Week 10 of the NFL season is over with, and the playoff picture is just starting to hatch. There are five AFC teams with three or fewer losses (KC, Pittsburgh, New England, Houston, LA Chargers), and all should be able to make the playoffs barring collapse. Although the NFC is more tightly packed right now, the Rams and Saints look like locks to be the top two seeds. The Bears are currently the third seed, and they are a significant drop off from the other two.
The scores this week were: Steelers over Panthers 52-21, Bears over Lions 34-22, Redskins over Bucs 16-3, Titans over Patriots 34-10, Chiefs over Cardinals 26-14, Bills over Jets 41-10, Saints over Bengals 51-14, Browns over Falcons 28-16, Colts over Jaguars 29-26, Chargers over Raiders 20-6, Packers over Dolphins 31-12, Rams over Seahawks 36-31, Cowboys over Eagles 27-20, Giants over 49ers 27-23.
The Rams-Seahawks game was an exciting watch, considering how much better LA is record wise. Both offenses looked good early, with a total of 21 points being scored in the first quarter (LA got into their red zone at the end of the quarter and made a FG to start the second). Although it was not their best game, the Rams still played soundly. Jared Goff was 28-39 with 318 yards, two touchdowns and no picks. Todd Gurley was solid as well, tallying 120 yards and a TD on 16 carries. He also had three catches for 40 yards. Unfortunately they lost Cooper Kupp to a knee injury, possibly for the year. Seattle came out aggressive, and their two early touchdowns put rare early pressure on the Rams. Seattle frequently ran a package with extra tackle George Fant, which helped spark their running game. Russell Wilson finished with three touchdowns, and rushed for 92 yards. He played well down the stretch, and almost orchestrated a comeback. Although the offense was stagnant at times, Russell Wilson was able to find running lanes when the Rams dropped everybody in coverage. Both teams made a bunch of key plays, so it seemed like whoever made the least amount of mistakes would win. Seattle made their fatal error when Rams’ newly acquired Dante Fowler made up for previous costly penalties with a strip sack on Wilson. LA would recover and take a 12-point lead on the next drive. The deficit would be too much to overcome. Although the Rams won, they left a lot to be desired on defense. Not to mention the lack of discipline, as they took multiple dumb penalties throughout the game. They got Fowler to resolve their outside pass rush, but his mercurial personality might make him a net negative. The Rams are still elite, but this week certainly provided some teachable moments for Coach McVay.
Philly-Dallas was a game of two reeling teams trying to stay in playoff contention, and the Cowboys wanted it more. They made just enough plays to win, including a game-saving tackle by star rookie Leighton Vander Esch at the end. Instead of trying to prove that Dak Prescott is a franchise QB, Dallas played smart. They kept the gameplan simple, and heavily leaned on the legs of Ezekiel Elliott. They did not ask Dak to do too much, and he did not turn the ball over as a result. This is the approach Dallas should have moving forward. Although the o-line has taken steps backward this year, Zeke is still a superstar that can carry the team. Philly played well offensively in the second half, but they did nothing in the first. They only scored three points, and never found any type of rhythm. They would eventually tie the game late before losing the lead for good, which made the slow start even more crucial. Had they play decently in the beginning, they probably would have won. This is not uncommon for the Eagles; they’ve only scored 21 total first quarter points all year. Unless you have an elite defense, this type of play does not work. They did lose their OC and QB coach from last year, so that may have something to do with it. Super Bowl hangover is a common phenomenon, but the Eagles are one loss away from potentially letting the season slip away.
The Chiefs did not look overly impressive in their win against the Cards this week, but that is the nature of professional football. Arizona came out inspired, but the Chiefs were able to hold them off. Patrick Mahomes broke the Chiefs’ franchise record for TD passes in a season, but the game itself was unimpressive by his standards. His 249 passing yards were his lowest of the season. Fortunately for KC, the Cards are bad. Arizona did nothing on offense, so the Chiefs won without much drama. They may have been playing down to the opponent, so I expect them to look like their old selves against Rams on Monday.
A few weeks ago, I said the Colts had found their stride and their o-line is healthy and looks elite. Not only did they spring the running game for 81 yards, but they did not allow a sack for the fourth straight week. Eric Ebron was constantly running free, and Andrew Luck exploited the Jags seemingly every time they blew a coverage. The Jaguars look lost, having lost five straight games. Blake Bortles has truly been a disappointment, but now everyone must shoulder the blame. Defense has been their calling card over the last few years, but they allowed a lofty 306 yards and four TDs in the first half. They were constantly out of position, making it very easy for Andrew Luck to find open receivers. Despite many positives, not everything went swimmingly for the Colts. All of their 29 points came in the first half. It appeared they tried to go conservative and sit on the lead, which almost cost them the game. Both teams looked confused on defense, but that’s more of a shock for Jacksonville than Indy. Since the Colts did not come into the season with high expectations, what they did Sunday was ultimately a step forward.
The recent coaching changes in Cleveland seemed to signal complete chaos, but that looks to have been the appropriate decision. Off the bat, the Browns offense looked simpler and easier for Baker Mayfield to manage. Hue Jackson and Todd Haley were fired because their conflicts became a distraction, so the new environment may be exactly what Mayfield needed. Whereas Jackson and Haley were fighting over offensive concepts, new OC Freddie Kitchens now has complete control. Mayfield had a stretch where he completed nine straight passes, but a costly pick was thrown on a HB pass. The offense was clicking up to that point, but they appeared to give momentum back to Atlanta on the botched trick play. The Falcons started the subsequent drive on their own 40, and they scored the go-ahead TD soon after. However, the Browns showed poise before halftime and scored a TD on the next drive. When it was all said and done, the Browns played well enough to win. Baker Mayfield was 17-20 with 216 yards and three touchdowns. Rookie Nick Chubb, who became the starting RB a few weeks ago when Carlos Hyde was traded to Jacksonville, stepped up as well with 92 yards on the ground. Although the yard total seems small, the fact he was so efficient bodes well for the team moving forward. Possibly Mayfield’s most impressive play was a 15-yard completion to Antonio Callaway out of his own endzone. This showed a level of poise rarely seen in rookie quarterbacks. The drive stalled out, but he avoided something catastrophic like a safety or a turnover. Browns fans should be happy today since it appears the team has successfully turned the page. Maybe Jets ownership should pay attention. Speaking of which . . .
The Jets may as well have not gotten on the bus Sunday, and Todd Bowles may be out of a job soon. The lowly Buffalo Bills looked like a superteam, even though starting QB Matt Barkley was only added to the roster twelve days before. Barkley’s last start was two seasons ago. LeSean McCoy is having one of his worst seasons, but he looked like his old self and ran for 113 yards. Buffalo even threw a TD to an offensive lineman. The score was 31-3 at halftime, so the Jets never competed. Bowles should not be the scapegoat for how this season has dissolved so quickly, but he should still be fired. The development of Sam Darnold is paramount to the organization, so Bowles’ defensive background makes him non-ideal anyway. Most teams with young QBs are going with young offensive head coaches. If Darnold was playing well and the team was competitive, Bowles would get the benefit of the doubt. But after Sunday, I see no reason he should stay. Reportedly the Jets think firing him midseason would be a distraction, but it cannot be worse than getting ravaged by one of the worst teams in the league. Just saying.
There were a bunch of blowouts this week, as a matter of fact. Carolina was dismantled by Pittsburgh, allowing TDs to seven different Steelers and a perfect passer rating for Big Ben. The Saints had 509 total yards against Cincy, and scored on nine of their ten offensive possessions. The Bucs accomplished the rare feat of having 400 yards against Washington, but only scoring three points. Of their five red zone trips, they had two turnovers and two missed field goals. Although the Redskins are not very exciting, the stabilizing force of Alex Smith seems to be a good fit, as they find themselves in first place. The Packers struggled against the Dolphins early, but they quickly decided to ride RB Aaron Jones, and they never looked back. The Bears-Lions game was not as close as the score indicates, as the Bears scored four TDs on their first four drives. Mitchell Trubisky threw for a career high 355 yards. Anything good Detroit did came in garbage time. Possibly the most surprising outcome of the weekend was what the Titans did to the Patriots. This was rookie coach Mike Vrabel’s first game against his former team, so the emotion was evident. Tennessee controlled the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball, and Marcus Mariota looked great (despite his inconsistency in the past). After the game, Titans and ex-Patriots RB Dion Lewis called out his former team for being “cheap” for not re-signing him. Go figure.
The scores this week were: Steelers over Panthers 52-21, Bears over Lions 34-22, Redskins over Bucs 16-3, Titans over Patriots 34-10, Chiefs over Cardinals 26-14, Bills over Jets 41-10, Saints over Bengals 51-14, Browns over Falcons 28-16, Colts over Jaguars 29-26, Chargers over Raiders 20-6, Packers over Dolphins 31-12, Rams over Seahawks 36-31, Cowboys over Eagles 27-20, Giants over 49ers 27-23.
The Rams-Seahawks game was an exciting watch, considering how much better LA is record wise. Both offenses looked good early, with a total of 21 points being scored in the first quarter (LA got into their red zone at the end of the quarter and made a FG to start the second). Although it was not their best game, the Rams still played soundly. Jared Goff was 28-39 with 318 yards, two touchdowns and no picks. Todd Gurley was solid as well, tallying 120 yards and a TD on 16 carries. He also had three catches for 40 yards. Unfortunately they lost Cooper Kupp to a knee injury, possibly for the year. Seattle came out aggressive, and their two early touchdowns put rare early pressure on the Rams. Seattle frequently ran a package with extra tackle George Fant, which helped spark their running game. Russell Wilson finished with three touchdowns, and rushed for 92 yards. He played well down the stretch, and almost orchestrated a comeback. Although the offense was stagnant at times, Russell Wilson was able to find running lanes when the Rams dropped everybody in coverage. Both teams made a bunch of key plays, so it seemed like whoever made the least amount of mistakes would win. Seattle made their fatal error when Rams’ newly acquired Dante Fowler made up for previous costly penalties with a strip sack on Wilson. LA would recover and take a 12-point lead on the next drive. The deficit would be too much to overcome. Although the Rams won, they left a lot to be desired on defense. Not to mention the lack of discipline, as they took multiple dumb penalties throughout the game. They got Fowler to resolve their outside pass rush, but his mercurial personality might make him a net negative. The Rams are still elite, but this week certainly provided some teachable moments for Coach McVay.
Philly-Dallas was a game of two reeling teams trying to stay in playoff contention, and the Cowboys wanted it more. They made just enough plays to win, including a game-saving tackle by star rookie Leighton Vander Esch at the end. Instead of trying to prove that Dak Prescott is a franchise QB, Dallas played smart. They kept the gameplan simple, and heavily leaned on the legs of Ezekiel Elliott. They did not ask Dak to do too much, and he did not turn the ball over as a result. This is the approach Dallas should have moving forward. Although the o-line has taken steps backward this year, Zeke is still a superstar that can carry the team. Philly played well offensively in the second half, but they did nothing in the first. They only scored three points, and never found any type of rhythm. They would eventually tie the game late before losing the lead for good, which made the slow start even more crucial. Had they play decently in the beginning, they probably would have won. This is not uncommon for the Eagles; they’ve only scored 21 total first quarter points all year. Unless you have an elite defense, this type of play does not work. They did lose their OC and QB coach from last year, so that may have something to do with it. Super Bowl hangover is a common phenomenon, but the Eagles are one loss away from potentially letting the season slip away.
The Chiefs did not look overly impressive in their win against the Cards this week, but that is the nature of professional football. Arizona came out inspired, but the Chiefs were able to hold them off. Patrick Mahomes broke the Chiefs’ franchise record for TD passes in a season, but the game itself was unimpressive by his standards. His 249 passing yards were his lowest of the season. Fortunately for KC, the Cards are bad. Arizona did nothing on offense, so the Chiefs won without much drama. They may have been playing down to the opponent, so I expect them to look like their old selves against Rams on Monday.
A few weeks ago, I said the Colts had found their stride and their o-line is healthy and looks elite. Not only did they spring the running game for 81 yards, but they did not allow a sack for the fourth straight week. Eric Ebron was constantly running free, and Andrew Luck exploited the Jags seemingly every time they blew a coverage. The Jaguars look lost, having lost five straight games. Blake Bortles has truly been a disappointment, but now everyone must shoulder the blame. Defense has been their calling card over the last few years, but they allowed a lofty 306 yards and four TDs in the first half. They were constantly out of position, making it very easy for Andrew Luck to find open receivers. Despite many positives, not everything went swimmingly for the Colts. All of their 29 points came in the first half. It appeared they tried to go conservative and sit on the lead, which almost cost them the game. Both teams looked confused on defense, but that’s more of a shock for Jacksonville than Indy. Since the Colts did not come into the season with high expectations, what they did Sunday was ultimately a step forward.
The recent coaching changes in Cleveland seemed to signal complete chaos, but that looks to have been the appropriate decision. Off the bat, the Browns offense looked simpler and easier for Baker Mayfield to manage. Hue Jackson and Todd Haley were fired because their conflicts became a distraction, so the new environment may be exactly what Mayfield needed. Whereas Jackson and Haley were fighting over offensive concepts, new OC Freddie Kitchens now has complete control. Mayfield had a stretch where he completed nine straight passes, but a costly pick was thrown on a HB pass. The offense was clicking up to that point, but they appeared to give momentum back to Atlanta on the botched trick play. The Falcons started the subsequent drive on their own 40, and they scored the go-ahead TD soon after. However, the Browns showed poise before halftime and scored a TD on the next drive. When it was all said and done, the Browns played well enough to win. Baker Mayfield was 17-20 with 216 yards and three touchdowns. Rookie Nick Chubb, who became the starting RB a few weeks ago when Carlos Hyde was traded to Jacksonville, stepped up as well with 92 yards on the ground. Although the yard total seems small, the fact he was so efficient bodes well for the team moving forward. Possibly Mayfield’s most impressive play was a 15-yard completion to Antonio Callaway out of his own endzone. This showed a level of poise rarely seen in rookie quarterbacks. The drive stalled out, but he avoided something catastrophic like a safety or a turnover. Browns fans should be happy today since it appears the team has successfully turned the page. Maybe Jets ownership should pay attention. Speaking of which . . .
The Jets may as well have not gotten on the bus Sunday, and Todd Bowles may be out of a job soon. The lowly Buffalo Bills looked like a superteam, even though starting QB Matt Barkley was only added to the roster twelve days before. Barkley’s last start was two seasons ago. LeSean McCoy is having one of his worst seasons, but he looked like his old self and ran for 113 yards. Buffalo even threw a TD to an offensive lineman. The score was 31-3 at halftime, so the Jets never competed. Bowles should not be the scapegoat for how this season has dissolved so quickly, but he should still be fired. The development of Sam Darnold is paramount to the organization, so Bowles’ defensive background makes him non-ideal anyway. Most teams with young QBs are going with young offensive head coaches. If Darnold was playing well and the team was competitive, Bowles would get the benefit of the doubt. But after Sunday, I see no reason he should stay. Reportedly the Jets think firing him midseason would be a distraction, but it cannot be worse than getting ravaged by one of the worst teams in the league. Just saying.
There were a bunch of blowouts this week, as a matter of fact. Carolina was dismantled by Pittsburgh, allowing TDs to seven different Steelers and a perfect passer rating for Big Ben. The Saints had 509 total yards against Cincy, and scored on nine of their ten offensive possessions. The Bucs accomplished the rare feat of having 400 yards against Washington, but only scoring three points. Of their five red zone trips, they had two turnovers and two missed field goals. Although the Redskins are not very exciting, the stabilizing force of Alex Smith seems to be a good fit, as they find themselves in first place. The Packers struggled against the Dolphins early, but they quickly decided to ride RB Aaron Jones, and they never looked back. The Bears-Lions game was not as close as the score indicates, as the Bears scored four TDs on their first four drives. Mitchell Trubisky threw for a career high 355 yards. Anything good Detroit did came in garbage time. Possibly the most surprising outcome of the weekend was what the Titans did to the Patriots. This was rookie coach Mike Vrabel’s first game against his former team, so the emotion was evident. Tennessee controlled the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball, and Marcus Mariota looked great (despite his inconsistency in the past). After the game, Titans and ex-Patriots RB Dion Lewis called out his former team for being “cheap” for not re-signing him. Go figure.
No comments:
Post a Comment