Photo Credit: NFL.com
Broken Record:
There have been 2 points I feel like we’ve seen week after week this season. First, crazy comebacks. Second, teams that tie up the game with barely any time left, and then somehow getting the ball back and kicking a game winning field goal. Two games featured both instances occurring on Sunday. The Vikings were down 20-13 with less than 5 minutes in the game. After a long drive to tie the game, the Bears had 1:49 to either win the game or send it into OT. Not only did they go 3 and out, but the Bears had 2 incomplete passes which stopped the clock for the Vikings (they never had to call a timeout on this drive). Bridgewater then went 48 yards in 4 plays, 36 yard FG is good. Boom!
The second game was the high scoring slug fest between the Giants and the Saints. In the 4th Quarter, the Saints were actually up 42-28. The Giants then scored 3 unanswered TD’s in less than 8 minutes to take a 49-42 lead. Then it was the Saints turn to comeback, scoring with only 36 seconds left to tie the game at 49. Overtime, right? Wrong! In a terrible turn of events, the Giants went incomplete pass, short completion (Giants timeout), and then incomplete pass to take a whopping 16 seconds off the clock. Then in another debacle, the Giants punted and allowed a 24 yard return before the Punter mauled the guys facemask, adding an extra 15 yards. The Saints then kicked a 50 yard field goal to win the game 36 seconds after they tied the game.
Battle of the Undefeated #1:
For as big of hype the Broncos Packers game brought, it was a bit anticlimactic. The Broncos defense proved why it was the best in the league, and was battering receivers and Rodgers all game long. I thought it would be more a better matchup, at least a defensive matchup, but somehow Peyton Manning also finally figured out his offense. Was interesting to see the stat about how Kubiak changed the offense so Manning almost exclusively takes the snap in the Pistol in his 7th game, where there were 0 snaps in Week 1. Whatever they’re doing, it’s clicking and the Broncos just took out a major player in the league. I think this leads well into the best matchup of the season: Denver vs. New England in Week 12.
Cincy Struggles:
What should have been the game of the week between the Bengals and Steelers, somewhat turned into a comedy of errors during the 2nd half. Starting in the 3rd Quarter, it went Cin FG blocked, Pit punt, Cin throws interception, Pit Punt, Cin throws interception, Pit throws interception, Cin scores TD, Pit throws interception. I was doing some things with the game on in the background, and it seemed like everytime I looked at the screen, the other team had the ball. Cincy ended up holding on and winning the game in thrilling 16-10 style though to remain undefeated.
Undefeated Teams:
We’re down to 4 undefeated teams in the NFL, and this is the most we’ve had through 8 weeks. It’s just leading up to a strong chance that one of these teams goes undefeated for the year. My vote is New England, but I truly think it could happen this year!
Patriots: Play Denver, but otherwise it’s almost a given if they can beat the Jets
Bengals: Tougher road, the weaker teams they play have top notch defenses
Broncos: Toughest road, still play Bengals and Patriots but both are in Denver
Panthers: Don’t think this is the team to go undefeated, but if they get past the Packers they have an easy road to do so
Age of Quarterbacks:
I vividly remember Brett Favre passing Dan Marino’s TD record of 420, and what a big deal that was. But in today’s day and age, it has almost become commonplace. Tom Brady and Drew Brees will easily pass 420 this year, putting Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, and Drew Brees as 3 of the top 4 QB’s of all time. In the 95 years that the league has been around, 3 of the top 4 QB’s of all time are still actively playing. And remember how good Joe Montana was? Eli Manning just passed Cool Joe to get into the Top 10 for all time TD passes.
Stat of the Week:
Eli Manning and Drew Brees combined for 13 TD passes, an NFL record
Stat of the Week #2:
Todd Gurley’s 566 rushing yards in his first 4 games is an NFL record
Stat of the Week #3:
Both Tom Brady and Philip Rivers are on pace to throw for 5504 yards, which would beat Manning’s record by 52 yards
Stat of the Week #4:
Devonta Freeman leads the league with 9 rushing TD’s, nearly doubling the 2nd place mark of 5
Stat of the Week #5:
Aaron Rodgers came into the game with the top passer rating in the league, and was held to 50 net passing yards
Stolen Stat of the Week #6:
Drew Brees had as many TD passes in one game (7) as Peyton Manning has all season
Quick Hits:
- Saints kicker Kai Forbath hit a 50 yard FG to win the game, at home, in his first FG attempt as a Saint
- Ouch Colin Kaepernick. You know it’s bad when you’ve just been benched for Blaine Gabbert
- Can’t find the official stat, but I believe Monday night was the first time under the new OT rules that a team has kicked a FG, the other team matched it, and then the other team won the game
- The Falcons may have been too good to be true. Started 5-0, and have since lost to the winless Saints, barely beat the 1-16 Titans, and lost to 2-4 Buccaneers at home.
- Anybody have both the Raiders and Rams over .500 in November? How about the Falcons and Jets?
- The Packers (once undefeated) play an undefeated team, on the road, for the 2nd week in a row
Reason for Title:
It’s my 101st post, not other reason…I’m done talking about it until 200
