Week 10 Thoughts
The Lions find another way to win
The Lions once again proved that they can win in any way possible. This time, they were able to come out on top depite a 16-point deficit and 5 interceptions by Jared Goff.
Goff had a game like this back in 2018 against the Bears on Sunday Night Football when he was with the Rams. But it had a very different feel to it. L.A. couldn’t get any offense going and each interception seemed to make him play faster and worse. On Sunday, however, Goff shrugged off the 5 interceptions and was tough as nails, both physically in the pocket and mentally in response to how things were going. This is a different Jared Goff. This is a different Lions team.
The Cardinals are…good?
The Cardinals are a fun team to watch right now. They’re physical in the run game, and early on it was apparent that they’d be able to have their way against the Jets defense, which has struggled to stop the run or tackle all season. Arizona would ultimately finish the afternoon with 147 rushing yards and 3 touchdowns on 32 carries. They did what they wanted to and controlled the game on this side of the ball.
That included through the air, where Kyler Murray was lights out. He completed 22 of 24 passes for 266 yards and a touchdown, and his 17 straight completions were a franchise record.
At 6-4, Arizona is at the top of the NFC West. And merely for the entertainment value, I hope we get to see them in the playoffs.
Christian McCaffrey returns
Christian McCaffrey returned to the 49ers lineup on Sunday for the first time all season. And while he didn’t light it up on the ground (13 carries, 39 yards), he showed his value in the passing game. McCaffrey not only caught 6 passes for 68 yards, but he also reeled in a 30-yard reception that helped set up a go-ahead touchdown in the 4th quarter.
Kyle Shanahan will always be able to produce a running game regardless of who’s in the backfield. While McCaffrey certainly adds value in that area, his contributions in the passing game are what the 49ers have been missing most.
Man, the NFC West is starting to heat up…
Mike Tomlin’s move to Russell Wilson paying dividends
Mike Tomlin’s decision to hand the reins over to Russell Wilson a few weeks ago, even though the Steelers were 4-2 at the time, seems like it could be a defining move of the 2024 season.
Pittsburgh is 3-0 since then, and the improvements on offense are noticeable. They’re averaging 60 more passing yards per game and a little over a touchdown more per game with Wilson at the helm.
Not to mention, they’re now capable of moments like the one we saw on Sunday; a touchdown pass in the final minutes with the game on the line.
Their showdown against the Ravens next week will tell us a lot about how good this 7-2 Steelers team really is.
Giants’ loss to Panthers was revealing
The Giants fell to 2-8 with an embarrassing loss in Germany to the Carolina Panthers on Sunday. I know, I know, Daniel Jones missed a lot in this game. But is he really the reason this team is 2-8 and not, say, 6-4?
Blaming Jones is the low-hanging fruit, because this franchise has been in disarray outside of the quarterback position for a while now. And the current regime hasn’t been able to fix it.
The coaching staff has done some good things schematically to help win games here and there, but a well-coached team doesn’t lose to the Panthers like the Giants did on Sunday (The last team to lose to the Panthers had their Head Coach fired the next day).
A well-coached team doesn’t fail to show up multiple times throughout a season (which has happened this year and last).
A well-run organization doesn’t take players in the first round of the draft in consecutive seasons who end up getting benched early in their careers.
If you’re a Giants fan, at this point you have no choice but to hope for situations that expose the franchise’s weaknesses and make the way forward clear. Moving on from Jones seems like a foregone conclusion. But what about Brian Daboll and Joe Schoen? They had a great first year, but their fingerprints are now all over this franchise. They have to wear what’s been going on over the last two seasons. And Giants ownership can’t afford to give them a long leash just for the sake of continuity. Especially with someone like Bill Belichick lurking out there (BTW yes, if the Giants have a chance at getting Belichick, they absolutely should do it. Don’t be silly).
This offseason is a huge one in this team’s history.