Highs And Lows: The Biggest Winners (& Losers) Of NFL Week 11
Highs And Lows: The Biggest Winners (& Losers) Of NFL Season Week 11 & How Old People Ruin Things
In 1986, it was impossible to explain the stranglehold that professional wrestling had on me. And while there were smaller wrestling outfits, I was a WWF (later changed to WWE after the World Wildlife Fund sued them) fan. I watched wrestling every Saturday morning. I begged for the action figures and the wrestling ring, but my parents would never take me to a match. Then one day, my mom got me and my best friend tickets on the pretense that my dad would take me. He didn’t want to go. The whole thing was stupid to him. He didn’t understand the fascination I had with grown men acting like they were hurting each other. He complained the whole way to the arena about the predictability of the matches. And as soon as we got there, he looked around the arena and said, “No one is going to lose their belt tonight.” I asked how he knew that. He pointed out that he was sure no one would lose their belts. I looked at the lineup to see a match I thought was close and pointed outthat some fight (I can’t remember who it was now) was going to be a close match. And he just laughed then blurted out, “You know how I know that no one’s going to lose their belt tonight?” And before I could say anything, he said: “Because there aren’t any cameras here.”
This is Week 6 of the NFL football round-up in which we separate the wheat from the chaff (whatever that means) and figure out which teams are winners, losers, and everything in between.
Winners
Chicago Bears
If I told you at the beginning of the year that the Chicago Bears were going to be 7-3 and chilling at the top of the NFC North, you wouldn’t believe me, and yet, here we are. The Bears just keep finding ways to win, and somehow the formula of a serviceable quarterback, a tough defense, and forced turnovers is appearing to be enough. The Minnesota Vikings kept the game close, but in the end, the Bears were able to squeak this game out 19-17.
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos lost two out of the first three games of the season, and then they never lost again. They currently sit atop the AFC West and just pulled out a victory against the Kansas City Chiefs, 22-19. I know. I know. The Chiefs of this year are not the Chiefs of yesteryear, but beating Patrick Mahomes and Taylor Swift’s boyfriend has to mean something. Doesn’t it?
Los Angeles Rams
The Los Angeles Rams were supposed to lose the game against the Seattle Seahawks, or at least that’s what my parlay said. Nevertheless, the Rams did what they’ve done all year and grinded out a win, beating the now 7-3 Seahawks 21-19. The Rams’ win was all about the defense, which made four interceptions and literally kept Seattle touchdown-less for most of the game. Matt Stafford went 15-28 for 130 yards and two touchdowns. And with only 12 carries, Kyren Williams rushed for 91 yards and 1 touchdown.
Middle of the Road
Baltimore Ravens
They aren’t out of the woods yet, but it’s hard not to look at the Baltimore Ravens and think they aren’t on the way up. They have the talent and appear to be putting it all together, but they are on the middle list because they should’ve blown the Cleveland Browns out, and they didn’t. In fact, they had to come back in the fourth quarter, scoring 13 points just to beat the lowly Browns 23-16.
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers now have a winning record at 6-5, and QB Bryce Young went out to silence all of the critics, haters, doubters, and naysayers with the game of his life as the Panthers beat the Atlanta Falcons 30-27. Young 31-45 for 448 yards and 3 TD and no interceptions. And if Young had a good game, you know that means…Tetairoa McMillan. He’s been the Panthers leading wide receiver this year and clearly has a connection with Young, hauling in 8 receptions for 130 yards for two touchdowns. Don’t look now but the Panthers are second in the NFC South. Anything is possible.
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars didn’t just beat the Los Angeles Chargers; they destroyed them 35-6 in what essentially became a gut-check game for the Jags. Coming off a bad loss to the Houston Texans (36-29), last week, this game was about getting back on the right side of things. And they dominated from start to finish. The win gives them a 6-4 record and has them in second place in the AFC South.
Losers
New York Jets
Truthfully, the New York Jets, the Washington Commanders, and the New York Giants could always be on the list, but the Jets are in a unique situation, as their last game was a loss to the New England Patriots 27-14, but this might be the beginning of the end for Jets QB Justin Fields. After going just 15 of 26 for 116 yards and one touchdown, it was announced Monday that the Jets are going with QB Tyrod Taylor, and I don’t see how Fields gets back on the field. Fields has had chances with three different teams (Bears, Steelers, and Jets) and just can’t make it work. The entire Jets organization is just Marcus Mariota at this point.
Cincinnati Bengals
Once the Cincinnati Bengals lost QB Joe Burrow their season was over. Current QB Joe Flacco should only be allowed to throw the remote to his wife (assuming she is near his reclining chair) while enjoying his retirement because they are bordering on the Washington Commanders’ level of bad. The Bengals didn’t just lose to the Pittsburgh Steelers, they got destroyed 34-12. At this point, if Flacco can throw his keys to the valet without missing his wide-open palm, we have to consider that a win. That’s how low the bar is.
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns lost to the Baltimore Ravens 23-16 but that isn’t news. This Sunday marked the first NFL game for Shedeur Sanders and it wasn’t supposed to be like this. After being one of the best quarterbacks in college football, Sanders watched as his name plummeted all the way to the fifth round after an anonymous coach tanked his stock by claiming all kinds of bad things about Sanders. Finally being taken by the Browns in the fifth round, Sanders was immediately buried on the depth chart. Browns coach Kevin Stefanski seemed to have a grudge against Sanders. He wouldn’t give him meaningful reps in practice. He grew visibly irritable when asked about Sanders during press conferences. In fact, after every loss Stefanski would make it a point to say he wasn’t playing Sanders.
And then Sunday happened, and current Browns QB Dillion Gabriel suffered a possible concussion and was pulled from the game. Sanders finally got a sho,t and he blew it. He threw four completions on 16 attempts for a measly 47 yards. He threw an interception and fumbled the ball. He was sacked twice. It was a horrible start to a career that wasn’t supposed to look like this. He was supposed to be drafted to a team that would work with him to ease him into the starting position. He was supposed to be protected and guided, and instead, he was thrown into the fire and looked like crap.
Which reminds me of my dad and his annoyance during the wrestling match. I don’t know what was going on with him that night, but whatever was happening with him, it spilled over and onto me, and I can’t help but think that sometimes old people just ruin everything.
Highs And Lows: The Biggest Winners (& Losers) Of NFL Season Week 11 & How Old People Ruin Things was originally published on cassiuslife.com
