NFL Week 11 Winners and Losers

OK, thanks marsexplorer , but if anyone feels the need for deeper analysis beyond the short lines used to justify the placements, let's talk a little more about what is going on with these teams.

1. The Vikings and Case Keenum: it's interesting, he won five in a row but Terry Bridgewater is now healthy. So the Vikings so far did not dare benching Keenum, but some other move might come if he has a bad game at some point in the near future.

2. What is making the Saints so good: they've always been a passing team with Drew Brees, but then, right now their passing game has been outstanding with Ingram and Kamara. At one point last week they ran the ball 24 consecutive times! Plus, their offense has been performing well, too. So, everybody seems to feel that the Eagles are the favorites, currently, for the NFC but Eagles beware; if the Saints continue to do what they've been doing, a potential duel between the Eagles and the Saints for the NFC championship might have surprising results. This said, even for these two top-performing teams in the NFC, this season has shown that a team is good as far as injury doesn't wipe it out... We've had so many devastating injuries this season, that nothing is guaranteed. Brees falls down, Wentz falls down, and oops, things dramatically change. But as of the end of week 10, it's hard not to feel that the Saints and the Eagles are the real contenders.

3. The Browns are not only awful all around, but Deshone Kizer seems to be injury-prone. Poor Browns...

4. McAdoo has totally lost the locker room. They engaged in tough talk among them, according to his own report, but I don't see it changing, which is one of the reasons why I kept knicknaming them the New York Football Midgets. The owners have said they won't fire McAdoo during the season, but I'll be surprised if he is still there in 2018.

5. The Chief's inconsistency when we compare the first quarter of the season with the second quarter is there but they will likely rebound. Reid has been unreal after a bye. Apparently he uses the bye to look at film from his own team rather than the opponents and comes up with corrective action, so, do expect that they will crush the already weak Giants, with a large margin of points.

6. Now, the Bills' quarterback situation is puzzling. Tyrod Taylor had ten TDs and 3 interceptions. That's more than three times more TDs. His passing rate has been above 100, posting 300-yard games. But his defense is putrid. Only now he got a good target in Kelvin Benjamin but Benjamin hasn't even had the time to absorb their playbook. The defense is allowing 300 yards rushing by opponents. How will poor Tyrod compensate for that? And then they go and blame it all on him and bench him, in favor of a rookie, Nathan Peterman, and this, in spite of the fact that their season is not over; in spite of Taylor's bad game last week, they are still the 6th seed with a wild card spot, if the season ended today. So, WTF? Is that when you throw it all out and go with an unproven rookie??? I think the decision is stupid and will backfire.

7. The next game for the Cowboys is essential. They get... the Eagles! It couldn't be tougher even though it will be at home. Maybe the bad loss to the Falcons with their offense disappearing without Elliott was just shell shock with the suspension, but if they don't bounce back pretty soon, then they are in big, big trouble. So, bouncing back against... the Eagles??? Not likely. Still, it's their opportunity to score an upset that would go a long way in psychologically reversing the momentum. This will be an interesting game. But like everybody else, I still favor the Eagles to win comfortably. For the Cowboys, a lot rests on Russell Wilson's shoulders. He needs to step up to the plate because without a running game, they can't recover.

8. Talking about the Eagles, it's unreal: they could clench a position in the playoffs as early as week 11! Whoa! Wentz threw 23 TDs and 5 interceptions. I don't understand why some people here still find that the Eagles' fans optimism is unjustified. Wentz has been MVP caliber. Well, the competition is, Brady has 19 vs 2.

9. Benching quarterbacks: I would understand the benching of Jay Cutler who only played well in week 9, way more than I understand the benching of Tyrod Taylor. The Dolphins have two good receivers, Landry and Parker, so it's difficult not to blame Cutler; Matt Moore is not great but maybe he should get a chance to see if he can do better.

10. Belichick is always smart. He kept the Patriots in Colorado in high altitude, knowing that the next game would be in even higher altitude in Mexico City. The Raiders remained practically at sea level in Oakland. Advantage Bill. I see the Patriots going to 8-2. Poor Raiders, I like them, but they will have literally an uphill battle in Mexico City.

11. Rams at Vikings, such an interesting contest! The Rams are third in offense in the NFL and feature a 4-0 record on the road. The Vikings on the other hand are third in defense. Should be one of the best games of the week. One stat that people may have not noticed: the Vikings defense produced 8 picks while allowing only 10 TDs.

12. The Lions should be able to beat the Bears to remain somewhat competitive for the division but it doesn't look good for them. They will have to then face the Vikings on Thursday, with short rest, and they've been inconsistent enough so I think they will suffer more from the short week than the Vikings. If they lose, then they kiss the division good-bye. If the Vikings lose to the Rams and then the Lions pull off an upset, Detroit becomes competitive again so this interval of 5 days with a game on each end is what will tell us what these Lions are made of.

13. Again, quarterback stuff. I guess I can't get passed the Tyrod Taylor situation, because, look at Flacco, 8 TDs and 10 interceptions! He seems to be going really downhill in his career, and with the way the Steelers are playing, the Ravens can only fight for a wild card spot, and they need to look at their veteran quarterback to show some signs of life if they want to make it. The good thing for them is that the Packers have been looking unimpressive too and their passing defense has been bad. It shows how bad the AFC has been except for a few top teams, when a Flacco-led team (the way he's been playing) is still in the hunt, but if they can't beat the wounded Packers, they are in trouble. Talking about Flacco, do you know where he stands, in QB passing rating? #32 in the NFL!!!!

14. WTF were the Broncos thinking when they brought back Osweiler? Passing rating, 62.5. No wonder they score more FGs than TDs... They better get Lynch there soon. It seems like he's been healthier, lately.

15. The Seahawks are for now 6th seed but injury is threatening their defense. Sherman is out and not only that, but Kam Chancellor is banged up too. Jeopardy, Seahawks. Unlike the AFC where even the sinking Bills and the lost Ravens have a wild card shot, in the NFC if you blink, you're out of the picture, with strong competition all around. I somewhat feel that the Seahawks ultimately won't make it, especially if Atlanta and Carolina continue to improve.

16. It is interesting to notice that the Jaguars only allowed 24 points scored by their (granted, weak) opponents in this 3-game winning streak they are having. With the Titans kind of exposed on TNF, this is their opportunity to make a statement for the division. They are lucky: it's the Browns they face next!

17. Can Green Bay still have some hope? We saw Hundley with is best career game, last week. They are only one game behind, in the wild card race. The thing is, as much as the Ravens look lost in offense, their pass defense is not bad: actually, third in the NFL for this stat. So Hundley will need to continue his good showing with a decisive win, if they want to keep their hopes alive.

18. Another problem for Dallas: Tyron Smith won't play against the Eagles, and it makes sacks even more of a problem for Dak, who was sacked 8 times last game. 8 times!!! Ouch. DC-Fan will have another disappointing week, it seems.

19. There is a team that won't get headlines this weekend, obviously, because they are enjoying a bye. That's the Panthers. They are a much hated team (including by me) and people like to highlight their weakness and pay little attention to their strengths, but the thing is, Cam Newton is way better that he gets credit for (and this is because he is an annoying prick so people tend to engage in wishful thinking and dismiss him). We need to look at his seasons: MVP in 2015, then the huge setback of losing the SB while already showing signs of being banged up. Then, a season marred by pains and shoulder problems that were more significant then people realized while putting him down and mocking him for his horrible 2016 season. Then, surgery... rusty... inconsistent, inaccurate in the first quarter of this season. But look at his performance last game, and it is impossible to fail to realize that... he's back. He is for the first time running wildly again and throwing more accurately. Doubters, beware. With Olsen coming back at the end of the month, McCaffrey getting his NFL legs... the Panthers may end up being a lot more dangerous than people realize, even though it will be tough for them to topple the Saints, given that they are not doing well in divisional tie-breakers, and have lost one to the Saints already. But I wouldn't be surprised if both my Falcons and the Panthers end up making the two wild card spots in the NFC, and then, they could peak at the right time and be a force to reckon with, in the playoffs, even coming from an unfavorable seed. The thing is, they've been better on the road than at home so maybe they will still make trouble in a low seed.

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OK, a bit more substance, for this thread. I better do it now, because for the first time, I may not even watch the Sunday games. There will be family in town for Thanksgiving; they arrive on Sunday, and my siblings and children couldn't care less for football (with the exception of my son, but he likes college football more than the NFL). I'll have to give them some attention so I may do the thread just looking at the scores, without actually having seen the Sunday games.

go outside and get some exercise fatty

Go outside and get some exercise, fatty.

Updated with the boring Sunday afternoon games, even before they end.

go outside and get some exercise fatty