#NFL - Week 11
Welcome to the Week In Review. This just in: People ain't s**t.
[On Bye: Miami, Seattle, Tampa Bay, Jacksonville]
[TNF] Tennessee Titans @ Green Bay Packers
The Narrative:
The Packers are coming off their biggest win in the year. The Titans are coming off a rock fight vs. the Broncos.
Green Bay is only favored by 3.
Not sure if that says worse things about Green Bay or Dallas...
The Outcome:
The Packers won vs. Dallas using ball control rushing, minimal passing and capitalizing on Dallas' mistakes.
Apparently, the Packers didn't think that would work two weeks in a row, because we were right back to the Discount Double Check Shit Show. Rodgers was clearly outplayed by Ryan "The AFC's Kirk Cousins" Tannehill, who threw for 333 yards and 2 TDs (compared to Rodgers' 222 and 2). After running the ball down Dallas' collective throat, they only called 19 rushes (including a 2-yard jet sweep with WR Christian Watson)
One thing that did carry over from Week 10 for the Cheeseheads is the play of Watson, who snagged two more TDs (14 and 8 yards, respectively)
King Henry was "held" to 87 yards on 29 carries, but supplemented that with two pass completions (including a TD to Austin Hooper).
And now we're getting the excuse news that Rodgers may have been playing with a thumb injury, which may explain his subpar play.
Which, if true, makes the Packers coaches look even worse for having Rodgers throw nearly 40 times, when, as pointed out repeatedly above, they had great success leaning on the running game.
Titans 27, Packers 17
Chicago Bears @ Atlanta Falcons
The Narrative:
The Bears are in the midst of a three-game losing streak. And they don't care because it looks like they've FINALLY found a true QB1 in Justin Fields.
Assuming he doesn't get RGIII'd with all the running.
The Outcome:
Another loss, another nice day from Fields (85 yards and a TD rushing).
And yes, Marcus Mariotta got the win. He was also somehow worse than Fields from a passing standpoint (131 and 1). The Falcons' brass has said they will stick with Mariotta as long as they were within range of the playoffs.
Who here thinks they'll overcome the Bucs or Saints for the South crown? Wild Card? Sure - if you think they can bypass the Cowboys, Giants and/or Niners.
Wave the white flag. Put Desmond Ritter in. Start building for 2023.
And it bears repeating (pun not intended), that the Bears tapped out and sold off their best defensive players just as Fields hit his stride. Image what they could do if they still had Quinn, Smith and Mack?
Falcons 27, Bears 24
Carolina Panthers @ Baltimore Ravens
The Narrative:
Madam PJ Walker is injured, Baker Mayfield is back under center, but Sam Darnold is waiting for his (possibly last) shot.
None of this matters as Baltimore is probably superior in every way.
The Outcome:
...Even when the Ravens' offense takes the day off.
The Ravens' defense shut down Baker Mayfield in what is probably his last start in Carolina (ETA: Confirmed), limiting him to 196 yards and 2 picks. D'onta Freeman, who's been a ray of light for the Panthers, was held to 24 on 11 carries.
The story hasn't been finished for Mayfield, but how it goes going forward really depends on who he lands with in 2023. He's proven himself to be one of those QBs who can thrive with a solid supporting cast (ala Teddy Bridgewater), but will flounder when given subpar weapons (ala Teddy Bridgewater).
Speaking of the future: Give Steve Wilks the full-time job. His defense is keeping the Panthers in every game he's been HC for. Give him some offensive help and you'll have something in Charlotte.
Ravens 13, Panthers 3
Cleveland Browns @ Buffalo Bills [From Detroit]
The Narrative:
SNOWPOCALYPSE! FLEE FOR YOUR LIVES!
(And also Buffalo's two-game losing streak)
The Outcome:
There is something wrong with Josh Allen.In the space of a month, Allen has gone from the first half MVP favorite, to barely starter caliber. The Bills have said Allen's elbow injury is not an issue. The Bills are fucking liars. He stepped up his game in the second half, but his first half was as bad as any stretch of Allen's this season. The run game (mostly rookie James Cook) stepped up for once. We'll see if they can keep that up. (And Nyheim Hines has been a dud coming in from Indy)
Sit him for a game or two. Let him heal for the stretch run.
One more week before your tainted savior takes the field, Browns Nation!
Bills 31, Browns 23
Washington Commanders @ Houston Texans
The Narrative:
At 5-5(coming in), the Commanders are last in the NFC East. They'd be tied for the lead in the NFC South, second in the NFC North and West, and a half-game out of second in the NFC West and AFC North and West.
The Texans would be dead last in every division.
The Outcome:
Taylor Heinicke staked his claim for the Washington starting QB job, not only for the rest of 2022, but going forward. He's playing mistake free ball (15/27 for 191 on Sunday) and that's more than enough to get the Deadnames on track.
Ron Rivera seemingly (finally) learning from his mistakes seems to be helping as well. Antonio Gibson - firmly in his doghouse in September - led the team with 103 scrimmage yards.
Davis Mills continues to play his way off half the leagues' scorecards (19/33 for 169, 2 INTs). So Tankathon 2022 proceeds apace.
Deadnames 23, Texans 10
Philadelphia Eagles @ Indianpolis Colts
The Narrative:
The Jeff Saturday regime looks to claim win #2 vs an Eagles team coming off their first loss.
Good luck with that.
The Outcome:
There's a meme making the rounds taking the piss out of the Eagles' record, pointing out where their wins aren't' quite as impressive as at first glance (beating Minnesota in prime time, owing to Kirk Cousins' history of wilting under the brightest lights and beating Dallas with Cooper Rush under center [and before they truly began to trust Tony Pollard).
Either that narrative holds or Jeff Saturday is a goddamned revelation.
The Colts had the lead with less than five to go, before Jalen Hurts took over, scoring off a called run from seven out.¹
The Eagles still have their road rematch with Dallas, both games vs. the Giants and the Titans on the schedule. Their tendency to play down to their competition is going to get them at least twice in that stretch, if they don't' straighten out. Assuming this isn't simply who they are.
- After two shotgun snaps from inside the Colts' 6 ended up with a net -1. (For the love of God, STOP IT)
New York Jets @ New England Patriots
The Narrative:
The little brother Jets are all grown up and looking to enact a little payback on their long-time tormentors in Foxboro.
The Outcome:
Okay, let's look past the slog that was 95% of the game.
Let's look past the winning kick return and the illegal block that should've negated it.
Let's talk about how Zach Wilson has played and talked his way out of being the NY Jets' QB.
Wilson seems to be taking a page out the Jay Cutler School of Not Giving A Fuck. Which is something you can get away with (at least for a while) when you've got a track record to point to and can deliver more often than not. Wilson has been sloppy and unfocused, frequently misfiring on simple check down passes and looking bored on anything under a four-step drop. Even his wins, his one saving grace, have vanished with Breece Hall.
The post-game press conference may have been the final nail in his coffin. When your offense only scores three points, after the defense shuts the other team down, and you're asked if you let the defense down... "No" is NEVER the right answer, even if it is the right answer. Which it absolutely was not. Might as well say "Fuck those guys, I got mine." (You didn't, son).
At that point, you force the coaching staff to bench you or risk a full mutiny. As of this writing, Mike White has been tapped to start vs. Chicago, with Joe Flacco serving as his backup. Wilson will be inactive. No doubt there will be more than a few coaching staffs who think they can reach Wilson and unlock his potential. They won't be in New York.
Patriots 10, Jets 3
Los Angeles Rams @ New Orleans Saints
The Narrative:
Life without Cooper Kupp begins in the Big Easy for the Rams.
And somehow, Andy Dalton is still the Saints starter. Though if they get behind too far against this team, the crowd may riot if they don't insert Rapey McCrablegs¹.
The Outcome:
The story here isn't Dalton putting up his best stats of the season (21 of 25 passes for 260 yards and three touchdowns). It's the Rams virtually unraveling.
Matt Stafford, fresh off the concussion protocol, went right back out midway through the third quarter. And he's at an age where back-to-back protocols might start him questioning whether football is still for him. The running game is still ass, and the scapegoat for that is team yardage leader Darrell Henderson, who was cut on Tuesday.
I cannot recall a defending champion looking this rough, this late into a season. And things don't look to get better within these last seven games. Though they'll probably say selling out this year (and probably next) to get that ring last year was worth it.²
The Saints should note that they only beat said unraveling team by 7...
Saints 27, Rams 20
- Though with the way Dennis Allen operates, that just means they put Taysom Hill under center.
- Well, obviously not to those Rams who weren't on the 2021 squad.
Detroit Lions @ New York Giants
The Narrative:
Dan Campbell looks to get his second road win as Lions HC.
The Giants look to dash all hope of same and stay within a game of the Eagles for the NFC East lead.
The Outcome:
Holy shit, break up the Lions!
Three turnovers and overall sloppy play doomed the Giants, who looked like they were looking past the Giants towards the Thanksgiving showdown with Dallas.
Detroit may save Dan Campbell's job yet!
Lions 31, Giants 18
Las Vegas Raiders @ Denver Broncos
The Narrative:
Telling stat of the year: If the Denver offense was scoring 18 points a game, they'd come into this game 8-1.
If that doesn't say it all about the Broncos, nothing does.
Scuttlebutt coming in is that the reason the Raiders haven't unassed Josh McDaniel yet is, somehow, the same reason they couldn't resign Khalil Mack: They don't have the cash-on-hand to afford to pay out his contract and hire his replacement.
How the league allowed a team to reach this state I need to have explained.
The Outcome:
The big news coming into this game was Nathaniel HACKett giving over play calling duties to Gary Kubiak's son, Klint.
It didn't help.
Sure, they scored more points and looked more efficient... But an L's still an L, especially to a lower-tier outfit like the Raiders.
Just fire Hackett now and start the search for his replacement early.
Dallas Cowboys @Minnesota Vikings
The Narrative:
The Cowboys are coming into Minneapolis off their most embarrassing loss of the year. The Vikes are coming off their biggest win.
Dallas comes in favored by three.
That's how much people think about the Vikes.
The Outcome:
AND THEY WERE RIGHT.
Seriously, where was this Cowboys team last week?
Dallas struck first with a field goal off a Micah "DPOY" Parsons strip-sack/Dorance Armstrong recovery. The Vikings matched it on the very next drive. And that's all the good news for the Vikings on this day, as the 'Boys unleashed the hounds. Tony Pollard and Zeke Elliot scored two TDs each (including a beautiful, in-stride Dak-to-Pollard 68-yard strike). Brett Maher hit four FGs, including three 50+ kicks.
One of THOSE was a 60-yarder¹ at the half. Which he had to hit twice because of fuckery with the replay booth.
Dallas out-gained Minnesota 458-183. Justin Jefferson, the hero of the Vikes' win over Buffalo, was shut down (3-33). Dalvin Cook had good numbers (11-72), but they had to abandon the run in the second half. Kirk Cousins looked like they were playing a Sunday Night game (12-23 for 105).
Yeah, this is why the Vikes were so disrespected.
Things got so bad CBS switched over to Steelers/Bengals. IN THE THIRD QUARTER.
Doesn't say good things about the Bills either, now that I think about it.
And now we've seen what you can really do, Dallas. There's no excuse for another Philly or Green Bay game.
Cowboys 41, Vikings 3
- His league-record fifth 60+ yard kick.
[SNF] Kansas City Chiefs @ Los Angeles Chargers
The Narrative:
As with most Charger games of recent vintage: "How Bad Will It Get for San Diego Los Angeles?"
The Outcome:
Hey Chargers? Next time, y'all might want to think about covering that Kelce guy (6-115, 3TDs).
Chiefs 30, Chargers 27
[MNF from Mexico City] San Francisco @ Arizona Cardinals
The Narrative:
The Outcome:
Just imagine how bad things would be for Arizona if Nuk Hopkins was still suspended?
And no, Cardinal Nation; Kyler Murray probably doesn't help here.
Niners 38, Cardinals 10
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