The NFL Roundup 2019: Week 15 – What We Learned

Written by John Edward Betancourt 

​I’ve always found it funny how the universe finds a way to create balance on a moment’s notice and for proof, look no further than this past weekend’s slate of NFL games. Because a week prior, elite teams were scrambling for wins or being upset by squads that had no business hanging with them, which made for some stunning matchups. But this week, everything was right in the football world again. For everyone that needed to handle their business did so in compelling fashion and now the playoff picture is taking shape and that made for some compelling storylines, and without further ado, let’s dive in and discuss those stories and everything that we learned from Week 15 in the NFL.
 
The Baltimore Ravens took another big step in their quest for the title.
While getting into the playoffs is quite important in its own right, because a team cannot make a run at the title without entering the tournament, there are still quite a few things that a team can do to help their chances in the postseason, such as locking up a Division Title. Because that lands a team a home game in the playoffs, something that always comes in handy and the Baltimore Ravens accomplished that particular feat this weekend by defeating the New York Jets. In fact, they beat the Jets so badly that once again, one has to wonder just how far this team is going to go in January and at this rate, there is a good chance they will lock up the most important accolade of all when it comes to playoff seeding in the next couple of weeks; Home Field Advantage. Because they really are the best team in the AFC right now and it would be quite fitting to see the road to the Super Bowl run through Baltimore.
 
Everything Von Miller said about the Broncos, is spot on.
It’s been another whirlwind week in the Mile High City following the Broncos ninth straight loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. But none of the hulabaloo has revolved around how Denver looked disheveled in the snow, instead it’s all been about the fact that Von Miller called this team out for losing for its third year straight, and for not offering up any hunger or desire to be better, and boy is he getting the business because of it. For fans are calling for his head in Denver and asking John Elway to not pick up his 2020 option and well, this is just ridiculous because… Von’s totally in the right here. This team really hasn’t been competitive for the past three years, nor have they had any consistency on the coaching staff or shown any fight on the field and I don’t see what the problem is with #58 calling out his team and demanding better of a franchise that stood for nothing but excellence not that long ago. So, here’s to hoping his words resonate all over the organization and we finally see some fight from this team as the season comes to a close.
 
The San Francisco 49ers need to be concerned about their defense.
Make no mistake about it. There’s a lot for the San Francisco 49ers to celebrate when it comes to the 2019 season. After all, they’re 11-3, and they’ve turned around a program that was in the bottom of the conference for several years. But knowing Kyle Shanahan and the executive staff over at Niners HQ, they cannot be happy with the fact that the second half of the season has seen them suffer some painful losses and how some of those are related to the defense’s overall play. Because that D is letting opponents get back into the game, and they are struggling to close drives and quite frankly, their sloppy play cost the Niners the win on Sunday. Which means something needs to change and quick on this defense or the final two weeks of the season, and the playoffs might end in disaster for San Fran. So, hopefully the Niners shore up their shaky defense quickly, so their magical season can continue along.
 
Drew Brees made history yet again this week.
Monday night was quite the special night for Quarterback Drew Brees, for he broke the all-time career passing touchdown record in the early third quarter of the game, and he even set a single game completion record as well and the more I think I about this important night for #9, the more I realize how special these accomplishments truly are. Because back in the day, when Brees was a San Diego Charger, he was regarded as a so-so quarterback, a guy who might not ever do anything special, to the point where the Chargers let him walk and well… what a transformation he underwent as a quarterback. Because now, he’s a Super Bowl Champion and in the conversation as one of the best to ever play the game and that’s a just a wonderful feel-good story to reflect upon, one that reminds us of the wonder of this game and how hard work and dedication truly pay off.
 
It is going to be strange to see the Raiders in their new digs.
The Denver Broncos are the team that helped me to fall in love with football, and over the many years that I’ve been a proud citizen of Broncos Country, I’ve seen some incredible games take place in the city of Oakland when my boys swung by there to take on the Raiders. Which makes Oakland’s game against the Jaguars this past Sunday, pretty darn special and melancholy in its own right because this was the grand farewell to the Oakland Coliseum. And while the Raiders may have lost this game in the most Raiders way imaginable, one cannot deny the fact that this was a special place for football, since it features one of the most passionate fan bases I’ve ever seen in the sport, since the fans of The Black Hole made life hell for opposing quarterbacks with the noise they could generate. If anything, this truly is the end of an era, one that will never be replicated or replaced in the league and that’s a shame really, because Oakland fans deserve better than this hasty exit by the Raiders, and time will tell if the city of Las Vegas will embrace this team with the same fervor as the fans the Raiders are leaving behind.   

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