Week ten is in the books and to say it threw a spanner in the works would be very much an understatement.
The Giants have a date with the drawing board over their bye week, after an inexplicably poor performance against the Bengals.
Atlanta’s aspirations for perfection met an untimely end against bogey team and constant thorn in the side of Mike Smith, the New Orleans Saints.
Minnesota effectively ended Detroit’s playoff hopes with a clean sweep on the season.
And the ‘Dream Team Dynasty’ that never was, the Philadelphia Eagles, went without a win, without their quarterback and now without hope as they fell to the Dallas Cowboys.
That being said, every week in the NFL there are winners that come to the forefront of our minds, as well as those who remain more understated.
The big winners for week ten are…
Bengals Fans
Let’s face it, if you’re a Cincinnati fan you have been dealt a poor hand, not Cleveland poor, but still poor none the less.
Only once have the Bengals been to the playoffs in back-to-back seasons.
Owner Mike Brown is known for being notoriously cheap with his money over the years, leading to few free agent signings and poor practice facilities.
Mediocrity seems to be the status quo – their history is littered with 9-7, 8-8 and 7-9 seasons – and yet coaching changes aren’t a common occurrence.
Simply put, take what you can get Bengals fans.
Andy Dalton rebounded from a recent slump with a four touchdown performance.
A.J. Green is close to the most unstoppable player in the NFL. Green is to wide receivers what JJ Watt is to defensive linemen, Jimmy Graham is to tight ends and Darrell Revis is to cornerbacks.
The only reason we don’t hear more about Green is purely for the reason that he is in Cincinnati.
Carlos Dunlap, Domata Peko and Geno Atkins are quickly evolving into one of the most dominant D-Lines in the league.
Oh, and you dominated the defending Superbowl champions.
Here’s to you Bengals fans, Who Dey!
Tennessee Titans Owner, Bud Adams
Following their 51-20 demolition at the hands of Chicago in week nine, Titans owner Bud Adams was none too happy.
Adams has never been one keep his emotions bottled up, after all this is the same man whose middle finger resulted in his pockets being $250,000 lighter after a game against the Bills back in 2009.
So, while it wasn’t overly surprising that he was displeased with his team’s performance, the way in which he worded his resentment was as questionable as it was aggressive.
Simply put, every member of the Titans organisation was put on notice – from players to the coaching staff and even front office and team management.
I asked myself, “Will players react to a coach whom they aren’t sure will even be there next season?”
The answer was yes.
In week ten, the Titans did to Miami what was bestowed upon them by Chicago a week earlier.
They suffocated the Dolphins offense, controlled the ball on the ground with a resurgent Chris Johnson and were provided a spark by returning quarterback Jake Locker.
The big winner here however? Bud Adams.
Bud’s harsh words seemingly lit a fire when most thought it would cause an implosion, and for that he deserves praise.
The Baltimore Ravens
Not a bad weekend for the Baltimore Ravens I must say.
Joe Flacco displayed the type of play that gave him the confidence to declare himself as “elite”.
Jacoby Jones continues stake his claim as the best kick returner in the league.
They set an all-time club record with 55 points, without leaning on Ray Rice.
Punter Sam Koch officially has a rushing touchdown to his name.
Externally, the Ravens two tilts within the next three weeks against division rival Pittsburgh could be dramatically altered by the news that Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is questionable for multiple weeks, with a shoulder sprain suffered against Kansas City.
After somewhat of a mid-season slump, it could very well be in the realm of possibility that the Ravens hit their stride and external forces allow them to be a force to be reckoned with come playoff time.
Russell Wilson’s Evasiveness
Those who are familiar with the Madden NFL video game franchise will know what I’m talking about when I say Russell Wilson played like Michael Vick circa Madden 2004.
Wilson was running rings around the Jets defenders, often times in a literal sense, as he avoided the pass rush.
This is a welcome sight indeed for Seattle fans, whom for the better part of a decade were subjected to the vanilla offensive stylings of Mike Holmgren and quarterback Matt Hasselbeck.
The Seahawks offense is quickly becoming must see, due to an injury free Sidney Rice, a swagger-full Golden Tate and the ever beastly Marshawn Lynch and this is made all the more watchable with a playmaking mobile quarterback in the backfield.
Thursday night football: Miami Dolphins at Buffalo Bills
TNF this week plays host to an AFC East showdown between two teams whom have, for better or worse, performed differently to preseason expectations.
The Miami Dolphins were shortlisted for the number one overall pick after a questionable offseason, in which all the poor personnel decisions culminated in an outlet viewable for us all in HBO’s Hard Knocks series.
Since then however, the Dolphins have exceeded expectations with a solid running game, aggressive defence and a surprisingly pro-ready quarterback in Ryan Tannehill, all of which has assisted in them at least being in the mix for a wildcard berth.
The Bills however have greatly disappointed, with off-season acquisitions failing to perform, an underwhelming progression on the part of quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick and a defence that strikes fear into opposing teams to the same effect that a 150lb lineman does.
That said, I will never say no to football on a Friday morning, especially not a divisional match-up.
Where The Game Will Be Won:
Bills’ running back tandem versus the Dolphins’ run defence
One of the few bright spots from Buffalo’s season has been the play of both former first round pick CJ Spiller and the returning Fred Jackson at the running back position.
Despite being behind, often due to the poor defence, Spiller and Jackson average 7.3 and 4.0 yards per carry respectively.
The Dolphins defence will attempt to regain the form that made them the fifth ranked Run D after they allowed 141 yards on the ground to Chris Johnson last week.
If the Bills can control the ground game and keep the ball out of Fitzpatrick’s hands, then the Dolphins biggest defensive weapon, pass rusher Cameron Wake, will be nullified and in a likely low scoring game, controlling the clock will be crucial.
Matchup to watch:
Buffalo defensive tackles versus Miami interior offensive line
Richie Incognito, Mike Pouncey and John Jerry will have their hands full with former first round pick Marcel Dareus and pro bowler Kyle Williams lining up at defensive tackle for Buffalo.
While much coverage may roll over to Jake Long versus Mario Williams, the key for Dolphins winning will be allowing Tannehill to cleanly step up into the pocket and make throws, which will be most difficult if Dareus and Williams break the middle of the line as they are prone to doing.
Interior protection will also be paramount to establishing a run game for Miami which was non-existent last week against Tennessee.
The Fallout:
A win for Buffalo will put them at even standings with the Dolphins in the AFC East and, given the lack of depth in the AFC, still with an outside shot at the wildcard spot.
A loss on the other hand will plunge them into the depths of number one overall pick talk, which will no doubt centre around whether Ryan Fitzpatrick is the man they need in Buffalo.
Miami, on the other hand, with a win can propel themselves into wildcard contention yet again, a loss however will provide a reality check for an otherwise positive season for an overachieving team.
The Verdict?
Buffalo 20 – Miami 17
Hey, supercoach? Choose your own ultimate NFL team and compete with other players for cash prizes in daily competitions on any match. If you’re after the best odds on the NFL, PlayUp is your best bet. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.
The extraordinary episodes after his life as an American Football hero quite overshadowed the career of O.J. Simpson, who has died at the age…
The Kansas City Chiefs, steered brilliamtly at the end by star quarterback Patrick Mahomes, downed the San Francisco 49ers 25-22 in overtime to secure…
San Francisco 49ers will make their eighth appearance in the Super Bowl after a stellar season from a team stacked with real talent across the whole line-up.
The Chiefs are no longer strangers to playing matches in February. What was once a multi-generational 50-year drought has become an almost yearly tradition.
Daniel Faalele and Mitch Wishnowsky have kept their Super Bowl dreams alive, with Baltimore and San Francisco winning the divisional round playoff.
Six-time NFL champion Bill Belichick has agreed to part ways as the coach of the New England Patriots, bringing an end to his 24-year…
