The Good, The Bad, The Ugly
Opinion
San Antonio-(RYM)-My family and I root for 4 teams in football both college and pro; Cowboys, A&M, SMU, UTSA and we went 0-4 that has (to my knowledge) never happen, so you can say it was a rough Thanksgiving Break for us.
Team on Bye- Chiefs, Cardinals
Bears 16, Lions 14
Im not going to lie, I was rooting for the Lions
Bears K Cairo Santos walks on the field to make the game winning FG during Thursdays game versus The Lions/The Chicago Bears
Good:
This game was a trap game for The Bears, and they came made it a close one but pulled off a win versus The Lions. It was not an easy win, and it came down to a last-minute FG by Cairo Santos, but a win is a win, even an ugly one.
The Lions tried.
Bad:
The Bears do have issues, and at this point, I am not sure if it's on the players or the coaches, but one thing I can guarantee is that Matt Nagy is in the hot seat, and if he does not make a huge push the last half of the season he could be out of a job sooner rather than later.
Just look at the ugly.
Ugly:
The Lions lost on an FG for the third time this season, but what is concerning and something that I am just noticing now is Dan Campbell took over play-calling in week ten over OC Anthony Lynn. During that time, they have let go of each lead they gain and are just looking like night and day from one quarter to another. I am not sure if both coaches are the best fit right now, but for sure, they need to figure something out because close wins like this can destroy the spirit of a team.
Overall:
The Bears won, even if it is versus The Lions. The Lions have a bright future, but all these bumps in the road cannot come to an end any faster.
Raiders 36, Cowboys 33-OT
My heart hurts
Raiders QB Derek Carr lines up in front of Cowboys CB Trevon Diggs during Thursdays game in Dallas (Michael Clemens/Las Vegas)/Las Vegas Raiders
Good:
I owe The Raiders an apology because I counted them out, yet they showed heart versus My Cowboys. It was a must-win for them which they got.
There is nothing good here for My Cowboys.
Bad:
Nothing terrible for The Raiders.
The Cowboys have started slowly in the last three losses, and the defense is allowing too many big plays, and more importantly, they have stopped focusing on the run game!! If they run more than pass, they are 24-0, so I don't understand why they just focus on establishing the run.
Ugly:
The Cowboys offense is hurting without their two top receivers, and of course, the defense is missing Randy Gregory and DeMarcus Lawrence. The main issues here are the penalties; they had plenty of chances during the game to get off the field on defense or get a first down on offense, and someone holds or causes a PI. For The Cowboys to get back on track and secure the NFC East and at least one home playoff game, they need to start focusing during the game and stop with the dumb penalties.
Overall:
The Raiders got a good boost with the win, but there is still more for them to accomplish for them to make the playoffs. The Cowboys are lucky.
Bills 31, Saints 6
That was a pretty one sided game
Bills QB Josh Allen, WR Stefon Diggs, and TE Dawson Knox celebrate of the game on Thursday game versus the Saints (Bill Wippert)/Buffalo Bills
Good:
The Bills won and did not even play their best football; that is a statement if I ever heard one.
The Saints tried; that is all you can ask for.
Bad:
Josh Allen had two INTs and is playing inconsistent, but they are pulling off wins even then. But the big question is, how can they beat The Patriots without their All-Pro CB Tre'Davious White? His replacement Dane Jackson played well enough versus The Saints, but how will he do versus Bill and the high power offense that comes with that.
The Saints played without their All-Pro RB and LT, so you can see why their performance has been less than ideal, but if you have a bad QB but two All-Pro RB and LT on the field, there is a chance.
Ugly:
Although they might have everyone back for the Thursday game versus Dallas (Here is hoping they don't), will The Saints consider starting Tyson Hill over Trevor Siemian, or is it too late for the change? I am just not sure anymore.
Overall:
The Bills have massive games versus The Pats coming, so it will be an interesting few weeks—too many issues and questions for The Saints before Thursday's game.
Jets 21, Texans 14
I cannot believe I am saying it, but it was a very good close game
Good:
The Jets won even with Zach Wilson playing like his never once NFL action, which gives hope to Jets fans of the future.
Johnathan Greenard is the bright spot in what is a lost season for The Texans.
Bad:
Zack Wilson threw an interception that even I saw coming before he let it go, then the flip pass that will be remembered like the Butt Fumble was sacked four times and fumbled the ball out of bounds; when you put that in context, The Jets should have lost and yet they still scored 21 points and won. Wilson's terrible performance is a great teaching/learning moment that can genuinely help Wilson grow, as The Jets need him to do.
At this point, all is bad for The Texans.
Ugly:
The Texans, again, I mean come one.
Overall:
The Jets have a bright future, but the road won't be easy by any means. For The Texans, it is time to start thinking of the draft and off-season.
Patriots 36, Titans 13
I should not have stopped watched after the half
Good:
The Patriots won convincingly; they gave up 200-yards and yet still held The Titans to 13 points. This proves what we all already knew, Bill is the best coach in the NFL and last season was just a tiny bump on the road to the SB.
Let's skip to the ugly.
Bad:
The Patriots had a bad game on defense, but I mean, if my team holds the opponent to 13 points while giving up 200 yards, and we call that a lousy game I’ll take it.
Did you not read the top part? So you are like The Titans and cant read opposing defense; I said, look at the ugly.
Ugly:
Thank you for finally getting here, and like you, The Titans have had turnover issues that have plagued them the past few weeks. What makes it worse is that three of the turnover were fumbles by each of their RB who are trying to replace Derrick Henry (with no luck). The Titans were exposed, we see now past Derrick Henry, Julio Jones, and AJ Brown they might as well be The Jags, for The Titans to regain the top seed in the AFC, they will need to get everyone healthy and back because right now Ryan Tannehill has no one to help him out.
Overall:
The Patriots are the best team in the AFC. The Titans have many questions to answer and must do it fast because the playoffs are going to be here before they know it.
Giants 13, Eagles 7
Never trusting The Eagles again
Good:
The Giants had no sense of offense but managed to score 13 points to win the game.
The Eagles had a lousy day, simple as that.
Bad:
The Giants need to figure out who they are on offense now; with Jason Garrett gone there, defense is not good enough to keep them safe as they did versus The Eagles.
The Eagles needed a win versus The Giants to move closer into the playoffs but could not get the job done; lucky for them, the rest of the schedule is pretty easy considering the rest of the there opponents are within the NFC East and but do not get it twisted, the schedule is manageable. Still, it does not mean there is any room for error one slip, and they can see the postseason hopes disappear.
Ugly:
Jalen Hurts was once again the x-factor in the run game with 77 yards. Still, he could not do anything in the passing game for Jalen to make the next leap in his QB journey; he will need to learn to be consistent in the passing game because in time team will be able to box him out and he will not be able to run his way out of trouble.
Overall:
The Giants had won three of their last five and are way better than before the season started.
Falcons 21, Jaguars 14
It was a closer game than I would have thought
Falcons RB Cordarrelle Patterson dives in to the End Zone for a TD(Mitchell Martin/Atlanta Falcons)/The Atlanta Falcons
Good:
I have said this before, and ill repeat it, Cordarrelle Patterson is a diamond in the rough, and with him back, The Falcons are a much different team, and they need to keep feeding him and throwing him the ball.
The Jaguars are trying their best to develop Trevor Lawrence, and that is all you can ask from a first-year staff.
Bad:
The Falcons are trying something that I did not understand; they are positional rotation within an offensive line that needs to change. But the question here is, why would you do it on the offensive line? If even one thing disrupts the OL cohesion, then say goodbye to the game. I get it if you do it with the WR, TE, RB, S, LB, CB, even with Kickers, but the one part of the team you do not change during the game is the OL. I mean, in the end, it worked out, and they got the win, but I do not like it.
The Jaguars lost TE Dan Arnold, their leader in receptions; that is a massive hit for them, but they have to manage a way to get others targets and get the offense moving.
Ugly:
Nothing ugly here.
Overall:
The Falcon needs to feed Patterson to keep winning. The Jaguars are precisely what we thought they were.
Dolphins 33, Panthers 10
“Just cause Cam Newton is on your team does not mean you are automatically winning the game”-Cam Newton after the game
Good:
The Dolphins looked like the team we saw at the begging of the season, Tua did not wow us on Sunday, but he did enough right things to keep the offense moving and trusted his defense to win the game.
The Panthers, we will talk about them in the bad and ugly.
Bad:
Nothing terrible for The Dolphins.
Cam Newton said last week to "trust him" after the loss versus The WFT and then followed up that statement with a horrible performance versus The Dolphins. So is he the future like we thought after the win versus The Cardinals? I don't think so.
Ugly:
So let me say what everyone is thinking, it is time to stop blaming the players and start blaming the staff. As much as we want to blame Cam for what is going on with The Panthers, let us not forget that they had issues before he came on board. Versus The Dolphins; The Panthers looked unprepared/without a plan, and that is on the coaching staff, not the players.
Overall:
The Dolphins are becoming who we thought they were at the begging of the season. The blame is now on the coaching staff for The Panthers, not the players.
Bengals 41, Steelers 10
I need to find my broom for Joe to use in Pittsburgh (get it?)
Good:
The Bengals are on track to make the playoffs and end their six-year drought; this win was a much-needed one because not only did it create space between them and The Steelers, but it kept it in the 5th wild card spot that will be fought over in the AFC.
How about we skip to the Ugly for The Steelers.
Bad:
Nothing terrible for The Bengals here.
Ditto.
Ugly:
The Steelers decided not to show up on Sunday; a young Bengals team rolled the defense who finally had T.J. and Minkah back. The offense was just as bad, with Big Ben throwing two picks with one that went to the house. Like The Browns, mathematically, The Steelers can make the playoffs, but it is not looking like they will make the playoffs. Nothing about Sunday looked like a team that can win the rest of the games and squishes into the playoffs.
Overall:
Like The Colts, The Bengals but the NFL on notice. The Steelers are done, in my opinion.
Bucs 38, Colts 31
FOURnette that is all I have to say
Good:
Leonard FOURnette showed Jonathan Taylor that he is not the only RB in the NFL that can put up big numbers versus great teams.
The Colts had The Bucs on their heels, and had they not made significant mistakes at the end, they would have won the game, but the NFL is on notice with The Colts.
Bad:
Tom Brady struggled early on with two turnovers and showed no rhythm throughout the first half. Although he could get it fixed in the second half, it is a little concerning because what would have happened if they did not pick it up in the second half? The conversation would be a lot different.
The Colts could have won the game, but they made the one mistake that most teams do when they are not used to leading versus playoff-caliber teams, they stopped committing to the run and did not protect it as well. All those mistakes cost them the game, and if they want to keep the NFL on notice, they will need to stick to what got them all those wins (FEED JONATHAN TAYLOR).
Ugly:
Nothing ugly here.
Overall:
The Bucs won ugly, but they won and are in place to get the second seed in the NFC. Even with a loss, The Colts put the NFL on notice.
Broncos 28, Chargers 13
The Chargers are so frustrating
Broncos WR Jerry Jeudy makes a Chargers defender miss during Sunday games versus The Chargers(Gabriel Christus)/Denver Broncos
Good:
The Broncos rookie class has stepped up in place of the many injuries they face. That is why you draft them, and they are proving why some other teams should not have passed them up in the draft.
Let us move to the bad and ugly parts here for The Chargers.
Bad:
The Broncos have too many injuries to overcome, and I do not see them keep winning, especially with QB Teddy Bridgewater and RB Melvin Gordon III hurt. The Broncos lean on the run game, but with Melvin broke and a limping QB, it is just way too much for them to overcome.
The Chargers have an unhealthy defense, an offensive line that is 50/50 at best, and a QB that is more Jackle and Hyde than the actual book characters. I don't understand it.
Ugly:
As bad as the issues for The Chargers are, they are fixable, but do they have enough time to fix all the problems? I am not sure, and their next few games are versus a very hot Bengals. They face an up and coming Chiefs teams that will decide who wins The AFC West, so with all that said, I do not see them having enough time against the right teams to get everything fixed in time to win The AFC West, but they do have enough time fix things to make a wild card spot in the playoffs.
Overall:
The Broncos need a lot from the rookie class due to injuries. The Chargers have time to fix the issues to make a wild card spot but not win The AFC West.
49ers 34, Vikings 26
Kirk what in the world are you doing lined up wrong
Good:
The 49ers started so bad, I was counting them out of the playoffs and looking at the draft for RB, WR, and OT that they could draft that would help them most next year, and yet they have now one four of the last five and are 6-5 and amid a wild card spot and all I can say is I was wrong. The 49ers look like contenders and are playing complementary football with the run and passing game. What is truly impressive is the defense; they are taking anything the opposing offense gives them and changing it to their benefit. Do not get me wrong, they are not going to leapfrog The Cardinals and Rams in the NFC West magically, but that 6th spot in the playoffs is looking very sexy right now.
The Vikings played well; that is all I can say.
Bad:
The 49ers suffered two massive injuries in WR Deebo Samuel and LB Fred Warner. The loss is enormous because they are both integral parts of The 49ers. It is crucial to figure out how long they are going to miss so that they can figure out what they can do because they need to keep winning to get the 6th spot in the playoffs.
The Vikings have three huge issues, their defense, clock management, and offense inconsistency. One minute they take this long TD drives that drain the clock and make The 49ers scared, then the next drive they go three and out, then the defense disappears and stops playing after one quarter. How are they going to make the playoffs if they keep playing like that? They won't let me tell you that. I just am not sure how to fix all those issues.
Ugly:
The Vikings had a huge L on Sunday with RB Dalvin Cook being injured per source; it is a shoulder issue that could sideline him for a few weeks minimum. They are also missing Danielle Hunter, Everson Griffen, Michael Pierce, and Christian Darrisaw. There are too many injuries to overcome, so I plan not to see The Vikings in the post-season again this year. But I do hope all those players get healthy sooner rather than later.
Overall:
The 49ers are looking up at the playoffs, but it is within their reach. The Vikings have too many issues to overcome.
Pacers 36, Rams 28
Go see Davante Adams quote of the conversation with OBJ, it is GOLD!!!!!
Good:
Even Covid Toe did not stop Aaron Rodger running one in to keep the packers up versus The Rams. The Packers are now the team to beat in the NFC with the defense and offense playing fluently, making them a hazardous team.
It was not good for The Rams.
Bad:
The Packers go into there with a win, but is it enough for them to get healthy and make an actual run? I think so, but some things have to happen for them to benefit from their bye week. LT David Bakhtiari, CB Jaire Alexander, and OLB Za'Darius Smith need to return healthy, especially since they might have lost WR Randall Cobb for a few weeks with a groin injury. If all they come back healthy, they can make a run, but some of those injuries are tricky, and it is up in the air if they can come back healthy because they need them fit to make a real run.
You know the rules when it is all bad, we go straight to the ugly.
Ugly:
The Rams are in the win-now mentality, and from what I saw on Sunday afternoon, they were far from the win now. The offense looks like a college offense, and the defense cannot get to the QB, they were built to win now, and yet Matthew Stafford is in turnover hell and is making decisions that beg the question is the stage too big for him? If they want to make an SB run, they will need to find a way to get the defense to hit the QB, and the offense needs to find some cohesion, or they can and will miss the playoffs.
Overall:
The Packers look like the real deal. The Rams may be in win-now mode, but that does not mean they will win.
Ravens 16, Browns 10
Who throws 4 picks and still wins the game? Lamar Jackson thats who
Ravens TE Mark Andrews makes the catch of year under Browns CB Ronnie Harrison JR during Sunday nights game (Shawn Hubbard/Baltimore Ravens)/Baltimore Ravens
Good:
The Ravens are one of two things, very lucky, or they are as good they advertise. No matter what they are, they won a game even though they lost the turnover battle. It just goes to show you that The Ravens will find a way to win no matter what the situation, and the whole Next Men Up idea truly lives with these teams.
The Defense carried The Browns on Sunday night, and they deserve all the praise.
Bad:
The Ravens won; there are still things to worry about, such as the offense, they were hot at the begging of the season, and now they are sputtering. The lack of Red Zone appearances is a huge issue for them to make a deep run in the playoffs; they will have to fix the many problems they have, or it will be an early exit for them.
We will talk about The Browns in the ugly.
Ugly:
Mathematically The Browns are still in the run for the playoffs, but the math does not look pretty for them. If they want to change that, they need to fix the offense. Baker was under pressure most of the game, the run game was nonexistent, and receivers could not catch a ball to save their life. The Browns have a solid defense, and now it is time for the offense to catch up. The only way for them to do that is to stick to the run and PROTECT BAKER!!! Once that happens, then things will get better.
Overall:
The Ravens will find a way to win but still have things to fix. The Browns have a lot to improve but are not mathematically out of the playoffs.
WFT 17, Seattle 15
That was a close game, but we knew Seattle was going to get the L
WFT RB J.D. McKissic jumps into the End Zone, during Monday nights game versus The Seattle Seahawks(Photos by Emilee Fails and Karlee Sell/Washington Football Team; Joe Noyes/NFL)/The Washington Football Team
Good:
Washington has finally found some identity, and it was all in the secondary. S Kam Curl and Landon Collins were set on a new skim to disguise coverages in a three-safety alignment. When this was established at the begging of the season, we saw how hard this was hard work, but now they have a three-game win streak, and it's all thanks to figuring out how to make that skim work. Washington has also seen that they have a pretty good OL and a top 10 RB, and as long as they feed him, they can open up the playbook.
Seattle is 3-8, but even with the loss, they still have a VERY, VERY, VERY, VERY, VERY, VERY, VERY, VERY, VERY, VERY, VERY, VERY, VERY small chance to make the playoffs, and that is all you can ask for at this point of the season.
Bad:
Washington loves to play control football, and in the NFL, one can never guarantee a win, so the question can they keep it going? I am not sure as good as Taylor Heinicke has been in the three-game win streak; there is a reason he was not as started till now, and there is a reason they do not have a better record. If Taylor plays as he did versus Seattle, they can keep it up, but it took him 12 games to figure it out that does not boast well for him to keep this going.
Let us skip to the ugly.
Ugly:
The Seahawks biggest question is what is going with the offense and they have the weapons and OL, yet they have underperformed. I am not sure if it's Russell's fault or first-year OC Shane Waldron. They need to figure out how to fix it because although they need A LOT of help and to go on a winning streak, they still have a 1% chance of making the playoffs, but all that means nothing if they cannot get the offense back working as they have in the past.
Overall:
Washington played very well, and Taylor Heinicke was excellent, but there is still plenty of games before the end of the season. In the words of dumb and dumber, "so your telling me there's a chance?" that is how The Seahawks feel.