NFL WEEK 8
A few themes strike the casual fan from this week’s action. The first and foremost of importance was the survival of Covid-19 for the week. We wait every week with much anticipation for the testing results. This week, we were spared the fate of any games being suspended. So we can praise the NFL for the ability to control the week (sort of). The second thing that was clearly noticeable was the weather. A majority of the East coast games witnessed brutal winds and the occasional showers. I guess this can be a sign that winter is coming (brace yourselves). The third thing that was likely noticed was the multitude of close and entertaining games in the week. While this isn’t the best week of football, it certainly didn’t disappoint.
Raiders-Browns
This game was the epitome of awful weather. The game by default was limited in its action with the strong gusts of wind and heavy rain. I don’t know if we can make a valid judgment from this game. The Raiders did just enough to win, proving that they are a good but not great football team. The Browns couldn’t score but we again can’t force a judgment on a game that witnessed the worst weather of the year. In all likelihood, this game can determine which team receives the last playoff spot, making the results, rather than how the 16-6 results were achieved an important bookmark for later in this season.
Vikings-Packers
The Packers played down to their opponent, there is no other way around it. It’s games like these that you want to point to when people protest the idea that Aaron Rodgers only has one Super Bowl. The Vikings season is essentially over and this is a win the Packers needed to stay atop the NFC. The Packers have now lost their second game in the last three weeks. A reminder to us that the one seed for Green Bay is all but lost at this point.
The only virtue we can learn from the Vikings on Sunday is that they can only win when they let Dalvin cook. The 226 total yards and 4 touchdowns from Cook say it all. The Vikings escaped with the 28-22 win but nobody has shifted their opinion on the team. Minnesota is still not good and will ultimately finish at the bottom of the division.
Colts-Lions
Based on the last two games, one might have gotten the impression that the Lions were suddenly on the rise. The back-to-back victories didn’t fool anybody, and this week was the proof. The Lions and specifically, their defense is still awful. Matt Patricia was brought in as a defensive-minded coach. Once again, his defense couldn’t stop anything, allowing 5 touchdowns in the 41-21 loss. The Colts won a game that was rightfully theirs. The only thing we are reminded of is where the Indianapolis Colts stand. They have a complete roster with little voids but Philip Rivers will be the ceiling of this team. Historically this means the Colts are no better than the divisional round (maybe AFC Championship).
Rams-Dolphins
Well, it is officially Tua Time in the NFL. For the rookie lefty, he couldn’t have gotten any more support from the Dolphins roster on Sunday. Tagovailoa got the help of a punt return and defensive fumble for a touchdown, in the second quarter alone. Tua himself didn’t have a great or even good game (93 passing yards for 1 touchdown). Frankly, he didn’t need to with the Dolphins leading 28-10 at halftime.
This game really allows us to make a few judgments that are rational. We first have to recognize all the reasons a good Los Angeles Rams team lost to an upstart Dolphins team. This can be from the East coast travel (which West coast teams historically struggle with) and the ineptitude of Jared Goff (who looks more exposable every year). The other noticeable element we must notice is the Dolphins might sneak up on many of us fans. They are suddenly 4-3. With the way the division is shaping up, can very reasonably win the AFC East or even sneak into the playoffs as a Wild Card team.
Patriots-Bills
As though we needed an official ceremony, the torch was passed on Sunday. The Patriots season is all but over, this game was the last chance to fight their way back into the race. The Bills controlled the line of scrimmage and ran the ball down the depleted Patriots defense throughout the day. The Bills did catch a major break at the end when Cam Newton coughed up the ball. However, it’s hard to argue that they played the better game on Sunday anyway and deserved to win regardless.
The 24-21 victory reminds us how different the AFC East will look this season. The Bills most probably will win the division and the Dolphins will sneak in not far behind. The Patriots can still make up ground. They play the Jets twice, and the Dolphins and the Bills each one more time. But, with a 2-5 record and a 4-game losing streak, this season looks all but lost for New England.
Titans-Bengals
From the moment the game kicked off, I thought that this game could be a possible trap game for Tennessee. After last week’s battle against the best-record in the NFL, the Pittsburgh Steelers, it’s easy to overlook a team like the Cincinnati Bengals. This game should be a valuable lesson for all the teams that will eventually play the Bengals. Joe Burrow is getting better with each start and will be tougher to defeat as this season progresses. Joe Burrow didn’t jump off the stat sheet on Sunday (249 passing yards and 2 touchdowns) but anyone could tell that Burrow is gradually becoming more comfortable with the role as the future of the franchise and even a strong defense in Tennessee looked easily manipulatable by the Bengals offense in the 31-20 victory.
I will implore the Bengals management to only invest in two elements of their team in the eventual off-season and draft. The Bengals should sign one or two offensive linemen and draft with every selection a defensive player. If the Bengals do what I think they should, they will be the best team in the AFC North next season (they probably won’t though because they are the Bengals).
Jets-Chiefs
This game needed an article of its own. To fully understand, you will have to click here.
Steelers-Ravens
The game of the week lived up to its hype. Very few thought that offense was going to be the deciding factor in the rivalry. However, the top teams in the AFC gave us a shootout with a last-play victory. The Ravens ran all over the Steelers defense, totaling 265 rushing yards. The offense looked balanced and Lamar Jackson looked like the top quarterback for most of the game as well (aside from the opening drive pick-6).
The Steelers were able to come back in this game starting with the third quarter turnover to flip the game into a 3-point contest and then the offense took off. It did become clear as the game progressed and the Ravens struggled, that they missed Ronnie Stanley. The star left tackle went down in the first half with what appears to be a severe ankle injury. The Ravens offense didn’t look the same after losing arguably their best offensive linemen. Meanwhile, the Steelers were able to rally behind Ben Roethlisberger who despite his flaws, found a way to spread the ball around and not become predictable.
The Steelers remain unbeaten and raise the question if they are the best team in the AFC and possibly the NFL. They have the most complete roster and the schedule only gets easier from here. The next three games are against teams with a combined record of 5-17-1. The season is still only halfway through and a lot can dismantle the Steelers quest for a seventh ring.
Chargers-Broncos
I have been genuinely convinced from the start of this season that the Chargers are just a bad team. The Chargers roster is not a good one in the slightest. They lack a true running game, a good enough O-line, and a defense that aside from Joey Bosa and a few other playmakers is rather weak. This Sunday, we saw the addition of bad luck hit the Chargers once again. Justin Herbert led the Chargers offense and looked once again to be the promising player in the future of the team as the lead ballooned to 24-3. This is where we see the importance of a good or even average secondary. To be fair, the Chargers don’t have one of the best safeties in the NFL in Derwin James.
Drew Lock was able to continuously find open receivers downfield and suddenly the Broncos were back in the game. The final drive was only the icing on the cake for a perfectly blown game as Drew Lock tossed the clock-expiring touchdown which gave the Broncos the 31-30 win. I don’t know if you can blame Anthony Lynn for the string of heartbreaking defeats. Regardless, Lynn is on the hot seat and will need some late-season wins to salvage his job.
Saints-Bears
I guess by default one of these teams had to win this game. Will Lutz kicked the game-winning field goal in overtime to give the Saints the 26-23 victory. This game felt awkward for the fan as they had to watch two teams that don’t look good on the field but have records that speak otherwise (Saints 5-2, Bears 5-3). Both teams throughout the day looked clumsy, lacking on both sides of the ball, and showing a worrying level of inconsistency at quarterback.
The Bears naturally have to be more concerned with the game (aside from losing) as they are now on a 2-game losing streak and likely going to sputter throughout the remainder of the season. I don’t believe that Mitch Trubisky is the answer at quarterback but I also can’t put confidence in the unpredictability in Nick Foles. Matt Nagy has to figure this one out because if they don’t make the playoffs despite starting 5-1, there will be trouble in Chicago.
49ers-Seahawks
This game was also supposed to be one of the games of the week. The only lesson we took from the game is the disparity between the Seahawks and the rest of the division. I know the Seahawks lost last week to the divisional rival Arizona Cardinals, narrowing the gap between the two teams, but the Seahawks have shown us throughout this season that they are one of the best teams in the NFC and the likely Super Bowl contender of the group.
Yes, the Seahawks have a bad defense and yes the Seahawks have arguably the worst secondary in the history of the NFL (it’s on a historical pace). However, there are two things we must account for in Jamal Adams being out (the game-changer that the Seahawks desperately need), and the injury-ravaged roster aside from Adams (Adams is good enough that he is in a category of his own).
The 37-27 win for Seattle doesn’t tell the story but we were reminded of the same narratives that have been driving the current season (the Seahawks are great, Russell Wilson is an MVP candidate, the 49ers are good but only a borderline playoff team).
Cowboys-Eagles
I can’t blame anyone for lacking interest in this game. I admittedly only tuned in to write about it right here. Frankly, there is nothing new to be derived from the outcome of this game. The NFC East is historically awful (like worthy of being abolished), the Cowboys have checked out of this season in every possible manner, and the Eagles won only because there couldn’t be two losers.
Like the Football Team the week before, anyone that plays the Cowboys doesn’t need to do much to win. They are currently starting a quarterback who is not notable to the extent that I won’t even look up his name in the process of writing this, and their defense only had a good game when you consider they didn’t surrender 20 points in the first half. All we can say is that the NFL has to take a serious look at their rules and not allow a 5-win team to host a playoff game.
