Week 9, 2019 --- lots of business at the halfway point

I have come to the conclusion that the San Francisco 49ers are the best team in the NFL.  They have steamrolled every team they've played this season, not just the mediocre teams, but EVERY team.  This past Sunday they went up against a good Carolina Panthers team and scored more than 50-points on them, while holding them to 13-points.  They are balanced and can strike quickly.

I have also realized that the Cleveland Browns aren't what we thought they would be.  They struggle against any good teams they face.  True, they faced an undefeated New England Patriots team Sunday, but they looked flat, almost confused.  They have talent and I think will be good in a couple of years, but they're not quite there yet.

TRADES

This last Tuesday was the deadline for trades from team to team.  Some decide to offload large contracts, others are thinking of the now and want to win, realizing they need a single piece to push them into the playoffs, possibly to the next level.

Cleveland Browns trade Austin Corbett to the Los Angeles Rams.  Corbett has only started one game in his two years in the league.  Not a lot of playing time, so we will see how well this trade benefits the Rams in the years to come.

Los Angeles Rams trade Marcus Peters to Baltimore.  Peters has some experience, being in the league since 2015.  He's been a force, having contributed to over 200 tackles and 25 interceptions in his short career, and one fumble return for a touchdown.

Jacksonville Jaguars trade Jalen Ramsey to the Los Angeles Rams.  Ramsey has been a bit of a headache to the Jaguars as of later, requesting a trade.  They accommodated and shipped him to the other side of the country.  During his career, starting in 2016, he has contributed to over 220 tackles and 9 interceptions, one of which he's returned for a touchdown.  Perhaps he can find the happiness he's needing in LA.

Atlanta Falcons trade Mohamed Sanu to New England.  Sanu has been in the league since 2012 and has proved to be a legitimate weapon across from Julio Jones.  He helped propel the Falcons to the Super Bowl a couple of years ago.  He has over 4,000 yards in his career, with the career year being in 2018 when he had 838-yards receiving and four touchdowns.  He has 25 touchdowns on his career.  Should be a nice target for Tom Brady.

Denver Broncos trade Emmanuel Sanders to San Francisco.  Jimmy Garoppolo has already been able to utilize Sanders.  A very experienced receiver with over 7,000 career yards receiving with 40 touchdowns.

Detroit Lions trade Quandre Diggs to Seattle.  Diggs has over 60-games experience in the defensive backfield, has helped on 229 tackles and six interceptions with one touchdown.  Defensive backs have been a weakness for the Seahawks so I'm sure this will help them continue to dominate.

New England Patriots trade Michael Bennett to Dallas.  Bennett has the 16th most sacks of all current active players, at 65 1/2.  This is his 10th year in the league.  Dallas has one of the most consistent defensive linemen in the NFL.

New York Jets trade Leonard Williams to the New York Giants.  A 6-5 302-lb defensive lineman will plug some holes.  One in his sixth year in the league knows how to plug the holes.  He's been responsible for 17-sacks during his career.

Miami Dolphins trade Kenyan Drake to Arizona.  The Cardinals have already started using the talent of Drake.  In the first half of this Thursday night game he already has 70-yards with the touchdown.  He's already proving to be a force for the Cards.

Cleveland Browns trade Genard Avery to Philadelphia.  A tough second-year linebacker.  No doubt will help the Eagles while they try to get some consistency.  Already he has 4 1/2 sacks in his two seasons in the league.

Los Angeles Rams trade Aqib Talib to Miami.  I truly hate when this starts to happen with future hall-of-fame players.  The Rams are simply dumping some payroll and the Dolphins picked up a star so they can fill some seats in their stadium.  Talib is tied for 2nd in active players with interceptions, with 35 for his career.  I think he still has a little left in him, so Miami might be able to build some around him.

Games of the week...

Arizona (9) @ New Orleans (31) — So the Saints didn't listen to me about letting Drew Brees sit an extra week.  Mr. Brees simply lit up the Cardinals defense.  It started out almost equal, but once Brees got warmed up in his first start since mid-September he couldn't really be stopped.

Carolina (13) @ San Francisco (51) — This game didn't even start close.  The 49ers are simply the most balanced, dominant team right now in the NFL.  They can score some points on you, and they can stop you from making points.

Green Bay (31) @ Kansas City (24) — What an exciting game!!  It started fast and ended fast.  The Chiefs' Matt Moore had his work cut out for him and he handled the task well.  Unfortunately for him, though, Aaron Rodgers didn't have the cobwebs to wipe away while he played.

Games to watch...

Minnesota (6-2) @ Kansas City (5-3) — The Chiefs' only losses this year are at Arrowhead Stadium, also against potential playoff teams.  The Vikings have played very crisp football the last few weeks with Kirk Cousins simply lighting up opposing defenses.

New England (8-0) @ Baltimore (5-2) — Bill Belichick has a perfect record when he coaches against quarterbacks in their 2nd year or earlier.  However, they have not faced a quarterback the likes of Lamar Jackson.  This should be a fun one to watch as Tom Brady takes his 20-year experience against the just over 1-season that Jackson is bringing to this game.  I am really excited to see this game.

What to watch for...

Robbie Gould (SF) needs just 6-points to pass Eddie Murray for 20th all-time scorer in NFL history.

Adrian Peterson (Was) and Frank Gore (Buf) need one touchdown each to pass Antonio Gates and Lenny Moore to tie for 14th on the all-time touchdowns scored.

Frank Gore (Buf) needs only 97-yards to pass Barry Sanders to become the 3rd most prolific rusher in NFL history.

Week 8, 2019

***First of all, I want to apologize for being a couple days late with the blog.  I got hit with something and haven't been able to shake it.  But, I'm almost good now.***

Last night, the Minnesota Vikings held off the Washington Redskins in Adrian Peterson's first visit to Minnesota since he left.  Peterson ran for 77-yards and jumped two spots and is currently the 6th all-time rusher in NFL history, he passed Jerome Bettis and LaDanian Tomlinson.  AP is only 400-yards behind Curtis Martin for 5th all-time, he may reach that goal if Washington continues to start him.

During the off-season, the Philadelphia Eagles extended their quarterback Carson Wentz for 4-years at $128-million.  Dak Prescott, who has a better record (36-19 - 65%; 26-21 - 55%), a better quarterback rating (96.9 to 79.9), and over a thousand yards more passing (12,990 to 11,801) is still waiting on Dallas to reward him for his brilliant quarterback play.  Yes, Wentz has a ring.  He was part of the team that won the Super Bowl two years ago.  But he's not proved he can stay healthy an entire season, and until he does, I honestly don't think he's worth more than someone that was drafted at the same time as him and doesn't play as well.

In their game last Thursday v the Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback attempted to gain a yard for a first down and ended up dislocating his kneecap.  This sounds like the kind of pain I never want to experience.  He has practiced and participated some in team drills, but as of Friday evening, at almost 7 Eastern, he's been ruled out in their contest v Green Bay Sunday night.  I really think this will hinder the Chiefs from being able to best the Pack, but they're at Arrowhead and maybe they can use that to some advantage.

Games of the week (7)

Cardinals (27) @ Giants (21) — This was actually a pretty decent game.  Both franchises are clearly in a rebuild mode, but Arizona is further along than are Big Blue.  Rookie sensation Kyler Murray had a good game, passing for 104 yards and adding another 28 on the ground, his passer rating was only 78.27, whereas Daniel Jones threw for 223 yards, 1 touchdown and 1 pick, his passer rating was a tad better at 78.63.  They're both young, I look forward to this matchup in the years to come.

Houston (23) @ Indianapolis (30) — Frankly I was shocked by this result of this game.  The Texans have been on a tear lately and they let the Colts get the better of them.  Another pair of young quarterbacks that will be meeting up twice a year in this divisional rivalry.  Typically, the Colts have been very successful against the Texans, only having lost to them 8 times since Houston started playing in 2002.  Currently, including this game, they are 27-8 (77%) against Houston.

Minnesota (42) @ Detroit (30) — Something happened to Kirk Cousins in the last month.  He has started playing very good professional football.  Apparently the Vikings had a team meeting where they aired some concerns and got everyone back on the same page.  Detroit started out looking very good, but have fallen some since their loss to Green Bay a couple weeks ago.

Baltimore (30) @ Seattle (16) — Lamar Jackson continues to impress.  He went into a hostile environment and beat a very good Seahawks team.  I think everyone should watch out for these Ravens they could cause some ugliness in January...maybe in February.

Philadelphia (10) @ Dallas (37) — Yes, I know, last week I predicted that Jason Garrett would be looking for work this week.  He isn't, but Dallas still hasn't extended him.  Apparently Urban Meyer is absolutely interested in a job under Jerry Jones, and I'm sure there are others.  I do know that Lincoln Riley is not interested in leaving the college ranks right now, he's having too much success with a revitalized Sooner defense.  That leave us with one question...What's wrong with the Eagles?  After their game, in which Cowboys' receivers were pretty much open all night, they cut one of their defensive backs, Orlando Scandrick.  Scandrick didn't have a lot of positive things to say about what's going on in the locker room in Philly.  I'm interested to see how this whole situation plays out.  I don't think Doug Pederson's job is in trouble, he's only a couple years out from a Super Bowl win, but if they don't make the playoffs some heads will roll.

Games to watch...

Arizona (3-3-1) @ New Orleans (6-1) — Is Drew Brees returning this week?  Can a smoking hot Cardinals team that's won 3-straight keep rolling?  Brees is listed as questionable to start for the Saints.  Personally, I think he should give it another week.  They're playing well with Teddy Bridgewater and they have a bye next week.  Only thing two more weeks will do is help him be sure he's healed and not cause further damage to that thumb.

Carolina (4-2) @ San Francisco (6-0) — Kyle Allen has got the Panthers rolling hard.  They are having a fantastic season thusfar, even encouraging some people to predict that Cam Newton will soon be wearing another jersey.  The 49ers I don't think can be topped right now.  Their offense is good, but their defense is AMAZING!!  With that combination they will be tough to beat.

Green Bay (6-1) @ Kansas City (5-2) — This game will be the most exciting one this week, with one exception.  Matt Moore doesn't have the firepower that Patrick Mahomes does.  He's not a horrible quarterback, but there is a reason he's been mostly a backup in his 8-years in the NFL.  Of the 51 games in which he's appeared, he's only started 30.  Aaron Rodgers, well, not a lot to say there.  He will be fitted for a bust in Canton 5-years after he retires.  He's still good, last week was responsible for 6 touchdowns (5 passing, 1 rushing) against the Oakland Raiders.

What to watch for...

Robbie Gould (SF) can surpass Al Del Greco with 5 points, that would make him the 22nd all-time scorer in NFL history.

Frank Gore (Buf) can pass John Riggins, Adrian Peterson, Antonio Gates, and Lenny Moore with 1 touchdown giving him sole possession of the 14th most touchdowns scored in NFL history.  Gore can also, with 131-yards, can pass Barry Sanders and be the number 3 all-time rusher.

LaSean McCoy (KC) can hold the 22nd spot for all-time rusher in the NFL with only 40-yards.

Terrell Suggs (AZ) needs just one sack to pass Richard Dent, and John Randle.

Next week will be a full review of all the trades that have happened prior to the trade deadline.  Emmanuel Sanders has moved to San Francisco; Michael Bennett has been traded to Dallas; it also looks like Josh Gordon will soon be waived by New England.  More details on all those in next weeks' blog.

Week 7, 2019

No firings this week, but I honestly think there might be at least one in the next week.

The Dallas Cowboys started the season off with a 3-0 record, letting everyone think they would be a Super Bowl contender this year.  Well, those three wins were against the Giants, the Redskins, and the Dolphins.  Three teams with a total of three wins between them.  Then Dallas visited the New Orleans Saints, hosted the Green Bay Packers, two very good and contending teams, then made another trip, this time to the New York Jets, who had not won a game this year.  Just like what happened with Green Bay, Dallas allowed the Jets to start fast and furious, then couldn't catch up.  The defense couldn't stop Sam Darnold and what now looks like a possible high-powered offense. 

After the game Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones, said that Jason Garrett's job is not in jeopardy.  They are focused on their Sunday night game with the Philadelphia Eagles that will determine an early leader in the NFC East.  It's already Thursday and there have been no changes to this stance.  Garrett says he's focused on the Eagles (they're playing in Dallas) and that's where he is at the moment.  During week 8, Dallas has their bye week.  If they lay another duck while playing for the division lead early in the season, which could end up helping decide a division title, I honestly anticipate Jones to make a change at the top spot.  Garrett is currently coaching in his 10th season and they have only won two playoff games during that time, with just three playoff appearances.  Which is more frustrating?  Not making the playoffs consistently, or, like Marvin Lewis in Cincinnati, have a really good regular season and always losing in the playoffs.  We will be watching this as the week unfolds Sunday night in Dallas.

On Wednesday, the Los Angeles Rams pulled off a trade with the Jacksonville Jaguars to receive cornerback Jalen Ramsey.  The Jaguars receive two first-round picks in 2020 and 2021, and a fourth round pick, also in 2021.  Ramsey is having a decent year with 13 tackles and 4 assists, he has no interceptions, though.  The Jaguars it seems now, are in a rebuild type mode since they're currently with a 2-4 record.  The Rams have struggled on defense, especially since losing in consecutive weeks to divisional rivals Seahawks and 49ers the last two weeks.  This acquisition may help them some, but their offense seems to be a bit confused.

Games from last week...

Philadelphia @ Minnesota — This was just a high-octane filled resurrection of what everyone thought would be a contending offense in Minnesota.  Quarterback Kirk Cousins completed almost 76% of his passes while throwing for 333 yards and 4 touchdowns, three of which went to wideout Stefon Diggs, who had expressed some discontent a couple weeks ago at not being utilized.  Had the Vikings not been throttled by the Packers a couple weeks ago, I would say they are turning things around.  They are, however, looking very good right now and I think would give Green Bay a good contest.  The Eagles have not really been consistent this season, they're 3-3, having beaten Washington, Green Bay, and the Jets.  Already up on Dallas with common opponents, they head to JerryWorld Sunday night to see who can be more inconsistent.

Houston @ Kansas City — Last week I said that the Texans would have to slow down the Chiefs if they wanted any chance of winning.  Well, they did, giving Kansas City their second consecutive loss, both at Arrowhead.  Patrick Mahomes is having an issue with an ankle he hurt against the Colts a couple weeks ago, so that could hobble him some.  Are the Texans for real?  They seem it.  They're a fun team to watch and they're relatively healthy.  Let's see if they can keep their momentum going as they head to Indianapolis this week.

Detroit @ Green Bay — Yes, I agree with everyone else that the Lions got royally screwed by horrible penalties on Monday night.  With the available technology that's available, and being used in other professional sports, there is absolutely no excuse that someone grabbing someones jersey should be misunderstood as sticking their hand in their face.  Okay, that's out.  Detroit was only able to get the ball into the end zone once, and that was in the first quarter.  Matt Stafford came out slinging the ball, starting with a 66-yard flea-flicker pass that got the crowd in Lambeau quiet.  No one, and I mean no one (not even the Patriots) can rely on your kicker to win games when you're up against a team led by Aaron Rodgers.  Had they been able to punch the ball into the end zone at least a couple of the other times they entered the red zone, the referees bad calls would not have been an issue.  And, for the record, I'm not a fan of Booger McFarland.  When discussing the "hands to the face" penalties with the official in the booth, McFarland was almost argumentative, despite the official attempting to explain how quickly things happen and how easy it is to miss things.  Which brings this full circle to the first statements I made in this paragraph.

Games to watch this week...

Cardinals @ Giants — Not sure if this game will eventually mean something this season, but this does showcase two of the top young arms in the league, ones that we will be watching for years to come.  Kyler Murray in Arizona has shown some toughness, starting from opening day.  He's struggled, which is understandable, but he has not quit.  Now he's won two straight games.  Hope he can keep this up.  

David Jones is the new Eli Manning, or so Giants fans would have us believe.  He has played very well and is responsible for a couple of wins.  I think this will be a fun game and will go to whichever young quarterback makes the fewest mistakes.

Houston @ Indianapolis — The Colts have won four of their last five contests versus the Texans, including the playoffs.  Honestly, I think Houston is the better team this year.  Jacoby Brissett is playing well and has a good team around him, but I really like what I see Bill O'Brien doing in Houston.  Couple years ago I had them in the Super Bowl...not ready to go that far with them yet, but they should handle the Colts this week.  Interesting little note, too, this game features the last two teams the Chiefs played, in Arrowhead, and lost to.

Minnesota @ Detroit — The Vikings are riding high after their win against the Eagles last week.  The Lions are not happy with their loss Monday night.  This game has a lot of intrigue in that these are divisional rivals.  With Green Bay beating almost everyone they face, this could determine a wild-card game in January.

Baltimore @ Seattle — These are two very good teams.  Lamar Jackson is, so far, making good on his promise to lead the Ravens to the Super Bowl (yeah, I know, we still have a lot of games left) and Russel Wilson is, well, Russel Wilson.  Both of these very mobile quarterbacks will have the opposing defenses chasing them, or trying to stop them from making those amazing passes while running.

Philadelphia @ Dallas — This is the game of the week, being on Sunday night.  Two teams who hate each other.  No love lost here and they will both be fighting hard until there are nothing but zero's on the clock.  Can Dak Prescott rally his team to beat Carson Wentz and his?  Wentz got a monster deal in the off-season, which to me is kind of funny since he's not finished a season since he's been in the league.  Whereas, Prescott is waiting on the Cowboys to come up with a new deal so he can continue playing with the star on his helmet.

What to watch for...

Matt Bryant (Atl) can pass David Akers on the all-time points list by scoring just 5 points.

Frank Gore (Buf) needs 1 touchdown to pass Lenny Moore, Antonio Gates, and Adrian Peterson on the all-time touchdowns scored list.  Gore can also move past Barry Sanders to number 3 all-time with 189 rushing yards.

Adrian Peterson (Was) needs 119 rushing yards to pass Jerome Bettis on the all-time rushing yards list.  Also, Peterson is just 1 touchdown away from passing Frank Gore, Lenny Moore, and Antonio Gates for all-time touchdowns scored.

LeSean McCoy (KC) needs 104 rushing yards to pass Warrick Dunn for all-time rushing.

Terrell Suggs (AZ) can pass John Randall and Richard Dent with just 1 1/2 sacks this weekend against the Giants.

Week 6, 2019

The biggest news this week was, I think, the firing of Washington coach Jay Gruden.  Gruden had a losing record with only one playoff appearance during his tenure, that playoff game was a loss.  When asked about the firing, Jay's brother, Jon, coach of the Raiders, simply said, "Welcome to the club, bro."  In his place is former Raiders coach Bill Callahan.  Callahan took the Raiders to the Super Bowl the same season that Jon Gruden took the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to the Super Bowl, giving the Bucs their only championship.

Antonio Brown (Free Agent) is still trying to get money out of the Oakland Raiders and New England Patriots.  He never played a down for Oakland and only played one game for New England.  Although I don't know for a fact, but I'm fairly confident that in his contract is language addressing personal conduct.  I really don't know what Brown is thinking.  Honestly, despite his talent, I'm glad he's currently out of the league.  I hope he's able to learn a lesson from all this.

Vontaze Burfict (Oakland) lost his appeal of the season-long suspension due to his continued ignoring safety rules the league has imposed.  Again, when we are violent at work, even if we work in a violent job, there are things to keep us in check and we all have repercussions for our actions.  The $4 million he's been fined so far apparently wasn't enough to help him realize he's has to play nice.

Games of the Week...

Los Angeles Rams @ Seattle — This was a fun game but gave the Rams their second straight loss.  Seattle has been on a tear since getting beat by New Orleans a couple weeks ago and their backup quarterback Teddy Bridgewater.  This game went down to the wire, kept me on my seat until the final field goal that was missed by the Rams.

Baltimore @ Pittsburgh — The Steelers have been reeling since losing Ben Roethlisberger to a season-ending elbow injury.  They stayed in the game with a very good and potent offense of the Ravens.  Starting second-string Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph was knocked out of the game, literally, and is now week-to-week on concussion protocol.  Baltimore is just a good team, probably the best in the AFC North division.

Chicago @ Oakland — This was the first game of the season that NFL is playing across the pond.  The Raiders seemed a lot more prepared than the Bears did.

Tampa Bay @ New Orleans — After the week the Buccaneers had last week in Los Angeles one would automatically think their fire would last another week.  Not so.  Bridgewater is earning himself a starting position with someone next season.  I think he's making himself the "Comeback Player of the Year" if he were to qualify.  He has this Saints playing some really good football without their fabulous Drew Brees.

Arizona @ Cincinnati — Kliff Kingsbury got his first NFL win playing at a very confused looking Bengals team.  I'm sure Zac Taylor will eventually be a good coach.  He can have the confidence that he works for an organization that kept Marvin Lewis around for more than a decade while he never won a playoff game.

Green Bay @ Dallas — Okay, first off, I stated this was in Green Bay in last weeks' blog.  My bad.  Honestly, though, it seemed the Packers were at home in the first half.  The Cowboys looked lost and flat.  One thing I learned, though, watching this game, Dallas doesn't quit.  They fought back and only lost by 10-points.

Cleveland @ San Francisco — A bludgeoning, spanking, complete disaster.  The Browns couldn't do anything against a very stout 49ers defense, and they couldn't stop a high-powered offense.  Maybe all the hype of Cleveland in the off-season was premature.  What I've seen is Baker Mayfield holding on to the ball too long, so it seems that perhaps their receiving corps needs something, or the offensive line needs to hold better.

Stats...

Had some computer issues that I'm still working through, so I won't be able to share any of that this week, but should be back and going next week.

Games of the week...

Philadelphia @ Minnesota — The Eagles have beaten who they need to, including the Packers, and are in the lead in the NFC East.  The Vikings, however, have had some issues with being consistent.  Their records are similar, but I'm not really sure the teams are themselves.

Houston @ Kansas City — The Texans have had some very good wins, scoring over 50 on the Falcons last week.  The Chiefs, however, were slowed way down by the Colts last Sunday night.  If Houston wants any chance to win this game, they will have to imitate what Indianapolis did on defense to keep Kansas City in check.

Detroit @ Green Bay — Oddly enough this could have huge implications for the division championship.  Currently the Lions are a game and a half behind the Packers.  Possibly the only real threat to Green Bay this season.  Really looking forward to this game.  It's Monday night, will be the only game on.  Should be good.

Week 5, 2019—More drama

****We at PIX are saddened by the passing of Arizona Cardinals owner Bill Bidwell.  He was a good example of a leader and family man.  Always known for his humor and friendliness, he will be missed by everyone in the football family.****

Imagine yourself at work, you're about to head into the break room for more coffee, when all of a sudden a co-worker runs at you and, with his head, hits you in the head then walks away laughing.  Do you think that co-worker would be employed by your company long?  Or even not have a police report filed against him?  That's exactly what happened on Sunday with Jason Doyle of the Indianapolis Colts.  After making a reception, Vontaze Burfict, recipient of over $4-million in fines over the course of his career, launched himself at Doyle as Doyle was getting up after making a catch.  Within a day the NFL suspended Burfict for the remainder of the season.  Can you imagine an unnecessarily violent person being allowed to be employed at your company after having so many things leveled against him?  Even a suspension would seem insignificant.  The NFL should suspend Burfict, not only for the season, but for life.  There is no place in the league for this kind of unruly behavior.  Yes, this is a contact sport and can sometimes have violent hits, but hits that are outside the rules of play, especially if they are deliberate, should not be tolerated.  We will see if the suspension holds for the entire year, or what happens.

Games of the Week:

Philadelphia @ Green Bay—This was a very entertaining game to watch last Thursday.  The Eagles decided they didn't want to look mediocre on a national platform so they went into Green Bay and squeaked by the Pack in a close game.  Both quarterbacks are good, one has time on his side, but this is going to be a fun rivalry as the years progress.

Kansas City @ Detroit—Patrick Mahomes did not have a touchdown pass for the Chiefs high-powered offense.  Matthew Stafford looked locked in.  I'm thinking this Chiefs team may be the best one we've seen with this regime.  Their defense was stingy and made heads up plays.  The Chiefs barely beat Detroit to remain undefeated.

New England @ Buffalo—Tom Brady was, well, Tom Brady.  Except he only scored 16 points on a clearly inferior Bills team.  Buffalo, however, didn't just roll over and quit, they had 10 points of their own and their defense at least slowed down the Patriots offense.  Prior to this game, the Patriots had averaged over 35-points per game.  So what Buffalo did was very impressive, and they're a young team.  I'd watch out for them to see what they can get done in the near future.

Dallas @ New Orleans—How 'bout those...wait, the Saints didn't score a single touchdown, yet held the Cowboys, who had averaged over 32-points per game, to just 10 and they beat them.  Kicker Will Lutz provided all the points for the Louisiana team, but the Saints defense held the Cowboys in check.  Even holding Ezekiel Elliott to a mere 1.6-yards per carry (not good, since he's now the highest paid running back in the NFL).

Games to Watch

Los Angeles Rams @ Seattle—Again we have a good game for the Thursday night lineup.  Seeing that these two teams are in the same division, this could have huge implications.  Two of the best young quarterbacks, one more mobile than the other, one more methodical.  This is a rivalry to watch, like Manning-Brady only we get to see it twice a year.  This could determine who wins the division, possibly a home field in the playoffs scenario, just lots to watch here.  This will be very exciting to watch.

Baltimore @ Pittsburgh—Only a rivalry interest here.  The Steelers are pretty pumped that their 2nd year quarterback Mason Rudolph, from Oklahoma State, won their first game for them on Monday night.  The Ravens, though, are pretty embarrassed by the shellacking they took Sunday at home, at the hands of the resurgent Browns.  I'm fairly confident that Baltimore will prevail in this, but it's always a good game.

Chicago @ Oakland—This is in London, that's always fun, but this is the first time that Khalil Mack will be facing his old team after he was traded in the 2018 off-season.  Will Derek Carr be running for his life?  Can the Raiders' offensive line be able to subdue a voracious Mack?

Tampa Bay @ New Orleans—A couple weeks ago this would not have as exciting as it is right now.  The Bucs scored more than half a hundred on the Rams last Sunday, in LA.  The Saints upset a potent Cowboys offense.  Another fun one, and could have playoff implications.

Arizona @ Cincinnati—Snoozefest?  Maybe.  My wife told me the other night that at lease someone from this game will have a win after this week.  I reminded her of the possibility that it could tie and we wouldn't know who was better.

Dallas @ Green Bay—Will the Cowboys drop their 2nd straight game?  Will Green Bay drop their 2nd straight game?  Including the NFL Playoffs the Packers have won 7 of their last 8 games against the Cowboys.  This will be a fun ride, and it's put in the late window on Sunday giving more people a chance to watch.

Cleveland @ San Francisco—I love how teams can grow and get exciting with the passing of time.  The Browns hurled over 40-points at the Ravens last week, while the Niners stopped a young Pittsburgh team two weeks ago, before their bye.  This is in the Bay, so I think San Fran has a slight advantage, but Cleveland demolished Baltimore at home, too.  Very excited to see this game.

Things that happened...

Matt Bryant (Atlanta) was not allowed to get the 5-points he needed to pass David Akers.

Frank Gore (Buffalo) who had a monster game against the Patriots, did not score a touchdown, so he's still waiting to pass Lenny Moore.

Terrell Suggs (Arizona) was not able to pass Jared Allen in career sacks, but he did tie him.  Another sack puts him at the #11 spot for career sacks.

Adrian Peterson (Washington) got enough yards to pass not only Edgerrin James, but also Tiki Barber on the all-time Scrimmage Yards rankings.  Currently he's #14 on that very impressive list.

Larry Fitzgerald (Arizona) passed Tony Gonzalez and is second only to Jerry Rice in receptions.  He's 223 away from the top spot, a very good couple of years, if he plays that long.

Robbie Gould (San Francisco) had the week off, so he wasn't able to climb his points ladder.

What to watch for...

Robbie Gould (SF) and Mason Crosby (GB) both have the opportunity to pass Norm Johnson for points scored, they each need 4-points.

Matt Bryant (Atl) needs 5-points to pass David Akers for points scored.

Frank Gore (Buf) needs 1-TD to pass Lenny Moore for scoring TDs.

LeSean McCoy (KC) needs 148-yards rushing to pass Warrick Dunn on the rushing yards list.

Terrell Suggs (Ari) needs just 1 sack to pass Jared Allen for all-time sacks.