Week ten in the NFL is Dallas-less, and showcases some interesting division contests as the race to January heats up. Week ten starts early, with the first Thursday night game since Week one. I've tweaked my Weekly previews to be slightly more streamlined, so I hope you enjoy!
Denver Broncos (4-4) at Cleveland Browns (3-5)
The Brady Quinn era begins tonight. It’s a strange decision to say the least, as Quinn has only had a day and a half worth of practice for his debut. Luckily, he gets to shine in front of the Cleveland faithful by playing against one of the worst defenses in the league. Now we’ll see how much Derek Anderson was to blame for Cleveland’s woes, or if it was his supporting cast that hasn’t come through. Braylon Edwards, Kellen Winslow, and Jamal Lewis are the Browns’ top playmakers, yet they haven’t made any plays this season. They better step it up, or Brady Quinn’s arrival won’t save them.
Denver is a decidedly different team than the offensive juggernaut that showed up in the first four weeks of the season. Turnovers have been their downfall, with fumbles coming in bunches. Quarterback Jay Cutler has bought into his own hype and continues to force tight throws into heavy coverage, giving the defense easy interceptions. Mike Shanahan needs to shift his team back to a “run first” mindset so Cutler won’t feel the pressure to make as many plays.
New Orleans Saints (4-4) at Atlanta Falcons (5-3)
The Saints will be missing Reggie Bush for another week, even as they come off a bye. Though they managed to defeat San Diego without Bush, the longer he is out the more a playoff spot slips away from the Saints. Drew Brees has been simply amazing this season, but without a steady running game and Bush’s threat on special teams, he might not be able to keep up this pace.
The Atlanta Falcons are without a doubt the best story in football. After all of last season’s problems, the Falcons find themselves in the midst of an NFC South title hunt. Matt Ryan should be able to continue his efficient ways against an inconsistent New Orleans defensive squad. Michael Turner and Jerious Norwood complement each other perfectly in the backfield, giving Atlanta the league’s best rushing attack.
Green Bay Packers (4-4) at Minnesota Vikings (4-4)
In a division that will likely send only one team to the playoffs, NFC North divisional match-ups are critical. Both teams are looking to make ground on the division leading Chicago Bears, who face the unbeaten Titans. Green Bay has faltered this season in spite of Aaron Rodgers’ tremendous play at quarterback. Their running game simply hasn’t produced like the Packer teams of previous years. The defense showed up against the Titans last Sunday, but there’s no telling what kind of performance they’ll deliver in any given game.
Switching to Gus Frerotte may have saved Brad Childress’ job as well as his season. With Frerotte at QB, the Vikings have a legitimate pass threat to match its intimidating backfield of Adrian Peterson and Chester Taylor. They can either choose to set up the run with the pass, or open up the pass by running the ball effectively. Now their defense must start producing, or Childress may still be on the hot seat by the end of this season.
Buffalo Bills (5-3) at New England Patriots (5-3)
With the Bills, Patriots, and Jets tied for the lead at 5-3 and the Dolphins sitting at 4-4, the AFC East has become one of the most exciting divisions in football. The Bills have fallen off sharply after a 4-0 start. The obvious reason has been turnovers. With 11 turnovers in their three losses, Dick Jauron’s strategy should be clear. Protect the ball and play solid defense, and his team will win.
After dropping an important game to Indianapolis, the Patriots are still in control of their playoff destiny. Beating the Bills on Sunday is the starting point. At 1-1 versus the AFC East, a win would give them the tiebreaker over the Jets, whom they defeated back in week two. I have been particularly surprised at the Patriots’ ability to stay afloat without Tom Brady, but there’s still half a season left. That’s plenty of time for an implosion.
Indianapolis Colts (4-4) at Pittsburgh Steelers (6-2)
It doesn’t get any easier for the Colts this week, as another must-win comes against a division leader. Peyton Manning showed signs of his former self last week in a key victory over the Patriots, but he is obviously still not in sync with his receivers. The returning Bob Sanders made his presence felt on defense, netting eight tackles and an interception. Sanders is the difference-maker for Indy, so if they are going to make it into the post-season, he needs to stay healthy.
The Steelers have shockingly not run away with the AFC North halfway through the season. Baltimore is much better than expected, and Cleveland isn’t done yet. In this all-important contest, Byron Leftwich may be picking up where he left off after leading the charge for an injured Ben Roethlisberger against the Redskins. He only attempted ten passes, but his seven completions for 129 yards were all that was necessary. Leftwich is playing to impress on Sunday as he hopes to return to a consistent starting job somewhere in the NFL.
New York Giants (7-1) at Philadelphia Eagles (5-3)
This is a shocker. An NFC East division game without the Cowboys? What’s going on? Blame New York (and a Dallas bye week). The Giants are the best team in the NFC, and it is high time we referred to them as such. Their pass rush is insanely productive, even after losing defensive end Michael Strahan to retirement and DE Osi Umenyiora to a season-ending injury. Eli Manning is a top-three quarterback in the NFL, and their ground game ranks second in the league. With everything clicking for the Giants, a third division win would almost secure them the NFC East title after only nine games.
The Eagles need Brian Westbrook. He is their livelihood. When he doesn’t play, the Eagles offense just doesn’t know how to survive. He, Donovan McNabb, and receiver Desean Jackson are the team’s only offensive threats, but Philadelphia will only go as far as Westbrook will carry them. Defensive coordinator Jim Johnson must be wary of using his blitzes too aggressively, as this is a brand new Eli Manning than in years past. Fortunately, this is a fantastic Eagles secondary, with a new face in corner Asante Samuel. If the Eagles can knock off the Giants, they would seem to have the inside track of getting a wild-card berth come January.
