NFL Election Week 8
Game of the week
Tennessee to Indianapolis
Another semi-blues week of bright matches, so we’ll go with these rivals AFC South, who are already playing for the second time. The Titans behind MVP nominee Derrick Henry are the one-point favorites. But the Colts will complete their ascent after a 0-3 hole.
Colts 23, Titans 20
Castle of the week
Dallas to Minnesota
Both teams lost in week 7 and the Cowboys (five wins in a row) became the away favorites with 2 1/2 points. Dallas is averaging a whopping 460.8 yards and 34.2 points per game, and the Vikings’ attack (24.5 points per game) falls short of him.
Cowboys 34, Vikings 24
Disorder of the week
Philadelphia to Detroit
I could just as well keep picking Lions as our special edition until they really get to grips with it. The NFL’s only lose-lose team, Detroit are a three-point underdog for the nearly equally awful Eagles. Philadelphia should give Gardner Minsch the chance to be a defender.
Lviv 14, Eagles 9
Around AFC
Mark Zaleski, Associated Press
Kansas City Chiefs defenseman Patrick Mahomes (15) receives help from defenseman Mike Remmers (75) in the second half of an NFL soccer game against the Tennessee Titans on Sunday, October 24, 2021 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Bosses own enemy # 1. Kansas City will wake up soon, right? I thought the Chiefs were fine after winning Philadelphia in Week 4 … but at home they lost to Buffalo at 18. I thought the Chiefs were fine after winning Washington in Week 6 … but they lost in Tennessee at 24. Three points. against the Titans was the least in the Age of Andy Reid (hired in 2013) and only the third time in single digits. One statistic doesn’t immediately escape the page: CEOs (3-4) are on a par with Jacksonville for the worst difference in employee turnover (minus -10). Defender Patrick Mahomes’ nine interceptions are more than his full 2019-20 seasons (five and six, respectively), and the most in the league for New York Jets rookie Zach Wilson. On Monday night, the chiefs receive the Giants.
Purchase of Cincinnati stock. We believe in Bengals. Their first four wins were against Minnesota, Pittsburgh, Jacksonville and Detroit – the current overall record is 7-18 (no winning records). But then came the tumultuous play of the Bengals 41-17 in Baltimore. Cincinnati – 5-2; in 2019-2020 he won six games. The Bengals have first hitters with quarterback Joe Burrow (108.9 rating), receiver Ja’Marr Chase (catching 21.5 yards and five touchdowns) and running back Joe Mixon (539 yards). The Bengals play the Jets Sandy under the direction of Mike White.
Dolphins confirming doubts. Last month, in our preliminary magazine, I named Miami the league’s most disappointing team. Miami beat New England in the first week due to the Patriots’ late red zone flop and has since lost six in a row, mixing both close (three, three and two points) and big (35, 10 and 28 points) defeat. Miami lost 64-9 (!) In the second quarter.
Around NFC
Hans Derik, Associated Press
Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts (8) catches defended Miami Dolphins defender Xavien Howard (25), center, and Miami Dolphins defender Jevon Holland (8), during the second half of an NFL football game. Sunday, October. February 24, 2021 in Miami Gardens, Florida.
Pitts becomes the elite. Atlanta tight end Kyle Pitts catches a yard-touchdown in his first four games – 15/189/0. Pitts’ producer on the last two games – 16/282/1. This is why the Falcons chose Pitts fourth overall. His 163 yards in last week’s win over Miami was the fourth-fastest rookie tight end in a single game, and he is the second rookie tight end to hit 100 yards in a row, joining Raymond Chester in 1970. 3) won three of their last four and took on the defeated Carolina on Sunday (3-4 after starting 3-0).
What about Seattle. The overwhelming candor of Seahawks coach Pete Carroll after his team lost on Monday night in New Orleans, Seattle dropped to 2-5 (and 0-3 at home). Life without injured defender Russell Wilson – 0: 2. “I’ve been here for a long time, and if we hadn’t had Russell, I probably wouldn’t have been here for a long time,” Carroll said. Think of all the magic he has created over the years. Carroll was not wrong. Wilson has been a mainstay of the Seahawks since 2012 and has covered all attacking lines and defensive shortcomings. Jeno Smith can’t do it.
Struggle of the 49’s. The headline in the San Francisco Chronicle Tuesday: “Honeymoon Over.” A discouraging start for trainer / Denver native Kyle Shanahan and Broncos general manager / former security officer John Lynch. The 49ers are 2-4 (0-3 at home), having lost four games in a row. Hurry up and get well, Trey Lance. Thanks to Shanahan for pointing the thumb at himself the day after his Sunday night loss from Indianapolis, saying his calls to play were inconsistent. Good news for San Francisco – he plays on Sunday in Chicago and then decides on home games of the season against the Arizona and Los Angeles Rams.
