Perhaps the best way to describe Week 8 in the NFL, is that it was quite a sobering weekend of football. Sure there were some great games, but also some staunch lessons about where some teams need to improve and how fast some of the things we take for granted have changed with a couple of rule tweaks in the last couple of years. Either way, everything that happened this weekend was outright fascinating and here is what we learned from this past weekend. 

The Jacksonville Jaguars need to fire Gus Bradley.
​Yes, I fully understand that this is a year where coordinators are being let go before the coach and yes, I am fully aware of the fact that there has been success to be found when this happens, but here's the thing...Gus Bradley is a bad football coach and needs to be fired as soon as possible and here's why. For one, he's had several years now to turn this team around, he's been given every single tool to succeed player wise and every single year, the Jaguars are an awful, awful team and we can blame every coordinator we would like to when it comes to this team's performance, but to see players missing tackles on Thursday Night Football, and an offense that was anemic at best until garbage time, alongside players being ejected over the last couple of weeks...well that says one thing; Gus has lost control of this team and his players are no longer responding to him and that means it's time for Mister Khan to just cut his losses and move on so the team can move forward.

The changes to the kicking game are starting to be felt around the league.
Not that long ago, there was a grand discussion of altering or removing the kicking game altogether because it had become so easy for Kickers to produce points for their teams. PAT's were nothing, and field goals were easy to hit since Kickers had all the confidence in the world. So naturally the league toyed with how that phase of the game is played and here we are, with the kicking game turned upside down. Sunday was a cavalcade of misses on both PAT's and FG's and well, it's clear now that the Kicker has become an ultra important part of the game once again because their accuracy is making or breaking the result of a game. Take the two ties for example, missed kicks helped lead to a pair of them and the Raiders would have been off the field quicker on Sunday had Sebastian Janikowski nailed his kicks. Either way, the changes to the league are a positive, because now a kick means something again, and there's no guarantee that a kicker will win the game and make it look easy in the process. 

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are struggling to put it together.
What an odd place Tampa Bay is in right now. They have a franchise quarterback in place. They made a tough coaching change to elicit a spark on this team and well...while they have shown flashes of brilliance, this is a team that simply hasn't put all the pieces of the puzzle together yet. Case in point, Sunday's game against the Raiders. They were able to hang with one of the top teams in the AFC, even going so far as to control a lead, but then something went awry, coverages were blown on defense, the offense sputtered and the end result was a Raiders win in overtime and that's a shame. Because finally, there's some real talent on this squad and its obvious they can play, but mistakes are killing them and hopefully these players are being taught that these are simply growing pains and they have to move on. If that's happening in the locker room, eventually they'll put it all together, but if not, the mistakes will only get worse, but here's to hoping they do figure it out because this is a team and a fan base that deserves another few of years of success. 

Green Bay needs to be proud of what happened in Atlanta.
Yes, the Packers are a team surrounded by question marks, and yes they have struggled this season on offense, but despite the fact that they lost the game against the Falcons on Sunday, they need to be proud of the fact that they turned this matchup into a flat out shootout. Yes, I understand there are no moral victories in the NFL, and a loss is a loss, but for a struggling Green Bay team to be able to hang with the Falcons like this, and put up some points like this is no small accomplishment and that kind of tough mettle will come in handy later on in the season. But what matters most about this game, is that the old Green Bay team, the one that can seemingly score at will made an appearance and now that they have rediscovered that formula for finding the end zone, you know they will be building upon that so next week they can create an early lead and become a dominant force on offense once again.

​The Minnesota Vikings are suddenly a team in decline. 
A few weeks ago, we (myself included) were all celebrating the resurgence of the Minnesota Vikings with their glorious 5-0 run in this league complete with stunning offensive and powerhouse defensive play. Then the Philadelphia Eagles handed them a loss, and everything changed. Suddenly the defense is no longer stout and Sam Bradford is no longer laser accurate to the point where they lost to an awful Chicago Bears team on Monday night. As to what changed, well it's hard to say, but there is a distinct chance that the Vikings went the way of the Panthers, believing that they were invincible because of their record and are not dealing well with the notion of a loss. Either way, they need to focus and focus quickly because another loss or two and the road to the playoffs gets all the more difficult for Minnesota. 

Oh there is a special excitement in the air this weekend as we wait for the remainder of games to get underway. After all, the push to the playoffs begins now, with teams doing their best from here on out to rack up as many wins as possible to enjoy either a home game or a bye week when the tournament comes around.

For some teams this task should be simple since winning is a culture for them this season, but they have to remember that no game is ever easy and they will face great challenges as the season progresses and tomorrow features some powerhouse games, ones that are more or less two titans clashing on the field for supremacy and their respective contests will make for some of the most fascinating games to watch come tomorrow.

The last time these two teams met earlier in the season, the Patriots were not at full strength. Their all pro quarterback in Tom Brady was suspended and Rex Ryan took full advantage of that, shutting down the New England offense and enjoying a big time victory by snapping their win streak. But, can the Bills pull that off again now that Tom Brady has returned? I honestly don't know. It is possible but the Patriots are a different team with Brady at the helm as he continues his revenge tour, but you know that won't stop the Bills from trying to deliver the Pats their second loss of the season. Expect this game to be incredibly physical in every single phase of the game as Brady looks to smack down another team and the Bills look to show the league that they are a force to be reckoned with. 

This is another rematch game and one with some pretty high stakes. As of right now, the Chargers are on a win streak that started with their victory over Denver on Thursday Night Football a couple of weeks ago and the Broncos are tied with the Raiders in the standings and itching to lock up the AFC West once again, which means that this is a must win game...for both teams. If the Chargers suffer another loss their hopes at the postseason continue to slip away and if Denver loses, the road to the Division Championship gets all the more difficult. But the Broncos won't go down without a fight this time, and despite the fact that Denver will be without their number one tailback in C.J. Anderson, we can still expect a heavy dose of the run and heavy blitzing from a resurgent defense in the hopes of making it a long day for the San Diego Chargers.

This is the only non divisional matchup on the board for us this weekend, but it should still prove to be quite the exciting game. After all, the Green Bay Packers are a team that everyone is wondering about right now. It's hard to tell if they're elite this year or lucky and the same questions apply to the Falcons since one minute they're outright dominant and the next they let teams sneak back into it. Which means for both of these teams, we expect this game to have a little more intensity on the field as they try to solidify their status atop their respective divisions and give their fans some peace of mind so be ready for either a potential shootout in Georgia between two gunslinger quarterbacks or an outright blowout if one of these squads decides to fold in the middle of one important game.

If there had to be a game of the week that every single fan needs to watch, this would be the one. The Eagles are a different squad these days, but so are the Cowboys. Both teams now have dynamic quarterbacks under center and they have both proven that they are only going to get better as time goes on. So this one is going to be quite the fight because not only is the Division on the line, but bragging rights as to which QB is the better rookie as well. As to who will win this contest, well that comes down to one thing...can Philadelphia stop the Cowboys run game? Because truthfully, that is the key to the Cowboys success, they run the ball well, keeping defenses honest and opening windows for Dak Prescott to throw into. So if Philly can keep Elliott from going anywhere, and put up some points, they have a real shot at upsetting Dallas, and if not...well...that means it will be another win for the Cowboys, or as they like to call it, business as usual.

My how time flies. It seems just a few weeks ago we were discussing Kickoff Weekend and the wonder of the NFL season ahead of us and suddenly, here we are, halfway into the season. Yes, Week 8 is upon us and that means the push for the playoffs is about to begin. Teams that are in a good place record wise, or on the cusp will add a little more fire and precision to their play as they give it their all for a shot at the tournament. That means going forward the games are going to be all the more intense, and the stories that come from that kind of play will be outright fascinating and here are the top stories we will be keeping an eye on this weekend.

What will the New York Jets do at quarterback if Ryan Fitzpatrick struggles again?
So, it's been a weird year in Gotham at the QB position. First, Ryan Fitzpatrick demands more money, the Jets say no, he holds out, misses most of the offseason, makes a deal with the Jets after all, comes back, stinks, gets benched, Geno Smith gets the nod, gets hurt, Fitzy is back at the helm. That's a lot of change and uncertainty at that position, and I don't think we're done with it yet. Because let's face some facts, Ryan Fitzpatrick is a player in decline and he will never be anything more than an adequate journeyman quarterback, not the kind of elite QB that will lead a team to a championship. That's not a bad thing, he's the kind of QB that is perfect to let a rookie learn behind, but with his skill set waning, the Jets are faced with a tough decision if he struggles again (and he will), do they bench him and essentially acknowledge #14 is done and the season is lost? The answer is...heck yes. They have to figure out what they have in Bryce Petty and Christian Hackenberg so if Fitzy falters again, take a shot on the young kids...what's the worst that could happen, the Jets win a game for a change?

​Can the Buffalo Bills hand the New England Patriots another loss?
The Buffalo Bills are a respectable 4-3 after starting off the season in dismal fashion, and while they clearly have some struggles against the run, as was evidenced by their loss to Miami last week, this is a team that has proven time and time again, that when they are focused they can produce nothing short of miracles. After all, they were the team that handed the Patriots their first loss of 2016, and they did it by shutting them out. Granted, Tom Brady wasn't at the helm then, but if there is one thing Rex Ryan loves to do, it's beat the Pats and if Sexy Rexy has his team focused this week, there's a good chance that the Buffalo defense will feast upon the somewhat shaky New England offensive line, and disrupt Brady's game. If they can pull that off, and Tyrod Taylor can play game manager, then there's a good chance the Bills will sweep the series and slow down the 2016 Tom Brady Revenge Tour.

​Can the Philadelphia Eagles pull off another upset?
After dealing with a couple of tough losses, the Philadelphia Eagles quietly regrouped and stunned Sam Bradford and the Minnesota Vikings at home in a game that a majority of us out there...expected them to lose. But as only fate would have it in the NFL, Philadelphia is faced with another incredible challenge this weekend as they head to Dallas to take on the red hot Cowboys and the big question on all of our minds is...can they beat the Cowboys as well? The answer is a resounding yes, only because Dallas' greatest strength, can also serve as their weakness, specifically the offense. What allows for the Cowboys to win and win big is their balanced combination of run and pass plays. If the Eagles can make that offense one dimensional, they have a shot at upsetting another powerhouse team. But it won't be easy with players as dynamic as Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott, but hey...if they can cool off a red hot Bradford, they can find a way to slow down the vaunted Dallas offense. 

What does C.J. Anderson's knee injury mean for the Denver Broncos run game? 
As of press time, C.J. Anderson is prepping for surgery on his right knee, due an injury he suffered in the Monday Night game against the Texans. But regardless of whether or not the doctors find extensive or minor damage, his not being on the field does change things for the Denver Broncos run game, specifically as to how they attack. C.J. and Rookie Devonate Booker have become an effective one-two punch, utilizing Anderson's toughness to wear down an opposing defense before Booker comes in with a fresh set of legs to take advantage of that fatigue and well, while it's clear Booker will do just fine as the starter, the question is whether or not Kapri Bibbs or Juwan Thompson (if they activate him from the practice squad) can fill in as the 'change of pace' back. Thompson is more of a bruiser running back, best used for short gains or to punch the ball into the end zone and Bibbs...well he's simply unproven in this league. Either way, Anderson's injury is a big deal,  because the run game is paramount to the Denver offense and if they don't find a one-two punch running back combination quickly, we may see this offense stall out until they do.

Is this Jay Cutler's last opportunity to show the NFL he can be a quality quarterback?
Whether you're a fan of Jay Cutler or not, I think we can all agree on one thing, his time with Chicago is nearing its end. After being awarded a handsome contract a few years back, his play hasn't warranted that kind of salary and with the last of any cash penalties disappearing from the Chicago salary cap after this year, there's little chance the team will hold on to him. Which means, everything he does from this point on is more or less an audition for the quarterback starved teams that will be looking for a guy like Jay come the offseason. The only problem for Jay is that after his stint in Denver and now Chicago, he has earned a reputation as an aloof leader, someone who will score you points but never lead a team to victory and because of that, there's a fair chance the contract offers coming in next year will be for second string/backup money. Which means if Jay wants to command top dollar on the market he has to show everyone in the league that he can indeed inspire his teammates and lead them on the field, and that has to start Sunday, otherwise, he may be in for a rude awakening when the season comes to an end.

There was definitely something different in the air when it came to this past weekend's games and with good reason. Several players were facing off against past teams, several coaches were trying to get the best out of their players and some teams were trying to salvage their seasons. Either way, it made for some stunningly good and stunningly bad performances and taught us plenty about our favorite players and teams and here is what we learned from Week 7 in the NFL.

​The Rams QB situation is an absolute mess.
It's been a weird year for the Los Angeles Rams, simply because, you never quite know what you're going to get out of their offense when it comes to their passing game. One week, they're on it, dropping points in the end zone like it's nothing. Then you get games like the one in London, where #17 tosses nothing but errant and costly throws, begging the question...why the heck haven't they bothered to start the first overall pick in the 2016 draft, Jared Goff? Well, quite a few things could be in play here. For starters, Keenum is a team captain and benching a captain means that more or less, the season is lost and they've lost confidence in a leader. Not to mention, the coaches see Goff every day and know exactly what his skill set is right now and he may not be ready to lead this team. But what we can all agree on, is that the QB position is a mess right now in L.A., with a starter who is clearly in over his head and a rookie that may struggle to produce. 

The Minnesota Vikings suffered their first loss of the season in ugly fashion.
Sunday was supposed to be redemption day for Sam Bradford. He would return to the Linc, and the light Eagles up and show everyone that Philadelphia made a big mistake in trading him away. Instead...the Eagles out couched, out played and utterly manhandled the Vikings, handing them their first loss of the season and spoiling Sam's attempt at revenge. But what truly made this one hurt, is the fact that score was so one sided against the Vikings, a team that seemed so unstoppable for the majority of the season but either way, the '72 Dolphins can toast once again since their perfect season is still preserved in the history books and the Vikings have been humbled nicely, allowing for them to regroup and learn from their mistakes so that this kind of disaster doesn't happen again.

The Seahawks and Cardinals gave us the best football game of the week.
Sunday Night Football seemed to elicit a wide range of emotions from football fans on social media this week. I saw comments from folks who thought the game was boring. I read heartfelt pleas from fans of both teams, begging their boys to score and then there was a handful of folks who believed this was some damn fine football on display and in my humble opinion...that's the right way to look at this. Part of football's appeal is the non stop scoring, as quarterbacks dink and dunk touchdowns left and right. But the real magic in this sport is when the scoring disappears and it reverts to the way the game used to be played, where it was more or less a chess game and that's what this game was; old time football, and a fine defensive struggle where the pressure was on for the players and I think it is that pressure, to know that this play would wrap everything up, is what forced the kickers from both teams to miss. Either way, we have our first tie in the league since 2014 and the suspense from this one, despite its ending made it the best game of the week hands down.

The San Diego Chargers are enjoying an incredible resurgence.
It always amazes me just how fast a team can turn around their season in the NFL, and the Chargers are a shining example of that. Just a few weeks ago, it seemed as though their season was over and Head Coach Mike McCoy was about to find himself uncomfortable in the hot seat and yet here we are. They've had two big time wins over Denver and Atlanta and they've done it in impressive fashion with stunning offense and stout defensive play. But this week's game in Atlanta bears a little deeper discussion, since the Chargers fought a top notch Falcons team every step of the way, finally pulling out the win in overtime. Either way, while it's impressive to see this team pull it together, they are still 3-4 and a couple of ugly losses can still jeopardize the season for this plucky team, but in the meantime they can still take pride in the fact that this team is filled with talent and can indeed hang with the big boys...and beat them.

The Broncos got their season back on track, with a big time win over a ghost from their past.
The talk surrounding Denver over the past couple of weeks has been filled with doubt and with good reason. They lost to the Falcons in ugly fashion and then they found themselves manhandled by San Diego in prime time. But last night, any discussion of doubt was put to bed. Trevor Siemian played lights out football, the run game was in full effect, the defense was stifling and most importantly, the Broncos finally closed the book on the last glaring issue from their offseason; Brock Osweiler's unceremonious departure from Denver...to Houston. That kind of move can mess with a team's synergy,  but the Broncos never let it get to them and didn't let revenge be at the top of their mind during the game either and the end result of their keeping it cool and sticking to the game plan was simple, a win for Denver and another prime time loss that exposed Brock Osweiler to be a sub par quarterback making wayyyyyyy too much money.

The phrase, 'it's personal' and all the iterations and meanings that go with it, are thrown around a lot in sports, to the point where one could consider it to be cliché. But, despite it's potential overuse, things do get awfully personal in sports. Players and coaches change teams, there's bad blood involved and well, games that get personal, often result in something special for the fans.

Those in the stands and at home often times are witness to spectacular performances when the player in question decides to stick it to their former team in glorious fashion, or if they have something to prove and oddly enough, this weekend's games feature a few contests that fit into both of those molds, which means how these games unfold should be outright fascinating and here are the ones we are keeping an eye on come tomorrow and Monday Night.

Quarterback Sam Bradford has had quite the wild ride in the NFL. After being selected first overall by the Rams in 2010, he was unceremoniously traded to the Eagles in 2015, and after seeing success in Philadelphia, he was awarded with a lovely new contract and the possibility that most likely, he was the guy going forward for the Eagles. But then...the team traded up to pick Carson Wentz in this year's draft and Sam demanded a trade, eventually he got his wish and was shipped off to Minnesota after Teddy Bridgewater's horrific knee injury and now Sam is giving us the best performance of his career. He's been lights out for the Vikings and as fate would have it, the Prodigal Son returns to Philadelphia this weekend to face off against the team that was happy to trade him away, and you know that he will be looking to tear that defense to shreds and do anything and everything to ensure that the Eagles fully regret letting him go. Of course, Philly knows this and will work to shut him and the offense down to send a message that reaffirms why they sent him packing, but either way, there's some serious emotion going into this game and it should be an incredible one to watch. 

For many, many years now, the New York Jets have been searching for a franchise quarterback, to no avail. It's been starter after stater in Gotham and in 2013, the Jets thought that maybe, just maybe they had finally found their man in Geno Smith when they drafted him in the second round, but alas, Geno struggled from the get go. His inability to read a defense led to poor decisions and turnovers and eventually, a benching. But, opportunity always comes knocking in the NFL and as fate would have it, Geno is getting another shot to start for the Jets tomorrow and if the benching did what it was supposed to do, Geno studied the game and set his mind right because this could be his last chance to prove to the league, the Jets and himself that he is indeed a quality quarterback that can play at a high level and hopefully #7 will accept the challenge and prove everyone that has doubted him, including myself, wrong.

Arizona Head Coach Bruce Arians is well known for a couple of things. For starters, he's a no nonsense, tell it like it is coach and second, he expects every single one of his players to execute well and give the team their best on every single down. That philosophy has led to some amazing success, with the Cardinals finding their way to the NFC Championship game last year, but this year...well things have changed. The team has for the most part been mediocre on the field and it's something that Bruce simply cannot stand, and he's called out players publicly for poor play and made changes to the lineup left and right. He is a man looking to prove that his team is better than people give them credit and what better an opportunity to show that the Cardinals are still a force to be reckoned with, than by beating the 4-1 Seattle Seahawks. But, what makes this game a touch more personal, is that while Coach Arians speaks to how the team needs to do better, it's safe to assume that he would like to prove to himself that he's still the able to guide this team to great success and that's he still one hell of a Head Coach.

Of all the games this weekend has to offer, none of them are filled with as much bad blood as Monday Night's game since this features the return of Brock Osweiler to the Mile High City. Much has been made of this matchup and with good reason. Osweiler was hand picked by John Elway to take over the franchise once Peyton Manning said goodbye. He was embraced and supported by his teammates during his seven game run last year, but rather than stay with Denver, he bolted for the big bucks that Houston was offering and well...it doesn't get more personal in a matchup than this. The Denver Broncos want to expose and embarrass Brock on Monday Night to show the world why Mr. Elway let him walk and Brock, well considering the rough season he's had in Houston, he would love nothing more than to prove his doubters wrong and torch the Denver defense. Either way, this should turn out to be one incredibly fierce and entertaining game. 

As Week 7 gets ready to kickoff tonight, it's clear that changes are coming to several teams. At least one ineffective starting quarterback is headed to the bench, and who knows who else may find their season come to an end for poor play. It means we can expect the unexpected this week, and that we will be privy to some fascinating and thrilling stories, and here are the ones we will be keeping an eye on come this weekend. 

Is Geno Smith the answer at Quarterback for the Jets?
Early on in his career, Geno Smith was more of a punchline than a quarterback thanks to his rough play on the field. But the Jets went out and upgraded the position with Ryan Fitzpatrick and as only a story can go in the NFL, Fitzpatrick is headed to the bench and Geno is about to return, but will this young man finally live up to his potential in the NFL? The answer is...possibly. Smith was pressed into service early on in his career and for the most part, we've seen the importance of letting a young QB watch and learn the game before turning them loose on the field. So, with a couple of years of observation under his belt, Geno could indeed be pro ready by now, but sadly...we won't know where he's at professionally until he takes the field, but as bad as the Jets are doing right now, it's wise of them to give him a shot and see what he can do. 

Is this the week that Green Bay puts it all together?
The Green Bay Packers are quite the conundrum. Normally they are a dominant team, one that plays fearsome defense that is complimented by an offense that can put up points at will. But this season, something seems quite off. The defense is good but not great, and Aaron Rodgers has had an up and down year thus far, and while the team is indeed 3-2 record wise, some of the painful losses they have suffered have everyone wondering when this team will return to its dominant role or some sense of consistency and well...there's a chance tonight is when all of that happens. After all, the Chicago Bears are a mess right now and there's no better way for the Packers to gain some confidence and find a groove than with a tune up game against an inferior opponent. However, anything can happen in a game, so while one would expect Green Bay to walk away the winner...if the Packers bad habits pop up again, this game could be a disaster.

Do the Vikings stay undefeated?
One by one, the mightiest teams in the league have suffered their first loss of the season...except for the Minnesota Vikings. They remain 5-0 and look as dominant as ever, but...no team remains perfect forever and for every fan watching to see if the streak stays alive, there's another fan waiting for it to end and said streak could possibly be snapped when the Vikings roll into the Linc this weekend to take on the Philadelphia Eagles. Philly is a team that is looking to right the ship after two tough losses, and you know they would love an opportunity to do that by handing the best team in the league their first loss of the season. If they can find a way to rattle Sam Bradford, and wear down that vaunted defense, the Eagles can pull it off. If not...then expect Minnesota to enjoy another week of perfection.

Can the Chargers build off of their win against the Broncos?
San Diego has taken a lot of flack this season and with good reason, for the most part, they've been an awful football team. They've blown leads, made some boneheaded calls and lost games because of it. But last week's game against the Broncos possibly saved their season. They were calm, cool and collect and handled Denver in stride, which begs the question, can they do it again? It's possible. If they attack on offense like they did last week, and confuse Matt Ryan, they may topple another top tier team in the Falcons. But Atlanta has proven they are ready to do what Denver didn't do in the Thursday Night game, and adjust accordingly, something they do week in and week out. Which means the real X Factor here is the Chargers coaching staff, the ones who made those boneheaded calls, because they have to be ready for anything the Falcons throw at them. Either way, this is going to be one interesting game, and a great opportunity for the San Diego coaching staff to show off their football smarts.

The Broncos will try to rebound from their embarrassing loss by punishing Brock Osweiler and the Texans.
Let's not mince any words here. The Denver Broncos loss to the San Diego Chargers on Thursday Night Football last week, was perhaps the team's most painful loss since Super Bowl XLVIII. They were manhandled by a team they could have easily beaten and well, despite how chill the defensive players have been about said loss, you know they're seething on the inside and are ready to right the ship the only way they know how, by utterly destroying their opponent and as fate would have it, the QB that abandoned the franchise in Brock Osweiler is coming back to town on Monday night and it couldn't be at a worse time for Brock. He's under fire from the press and the fans for his piss poor play and bloated contract which means Denver, is going to do everything they can to dismantle him on Monday night, preying on his lack of confidence and experience, and likely showing zero mercy in the process. It honestly should be an ugly game for the Texans, and the fallout from an epic loss will only make the season that much harder on Houston's $72 million dollar man.

It was a fascinating weekend of football to say the least. We saw teams that have settled into a routine, either good ones or bad ones continue on their path. We saw teams with something to prove either keep doubt alive or silence it, but most importantly, this was a weekend filled to the brim with incredible football moments that taught us plenty about our favorite teams, and here is what we learned from Week 6 in the NFL.

Stick a fork in the Carolina Panthers, they are done.
There are teams that we outright expect every year to simply dominate when they take the field. Be it their powerhouse offense, or stout defense, something about that squad screams elite...and sometimes, those teams simply fall from grace and their season ends up becoming a total disaster. That, in a nutshell, sums up 2016 for the Carolina Panthers, a team that plenty of people expected to be ultra competitive considering how well they played last year. But after playing loose on defense Sunday, they fell to New Orleans Saints in heartbreaking fashion, giving them a 1-5 record on the season well...that's it ladies and gents, the season is basically over for the Panthers. The chances of them suddenly putting together a ten game win streak or winning enough games to make the playoffs are slim to none. Not with their inconsistent offensive and defensive play and it's a shame...they are a talented team, but bravado and bluster was the focus this year over football fundamentals and we wish the Carolina Panthers luck in 2017. 

The Denver Broncos need to get back to basics. 
To say that the Thursday Night game was a disaster for the Denver Broncos would be an understatement. This was an outright embarrassment for the defending Super Bowl Champions, since they absolutely melted down in San Diego. The defense couldn't stop anything the Chargers threw their way and the offense was actually less efficient than it was under Peyton Manning at his absolute worst. Part of the problem falls to the fact that Gary Kubiak was home resting and the team was unable to install anything more than a vanilla gameplan, but some glaring issues remain. For starters, the Broncos D is woefully ineffective against the run and that's a big part of their defensive game plan. Stop the run, force the pass, Von Miller and the secondary do the reset. Second to that, the offensive line can't block and Trevor Siemian is suddenly regressing after his injury. If the Broncos want to right the ship and quickly, they need to find a way to get the most out of that O Line, get Siemian comfortable again and shore up the defensive line...otherwise, the losses will continue to mount and the season will slip away for Denver...

Any way you slice it, the Chicago Bears are an awful football team.
Some teams can truly blame the injury bug on a bad season when starter after starter make their way onto the Injured Reserve list, and while the Chicago Bears are banged up at plenty of positions, a majority of those wounded players took the field against the Jaguars on Sunday...and lost to Jacksonville. Which begets the question...what the heck is wrong with the Bears? Well, the answer is simple, they're a bad football team. It doesn't matter if Jay Cutler is under center, or the team's usual QB of the week, they never get the job done and the defense is filled with sub par play and players and really, the blame for their 1-5 record at this point...falls to Head Coach John Fox. There are fundamentals this team misses week in and week out, and well...I hate to say it, but if this continues, don't be shocked if the Bears once again jettison their head coach at some point this season.

The answer to the quarterback controversy brewing in Dallas is easy, start Prescott over Romo.
The unspoken rule in the NFL when it comes to injury is simple, a player shouldn't lose their starting job because of an injury. Of course, this is a rule that isn't always adhered to, since injury is how Tom Brady started his legacy in this league, and quite frankly, it's a rule that the Cowboys would be foolish to follow as Tony Romo prepares to return from his back injury, for several reasons. For one, Tony Romo continues to find himself banged up every time he takes the field making this is a great time for him to sit down and heal up properly since the team isn't in dire of need his services at the moment thanks to reason number two...Dak Prescott is absolutely phenomenal. He has been the de facto leader of this offense ever since he took over for Romo and well, if it ain't broke don't fix it. Let Romo heal, let Dak do his thing and then these two QB's can square off next year in the offseason to decide who the 2017 starter will be. 

The Washington Redskins have been quite the pleasant surprise.
Earlier we talked about the Panthers, a team that fit a particular mold for 2016, specifically that we expected them to be an elite team but instead they turned out to be quite a disappointment. Well, on the other side of the spectrum, there are teams that we outright expect to be mediocre, or an outright failure every year that manage to surprise and impress us...and the Washington Redskins fall into that category because while they showed flashes of brilliance last year and even found their way to the playoffs for the first time in ages, we didn't see anything from this franchise in the offseason that indicated they were reloading or improving and in the end, the joke is on us. The Redskins are scary good this year, they find ways to win and are executing plays on both sides of the ball. It really is quite the pleasant surprise to see them in this situation and perhaps at long last, Washington can be taken seriously as a team again.

Thursday Night Football taught both the Denver Broncos and the San Diego Chargers quite an important lesson. It taught Denver to never take any game for granted, and it taught San Diego to play fearlessly and execute and good things will come your way.

That's an important lesson to learn this time of year as some teams see their season slipping away, and really, that's going to be the focus of today's highlighted games...teams that have something to prove, teams that have everything to lose, because this week features games that are less about dominance, and more about digging deep for pride and respect and without further ado, here are the games that we are going to be keeping an eye on come tomorrow. 

Both of these teams are doing quite well right now when it comes to their records, but both of them have something to prove and this matchup tomorrow has plenty on the line. When three teams in your division all have three wins or above, a game like this becomes an early battle for the playoffs as they both hope to either put themselves in position to make a run at winning the division or at least put themselves in a comfortable spot for a wild card slot, but this game goes even further beyond playoff seeding, this is a game that features two quarterbacks desperate to prove they are elite. After all, Carson Wentz is a rookie and needs to show the league he is the real deal and the franchise quarterback Philadelphia expects him to be. While Kirk Cousins is the twenty million dollar man who needs to demonstrate that he is worth that incredible contract which means this could turn out to be a fierce game as both teams do their best to knock out an opponent in their division.

This particular game features two teams now sitting at a crossroads. New Orleans is a team filled with offensive talent but the defense is another story altogether and the Carolina Panthers have gone from NFC Champions to NFC Chumps with their awful play on the field and inability to get anything going on either side of the ball. With both of their seasons quickly slipping away, this is a game that is going to be about pride for both teams. New Orleans wants to demonstrate that they can will a win to happen with Drew Brees tossing touchdown bombs and the Panthers are desperate to let everyone know that they are still a quality football team. This one will certainly come down to who wants it more and it should be interesting to see which team decides to leave everything on the field. 

This is another game that just so happens to be in an ultra competitive division by way of the AFC West, except instead of two titans facing off on the field, one team is looking to continue their dominance while the other is trying to rack up a few wins to stay in the hunt for a potential playoff spot. Normally, a description such as that would mean the Raiders were the desperate team and KC was kicking butt and taking names, but this year the roles are flip flopped with Oakland atop the AFC West and KC struggling to get by. But, anything can happen when it comes to Divisional games, so while the Raiders should walk away with a win here in comfortable fashion...don't be surprised to see Kansas City upset the mighty Raiders and keep things interesting in this division. 

Oddly enough, while the teams in this matchup aren't doing outright terrible, this game is more or less a statement game for both squads. The Indianapolis Colts signed Andrew Luck to a mega contract in the offseason, hoping it would truly cement his status as a franchise quarterback and de facto leader of the team and well...they're 2-3 and while Luck has played well, there have been no inspiring, John Elway/Peyton Manning/Tom Brady-esque moments of leadership from him. On the other side of the ball, there's the Houston Texans, who spent mega money on Brock Osweiler in free agency as well, and while they are atop the AFC South...the results from their expensive QB have been lackluster at best. Which means both of these quarterbacks are looking to show the nation during prime time why they are worth every penny...but only one of them will walk away from this game with their fans feeling secure about ownership's decision to use a significant chunk of the salary cap on them.

Week 6 in the NFL is a special time for the league mainly because everyone is starting to settle into a routine. Losing teams just keep on losing, and while winning teams are often enjoying continued success; routine can build complacency and sometimes, they find themselves stunned with an epic loss. Just ask Denver, since it happened to them last week. Either way, it's up to the players to find ways to keep the game exciting in their minds going forward, which means we could be in for some stunning games and fascinating stories this weekend, depending on how those mental reps go and here are the stories we will be keeping an eye on this week in the NFL.

Will the Denver Broncos bounce back from their first loss of the season?
Any way you slice it, the Broncos were manhandled by the Atlanta Falcons last week in stunning fashion. The defense could not stop the run, the offensive line couldn't protect Paxton Lynch and you know this is a team that is not happy in the slightest about that loss and is ready to rebound from it by trouncing the San Diego Chargers, but can they do it? It's possible since Trevor Siemian is back in the lineup for Thursday Night Football...but the offensive line is still weak and Gary Kubiak will be resting comfortably at home, recovering from a migraine issue. So, in order for Denver to recover from that stinging loss, Interim Head Coach Joe DeCamillis is going to have to be ready to adjust the gameplan on the fly as necessary, something Kubiak does in masterful fashion, and the line has to keep Siemian upright and get the ground game going. If they can do that, all will be right in Broncos Country. 

Will the Buffalo Bills continue their amazing win streak?
A few weeks ago, many of us in football land were ready to forget about the Buffalo Bills. They had lost the first two games of the season, Rex Ryan was once more talking the big talk and not backing it up and then something magical happened. The team buckled down and here we are...with Buffalo enjoying a three game win streak. Heck, they even beat the Patriots and well, will this hot streak continue for the Bills? I think the answer is a resounding yes. After all, they are squaring off against the San Francisco 49ers, a team that just changed quarterbacks because nothing is going right on offense, and the Bills are going to feast upon that. They will attack Colin Kaepernick non stop, hope to exploit the rust and more than likely...walk away with their fourth straight win. 

Will Cam Newton's return make a difference?
The Carolina Panthers are in a free fall right now. Their season continues to slip away mainly because of the fact that the team is devoid of confidence and leadership at the moment. The captains on this squad are doubting themselves and that doubt is spreading like wildfire. For a moment there it seemed as though a change at quarterback was going to mix things up when Derek Anderson took the field and kept the Atlanta game competitive...but he was utterly ineffective on Monday Night against Tampa Bay. Which begs the question...with the players so down upon themselves and playing awful football right now, does it matter that Cam Newton is coming back to start? It does...provided that Cam took a moment while recovering to refocus himself on football. If he comes back, and energizes this squad, reminds them that they can do this if they execute one play at a time, we can expect some big things from Carolina this weekend. But if Cam comes out and lets adversity get to him...then it's just business as usual for the Panthers and they can add yet another L to the loss column.

Will Cincinnati be the next victim on the Patriots 2016 Revenge Tour?
With or without Tom Brady, the Patriots have made it clear that every single one of their opponents should be ready for one hell of a fight on the field, and their 4-1 record reflects that. They have steamrolled over teams, shut one team out, and now that Brady is back, they'll be even harder to beat, but this team proved that they are not invincible with their loss to the Bills, so does that mean that Cincinnati can stop them? That all depends, because this Bengals team, a force to be reckoned with a year ago, seem lost and confused on the field. At times they are outright brilliant and dominant, the rest of the time they are an absolute mess on offense and defense. Their season hasn't come to an end yet, but it is most certainly on the brink which means that with their backs against the wall, there is a chance they can beat the Patriots, provided they look like their old selves. If the team can get the run game going, and Dalton can find his receivers, the offense will certainly put up some big points; and if the defense can find its teeth once again and attack the Patriots offense and get to Brady and rattle him...they win this game. But who knows which Bengals squad will show up this Sunday, I just hope Cincinnati starts to believe in the fact that they are far more talented than their record currently reflects.

Do the Cleveland Browns finally get their first win of the season this weekend?
Nothing has gone right for the Browns this season. They have lost players left and right to injuries, they cannot execute on the field and they are 0-5 because of it. This is a team desperately in need of a win to take the sting of losing out of the locker room and allow this squad to build on something, anything for next season...so is this Sunday's game against the Titans the one they have been waiting for? After all, the Titans are a mediocre team, and beatable and well...if Cleveland can exploit their weaknesses on offense and play some tough defense...they might actually win a game. But that is easier said than done. When you can barely execute on the field and the coaching staff is incapable of adjusting on the fly, it may take a miracle for the Browns to pull it off. Granted stranger things have happened before, but my money is on Cleveland leaving Tennessee with their sixth straight loss.

Week 5 ended up being full of surprises. While most of us, this writer included, expected some status quo to occur, we ended up bearing witness to one wild game after another that shocked the fans of some teams and brought utter joy to others, proving once again that anything and everything can happen on Sunday and this week's games taught us quite a bit about our favorite teams. So without further ado, here is what we learned from Week 5 in the NFL.

The Minnesota Vikings deserve to be 5-0.
​At first glance that may seem like a silly statement. They won those games, of course they deserve it. But let's be honest, every year a couple of overrated teams that have luck fall their way finish the season with some awesome records before getting blown out and embarrassed in the playoffs (the 2015 Carolina Panthers are a fine example of this). But some teams...well they work hard, execute on the field and earn every single win that comes their way, and that's what Minnesota is doing. They continue to shut down one offense after another, find ways to score and the end result is that they are the absolute best team in the NFL right now and they should be incredibly proud of what they've accomplished.

The Denver Broncos enjoyed a little humble pie on Sunday, and it's a good thing.
Sometimes in sports writing, you have to eat a little crow and Sunday afternoon, mine was served up piping hot because I firmly believed the Broncos were going to roll over the Falcons and instead...they were completely exposed in their first loss of the season. Atlanta broke the mighty Denver defense with a sound run game and took advantage of every single weakness the Broncos offensive line had to offer and when all is said and done, I'm glad the Broncos lost. It's a humbling experience to know that you're not invincible in the NFL and the sting of a loss after riding a streak reminds players of how important it is to play hard every down of every game and I'm sure the Broncos will rebound in no time, but for now...it turns out they're human after all. 

The Blaine Gabbert Experiment has come to an end in San Francisco.
Chip Kelly came into San Francisco hoping to do two key things. Show everyone in the NFL that he is still an offensive genius, that anyone can run his system and run it successfully and in the process, revitalize the career of quarterback Blaine Gabbert. However, none of that has come to fruition. Chip's system is the exact same one that he ran in Philadelphia, the one that everyone and their cousin figured out and Blaine Gabbert is just awful at running it. To date he's completed only 58% of his passes and thrown for five touchdowns and six interceptions alongside a paltry 890 yards and thankfully as of press time, this botched experiment has come to an end. Gabbert is heading to the bench and Colin Kaepernick is returning to the starting lineup. Will that make a difference, most definitely since #7 is has plenty of starting experience but this change is just one part of the equation. Chip Kelly needs to adjust his stringent game planning to bring the best out of his players, but in the meantime, sitting Gabbert down is the right thing to do and if Kaepernick can run Chip's wild offense...the sky will be the limit.

It's official, Brock Osweiler is a free agent bust. 
Speaking of quarterbacks that are causing concerns for their team...Brock Osweiler continues to be an outright disaster for the Houston Texans and there's not much that Houston can do about it. By handing him all that guaranteed money this year, cutting the cord on a player that has that kind of financial investment sunk into his role would cripple the team salary cap wise, and benching him now would acknowledge they made a terrible mistake. Which means, they have to ride this nightmare out and hope that Brock improves, but considering his 'stellar' 58% completion rate, and 6/7 touchdown to interception ratio when he has a decent offensive line and a couple of awesome receivers to throw to...this is as good as it gets and Osweiler is an outright Jay Cutler-esque bust that will cost someone his job for certain. 

The San Diego Chargers need to make some coaching changes, and soon.
The Chargers are in a funny place right now. They have the second highest scoring offense in the NFL, right behind the mighty Atlanta Falcons and much of that is thanks to Philip Rivers and his phenomenal play through five games. They've also dealt with some ugly injuries and have still managed to accomplish wonders after losing those players, which means...they should be right in the mix with the Raiders and Broncos in the hunt for the AFC West Division Championship. Except...they've lost three in a row, close ones for that matter too and these epic collapses continue to come in the fourth quarter. The defense is suddenly helpless in the fourth quarter and that falls upon the Defensive Coordinator since the offense did their job. That means, it's time to make some coaching changes, starting with DC John Pagano since the team isn't responding to him, but considering how bad these games have gone and the fact that the Chargers are fighting to show the people of San Diego that the team deserves a new stadium...don't be shocked if ownership decides to fire Head Coach Mike McCoy to make a statement on what they expect out of this team. Either way, change is coming to the Chargers coaching staff, it's simply a matter of who is going to go first.