It’s hard to imagine, but we are on the cusp of midseason. This is the stretch where teams and their fans really see if there is anything in the tank for a postseason push. At this moment, there are only a very small handful of teams with no realistic shot at the playoffs. After Sunday, either Jacksonville or New England will be 1-6…if it’s the Jaguars, HC Doug Pederson may not make it back on the plane. A loss will surely be his last game as Jaguars HC. And even a win to take one of them to 2-5 is still far from sniffing the playoffs.
At this moment, with their win on Thursday, the Broncos would be the seventh seed with a 4-3 record. Even a team like the Bengals who are sitting at 2-4 are within striking distance. In the NFC, the bar is a tad higher… three teams are sitting at 4-2, with two available slots. A really good team will stay home in the NFC this year. If the playoffs started today, the Bears would be out sitting at 4-2. The Eagles are at 3-2, and the Cowboys and the Seahawks are each .500 with a 3-3 record…and would all be on the outside looking in.
Game Manager 101: Bo Nix led the Broncos to a win in New Orleans on Thursday. He gave his HC Sean Payton a win in his return to his former home of 15 seasons as head coach of the Saints. Nix was an efficient 16-26 for 164 passing yards and added 75 rushing yards on 10 carries. He basically did exactly what was asked of him. RB Javonte Williams did the heavy lifting, rushing the ball 14 times for 88 yards and two TDs.
College Connections: It may not quite be Joe Burrow to Ja’Marr Chase in their LSU days that has carried over to the NFL in Cincinnati, but the Nix to Troy Franklin connection is starting to take shape. They were Batman and Robin at Oregon and have now started to click with the Broncos. Franklin caught five passes for 50 yards, which led the Broncos in each category. In his final season at Oregon, Franklin caught 81 passes from Nix for 1383 yds and 14 TDs. This is a dynamic duo.
Shooting his way out of town? The Raiders just traded their most dynamic offensive weapon, sending WR Davante Adams to the Jets. Maxx Crosby has voiced his disgust. And although he hasn’t outright demanded a trade or made any threats, the outspoken defensive star has expressed his concerns. He has been quoted as saying, “I’m not here for a rebuild”. New owner Tom Brady may have to sit Crosby down and assure him that nobody wants to win more than he does. It may take some serious convincing.
Only by God’s Grace: This week, San Fransisco’s rookie WR Ricky Pearsall will be making his first NFL start after being shot before the season started. Amazingly, after only a couple of months, he has recovered from a gunshot wound to the chest. WR Juaun Jennings is out indefinitely with a hip injury, so the addition of Pearsall is timely.
Concussions: Arizona’s WR Marvin Harrison Jr. hasn’t been cleared yet, while Giants WR Malik Nabors has been cleared.
A Sight for Sore Eyes: Cleveland’s RB Nick Chubb left the field after a gruesome knee injury on September 23rd, 2023. It has taken over a year for him to recover from his MCL and ACL surgeries, but HC Keven Stefanski has indicated Chubb will be returning this week. His return should give the beleaguered Browns a boost, certainly on the field, and an emotional boost.
OTHER INJURIES:
These injuries could very well affect their team’s performance and your fantasy teams.
Jacksonville Jaguars-Travis Etienne: Etienne is listed as questionable with a hamstring issue. The Jaguars need a win in the worst way, and not having Etienne will definitely hinder their chances.
Tennessee Titans-Tyjae Spears: Spears has been ruled out this week due to a hamstring issue.
Indianapolis Colts-Jonathan Taylor: Taylor has been ruled out with an ankle injury. He is the spark in the Colts offense, which opens up the passing game. Without him, this week’s game against the Dolphins will be much more difficult.
Indianapolis Colts-WRs Josh Downs, Michael Pittman, Alec Pierce: With Taylor out, losing any or all of these WRs will make it even more difficult for the Colts. They are all listed as questionable; Downs is dealing with a toe issue, Pittman has a back issue, and Pierce has a shoulder injury.
Philadelphia Eagles-Dallas Goedert: Goederrt has been ruled out with a hamstring injury.
Las Vegas Raiders-Jakobi Meyers: With Davante Adams shipped off to New York, Meyers becomes the de facto no.1 WR in Las Vegas. But in game one, post-Adams, Meyers is listed as doubtful with an ankle injury.