If you watch enough NFL football, you're going to hear
the clichéd expression about how a team or an individual "came to
play." It's a silly expression as, obviously, that's what they're there to
do, but it implies that someone is competing with a lot of effort.
Unfortunately, it seemed that quite a few teams didn't come
to play in Week 10, as there were numerous lopsided contests. Interestingly,
the usual suspects were not responsible for all of the blowout wins. Yes, the
New Orleans Saints won big—to no one's surprise—but so did the Tennessee
Titans, Buffalo Bills and Cleveland Browns.
It's been an unpredictable week of NFL action, to say the
least. Did your favorite team come to play, or did it put up a stinker? Let's
dig in.
PITTSBURGH
STEELERS
Week 10 Opponent: Carolina Panthers
Result: Won 52-21
Pretty much everything that could have gone Pittsburgh's way
Thursday night did—aside from running back James Conner landing in concussion
protocol. According to NFL Media's Ian Rapoport, the Steelers are optimistic that Conner won't
miss Week 11, so the team can probably just file this one away as a huge win.
The Steelers absolutely dominated from start to finish. The
offense couldn't be stopped—it racked up 457 yards and averaged 7.9 yards per
play. What's really encouraging, though, is Pittsburgh's defense actually
performed well.
The Steelers didn't completely shut down Carolina's offense,
but they did get timely stops and create a lot of pressure on Cam Newton. With
this offense, holding a team to 21 points will be enough for Pittsburgh to win
most games.
If Pittsburgh can put together complete games like this one
with any consistency, it'll be incredibly dangerous in the AFC playoffs.
Week 10 Grade: A+
Season Grade: A-
ARIZONA CARDINALS
Week 10 Opponent: Kansas City Chiefs
Result: Lost 26-14
The Arizona Cardinals weren't given much of a chance against
the Kansas City Chiefs, and while they did lose by 12 points, the Cardinals
didn't fold the way other teams did this week. The Cardinals were actually
within a touchdown until the fourth quarter.
Credit the Cardinals defense for keeping this one close as
long as it did. Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs offense did have success, but
they didn't run wild the way they regularly have against lesser opponents. The
Chiefs still had 330 yards of offense, but that's 45 yards fewer than Mahomes
passed for last week.
Arizona got another up-and-down game from rookie quarterback
Josh Rosen. The UCLA product threw for 208 yards and a touchdown, but he also
tossed a pair of picks. Thankfully, new offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich
finally made David Johnson (98 yards rushing, 85 yards receiving, two
touchdowns) the focal point of the offense, and this at least gave Arizona a
chance.
The rest of the season is about building for the future and
developing Rosen, so the loss ultimately doesn't mean a lot. Putting up a fight
against one of the top teams in the NFL does.
Week 10 Grade: C-
Season Grade: D
ATLANTA FALCONS
Week 10 Opponent: Cleveland Browns
Result: Lost 28-16
The Atlanta Falcons got punched in the proverbial mouth by
the Browns on Sunday, and there really isn't another way to put it.
Cleveland's defense, healthier than it was a week ago,
swarmed the field, holding everyone not named Julio Jones (107
yards, 1 TD) relatively in check. Atlanta's offensive line couldn't stop the
Browns from harassing and hurrying Matt Ryan most of the
game, and Atlanta's defense had absolutely no answer for Cleveland's physical
rushing attack.
Rookie running back Nick Chubb ran all over the Falcons
defense, racking up 176 yards on just 20 carries, 92 coming on one run.
While Atlanta was able to move the ball—it had 382 yards of
offense—it couldn't finish drives. The Falcons were stopped on fourth down at
the Cleveland 1-yard line on one drive, they twice punted in Cleveland
territory and their final drive ended with a sack-fumble at the Cleveland 32.
This was a game the Falcons should have won, and it's one
they needed to remain in the NFC South race. Cleveland came to play harder, and
the Falcons paid dearly for it. The Falcons are now 4-5 and face the Dallas
Cowboys and New Orleans Saints next. We may very well look back on this loss as
the one that ended Atlanta's season.
Week 10 Grade: F
Season Grade: C-
BALTIMORE RAVENS
Week 10 Bye
The Baltimore Ravens are seeing their playoff hopes slip
away. They lost three games in a row to potential playoff teams before the bye,
and they're now lagging behind in the AFC North at 4-5.
Even worse, quarterback Joe Flacco is dealing with a hip
injury and may soon give way to rookie first-round pick Lamar Jackson.
A loss to Cincinnati, with or without Flacco, could be
enough to doom Baltimore in 2018.
Season Grade: C-
BUFFALO BILLS
Week 10 Opponent: New York Jets
Result: Won 41-10
This wasn't the biggest win of the season for the Buffalo
Bills—that one came in Minnesota—but it might end up being the most impactful
one.
With rookie quarterback Josh Allen still ailing, Buffalo
turned to journeyman quarterback Matt Barkley. Though Barkley was only recently
signed and couldn't possibly have mastered the offense, he was as effective as
anyone we've seen under center for Buffalo this year. He finished with 232
yards passing and two touchdowns with no turnovers.
Guess what? When the Bills have competent quarterback play,
they're a dangerous team.
Buffalo dominated on the ground—it rushed for 212 yards as a
team—and limited what the New York Jets were able to do on offense. Buffalo's
defense allowed just 199 yards of offense and grabbed two interceptions.
With that aforementioned good quarterback play added to the
equation, the Bills cruised to an easy divisional win.
Week 10 Grade: A+
Season Grade: D+
CAROLINA PANTHERS
Week 10 Opponent: Pittsburgh Steelers
Result: Lost 52-21
So much for the surging Carolina Panthers. Carolina came
into Thursday night looking like a serious challenger to the New Orleans Saints
in the NFC South. It limped out like a wounded animal that wanted no part of
being on the field.
Carolina was thoroughly outclassed by the Pittsburgh
Steelers. The Panthers did score on their opening drive, but the Steelers
answered with a one-play touchdown drive, a pick-six and an early 14-7 lead.
The game was never close after that.
There were two big issues to note against Pittsburgh. The
offensive line couldn't protect quarterback Cam Newton, who was sacked
five times and hurried often. The defense couldn't even slow the Steelers
offense.
Pittsburgh scored on seven of its first eight drives, with
the end of the first half bringing the only stop. The Steelers only punted
twice and didn't do so until the fourth quarter.
If the Panthers hope to slow the offenses of teams like the
Saints and Los Angeles Rams in the NFC, they're going to have to play better
defensively than they did Thursday.
Week 10 Grade: F
Season Grade: B
CHICAGO BEARS
Week 10 Opponent: Detroit Lions
Result: Won 34-22
The Chicago Bears knew exactly what they needed to do to
dominate the Detroit Lions, and they did it to perfection. Chicago shut down
Kerryon Johnson and the Detroit running game (it totaled just 76 yards), forced
the Lions to be one-dimensional offensively and unleashed Khalil Mack and the
pass rush.
Mack tallied two sacks in his return from injury; the Bears
logged six sacks in total and Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford was
forced into making multiple mistakes. He had two interceptions and a fumble
that he was able to recover.
Chicago struggled to get its own running game going (just
2.5 yards per carry), but it was able to lean on second-year quarterback
Mitchell Trubisky, who finished with 355 yards and three touchdowns. Wideout
Allen Robinson, who also returned from injury, was a big part of the game plan.
He finished with 133 yards and two scores.
The only real negative on the day was kicker Cody Parkey,
who missed two extra points and two field goals while hitting the upright on
each attempt. The game would have been even more lopsided otherwise, but this
is still a big win that builds momentum for Chicago heading into next week's
showdown with the Minnesota Vikings.
Week 10 Grade: A-
Season Grade: B+
CINCINNATI BENGALS
Week 10 Opponent: New Orleans Saints
Result: Lost 51-14
The Cincinnati Bengals were without star wide receiver A.J. Green in Week
10, so it was always going to be a challenge to race Drew Brees and the
Saints on the scoreboard. However, some putrid defensive play by Cincinnati
made the task impossible.
According to our friends at OddsShark, the final over/under
for this game was 53.5 total points. New Orleans nearly reached that by itself.
Just how bad was Cincinnati's defense Sunday? It allowed 509
yards and didn't force a single punt. The Saints scored on every possession
until the last, which ended when the game did. Even when the Saints were just
trying to run out the clock, Cincinnati couldn't get a stop.
The Saints finished with 244 yards on the ground alone.
This is a really bad loss for a Bengals team looking to
return to the postseason for the first time since 2015. At 5-4, Cincinnati is
still in the mix, but it isn't going to stand a chance against legitimate
contenders if the defense performs even close to this poorly.
Week 10 Grade: F
Season Grade: C
CLEVELAND BROWNS
Week 10 Opponent: Atlanta Falcons
Result: Won 28-16
Cleveland came into this game as 5.5-point underdogs and walked out with a 12-point win
that really wasn't as close as the score would indicate. Make no mistake, this
was a massively lopsided game, and at no time did the Browns look like the
inferior team.
In reality, the Browns didn't even resemble the team we saw
when Hue Jackson and Todd Haley were in charge. They relied on running backs
Nick Chubb and Duke Johnson (255 combined yards, three touchdowns) and let
quarterback Baker Mayfield attack all areas of the field.
Mayfield (17-of-20, 216 yards, 3 TD) was nearly flawless in
his execution. The Browns sustained drives, the defense got periods of rest and
the Browns outworked the Falcons for a surprisingly easy win.
This is the kind of complete team win Browns fans have been
hungry for, and it's one that shows just how bright the future can be. Young
players like Mayfield, Chubb, Myles Garrett, Denzel Ward and Rashard Higgins
all flashed in the game and these are the guys Cleveland can build around
moving forward.
Week 10 Grade: A
Season Grade: C-
DALLAS COWBOYS
Week 10 Opponent: Philadelphia Eagles
Result: Won 27-20
The addition of wide receiver Amari Cooper hasn't completely
changed the way the Dallas Cowboys play offensively, but it has changed the way
they are able to play. Having a high-level receiver on the outside has opened
up space in the running game and for underneath routes. Dak Prescott, Ezekiel
Elliott and the Cowboys offense are better for it.
Prescott, who finished with 270 yards passing and a
touchdown, looked as good throwing downfield as he has all season.
Defensively, the Cowboys have to be happy. They did give up
a couple of big plays to the Eagles in the passing game, but they also held
them to just 71 yards rushing, grabbed an interception and stopped two
promising drives on fourth down.
Leighton Vander Esch, who had 13 tackles, an interception
and a clutch third-down stop on Philadelphia's second-to-last possession,
deserves praise. He's a legitimate Defensive Rookie of the Year candidate and a
big part of why the Cowboys won Sunday.
At 4-5, they are still in the NFC East race.
Week 10 Grade: B+
Season Grade: C-
DENVER BRONCOS
Week 10 Bye
The Denver Broncos stumbled into the bye with two
consecutive losses and a disappointing 3-6 record. Still, head coach Vance
Joseph believes the Broncos will remain motivated for the rest of the season.
The reality is the Broncos are about as close as they were
last season, when they finished with a 5-11 record and a Top Five draft pick.
Adding Case Keenum has stabilized the quarterback position, but the team as a
whole hasn't really improved.
The Broncos need to use the remainder of the season to
determine if more big changes need to be made—possibly in the front office.
Season Grade: D+
DETROIT LIONS
Week 10 Opponent: Chicago Bears
Result: Lost 34-22
We struggled to identify just who Matt Patricia's Lions were
earlier in the year, after convincing wins over the New England Patriots, Miami
Dolphins and Green Bay Packers. After losing a third straight game by double
digits, though, we can say the Lions simply aren't very good with some
confidence.
Detroit has been wildly inconsistent defensively. It has
held Tom Brady in check, but it made Mitchell Trubisky look like a superstar.
While the Lions limited Chicago to just 54 yards rushing, they have regularly
been gashed on the ground this season.
Offensively, the Lions have struggled when they cannot lean
on the run, as was the case Sunday.
The Lions have been tough to handle when they're able to put
everything together. Those early-season wins prove as much. However, Detroit
has struggled to get all phases firing at the same time more often than not,
which is a sign of a team that is average at best.
At 3-6, the Lions are in the same tier as teams like the
Browns, Bills and Jets—clearly not where Detroit thought it would be in
Patricia's inaugural season.
Week 10 Grade: D+
Season Grade: D+
GREEN BAY PACKERS
Week 10 Opponent: Miami Dolphins
Result: Won 31-12
There's nothing like a return to Lambeau to help get the
Packers back on track. Green Bay has yet to lose at home this season, and the
Packers were able to pick up another convincing win there against the Miami
Dolphins.
Of course, it helps when the visitor is offensively
inconsistent and playing with a journeyman backup under center. Green Bay's
defense was able to stop Brock Osweiler and the Dolphins when it mattered,
turning five trips inside the 30 into four field goals and a fumble.
With the defense keeping Miami out of the end zone, the
Packers didn't need a ton of big-play offense to win this one. Instead, they
were able to grind out the game on the ground—Aaron Jones had 145 yards rushing
himself—and break the will of the Dolphins defense.
Aaron Rodgers chipped
in with 199 yards passing and a pair of touchdowns, and it was nice to see him
playing a complementary role instead of carrying the offense for a change. The
Dolphins might not be everyone's idea of a quality measuring stick, but they
were 5-4 coming in, and the Packers handled them handily in all phases.
Week 10 Grade: A
Season Grade: C+
HOUSTON TEXANS
Week 10 Bye
Houston Texans fans may have panicked a bit when the team
started the season 0-3. The Texans have rattled off six straight wins, though,
and that panic has turned to jubilation.
Houston has quietly developed into one of the most dangerous
teams in the AFC. The defense, which is allowing a mere 20.4 points per game,
is rounding into form. Quarterback Deshaun Watson is back to 100 percent and
playing at a Pro Bowl level.
While Houston lost wideout Will Fuller for the season to a
torn ACL, it also added veteran receiver Demaryius Thomas just
before the trade deadline.
The Texans have some legitimate competition in the AFC South
from the Indianapolis Colts and Tennessee Titans, and they'll need to pick up a
win over the Washington Redskins next week to stay on top. That would set up a
Week 12 matchup with Tennessee with a whole lot on the line.
Season Grade: C+
INDIANAPOLIS COLTS
Week 10 Opponent: Jacksonville Jaguars
Result: Won 29-26
The Indianapolis Colts might not be legitimate title
contenders, but they're becoming dangerous. It's a combination of a
healthy Andrew Luck,
a functional running game, an emerging defense and an innovative head coach in
Frank Reich that makes them so.
Luck is still the centerpiece of the offense, but Reich has
ensured that Luck doesn't have to carry the unit alone. While the ground game
wasn't great—the Colts had just 81 yards rushing, 53 coming on one
play—Indianapolis ran enough to keep the Jacksonville Jaguars honest.
As a result, Luck was an efficient 21-of-29 with three
touchdowns and an interception on a tipped ball.
Indianapolis' defense made just enough plays against the
Jaguars, including a forced fumble on Jacksonville's last possession, to get
the win. Even with Luck, last year's Colts team likely would have lost this
one.
Indianapolis now sits at 4-5 with a critical game against
the Titans upcoming. If the Colts can win that, they'll be a factor in the AFC
South race down the stretch.
Week 10 Grade: B-
Season Grade: C
JACKSONVILLE
JAGUARS
Week 10 Opponent: Indianapolis Colts
Result: Lost 29-26
The Jaguars saw the return of good Blake Bortles (320 yards,
2 TD) on Sunday, but his re-emergence wasn't enough to lift them over the Colts.
Part of the problem was that Jacksonville couldn't get the
running game going. Leonard Fournette also returned, but he was held to just 53
yards and 2.2 yards per carry. As a team, the Jaguars had just 91 yards on the
ground.
The other issue was the Jaguars dug themselves an early
hole. The Colts scored touchdowns on four of their first five possessions and
took a 29-16 lead into halftime.
Still, Jacksonville had opportunities to win the game. The
Jags pulled back within three points in the second half and were driving into
field-goal range when wideout Rashad Greene fumbled the ball away. It was a
tough way to lose, but this was a winnable game and a chance that Jacksonville
simply squandered.
At 3-6, the Jaguars have likely squandered their season as
well.
Week 10 Grade: C-
Season Grade: D
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
Week 10 Opponent: Arizona Cardinals
Result: Won 26-14
It was a bit of a down day for Chiefs quarterback Patrick
Mahomes, and he still finished with 249 yards and two touchdowns. This is just
how powerful the Kansas City offense can be. It can survive a bad day and still
score enough points to come away with a win.
Of course, we have to credit the Chiefs defense, which is
beginning to resemble a functional unit. The pass rush kept Josh Rosen and the
Cardinals offense off balance and forced mistakes. Rosen was sacked five times
and picked off twice.
While the Cardinals didn't represent a massive measuring
stick for the Chiefs defense, this performance still gives it something to
build on. A little momentum could come in handy for the defense, which gets to
take on the Rams in Week 11.
This wasn't the prettiest win for Kansas City, but it moves
the Chiefs to 9-1 and keeps them atop the AFC.
Week 10 Grade: C+
Season Grade: A-
LOS ANGELES
CHARGERS
Week 10 Opponent: Oakland Raiders
Result: Won 20-6
The Los Angeles Chargers didn't have the kind of blowout win
other teams enjoyed this week. Considering how poorly the Oakland Raiders have
played, this may come as a bit of a surprise. Still, you can bet the Chargers
will take a two-touchdown victory over a division rival and the accompanying
7-2 record.
Were the Chargers perfect? Far from it. Philip Rivers had
just a so-so game by his standards (223 yards, two touchdowns, one
interception), and the run game (4.3 yards per carry) was good but not great.
However, the Chargers defense was able to carry the day by
getting key stops. The Raiders drove inside the Chargers' 30-yard line on their
first three possessions but came away with a mere three points. One drive was
stalled on 4th-and-goal, and another ended with a fumble. Oakland had another
two red-zone trips in the fourth quarter but earned just another field goal
between them.
The Chargers have had a couple of ugly wins this season, but
they couldn't win similar games last year. Los Angeles isn't trying to dig
itself out of an early-season hole, and the team is keeping pace right behind
the 9-1 Chiefs. Up next is another divisional game against the Broncos.
Week 10 Grade: B
Season Grade: A-
LOS ANGELES RAMS
Week 10 Opponent: Seattle Seahawks
Result: Won 36-31
The Los Angeles Rams bounced back from last week's loss, but
it wasn't easy. In a tough, physical game against the rival Seattle Seahawks,
it took a key fourth-down stop with under a minute to play to seal the victory.
This was the kind of gutty win that can give Los Angeles
confidence heading toward the playoffs.
The Rams got another strong performance out of Todd Gurley,
who finished with 160 combined rushing and receiving yards and a touchdown.
Jared Goff was efficient (318 yards, two touchdowns), and L.A. got enough
offense to make up for a defense that gave up its share of big plays.
This was a big win for the Rams, but it may have come at a
high cost. Wide receiver Cooper Kupp suffered a knee injury, and the Rams fear
it is a torn ACL, according to NFL.com's Ian Rapoport.
Next week, the Rams will take on another tough challenger in
the Chiefs in what could be a Super Bowl preview.
Week 10 Grade: B-
Season Grade: A
MIAMI DOLPHINS
Week 10 Opponent: Green Bay Packers
Result: Lost 31-12
The Dolphins were outclassed in this one, and they've now
lost three of their last four. That's a problem for a team looking to finally
challenge the Patriots in the AFC East.
It would be easy for the casual observer to point to Miami's
quarterback situation as the reason for the team's struggles. Starter Ryan
Tannehill has been dealing with a shoulder injury, and Brock Osweiler has
started the last four games in his place.
While the offense is more limited with Osweiler, the
journeyman has played reasonably well. The same cannot be said for Miami's
offensive line or its defense. Osweiler was sacked six times, and the Dolphins
defense allowed Green Bay to finish five of its nine drives with points.
Miami surrendered 195 yards on the ground alone.
At 5-5, the Dolphins are still in the playoff conversation,
but they're stumbling into the bye.
Week 10 Grade: F
Season Grade: C
MINNESOTA VIKINGS
Week 10 Bye
Not everything has gone right for the Minnesota Vikings this
season. They've had decisive losses to the Saints and Bills, they managed only
a tie against the Packers and they've had to deal with the injury bug biting
second-year back Dalvin Cook.
Still, the Vikings are in position to make a run at the NFC
North crown. They're chasing the Bears, who just so happen to be next on the
schedule.
Minnesota is largely in contention because quarterback Kirk
Cousins is living up to his three-year, $84 million deal. He's completing 71.3 percent of
his passes and has 17 touchdowns against just five interceptions.
Latavius Murray (417 yards, 4.5 yards per carry) has filled
in extremely well when Cook hasn't been available. With wideouts Adam Thielen
and Stefon Diggs both on pace for career years, the Vikings offense can hang
with almost anyone.
If the defense, which is allowing 22.7 points per game, can
hold up its end of the bargain, Minnesota will be a hard team to keep out of
the playoffs.
Season Grade: B
NEW ENGLAND
PATRIOTS
Week 10 Opponent: Tennessee Titans
Result: Lost 34-10
It's not often that the New England Patriots don't come to
play, but when they pulled Tom Brady in favor of Brian Hoyer late against the
Titans; you could see that's exactly what happened Sunday.
The Patriots were outworked and outmuscled by the Titans.
They couldn't get anything going on the ground—Sony Michel managed just 31
yards and 2.8 yards per carry—and that forced the Patriots to lean on Brady and
the passing game.
Normally, this isn't an issue for New England. However,
Tennessee harassed Brady and held up in coverage. Brady, who finished just
21-of-41 rarely, had time in the pocket and rarely had quality looks at open
receivers. Almost every throw was contested, and without easy chunk plays, the
Patriots were forced into a physical dogfight.
Tennessee won the shoving match by controlling the game on
the ground and getting Marcus Mariota some easy downfield completions of his
own.
This was a bad loss for the 7-3 Patriots, and it puts their
quest for a first-round bye in jeopardy. The only good news is New England can
get back on track with a winnable game against the Jets after a Week 11 bye.
Week 10 Grade: F
Season Grade: B
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
Week 10 Opponent: Cincinnati Bengals
Result: Won 51-14
Saints quarterback Drew Brees is having perhaps the best
season of his career, and it's not hard to figure out why. New Orleans has
surrounded Brees with a ton of offensive talent, and with the play of the
defense on the rise, the Saints are looking like the best team in football.
Brees was once again steady, passing for 265 yards and three
touchdowns against the Bengals. His backfield produced 244 yards on the ground,
and Cincinnati had no answer for anything the Saints tried to do on offense.
The Bengals struggled to find success against the New
Orleans defense, too. The Saints pass rush frequently pressured Andy Dalton and
sacked him four times. The defense also picked off a pair of passes, both in
Saints territory.
It has to be noted that the Bengals were without their top
receiver, but this was still an impressive performance from the side of the
ball that doesn't always get credit in New Orleans. The Saints cannot expect
this kind of defensive outing every week, but when they get it, they'll be
impossible to beat.
Week 10 Grade: A+
Season Grade: A
NEW YORK GIANTS
Week 10 Opponent: San Francisco 49ers
When: Monday at 8:15 p.m. ET
National TV: ESPN
Line (via OddsShark): SF -3
The New York Giants have been perhaps the NFL's most disappointing
team this season. Armed with weapons like Odell Beckham Jr., Saquon Barkley,
Evan Engram and Sterling Shepard, the Giants should have one of the most
explosive offenses in the league.
However, quarterback Eli Manning has struggled, the
offensive line has been a mess, and the Giants are averaging just 18.8 points
per game.
Can New York turn things around against a 2-7 San Francisco
49ers team ravaged by injuries?
NEW YORK JETS
Week 10 Opponent: Buffalo Bills
Result: Lost 41-10
Talk about a letdown. The Jets were playing without rookie
quarterback Sam Darnold for the first time this year, but that is no excuse for
completely failing to show up against the division-rival Bills.
New York allowed a Buffalo team that has been offensively
inept most of the year to rack up 451 total yards. The Jets were unable to
answer with their own offense, and the result might be the worst loss of the
Jets season.
At the very least, this could be the loss that signals the
beginning of the end for head coach Todd Bowles, who is now 23-35 as the Jets
head coach.
The next game for Bowles and the Jets involves the Patriots,
who are coming off an ugly loss of their own. If New York plays like it did
against Buffalo, New England will have little trouble taking out its frustration.
And the Jets will have little hope of avoiding 3-8.
Week 10 Grade: F
Season Grade: D
OAKLAND RAIDERS
Week 10 Opponent: Los Angeles Chargers
Result: Lost 20-6
Well, at least the Raiders put forth a better effort than
they did against the San Francisco 49ers last week.
Poor execution, questionable play-calling and silly mistakes
are still hurting Oakland far too often, though. There's no other way to
explain five trips inside the opposition's 30-yard line resulting in just six
points.
This was one of Oakland's better defensive performances of
the season, as the Chargers were held to just 335 total yards. When your
offense cannot finish drives, though, a solid defensive performance isn't
enough.
The Raiders lack the talent needed to compete with
playoff-caliber teams. We'll see if the players continue to show some fight
next week against the Cardinals. If they cannot win that game, we'll know
they've packed it in.
Week 10 Grade: D
Season Grade: F
PHILADELPHIA
EAGLES
Week 10 Opponent: Dallas Cowboys
Result: Lost 27-20
In a back-and-forth game with the rival Cowboys, the Eagles
lost largely because they didn't have the last meaningful possession. The
Cowboys did, and they controlled most of the tempo, because Philadelphia
couldn't find an answer to Dallas' rushing attack. Ezekiel Elliott finished
with 151 yards on the ground.
Yes, the Eagles got one last shot with less than a minute
remaining, but with the Dallas defense playing like it was and with
Philadelphia needing a touchdown, that last chance wasn't a good one.
The big problem for Philadelphia is an inconsistency on
offense that wasn't there during last year's Super Bowl run. The Eagles are
again using a committee backfield, but with Jay Ajayi out for the year, the
ground game hasn't regularly been reliable.
New addition Golden Tate did add some new wrinkles to the
offense, but he wasn't able to stretch the field and open up the offense the
way the Eagles hope he can down the stretch. Tight end Zach Ertz was Carson
Wentz's go-to target.
The Eagles still have a playoff-caliber defense, but when
they can't control the game on the ground or limit the opposition's running
game, they're struggling to win the kind of grind-it-out games they did a year
ago.
Week 10 Grade: C-
Season Grade: C-
SAN FRANCISCO
49ERS
Week 10 Opponent: New York Giants
When: Monday at 8:15 p.m. ET
National TV: ESPN
Line (via OddsShark): SF -3
The 49ers have their quarterback in Jimmy Garoppolo, and
they should have him back from his ACL injury next season. However, San
Francisco may have also found itself a quarterback to rally around for the
remainder of this season in Nick Mullens.
Mullens (262 yards, three touchdowns) was phenomenal in his
NFL debut last week, and he gives the 49ers a chance to win games and build
momentum down the stretch.
We'll find out if Mullens and San Francisco can keep rolling
against the Giants on Monday night.
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
Week 10 Opponent: Los Angeles Rams
Result: Lost 36-31
The Seattle Seahawks are no longer the cream of the NFC West
crop, and they may not even be a playoff team in 2018. You cannot, however, say
they don't have enough drive to compete with the best teams the conference has
to offer.
For the second time this season, the Seahawks lost to the
Rams by a single score, and they're showing the kind of fight many 4-5 teams
wouldn't.
Seattle also got some production from rookie first-round
running back Rashaad Penny, for what felt like the first time all season. Penny
rushed for 108 yards and a touchdown.
Yes, there are some positives to take away from Seattle's
loss, but it's still a loss that drops the Seahawks below .500. They can
realistically only afford one more loss and still make the postseason, and
that'll be a tough ask with the Packers and Panthers up next.
Week 10 Grade: C
Season Grade: C
TAMPA BAY
BUCCANEERS
Week 10 Opponent: Washington Redskins
Result: Lost 16-3
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a mess right now, and it's hard
to know exactly what to make of them.
Ryan Fitzpatrick got the starting job back but couldn't get
a win against the Washington Redskins. The Buccaneers offense racked up 501
yards but scored a mere three points. The defense allowed just 286 yards and 16
points, but that wasn't enough to get the victory. Defensive coordinator Mike
Smith was fired earlier this season, and head coach Dirk Koetter took over
offensive play-calling duties from Todd Monken for this game.
On the bright side, Koetter's play-calling got the
Buccaneers to at least the Washington 30-yard line five different times. The
problem is Tampa only earned three points with those opportunities.
It's looking more and more likely the Buccaneers will move
on from Koetter after this season, and it's not hard to see why. Tampa opened
the season 2-0 and has only picked up a sloppy overtime win over the Browns
since.
Week 10 Grade: F
Season Grade: D+
TENNESSEE TITANS
Week 10 Opponent: New England Patriots
Result: Won 34-10
Mike Vrabel's Titans are not afraid of anyone or any
situation. They went into Dallas and battered the Cowboys on Monday
Night Football last week. They faced Vrabel's former team, the mighty
Patriots, on a short week and made short work of them.
This game was never really close, and that's a result of the
physicality and drive of this football team. Tennessee might not have the
greatest collection of talent in the AFC, but it fights as hard as anyone, and
that's good news for the future of the franchise.
That future might even include the 2018 postseason if the
Titans can keep rolling. At 5-4, Tennessee is very much in the hunt for the AFC
South title with big divisional games on the road against the Colts and Texans
up next.
This was a huge win for Tennessee and not only because it
keeps it in that divisional race. If the Titans do get into the postseason,
they'll be confident in their ability to knock off even the best teams in the
AFC.
Week 10 Grade: A+
Season Grade: B-
WASHINGTON
REDSKINS
Week 10 Opponent: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Result: Won 16-3
It wasn't pretty for Washington, but it got the win over
Tampa Bay nonetheless. You can either credit the Bucs' incompetency for that,
or you can credit the Redskins defense for making key plays when it mattered
most.
Washington fans will probably do the latter, and it isn't
wrong to do so.
Let's be clear: The Redskins defense was not at its best
against the Buccaneers. It allowed 501 yards and let Tampa move into scoring
position five times. However, Washington also forced three turnovers inside its
30.
Offensively, the Redskins did just enough to put up a
touchdown and a trio of field goals. Adrian Peterson averaged
3.6 yards per carry, but he did total 68 yards on the ground. Alex Smith didn't
throw for 200 yards, but he didn't turn the ball over either.
The Redskins easily could have lost, but they didn't, and
that's huge. The win moves them to 6-3 and keeps them atop the NFC East.
Week 10 Grade: C+
Season Grade: B-
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