The Good, The Bad, The Ugly
Opinion
San Antonio-(RYM)-I was sick last week so thank you for the positive vibes everyone sent my way but it is Week 11 in the NFL and all new The Good, The Bad, The Ugly is here.
Teams on by Broncos & Rams
Patriots 25, Falcons 0
I mean we saw it coming
Patriots OLB Kyle Van Noy celebrates an TD on Thursday night versus The Flacons (Eric J. Adler)/New England Patriots
Good:
The Patriots defense is back and looking meaner than ever. They are stopping the run and going after the QB, and if anyone thinks you can throw it over them, then think again because they won't let you do that. They have won five in a row and are making the argument compelling every week that they are the best team in the AFC.
The Falcons are in a bad place right now, but we will discuss it further down below.
Bad:
I would not call this bad, but they still have to worry a little about Mac Jones. He is still a rookie and is making mistakes, such as the INT he had versus The Falcons that was less than ideal considering they were moving down the field. As long as Jones keeps the small mistakes to a minimum, they will be fine, but it is something to consider, especially if they make the playoffs.
The Falcons have not scored a touchdown in two games, the offense is sputtering, and their best weapon Cordarrelle Patterson is hurt; it is just not looking good for them.
Ugly:
The Falcons have no running game, Matt Ryan has thrown too many interceptions, and the offensive line is not playing well. Of course, the passing game is, well, no threat. I am not sure what they can do to get back on track, but it will need to happen ASAP.
Overall:
The Patriots are the best team in the AFC; there is no dought about that. The Falcons are in a horrible place.
49ers 30, Jaguars 10
What a game for the 49ers
Good:
The 49ers have dominated the last two games and are looking like genuine contenders in the NFC.
The Jaguars scored 10 points good job.
Bad:
The 49ers had an ugly thing happen, so follow below.
The Jaguars have many issues but let us list them,
Penalties
Turnovers
No offense
The defense can't get off the field
No one can ask a rookie to come in and fix that many issues. If they want to win, they need to help Trevor Lawrence, or a great talent will be lost.
Ugly:
The 49ers had a 13:05 minute drive, which is the longest by any team in 20 years. But I put this in the ugly because they ended the drive in an FG, not a touchdown, this type of drive is enormous! and can change the way the opposition team game is managed, but all that is for nothing if they cannot end it with seven points.
Overall:
The 49ers are looking like contenders, and The Jaguars are limited; let's say that.
Vikings 34, Packers 31
The Vikings finally got Aaron Rodgers
Vikings K Greg Joseph is carried around by the team after scoring the game winning FG to beat The Packers/Minnesota Vikings
Good:
The Vikings needed a win like Sunday's; after losing so many close games, they were finally able to get the offense together and win a close game and against an outstanding Packers team too.
The Packers found a way to come back and could have won had that INT had counted.
Bad:
We will talk about The Vikings in the ugly.
The Packers thought they had a defense that could take them to the Super Bowl, and although it made plays when they needed it, they are not the defense thought they were. They only had to stop Justin Jefferson once he was taken away. The Vikings would have fallen apart, and yet they could not do that. The defense is not at fault; they had a chance to take the game down to the last second and into OT, but they scored too fast and allowed The Vikings to kill the clock, walk down the field, and kick the game-winning FG. If they want to get over the hump of losing in the NFC Championship, they will need to figure out a way to stop offenses like The Vikings from scoring when they need it the most.
Ugly:
The Vikings need to learn how to keep a double-digit lead. They need to help the defense understand that the offense may need to blow for blow because, at any minute, the defense could blow the lead for them. I mean, how can they expect to move forward and grow as a team if they keep losing the leads they work so hard to get? And the answer to how to fix that problem is simple.
Overall:
The Vikings got a huge win that they needed. The Packers have a heavy schedule before the bye week comes, so that it may be a long road ahead.
Browns 13, Lions 10
I have zero clue what happen here
Good:
The Browns brutally won a game; I mean, it scared me for a bit, I won't lie, but they won.
The Lions running game was active today and showed out. Had they had just a bit of time or some luck, they would have won the game.
Bad:
We will talk about The Browns in the ugly.
It is The Lions; everything for them is imperfect, but hey, at least there are glimpses of hope.
Ugly:
The Browns need to stop acting like they have a Hall of Fame-caliber QB in Baker Mayfield. He is hurt people, and he needs time to rest and get better; stop worrying about everything else; sit him for a few weeks so that he can help you win games. You may lose some games, but as long as you keep trusting your defense and running the ball behind an excellent offensive line, they will stay in the hunt for a 5th seed spot to enter the playoffs with a healthy QB. If they do not do that, do not expect them to make the playoffs.
Overall:
The Browns won but are hurting, and The Lions are showing promise.
Colts 41, Bills 15
I picked wrong
Good:
The Colts finally look like the team we all believed they could be; they lead the whole way on offense and defense. As long as The Colts keep feeding Jonathan Taylor, they can make it very far in this league.
The Bills scored 15 points, which is pretty cool since that is the year I graduated from Texas A&M.
Bad:
The Colts had a great game.
The Bills had no run defense, and even though they knew what The Colts were going to do, they still couldn't stop it.
Ugly:
The Bills have issues on defense, but special teams were horrible, fumbled balls on kick returns, kicker Tyler Bass missed two field goals for the special teams are their bread and butter; they could not be any worse. If they want to keep winning, this has to change.
Overall:
The Colts have a demanding schedule ahead but have the right tools to keep winning. The Bills have a lot of issues to fix, or they could lose the season.
Eagles 40, Saints 29
WOW!!!!
Good:
The Eagles needed this win, and now they can start looking at the 7th spot for the playoffs; it won't be easy, but there is a chance for them. They can be a hazardous team as long as they stick to running the ball and the defense keeps getting turnovers.
The Saints had nothing good happen today.
Bad:
Honestly, the only bad thing that happened to The Eagles is that they allowed 29 points.
We will talk about The Saints in the ugly.
Ugly:
The Saints season is slowly creeping, getting away from them. With a schedule that includes Bills and Cowboys teams that need a win to stay ahead in the division, it is not looking great for them to turn the season around. Maybe with a lot of there, key players out, this is just an anomaly, but only time will tell.
Overall:
The Eagles now have a QB playing as his job depends on it, and The Saints have a season that can be lost at any minute.
Dolphins 24, Jets 17
I actually liked the game.
Good:
The Dolphins lost seven games straight, and we were already calling for a new QB, and now they have won three straight, and Tua is looking pretty good. It is not perfect by any means, but they are winning, and that is what matters.
They made it a close game, and that is all you can ask from The Jets.
Bad:
The Dolphins are winning and looking great, throwing it for 50+ yards per pass and yet pass that they are not moving the ball. If they want to keep winning, they will need to fix this because games aren't always won with big plays sometimes; you have to sweat it out in the trenches.
We will talk about The Jets in the ugly.
Ugly:
Kicker Matt Ammendola missed two FGs that would have changed the outcome of the game. Penalties were also a murder for The Jets; I mean, you know when they will snap the ball, so why move before that? I just don't get it. The defense as well is playing so bad that I could break out a 100 yard game. If they cannot figure things out, I do not think they will win any more games.
Overall:
The Dolphins have things to fix but are moving positively. The Jets, well, it's terrible.
Texans 22, Titans 13
The Titans are a strange team
Texans QB Tyrod Taylor jumps over Titans S Amani Hooker for a TD (Michelle Watson/Houston Texans)/ Houston Texans
Good:
We saw what The Texans could be if they just did their job every single game. Tyrod Taylor is the most significant reason they are winning; he completed 14 or 24 for 107 yards with two rushing TDs. The numbers are flashy, but they don't need flashy they need to get the ball out of his hands and down the field, which is what they are doing. As long as they keep doing what they did on Sunday, then they may not be the worst team in the NFL.
The Titans did their best to come back, and that is all you can ask for in a game that got away from them.
Bad:
They are not flashy and still make mistakes because they allowed The Titans to make a small comeback. Lucky for them, they shot themselves in the foot, but the outcome could have been different had that not happened. They need to learn to finish and take over the game, but that will come in time.
We will discuss more of The Titans in the ugly.
Ugly:
The Titans are undefeated versus teams that made the playoffs yet are 0-2 versus teams that combine are 4-16. It does not make sense with the offense sputtering and Ryan Tannehill throwing INTs at the worse times. As much as I love Tannehill, he cannot be the one to carry the offense like they need to. They must go back to what they do best running the ball and opening the passing game.
Overall:
The Texans are getting wins not sure how that is possible, but they are. The Titans are strange is all I can honestly say.
Ravens 16, Bears 13
No Lamar no problem
Good:
The Ravens showed that they could win no matter who was at center. Although they hope to have Lamar back soon, it does give a lot of hope moving forward, especially with how covid can harm a team out of the blue.
Nothing good happened for The Bears, all ugly.
Bad:
The Ravens won without Lamar, but the defense seems to keep allowing big plays that almost cost them the game; if they cannot get this fix, say hello to an early playoff exit because teams love big plays to get ahead, especially when they are down.
We will talk in the ugly about The Bears.
Ugly:
No Lamar Jackson, a defense that led the NFL in big plays allowed, and yet The Bears could not pull off a win. The defense allowed a backup QB to do just enough to pull off a win. I am not confident that this is a game they should have won convincingly, yet they could not even win it in the dirt.
Overall:
The Ravens won without Lamar, which is good, but they want him back asap. Good Luck to The Bears for the rest of the season.
WTF 27, Panthers 21
Interesting game
Good:
Washington lost many people to injury or other things but pulled off a win versus a hot Panthers team. Taylor Heinicke played a brilliant and safe game did just enough to stay in the range of the defense but did not try to be a hero; they also ran the ball very well.
The Panther did the best to stay in the game and did not allow Washington to run away with the game.
Bad:
Washington has many questions to answer, but right now is can they keep winning? They are playing well and doing just enough to win games, so is it possible? Maybe.
The Panthers have the energy, but how can they translate that energy to wins? I am not sure they were moving downfield, and a simple short pass deflated the offense for a team that needs to keep winning; it seems a little worrisome that one drop, even if it was on 4th down, they let it get them down.
Ugly:
No team had an ugly thing happen to them.
Overall:
Washington could keep winning while The Panthers need to find who they are.
Cowboys 9, Chiefs 19
My heart hurts
Good:
The Chiefs defense came to play; they stopped The Cowboys power offense by rushing Dak Prescott, stopping the run, and not allowing anything over the top. The Chiefs needed the game to revive themselves, which did happen for sure.
The defense did all they could with the offense sputtering as it did.
Bad:
The Chiefs played great, so nothing wrong here.
The Cowboys are down below.
Ugly:
The Cowboys looked like the same team that was on the field a few weeks ago versus Denver. The Cowboys could not protect Dak, which could be because they are missing their All-Pro LT Tyron Smith but not even reaching the end zone like come on!! The Cowboys had zero answers for what The Chiefs were doing to them, and with games versus The Raiders (Thursday) and The Saints, they may want to start wondering how they can avoid another embracing performance.
Overall:
The Chiefs made a statement on Sunday. The Cowboys have more questions than answers.
Bengals 32, Raiders 13
Great win for The Bengals
Bengals WR Ja’Marr Chase celebrates a TD with teammates during Sunday’s game (AP Photo/David Becker)/Cincinnati Bengals
Good:
The Bengals had some downs but took the bye week to calm down and remember that it won't be easy to stay on top, and came back with the mindset of winning, which is what they did.
The Raiders came out and fought for as long as they could.
Bad:
The Bengals offense is not as potent as we once thought, they are very inconsistent, and that was in full display versus The Raiders; if they want to make the postseason, the erratic playing needs to change or do not plan on playing more than 17 games.
The Raiders offense is also having issues; right now, it is not time to play conservatively with the season on the line. They need big plays and move down the field, yet we do not see that; this is causing the defense to return to the area sooner than they expected, and before you know it, they become winded and fade away.
Ugly:
The game was ugly enough just to put that here.
Overall:
The Bengals have issues on offense, but nothing that cannot be fixed. The Raiders season might be lost.
Cardinals 23, Seahawks 13
Colt McCoy has the Seahawks number
Good:
The Cardinals are going into the bye week 2-1, and they could not have asked for a better outcome considering Kyler is hurt, and they are atop of not only the NFC West but the whole NFC. With the bye week upon them, they might come out of it more dangerous than before.
The Seahawks had 207 yards and did all it could to keep the game close.
Bad:
The Cardinals are good.
Look at the ugly for The Seahawks.
Ugly:
The Seahawks offense is the reason their playoff hopes are dead. With no honest answers as to why the offense is so bad, we look at Russ being rusty from being away from the game for a month, or maybe we should blame Shane Waldron since it is his first year as the OC for the team. The Seahawks offense is terrible, and their playoff hopes are all but done, no matter which way you put it.
Overall:
The Cardinals are the most dangerous team in the NFL. The Seahawks should start looking at their plans for the offseason.
Steelers , Chargers
That was one heck of a game
Chargers RB Austin Ekeler runs into the end zone for TD versus The Steelers during Sunday night football (Mike Nowak/Los Angeles Chargers)/Los Angeles Chargers
Good:
Austin Ekeler and Justine Herbert had a game that we were all waiting for, 4 TDs for Ekeler, and Hebert threw the ball and ran the ball as well. It was just amazing, and then seeing them play in the 4th quarter that allowed a 53-yard TD to Mike Williams to ice the game was just amazing.
The Steelers struggled a little but made one heck of a comeback in the 4th quarter. It made it even more impressive that they were missing a lot of key players, and had they not been missing those pieces, they would have made the comeback to win the game.
Bad:
The Chargers defense was in control most of the game, but in genuine Chargers fashion, they let a 17 point lead get away from them and loose the lead as well, as good as they played and as good as they hell at the end of the game they still allowed 17 points and could have lost the game for The Chargers. Moving forward, they need to solidify the defense a little more, but at least they are heading in the right direction.
We will talk about The Steelers in the ugly.
Ugly:
As I watched the game, I honestly thought that The Steelers were playing very well and had every chance to take over the game had stuck to the plan they used to come back from 17 points down. Yet, that did not happen in the Red Zone. The Steelers seemed to get away from what was working; in the first half, Najee Harris was running over The Chargers defense, and anyone watching the game (including the commentators) would have said run the ball at the goal line, and yet that did not happen. The Steelers only scored on only two of the five red zone visit, and to me, the coaching staff lost the game for The Steelers.
Overall:
The Chargers defense is moving positively, and The Steelers coaching staff lost the game for them.
Bucs 30, Giants 10
It was close at first
Bucs WR Mike Evans celebrates a TD during Monday’s Night Game vs The Giants/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Good:
The Bucs ran away with it in the second quarter and never looked back! We were worried about them losing two straight, but it seems like they righted the ship just in time to make a good push, and with The Packers and Cowboys losing the top spot in the NFC, they can be right there for the taking.
The Giants did their best to stay in the game in the first quarter, especially with that Big Men TD from Daniel Jones to LT Andrew Thomas.
Bad:
The Bucs struggled with Tom Brady throwing an INT that led to the Big Men TD by the Giant, but they did right the ship fast, which is what you want. The question now is, had it not been, The Giants would then slow-start hurt them versus playoff-caliber teams.
We will talk about The Giants in the ugly.
Ugly:
The Giants had a great start and kept The Bucs on their hills the whole first quarter but then just crumbled like a sandcastle in the rain. Jones Threw a two INT, and even the return of Saquon Barkley was horrible with only 25 yards on six carries. Even after using LT Andrew Thomas to even out the score, Darius Slayton could not catch a ball that would have changed the game, and when the defense was halting The Bucs offense, which was hot, CB Sean Murphy-Bunting gets called for PI. At this point, The Giants have started well and let it go way too fast; if they do not change this, they will never break the ten prime-time game losing streak that they have dug themselves.
Overall:
The Bucs are righting the ship but still have some questions to answer. The Giants should start making plans for January cause the playoffs are not in their future.