Week Ten in Review
By: Matt Harmon
Thursday Night Game:
Washington Redskins- 27 at Minnesota Vikings- 34
Reviewing the Game:
Sunday Games:
Seattle Seahawks- 33 at Atlanta Falcons- 10
Reviewing the Game:
Cincinnati Bengals- 17 at Baltimore Ravens- 20
Reviewing the Game:
Detroit Lions- 21 at Chicago Bears- 19
Reviewing the Game:
Philadelphia Eagles- 27 at Green Bay Packers- 13
Reviewing the Game:
St. Louis Rams- 38 at Indianapolis Colts- 8
Reviewing the Game:
Oakland Raiders- 20 at New York Giants- 24
Reviewing the Game:
Buffalo Bills- 10 at Pittsburgh Steelers- 23
Reviewing the Game:
Jacksonville Jaguars- 29 at Tennessee Titans- 27
Reviewing the Game:
Carolina Panthers- 10 at San Francisco- 9
Reviewing the Game:
Houston Texans- 27 at Arizona Cardinals- 24
Reviewing the Game:
Denver Broncos- 28 at San Diego Chargers- 20
Reviewing the Game:
Dallas Cowboys- 17 at New Orleans Saints- 49
Reviewing the Game:
Monday Night Game:
Miami Dolphins- 19 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers- 22
Reviewing the Game:
Thursday Night Game:
Washington Redskins- 27 at Minnesota Vikings- 34
Reviewing the Game:
- The Redskins could have used this game to propel themselves into the conversation as an NFC East favorite. Instead, they scored three points in the second half and allowed the combination of Christian Ponder and Matt Cassel to pick them apart. It is scary that Minnesota was able to put up thirty-four points on Washington’s defense, despite the fact that they held Adrian Peterson to less than four yards per carry. The Redskins defense allowed Ponder to move around outside the pocket way too often and complete a ton of throws off play action; something that Ponder has mysteriously struggled with throughout his career despite having a future Hall of Famer in the backfield. Even when Ponder left the game after an ill-advised scramble, the Redskins were still hopeless to stop the Matt Cassel led offense. The Redskins ran the ball with authority, and RG3 was nearly flawless in the first half, but it all fell apart after intermission.
- It was almost like the Vikings read this website’s game preview. Like almost all quarterbacks, Griffin struggles when you bring pressure right into his face, and the Vikings made a point to do just that in the second half. While Williams handled Jared Allen for most of the night, Kevin Williams turned in the best game he has had in the last two years, collecting two and a half sacks and constantly disrupting the offense. None of the Redskins interior lineman stood a chance in stopping Williams. The Vikings also brought defensive end, Everson Griffen, inside to rush the passer, where his speed and quickness were overwhelming. The Vikings were able to win this contest because their defense finally decided to bring their A-game. Kevin Williams said after the game that the coaches went in on the Vikings defense at halftime and that speech woke them up to finally play to their potential. Too bad they could not muster that effort in time to save their season.
Sunday Games:
Seattle Seahawks- 33 at Atlanta Falcons- 10
Reviewing the Game:
- This game was not even close to the exhilarating 2012 playoff matchup between these two teams. Atlanta struggled in every phase of the game and especially defensively. The Seahawks tore the Atlanta defense up on the ground and through the air. It was widely wondered pre-game which teams weakness was worse; the Seahawks pass protection or the Falcons pass rush. The answer was clearly the Falcons pass rush.
- Zach Miller was not needed much as pass catcher in this blowout win. Miller had no receptions in this game, but was a very effective blocker in the run and passing game. It was Golden Tate, Jermaine Kearse and Doug Baldwin that stepped up and made the Falcons safeties look foolish.
Cincinnati Bengals- 17 at Baltimore Ravens- 20
Reviewing the Game:
- It was like neither team’s quarterback wanted to win this game. Andy Dalton was terrible, and was lucky to have his Hail Mary pass caught at the end of the game, and Joe Flacco seemed determined to match every poor Dalton throw with a bone headed decision. Ray Rice still looked flat out bad as a runner, and the offensive line was not any better, but the Raven won on the back of a good defensive performance. It is hard to imagine either of these teams as a contender, and who knows who is going to come out of the AFC North.
- This was easily Lardarius Webb’s best game of the season. Anyone who lined up across from Webb found the going pretty tough, and the play Webb made to steal the ball from Marvin Jones for an interception was simply fantastic. A.J. Green was held largely in check until James Ighedibo, who was great up until this point, foolishly tipped the Hail Mary pass into his arms to send this game into overtime.
Detroit Lions- 21 at Chicago Bears- 19
Reviewing the Game:
- It looks like Jay Cutler did come back too soon. Not only did Cutler not look comfortable, but he also left this game with a high-ankle sprain. This game was still close, but it just felt like the Lions were the better team throughout. Nick Fairley and Ndamukong Suh were dominant in this game, with each collecting a sack and assisting the lions in completely shutting down Matt Forte. The Lions are now in the driver’s seat of the NFC North and the Bears are once again looking too beat up to be a real factor.
- Reggie Bush averaged 7.5 yards per carry, so that should tell you most of what you need to know. However, digging deeper, this may have been Jon Bostic’s best game. Bostic was rarely caught out of position, and looks to be making progress in his trial by fire. Fellow rookie, Khaseem Greene was not as effective, and veteran James Anderson may have been the worst of the bunch. Pro Football Talk’s Darin Gantt always told Panther’s fans during his days as a team beat writer that despite big stats, Anderson was “just a guy” and he reminded the Bears of that fact yesterday.
Philadelphia Eagles- 27 at Green Bay Packers- 13
Reviewing the Game:
- Could things be worse for the Packers? Seneca Wallace left this game early, and former practice squad quarterback, Scott Tolzein, was forced into action. Tolzein was actually just okay, and may be a better option than Wallace at this point. Eddie Lacy did in fact find running against a pretty tough Eagles front seven much more difficult without the best quarterback in the NFL handing him the ball, and was not enough for the Packers to lean on. Nick Foles had some incredible stats again, but got away with some pretty lucky breaks; poor throws on his touchdowns to Riley Cooper and DeSean Jackson stand out. Regardless, the Eagles offense is looking really good, and the Packers defense offered little resistance.
- With that ridiculous club/boxing glove thing on his hand, Clay Matthews was a virtual no factor in this game, and his partner in crime at outside linebacker, Nick Perry, was not much better. Going against two pass rushers coming off injury, Lane Johnson had easily the best game of his professional career.
St. Louis Rams- 38 at Indianapolis Colts- 8
Reviewing the Game:
- The Colts lose to the Rams at home in what was absolutely the most shocking outcome of the day. The Rams are playing winning football with the traditional Jeff Fisher formula: a power running game and strong defense. The score does not lie on this game; the Colts were thoroughly dominated in every phase of the game. The Colts just do not look like a good team when Andrew Luck is to at his absolute best, and he certainly was not Sunday, as he was rattled all day by Robert Quinn and the Rams dominant pass rush. With an up and mostly down defense and nothing to speak of in the running game, Luck is all the Colts have. Finally breaking out, Tavon Austin was the most exciting player in Lucas Oil Stadium. He scored three long touchdowns, two catches and a punt return, and showed off the speed and moves that made him a top ten pick in this year’s draft. Hopefully, this is just the beginning of things to come for Austin, who toasted Vontae Davis, who many were touting as an elite corner prior to this game.
- Stacy had a low yards per carry average, but the Rams still fed him 26 carries and he sustained the offense. The Colts were clearly selling out to stop the rookie running back, and they paid for it by letting up big plays to Kellen Clemens in the passing game.
Oakland Raiders- 20 at New York Giants- 24
Reviewing the Game:
- Another game, anther Giants win despite not playing their best football. Andre Brown returned from IR-Designated to Return to be exactly the type of sustaining back this offense needed. Look for Brown to be a big factor for the Giants going forward. Eli Manning still did not play well despite having a reliable running game, but the Giants defense finally looked like it was rounding into form. The shine is beginning to wear off Terrelle Pryor and the Raiders as possible sneaky playoff team, as they put up a pretty poor showing for the third straight week
- The Raiders surprising defense is also losing its shine, and they are beginning to look like the journeymen unit that they are. Andre Brown has definitely emerged as the best option in the Giants backfield, and a far superior one plodders like Brandon Jacobs and Peyton Hillis.
Buffalo Bills- 10 at Pittsburgh Steelers- 23
Reviewing the Game:
- The Bills front seven dominated the Steelers, as expected, but Buffalo just could not move the ball on offense to save their lives. E.J. Manuel did not play well in his return to the field, and that is not surprising considering he was not playing too well before he left the field. C.J. Spiller once again looked hobbled, and the Bills may want to consider shutting him down for good soon. The Steelers offense played well enough on a day when trade rumors were swirling about their starting quarterback, and Antonio Brown was once again the star of the show.
- Stevie Johnson’s quarterback really limited his opportunities. Johnson was open, but Manuel just could not seem to find him.
Jacksonville Jaguars- 29 at Tennessee Titans- 27
Reviewing the Game:
- The Jaguars get their first win! Congratulations to them! The Jags straight up out played the Titans, and they primarily have Maurice Jones-Drew to thank for that, as he ran hard despite a continuous lack of holes. The Titans dealt with another injury, and this one likely season ending, to their starting quarterback and another lackluster effort from their overpaid running back. With the Colts also losing, the Titans squandered a real opportunity to make some headway in the AFC playoff picture.
- Robinson still did not look ready to contribute on offense. He had four carries go for a paltry three yards and a fumble which was recovered.
Carolina Panthers- 10 at San Francisco- 9
Reviewing the Game:
- This defensive struggle lived up to the billing. The 49er and Panthers traded blows all day long, and the Panthers ended up doing something they have hardly ever done in the Ron River/Cam Newton era; win a big, close game on the road. The Panthers defense out-flexed the 49ers unit, and absolutely harassed Colin Kaepernick all day long. This Panthers defense is in the conversation with Seattle and Kansas City for best defense in the league. Neither quarterback put up stellar numbers, but Kaepernick looked particularly pedestrian as a passer on this afternoon. His game ending interception was simply inexcusable. The Panthers proved themselves a legit contender with this win, and actually have a chance to steal the NFC crown from the Saints.
- Thomas Davis and Luke Kuechly were excellent in their efforts stopping Kaepernick from wrecking their defense on the ground. Kaepernick only had four carries for 16 yards, and his total yardage was matched on one single carry. Davis also notched a forced fumble on a day in which the Panthers linebacker duo outplayed the more highly touted 49ers tandem of linebackers.
Houston Texans- 27 at Arizona Cardinals- 24
Reviewing the Game:
- J.J. Watt was a total animal as expected, and dominated the Cardinals offensive line with a sack, constant pressure, and added two forced fumbles just for good measure. Case Keeneum continued to put up big numbers and displayed great chemistry with Andre Johnson again, but none of that was enough to grab the win. Keenum played well, again but also continued his trend of quieting down in the second half and not making the plays necessary to win. He is still growing. The Cardinals got a great effort from their defense, but also got a pretty strong game from Carson Palmer. He made his usual five or six head scratching plays, but still made plenty of plays to move the Cardinals offense when it needed it.
- Campbell is the J.J. Watt of the NFC, and was the second best player on the field after Mr. Watt. Do not bother looking at his near empty stat sheet and instead just watch the man play in this game. Campbell smothered up running lanes all day and was consistently disruptive in passing lanes. As predicted, Keenum struggled when he saw this human giant bearing down on him.
Denver Broncos- 28 at San Diego Chargers- 20
Reviewing the Game:
- The final score makes this game appear more competitive than it was, as the Broncos jumped out to a big 28-6 lead, as the Chargers offense struggled to sustain drives. San Diego was unable to come back to truly make this outcome questionable, and that should not be too surprising. Von Miller was unstoppable in this game, and singlehandedly destroyed the Chargers offense at times. When he is at his best, Miller is simply cannot be blocked, and just has his way with offensive lineman. This was a great effort by Peyton Manning, and especially Demaryius Thomas, who is truly unstoppable on those bubble screens they run. Seriously, how many long touchdowns has he scored on those?
- Gates was the leading receiver for the Chargers, but did not make any game changing plays. Broncos’ weak side linebacker Danny Trevathan had one of his best games in coverage against Gates and Danny Woodhead out of the backfield. Trevathan deserves a ton of credit for his effort.
Dallas Cowboys- 17 at New Orleans Saints- 49
Reviewing the Game:
- The Saints offense exploded and recorded an NFL record forty first downs. The Cowboys defense was completely hapless against everything the Sains threw at them. Marques Colston was relevant for the first time this season, Kenny Stills embarrassed two Cowboys defenders on his long touchdown, and Pierre Thomas, Darren Sproles, and even Mark Ingram each tore apart the Cowboys. Seriously, Mark Ingram, who has been near worthless thus far in his NFL career, averaged over ten yards a carry Sunday night. The Cowboys are really beat up upfront and lost Sean Lee in this game, but this outcome is inexcusable. The Cowboys offense also showed that they are not good enough to carry a bad defense, especially when Dez Bryant is ailing. I imagine Rob Ryan felt pretty good about this win after he was made a scapegoat, and replaced with an aging and out of touch Monte Kiffin as the Cowboys defensive coordinator by Jerry Jones.
- Ware was clearly still hurting, as he was noticeably hobbling for a majority of this game. that being said, Ware still got pressure on Brees at times, and beat Brown a ton and recorded a sack against him. His run defense was a big problem due to his injury however, and Brown got the better of him in that department.
Monday Night Game:
Miami Dolphins- 19 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers- 22
Reviewing the Game:
- The Dolphins played most of this game like they were distracted by something all week. The Dolphins could not stop the basic power run sets being run by the Buccaneers and mustered a putrid two total yards rushing as a team. Ryan Tannehill is also regressing as a passer, and is beginning to see ghosts in the pocket thanks to his abysmal offensive line. Frankly, if the Buccaneers were actually a good team, this game would have been over by half time. Mike Glennon played at a pretty average level, and leaned on a strong effort from Tampa Bay’s three unheralded running backs, Mike James, Brian Leonard, and Bobby Rainey. Tampa Bay predictably dominated both lines of scrimmage and it was a big reason that they won this game. No one should be surprised if these two teams go one opposite trajectory paths after this game.
- Just like he did in the Buffalo game, Tyson Clabo allowed significant pressure on the last Dolphins drive of the game. DaQuan Bowers, a player who has been very quiet this season, blew up Clabo several times this game, and especially on that last drive. Think about this, how much different would the Dolphins be if they had just traded that first second round pick for Branden Albert? Albert would have solidified the left tackle spot, Jonathan Martin could have developed at right tackle, and Clabo would probably not be on the roster. For all the moves he made, the one move Jeff Ireland did not make is going to bury this team.
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