The NFL Roundup 2019: Week 10 – What We Learned

Written by John Edward Betancourt 

​It is always a wonderful thing when something that you hope for comes to fruition and Week 10 in the NFL gave me that particular gift. Because I wanted nothing more than to enjoy some epic football games this past weekend and boy did I ever. For there were some knockdown, drag it out fights that thrilled fans everywhere and there were plenty of surprises to be found as well when teams took the field. Which means that powerful storylines came to pass as did some important lessons about some of the teams fighting for their playoff lives and without further ado, let’s dive right into the top storylines from this weekend’s slate of games and discuss what lessons they provided us with.
 
Everything in Miami is starting to come together.
I have been, notoriously hard on Head Coach Brian Flores. Because up until the past couple of weeks, his team has been incompetent on the field in embarrassing fashion, leaving one to wonder if he is the right guy for the job. Granted that still has yet to be seen, but there is hope in Miami at last. Because they’ve now put together two big wins in a row, and suddenly the offense looks functional on the field and the defense is starting to play with passion and ferocity and that means that finally, the players are buying into what Coach Flores is selling and the future might not be mired in constant losses and heartbreak. Granted, the rest of 2019 will likely be a disappointment for this squad either way. But it is nice to know that the plan is coming together and that this storied franchise is slowly getting back on track.
 
Adam Vinatieri needs to call it a career.
Make no mistake about it, watching a great player walk away from the game is always tough for fans and the player as well. Because that means an incredible journey filled with wonder has come to an end and no one likes to say goodbye to superstars in this league. But you know what’s worse than bidding farewell to a legend? Watching their skill set slip into oblivion because their body has finally had enough and seeing the player in question refuse to step away because they still believe they can play and sadly, that’s what happening with Adam Vinatieri right now. His leg is simply done, and neither he nor his coaching staff will accept that, which is leading to some embarrassing misses that are costing the Colts games. Which means, it is time for #4 to say goodbye and enjoy the accolades that he will receive in retirement because the man is hurting his legacy by staying on well past his prime.
 
The Tennessee Titans are turning out to be quite the pleasant surprise.
My expectations for Sunday’s Titans/Chiefs matchup were simple in that; Tennessee was going to lose that game. Because they were facing Patrick Freakin’ Mahomes and a resurgent Chiefs defense and that should spell doom for any team. But something special is happening in Nashville, they’re starting to believe that they can be more as a team and accomplish wonders and that led to a stunning upset of the Chiefs. In fact, I have to admit that I was quite impressed with Ryan Tannehill’s play under center and the ferocity of that Titan defense and they have quickly become a great surprise in the 2019 NFL season and at this point, the sky is the limit. Because it is clear that when this team buckles down and plays some fundamental football, they can do anything, so don’t be surprised if they stun another team down the line.
 
It might be time for Cincinnati to consider making a head coaching change.
I’m all about continuity and giving new coaches every single chance to succeed, but sometimes owners make a bad hire in the NFL and I think Paul Brown did that by elevating Zac Taylor to head coach. Because this team has taken a step back in every single phase of the game since Zac took over. Their defense is weak, the offense is anemic, and a quarterbacking change did little to inspire hope during their blowout loss to the Ravens. So perhaps it is time for Cincy to just cut their losses and move on, because there is nothing wrong with admitting that a mistake was made in this instance and that starting over would be far more beneficial because Coach Taylor is in over his head and I don’t see him getting above water anytime soon.
 
The Seahawks pulled off an incredible upset on Monday night.
It really seemed as though that no one was going to be able to stop the San Francisco 49ers this season. For their powerhouse defense and dynamic offense had an answer for everything that teams threw their way. But the Seattle Seahawks finally figured out a way to defeat the juggernaut Niners and it would seem that the key to shutting them down, is to wear them out. Because Monday night’s matchup was one of the most physical games that I’ve seen in recent years, thanks to long and sustained drives and while it wasn’t a dominant victory on Seattle’s part, a win is a win, and this was a huge one for certain and don’t be surprised to see other teams use the blueprint the Seahawks put forth to try and change their fortunes, when they face the 49ers in the weeks to come. 

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