Author: jminx94

The fourteenth week of the regular season eliminated teams from playoff contention and solidified division leaders. The postseason is a month away and most teams are getting ready for a higher playoff seed or the offseason. Time to break down who’s closer to wild-card weekend and who’s ready for a top five position in the draft.

Winners: David Njoku

The main story out of Cleveland after a crucial home win against Jacksonville will be the re-emergence of 38 year old quarterback Joe Flacco. A story more people should follow is tight end David Njoku being Flacco’s go-to receiver and a reason the Browns had an early double-digit lead. They never trailed Sunday afternoon.

The former first round pick had all six catches for 91 yards and two touchdowns in one half. Commentator Charles Davis said during a ten play Cleveland drive in the fourth quarter that, “the Browns offense looks different without Njoku being involved in this half” after Jacksonville narrowed down the lead.

The 38 year old Flacco has been named the starting quarterback the remainder of the season. Expect David Njoku to be the top receiving threat every game regardless of opponent.

Chicago Bears offense

Chicago’s offense has been one of the league’s better stories since the Thursday night win in Washington D.C. Quarterback Justin Fields proves every week why he should remain the face of the franchise. Even when the NFC North-leading Lions led at halftime, the Bears looked the better and more confident team.

Fields completed 19 of 33 passes for 223 yards and one touchdown for an 88.3 quarterback rating. His 12 rushes for 58 yards and another score kept Detroit’s defense off balance. The sophomore quarterback continues building chemistry with the receiving trio of D.J. Moore, Cole Kmet and Darnell Mooney, even if it’s taken longer than many expected. Now there’s solid running depth contributing rather than Justin Fields doing everything.

Credit goes to offensive coordinator Luke Getsy for having the right plan in place for gradual, regular season improvements even after wins. Getsy gets blasted in the media for strange play-calling and decisions, but Chicago is still a top three rushing team in the league and a better passing team the last two months. The Bears also end 2023 with an easier schedule. Optimism will grow heading into next season.

Zach Wilson

The former 2021 number two overall pick was re-named the starting Jets quarterback after horrid performances from Tim Boyle and Trevor Siemian. He could either make the most of the opportunity or play with no confidence. He did the former and had a career day against a Texans team 90% of the country thought would win.

Wilson left no doubt who the better quarterback and former second overall pick was in a lopsided home win against Houston. His touchdown throw to Randall Cobb gave the Jets their first lead of the game. His second to Breece Hall cemented a double-digit win.

The win builds confidence heading into the last month of the regular season. Wilson led New York to 30 points against the 12th best scoring defense led by coach of the year candidate DeMeco Ryans. If Wilson can have a few more consistent performances, there’s a chance he stays on the roster and continues learning from Aaron Rodgers when the former MVP returns.

Dallas Cowboys

Many analysts criticized Dallas for not playing their best against teams with winning records. After a thrilling Thursday night win against Seattle almost two weeks ago, the Cowboys put a beatdown on Philadelphia Sunday night.

Dallas wasted no time grabbing the early lead on their first offensive possession. Quarterback Dak Prescott was 14 of 23 for 157 yards with two passing touchdowns in the first half. The Cowboys won by 20 and held the Jalen Hurts-led offense to six points.

It’s been a polar trajectory since the Eagles beat Dallas in week nine. While Philadelphia is having issues with turnovers, health and replicating last year’s success, the Cowboys are peaking. Their undefeated record the last five games, points per game (40) and third down percentage (53%) are at least tied for first in the NFL while they’re second in yards per game with 437. Dallas now has a better record than Detroit, and Philadelphia may not win their last four games to keep the division lead. Defensive coordinator Dan Quinn has one of the best units in stopping opponents, forcing turnovers and pressuring quarterbacks. Unless injuries pile up, the Cowboys are the NFC’s most dangerous team outside Santa Clara.

Losers: Arthur Smith

Atlanta’s head coach Arthur Smith was hired to re-build an offense that needed new direction and fresh faces after franchise icon Matt Ryan was traded. While the Falcons are just one game under .500, Smith’s 24th ranked offense includes super-stars at runningback, tight-end and wide receiver.

The former offensive coordinator is stubbornly out-thinking himself in how to use the bastion of talent acquired in previous off-seasons. The versatile Cordarelle Patterson is averaging lows at receiving and rushing that was last seen in 2015 during his mismanagement in Minnesota. Former 2021 fifth overall pick Kyle Pitts has five touchdowns in not even three seasons. Smith believes a top receiving threat such as Pitts should be blocking for sophomore fifth round pick Tyler Allgeier. Normally, Allgeier would be a great addition for any team, but because Atlanta drafted runningback Bijan Robinson with the eighth pick in this year’s draft, that decision is slowing down an offense that scored at least 24 points the first two games of the season. Robinson averages five yards a carry and was a reason the Falcons were undefeated after week two. These talented players Smith doesn’t use often have given Atlanta enough scoring opportunities to stay in the NFC South race for months.

The Falcons’ schedule has been one of the easiest on paper. Yet coach Arthur Smith makes game-planning difficult. Since the amount of first round talent and play-makers aren’t seeing the field as much as they should, Atlanta’s upper management should make a coaching change after the regular season.

Doug Pederson

Speaking of bad coaching, Doug Pederson turned some heads when he decided the injured face of the franchise Trevor Lawrence should start in Cleveland against the NFL’s best defense. That went as many expected.

While the Browns defense didn’t injure Lawrence any worse, the Jaguars weren’t going to win with him. Lawrence threw a few touchdowns to Evan Engram, narrowing Cleveland’s lead late. It didn’t matter as the Browns sealed the win midway through the fourth quarter.

Pederson has to be careful with the health of star franchise players. It mirrors similar, poor decisions made in Philadelphia that led to his exit. Many will know next Sunday night in Jacksonville’s showdown against Baltimore if he makes similar choices.

Kansas City Chiefs

While there are fiery news headlines from the Buffalo-Kansas City game, the Chiefs offense was anything but dominant. What many expected to be a one-sided Kansas City win was filled with penalties, offensive blunders and the Chiefs sideline holding back their offensive captain from starting a fight with referees.

Many will blame the officials for calling one offsides penalty on Kansas City’s Kadarius Toney, negating a lead-changing touchdown but missing another two plays later on Buffalo’s Von Miller. That’s an easy excuse when in reality, everyone who’s watched the Chiefs offense has heard a broadcasting crew almost every week openly diss them with the view that whoever scores 20 points first will win. The latest duo to talk about this was CBS’ top pair Jim Nantz and Tony Romo when Kansas City tried taking the lead their last offensive possession.

The play-calling from offensive coordinator Matt Nagy gets worse every week (where have we heard this before?). The number of offsides, holding and false start penalties negates any offensive rhythm. According to ESPN’s Scott Van Pelt, yesterday’s offensive offsides penalty from Kadarius Toney was the first called against an Andy Reid-led team since he became a head coach. Reid has called over 25,100 plays over two decades. The two time Super Bowl winning coach has also cost the team by giving serious playing time to poor receivers such as Toney and Marquez Valdes-Scantling. It’s no wonder quarterback Patrick Mahomes II lost his cool and went after the officials even after the game ended.

D.K. Metcalf

Metcalf is one of the most talented receivers in the league. His desire to win and dominate opposing secondaries is a desired quality any team covets. Unfortunately these traits are doing more harm than good during Seattle’s four game losing streak.

It was no surprise D.K. Metcalf again got in serious trouble with the officials late in Sunday’s loss in Santa Clara. Fred Warner’s interception of Seahawks quarterback Drew Lock resulted in him having to shove Metcalf to gain more yardage. The receiver felt victimized and after both talked trash to each other, 49ers cornerback Deommodore Lenoir decided to join in. Metcalf yanked Lenoir by the facemask and shoved him back. The receiver found another way to lose his cool after being a non-factor in a mostly competitive game.

Cornerback Charvarius Ward, who shut down D.K. Metcalf in the first meeting in Seattle, left in the first half Sunday with a groin injury. Yet Metcalf had just two catches for 52 yards and a touchdown before he was ejected.

Many cornerbacks, and now coaches have realized Seattle’s most talented offensive player will lash out and commit stupid penalties, turn physically aggressive, assault nearby defenders, or argue with teammates and coaches when he’s not the focal point of offensive gameplans or one possession games. There had been a balance on how to ease Metcalf back into a better gameplan after those losses. Now there’s a disruption on how to appease the most emotional offensive player even after a win. The coaches and organization have to figure out how to stop this from happening at least twice a month.

We’re officially in the second half of the NFL 2023 regular season. Some teams are rising in draft position while others inch closer to the playoffs. Postseason hopefuls want higher seeding further into November. Without further delay here are the winners and losers after week nine.

Winners: Jahan Dotson

Two weeks ago receiver Jahan Dotson faced heavy criticism for dropping a fourth down pass that would have kept Washington’s potential game-winning drive alive. Since that loss, Dotson’s stepped up and is a reason the Commanders almost won two straight games.

On Sunday, the wideout caught the game-tying touchdown against New England midway through the third quarter. Washington’s only other touchdown drive came earlier when Dotson caught two passes for 12 yards and picked up a first down. Since the loss in New York, he’s caught 12 passes for 177 yards and two scores.

Washington’s sixth ranked passing offense is most dangerous when Jahan Dotson’s the number two receiving threat opposite Terry McLaurin. Viewers have questioned his consistency against tougher defenses. Dotson’s shown progress with a rookie quarterback throwing his direction more, quieting some doubters.

Tank Dell and Noah Brown

The NFL world is dousing rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud IV with a lot of praise after Houston’s exciting home win versus Tampa Bay. While deserved, there are two new receivers flourishing and helping the rookie each week. They are fellow rookie Tank Dell and sixth year wideout Noah Brown.

Dell is the 2023 second overall pick’s favorite target. In Sunday’s win the rookie wide receiver caught six passes for 114 yards and two touchdowns, including the game winning score with ten seconds left. Tank Dell has six touchdowns, over 600 yards receiving and averages 16 yards a catch. The third round draft pick could be the number one option the rest of the season.

Veteran Noah Brown is finally on a team that gives him a chance to play more, and he’s having a breakout season. Brown caught all six passes thrown his way for 153 yards and a touchdown. His career long 75 yard score cut Houston’s deficit by four to start the third quarter. He’s averaging a career high ten yards a catch and should surpass his career high in yards before Thanksgiving.

Texans fans complained about the lack of talent at receiver last year. The fanbase should be relieved management’s found at least three good options for a young and growing offense.

Las Vegas Raiders and Antonio Pierce

The Raiders finished October on a dismal note and either fired or replaced most of the staff and roster personel. The changes came at the right time and Las Vegas is back in the playoff bubble.

While it could be an anomaly (like last year’s win for former Indianapolis interim coach Jeff Saturday), one wouldn’t know by how excited, energized and competitive the Raiders were Sunday. Interim coach and former linebacker Antonio Pierce led a rout at home against New York. Vegas’ defense made life miserable for whoever was quarterbacking the Giants (more on that later). They forced a fumble, two interceptions and recorded eight sacks. New York didn’t score until early in the fourth quarter.

On offense, rookie quarterback Aidan O’Connell looked more prepared and played better in his second career start. Last year’s NFL leader in rushing yards Josh Jacobs had his best game of the season running for 98 yards and scored two touchdowns.

The Raiders have lost a lot of close games the past season and a half. Even former coach Josh McDaniels said confidence was low top to bottom. Regardless of what happens the rest of the season, expect the former Tom Coughlin coached linebacker to have an easier time leading a team that wants to win.

Losers: Arizona Cardinals

It took nine weeks for Arizona to be the worst team in the league. Many wondered how bad their loss in Cleveland would be after trading quarterback Joshua Dobbs to Minnesota. It didn’t take long to figure out.

The Cardinals were shutout in the most lopsided game for week nine. Rookie Clayton Tune made his first start and went eleven of 20 for 58 yards and two interceptions. 30 of the 58 yards came in the fourth quarter. Tune was the leading rusher with 28 yards and Marquise Brown led all receivers with 24 yards on four catches.

There was a lot to feel good about after week three’s win against Dallas. The only positive for Arizona since is the return of franchise star Kyler Murray next Sunday. Many will say the on-field production is terrible but poor roster building and the hiring of incompetant coaches could doom this team to a bottom three league ranking past this season.

Daniel Jones

Last week I wrote about how exceptional Kirk Cousins’ career has been. If one wanted to find the opposite of Cousins, look no further than Giants starting quarterback Daniel Jones. To be fair, Jones’ best season last year wasn’t just because there was a new coach. There was needed stability for both the organization and former first round pick. It’s an understatement 2023 has been anything but stable.

Many felt the four year, $160 million contract extension Daniel Jones signed in the offseason would one day backfire. Few anticipated it would start week one on Sunday night. When New York’s franchise quarterback was again pulverized by an opposing defense late Sunday afternoon, Jones hit a new low. The quarterback was sacked by Raiders defensive star Maxx Crosby at the end of the first quarter for a seven yard loss. He got up slowly and tried to start the second quarter extending New York’s possession, but fell when the play began. That play wound up being the easiest sack of defensive end Malcolm Koonce’s career.

Sports news outlets ESPN and NFL Network have confirmed Daniel Jones tore his ACL. There was a lot to build on after last season’s success with a playoff win, more scoring on offense and key additions at tight-end and receiver. Both New York and the starting quarterback they extended now have to decide what the best options are moving forward after falling back to last in the NFC east.

Bryce Young

It’s possible years from now we’ll have the debate of who’s the better, elite quarterback between Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud IV. Until that day comes, it’s safe to say the former of the two is a disappointment.

Carolina’s blowout home loss to Indianapolis began with Young’s turnovers. The 2023 number one pick threw three interceptions, two of which were returned for touchdowns by cornerback Kenny Moore II (the first time a defensive player has recorded this in the Colts’ 70 year history). The rookie’s 173 yards passing and 48.3 quarterback rating are the tip of a dreadful performance.

The alarming part of Bryce Young’s play is his disconnect with the surrounding offensive talent and what Carolina gave up to acquire him. After week nine, the Panthers have the second worst record in the league. Yet their 2024 first round draft pick is with the Chicago Bears (who are the third worst team in the league and are favored to beat Carolina this Thursday) because they traded up in the last draft to pick Young. Carolina also traded away star receiver D.J. Moore, who’s having a career season in the Windy City and enjoys playing with quarterback Justin Fields.

Bryce Young does have a solid supporting cast of Adam Theilen, Miles Sanders, DJ Chark Jr., Chuba Hubbard and Tommy Tremble. They’ve shown in previous years there’s potential, and most are good depth players. This makes Young’s struggles in accuracy, reading defensive coverages and figuring out who’s open worse. The Panthers offense hasn’t scored more than 24 points when he starts.

It won’t get easier for either the passer or the team. The Panthers’ schedule gets harder the next few months. It’s difficult to see how they win more than one game before 2024. Young could improve, but it looks like using the first overall pick on him was a bad move.

Note: NFL’s Winners and Losers will not be published for the rest of November due to the writer, editor and publisher having personal reasons and time off. Publications will resume around the conclusion of week 13.

Week eight was a fun and wild end to October. There are some surprising teams in first place while some playoff seasoned teams are getting worse. The first two months of the season were anything but dull. It’s time to break down the week eight winners and losers before Halloween.

Winners: De’Andre Hopkins

De’Andre Hopkins was the best wide receiver in the NFL from the late 2010s to 2020. Injuries lowered his production the last two years but he still has good games once in a while. Sunday was a reminder of how great he is when healthy.

Hopkins caught four passes for 128 yards and three touchdowns in a dominant Titans home win. Tennessee traded for the former All-Pro to make deep field plays and give other receivers favorable one-on-one matchups. While there’s still a lot of time for Hopkins, the receivers and quarterbacks to be on the same page every game, things worked out Sunday in a much needed victory.

New Orleans Saints offense

One of the biggest topics this season has been genuine confusion of New Orleans amassing a large number of yards every week but struggling to score. Leading up to Sunday’s game in Indianapolis, head coach Dennis Allen said, “It’s time for the offensive growing pains to be over.” The Saints had their highest scoring game of the season Sunday.

It almost got away from New Orleans in the second quarter, but quarterbacks Taysom Hill and Derek Carr led touchdown drives to give the Saints the lead at halftime. Second half scores from Alvin Kamara and Taysom Hill cemented the Saints’ second double-digit win of the year.

New Orleans is tied for first in the NFC South and back to .500 after eight weeks. They have two more games before their bye week against opponents who struggle to score. If the Saints want to remain in the playoff and divisional title races, they have to replicate Sunday’s production.

A.J. Brown

Anyone who’s watched the NFL should agree Tennessee trading away number one receiver A.J. Brown to Philadelphia last season was one of the worst moves in franchise history. It’s also one of the biggest wins for Eagles general manager Howie Roseman. Brown isn’t just an elite receiver since the trade, he’s making league history.

No receiver in the NFL’s 104 years ever recorded six straight games of 125 receiving yards or more until Brown’s performance Sunday. His eight catches for 130 yards and two touchdowns helped Philadelphia complete their sweep of division rival Washington.

Many wide receivers don’t get MVP consideration but A.J. Brown should. Whenever he’s targeted or becomes the featured player in the Eagles offense, Philadelphia dominates their opponents. He’s averaging close to 16 yards a catch and is on pace for a 2,000 yard season after eight games. The Eagles have more playmakers on offense but no one is close to Brown’s level.

Gus Edwards

Speaking of potent offenses, the Ravens had one of the best this month. Baltimore’s dominant win last week was led by quarterback Lamar Jackson. Sunday it was with Gus Edwards.

Edwards became the first Raven runningback to score three touchdowns in a game since 2019. His four yards per carry guaranteed a Baltimore win on the road. He also has over 400 rushing yards after the first half of the season.

The Ravens needed a runningback who can take some of the workload and pressure off quarterback Lamar Jackson while staying healthy. Gus Edwards is a versatile player who makes defenses second guess what will happen next. As he improves, so should Baltimore’s offense.

Losers: Kirk Cousins

Quarterback Kirk Cousins has been under scrutiny almost his entire NFL career. Regardless of the original expectations, Cousins has made the most of his opportunities. Some of his best play has been this month getting Minnesota out of a winless start (that he was part of). Unfortunately for Cousins, his year is over after getting the Vikings’ back to .500 with their fourth win in the last five games.

Minnesota’s offense dominated the Packers defense. The Vikings were without star receiver Justin Jefferson, but you wouldn’t know it the way Cousins torched Green Bay for 274 yards, two touchdowns and a 122.2 passer rating.

Cousins tore his Achilles tendon at the start of the fourth quarter, instantly ending his rollercoaster season. While 2023 isn’t duplicating last year’s run, Minnesota’s offensive captain will continue to hear how average he is at best despite a fascinating career.

The Kansas City Chiefs offense without Eric Bieniemy

Many viewers are wondering why the defending Super Bowl champions look anemic on offense. There’s a belief that a lack of talent at the receiver position is the main issue. Take a deeper look. The offense is missing the creativity of former coordinator Eric Bieniemy since he left for Washington.

Kansas City’s performance was so bad even Sunday Night Football’s color commentator Cris Collinsworth remarked, “the Chiefs had more punts than points.” Their 15 game winning streak against the Broncos was snapped when Denver scored ten points in the fourth quarter. The Chiefs had no answer outside of three Harrison Butker field goals.

It’s fair to say Kansas City’s turnovers are the main reason they lost the game but it’s more than stats. Head coach Andy Reid said the team is making mistakes they haven’t made before. The Chiefs had won eight straight games when trailing after three quarters. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes II didn’t throw a touchdown for the first time in 29 games. Kansas City had multiple drives end because of turnovers or not making the right play to get a touchdown. While funny and basic to read, that’s what made the Chiefs dangerous with Bieniemy calling the plays. Kansas City was rarely out of a game because of their former coordinator’s creativity.

It might surprise people that after eight games, the Chiefs offense ranks third in passing yards, but has scored more than 30 points twice halfway through the season. At some point, the offensive coordinator has to provide solutions.

San Francisco 49ers

What makes the NFL so fun (and also maddening) is how things can change any given week. Everyone knew on October seventh San Francisco was the best and most complete team in the league. After Sunday, the 49ers could be in panic mode.

San Francisco lost their third straight game and like last Monday night, it wasn’t close. The alarming issue is how the offense and defense has regressed in two weeks. Quarterback Brock Purdy struggles to read the field and averages three turnovers in each of the last three games. Outside of the weekly Christian McCaffrey touchdown, the running game is non-existent.

There’s controversy on defense with coordinator Steve Wilks’ play-calling. Last Monday night Wilks called terrible blitz plays and had to apologize for it. On Sunday, the secondary was shredded by Bengals receivers Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd. Then there’s top pass rusher Nick Bosa, who held out for a contract extension in September. He has three and a half sacks in his last 13 games (regular and postseason). The nosedive on defense prompted a response from head coach Kyle Shanahan regarding how long he’ll stay in the weekly meetings.

The wildest part of the downturn is San Francisco’s drop out of first place. Seattle found a way to beat Cleveland (the team that delivered the 49ers’ first loss of the season) at home with a rising defense and balanced offense. Both teams play each other in three weeks but the Seahawks look like the most complete team in the division and have their issues figured out. No one expected that when October began.

The hype on Tyson Bagent

Most backup quarterbacks aren’t the face of the franchise because, well, they’re backups. However there are many Bears fans who somehow think and believe Tyson Bagent is better than starter Justin Fields. Sunday night was a reminder why Bagent has been the backup even when Fields struggles.

The Bears were blown out by the Chargers on Sunday night. While Justin Herbert had his best game of the season, Bagent struggled on all but two possessions. His 25 of 37 for 232 yards, two interceptions and 62 quarterback rating reassured viewers he is not the answer moving forward.

Starter Justin Fields is as good a passer as he is a runner. Bagent isn’t a runner or someone who likes to get hit while staying in the pocket. He did run a few times…for minus-one yard. While Bagent had a few starts for a brief NFL career, that will be it. At least he got to play some games.

The western conference boasts back-to-back NBA championship teams. Most of the 15 franchises made major moves this offseason by trades, free agency and the draft. Many people will focus on how stacked the Pacific division is and how every team could make the playoffs. The champion Denver Nuggets will have a tough task in their quest to repeat, and teams like Memphis could take the next step in longer playoff runs.

That’s a lot to process, so let’s turn the attention to which eight teams have the best chances of making the western conference playoffs.

Denver Nuggets

The reigning champs will make the playoffs unless injuries pile up. Pencil them in for a high seed.

Phoenix Suns

Phoenix traded for Bradley Beal to facilitate better offensive possessions with Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Jusuf Nurkic. This will be one of the most dangerous teams in the league.

Memphis Grizzlies

The Grizzlies couldn’t stay out of the news for negative reasons last spring. It led to a decisive first round exit against the Lakers. General manager Zach Kleiman needed to make some changes so he traded with Boston for Marcus Smart. Smart’s presence alone should balance the rowdy locker room personalities while being a nag on the court. This is still the best team in the Southwest division and Memphis will be one of the best teams in the league when (or if) Ja Morant comes back from suspension.

Los Angeles Clippers

Health is the big concern with the Clippers but having Russell Westbrook play point-guard more is a plus. Westbrook’s consistent energies give coach Tyronn Lue relief if neither Paul George or Kawhi Leonard play at some point. Forward depth such as Terance Mann, Robert Covington and Nicholas Batum helps long-term.

Los Angeles Lakers

The health of LeBron James and Anthony Davis will be a factor of how high Los Angeles places for the postseason. The guard duo of D’Angelo Russell and Austin Reaves helps the Lakers look like a good choice even if injuries become a problem. Bench players like Rui Hachimura, Taurean Prince and Cam Reddish ease pressure off two or three players doing most of the scoring every night.

Golden State Warriors

Many believe Golden State is coming to the end of the line with their core franchise veterans. This is the season Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody need step into their desired roles and score when both Klay Thompson and Steph Curry rest on the bench. The return of Gary Payton II and signing Chris Paul could make the Warriors harder to eliminate when the postseason approaches.

Minnesota Timberwolves

Minnesota has the talent to dominate a lot of teams and they need to do it consistently this year with how much money they’ve spent on Rudy Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns. Both players need to drive to the basket while the guard tandem of Mike Conley and Anthony Edwards lead the offense. There are multiple teams in the west that could step up but they don’t have depth like the Timberwolves.

Sacramento Kings

I’m unsure if Sacramento can replicate last year’s miracle postseason appearance, but there are several factors that give them the nod. The last spot will face competition with Dallas and New Orleans. The Mavericks aren’t giving Luka Doncic the desired help and the Pelicans can’t stay healthy even with stellar coaching. That leaves the Kings as the best option with coach Mike Brown having De’Aaron Fox, Domantas Sabonis and Harrison Barnes as the team’s core.

Play-in losing teams: New Orleans Pelicans and Dallas Mavericks

2022-2023 Western conference prediction record: 6-4

As October ends there’s a separation of which teams are closer to clinching playoff seeds and which ones will have a high draft pick. Coaching plays a part in who advances or goes home. A lot stood out in week seven’s action, so it’s time for the winners and losers.

Winners: D’Onta Foreman

While Chicago started a rookie quarterback, veteran runningback D’Onta Foreman provided stability on offense and made sure the Bears had an easy win.

Foreman ran 16 times for 89 yards and two touchdowns. He also caught three passes for 31 yards and one more score to give the Bears 18 points. He provided enough points alone for Chicago’s victory, and his three touchdowns were the first three scores for the Bears.

Offensive coordinator Luke Getsy said at the end of September that Chicago’s offense was slowly improving and would soon show progress. It’s been mostly true since the blow-out loss in Kansas City. Foreman being the lead runningback is a reason the offense keeps improving.

Lamar Jackson

Many had Detroit going into Baltimore and scoring a lot of points on the Ravens. Well, someone put up a lot of numbers on offense but it wasn’t anyone on the Lions.

Baltimore quarterback Lamar Jackson looked like his former MVP self. He completed 21 of 27 passes for three touchdowns and a 155.8 passer rating. He also ran nine times for 36 yards and an additional score.

The most important part of Sunday’s win for the Ravens was how well the receivers looked when Jackson looked comfortable. There have been concerns about how there wasn’t progress with the new receivers and old habits (i.e. Jackson creating most plays by running the ball) still being the focus of the offense. Three of Baltimore’s new receivers had at least four catches for 45 yards. Detroit’s defense is also hard to constantly throw against and score on. It’s possible Sunday was the turning point for Baltimore’s offense for the rest of the regular season.

Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers went into late Sunday afternoon knowing two division rivals won important early games and one was on a bye. They needed to leave Los Angeles with a win to stay alive in the AFC North race against a surprisingly good Rams team. Pittsburgh wound up having one of their most complete games of the season.

Sophomore quarterback Kenny Pickett threw for 231 yards and a 97.1 quarterback rating while the offense scored three rushing touchdowns (Pickett ran for one of them). Receiver George Pickens had five catches for 107 yards on eight targets. Diontae Johnson had no rust in his first game back from injured reserve with five catches for 79 yards. This was one of the few games where the Steelers offense looked balanced and comfortable.

The defense contributed by intercepting Los Angeles quarterback Matthew Stafford once and sacking him twice. Once they negated rookie receiver Puka Nacua’s contributions, it became hard for the Rams to move the ball downfield. Outside of an eight point scoring drive in the second half, head coach Sean McVay had no answers against the T.J. Watt-led defense. This was the best outcome for Pittsburgh coming out of a bye.

Tyrod Taylor

The Giants have fielded a bottom three offense since September. Franchise starting quarterback Daniel Jones might not be the full problem but he sure doesn’t have solutions. Since Jones is out with a neck injury, the offense looks better with Tyrod Taylor under center.

New York didn’t score much again in their second win of the season but there’s progress and hope for the Giants when Taylor leads. He finally got major offseason addition Darren Waller involved in the offense, completing seven of eight passes to him for 98 yards and a touchdown. Taylor also kept plays alive by using his legs, running eight times for 25 yards.

It’s taken seven weeks for New York to score a touchdown in either the first quarter or first half of any game this season. Both times it’s happened with Tyrod Taylor starting at quarterback. The Giants will win more games the more he plays.

Losers: Darrell Baker Jr.

American football is a team sport consisting of eleven players on each side making sure to either score or defend every part of the field. Usually when a team loses, it’s for a multitude of reasons. Rarely is it on one player in critical moments. Unfortunately for Indianapolis cornerback Darrell Baker Jr., he’s a big reason the Colts lost Sunday.

Most defensive players take penalties at some point in their career but to have two penalties in a row when the opponent is close to scoring a game-winning touchdown is a bad look. Baker first committed a correctly called illegal contact penalty. That gave Cleveland’s offense not just a first down and extended possession, but negated a turnover Indianapolis forced that would’ve sealed a five point win.

The following play was a questionable pass interference penalty that was called due to how Baker Jr. couldn’t let go of the receiver he covered. That error gave the Browns one yard to go and four tries to get the lead, which of course they did.

It’s gutting to lose a game with those mistakes. It’s also a lesson that all it takes is for one player to negate a lead and cost a team a win.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers offense

Well, the feel-good start of the season for Tampa Bay is over. After heading into the bye week at 3-1, the Buccaneers are at .500 and haven’t scored 20 total points in their last two games.

Atlanta’s sophomore quarterback Desmond Ritter tried losing Sunday’s game in Tampa Bay with his three lost fumbles. The Buccaneers struggled on offense minus one perfect scoring pass from quarterback Baker Mayfield to Mike Evans. Outside of that throw, Mayfield threw 41 passes for 235 yards and the leading receiver was Chris Godwin with 66 yards.

The running game has been worse. While Rachaad White averaged two and a half yards per carry, Tampa’s a bottom five team in the league running the ball. The offense heavily relies on deep passes downfield and not enough on long, steady drives.

If there’s any positives from back-to-back losses, it’s how great the defense plays. Offensive coordinator Dave Canales has to find long-term solutions moving forward.

Brandon Staley

There’s no team looking more mis-managed and out-coached than the Chargers. Even if Los Angeles finds a way to win, they make it difficult and the mistakes stand out more than the positives.

The Chargers blew so many chances Sunday it’s a wonder they kept their loss in Kansas City close for over three quarters. Kansas City’s number one receiver is tight-end Travis Kelce and he gashed Los Angeles’ defense for 179 yards. Staley was brought in to fix the defense and has the right players to make it one of the best units in the league, but it’s gotten worse since his hiring.

It’s bewildering when their offense does well or has an average performance and the opposition can go down the field and either tie or take leads at ease. Los Angeles’ offense did well in the first half but broke down and struggled in the second half. Turning the ball over on long drives cemented a bitter loss to a division rival. A roster that was constructed to be one of the best in not just the conference but in the division has gradually fallen apart with a head coach who couldn’t even win a playoff game with a 27 point lead.

The Miami Dolphins hype train

Miami’s a fun team to watch most of the time because of their high-paced, super fast offense. They’re pretty good compared to most of the other 31 NFL franchises. However, they aren’t great and Sunday night showed it.

While they weren’t fully healthy on the offensive line and at runningback, Philadelphia came ready to play and were relentless on every side of the ball. The Dolphins had no answer for Eagles receiver A.J. Brown, and Vic Fangio’s defense gave up a score on all but one possession. Both teams entered Sunday night’s game each with one loss.

It’s not like Miami didn’t try. They rushed at Philadelphia quarterback Jalen Hurts most of the night, but the difference is both coaching and the Eagles’ veteran mindset. The Dolphins aren’t there yet and it has shown when they’ve played postseason-ready teams (like their division rival Buffalo Bills). For Miami to be considered elite in the NFL, they have to beat teams that are favored for the conference championship or the Super Bowl.

It’s been two years since a team in the east has taken home a championship. In response, the top teams added more stars and roster depth. The conference still has a high number of teams that can make deep playoff runs similar to last years. Cleveland is close to a breakout season. Chicago and Miami desperately want a championship. Boston, Milwaukee and Philadelphia view anything less than a finals appearance a failure. It’ll be a fun and competitive regular season.

It’s time to break down which eight teams in the eastern conference have the best chance of getting into the playoffs.

Milwaukee Bucks

Damian Lillard, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton will be one of the league’s best trios. Plus they have a new coach in Adrian Griffin. Milwaukee could be the best team in the league this season.

Boston Celtics

The Celtics added roster depth by trading for Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday. Boston needed a point guard who can play lock-down defense and a younger center who specializes in scoring. They’re the clear number two in the east.

Miami Heat

The Heat may have a season similar to 2021. In that year, the roster was the same as 2020’s when they went to the Finals, but Miami played tired most of the season. A strong second half should get them into the playoffs.

Cleveland Cavaliers

The best team in the central division not named Milwaukee. Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell are a great guard duo while Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen and Max Straus keep maturing. One of the more deeper and funner teams.

Atlanta Hawks

The biggest upgrade for Atlanta was the late season hiring of Quin Snyder in early 2023. The Hawks played better despite an early postseason exit. Expect a consistent winning culture and continued growth led by a calmer voice on the bench.

Philadelphia 76ers

Their main issue right now is when James Harden will play (if he ever does) once the season starts. It’s possible Philadelphia trades him back to Houston since he doesn’t want to be involved with the team. Distraction aside, P.J. Tucker, Tyrese Maxey, Tobias Harris and reigning MVP Joel Embiid will make sure the Sixers punch their playoff ticket.

New York Knicks

The top six teams are seen as locks to make the postseason barring injuries. New York is a solid seventh option due to coach Tom Thibodeau installing the play-hard attitude into his team. There’s also a good amount of talent with Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle as the cornerstones. The signing of Donte DiVincenzo might be one of the most underrated additions this offseason.

Chicago Bulls

The Pacers, Wizards, Pistons, Nets and Hornets won’t be playoff contenders this season. That leaves Chicago, Orlando and Toronto as the remaining three options. Orlando is still a young team that’s close to a breakout season out and surprising many viewers. Toronto could be sellers at the trade deadline. The Bulls have the most talent and best coach of all three teams listed, and this should be enough to get them into the playoffs. They will need better efforts from Coby White, Ayo Dosunmu and Dalen Terry for that to happen.

Play-in losing teams: Orlando Magic, Toronto Raptors

2022-2023 Eastern conference prediction record: 8-2

Week six was full of eye-opening play and revealed who is closer to being playoff-bound. On the opposite end, some teams are close to preparing for the offseason. Time to break down who or what won or lost the week.

Winners: Brian Flores and the Minnesota Vikings defense

It’s been a while since Minnesota’s defense shut down an offense. The hiring of Brian Flores at defensive coordinator meant there would be significant progress even in September. While it’s taken more time than expected, the Vikings defense finally had a good game.

Before knocking out Bears quarterback Justin Fields early in the third quarter, Minnesota gave up six points in the first half. They forced two Chicago passers to each throw one interception. The defense had two sacks and scored a touchdown on a fumble scoop and run in the middle of the third quarter. Despite giving up a late rushing touchdown to rookie quarterback Tyson Bagent, there was no doubt who would win.

It’s been a bad luck season for Minnesota. They needed a break and to see some improvement on defense with the offense missing star receiver Justin Jefferson for a month. While they won’t win next Monday night, the defense having one good game in October builds confidence.

Sam Howell

No one was embarrassed in a week five loss like the Commanders were, especially quarterback Sam Howell. He’s been sacked 32 times this season (before Sunday) prompting concerns about his health. While he was sacked twice Sunday, Howell rebounded from that awful Thursday game.

He gave Washington their second lead change of the day in Atlanta and never trailed after the second quarter. His touchdown throws to Antonio Gibson and Curtis Samuel left no doubt which team had the better offense. Howell’s last scoring pass to Brian Robinson sealed the win.

It’s been a wild second year for Howell but he’s managed setbacks well and elevated his play when the Commanders needed it. If he limits turnovers and keeps progressing with on-field reads, Washington can make a case for the playoffs.

Los Angeles Rams

While many viewers didn’t know if Rams head coach Sean McVay would coach Sunday’s game, it didn’t impact Los Angeles’ gameplan. Despite a low-scoring first half against Arizona, the Rams had a second half surge scoring 20 points and gave up zero to their division rivals.

It started with quarterback Matthew Stafford finding star receiver Cooper Kupp open for a 13 yard touchdown pass. An additional scoring run by Kyren Williams and two field goals by Brett Maher gave Los Angeles their second win of the season.

While the defense intercepted and sacked Cardinals quarterback Joshua Dobbs once, Arizona had just one possession that went over two minutes in the second half. It ended in an interception by Christian Rozeboom. On special teams, kicker Brett Maher made all four of his field goal attempts and both extra points, cementing the 17 point win.

The best gift of the day came prior when division rivals Seattle and San Francisco lost to AFC North teams in Ohio. Los Angeles was stuck in third place since late September and needs every win possible to stay alive in the division race. Staying further away from last and having the second place tie-breaker with Seattle was a great way to enter week seven.

Jim Schwartz

Many viewers didn’t think Cleveland could beat San Francisco or stay within one score most of the game. The Browns did the unthinkable by not just beating the 49ers, but made sophomore quarterback Brock Purdy play like a late seventh round pick. Purdy (more on him later) had the worst full game of his career throwing for 125 yards, a touchdown and an interception, and post a 55.3 quarterback rating.

Cleveland’s defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz had a difficult task in fixing the secondary and improving the play of the front seven. On Sunday he schemed four defensive linemen and an outside linebacker, neutralizing a good part of San Francisco’s offensive line. The 49ers rely a lot on scheme blocking. This leaves and widens holes when guards or tackles are pulled to go play another angle. Very few adjustments were made when Browns pass rushers entered an open backfield even with a runningback to get past. Even the center couldn’t get a grasp of what plays the middle linebackers disguised. Purdy had a hard time creating or even changing plays and faced constant pressure whenever he found an open receiver. The interception and two sacks also slowed down San Francisco’s offense in the second half.

This was the third time in two months Schwartz’s defense limited a team to under 220 yards of total offense. That’s the third fewest number of yards they’ve given up in any game played the last five weeks.

Many questions remain about the Browns scoring 20 or more points the remainder of their schedule but it might be around 20 due to how the defense suffocates opposing offenses. It’s difficult to find a weakness in their improved play.

Losers: Brock Purdy

In fairness to the second year quarterback, if this was his worst performance then it’ll take everything to beat him. Despite losing playmakers Christian McCaffrey and Deebo Samuel to injuries, San Francisco almost won. Many will say Jake Moody should have made the 41 yard field goal attempt at the end of the game but until that drive, Purdy had six possessions in the second half where he struggled even throwing for a yard.

Only one 49er second half possession ended with points. That one was an eight yard touchdown run after Browns quarterback P.J. Walker’s interception to Deommodore Lenoir was returned to Cleveland’s eight yard line. Purdy’s other five combined ended in two completions for eleven yards on eleven pass attempts, an interception and two sacks. San Francisco had one passing yard the third quarter. That’s on him for not playing better.

Brock Purdy has positively surprised everyone since he became the starting quarterback late in 2022. He’ll obviously improve, but now opposing defenses will replicate how to make him feel uncomfortable.

Indianapolis Colts

What a nightmare weekend for Indianapolis. First came the news franchise quarterback Anthony Richardson might end his season with right shoulder surgery. Then came a 37-20 shelling by their division rival Jaguars.

The Colts had a three point lead heading into the second quarter. Jacksonville turned the game around and walloped head coach Shane Steichen’s team 31-3 the next two quarters. Indianapolis didn’t get their next score until the beginning of the fourth quarter. It was too late for a comeback.

This will be a harder week for Steichen and the team. Richardson is the franchise star and creates plays no other quarterback in the division can, but his health is a concern. The Colts need better receivers and the offensive line is getting worse. Indianapolis have many issues to address and it’s only October. Yikes.

Jalen Hurts

It was a tale of two halves for Philadelphia. The Eagles had a great first half and entered the third quarter leading by eleven. They lost the game by six and didn’t score the second half. A good part of the loss is on quarterback Jalen Hurts.

Hurts is a fantastic player and a reason Philadelphia is considered one of the best two teams in the NFC, but he was mediocre at best Sunday. Two of his three interceptions were in the second half. The second one resulted in an eight yard touchdown run by Breece Hall to give New York their first and only lead of the game. The Eagles’ possession after that score resulted in Hurts completing one pass for two yards on four attempts.

Almost every great player that’s made the Super Bowl has a mediocre game the following season. The loss stings a bit more knowing the other remaining undefeated team in the conference lost a few hours earlier. Philadelphia could have entered week seven with the top spot in the NFC. They might regret this loss before their showdown against San Francisco.

Tra Blake

Usually officials don’t end up in this category but what was referee Tra Blake thinking not calling a second defensive pass interference at the last play of the Giants’ drive in Buffalo? This could impact both teams’ playoff and draft positions later in the year.