Five takeaways
5. Teams heating up.
With just five weeks remaining, a number of teams are making
postseason pushes with impressive winning streaks…
The Saints continue to roll, winning their 10th straight – a
31-17 drubbing of the Falcons – and currently hold a four-game lead on the
Panthers in the NFC South.
The Texans have won eight in a row - the longest such streak
in franchise history and the longest for a team after starting a season 0-3 in
NFL history (NFLResearch).
Behind an impressive defense, the Bears have won five
straight. Their eight wins this season match their entire win total from the
past two seasons combined (2016: 3-13, 2017: 5-11).
After starting the season 1-5, the Colts have won five
consecutive.
The Cowboys have won three straight and are in the driver’s
seat of the uninspiring NFC East.
The Browns have won two games in a row for the first time in
64 outings.
According to playoffstatus.com, the Saints, Texans, and
Bears are virtual locks to make the postseason. The Cowboys have a good chance
(54 percent), while the Colts (27 percent) and Browns (2 percent) will most
likely have to wait another season.
4. Packers road woes
continue.
What has happened to the Packers? Dubbed by many as Super
Bowl contenders in the preseason, Aaron Rodgers and company have been anything
but through 11 games. Especially on the road. Away from Lambeau, the Pack are
0-6. Dating back to last season, Rodgers has now lost eight straight road
starts – the longest streak by a Packers QB since David Whitehurst lost nine straight
from 1978-81 (EliasSports). It’s rare to see Green Bay look so lethargic,
especially with #12 behind center. It’s even more rare to see the cheese heads miss
the playoffs with #12 at the helm. At 4-6-1, they’re in danger of doing just
that for the second year in a row. Not a good sign for the future of HC Mike McCarthy.
3. Rivers = Dan
Marino of this era.
QB Philip Rivers continues to find success year after year,
yet one thing continues to elude him – a trip to the Super Bowl. Despite constantly
being in the top-10 in every statistical category every season, the 15-year
signal caller has yet to take the Bolts on a postseason run (4-5 in five
playoff appearances). He has the most wins (114), completions (4,410), attempts
(6,836), passing yards (53,467), and passing TDs (368) among QBs to never make
a Super Bowl appearance (NFLResearch). On Sunday, he added another milestone to
his career, completing a NFL-record 25 consecutive passes to start the game in
a 45-10 thrashing of the Cardinals.
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| Rivers is off to one of the best starts of his career. The big question remains: can he make it to a SB (CBSSports)? |
While Dan Marino made one SB appearance (his second season),
he never hoisted the Lombardi. Years later, it seems like Rivers is on a
similar trajectory.
Let's hope he gets at least one crack at it.
2. Luck back on Colts
side.
After much uncertainty as to whether Andrew Luck would return
to form (or even play again) due to a severe shoulder injury, Luck has silenced the
doubters, leading the Colts back into the sphere of relevance. The sure-fire
comeback player of the year has recorded three or more touchdown passes in
eight straight games – tying former Colt Peyton Manning for second on the
all-time list, trailing only Tom Brady’s 10 straight in 2007 (NBCsports). During
the Colts current five-game winning streak, Luck has tallied 16 touchdowns to
only three interceptions, while completing 113 of 149 passes (75.8 percent). Much
credit has to go to the offensive line, which has only surrendered 11 sacks
this season – tied for tops in the league. A far cry from the last time Luck
took the field in ’16, when the Colts allowed the fifth most sacks in the
league (44).
Indy might not have the defense to make a run, but Luck and
the offense are restoring hope in the midst of a late postseason push.
1. Cleveland thriving
after Hue’s departure.
Hue has picked up right where he left off… losing. The only
difference this time around is that he’s an assistant. The Browns demolished
their former head man on Sunday, scoring their most points in a win this season
(35), and most in a first half (28) since Week 14, 1991 (NFLResearch). One
former teammate – DB Damarious Randall – even trolled Jackson by gifting him
the ball after an interception.
He wasn't the only one, as a number of Browns players took the game personal, which
started and ended with rookie Baker Mayfield. The first-year QB torched the Bengals for 258
yards and four touchdowns on 19 of 26 passing. After the game, Mayfield had an
awkward exchange with Hue, which spilled over to the press conference, where he
noted, “I didn’t feel like talking… It’s just somebody [who] was in our locker
room, asking for us to play for him and then goes to a different team we play
twice a year.”
That distaste resounded throughout the team and carried into the game. And it has the Browns
playing with some fire. The results are showing.
 |
| Mayfield has the Browns playing inspired football (cleveland.com). |
This season:
Browns with Hue: (2-5-1), averaged 21.2 PPG, B. Mayfield –
130/223 (58%), 8 TD, 6 INT
Browns w/o Hue: (2-1), averaging 28 PPG, B. Mayfield – 65/88
(74%), 9 TD, INT
Behind the play of the number one overall pick, the Browns have snapped some notable streaks
so far this season, including: 17-game losing streak, 19-game winless streak
(tied with Steelers), 18-game AFC North winless streak, 33-game losing streak
on Sundays, 25-game road losing streak, and 64 games without back-to-back wins
(ESPN).
Oh and let’s not forget that in three games as interim head
coach, Gregg Williams has more wins than Hue Jackson had in two seasons.
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