The NFL Roundup 2017: Week 11 - What We Learned

Written by John Edward Betancourt

(Bill Kostroun/Associated Press)

We’re only a mere day removed from Week 11 in the NFL, and I’m still in awe of what I saw go down this weekend. Because a vast majority of the matchups from this week’s slate of games were ultra-competitive and I really cannot remember the last time I saw this many teams put forth that kind of effort on the field and really, there’s just so much to discuss when it comes to Week 11, let’s not waste any more time and get down to discussing what we learned about our favorite teams.
 
The New York Giants are a team filled with pride.
Any way you slice it, the 2017 season for the New York Giants is over, but apparently, they didn’t get that message on Sunday. Because when the boys in blue took the field to do battle with the Kansas City Chiefs, they showed us a tough team, filled to the brim with pride, that was done with being pushed around. Granted, they didn’t light up the scoreboard in this matchup, but they did just enough to frustrate the Chiefs on every side of the ball and the end result for their efforts was a hard-fought victory that made quite the statement. As to whether or not this newfound attitude will translate to more wins has yet to be seen, but for Giants fans, this win has to provide some sense of comfort that this team is finally headed back in the right direction.
 
The New Orleans Saints are a tough and patient team.
Normally when you see a team down by fifteen points late in a game, it’s a foregone conclusion that the team with the lead will likely secure the win. But the New Orleans Saints don’t subscribe to that logic and despite trailing the Redskins for a better part of the game on Sunday, they never once panicked or lost their way. They maintained their focus, worried about execution and the next play and they were able to come back from the deficit and secure the win. That kind of victory speaks to how tough a team the Saints have become this year and that kind of strength will serve them well as the season comes to a close because close games won’t spook them and their fearless nature may rattle their opponents and force them to make a critical mistake. 
 
The Denver Broncos made the right decision in firing Mike McCoy.
The general consensus in the Mile High City is that the Broncos should have cleaned house coaching wise yesterday, and that’s an idea I staunchly disagree with. Vance Joseph is a first-year coach, and is still learning the ropes and while the team has seen some sub-par performances across the board, the fact of the matter is that when GM John Elway called the team out, the Defense and Special Teams responded with far better play on Sunday. The only unit that failed to rally? The Offense. It was the same old boring O that cost McCoy his job and it was the right call to make and hopefully the change to interim OC Bill Musgrave allows for the Broncos to start putting some points on the board once again and who knows, maybe they’ll win a game or two as well.
 
The Philadelphia Eagles love to dominate their opponents.
There are some coaches in the NFL that firmly believe that once you’ve established a healthy lead and most likely the win that their team should back off of heavy scoring, but that’s something the Philadelphia Eagles clearly disagree with. When this team smells blood in the water, they strike and strike hard and often times embarrass their opponent and honestly, I think that kind of cutthroat mentality is a good thing. A team that refuses to stop scoring is a team that shatters the psyche of their opponent and utterly dominates them in the process and it’s an attribute I think the NFL has lost over the years. So, here’s to hoping the Eagles continue to strike fear in the hearts of men and remind everyone that you better bring your A game and the same level of intensity if you want to remotely hang with them.
 
The Green Bay Packers have a quarterback conundrum on their hands.
The most successful teams tend to draft and develop their future players over the course of several years, and one critical position where that kind of development is paramount is at Quarterback. It’s why you see so many young signal callers sit on the bench and learn from a veteran and often times, that process pays off dividends. It worked for Aaron Rodgers who learned from Brett Favre and showed a command of the offense when he finally took over for the legend but alas, lightening has not struck twice in Green Bay because Brett Hundley has been a disaster under center. He’s struggling to read defenses or execute plays and after a 3 INT performance on Sunday, who knows where the Packers go from here. There’s been little discussion of benching Hundley and the free agent market at QB is thin, so either the Packers get Hundley’s head on straight, or make a change, or watch their season sail away and regroup for 2018… 

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