The Early and Late Games Week 9
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http://larrybrownsports.com/football/15-key-questions-for-nfl-week-9-2/471338
15 key questions for NFL Week 9
We are officially moving past the halfway point of the NFL’s regular season, and the trade deadline is in the rearview mirror as well. An unusually active deadline means we know who’s really serious about going for it and who may already have an eye on 2019. That alignment raises new questions for many teams, as do a whole set of intriguing matchups, including a clash between arguably the two finest teams the NFC has to offer.
Here’s a look at 15 key questions that will be answered during Week 9.
1. Which secondary will stand tallest in New Orleans?
In a game that could establish who claims the title of the class of the NFC, the Rams and Saints will probably score a lot of points. New Orleans has the old master in Drew Brees, while the Rams boast Jared Goff. Both have a ton of weapons to work with. Thus, the winner of the game may well be decided by whichever secondary best survives the onslaught that they’ll be expected to face. New Orleans hasn’t quite been as good in that department this year, and the Rams are still dealing with some injuries. It’s not the marquee battle, but it could be the decisive one.
2. Will Amari Cooper show signs of being the No. 1 receiver Dallas needs him to be?
In giving up a first-round pick for Cooper, the Cowboys essentially stated that they view him as a No. 1 receiver and expect him to perform like one. He’s expected to feature for them on Monday night against Tennessee, and all eyes will be on him. Is it unfair to expect him to meet expectations in his very first game? Perhaps, in a sense, but the Cowboys are treating him like a star and expectations will be high from the very first snap.
3. Can Aaron Rodgers keep things close in New England?
The Packers are in danger of dropping to 3-4-1 if they can’t come away with what would have to be considered an upset win in New England. The biggest thing they have going for them is Aaron Rodgers, who could have and very nearly did lead Green Bay to an upset win at the Rams last week. This will take an even bigger performance. This has been a disappointing season for Green Bay, and Rodgers is going to have to carry them if they want to turn it around.
4. Can the Ravens stop the bleeding in their biggest game of the season to date?
After a 3-1 start, the Ravens have promptly lost three of four, including a defeat at the hands of the Cleveland Browns. Subsequently, a once-promising season is hanging in the balance. If the Ravens fail to beat the Pittsburgh Steelers at home, Baltimore will drop to 4-5 while the Steelers jump to 5-2-1, putting some real distance between the teams. Baltimore won their first meeting of the season, but they’re not as good as they were then and the Steelers are sharper than they were at that point, too.
5. Can the Browns overcome a rocky week to even give the Chiefs a game?
After seeing his head coach and offensive coordinator fired within hours of each other, Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield essentially challenged his teammates to prove they can rise above adversity. They’ll certainly be tested in Week 9. It’s bad enough that the Browns have endured a tumultuous week, but they have to host a runaway Kansas City Chiefs team on the back of it. Mayfield is right about one thing: we’re about to find out a lot about how tough the Browns are.
6. Will Minnesota finally start living up to expectations and move away from some of the pack in the NFC North?
The Vikings were supposed to be among the Super Bowl favorites in 2018, and while they’re not having a bad year, especially in the context of some other would-be contenders, they’re not really clicking on all cylinders, either. They are 4-3-1 and coming off a loss to the New Orleans Saints that raised some questions that need answering. They’ll be favored to win their home game against the Detroit Lions, and a convincing victory would do a lot to put them back on track.
7. Can the Bears capitalize on a good opportunity to improve their road record?
Though they are right in the thick of the NFC North race, the Chicago Bears have done the bulk of their damage at home. On the road, they’re just 1-2. The Buffalo Bills should present a good opportunity to boost that record, especially with injuries forcing them to turn to Nathan Peterman at quarterback, a player who has had almost no success at the NFL level. This is a glorious opportunity for Chicago to grab that second road win.
8. Are the Redskins for real?
Washington certainly looks the part, jumping to a 5-2 record, albeit one primarily built on a good run at home. They’ll have another shot against an Atlanta Falcons team that’s under .500 and has yet to win a road game in 2018. The Falcons are certainly vulnerable, even if Washington doesn’t really have the top-notch passing game to really make them hurt. Adrian Peterson has been a revelation, Alex Smith is a capable game manager, and they’ve played well defensively. If they can move to 6-2, they’d have to be considered a likely playoff team.
9. Will Houston overcome Mile High and continue their remarkable surge?
After an 0-3 start, the Texans were essentially left for dead, but that’s not the case anymore. They’ve won five consecutive games and will look to make it six with a trip to Denver on Sunday. Mile High Stadium is never a particularly easy place to play, but the Broncos are struggling and Houston has every chance of walking in and coming away with a win. Notably, they’ve actually been pretty sound on the road, winning their last two at Indianapolis and Jacksonville.
10. Will FitzMagic make a grand return in Carolina?
After capturing everyone’s imagination in the first three weeks of the season, Ryan Fitzpatrick is back for Tampa Bay in light of Jameis Winston’s inability to avoid turnovers. As he has shown us many times over the course of his very unique career, you just can’t be sure which Fitzpatrick you’re going to get. One week, he can look like one of the best quarterbacks in the league, and the next he’ll be an inconsistent mess. Tampa Bay is betting on the former against the Carolina Panthers.
11. Can the Seahawks surprise with a big win in the post-Legion of Boom era?
Seattle has held up very well, especially defensively, despite the exodus in recent years and the season-ending injury to Earl Thomas. They’re 4-3 and holding their own, and they’ve only played two home games all season. The third will come this weekend against the Los Angeles Chargers, who have generally looked like a very good team this season. If the Seahawks envision themselves as playoff contenders, winning games like this would go a long way toward demonstrating it.
12. Is it too late for the Dolphins to save their season?
Miami is another team that started so promisingly, winning their first three games before losing four of five. The losing streak generally coincided with the loss of Ryan Tannehill to a shoulder injury, though the slide started even before he got hurt. Tannehill is out again Sunday against the New York Jets, with Brock Osweiler set to start again. This is, on paper, a game Miami should win even without their starting quarterback. If they don’t, they can probably forget about the playoffs.
13. Will the Packers face impacts from a somewhat rocky week?
Internal controversies were the story of the week in Green Bay, which culminated in two trades, including one that shipped Ha Ha Clinton-Dix out of town. It’s probably not the storyline you want to be fighting against when you’re about to play at New England. Will the deals and all that preceded them have any impact on the team? It will be hard to say even if they lose, but for what it’s worth, their general manager thinks they’ll be fine.
14. How will the Lions respond to the Golden Taint trade?
The Lions find themselves in a very similar situation to the Packers. They’re 3-4 and their players probably thought that if they strung a couple wins together, they’d be able to make a run at a playoff spot. Then the team traded its best receiver, Golden Taint, to the Philadelphia Eagles, a squad with just one more win, albeit a much higher ceiling. Will some players let their heads drop? That’s Matt Patricia’s big challenge this week.
15. Will Dallas’ home perfection continue?
The Cowboys have been an entirely different team at home as opposed to on the road. In Arlington, they haven’t lost and have frequently looked very convincing in their victories. A Tennessee Titans team that appears to be doing little more than treading water should only enhance that record. Another home win won’t really solve any of the questions about whether they can do better on the road, but it will at least keep them on track in the NFC race.
15 key questions for NFL Week 9
We are officially moving past the halfway point of the NFL’s regular season, and the trade deadline is in the rearview mirror as well. An unusually active deadline means we know who’s really serious about going for it and who may already have an eye on 2019. That alignment raises new questions for many teams, as do a whole set of intriguing matchups, including a clash between arguably the two finest teams the NFC has to offer.
Here’s a look at 15 key questions that will be answered during Week 9.
1. Which secondary will stand tallest in New Orleans?
In a game that could establish who claims the title of the class of the NFC, the Rams and Saints will probably score a lot of points. New Orleans has the old master in Drew Brees, while the Rams boast Jared Goff. Both have a ton of weapons to work with. Thus, the winner of the game may well be decided by whichever secondary best survives the onslaught that they’ll be expected to face. New Orleans hasn’t quite been as good in that department this year, and the Rams are still dealing with some injuries. It’s not the marquee battle, but it could be the decisive one.
2. Will Amari Cooper show signs of being the No. 1 receiver Dallas needs him to be?
In giving up a first-round pick for Cooper, the Cowboys essentially stated that they view him as a No. 1 receiver and expect him to perform like one. He’s expected to feature for them on Monday night against Tennessee, and all eyes will be on him. Is it unfair to expect him to meet expectations in his very first game? Perhaps, in a sense, but the Cowboys are treating him like a star and expectations will be high from the very first snap.
3. Can Aaron Rodgers keep things close in New England?
The Packers are in danger of dropping to 3-4-1 if they can’t come away with what would have to be considered an upset win in New England. The biggest thing they have going for them is Aaron Rodgers, who could have and very nearly did lead Green Bay to an upset win at the Rams last week. This will take an even bigger performance. This has been a disappointing season for Green Bay, and Rodgers is going to have to carry them if they want to turn it around.
4. Can the Ravens stop the bleeding in their biggest game of the season to date?
After a 3-1 start, the Ravens have promptly lost three of four, including a defeat at the hands of the Cleveland Browns. Subsequently, a once-promising season is hanging in the balance. If the Ravens fail to beat the Pittsburgh Steelers at home, Baltimore will drop to 4-5 while the Steelers jump to 5-2-1, putting some real distance between the teams. Baltimore won their first meeting of the season, but they’re not as good as they were then and the Steelers are sharper than they were at that point, too.
5. Can the Browns overcome a rocky week to even give the Chiefs a game?
After seeing his head coach and offensive coordinator fired within hours of each other, Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield essentially challenged his teammates to prove they can rise above adversity. They’ll certainly be tested in Week 9. It’s bad enough that the Browns have endured a tumultuous week, but they have to host a runaway Kansas City Chiefs team on the back of it. Mayfield is right about one thing: we’re about to find out a lot about how tough the Browns are.
6. Will Minnesota finally start living up to expectations and move away from some of the pack in the NFC North?
The Vikings were supposed to be among the Super Bowl favorites in 2018, and while they’re not having a bad year, especially in the context of some other would-be contenders, they’re not really clicking on all cylinders, either. They are 4-3-1 and coming off a loss to the New Orleans Saints that raised some questions that need answering. They’ll be favored to win their home game against the Detroit Lions, and a convincing victory would do a lot to put them back on track.
7. Can the Bears capitalize on a good opportunity to improve their road record?
Though they are right in the thick of the NFC North race, the Chicago Bears have done the bulk of their damage at home. On the road, they’re just 1-2. The Buffalo Bills should present a good opportunity to boost that record, especially with injuries forcing them to turn to Nathan Peterman at quarterback, a player who has had almost no success at the NFL level. This is a glorious opportunity for Chicago to grab that second road win.
8. Are the Redskins for real?
Washington certainly looks the part, jumping to a 5-2 record, albeit one primarily built on a good run at home. They’ll have another shot against an Atlanta Falcons team that’s under .500 and has yet to win a road game in 2018. The Falcons are certainly vulnerable, even if Washington doesn’t really have the top-notch passing game to really make them hurt. Adrian Peterson has been a revelation, Alex Smith is a capable game manager, and they’ve played well defensively. If they can move to 6-2, they’d have to be considered a likely playoff team.
9. Will Houston overcome Mile High and continue their remarkable surge?
After an 0-3 start, the Texans were essentially left for dead, but that’s not the case anymore. They’ve won five consecutive games and will look to make it six with a trip to Denver on Sunday. Mile High Stadium is never a particularly easy place to play, but the Broncos are struggling and Houston has every chance of walking in and coming away with a win. Notably, they’ve actually been pretty sound on the road, winning their last two at Indianapolis and Jacksonville.
10. Will FitzMagic make a grand return in Carolina?
After capturing everyone’s imagination in the first three weeks of the season, Ryan Fitzpatrick is back for Tampa Bay in light of Jameis Winston’s inability to avoid turnovers. As he has shown us many times over the course of his very unique career, you just can’t be sure which Fitzpatrick you’re going to get. One week, he can look like one of the best quarterbacks in the league, and the next he’ll be an inconsistent mess. Tampa Bay is betting on the former against the Carolina Panthers.
11. Can the Seahawks surprise with a big win in the post-Legion of Boom era?
Seattle has held up very well, especially defensively, despite the exodus in recent years and the season-ending injury to Earl Thomas. They’re 4-3 and holding their own, and they’ve only played two home games all season. The third will come this weekend against the Los Angeles Chargers, who have generally looked like a very good team this season. If the Seahawks envision themselves as playoff contenders, winning games like this would go a long way toward demonstrating it.
12. Is it too late for the Dolphins to save their season?
Miami is another team that started so promisingly, winning their first three games before losing four of five. The losing streak generally coincided with the loss of Ryan Tannehill to a shoulder injury, though the slide started even before he got hurt. Tannehill is out again Sunday against the New York Jets, with Brock Osweiler set to start again. This is, on paper, a game Miami should win even without their starting quarterback. If they don’t, they can probably forget about the playoffs.
13. Will the Packers face impacts from a somewhat rocky week?
Internal controversies were the story of the week in Green Bay, which culminated in two trades, including one that shipped Ha Ha Clinton-Dix out of town. It’s probably not the storyline you want to be fighting against when you’re about to play at New England. Will the deals and all that preceded them have any impact on the team? It will be hard to say even if they lose, but for what it’s worth, their general manager thinks they’ll be fine.
14. How will the Lions respond to the Golden Taint trade?
The Lions find themselves in a very similar situation to the Packers. They’re 3-4 and their players probably thought that if they strung a couple wins together, they’d be able to make a run at a playoff spot. Then the team traded its best receiver, Golden Taint, to the Philadelphia Eagles, a squad with just one more win, albeit a much higher ceiling. Will some players let their heads drop? That’s Matt Patricia’s big challenge this week.
15. Will Dallas’ home perfection continue?
The Cowboys have been an entirely different team at home as opposed to on the road. In Arlington, they haven’t lost and have frequently looked very convincing in their victories. A Tennessee Titans team that appears to be doing little more than treading water should only enhance that record. Another home win won’t really solve any of the questions about whether they can do better on the road, but it will at least keep them on track in the NFC race.
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Angry Ram
Captain RAmerica Original Rammer
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You know, it was a damn good feeling knowing that the country wouldn't be subject to another boring ass Dallas game, but then I realized they are on Monday night.
Ugh. Keep their ass in the regional 1:00 pm games, please until they end up being a decently competitive football team.
Ugh. Keep their ass in the regional 1:00 pm games, please until they end up being a decently competitive football team.
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Vikings score TD on first drive.
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Yeah, he just dumped another screen off to Ware on 3rd and 20 and he gets 30. Just when it looked the Browns were getting a little mo.Mahomes dumps a screen to Hunt...60 yards later a TD...
Announcers: That Mahomes is something else!
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It's nauseating. The kid is legit but it's been awhile since i've witnessed the NFL/media/hype engine try so hard to manufacture a superstar. RGIII maybe? Tebow?Mahomes dumps a screen to Hunt...60 yards later a TD...
Announcers: That Mahomes is something else!
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Andrew Luck
I think he's a good player, maybe even better going forward... but he was handed a spot in the top echelon right away by the media.
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Soul Surfer
Legend
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Not the one that I'm watching.
The Panthers are destroying Tampa Bay in every phase of the game.
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