1. Joe Flacco and the Ravens finally figured out the Steelers defense.
After engineering a nice comeback win the previous weekend against the Cardinals, Flacco and the offense rode that momentum to an impressive win over the Steelers in Pittsburgh. The divisional and playoff implications are obvious, but more importantly, has Joe Flacco found his confidence?
I'll be the first to admit I wasn't expecting a 92-yard, game-winning drive from Flacco in Pittsburgh. But even after Torrey Smith and Anquan Boldin both developed a case of the "Roy Williams" during the final drive, Flacco remained calm and poised, ultimately delivering a perfect ball to Smith for the touchdown.
Going forward, the confidence boost should do wonders in making Flacco a more consistent week-to-week quarterback (which is what the Ravens are going to need if they hope to hold on to their division lead). As huge as the win against the Steelers was for Baltimore, Flacco and the Ravens can't afford a letdown on the road as they travel to noisy Qwest Field in Seattle (far from an easy place to win). Another post-Steelers egg (see Week 2 at Tennessee) would nullify a great start to 2011 for the Ravens.
2. Maybe it's time to worry for Patriots fans.
After Eli threw that late, red-zone interception, there's no way I was the only person thinking, "Typical Eli and the Giants with their mid-season collapse." But watching Manning lead his late comeback made me reconsider both the Giants and the Patriots.
I still think the Cowboys will edge out the Giants for the NFC East crown, but New York will not roll over for Dallas. As for the Patriots, they have issues on both sides of the ball. New England's secondary is more fluid than the Republican presidential candidate. On offense, a lack of a deep threat is congesting the Patriots' running and short-passing game. Belichick will right the ship, but if New England loses to the Jets this Sunday night, the Patriots could very likely find themselves fighting for a wild-card spot against the Bills on New Year's Day.
Random side note. New Year's Day is supposed to be about college football and nursing a hangover, not the NFL. Having it fall on a Sunday both takes away an extra day to watch football and an extra day for everyone's liver to recover. Lame on both counts.
3. The Eagles are going to need a minor miracle to make the playoffs.
After a dominant performance versus the Cowboys following a bye week, the Eagles appeared to be headed in the right direction. Then Philadelphia blew another fourth-quarter lead to fall three games behind the surging Giants.
While I don't think the Eagles are officially out of the playoff race, they are out of the wild-card race. Too many tiebreakers to overcome and too many teams need to fall apart there.
On the other hand, a long shot still is possible within the division - it just got that much harder Monday night. Given the Giants' remaining schedule and the Cowboys' injury concerns, both teams could start to stumble in the coming weeks. If the Eagles have any chance whatsoever, they will have to win seven of eight and beat both the Giants and the Cowboys on the road - far from an easy task.
4. San Diego could win the AFC West with a 9-7 record this season.
While the AFC West isn't quite as bad as last year's NFC West, it's not that much better either. For anyone who read my fantasy football articles before the season started, you know how much I thought of Philip Rivers (who is now on pace for something close to 73 interceptions. Sorry to everyone who drafted him in your league). But somehow the Chargers once again survived their traditional early-season struggles to remain tied for first in the division at 4-4.
The Chargers don't have many easy games left on the schedule (Oakland twice, at Chicago, Denver, at Jacksonville, Buffalo, Baltimore, at Detroit). But in a division where even Tim Tebow and the Broncos have a chance to win, my money's on Rivers and the Chargers. I'd say it's about as safe a bet as Tom Cruise continuing to make Mission Impossible movies no one cares about. Just look at that picture. Yummy.
5. While on the AFC West, the Colts owe the Chiefs a Thank You card.
We should've known the hangover from last Monday night's win over the Chargers would lead to a nosedive for the Chiefs. Kansas City didn't just lose to the Dolphins. The Chiefs were thoroughly dominated by...(wait for it)...Matt Moore and Reggie Bush. Yikes!
The Dolphins are playing more inspired every week, while the Colts sunk to a new low as Matt Ryan and Julio Jones torched Indianapolis at home. The Colts have home games remaining against the Jaguars, Panthers and Titans, but it's looking more and more like Indianapolis will be Andrew Luck's new home unless Peyton Manning makes a rapid recovery.
6. The AFC East race got a little clearer with a three-way tie.
We've already touched on the Patriots loss, but the Jets went into Buffalo and earned an impressive victory over the Bills. With all three teams at 5-3 and tiebreakers split among all of them, every team has something to prove heading into the stretch run.
After Buffalo warmed everyone's hearts to start the season, the Bills have lost two of their last three and are backpedaling at the wrong time. The Buffalo defense has been below average all season, but Ryan Fitzpatrick's recent slump needs to end now. The Bills get a rematch with the Jets in a couple weeks, in what may be a must-win game for Buffalo.
As for New York and New England, their game Sunday night may come close to giving us a division winner in early November. Both teams have similarly easy remaining schedules (both play the Bills at home and the Eagles as their toughest games). If the Patriots find a way to rebound from their two-game losing streak and stop the Jets in New York, a season-sweep will give New England a two-game stranglehold on the Jets and the division.
7. Andy Dalton and the Bengals remain red hot (couldn't resist).
Bear with me.
Four of the eight remaining games for the Bengals are against the Steelers and Ravens, but let's say Cincy steals just one (perhaps in that last week at home when the Ravens may have nothing to play for). That puts the Bengals at 7-5. If Cincinnati can manage to win their other four games (Cleveland, Houston, at St. Louis, and Arizona), could the Bengals really sneak into the playoffs at 11-5? Beating the Texans will be tough, but let's not count out the red-headed wonder and A.J. Green just yet.
8. The Buccaneers have taken a big step backward from last season.
While losing in New Orleans is nothing to get too worried about, it's more the way Tampa Bay played that's concerning. Coming into the season, the Buccaneers thought they had the young pieces in place at the skill positions to challenge for the NFC South title for years to come. But Josh Freeman, LeGarrette Blount and Mike Williams have all been huge disappointments in 2011.
Freeman has thrown more interceptions than touchdowns, Blount is coming back from a knee injury that caused him to miss two games and Williams hasn't caught a touchdown since Week 1. After defensive stud Gerald McCoy's season ended Sunday, the defense will continue to give up too many points for Tampa to keep pace. By the end of the season, the Buccaneers will be lucky to finish at .500.
9. 2010 Sam Bradford is ancient history.
This is a shame. When Bradford came into the draft, everyone's biggest concern was his ability to stay healthy. And although he missed a few games this season with ankle issues, he's been able to survive an atrocious offensive line for the past year and a half. Unfortunately, after Bradford's superb rookie campaign, the sophomore slump has crippled Bradford and the Rams this season.
10. The Packers are going to make Thanksgiving dinner obsolete.
After holding off a late Chargers comeback in San Diego, Aaron Rodgers and the Packers improved to 8-0. With only home games against the Vikings and the Buccaneers standing between Green Bay and Thanksgiving, Mike McCarthy & Co. are hardly shaking in their boots.
As for the Lions, the schedule is a little less friendly before Turkey Day. Jim Schwartz's bunch has a tough test in Chicago before returning home to battle with Cam Newton and the Panthers. Even if the Lions are 7-3 heading into an undefeated showdown with the Lambeau Leapers, it'll still be the first meaningful Thanksgiving game in Detroit in my lifetime.
I've decided to shun Andy Bernard for the next three years. It's an Amish technique. It's like slapping someone with silence. I was shunned from the age of four until my sixth birthday for not saving the excess oil from a can of tuna.
