It was quite the interesting Week 10 in the NFL, was it not? At the start of the week there were seven games listed with an over/under of 50 points or more and while that number came down to five by the end of the week, we watched as six games finished with high totals. Some were expected. Some were not. There’s still a lot to piece together once the dust settles after Monday Night Football, but we’ve got some things to address from the results of Sunday’s games.
The Bears are more than just a sleeper team
There is so much attention being placed on the high-powered offenses of the Saints and Rams that we’re already engraving two versions of the George Halas Trophy in anticipation of one of these two teams representing the NFC in the Super Bowl. But before we start partying in the Big Easy or dedicate “I Love L.A.” on Jukebox Monday, let’s remember the old adage that states “defense wins championships.” While the 9-1 Rams are allowing 23.1 points per game (34.3 over their last three) and the Saints are allowing 25.8, the Bears defense is allowing under 20 points per game and clearly have the offense to match. With injuries out of the way and a healthy roster in place, the Bears offense is posting nearly 30 points per game and can hit you with the run and the pass. Over the last couple of weeks, Jordan Howard popped off the milk carton and helped carry the team to victory and the moment he went missing, we see Mitchell Trubisky throwing for 355 yards and three touchdowns, including two to a returning Allen Robinson . Both the Rams and the Saints made some moves to improve their defense, but neither Dante Fowler nor Eli Apple are going to help turn their respective defenses into the juggernaut that is Khalil Mack and the Bears.
Todd Bowles needs to be fired
Last week there was all sorts of talk about how the Buffalo Bills would fare against No. 1 ranked Alabama. Well, now after an insane 41-10 drubbing of the Jets, it is apparent that change needs to come and it needs to arrive at the top soon. Forget about the fact that Sam Darnold , the future of the Jets, wasn’t playing, nor was no. 1 wideout Robby Anderson . Veteran back-up Josh McCown should have been able to handle this game and the Jets defense should have been able to contain Matt Barkley and the putrid Bills offense. But no. In two plays, the Bills went up 7-0 and then eased into a 31-0 lead in the first half as they held the Jets to four-straight three-and-outs and an interception. Bowles has had his ups-and-downs with the team, but you’re not progressing or showing signs of any sort of rebuild when you leave your team twisting in the wind on the field like we saw Sunday. Absolutely disgusting.
Andy Reid is putting Kareem Hunt owners on notice
At this time last season, Kareem Hunt owners were freaking out about his misuse by Andy Reid. He burst onto the scene like a freight train speeding down a straightaway and then suddenly he was gone – for about six weeks. There was no rhyme or reason for the lack of use and as the Chiefs started to lose games the in-fighting between Reid and offensive coordinator Matt Nagy became public knowledge and Nagy took over the play-calling, finally bringing Hunt out of his fantasy coma in time for the fantasy playoffs. This season, we’ve been lauding Reid for his reliance on his star running back and 995 all-purpose yards and 13 touchdowns later, we’ve got someone we can rely upon week in and week out. Until yesterday, that is, when Reid took a 96-yard day (71 rushing, 25 receiving) and left it sitting in mediocrity by giving the goal-line carry to Spencer Ware who lined up as a fullback in front of Hunt. Disappointing? Absolutely, but not more disappointing than knowing the 9-1 Chiefs are going to take their foot off the Hunt-pedal and start incorporating Ware into more action. Over the last three weeks, Ware has seen a steady increase in his snap count and played in a season-high 34-percent yesterday. If Reid’s track record is examined, it should be very easy to see he’s about to pull back on Hunt and spare him some wear-and-tear before the playoffs, especially now that he has a 1.5-game lead over the Steelers, a two-game lead over the Patriots and a super-soft schedule the rest of the way.
The Bengals nose-dive is more fact than fiction
We tried to warn you about Andy Dalton a few weeks ago. He typically falls off this mysterious cliff right around Week 6 or 7 and fantasy owners are routinely forced to jump ship. Not before they take a few lumps trying to force belief in the ol’ Red Rocket (yes, I know…if you don’t get this joke by now, you never will), that is. Week 6 against the Steelers saw the beginning of the end and while there was a fleeting moment of hope in Week 9 against the Bucs, let’s remember that this was the Bucs – the worst defensive team in the NFL. Dalton couldn’t put it together against a Chiefs team whose defense is atrocious or the Saints this past week. Do we really think he’s going to improve his game over the rest of the season? Doubtful. And to rub salt in the wounds even more, Dalton is going to be forced to air it out the rest of the way (turnover bonanza) and Joe Mixon will end up being under-utilized due to catch-up mode because this defense can’t stop anyone. Thirty-two points per game allowed? Yeesh!
Nick Chubb will finish the season as a top-5 fantasy running back
After minimal usage through the first six weeks of the season, Nick Chubb is crushing defenses with his power-running style. He flashed the promise back in Week 4 when he rumbled to 105 yards and two touchdowns on just three carries, but over the last four weeks, he’s averaged just under 20 carries and just over 101 rushing yards per game with three touchdowns. The Browns are obviously committed to the ground game as they look to support Baker Mayfield more, and with two games against the defensively-challenged Bengals along with match-ups against mid-level defenses like Carolina and Denver, Chubb should be running wild during your fantasy playoffs. Who’s going to push him out of the top-5? Melvin Gordon and James Conner will be there, but with Hunt potentially resting and Joe Mixon stuck on a team that thinks Andy Dalton can lead them, there’s no one else I’d rather have from the AFC.
Quick Hits
The Jaguars defense is still dead. Five-straight losses with an average of 28.6 points allowed per game in that span does not exactly endear fantasy owners to starting your defense. And check out the yardage against too. This defense has ranked in the bottom-five of the league over the past month. You sure you still want to draft them in the 10th round and stash them on your bench for their bye? Um. No.
It looks like the Patriots/Bill Belichick coaching tree is going to be the ultimate demise of the New England Dynasty. Former Patriots player and position coach Mike Vrabel, with the help of DC Dean Pees (former Pats DC), Jon Robinson (former Pats scout), Dion Lewis , Malcolm Butler , Logan Ryan and Josh Kline (former Pats players), manhandled the Patriots all day long during the Titans’ 34-10 win. It looks like the pebble was snatched from Belichick’s hand and the student becomes the teacher.
The FitzMagic is gone. We knew its stay was finite but there was at least some hope against the redskins this week? Nope. It’s gone.
The Raiders have quit on the season. Can we just award wins to their next six opponents and just send them off to Las Vegas already? For you people in survivor pools, start plotting out the rest of your season to follow the clowns in the silver and black.
For Jukebox Monday, I’d like to dedicate Hallelujah to Packer Coach Mike McCarthy for taking his head out of his ass and allowing Aaron Jones to run the damn ball.
And fear not, people. Jim Bowden will be kept on a very strict Cowboys count for today’s show.