The NFL Roundup Week 11 - What We Learned

​Written by John Edward Betancourt

(Mike McCarn/Associated Press)

Now that the dust has settled on another week in the NFL, every single team that took this field this weekend has a better understanding of what exactly they are made of. Because so many games in Week 11 were close and thrilling as well and it is those kind of games that teach players what can of pressure they can handle and what kind of wonders they can accomplish and that's important because the end of the season draws near and every team has to be ready to give it their all for a chance to hoist the Lombardi Trophy and here is what we learned from a hard fought weekend of football.

The Carolina Panthers have not learned a single lesson about humility this season.
The Panthers are a team that fail for one reason and one reason alone...they can't handle losing. If they're behind, or down, the whole team sulks and things simply unravel. If you don't believe me...watch Super Bowl 50 over again and any of their losses this season. Now that matters because in the NFL, losing is a chance to reflect, losing is an opportunity to take inventory because it instills humility into a team and helps them understand how important it is to execute and it helps them value every win. Except when it comes to Carolina. Because, this is a team that celebrated every touchdown and their win over the Saints in exuberant fashion and it's just a shame. This is a team that could be outright incredible, if they believed in putting in the work to try and become the best team in the NFL. Instead, it's a squad full of showboats and their arrogance will come back to haunt them time and time again.

Tampa Bay pulled off quite the upset against the Chiefs.
The AFC West is an incredibly good division in football, with three of its four teams over .500 simply because of the fact that this is a division filled to the brim with quality franchises. Which means that the win that Tampa Bay pulled off in Arrowhead this Sunday is a huge deal. Because Kansas City has shown time and time again that they are a tough, hard nosed football team that fight you tooth and nail for every yard and every point, and while they stuck with that style of play on Sunday, they didn't make enough big offensive plays when they needed to and that as they say is that. But for Tampa Bay, they need to be proud of this victory. To beat a tough opponent like this helps build a foundation to get this team back to eventual glory and don't be surprised if they put together a win streak based upon this victory. 

The Dallas Cowboys continue to impress.
This go round the Cowboys didn't find themselves in the middle of a shoot out, they just went up against one of top defenses in the league and handed them a punishing loss. Dak Prescott was once again laser sharp with his throws to the tune of three touchdowns and to top it all off...he became the first Cowboys QB in franchise history to lead the team to a nine game win streak. This kid is truly a gem and what's scary is that this is only his first year in the league, meaning that he has time to grow and improve his game. So if anything Sunday's game was a glimpse into the future, one where the Cowboys win and win big on a regular basis, but in the here and the now, this team continues to be unstoppable and it won't be long before we start talking about this team as a serious contender to represent the NFC in Super Bowl LI.

Jay Cutler now faces an uncertain future.
Another game, another embarrassing finish for Bears QB Jay Cutler. Despite the team being able to hang with the New York Giants for a better part of the day, once again Cutler tossed an interception at the worst possible time and that matters because that ugly play most likely signals the end of the Cutler era in Chicago. Because as of press time, the Bears are preparing to place Jay on Injured Reserve with a torn labrum, shutting him down for the rest of the season and they will undoubtedly be releasing him when the offseason arrives in order to make room for a new franchise QB, which means Jay now faces quite the uncertain future in the NFL. He has now proven that he cannot play at a high level, meaning his chances to land a large contract and come in as the guaranteed starter are likely slim to none. More than likely Jay will be asked to play backup for backup money, and it should be interesting to see what comes next for this once promising quarterback.

The Los Angeles Rams have finally exposed their real roadblock to success...the coaching staff.
In the NFL, when a quarterback goes number one overall in the NFL Draft, that often means they are essentially pro ready and can start on a moment's notice and usually when they are selected that high, they often lead their new team from day one. But Jared Goff was asked to sit and learn for a better part of the year so he could be coached up and 100% ready to lead this team and well his big day to do just that finally arrived and all the wait and all the hype resulted in...a mediocre performance at best. He didn't throw any interceptions and he did find the end zone, but for spending that much time on the bench to learn, the end result on the field was pretty lackluster and that means one thing ladies and gentlemen, the coaches aren't doing that great of a job coaching. It's their job to have their guys ready to roll when game time comes around and well...it's clear now that the offensive woes this team is suffering from comes from poor coaching and poor play calling and it's up to Jeff Fisher to fix it...and if he chooses not to do so, well then the team can enjoy another 7-9 season.

---