2020 #NFL Week in Review – Week 11
Welcome to the Week in Review, where we'd really like the old WP editor back, plz thx.
[Bye Weeks: Bills, Bears, Giants, Niners]
Coming into this game, there were two possible narratives:
We eventually got “B” - with Russell Wilson shedding his recent turnover bug (no INTs or fumbles on 197 yards and 2 TDs). The Seahawk’s D also stepped up as well, with several crucial stops in the second half, including Carlos Dunlap’s game-sealing sack of Kyler Murray.
There seems to be an easier-said-than-done formula to taking down the Cards: Keep Murray from running. Though Murray has shown he can make throws, so this should be less of an issue as he gains experience. Murray’s needle seems to point more to Patrick Mahomes than Mike Vick¹.
From the Thoughts And Prayers (For Real) files: Veteran TE Greg Olsen suffered a ruptured fascia in his left foot, ending his season. They keep talking about a “speedy recovery” for Olsen
The Ravens had Derrick Henry absolutely shut down, holding him to 36 yards on 13 carries.
And then the second half happened.
Henry finished with 133 yards, including the 26-yd game winner in OT. If anyone in Ravens Nation was hoping for redemption/revenge from Henry putting a team-record beating on them during last year’s playoffs, sorry ‘bout that.
I’ve noticed more than a few op-eds popping up wondering about the Ravens’ offensive regression from the highs of last season (barring the Titans game, of course). There’s obvious culprits: RB8’s decreased numbers¹, on the ground and in the air. The vanishing of Mark Ingram and Hollywood Brown. The subsequent failure of any other Raven WR to step up in that absence. Weirdly absent in most of those discussions - as they have been all year - is noting the lack of the three tight end “Jumbo” package that Baltimore used to devastating effect last season hasn’t reared it’s head at all in 2020. When they let Hayden Hurst leave for Atlanta, they didn’t bother replacing him, and, indeed, have only two TEs on the active roster. You can’t leave off a big chunk of your offensive identity from the previous year and expect not to see a downgrade. Apparently, the Ravens did.
And here I thought Jim was the Harbaugh brother that couldn’t adjust...
On the plus side:
Good for him! Don’t let Alex Smith hog all the Comeback spotlight! #ThrowUpTheX
Good God, the NFC East sucks.
Not that there’s any particular stigma to losing to (this iteration of) the Browns, just thought that needed saying.
But yeah; the Eagles have held the NFC East lead pretty much by default for much of this season. Something that could be coming to a painful end, with injuries and incompetence on their end, and the other members of the NFC East seemingly getting their acts together. (More on two of them later)
Carson Wentz is looking utterly lost¹ and the calls for Jalen Hurts is getting louder. Not that Philly’s given him much help: injuries and bad roster moves have left the cupboard bare, outside of Dallas “He deserves better” Goedert. Something’s gonna need to be done if Philly wants to hand on to their division lead.
Doug Pedersen has gone on record that benching Wentz would “send the wrong message.” And just what message does continuing to fire up the Wentz-a-coster week after week send, Doug?
Not that the Browns were THAT impressive in the win. Denzel Ward and the D’ stepped up in the absence of team MVP, Myles Garrett.² And after a slow first half, Nick Chubb destroyed the Eagles on the ground. (finishing with 122, but Kareem Hunt vultured his red zone touches). But Baker Mayfield looked meh (again). Without OBJ, the Browns receiver corps has turned into a collection of whodats (and Jarvis Landry).
The Browns are coming along and making strides. But they may have to “decide what to do” with Mayfield if this keeps up.
Here’s something I couldn’t have imagined having to say about The Patriots: Its time for a rebuild.
Here’s something I’ve been saying for a while. They need a real GM to do it. For all his accomplishments as a coach, his achievements as a GM have been... Negligible. Quick: Name a Belichick draftee that’s blossomed into a true star? For reference: Belichick has been the de facto GM since 2008, when Scott Pioli left to take over the Chiefs.¹
Lemme help you out: The list starts with Gronk in 2010 and ends with Chandler Jones in 2012, with guys like Devin McCourtyand Jamie Collins making a Pro Bowl or two. Big Trades? He’s shipped out more real stars than he’s taken in, stockpiling draft picks in the process. See previous sentences to see how that’s worked. The Pats famous ability to take other teams’ castoffs and washouts and turn them cogs in a championship wheel? Again, Darth Hoodie’s sent out more of those players (Malcolm Butler, anyone?) than he’s brought in (ex: Antonio Brown.²).
He’s said all along they’re currently paying the price for all those Super Bowl runs. Fair enough. But as de facto GM, it’s his job to replace and reload. Something he’s been shit at for the better part of a decade. Makes me wonder how long before Robert Kraft forces the issue on him. And if Belichick would say “screw it” and retire if pressed?
And how many more losses will it take before Cam gets sat down and they give Jarett Stitham a real look?
Ohandgghouston...
Congratulations, Jacksonville, on your 100th loss under the ownership of Shad Khan! You are well on your way to drafting whichever QB between Trevor Lawrence and Justin Fields that the Jets pass on.
I am looking forward to 2021, to get a good look at what a team that tanked to get a franchise QB looks like when QB was never their real issue. Yeah, Gardner Minshew was never going to be Mark Brunell or even Byron Leftwich, but there are FAR more pressing needs on that team than QB.
A need management has made worse by chasing off star player after star player, but they’ll burn that bridge when they come (back) to it.
The Steelers, meanwhile, are 10-0. But does anyone who isn’t a Steelers fan feel like they are the kind of “class of the league” squad that record would normally indicate? (Signs point to “no.”) Most people I know and have listened to would still take the Chiefs over them. And if your first, best and only argument against that is “But they’re 10-0”, you’re only proving the point.
Sidebar: There is a voting controversy in Florida. Regarding the Jags. To wit: there is a movement in Reddit circles to get Yannick Ngakoue into the Pro Bowl¹. Why? Because if he makes the Pro Bowl this year, the draft pick the Vikings owe the Jags jumps from a 5th to a 4th. And fans from the entire NFC North have joined in on the fuckery. And there is absolutely nothing in the rules against it.
Granted, Ngakoue’s stats are such that unless players and press join in, this movement is doomed to fail². But damn it it’s not fun to watch multiple fandoms unite for the purpose of screwing over another team.
As one sun sets, another rises anew.
Number one pick and only reason to watch Bengals games Joe Burrow was knocked out of the game and the 2020 season with an ACL tear. A loss that contributed mightily to Alex Smith scoring his first win in three years.
Gotta figure the Former Racial Slurs are rooting hard for Smith to keep the good times rolling. Not only is it an undeniable feel good story (for a franchise that sorely needs some), but a healthy, competent Smith would allow them to carry him into 2021 and use their likely top-10 draft pick on non-QB needs.
As for Cincy: Ryan Finley - COME ON DOWN! You’re the next contestant on “Will He Survive The Season With THIS Team?”
If this doesn’t seal Matt Patricia’s fate, nothing will. They got mollywhopped by an XFL QB. Blanked by a defense that was low end mediocre.
If this doesn’t say “Frat Douche Belichick has to go” nothing ever will.
You, Falcons. Scurry off into your corner and ashamed. BE. ASHAMED.
Now then...
The usual suspects are all a-twitter over Taysom Hill finally getting his shot at starting and not crapping the bed. Admittedly, it wasn’t bad for a first start: But his deep balls were cringe-inducing flutter balls, several times he clearly held himself back from pulling it down and running (where he probably should’ve gone ahead and ran) and his decision making was occasionally that of someone making his first start.
Some people declared this as Sean Payton being right about taysom Hill all along. What did I see?
“I Can’t Believe It’s Not Tebow.”
“Jesus-Free Diet Tebow”
Brees with less touch and more run.
That he didn’t humiliate himself doesn’t make this proof that Hill is the Saints’ heir apparent to Breesus. If Payton himself thought that, Rapey McCrablegs and Teddy Bridgwater are never Saints.
In fact, if I may don my tinfoil hat for a moment: This smells of Payton appeasing Brees while he’s on the mend. Think about it: If this is about what we can expect from Hill, no one is going to protest his being replaced, once Brees’ ribs are in the correct number of pieces. But if Winston did his thing and cut down the turnovers by even just half, I can imagine a concerning number of Whodats clamoring to make the switch to the younger guy. So Payton rips away the opportunity Winston was no doubt lured to the Big Easy with. And puts in the gimmick.
I suppose it worked for a week. We’ll see how it goes once teams have soem tape on Hill the passer.
BE EVEN MORE ASHAMED, ATLANTA! SHAAAAME!
Holy crap... They did it! The Cowboys put together four quarters of good football and WON! We weren't destroyed by Dalvin Cook! We made use of all our weapons! The o-line kept Andy Dalton upright for the vast majority of the game!
This is the Cowboys team that could've been!
I mean, I still want McCarthy and Nolan gone, but if they're gonna provide results like this, let's go!
Granted, had they moved Zach Martin to RT when he returned from injury, maybe we could've avoided some of the crap from the month since Dak's injuries, but we're here now. And this new look line is gonna get a workout with Washington coming to town for Turkey Day.
People are making WAAAAY too much out of Tua Tangyvanilla getting benched. Such a thing happens to all rookie QBs sooner or later. And Brian Flores has already said he’s the starter for Week 12. So folks need to unbunch.
And worry more about how Denver just put their heads down and ran over the Dolphin’s defense, to the tune of 189 yards and 2 TDs.
Good luck with that, Fins!
It’s all Marquez Valdes-Scantling’s fault. Shun him! SHUUUUUUN!
And, once again, Patrick Mahomes makes a last-second comeback win look like a scripted series. Less than two minutes to go? We’ll score so fast, the Raiders will have time for a futile final drive! The boy’s just unfair.
But I can’t help but think the plucky young Raiders won the day at home, with Derek Carr’s amusingly specific signal calls. I distinctly heard “James Harden”, “Pistol Pete” and “Chris Mullen.” Others say they clearly heard “Bruce Springsteen”, “Joe Montana” and “Purple Walrus.”
Beats the hell out of “Omaha”, doesn’t it?
People are looking for blame WRT the Bucs under-performance this season (including blowing
their chance on MNF). Either you’re on
Truth be told, there’s a lot of overlap when looking at these two squads: A coach that doesn’t always show the “genius” assigned to them, an underutilization of the running game (The Rams had 20 total carries split between six players. The Bucs didn’t even use play action on that final drive, let alone actually hand off), overreliance on the passing game. The point of division here seems to be that the Rams have the defense the Bucs thought they had..
The Bucs still have time to catch the Saints for the NFC South crown. But they’ll need to do better than this to do so. The Rams escaped with one, and I think they know it. But they’re keeping pace with a Seattle team that seems ripe for the picking. Lets see if the Rams can climb that tree once again.
[Bye Weeks: Bills, Bears, Giants, Niners]
(TNF) Cardinals 21, Seahawks 28
Coming into this game, there were two possible narratives:
- The young Cards taking full control of the NFC West with a win over the reeling Seahawks. A win that would basically stamp the Cards as having “arrived.”
- Seattle getting their shit together and picking up a needed divisional home win.
We eventually got “B” - with Russell Wilson shedding his recent turnover bug (no INTs or fumbles on 197 yards and 2 TDs). The Seahawk’s D also stepped up as well, with several crucial stops in the second half, including Carlos Dunlap’s game-sealing sack of Kyler Murray.
There seems to be an easier-said-than-done formula to taking down the Cards: Keep Murray from running. Though Murray has shown he can make throws, so this should be less of an issue as he gains experience. Murray’s needle seems to point more to Patrick Mahomes than Mike Vick¹.
From the Thoughts And Prayers (For Real) files: Veteran TE Greg Olsen suffered a ruptured fascia in his left foot, ending his season. They keep talking about a “speedy recovery” for Olsen
Vick, the Atlanta years, anyway.
Titans 30, Ravens 24 (OT)
The Ravens had Derrick Henry absolutely shut down, holding him to 36 yards on 13 carries.
And then the second half happened.
Henry finished with 133 yards, including the 26-yd game winner in OT. If anyone in Ravens Nation was hoping for redemption/revenge from Henry putting a team-record beating on them during last year’s playoffs, sorry ‘bout that.
I’ve noticed more than a few op-eds popping up wondering about the Ravens’ offensive regression from the highs of last season (barring the Titans game, of course). There’s obvious culprits: RB8’s decreased numbers¹, on the ground and in the air. The vanishing of Mark Ingram and Hollywood Brown. The subsequent failure of any other Raven WR to step up in that absence. Weirdly absent in most of those discussions - as they have been all year - is noting the lack of the three tight end “Jumbo” package that Baltimore used to devastating effect last season hasn’t reared it’s head at all in 2020. When they let Hayden Hurst leave for Atlanta, they didn’t bother replacing him, and, indeed, have only two TEs on the active roster. You can’t leave off a big chunk of your offensive identity from the previous year and expect not to see a downgrade. Apparently, the Ravens did.
And here I thought Jim was the Harbaugh brother that couldn’t adjust...
On the plus side:
Good for him! Don’t let Alex Smith hog all the Comeback spotlight! #ThrowUpTheX
He only has 92 more yards passing than Dak Prescott.
Eagles 17, Browns 22
Good God, the NFC East sucks.
Not that there’s any particular stigma to losing to (this iteration of) the Browns, just thought that needed saying.
But yeah; the Eagles have held the NFC East lead pretty much by default for much of this season. Something that could be coming to a painful end, with injuries and incompetence on their end, and the other members of the NFC East seemingly getting their acts together. (More on two of them later)
Carson Wentz is looking utterly lost¹ and the calls for Jalen Hurts is getting louder. Not that Philly’s given him much help: injuries and bad roster moves have left the cupboard bare, outside of Dallas “He deserves better” Goedert. Something’s gonna need to be done if Philly wants to hand on to their division lead.
Doug Pedersen has gone on record that benching Wentz would “send the wrong message.” And just what message does continuing to fire up the Wentz-a-coster week after week send, Doug?
Not that the Browns were THAT impressive in the win. Denzel Ward and the D’ stepped up in the absence of team MVP, Myles Garrett.² And after a slow first half, Nick Chubb destroyed the Eagles on the ground. (finishing with 122, but Kareem Hunt vultured his red zone touches). But Baker Mayfield looked meh (again). Without OBJ, the Browns receiver corps has turned into a collection of whodats (and Jarvis Landry).
The Browns are coming along and making strides. But they may have to “decide what to do” with Mayfield if this keeps up.
Insert snide remark about Frank Reich being the reason reason for the Super Bowl season here.
DNP: Human Malware
Patriots 20, Texans 27
Here’s something I couldn’t have imagined having to say about The Patriots: Its time for a rebuild.
Here’s something I’ve been saying for a while. They need a real GM to do it. For all his accomplishments as a coach, his achievements as a GM have been... Negligible. Quick: Name a Belichick draftee that’s blossomed into a true star? For reference: Belichick has been the de facto GM since 2008, when Scott Pioli left to take over the Chiefs.¹
Lemme help you out: The list starts with Gronk in 2010 and ends with Chandler Jones in 2012, with guys like Devin McCourtyand Jamie Collins making a Pro Bowl or two. Big Trades? He’s shipped out more real stars than he’s taken in, stockpiling draft picks in the process. See previous sentences to see how that’s worked. The Pats famous ability to take other teams’ castoffs and washouts and turn them cogs in a championship wheel? Again, Darth Hoodie’s sent out more of those players (Malcolm Butler, anyone?) than he’s brought in (ex: Antonio Brown.²).
He’s said all along they’re currently paying the price for all those Super Bowl runs. Fair enough. But as de facto GM, it’s his job to replace and reload. Something he’s been shit at for the better part of a decade. Makes me wonder how long before Robert Kraft forces the issue on him. And if Belichick would say “screw it” and retire if pressed?
And how many more losses will it take before Cam gets sat down and they give Jarett Stitham a real look?
Ohandgghouston...
Fun Fact: The Patriots haven’t had an actual Has-the-title-of General Manager since Pat Sullivan in 1990. The “VP of Player Personnel” did the GM work in Patriotland.
Though to be fair, it shocked everybody how fast that one fell apart.
Steelers 27, Jaguars 3
Congratulations, Jacksonville, on your 100th loss under the ownership of Shad Khan! You are well on your way to drafting whichever QB between Trevor Lawrence and Justin Fields that the Jets pass on.
I am looking forward to 2021, to get a good look at what a team that tanked to get a franchise QB looks like when QB was never their real issue. Yeah, Gardner Minshew was never going to be Mark Brunell or even Byron Leftwich, but there are FAR more pressing needs on that team than QB.
A need management has made worse by chasing off star player after star player, but they’ll burn that bridge when they come (back) to it.
The Steelers, meanwhile, are 10-0. But does anyone who isn’t a Steelers fan feel like they are the kind of “class of the league” squad that record would normally indicate? (Signs point to “no.”) Most people I know and have listened to would still take the Chiefs over them. And if your first, best and only argument against that is “But they’re 10-0”, you’re only proving the point.
Sidebar: There is a voting controversy in Florida. Regarding the Jags. To wit: there is a movement in Reddit circles to get Yannick Ngakoue into the Pro Bowl¹. Why? Because if he makes the Pro Bowl this year, the draft pick the Vikings owe the Jags jumps from a 5th to a 4th. And fans from the entire NFC North have joined in on the fuckery. And there is absolutely nothing in the rules against it.
Granted, Ngakoue’s stats are such that unless players and press join in, this movement is doomed to fail². But damn it it’s not fun to watch multiple fandoms unite for the purpose of screwing over another team.
Which is still going to be held. Virtually, via Madden.
Remember that fan voting only counts for one-third a player’s total votes.
Bengals 9, Alex Smiths 20
As one sun sets, another rises anew.
Number one pick and only reason to watch Bengals games Joe Burrow was knocked out of the game and the 2020 season with an ACL tear. A loss that contributed mightily to Alex Smith scoring his first win in three years.
Gotta figure the Former Racial Slurs are rooting hard for Smith to keep the good times rolling. Not only is it an undeniable feel good story (for a franchise that sorely needs some), but a healthy, competent Smith would allow them to carry him into 2021 and use their likely top-10 draft pick on non-QB needs.
As for Cincy: Ryan Finley - COME ON DOWN! You’re the next contestant on “Will He Survive The Season With THIS Team?”
Lions 0, Panthers 20
If this doesn’t seal Matt Patricia’s fate, nothing will. They got mollywhopped by an XFL QB. Blanked by a defense that was low end mediocre.
If this doesn’t say “Frat Douche Belichick has to go” nothing ever will.
Falcons 9, Saints 24
You, Falcons. Scurry off into your corner and ashamed. BE. ASHAMED.
Now then...
The usual suspects are all a-twitter over Taysom Hill finally getting his shot at starting and not crapping the bed. Admittedly, it wasn’t bad for a first start: But his deep balls were cringe-inducing flutter balls, several times he clearly held himself back from pulling it down and running (where he probably should’ve gone ahead and ran) and his decision making was occasionally that of someone making his first start.
Some people declared this as Sean Payton being right about taysom Hill all along. What did I see?
“I Can’t Believe It’s Not Tebow.”
“Jesus-Free Diet Tebow”
Brees with less touch and more run.
That he didn’t humiliate himself doesn’t make this proof that Hill is the Saints’ heir apparent to Breesus. If Payton himself thought that, Rapey McCrablegs and Teddy Bridgwater are never Saints.
In fact, if I may don my tinfoil hat for a moment: This smells of Payton appeasing Brees while he’s on the mend. Think about it: If this is about what we can expect from Hill, no one is going to protest his being replaced, once Brees’ ribs are in the correct number of pieces. But if Winston did his thing and cut down the turnovers by even just half, I can imagine a concerning number of Whodats clamoring to make the switch to the younger guy. So Payton rips away the opportunity Winston was no doubt lured to the Big Easy with. And puts in the gimmick.
I suppose it worked for a week. We’ll see how it goes once teams have soem tape on Hill the passer.
BE EVEN MORE ASHAMED, ATLANTA! SHAAAAME!
Cowboys 31, Vikings 28
Holy crap... They did it! The Cowboys put together four quarters of good football and WON! We weren't destroyed by Dalvin Cook! We made use of all our weapons! The o-line kept Andy Dalton upright for the vast majority of the game!
This is the Cowboys team that could've been!
I mean, I still want McCarthy and Nolan gone, but if they're gonna provide results like this, let's go!
Granted, had they moved Zach Martin to RT when he returned from injury, maybe we could've avoided some of the crap from the month since Dak's injuries, but we're here now. And this new look line is gonna get a workout with Washington coming to town for Turkey Day.
Dolphins 13, Broncos 20
People are making WAAAAY too much out of Tua Tangyvanilla getting benched. Such a thing happens to all rookie QBs sooner or later. And Brian Flores has already said he’s the starter for Week 12. So folks need to unbunch.
And worry more about how Denver just put their heads down and ran over the Dolphin’s defense, to the tune of 189 yards and 2 TDs.
Good luck with that, Fins!
Packers 31, Colts 34 (OT)
It’s all Marquez Valdes-Scantling’s fault. Shun him! SHUUUUUUN!
(SNF) Chiefs 35, Raiders 31
And, once again, Patrick Mahomes makes a last-second comeback win look like a scripted series. Less than two minutes to go? We’ll score so fast, the Raiders will have time for a futile final drive! The boy’s just unfair.
But I can’t help but think the plucky young Raiders won the day at home, with Derek Carr’s amusingly specific signal calls. I distinctly heard “James Harden”, “Pistol Pete” and “Chris Mullen.” Others say they clearly heard “Bruce Springsteen”, “Joe Montana” and “Purple Walrus.”
Beats the hell out of “Omaha”, doesn’t it?
(MNF) Rams 27, Bucs 24
People are looking for blame WRT the Bucs under-performance this season (including blowing
their chance on MNF). Either you’re on
- Team Bruce Arians’ Fault.: He’s calling plays according to the team he’s supposed to have, not the team he actually has. Too many deep passes, too few runs.
- Team Brady’s Fault: Won’t accept the limitations of age. Insists on dialing up deep shots he can’t make any more. Accuracy is slipping away.
- I’m on Team ¿Por Que Dos?
Truth be told, there’s a lot of overlap when looking at these two squads: A coach that doesn’t always show the “genius” assigned to them, an underutilization of the running game (The Rams had 20 total carries split between six players. The Bucs didn’t even use play action on that final drive, let alone actually hand off), overreliance on the passing game. The point of division here seems to be that the Rams have the defense the Bucs thought they had..
The Bucs still have time to catch the Saints for the NFC South crown. But they’ll need to do better than this to do so. The Rams escaped with one, and I think they know it. But they’re keeping pace with a Seattle team that seems ripe for the picking. Lets see if the Rams can climb that tree once again.
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