The NFL never ceases to amaze. Good, bad, or just totally insane. This league never sleeps. Just when you think you’re starting to figure things out: BANG! The New York Jets stun the Buffalo Bills, or the Los Angeles Rams and Tampa Bay Buccaneers – the last two Super Bowl winners – give us a snooze fest of a game. Okay, so maybe the NFL does sleep on occasion. But we’re always learning, even through sleepy time.
The Packers are broken
It’s officially official. The Green Bay Packers are broken. There were already plenty of indicators to suggest that the Packers were bad, so it’s not a shock. But scoring just nine points against the worst defense in the NFL is the final straw. Heading into Week 9, the Lions defense was dead last in EPA per dropback and allowing over 30 points per game, the most in the NFL by a wide margin. There was a reason the Lions only had one win prior to this game.
If there was ever a potential “get right” game for Green Bay, this was it. The struggling offense had an opportunity to revitalize itself, put some points on the board and look to put themselves back into the NFC playoff race. A chance for Rodgers and his maligned group of receivers to find some chemistry. Oh, how wrong we were.
The Packers put up a measly nine points against the Lions in a 15-9 losing effort. Rodgers finished with three interceptions – his most in a game since 2017 – and completed just 53 percent of his passes. This just isn’t a Packers offense we’re used to. They’re struggling to convert in obvious passing situations, Rodgers and the receivers are struggling to get on the same page, and the offensive line is inconsistent.
They’ve now lost 5 games in a row. A new low. Put a fork in them, the Packers are done.
Justin Fields goes berserk against the Dolphins
Some brighter news in the NFC North, well, unless you’re a Packers fan. Things have been looking a little more rosy for the Chicago Bears and Justin Fields over the last few weeks – even if they’ve lost their last two games. That’s the thing about success – it’s completely subjective. Being able to see tangible development in their franchise quarterback despite losing games isn’t a bad thing. And when Fields puts in a performance like he did against the Dolphins on Sunday, you can’t help but feel elated.
There are still obvious blemishes on the scouting report; his often uneasiness in the pocket and lack of anticipation as a thrower have been troublesome, but Fields is only 23 years old and his supporting cast doesn’t inspire a lot of hope when it comes to expecting them to get open. He only passed for 123 yards against the Dolphins, but added three touchdowns. However, it was really the threat of him as a runner that sent the Dolphins defense into fits.
Fields rushed for 178 yards on 15 carries, mixing in designed run plays, read options, and scrambling out of the pocket to keep the Dolphins on their toes. It worked. Those 178 rushing yards were the most-ever by a quarterback in a regular season game. And that sort of threat greatly benefits the passing game too – the gravity of Fields as a runner pulls linebackers closer to the line of scrimmage, opening up previously covered parts of the field that he can exploit with his arm.
This could be the turning point for Fields and the Bears.
The Raiders continue to find ways to lose
Ugh. One of the real disappointments of the season. The Las Vegas Raiders pumped money and hope into their offseason, trading for – and extending – Davante Adams, signing Chandler Jones, and appointing Josh McDaniels as their new head coach. Even in, what was considered, a loaded AFC West, the Raiders were expected to make a real push for the postseason.
That hasn’t happened. After losing 27-20 to the Jaguars, the Raiders dropped to 2-6 and sit rock bottom in the West with their playoff hopes all but out the window. It’s the season from hell from the Raiders. The kicker, though, is that aside from the blowout loss to the Saints last week, the Raiders have been in every single game. Even worse, they’ve let a big lead slip against the Chiefs, Cardinals, and now the Jaguars this season. The Raiders have just botched it. There’s no other way to put it.
They led the Jaguars by 17 points midway through the second quarter before surrendering 27 points and scoring just 3 more. A total collapse. And the blame is shared. The defense has been one of the worst in the NFL, again, while the offense faltered and couldn’t put points on the board in the second half. It’s a damn shame. This Raiders offense has been great so far this season, but an inability to win close games has cost them dearly. Questions are looming for this team heading into the offseason.
Change in Indianapolis
From one hot mess to another. Change might be coming to the Raiders in the offseason, but it’s well and truly here for the Colts and…gosh it’s a mess. The Colts fired Frank Reich after an embarrassing 26-3 defeat to the Patriots in Week 8, dropping their record to 3-5-1 on the season. How much of the blame should be placed on Reich is up for debate. He dealt with a carousel of quarterbacks during his tenure with the team and finished with a 40-33-1 record in spite of that.
But Reich shouldn’t be absolved of all the blame. The offense struggled with Matt Ryan prior to his benching, and Reich was the guy who stuck his neck out for Carson Wentz – which ended with Wentz being traded to the Commanders after just one season. Had he not stuck his neck out for Wentz, he might have avoided the guillotine. It’s a shame and the firing is probably unjust but Reich will end up with another team – be it as a head coach or a coordinator – soon enough.
What comes next is just as confusing. The Colts appointed Jeff Saturday as their interim head coach until the end of the season. Saturday is a Colts legend but has no prior NFL or college sideline experience. It could prove to be a worthwhile gamble, but it reeks of Jim Irsay grasping for the golden days.
Jets confirm their realness
Despite the doubters, the iffy quarterback play and recent history, the New York Jets regret to inform you all that they are very, very real. All it took was a win against, arguably, the best team in the NFL. The Jets topped the Bills 20-17, relying on their excellent defense to slow Josh Allen and the Bills offense down, and the run game to carry the load for Zach Wilson.
However, Wilson kept the critics at bay for just a little longer with a more composed performance than we’ve seen from him this season. He completed a career-high 72 percent of his passes for 154 yards and a touchdown while building his chemistry with 2022 first round pick Garrett Wilson.
It really is the Jets defense that sticks out, though. They pressured Allen 18 times, sacking him six times, forced him into two interceptions, and held him to just 205 passing yards – his lowest total of the season. It was an all-around great performance from a young and fun team that has a real chance to make the postseason now. Wilson’s performances may only take them so far, but it’s hard not to be excited about this team.
-Thomas Valentine
Twitter: @tvalentinesport
Photo: Atlanta Falcons. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license.