My Week 9 NFL Notebook

posted 11/4/19

1) For the first time this season, the Patriots have a true threat for AFC supremacy. The Baltimore Ravens beat New England with a new school quarterback running an old school offense. Lamar Jackson wasn’t always sharp against the Patriots, but he made timely passes and let the game come to him, finishing with 224 total yards of offense and three touchdowns. The run-pass option has been in vogue the last few years, but we haven’t seen a quarterback as dangerous as Jackson run it this efficiently. 

2) Before the game, Bill Belichick praised Jackson by calling him “a problem.” I’ll be curious to see how they solve it when they inevitably meet in December. 

3) The Bears offensive woes continue. In the first half against Philadelphia, they gained just nine yards on twenty plays. They finished with 164 yards. 

4) Jacoby Brissett will be week to week after his teammate Quentin Nelson fell on his ankle and knee. It’s an injury that happens quite a bit in the NFL. The fluke was normally driving Nelson was stood up and driven back into his QB.

5) I think the smartest thing Andy Reid did for Matt Moore was keep seven men in to block for him. This gave the less mobile Moore more time to throw the deep ball that kept the offense aggressive. 

6) Gardner Minshew II had four turnovers in eleven plays in the game against Houston. Minshew had his moments in leading the Jags to a respectable 4-5 record, but Nick Foles’ return should provide a boost in a still winnable division.

7) The Chargers held a rolling Green Bay team to just 50 yards in the first half. Where the hell was this kind of effort before?

8) And after totaling 142 rushing yards in their last four games, Los Angeles had 159 yards against the Packers. It’s clear that new OC Shane Steichen will run the ball the way Anthony Lynn has wanted to all season.

9) The Raiders last home game was on September 15th. Now, they’ll have two in five days. 

10) The Buccaneers last home game was September 22nd. They’ll get one home game next week against the Cardinals, but finish the month with two more road games (Saints and Falcons.)

11) I don’t know what was worse, Sam Darnold’s ill-advised pass into coverage or his absolute lack of effort on a bad snap that led to a safety.

12) This is the Jets seventh 1-7 start in franchise history.

13) But the tank-a-thon is still not over. Not when we still have Jets at Washington, Miami at Jets, Jets at Cincinnati, and Cincinnati at Miami to look forward to.

14) The NFL told both Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry that they had to change shoes at halftime or they wouldn’t be allowed to play. Between convoluted rules, endless (and unnecessary) replays, and a stunning lack of awareness about social issues, the NFL sure comes across as the old man yelling at clouds.

Players of the week:

Russell Wilson was 29 of 43 for 378 yards and five touchdowns including the game winner in overtime. He is the third QB ever to have at least 20 TD passes in his first eight seasons. (Dan Marino, Peyton Manning)

Christian McCaffery has 1,244 yards and 12 touchdowns in eight games this season.

Plays of the week:

Tyreek Hill had six catches for 140 yards and a touchdown, but his highlight had to be him escorting Damian Williams into the end zone.

Duke Johnson made Tre Herndon into road kill.

Melvin Gordon has serious hops.

Daryl Worley has good hands.

Breshad Perriman has good awareness (and luck.)