NFL - 5 Quick Takes from NFL Week 6
1. Packers Down and Out as Rodgers Goes Down
Whether you’re a Green Bay fan, or Aaron Rodgers fan, or not, his potential season ending injury is bad for the NFL. The Packers have had a bunch of injuries this season, however even all combined, nothing comes close to the devastation of losing Rodgers for a prolonged period. Rodgers has held this franchise together for the best part of a decade with his unique, with his rare ability to conjure victories with a thin roster over the years. There is no better quarterback to watch when in full flight than Rodgers. He can make any type of throw, off the back foot, under pressure, side arm, on the run or the perfect pocket pass. He also swaggers around and does it with a coolness that belies the fact he has been carrying this franchise on his shoulders for the past ten seasons. His season ending collarbone injury means the Packers will miss the playoffs, and I don't even think it will be close. There is nothing worse, as a viewing fan of the NFL, than bad and ugly quarterback play, and you’re likely to see that from the Packers for the rest of the season as they fade from contention.
2. Patriots Winning Ugly
It’s a short season in the NFL. It’s not like other big American sports like baseball and basketball where teams can sleepwalk through months, and still make a late run for the playoffs. In the NFL it’s just 16 games, and winning early and often is very important. Take the Patriots 24-17 win over Division rivals the Jets on Sunday. Whilst it was ugly, it was precious, and keeps the Patriots creeping along at 4-2, having played nowhere near their best football. The Jets were widely considered to be the worst team in football coming into the season, however had punched their way to a 3-2 record, making Sundays game a big one. While the Patriots were once again sloppy on both sides of the ball, with coverage breakdowns and untimely turnovers, they found a way to win and, at this point of the season, that’s all that counts. Racking up enough "Ws" to be there in January. Whilst the Pats have scrounged out ugly victories over Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New York Jets, it will be interesting to see how they handle an upgrade in class next week against the visiting Atlanta Falcons. Knowing Belichick and Brady, they’re only just getting started.
3. Saints Turning Back the Clock
I thought the Saints could be a sneaky playoff team this season, and they are finally showing signs of promise after starting the season with two ugly losses. They won a wild game 52-38 on Sunday at home to Detroit, in a game where at one stage they looked like they could blow a 35-point lead. That has been the Saints at times over the past few years, with Drew Brees, even at 38 years of age, remaining as elite and jaw dropping as ever. Brees being brilliant, while the Saints have been gashed regularly on defence, has become a punchline for three straight 7-9 seasons in New Orleans. After coughing up 65 points in losses to Minnesota and New England to start the season, it looked like the same old Saints. However, despite giving up 38 points on Sunday, the Saints’ defence has shown enough life to suggest Brees might want to stick around beyond this season and have another shot at the post-season. After trading Adrian Peterson, who was a fish out of water in the Saints’ systems, the run game is versatile enough that Brees might not have to throw for 5000 yards this season. Adding to the optimism around New Orleans is everyone else in NFC South lost this week, and the Saints sit at 3-2, feeling as good about themselves as they have in years.
4. Question Marks Remain Over the Broncos and Chiefs
Heading into this round, the Chiefs and Broncos were considered by many to be the two best teams in the NFL right now. However, yesterday they suffered shock home losses at the hands of the Steelers and Giants respectively, to remind everyone that this NFL season seems as wide open and whacky as any one in recent memory. The doubts, I believe, for both franchises comes from the fact neither is considered to have an elite quarterback. Alex Smith has had a stellar start to the season, putting up MVP type numbers, however, he hasn't fired late in the season or in the playoffs in the past three seasons. Without the big arm, Smith has struggled when the colder weather has set in. The Broncos’ offence looks in a whole world of trouble after an embarrassing 23-10 home loss to the previously winless New York Giants. The Broncos might have one of the best defences in the NFL, however it’s hard to see them being effective against big teams with Trevor Siemian as their quarterback. With the Raiders dropping four games straight, the Chiefs and Broncos remain well clear in the AFC West. However, the questions marks are legitimate as to whether their offence can produce enough in the playoffs to get to a Super Bowl.
5. Jekyll and Hyde Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers’ bizarre season continued on Sunday when they strolled into Arrowhead as a hopeless underdog and knocked off the only remaining undefeated team in the NFL. That’s the Steelers for you in 2017 - one week they’re stinking it up at home to the Jaguars, the next week they’re beating the supposedly best team in the NFL on their home patch. The Steelers looked like they wouldn’t have beaten a College team last week, as they were embarrassed 30-9 by the Jaguars at home. Infighting and bickering between senior players, and Ben Roethlisberger threatening to retire, has created chaos around this team in recent months. However, they seem to thrive on chaos and particularly being an underdog. They clearly have the Chiefs’ numbers, having beaten them now convincingly three years running. I have no idea whether the Steelers will suddenly start rolling, or if this is just another spike, for a team that has been undisciplined and unpredictable at times over the past few months. However, with their Divisional rivals, the Ravens and Bengals, both stuck in mediocrity, it’s all set up for the Steelers to make the playoffs, and have a decent run, if they can get everyone motivated and united on the same page.