Goodness this a bad week of football ...
Normally this would be the week that marks the midpoint in the NFL season, but this bizarre 17-game schedule has me all twisted and hating its lack of symmetry. I know that’s a personal problem, but it still bugs me — okay?
In any event, we’re still witnessing one of the most incredible seasons in recent memory. Every week feels like a mystery, making it more fun than ever. Normally this would result in a really amazing slate of games. Instead this might be the worst in recent memory.
What will be the worst game of the week?
In a remarkable stroke of ... ass, this week might be the worst NFL slate in recent memory. Instead of wallowing in how bad these games are, I’m just gonna try and guess which game will be the worst. It’s a game that’s more fun than the NFL itself. Feast your eyes on these bad boys:
- Panthers vs. Falcons
- Jaguars vs. Seahawks
- Washington vs. Broncos
- Eagles vs. Lions
Just a whole big bunch of mediocrity. As it stands I think I favor Panthers vs. Falcons to be the worst of the week, but man, Jaguars vs. Seahawks has some serious suck potential.
Can the Lions win a game?
The 0-7 Lions face the 2-5 Eagles this week in what might be one of Detroit’s best chances to get a win this season. As weird as it sounds, I really don’t think the Lions are close to being the worst team in the NFL — regardless of what their record shows.
This team has had a brutal schedule to start the season, and still managed to have one-score games with the 49ers, Ravens and Vikings, while only losing to the Rams by 9. That’s cold comfort for fans, I know, but I do think this team is headed in the right direction.
I want to see how the team progresses and whether they can handle the adversity of such a poor start. I have some faith that when they turn the corner on this the Lions can become a good team and compete, just not in 2021.
Who falls off in the AFC North?
The AFC North has been one of the most competitive divisions in football with the Bengals and Ravens being the class of the division, while Cleveland and Pittsburgh hang around, trying to find a way into the playoffs.
This week feels like a reckoning for those latter teams, with the Browns and Steelers facing off. Whoever loses will suffer a major blow in keeping up. The Browns at 4-3 are a little more immune to the pressure of a loss, but the Steelers likely can’t handle falling to 3-4 entering the back stretch.
To make matters worse the Bengals play the Jets this week, ostensibly giving them a win. We should know a lot more about the state of the division next week.
Can the Bears keep their season alive?
It’s safe to see that a Chicago loss likely spells the end to their season. Mathematically they won’t be eliminated, sure, but dropping to the 2-5 49ers and falling to 3-5 would likely be too much to bounce back from — especially in light of the surging Packers.
I’m curious to not only see if the Bears can hang, but also whether Justin Fields can improve — or if heads will roll following a loss.
Do the Saints deserve to be noticed?
The Saints are the weirdest team in football. There’s no good reason they should be at 4-2, but keep finding ways to win in spite of a seriously flawed roster.
In Week 8 New Orleans faces the Buccaneers. It’s not necessarily a game I think the Saints can win, but I want to see if they can play it close. If they’re able to push Tampa Bay and make them really work for it, well, then it might be time to look at New Orleans as a potential wild card team.
How ugly will Bengals vs. Jets get?
This could be one of the biggest blowouts in of the season. I’m just curious to see how bad this gets.
The Jets are allowing 29.3 points per game, one of the worst marks in the NFL. Meanwhile the Bengals are scoring 27.0 points per game, in the top half of the league, and keep getting better as Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase tear teams apart.
I think this is going to be a bloodbath.
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