Three things we learned from the NFL after Week 10

With the play-offs on everyone’s mind, here’s the lay of the land in the National Football League...

By / NFL / 6 years ago

Ten weeks are now done and dusted.

There’s been more heartbreaking injuries than you can wave one of those stupid penalty flags at, but nonetheless – the show must go on.

Here’s this week’s NFL takeaways:

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Mile High and a Mile Off

They’ll be talking about the once-elite Broncos ‘no fly zone’ for generations, but we can finally say that even the Jets themselves could navigate the Denver skyline these days.

Of course, that’s more metaphorical. An aging Broncos secondary is still playing to a reasonable level, and yes – last night’s loss to New England was more on special teams than anything else. But teams play complementary football.

The quarterback situation is null and void. Osweiler and a 70-year-old Peyton Manning dragged the Broncos deep into postseasons. Football players with this much pride depend on attitude.

Attitude, confidence and resilience are garnered through culture. The culture at this franchise right now is less than appealing to anyone.

As Tom Brady picked apart Joe Woods’ defence using his running backs and tight ends (again) in the absence of Chris Hogan. Sometimes a winning culture, and by no flukey association, a winning record, means players pick up on these things.

The play calls are that bit braver, the coverages are that bit more tenacious and Von Miller is that bit quicker off the edge. Nothing lasts forever.

The Battle for Los Angeles

It’s not so much a battle as it is a massacre. There is not a human being alive, Ram or otherwise, that thought at this stage of the season, the Rams would have seven wins from nine games.

Sean McVay is 31 years of age and breathing fresh air into a franchise that sought a fresh start.

Sometimes, that backfires massively. On this occasion, though – the Rams management can pat themselves on the back. Notching up thirty-three points on a tough defensive unit is daring people to compare them to the ’99 team that won a Super Bowl out of St. Louis.

They’ve not quite got Tory Holt, but this generation’s Marshall Faulk is alive and well.

Meanwhile, the Chargers are inventing new ways to lose. Having seemingly tied the game up on three separate occasions, the Bolts managed to drop this one in Jacksonville.

They needed a first down to bring them to the two-minute warning – they fumbled the ball. Tre Boston then intercepted the ball, but instead of trying to gain yards, he ran out of bounds. T

hey then failed to get a first down on three running plays. Done for roughing the passer and a delay of game on the defence (what?), the Bolts allowed former Bolt Josh Lambo to level, despite having their long snapper injured. The Jags would go on to win in overtime after Rivers threw an embarrassing interception to AJ Bouye.

I know which team will be selling more season tickets in Inglewood.

A League of Their Own

The New York Football Giants somehow managed to further humiliate themselves in San Francisco. You know – that team who were without players in almost every skill position, with CJ Beathard at quarterback?

Yeah, they gave up 31 points. They’re trying to get Ben McAdoo fired.

He said in the media scrums after the game that he wasn’t concerned about his job security. Probably in the same way that people shouldn’t worry about dying – because it’s going to happen regardless.

The G Men were genuinely one of the better rosters built in the off-season and should comfortably be sitting on six wins if their personnel is anything to go by. Sadly for them, it isn’t.

The one big positive though, is that they’re all but guaranteeing themselves a quarterback in the draft. This is the year you absolutely want one, too. Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold, Josh Rosen, Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen, Mason Rudolph and Luke Faulk all look like legitimate franchise signal callers.

At least there’s that, New York?

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