It’s crazy to think we are already in November and that Thanksgiving is only a few weeks away. And before you know it, we will all be competing with Santa Claus for attention. Well, maybe not the NFL since they are playing games on December 25th, even though it falls on a Wednesday.
By that time, nearly all playoff spots will be decided, with only seeding to be determined and possibly a division winner or two. Now that we are officially in the second half of the season, the playoffs are beginning to materialize. Many of these winners and losers this week have helped their teams move closer to or further away from the postseason.
With that in mind, here we go:
It’s the Most Important Position in all of Sports:
Aaron Rodgers:
Maybe Rodgers should play on primetime every week. After a dismal loss to the lowly Patriots, Rodgers went back home to the Meadowlands and defeated the up-and-coming Texans. Rodgers wasn’t spectacular, but he was good enough to lead the team to a well-needed victory. He went 22 for 32 with 211 yards and three TDs.
Jayden Daniels:
The beat goes on for this rookie phenom. Another victory keeps his Commanders firmly in first place and him in the lead for rookie of the year. He was an efficient 15 for 22 and 209 yds. He added two TD passes and rushed for 35 yards on eight carries.
Justin Herbert:
This was one of Herbert’s best games in a while. He was 18 for 27 for 282 yards and two TDs. Make no mistake, even with a bigger emphasis on the running game, this team will go as far as Herbert can lead them.
Kirk Cousins:
I know Michael Penix is the heir apparent, but for the time being, this is Cousins’ team. He was a fantastic 19 for 24 with 222 yds. And he threw three TDs. He’s a division that should be theirs for the taking. They have a solid running game to complement Cousins and come playoff time; they will be a tough out for whomever they play.
Joe Burrow:
Burrow can just be flat-out scary sometimes. He threw five TDs. Somehow, the Bengals find themselves on the precipice of getting back to .500. They are 4-5 and have a season-making tilt on the road against the Ravens this week. They are one of the few teams that can hang with Baltimore’s offense, and if Burrow is clicking like this, they’ll walk out of Baltimore with a win.
Lamar Jackson:
And now to the QB Burrow will be facing. This will be one of the best games of the season between two premier QBs. Jackson can be downright spectacular at times. To be able to do what he does, only throwing the ball 19 times, is scary. He completed 16 passes for 280 yards, with three of his passes completed for TDs.
Jared Goff:
And speaking of efficient…even Tom Brady was marveling at what Goff’s been doing. He again completed over 75% of his passes, going 18 for 22. He only threw for 145 yards, but the conditions were about as bad as I’ve seen recently, with the two teams playing in a deluge for the better part of three hours.
New Olympic Event?:
If the Olympics introduces the reverse 110-meter hurdles, Saquon Barkley will win the gold medal hands down. On one of his 27 carries, he found himself turned around with a defender closing in on him, and he was able to sense the contact and leaped backward, leapfrogging the defender. He gained 159 yards and a TD.
Who Needs Kupp and Nacua?:
On a team with Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua, it was Demarcus Robinson who made the amazing one-handed catch from Matthew Stafford to win the game in OT. It was his second TD of the day. Overall, he made six catches for 94 yards. The Rams have now won three in a row and are back to .500.
They seem to be here Every Week:
Derrick Henry and Zay Flowers seem to be on the winners list each week for the Baltimore Ravens. Henry may prove to be the best free agent signing of all time, while Flowers is proving to be the best WR to come out of last year’s draft. The two men combined for four TDs.
A Week Too Late:
Last week was National TEs Day. Cincinnati’s TE Mike Gesicki was a week too late. This week, he exploded with over 100 yards on five receptions and two of Joe Burrow’s five TDs.
He’d Look Good in a Cowboys Uniform:
Tony Pollard rushed for 128 yards on 28 carries for the Tennessee Titans, helping them defeat the Patriots for their second win of the year. He was a fantastic producer for the Cowboys, and it defies logic why he’s still not there. It would be one thing if they had someone to replace him, but they absolutely do not.
A Well-Oiled Machine:
Davante Adams is getting comfortable in New York and is starting to click with his old mate, Aaron Rodgers, harkening back to their days in Green Bay. On the other side of the field, Garrett Wilson, who idolized Adams growing up, is now competing with him for passes. There was no problem this week, as the two combined for 16 catches and 181 yards while catching three TDs.
Auditioning?:
The trade deadline is Tuesday, and by all accounts, Chuba Hubbard should be traded. The logical team was the Cowboys, but after another loss and now with Dak Prescott injured and out for at least a month, it may be too little, too late. In a rare win, Hubbard rushed for 72 yards on 15 carries with two TDs.
It’s All About the QB:
CJ Stroud:
Sports are often about adjustments. Last year, Stroud burst onto the scene and won the rookie of the year. This year, he hasn’t been quite as dynamic, but before Sunday, he was still well above average. This week, he fell apart. Stroud only completed 11 out of 30 passes for 191 yards.
Jameis Winston:
Winston came on last week and inexplicably defeated the Baltimore Ravens. This week, he was terrible, and the Browns lost at home against the Chargers. He threw three interceptions and barely completed 50% of his passes.
Caleb Williams:
Williams has been solid this season for the Bears, giving the monsters of the midway hope for the first time in a long while. But this week, he looked like a rookie. He was only 22 for 41, throwing for 217 yards.
Trevor Lawrence:
Before too long, Lawrence is going to cost HC Doug Pederson his job. In a season that has been bad, he was downright awful this week. He only completed 16 passes for 169 yards, and he threw two interceptions. This is quickly looking like a bust of a No. 1 pick. He may need a change of scenery, similar to Matthew Stafford a few years ago.
Geno Smith:
Smith did throw for 363 yards, and he did three three TDs. But he also threw three interceptions. And in a tight game that went to OT, every turnover hurts. Three of them are almost impossible to overcome. They’ve now lost two in a row and are below .500 at 4-5. Luckily for them, parity is alive and well in the NFC West, with the Cardinals surprisingly in first place with a 5-4 record. This division is completely still up for grabs.
Nick Chubb:
Chubb came back from his horrific knee injury that cost him over a year’s worth of games, but he just hasn’t looked great. On Sunday, he only rushed for 39 yards on 15 carries.
Rhamondre Stevenson:
Stevenson was able to catch the last-second pass in the endzone from rookie Drake Maye to put the game into OT, but he was awful for the first 59:59 of the game. He only carried the ball 10 times for 16 yards.
Jonathan Taylor:
Taylor is a premier RB in the league, legitimately in the top tier. The Colts really need to ride him to victory, but the Vikings just would not give him any oxygen. He only rushed the ball 13 times for 48 yards.
Travis Etienne and Tank Bigsby:
The Jaguars are one of the most disappointing teams in the league this year. They have star players at all of their skill positions, yet something is terribly wrong. They brought in offensive-minded head coach Doug Pederson, and he did help get them to the playoffs two seasons ago, but the wheels have completely come off this season. Etienne and Bigsby combined to rush the ball only 11 times for 46 yards.
NEXT:
First, Robert Saleh got the axe. And now, the Saints have fired their head coach, Dennis Allen. His career record is 26-53. This season, his Saints began 2-0 but are now on a seven-game losing streak. We are now down to Brian Daboll, Mike McCarthy, and Jerod Mayo as the most likely candidates to get a pink slip.
Dallas Cowboys:
Ironically, Dak Prescott’s injury may save Mike McCarthy’s job this season. But make no mistake about it: with or without Dak, this team wasn’t going anyone this year. They are now 3-5 and on a three-game losing streak. They are a full three losses behind the first-place Commanders. And if the playoffs began today, not only would the Cowboys be out, but they’d be 2.5 games behind the Packers for the final playoff spot.
