Pro Football Notebook-Preview-Week #11
Chargers-Kansas City….The (2-7) Bolts likely the healthiest they have been since early in the season….Still to be determined as to whether Orlando Franklin-King Dunlop will be able to start at left tackle-left guard….Duo making 19M total this year between salaries-bonuses have been on field for just 4-games this season….Chargers big play down-the-field passing game now very limited without Keenan Allen and Malcom Floyd….Stevie Johnson needs to take bigger role making bigger plays…..Danny Woodhead-Donald Brown may both become key contributors….Chiefs getting healthy….Horrid offensive line playing better….KC on 3-game winning streak, without Jamal Charles at running back…Chandrick West giving them tougher inside run presence…..Justin Houston-Tamba Hali-Alf Bailey giving strong pass rush….Secondary playing better…Alex Smith going down field more to both Jeremy Maclin and Travis Kelce.
Denver-Chicago….Broncos offense bottoming out….Brock Osweiler threw for (146) in blowout loss last week after replacing Peyton Manning…..Denver defense dinged up….Jay Cutler playing much more under control under John Fox…making big plays down field but not taking chances as in past years…Broncos could get beat unless Osweiler has learned alot as backup the last three years.
Jets-Houston…New York offense staggering….RB-Chris Ivory beat-up….WR-Brandon Marshall not getting as many looks down the field….Ryan Fitzpatrick plays coming off thumb surgery last Friday…TJ Yates takes over as Texans QB after Brian Hoyer concussion…Jets quick (4-2) start washing away now…..though New York defensive front still superb.
Raiders-Detroit…Oakland season stalled right now….Should get back on track this weekend….Nagging injuries to skill players hurting QB-Derek Carr…Jack Del Rio done great job getting team to play hard…Lions coming off emotional win….Don’t think much of defense….Still seems to be offense lost at sea-throw alot with Matthew Stafford, or run and control the clock?
Colts-Atlanta…No Andrew Luck….Lots of Matt Ryan coming up….Falcons going more to no huddle package and getting great results from passing game…Devonta Freeman unsung hero at running back….Atlanta defense pretty tough at home….Don’t know what to make of inner sanctum fighting in colts front office…Definitely not team we expected to see and now Luck out 4-to-6 weeks.
Tampa Bay-Philadelphia…Which is bigger surprise? Jameis Winston going 4-straight games without turnover or Eagles in total disarray? Chip Kelly catching enormous heat for pitiful play of patchwork offense, and now QB-Sam Bradford is gone with injury and Mark Sanchez has to play…Lots of nagging injuries on defense….Bucs QB making plays not making as many mistakes since week five of season…No Vincent Jackson at wide receiver.
Rams-Baltimore…Ugly teams….St. Louis benches Nick Foles to go to substandard Case Keenum seems desperation move by coaching staff…Joe Flacco just being asked to do too much…Ravens defense force feeding lots of young kids-just not ready to play in primetime.
Cowboys-Miami….Dallas seems ready to implode inside lockeroom….7-game losing streak…..Dez Bryant tantrums…Terrible play from Greg Hardy….just not enough offense….now Tony Romo returns hoping to give them spark…..Dolphins playing tough guy football-running ball well….Getting after it on defense…Dysfunction-Disarray taking over Cowboys regardless what Jerry Jones says in his weekly press conferences.
Washington-Carolina…Some weekend showing by QB-Kirk Cousins-is he growing on job-or just get lucky with 4TD outing last weekend….Carolina is complete team…(9-0) is for real…Cam Newton completed 81% passes last week…running ball just enough to be a big time threat…going down field alot….Panthers defense punishing people.
San Francisco-Seattle….Seahawks fighting for playoff lives after home field loss…..Russell Wilson taking beating….Marshawn Lynch looks like used-up running back…WR corps skitterish…..Defense got chewed up last week by Carson Palmer….but this is pitiful 49ers team so Seattle stays in race with win.
Packers-Vikings…Green Bay looks like tired football team…..Aaron Rodgers getting knocked around….Packers defense getting torched…..Vikings at home with heavy duty Adrian Peterson…..consistently good Ted Bridgewater at QB….Defense much better than advertised with strong linebacking and toughness upfront…Hard to imaging Packers could lost 4th in row-but might happen in Minnesota.
Bengals-Arizona…Carson Palmer having tremendous season (23TD)….Palmer (20-4) since start of 2014 season….Diverse offense throwing and running….and get-after it defense….Bengals with surprising disjointed effort last week….Offense did not get it in gear at home-now have to play in hostile environment….Andy Dalton needs to be in attack mode for this might be shootout.
Titans-Jaguars…Bad Thursday Night matchup….Marcus Mariota-vs-Blake Bortels in kid QB-matchup.
Buffalo-New England….Patriots banged up with loss of Julian Edelman and ailing offensive line…Tom Brady must dictate tempo….Brady (24TD-3Int) this season….Bills QB-Tyrod Taylor ranked 2nd in NFL in QB-efficiency….Key will be Bills ability to run the ball with LeSean McCoy and Karlos Williams and keep Brady off the field….Can banged up Buffalo secondary holdup when Brady goes down the field….Brady (24-3) vs Bills in career….Brady (95-15) at Gillette Stadium.