effectively recently, but that was derailed with Sony Michel’s leg injury. He had three straight 100-yard games before going down. Jeremy Hill and Rex Burkhead are out for the year, so they need to sign another back soon. One positive for the offense has been Josh Gordon, who finished with 100 yards on four catches. Although he has not been able to make a constant impact yet, he is getting more comfortable every week. He may turn out to be the deep threat this team desperately needed. Chicago’s defense carried them the first 4 weeks, but they’ve allowed 69 points the last two. Khalil Mack is playing with a bum ankle, but that can’t be the only reason. If they don’t fix these problems soon, that defense will become just a big waste of money.
The Chiefs and Bengals played Sunday night, and only one team showed up. The Chiefs came in hungry after losing their only game to the Pats last week, and they pounced early. Their already stellar offense had its best game of the year, racking up 551 total yards (319 coming in the first half). Patrick Mahomes had his sixth straight 300 yard game, and Kareem Hunt impressed with 141 total yards and three touchdowns. The Bengals had an opportunity to show that they are finally credible, but they put up a stinker. This game was supposed to be a shootout, but the Bengal offense did not hold up their end of the bargain. Cincy only produced 235 yards against a horrendous Chiefs defense that ranks last in the league. Andy Dalton was pressured routinely, and they only achieved eight first downs on their first five drives. They were trailing 38-7 only minutes into the third quarter. A bad pick six and an embarrassing failed fake punt only added insult to injury. I guess I should have known this game would be a blowout; Cincy is 1-9 on Sunday Night Football under Marvin Lewis. Their primetime atrocity is a microcosm of their inability to win any game that matters. Remember how I said Lewis may be the problem?
The defending champions did not accord themselves well this week either. The Eagles dominated the Panthers for the first three quarters, and then everything switched. Carolina erased a 17-0 fourth quarter deficit and scored 21 unanswered. Cam Newton played unbelievably down the stretch, amassing 201 yards and two TDs on 16-22 passing in the fourth. His clutch gene showed up, making up for his no-show up to that point. Despite the outcome, Carson Wentz played very well. He finished 30-37 with 310 yards and two touchdowns. He did a great job of getting Zach Ertz and Alshon Jeffery involved all game, as they combined for 226 receiving yards. The offense could have done more to secure the win, but the defense folded in a dreadful way. Not the type of effort you’d expect from the defending champions.
It is fair to say you have a chance in nearly any game if you only allow 20 points. That cannot be said for the Jaguars, whoseoffense hit a new low Sunday. Blake Bortles only had 61 yards and two fumbles before being benched in the quarter. The running attack is awful, and newly acquired RB Carlos Hyde was not eligible to play this week. Apparently the team was fighting with each other after the game, so the frustration has apparently boiled over. Cody Kessler is not a competent backup to Bortles, so this team is stuck right now. They have to seriously consider trading for a QB midseason, but it’s amazing a team who almost made the Super Bowl last year is in that spot. I guess I was wrong about Leonard Fournette being a crutch. The offense is off in the Atlantic Ocean without him.
The Lions have been looking for a consistent running game since Barry Sanders retired, and it looks like they may have finally found it. They rushed for 248 yards Sunday, 158 of which coming courtesy of rookie Kerryon Johnson. He averaged 8.3 yards per carry, and LeGarrette Blount added 50 yards and a TD himself. Miami was lost on defense and were shredded all game. Miami looked good in offense with Brock Osweiler as QB, as he consistently moved the ball early. Injuries at wide receiver, however, left his options thin down the stretch. Osweiler did not play lights out, but he is not the reason Miami lost. If Miami wants to complete for a roster spot, they may need to add a skill player via trade.
The Vikings’ win over the Jets was predictable based on where both teams currently stand. Both played average by their standards, and the superior Vikings won handily. Kirk Cousins, who has been Mr. Consistency all year, had a subpar game. He was held in check until he took off mid third quarter. When it was all said and done, Minnesota took care of business. Adam Thielen had another great game, finishing with nine catches for 110 yards.
The Jets were totally stagnant on offense, unsurprisingly because Minnesota’s defense may have been their biggest challenge yet. Sam Darnold looked inaccurate all game, finishing 17-42 with 206 yards and three interceptions. To be fair, it was the California kid’s first bad climate game, and he was playing from behind. Darnold is still on track to be a star one day, but Sunday was a reminder that he’s not the savior just yet.
Speaking of the Big Apple, the final game of the week was yet another no-show for the Giants’ offense. They looked good at times, and got Odell involved, but they only mustered three points until the last five minutes of the game. They looked as bad as possible in the red zone, highlighted by a terrible rollout play on fourth down on Atlanta’s one yard line. Eli Manning looked like he was in a good rhythm, but he was constantly throwing to checkdowns because he was being pressured. Basically the story of every Giants game. For all the fans who’ve jumped ship, this game did nothing to restore hope. So Monday Night was mundane for Big Blue, one could say.
The scores this week were:
Broncos over Cardinals 45-10, Chargers over Titans 20-19, Colts over Bills 37-5, Panthers over Eagles 21-17, Bucs over Browns 26-23 (OT), Lions over Dolphins 32-21, Texans over Jaguars 20-7, Vikings over Jets 37-17, Patriots over Bears 38-31, Saints over Ravens 24-23, Redskins over Cowboys 20-17, Rams over 49ers 39-10, Chiefs over Bengals 45-10, Falcons over Giants 23-20.
Both the Ravens-Saints game and the Cowboys-Redskins games came down to controversial/interesting kicks. Dallas kicker Brett Maher missed a 52 yarder that would have been from 47 if not for a phantom illegal procedure penalty on the previous play. The Ravens scored a potential game tying touchdown against the Saints, but lost on Justin Tucker’s only missed extra point of his career (he was 222 of 222 before that).
Despite their disappointing loss, the Ravens appear to be a legitimate team. They stand at 4-3, but their superior defense has them in contention every game. The 11 sack performance they put up against Tennessee last week may have felt like a fluke, but the Titans’ o-line is one of the best in the league. Coming into Sunday, the Ravens defense only allowed 12.8 points per game. They stymied a superb Saints offense, which gained no traction whatsoever until the very end of the first half. It seemingly took forever, but the Saints’ finally took off in the fourth quarter and scored 17 points. The Saints were constantly aggressive, and went for it on fourth down several times. They recognized Baltimore’s ability to control the clock, so they attempted to take control themselves. Although it did not work early on, Sean Payton’s aggressiveness gave his team confidence in the end.
Another week, and yet another overtime game for the Browns. It’s getting ridiculous at this point; four of their seven games this year have ended in extras. This one also was decided by a kicker, as Chandler Catanzaro of the Bucs hit a 60 yard game winning field goal after missing one from 40 at the end of regulation. Baker Mayfield’s expression afterward said it all. Jameis Winston had one of those games where he produced a lot of yards, but also made key mistakes. He finished with over 400 total yards, but he played poorly down the stretch and had three turnovers. It seems the Bucs would have easily lost if they were not playing against a truly cursed franchise. Cleveland showed flashes of why they’re on the rise, but learning how to win regularly may take some time. Mayfield showed flashes of greatness, but the offense stalled too often. Second round pick Nick Chubb had 80 rushing yards in his first start post-Carlos Hyde, which is promising. Don’t forget he had 105 yards on three carries week 4 against the Raiders. Cleveland also had 14 penalties. That is not a formula for winning football.
Sean Payton was applauded for his boldness this week, but some coaches get carried away. The Titans fell victim, as they were another team that lost a close game they shouldn’t have. They had a chance to tie and go to OT, but that did not happen. Head coach Mike Vrabel decided to go for two after the potential tying TD, only to have it backfire. Pundits will debate over whether or not this was a good idea. I think it’s crazy quite frankly. People will defend him by saying he believed his team would convert the play, but one could also say he did not trust the team enough to win in OT. Certainly things are the norm for a reason. I believe Vrabel is a really good coach, but he got too clever for his own good here. Tennessee did what they had to do late to tie the game, but it was all for naught. Considering these two teams may be competing for a playoff spot, losing the tiebreaker could hurt Tennessee down the road. The Chargers won their fourth straight game Sunday, and they are starting to mimic the Air Coryell days. Tyrell Williams, Keenan Allen, and Mike Williams had 245 combined receiving yards. Tyrell had a 75 yard TD in the first quarter, and Mike had one for 55 yards in the third. They were up 17-6 at this point had to hang on until the end. They were a two-point conversion away from blowing this stellar offensive performance, and facing a similar fate to the Eagles. But they won, so all is well in Los Angeles for now. Speaking of which, the Rams unsurprisingly crushed the 49ers.
The Patriots keep finding ways to win, even if it takes some luck. Chicago was inches away from tying the game on the final play, as Mitchell Trubisky connected with Kevin White on a Hail Mary and watched him get tackled at the one yard line. Had they tied it and eventually won, Trubisky’s flaws would have been forgotten and he would be a hero this week. Instead, it was just another close loss. Trubisky looked good, and particularly impressed with his 81 rushing yards. He made smart decisions, and he took off running when plays broke down instead of forcing bad passes. He still did look inaccurate at times, so the jury is still out on Trubisky’s ability moving forward. He seems Bortles-esque at times. The Pats fell behind early, but a 95-yard kick return and a blocked punt for a TD allowed them to take control. They have been utilizing their running game very effectively recently, but that was derailed with Sony Michel’s leg injury. He had three straight 100-yard games before going down. Jeremy Hill and Rex Burkhead are out for the year, so they need to sign another back soon. One positive for the offense has been Josh Gordon, who finished with 100 yards on four catches. Although he has not been able to make a constant impact yet, he is getting more comfortable every week. He may turn out to be the deep threat this team desperately needed. Chicago’s defense carried them the first 4 weeks, but they’ve allowed 69 points the last two. Khalil Mack is playing with a bum ankle, but that can’t be the only reason. If they don’t fix these problems soon, that defense will become just a big waste of money.
The Chiefs and Bengals played Sunday night, and only one team showed up. The Chiefs came in hungry after losing their only game to the Pats last week, and they pounced early. Their already stellar offense had its best game of the year, racking up 551 total yards (319 coming in the first half). Patrick Mahomes had his sixth straight 300 yard game, and Kareem Hunt impressed with 141 total yards and three touchdowns. The Bengals had an opportunity to show that they are finally credible, but they put up a stinker. This game was supposed to be a shootout, but the Bengal offense did not hold up their end of the bargain. Cincy only produced 235 yards against a horrendous Chiefs defense that ranks last in the league. Andy Dalton was pressured routinely, and they only achieved eight first downs on their first five drives. They were trailing 38-7 only minutes into the third quarter. A bad pick six and an embarrassing failed fake punt only added insult to injury. I guess I should have known this game would be a blowout; Cincy is 1-9 on Sunday Night Football under Marvin Lewis. Their primetime atrocity is a microcosm of their inability to win any game that matters. Remember how I said Lewis may be the problem?
The defending champions did not accord themselves well this week either. The Eagles dominated the Panthers for the first three quarters, and then everything switched. Carolina erased a 17-0 fourth quarter deficit and scored 21 unanswered. Cam Newton played unbelievably down the stretch, amassing 201 yards and two TDs on 16-22 passing in the fourth. His clutch gene showed up, making up for his no-show up to that point. Despite the outcome, Carson Wentz played very well. He finished 30-37 with 310 yards and two touchdowns. He did a great job of getting Zach Ertz and Alshon Jeffery involved all game, as they combined for 226 receiving yards. The offense could have done more to secure the win, but the defense folded in a dreadful way. Not the type of effort you’d expect from the defending champions.
It is fair to say you have a chance in nearly any game if you only allow 20 points. That cannot be said for the Jaguars, whoseoffense hit a new low Sunday. Blake Bortles only had 61 yards and two fumbles before being benched in the quarter. The running attack is awful, and newly acquired RB Carlos Hyde was not eligible to play this week. Apparently the team was fighting with each other after the game, so the frustration has apparently boiled over. Cody Kessler is not a competent backup to Bortles, so this team is stuck right now. They have to seriously consider trading for a QB midseason, but it’s amazing a team who almost made the Super Bowl last year is in that spot. I guess I was wrong about Leonard Fournette being a crutch. The offense is off in the Atlantic Ocean without him.
The Lions have been looking for a consistent running game since Barry Sanders retired, and it looks like they may have finally found it. They rushed for 248 yards Sunday, 158 of which coming courtesy of rookie Kerryon Johnson. He averaged 8.3 yards per carry, and LeGarrette Blount added 50 yards and a TD himself. Miami was lost on defense and were shredded all game. Miami looked good in offense with Brock Osweiler as QB, as he consistently moved the ball early. Injuries at wide receiver, however, left his options thin down the stretch. Osweiler did not play lights out, but he is not the reason Miami lost. If Miami wants to complete for a roster spot, they may need to add a skill player via trade.
The Vikings’ win over the Jets was predictable based on where both teams currently stand. Both played average by their standards, and the superior Vikings won handily. Kirk Cousins, who has been Mr. Consistency all year, had a subpar game. He was held in check until he took off mid third quarter. When it was all said and done, Minnesota took care of business. Adam Thielen had another great game, finishing with nine catches for 110 yards.
The Jets were totally stagnant on offense, unsurprisingly because Minnesota’s defense may have been their biggest challenge yet. Sam Darnold looked inaccurate all game, finishing 17-42 with 206 yards and three interceptions. To be fair, it was the California kid’s first bad climate game, and he was playing from behind. Darnold is still on track to be a star one day, but Sunday was a reminder that he’s not the savior just yet.
Speaking of the Big Apple, the final game of the week was yet another no-show for the Giants’ offense. They looked good at times, and got Odell involved, but they only mustered three points until the last five minutes of the game. They looked as bad as possible in the red zone, highlighted by a terrible rollout play on fourth down on Atlanta’s one yard line. Eli Manning looked like he was in a good rhythm, but he was constantly throwing to checkdowns because he was being pressured. Basically the story of every Giants game. For all the fans who’ve jumped ship, this game did nothing to restore hope. So Monday Night was mundane for Big Blue, one could say.
Tuesday, October 16, 2018
NFL Week 6
Many teams impressed this week, but some teams didn’t show up. The Titans, Browns, Jaguars, and Giants were all extremely disappointing. Tennessee was held to 106 total yards, and allowed Marcus Mariota to be sacked 11 times. Baker Mayfield had his mobility limited, and the Browns’ offense could not adjust. Jacksonville looked totally unprepared to play Dallas. And the Giants proved they should have drafted a QB, since Saquon Barkley has a stellar game, and the team was still trounced.
The scores this week were:
Eagles over Giants 34-13, Dolphins over Bears 31-28 (OT), Texans over Bills 20-13, Falcons over Bucs 34-29, Vikings over Cardinals 27-17, Chargers over Browns 38-14, Jets over Colts 42-34, Redskins over Panthers 23-17, Seahawks over Raiders 27-3, Steelers over Bengals 28-21, Rams over Broncos 23-20, Cowboys over Jags 40-7, Ravens over Titans 21-0, Patriots over Chief 43-40, Packers over 49ers 33-30.
Fortunately for the football gods, the top teams looked as advertised this weekend. The Rams are now the only undefeated team in the league with the Chiefs losing, and they showed they can win ugly. The passing game was held in check, largely due to Cooper Kupp being injured. Jared Goff was sacked five times, led by a breakout three sack performance by Denver’s Bradley Chubb. Like good teams do, the Rams adapted and rode the ground game. Todd Gurley finished with a whopping 208 yards and two touchdowns on 28 carries. He was the first Ram to rush for 200 yards since Marshall Faulk did it in 2001. Denver had chances, but settling for field goals instead of touchdowns ultimately did them in. The Rams got off to a slow start, but they are so good it doesn’t matter. Great teams know how to win regardless of circumstance.
The Patriots-Chiefs game may have been an AFC championship preview, and it lived up to the billing. 83 total points were scored, KC made a thrilling comeback, and the game came down to who had the ball last. The Pats continued to roll on offense, and the emergence of the running game is a big reason why. The duo of Sony Michel and James White carried the load, combining for 145 yards. (Michel has 316 yards in his last three games) The offense now looks complete for the first time this year, aided by Julian Edelman’s return and the acquisition of Josh Gordon. Although teams are taking Gronk out of the mix, New England is moving the ball in other ways.
The Chiefs played well, but their slow start dug them into an early hole. The Pats did a good job of limiting Travis Kelce early, constantly shadowing and bumping him at the line. The Chiefs only had 9 points at halftime, but they took off after that. They trailed by 15 at halftime, but they outscored the Pats 17-3 in the third quarter. Due to Mahomes’ bazooka arm, and the athleticism of Tyreek Hill and Kareem Hunt, the offense can score in bunches most of the time. As well as the Chiefs played in the second half, the Patriots are too good to spot them a lead.
Pittsburgh has owned Cincinnati in their rivalry for years, making this loss even more crushing for the Bengals. They almost came back to win, but lost on the final drive. Pittsburgh took control early, and played an extremely physical game. James Connor had 111 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Several Bengals’ defenders left the game with bumps and bruises. Pittsburgh had a balanced passing attack as well, with Antonio Brown and Juju Smith-Schuster each finishing with 100 yards. Cincinnati played much better down the stretch, but they showed why they never seem to be able to get over the hump. Despite rattling off three big plays, Joe Mixon only finished with 64 yards. His talent is undeniable, but Cincy underused him for some reason. He should be a bell cow for this offense. It seems like they want to be an elite passing attack like Pittsburgh, but they should go with what’s working. I’ve said for years that the Bengals should consider moving on from Marvin Lewis as their coach. Maybe a young innovative coach could take then to the next level.
The Jets had a great win against the Colts, and the actually were constant two weeks in a row. They had some great fortune early, with Morris Claiborne getting a pick six off a bobbled screen on the second play of the game. Andrew Luck came close to throwing another one on the next possession, but then proceeded to string together a stellar touchdown drive. Sam Darnold looked mediocre for the Jets early, and he threw yet another careless pick when he severely under threw his target on a deep throw. However, this turned out to be his best game of the year. He completed 80% of his passes, and he’s getting better at spreading the ball around. Jermaine Kearse 94 yards on a career-high nine catches. He had been a non-factor all season, so his emergence was a pleasant surprise.
The Jets had a huge goal line stand to start the second quarter. Had Indy scored and taken the lead, they would have likely seized all the momentum. This is an example of the Colts continuing trend of shooting themselves in the foot early in games. Luck almost made a comeback late, but the hole theydug for themselves was too big. This is mostly due to their lack of talent on offense. Andrew Luck looks like the star he was supposed to be since being drafted #1 overall, but he team is not helping much. Marlon Mack’s 72 rushing yards in the second half give signs for optimism, but this team has a long way to go.
The Cowboys were on the verge of total implosion coming into this week, but boy did they respond. Their 40-7 drubbing of the Jags may have been the biggest surprise of the week. They got off to a fast start, piling up 251 yards and 17 first downs in the first half. They scored on their first four drives of the game. They were leading 24-0 at halftime, and the game was effectively over. Dak Prescott looked more comfortable than he has all year, and he actually ran the ball like he did his rookie year. He finished with 82 rushing yards on 11 carries. Dallas showed great balance, keeping Ezekiel Elliott and Cole Beasley involved all game.
The Jags looked like a legit Super Bowl contender a few weeks back, but now their issues are coming to light. Their o-line is mediocre, and Blake Bortles struggles when pressured. The defense was understandably torched by KC last week, but they followed it up with a worse performance against Dallas offense which has been atrocious. Leonard Fournette’s injury has been a problem, but I’m not sure his return will fix all of their recent issues. I cannot say Dallas fixed all their problems either. Not having center Travis Frederick is evident in the pass blocking department. The center is the most important lineman when it comes to identifying where the pressure is coming from, and the backup is clearly struggling. Also, teams will start preparing for Prescott like he’s a real quarterback again. Time will tell if he can play like this in consecutive weeks.
The Eagles had gotten off to a slow start after winning the Super Bowl last year, but they seem to have found their stride now. Carson Wentz was clearly shaking off his post-injury cobwebs, and he’s looking more and more like himself every week. On Thursday, he finished 26 of 36 with 278 yards, 3 touchdowns and no interceptions. More impressively, they scored touchdowns on four of six red zone trips. They had 24 points at halftime, more than they had scored in a game all year. Surprisingly, the backfield tandem of Wendell Smallwood and Corey Clement admirably filled in for the injured Jay Ajayi. Coupled with the way they assaulted Eli Manning, it was a great team win for Philly. With that said, the New York Giants really can’t get out of their own way. Many pundits said they should have drafted a quarterback instead of Saquon Barkley, and this game showed why. Barkley had a wonderful game (130 rushing yards, 99 receiving yards), yet his team was still blown out. Eli Manning threw a pick in his second pass of the game. Philly started the drive in their own red zone, and got an easy touchdown. They scored again quickly, jumping ahead 14-3 in the blink of an eye. The Giants looked explosive at times, courtesy of the aforementioned Barkley. But they were 4 of 14 on third down, and started the game 0 for 8. When you are already playing from behind, and drives stall early, coming back becomes futile. Odell Beckham Jr, who is supposed to carry this offense, was held to only 44 yards. Philly did a good job of blanketing him all night. Outside of Barkley, the Giants have no big play ability whatsoever. Poor o-line has made many excuse Eli’s play, but Carson Wentz played very well under similar pressure. Eli is immobile, which makes him a dinosaur in today’s high octane game. Almost every QB in the NFL can escape the pocket and make plays with their legs. He needs to get the ball out of his hand quickly, like he did his first year with Coach McAdoo. Screens and swing routes are not going to cut it. Unfortunately, all teams need to do is blitz him heavily and it’s over.
The Browns came out against the Chargers with the same level of energy they’ve had lately, but things changed after Baker Mayfield hurt his ankle running out of bounds. He was visibly limping afterward, and his play struggled. He was far less mobile, and looked inaccurate on medium and deep passes. He did look like himself later on, but his receivers dropped passes in big spots. Their receiving group has not stepped up in general, and Jarvis Landry’s lack of big play ability doesn’t help either. Antonio Callaway was supposed to be their deep threat after cutting the troubled Josh Gordon, but his rookie inexperience is showing. Cleveland is vastly improved, but they have not yet learned how to win consistently. Unsurprising considering their recent history.
The Chargers did not play the greatest game early on, but big plays by Tyrell Williams allowed them to take control. In the second quarter, he had receptions for 44, 45, and 29 yards. He is becoming a superstar, yet the average fan doesn’t know his name. Coupled with their dominant day rushing the ball as well, led by Melvin Gordon’s 132 yards and 3 touchdowns, they left the Browns with no answers.
I hate to end on a somber note, but two teams lost their owners in the past few days. Chargers owner Alex Spanos died of dementia complications at age 95, and Seahawks owner Paul Allen died of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma at age 65. R.I.P.
The scores this week were:
Eagles over Giants 34-13, Dolphins over Bears 31-28 (OT), Texans over Bills 20-13, Falcons over Bucs 34-29, Vikings over Cardinals 27-17, Chargers over Browns 38-14, Jets over Colts 42-34, Redskins over Panthers 23-17, Seahawks over Raiders 27-3, Steelers over Bengals 28-21, Rams over Broncos 23-20, Cowboys over Jags 40-7, Ravens over Titans 21-0, Patriots over Chief 43-40, Packers over 49ers 33-30.
Fortunately for the football gods, the top teams looked as advertised this weekend. The Rams are now the only undefeated team in the league with the Chiefs losing, and they showed they can win ugly. The passing game was held in check, largely due to Cooper Kupp being injured. Jared Goff was sacked five times, led by a breakout three sack performance by Denver’s Bradley Chubb. Like good teams do, the Rams adapted and rode the ground game. Todd Gurley finished with a whopping 208 yards and two touchdowns on 28 carries. He was the first Ram to rush for 200 yards since Marshall Faulk did it in 2001. Denver had chances, but settling for field goals instead of touchdowns ultimately did them in. The Rams got off to a slow start, but they are so good it doesn’t matter. Great teams know how to win regardless of circumstance.
The Patriots-Chiefs game may have been an AFC championship preview, and it lived up to the billing. 83 total points were scored, KC made a thrilling comeback, and the game came down to who had the ball last. The Pats continued to roll on offense, and the emergence of the running game is a big reason why. The duo of Sony Michel and James White carried the load, combining for 145 yards. (Michel has 316 yards in his last three games) The offense now looks complete for the first time this year, aided by Julian Edelman’s return and the acquisition of Josh Gordon. Although teams are taking Gronk out of the mix, New England is moving the ball in other ways.
The Chiefs played well, but their slow start dug them into an early hole. The Pats did a good job of limiting Travis Kelce early, constantly shadowing and bumping him at the line. The Chiefs only had 9 points at halftime, but they took off after that. They trailed by 15 at halftime, but they outscored the Pats 17-3 in the third quarter. Due to Mahomes’ bazooka arm, and the athleticism of Tyreek Hill and Kareem Hunt, the offense can score in bunches most of the time. As well as the Chiefs played in the second half, the Patriots are too good to spot them a lead.
Pittsburgh has owned Cincinnati in their rivalry for years, making this loss even more crushing for the Bengals. They almost came back to win, but lost on the final drive. Pittsburgh took control early, and played an extremely physical game. James Connor had 111 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Several Bengals’ defenders left the game with bumps and bruises. Pittsburgh had a balanced passing attack as well, with Antonio Brown and Juju Smith-Schuster each finishing with 100 yards. Cincinnati played much better down the stretch, but they showed why they never seem to be able to get over the hump. Despite rattling off three big plays, Joe Mixon only finished with 64 yards. His talent is undeniable, but Cincy underused him for some reason. He should be a bell cow for this offense. It seems like they want to be an elite passing attack like Pittsburgh, but they should go with what’s working. I’ve said for years that the Bengals should consider moving on from Marvin Lewis as their coach. Maybe a young innovative coach could take then to the next level.
The Jets had a great win against the Colts, and the actually were constant two weeks in a row. They had some great fortune early, with Morris Claiborne getting a pick six off a bobbled screen on the second play of the game. Andrew Luck came close to throwing another one on the next possession, but then proceeded to string together a stellar touchdown drive. Sam Darnold looked mediocre for the Jets early, and he threw yet another careless pick when he severely under threw his target on a deep throw. However, this turned out to be his best game of the year. He completed 80% of his passes, and he’s getting better at spreading the ball around. Jermaine Kearse 94 yards on a career-high nine catches. He had been a non-factor all season, so his emergence was a pleasant surprise.
The Jets had a huge goal line stand to start the second quarter. Had Indy scored and taken the lead, they would have likely seized all the momentum. This is an example of the Colts continuing trend of shooting themselves in the foot early in games. Luck almost made a comeback late, but the hole theydug for themselves was too big. This is mostly due to their lack of talent on offense. Andrew Luck looks like the star he was supposed to be since being drafted #1 overall, but he team is not helping much. Marlon Mack’s 72 rushing yards in the second half give signs for optimism, but this team has a long way to go.
The Cowboys were on the verge of total implosion coming into this week, but boy did they respond. Their 40-7 drubbing of the Jags may have been the biggest surprise of the week. They got off to a fast start, piling up 251 yards and 17 first downs in the first half. They scored on their first four drives of the game. They were leading 24-0 at halftime, and the game was effectively over. Dak Prescott looked more comfortable than he has all year, and he actually ran the ball like he did his rookie year. He finished with 82 rushing yards on 11 carries. Dallas showed great balance, keeping Ezekiel Elliott and Cole Beasley involved all game.
The Jags looked like a legit Super Bowl contender a few weeks back, but now their issues are coming to light. Their o-line is mediocre, and Blake Bortles struggles when pressured. The defense was understandably torched by KC last week, but they followed it up with a worse performance against Dallas offense which has been atrocious. Leonard Fournette’s injury has been a problem, but I’m not sure his return will fix all of their recent issues. I cannot say Dallas fixed all their problems either. Not having center Travis Frederick is evident in the pass blocking department. The center is the most important lineman when it comes to identifying where the pressure is coming from, and the backup is clearly struggling. Also, teams will start preparing for Prescott like he’s a real quarterback again. Time will tell if he can play like this in consecutive weeks.
The Eagles had gotten off to a slow start after winning the Super Bowl last year, but they seem to have found their stride now. Carson Wentz was clearly shaking off his post-injury cobwebs, and he’s looking more and more like himself every week. On Thursday, he finished 26 of 36 with 278 yards, 3 touchdowns and no interceptions. More impressively, they scored touchdowns on four of six red zone trips. They had 24 points at halftime, more than they had scored in a game all year. Surprisingly, the backfield tandem of Wendell Smallwood and Corey Clement admirably filled in for the injured Jay Ajayi. Coupled with the way they assaulted Eli Manning, it was a great team win for Philly. With that said, the New York Giants really can’t get out of their own way. Many pundits said they should have drafted a quarterback instead of Saquon Barkley, and this game showed why. Barkley had a wonderful game (130 rushing yards, 99 receiving yards), yet his team was still blown out. Eli Manning threw a pick in his second pass of the game. Philly started the drive in their own red zone, and got an easy touchdown. They scored again quickly, jumping ahead 14-3 in the blink of an eye. The Giants looked explosive at times, courtesy of the aforementioned Barkley. But they were 4 of 14 on third down, and started the game 0 for 8. When you are already playing from behind, and drives stall early, coming back becomes futile. Odell Beckham Jr, who is supposed to carry this offense, was held to only 44 yards. Philly did a good job of blanketing him all night. Outside of Barkley, the Giants have no big play ability whatsoever. Poor o-line has made many excuse Eli’s play, but Carson Wentz played very well under similar pressure. Eli is immobile, which makes him a dinosaur in today’s high octane game. Almost every QB in the NFL can escape the pocket and make plays with their legs. He needs to get the ball out of his hand quickly, like he did his first year with Coach McAdoo. Screens and swing routes are not going to cut it. Unfortunately, all teams need to do is blitz him heavily and it’s over.
The Browns came out against the Chargers with the same level of energy they’ve had lately, but things changed after Baker Mayfield hurt his ankle running out of bounds. He was visibly limping afterward, and his play struggled. He was far less mobile, and looked inaccurate on medium and deep passes. He did look like himself later on, but his receivers dropped passes in big spots. Their receiving group has not stepped up in general, and Jarvis Landry’s lack of big play ability doesn’t help either. Antonio Callaway was supposed to be their deep threat after cutting the troubled Josh Gordon, but his rookie inexperience is showing. Cleveland is vastly improved, but they have not yet learned how to win consistently. Unsurprising considering their recent history.
The Chargers did not play the greatest game early on, but big plays by Tyrell Williams allowed them to take control. In the second quarter, he had receptions for 44, 45, and 29 yards. He is becoming a superstar, yet the average fan doesn’t know his name. Coupled with their dominant day rushing the ball as well, led by Melvin Gordon’s 132 yards and 3 touchdowns, they left the Browns with no answers.
I hate to end on a somber note, but two teams lost their owners in the past few days. Chargers owner Alex Spanos died of dementia complications at age 95, and Seahawks owner Paul Allen died of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma at age 65. R.I.P.
Tuesday, October 9, 2018
NFL Week 5
With week 5 of the NFL season now in the books, teams are starting to show their true colors. The scores this week were:
Patriots over Colts 38-24, Bengals over Dolphins 27-17, Bills over Titans 13-12, Steelers over Falcons 41-17, Lions over Packers 31-23, Jets over Broncos 34-16, Panthers over Giants 33-31, Browns over Ravens 12-9 (OT), Chargers over Raiders 26-10, Rams over Seahawks 33-31, Cardinals over 49ers 28-18, Vikings over Eagles 23-21, Texans over Cowboys 19-16 (OT).
The player of the week has to be Drew Brees, who broke Peyton Manning’s record for most career passing yards. He had a great game in general, in an expected blowout, finishing 26-29 with 363 yards. The record was broken in spectacular fashion on a 63-yard touchdown catch by rookie Tre’Quan Smith.
There were fireworks for different reasons in New York, where both teams had quite the interesting week. While the Jets seemed to exorcise some of their demons Sunday, the Giants had to face their biggest one. Although Sam Darnold was not spectacular, the Jets put together a great team win. Isaiah Crowell was stellar, setting a franchise record with 219 rushing yards on 15 carries. Bilal Powell was in the mix as well, adding 99 yards. Robby Anderson had two big touchdown receptions. They consistently pressured Case Keenum defensively, and theylooked good on special teams as well. As for the Giants, their closely contested loss was a side story to the Odell Beckham Jr circus. He organized a TV interview where he proceeded to trash his team, and deflect all blame away from himself. This drew the ire of Coach Pat Shurmur, who was clearly heated after the game. This had to be one of the dumbest ideas ever, especially considering how relentless the New York media is.
Mason Crosby had about as bad of a Sunday as one could have. In a game where both offenses looked as advertised, it was decided by three missed field goals by the Packers veteran kicker. Green Bay was already put behind the eight ball after Detroit recovered a muffed punt on their own 1-yard line and scored an easy touchdown. Ty Montgomery also had a huge kick return called back because of a penalty. It takes those kind of quirky things for a team to lose despite having a 521 to 264 advantage in total yards.
Someone actually did have a day as bad as Crosby’s; the Dolphins. Miami had full control for the vast majority of theirgame against the Bengals, and still somehow found a way to lose. They lead Cincinnati 17-3 going into the fourth quarter, but went on to totally implode. That cannot happen for a team that wants to seriously compete. Considering that it followed a poor showing against the Patriots last week, the Dolphins may be one more bad loss away from being done.
The Chiefs keep rolling, as the now sit 5-0. They faced a stiff challenge in the Jaguars’ defense, but creative scheming made things look easy. Travis Kelce had 100 yards on 5 catches, even with stellar coverage LB Myles Jack on him. The pre-snap motion and big play threats like Tyreek Hill had Jacksonville confused all game. The Jags had chances on offense, but a series of bad luck prevented them from getting back in the game. Pat Mahomes did throw his first pick of the year, but it turned out not to matter. The Chiefs’ passing defense was nonexistent again, having allowed 430 passing yards to Blake Bortles. As good as this team is, pass defense may be their downfall eventually.
The Rams continued to impress on offense against Seattle, and they had to use some unfamiliar faces in the process. After losing Brandin Cooks and Cooper Kupp to concussions, Jared Goff kept producing with Robert Woods, Josh Reynolds, and KhaDarel Hodge. Although Goff did not have his best game, he still finished with 321 yards and completed 72 percent of his passes. That type of efficiency is hard to match. Although they lost, the day was not all bad for Seattle. The smashmouthSeahawks are back, as they are re-establishing themselves as a power running team. Chris Carson finished with 116 rushing yards, and Mike Davis finished with 68. They had 6.1 and 5.7 yards per carry, respectively. The play action game was opened up, and Russell Wilson connected on two big touchdowns as a result. Tyler Lockett continued to impress. All of a sudden, Seattle’s offense looks legit again. The Rams run defense was 23rd in the league entering the game. That may be their only flaw, but Seattle took advantage. If this is a sign of things to come for Seattle, then they just might find themselves in the playoff mix at the end of the season.
Both the Steelers and Falcons have been major disappointments thus far, and Atlanta wilted under the pressure on Sunday. Matt Ryan got hit all game, and never got in a rhythm as a result. He was sacked six times. Julio Jones did not have a catch until the fourth quarter. This offense has had some rough stretches ever since Steve Sarkesian took over as OC, but it looks particularly bad now. Whether it’s better playcalling, or adjusting some pass blocking schemes, he needs to figure things out fast. As for Pittsburgh, they took control early with their James Connor-led running attack. He got seemingly every touch on their opening drive, which ended in a touchdown. He finished with 185 total yards, and had three plays of at least 25 yards. The Steelers took control early, and Atlanta struggled playing from behind.
The Vikings are starting to resemble their team from last year, and the Eagles are looking less and less like theirs. After getting killed by the Rams last week, the Vikings’ defense looked much improved Sunday. They constantly got pressure on Carson Wentz. He was able to attack the middle of the field with short passes, but he never got comfortable on five step drops. Jay Ajayi only had 29 rushing yards (he was placed on IR after the game), so the run game was never established. The inability to make big plays makes Philly appear less threatening than last year. Kirk Cousins looked great again for Minnesota, continuing to justify his contract. He had 301 yards and completed 81 percent of his passes. He has now completed 30 passes in four straight games, becoming the only player ever to do so. On top of that, Adam Thielen has emerged into a star. He became the first player ever to have five straight games with 100 receiving yards to start a season. The Vikings showed just how good they are when everything comes together.
The biggest story to come out of the Texans-Cowboys game was Jerry Jones being critical of Jason Garrett punting in overtime in 4th and 1, allowing Houston’s game winning drive. The game was there for the taking, but the lack of aggressiveness ultimately cost them. The reality is that Dallas’ offense has looked terrible for a while now, and maybe Garrett really did nothave confidence they could pick the yard up. If Ezekiel Elliot does not have a huge game, no one seems to step up for Dallas. His 84 total yards were not enough on Sunday. Dak Prescott looks like a below average quarterback right now. The lack of fire from Garrett and Prescott is problematic since they’re supposed to be the leaders of the team. Despite their continued offensive struggles, Dallas’ defense is becoming pretty scary. Leighton Vander Esch and Jaylon Smith were both great, combining for 21 tackles. DeMarcus Lawrence had a relatively quiet game, but he constantly attracts blockers, which opens things up for others.
Houston’s offense almost looks like the Michael Vick era Falcons, with DeShaun Watson running around trying to make plays. When things are clicking, the offense looks great. But Watson’s recklessness and proneness to getting hit could ultimately cost them. Especially considering how recently he has had a serious injury. The red zone play calling, and the o-line play, have been awful. This team has a lot of talent, but it is not humming how it should be.
In what was an ugly game, the Browns pulled out a gritty win against the Ravens. Cornerback Denzel Ward had a great game. He shut down Raven receivers all game, and finished with a pick and a blocked field goal. Baker Mayfield struggled, largely due to the Ravens’ ability to keep him from running. He did very little until the end, when he made just enough plays down the stretch. Michael Crabtree had 66 yards, but that was overshadowed by costly drops in crunch time. Alex Collins played well in the first half but struggled mightily in the second. The lack of running game played into the hands of Cleveland’s defense.
As a side note, this is Cleveland’s fourth overtime time out of five total. Extra time feels like a foregone conclusion to them at this point.
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