The NFL Roundup 2021: Week 11 Recap

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Hello again, football fans and welcome back to another edition of the NFL Roundup. One that gets to spotlight the fact, that a great deal of teams are still eager and hungry to claw their way into the playoffs. Since there were more upsets and questions that came about from this week’s games, alongside some hard truths about some of the NFL’s ‘elite’ and well, without further ado… let’s dive in and discuss some of those questionable squads and some of the other surprises and observations that came about during Week 11 in the NFL.
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So, are the Bills good… or nah?
The Buffalo Bills are perhaps the most perplexing team of the 2021 season. Because at times, they are shockingly dominant and just embarrass their opponents on the field. And then there’s games like Sunday. Where they look like the Bills of the 1990s, kicking included, and more on that in a moment. Because really, what matters here is that no one, this writer included… can figure out if the Bills are good or not. Because this kind of inconsistency makes them fickle, and you simply don’t know which team is going to show up on Sunday and really… this is a question that won’t be answered anytime soon. So, for now, all we can do is watch and wait as we try to figure out if this team is legit or if the problems, they’re experiencing are fundamental flaws that will take them back to the drawing board.
 
The NFL’s weird kicking problem returned on Sunday.
One of the most reliable aspects of the modern game, is the kicking game. Because it’s setup for success and for many years, kickers made PATs and Field Goals with minimal fuss. But the last few years, inconsistency in the easiest part of the sport has popped up and Sunday, it reared its head once again. Since we saw a bevy of kickers miss easy targets in the most embarrassing of fashion. Leaving one to wonder why on earth this keeps popping up. Because there’s really no rhyme or reason for it, especially now that the new PAT rule has been in place for ages. If anything, it could be related to a need for better special teams coaching or it’s just a weird psychological quirk. Scott Norwood Syndrome if you will. But either way, hopefully Week 11 was the last time we’ll see it this year since it was both ugly and annoying.
 
The Tennessee Titans are struggling to find a new offensive identity with Derrick Henry out.
For a short while there, it seemed as though the Titans were going to be just fine without their star tailback, whom that the offense is designed around. But as the weeks have progressed, it is becoming obvious now that teams are figuring out the shift that the Titans created on offense to compensate for Derrick Henry’s loss and adjusted accordingly and well, after Sunday’s game… it is equally as obvious that the Titans can no longer hide their flaws and need to find a new offensive identity late in the season and I’m not sure they can. Because as mentioned before, this is a run heavy offense, and all the good tailbacks are on teams right now… so unless these coaches can quickly whip up something serviceable, there’s a fair chance their reliance on one man, may come back to haunt them.
 
There is hope in Carolina once again.
Love him or hate him, Cam Newton gets a conversation going and he can get a team going when his head is in the game and for proof… look no further than Sunday’s game. Because a beat down and struggling Panthers squad hung in there when the going got tough, and a lot of that is due to Cam and his positive energy and well… that definitely engenders hope amongst the fans that maybe, this team can start winning again and I hope it does. Because there is some genuine talent in Carolina and these fans deserve a good season. But they best not forget that the person giving them great hope, is also the one person that can take it away on a moment’s notice. Since Cam is known for his diva mentality, one that can make him a villain and a roadblock to this team’s success. So, if Cam has finally grown beyond his Super Bowl 50 tantrums, and no longer let’s a bad day hang over his head… then that hope should continue unfettered. But if not, well… then we know how the story is going to end.
 
The time has come for the Bears to fire Matt Nagy.
Let’s not mince words here, the 2021 season has been an utter dumpster fire for the Chicago Bears. Because they stink at every position and every team has them figured out and sadly, that falls upon the head coach. Since it is his job to prepare and grow a team and well, let’s be honest… Matt Nagy hasn’t done that in Chicago. Sure, he’s been to the playoffs twice, but they backed into it the second time around. Which means his teams are consistently mediocre or bad and that’s not a recipe for long term success and it also means… he’s not the guy. So, while the Bears have never fired a coach in the middle of the season… the time has come for them to break that tradition. Because Matt’s not going to fix this, and it is best to just move on and start the search now… so that the team can find the right guy at last.

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