A few years ago, there was a popular show on HBO called Game of Thrones. Throughout the show, a common phrase was, “Winter is Coming”. In the NFL, winter is also coming. Teams are starting to fire their head coaches and even their coordinators. The writing is on the wall, and reality is beginning to set in for more and more teams that this will not be their year.
In Chicago this weekend, the Bears lost to an improving Patriots team that has now won two out of three games. It was a matchup between the no.1 and no.3 picks in this year’s draft…Caleb Williams and Drake Maye. Maye outperformed Williams, but it was and has been clearly an offensive line problem for Williams. He was sacked a whopping nine times.
It’s tough to say they scapegoated the offensive coordinator, but when you only put up 3 points at home, someone will pay the price. After Sunday’s loss, it was OC Shane Waldron. There is sometimes a bump when a new head coach is brought in after a firing; it remains to be seen if firing Waldron will have the same effect.
Speaking of the Interim HC Bump:
After winning their first two games, a seven-game losing streak cost HC Dennis Allen his job. He was replaced by Darren Rizzi, who came in and pulled off a significant win. Not because they will realistically claw back into any playoff race but because winning can be contagious and help to form a style and attitude for 2025. They beat the the Atlanta Falcons 20-17 at home in a tough divisional matchup. They have a winnable home game this week against the Browns. Who knows, 4-7 is better than 3-7.
Everything should be Rainbows and Unicorns in San Fransisco:
The 49ers won an important game, getting them to 5-4 on the year and only a half-game away from the first-place Cardinals. And they now have Christian McCaffrey back. Everything should be fine and dandy in San Fransisco. But towards the end of the game, after a third missed FG, Deebo Samuel took his frustrations out on his kicker and long snapper, pushing both men. Kyle Shanahan has said he will keep the matter in-house, and it remains to be seen how or if Samuel will be reprimanded by the team. Moody did redeem himself by kicking the winning FG at the end of the game.
A Great HC once said you are what your record says you are: The Ravens may be one of the best teams in the league. They may very well be the next best and most logical second choice after the Chiefs to go to the Superbowl…, but as of now, they are sitting with three losses and a 7-3 record. At this point, they are merely a wildcard team, looking up at the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Steelers went into the Nation’s Capitol and came away with a 28-27 victory over the Commanders.
Great Matchups on tap:
Ironically, one of this week’s great matchups is between the top two teams in the AFC North, with the winner claiming first place. The Ravens are heading to Pittsburgh. The eye test says the Ravens are the better team, but people have been underestimating the Steelers all season. A Pittsburgh victory would put a Ric Flair, figure-four leglock on the division, but a Ravens win could be the tipping point that begins their run toward the Superbowl.
After a tough loss to those Steelers, the Commanders now have to go to Philadelphia to face off against the suddenly invincible Eagles. They have already supplanted the Commanders at the top of the NFC East, and a victory will further push the upstart team down in the standings.
Seattle is heading to San Fransisco in a pivotal NFC West matchup. The last-place Seahawks are 4-5, and the Niners are still behind the Cardinals with a 5-4 record. The game means more for Seattle, but now that Christian McCaffrey is back and the game is in San Fransisco, it will be tough for the Seahawks to leave Levi’s Stadium with a win.
It’s Now or Never:
The Chiefs are still not playing great ball…but they are the lone undefeated team, sitting at 9-0. They head to Buffalo in what could very well be the last major stumbling block on their way to a 17-0 record. Logic says they are going to lose at some point, and I don’t see this team beating themselves. If they are going to lose, this is the spot. I can remember way back when the Chicago Bears were on their way to an undefeated season in 1985 when they ended up 15-1 in the regular season. It was late in the season, and the Bears headed to Miami. They walked in undefeated, and they walked out with their only loss. I hate betting against the Chiefs, but if they are going to lose…this is the spot.