Week 7 was on drugs. Not the kind Stephen A. Smith warns us about — I mean some hard core, PCP-laced shit.
The top fantasy running back did not start for his own team (or my fantasy team because I am a coward). The Redskins covered the spread without scoring a single point. Joe Mixon had 10 carries for 2 yards — and 17 yards after contact. The Dolphins had a lead at halftime. Patrick Mahomes’ dislocated kneecap was put back into place on national TV. The Eagles scored one touchdown against Dallas and it was by a player named Dallas.
I didn’t even mention whatever the hell happened between the Chargers and Titans yet. I need oxygen.
1: Lamar Jackson re-enters the MVP discussion.
How many quarterbacks in the history of football could do what Jackson did Sunday? Maybe two (Vick and Kaepernick)?
The Ravens were playing in Seattle without their top receiver, Marquise Brown. Seattle stifled Mark Ingram on the ground. Jackson’s top target, Mark Andrews, dropped three critical passes in the second half, including one in the end-zone. The Seattle rain gave Jackson trouble with his footing. Jackson had every excuse to come up short, but instead he succeeded by relying on his greatest strength: his legs.
Jackson ran for 116 yards on 14 carries. He picked up several third downs (and a fourth down) on the ground, including this ridiculous 28-yard scramble on 3rd-and-10.
That’s some shit I could pull off in NCAA Football 14 (the only video game I play nowadays). Jackson has been sensational and he’s absolutely established himself in the MVP conversation. It’s Wilson, Jackson, Watson at the top, followed by some combination of Prescott, Rodgers and Mahomes.
2: The Chiefs will be fine without Mahomes… for now.
Mahomes is the league’s reigning most valuable player, but the Chiefs will survive without him. Kansas City’s next two games (Packers and Vikings) will be challenging, but then they’ll face the league’s two most inconsistent teams (Titans and Chargers) before their Week 12 bye. Even if the Chiefs stumble to 1-3 in that stretch, they’ll be in prime position in the AFC West. If they can win a couple of those — or Mahomes returns sooner — then terrific. A first round bye might be difficult to reach, but having a healthy Mahomes is more important. Besides, the 3-seed in the AFC probably gets the Bills in the wild card round — that’s a free win.
It’s foolish to doubt Andy Reid’s ability to make the game easier on his quarterback, whether that is Patrick Mahomes or Matt Moore.
3: Green Bay went 5-1 before Rodgers figured out LaFleur’s offense.
The Raiders had an opportunity to seize some control in the AFC West with Mahomes injured. Aaron Rodgers had other plans. Rodgers completed 25/31 passes for 425 yards and 5 touchdowns, while also rushing for a score.
So far, the Packers have won on the backs of their defense and running game, using Rodgers essentially as a game manager. That’s the same recipe the Bills have been using to protect Josh Allen.
I’ve been waiting all season to see what Green Bay looks like once Rodgers becomes a force of nature. Now we know: the Packers are the NFC’s most dangerous team.
4: New Orleans moves to 5-0 without Drew Brees.
The Saints paid a heavy price to keep Teddy Bridgewater around, but it’s proven more than worth it. It’s been five wins in five starts for the league’s highest paid backup. Bridgewater has won in Seattle and Chicago and beat the Cowboys — he’s not facing the Redskins and Dolphins every week.
Brees plans to practice this week, so the Saints are going to become even deadlier very soon. In fact, this rest for Brees could actually prove beneficial down the stretch and into the playoffs, especially considering his struggles in December last season.
5: Sorry, I’m still not buying the Vikings.
I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the Vikings turnaround the last three weeks. After a 2-2 start, Minnesota has won three straight games and Cousins has seemingly redeemed himself.
I’m still not buying it. Minnesota beat the Giants, Eagles and Lions in their winning streak. The Giants absolutely suck, the Eagles defense is a turnstile and Lions’ defenders were dropping like flies on Sunday.
I’m sorry but I’m going to need more from Cousins before I take the Vikings seriously as Super Bowl contenders. Sure, they can make the playoffs. But they don’t stand a chance against Green Bay, New Orleans or San Francisco yet.
6: RIP to the Mitchell Trubisky era in Chicago.
The Chicago Bears traded up to select Trubisky over Patrick Mahomes and Deshaun Watson. It was stupid in the moment and looks even dumber today. In 15 years, “Which quarterback did the Bears take ahead of Mahomes and Watson?” will become an incredible trivia question.
7: Dallas, specifically Kellen Moore, is back.
I never gave up on you, Cowboys. I wish I didn’t like this team so much, but I can’t help it.
8: It’s time to reevaluate the Eagles.
I picked the Eagles to make the Super Bowl preseason. I don’t necessarily regret the pick, but it’s clear at this point that Philadelphia shouldn’t be booking any flights to Miami next February. The defense has been eroded by injuries, but DC Jim Schwartz refuses to adapt his scheme. Offensively, injuries to DeSean Jackson and Jason Peters haven’t helped either, but Carson Wentz needs to be better.
I’m not writing off the Eagles making the playoffs — they’re only one game behind Dallas and play them one more time — but if they aren’t going to improve the roster, what’s the point? They failed to get Minkah Fitzpatrick and they failed to get Jalen Ramsey. If you’re not going to acquire talent, then it’s time to look towards next season or at least start thinking that way. The secondary is not a new problem, so the fact that Howie Roseman continues to sit idly by is telling. He doesn’t believe in this team, so why should I?
9. The Colts emerge with control of the AFC South…
Indianapolis broke through Houston’s suddenly competent offensive line, forcing three sacks and two interceptions. Jacoby Brissett threw for 326 yards and 4 touchdowns and Zach Pascal emerged as a viable receiving threat.
I don’t know what the hell I was thinking with the Colts under at 6.5, but it was easily my dumbest prediction of the preseason.
10: … but I still like Houston more in the playoffs.
At the end of the day, I’m going with the team that has Deshaun Watson. I know the Colts beat Houston in the playoffs last year, and I know Brissett has been very good. But he’s not Andrew Luck.
Brissett’s QBR of 51.1 ranks 19th in the league. (That’s just below Daniel Jones, so granted this statistic is slightly flawed.) Luck ranked 5th in the NFL last season with a QBR of 69.6. Watson ranks 4th with a QBR of 74.2 this season. He’s simply the better quarterback.
Houston’s also improved at offensive line, running back and receiver. (Don’t forget Deandre Hopkins was hurt in the playoff game last year.) They didn’t have their starting cornerback this week and just traded for another in Gareon Conley.
I realize I’m ranting. I just believe in Deshaun Watson with my season on the line. Perhaps that’s all I needed to say.
11: Buffalo almost lost to the Dolphins, proving why they aren’t AFC contenders.
If Josh Allen can’t hit wide open receivers against Miami, how is he supposed to hit covered receivers against New England or Indianapolis? I’ll chalk the defense’s struggles up to Fitzmagic in a revenge game, but I can’t say I’m not concerned.
You would think a Bills fan should be more excited by a 5-1 start. You would think.
12: Chargers… WYD?
I don’t even know what to say. The Chargers had the ball on the Titans 1-yard line, needing a touchdown to win. In the final 39 seconds, LA found 87 different ways to blow the game. Ultimately, Melvin Gordon fumbled the ball away.
Oh, and they lost another starting offensive lineman to an injury. Fun times in Los Angeles.
13: The Falcons have thrown in the towel.
The terminal case of Quinn-itis affecting Atlanta’s defense is apparently contagious. Matt Ryan only managed 159 passing yards before exiting late in the second half and the Falcons only ran for 38 yards. If any team needed a “Skip to next season” button, it’s the Falcons.
14: MNF Reaction
The Patriots defense is incredible and the Jets stink. Let’s pretend I didn’t pick the Jets +10, okay?
15: Confession: I like Kliff Kingsbury.
Seemingly everyone bashed the Cardinals for hiring Kingsbury. They wrote him off as a failed college coach who wasted Patrick Mahomes and ran Baker Mayfield out of town.
After a rough first month, Kingsbury and the Cardinals seem to have figured some things out. They’ve won three straight — admittedly against the Bengals, Falcons and Giants — but the roster is atrocious outside of Murray. Three wins all season would’ve been impressive.
The other new offensive-minded head coaches, outside of. LaFleur have not done anything, either. Bruce Arians, Freddie Kitchens, Adam Gase and Zach Taylor have combined for 5 wins and none have more than two.
I said on draft night that I liked the Kliff-Kyler pairing. I thought Kingsbury was a play design genius who would succeed now that he didn’t have to worry about recruiting linebackers anymore. Kingsbury and Murray have a chance to become a special duo in a few years. It’s obviously no Reid-Mahomes, but I’m a fan of what Kingsbury is building in Arizona.
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