With no game Sunday, I sat on my couch for 10+ hours to watch football. The word hero gets thrown around a lot, but you wouldn't be wrong if you used it when speaking of me and my performance yesterday. Anyway, here's what I learned.
- Dak Prescott is playing the QB position better than anyone else in the league. As noted on the broadcast, he's embraced the Mike McCarthy version of the West Coast offense and is utilizing all his receivers at all levels. In the past, there was a lack of total trust in Prescott, but McCarthy is over that now. Throw it deep? Sure. Be wise enough to check it down? He's got that too. And while CeeDee Lamb is one of the best wideouts in the game, having Brandin Cooks, Michael Gallup, and tight end Jake Ferguson gives the Cowboys scary secondary passing options. And speaking of scary, kicker Brandon Aubrey is a weapon. He hasn't missed a kick this year, and he made those 59 and 60-yard field goals look like chip shots. A reminder that he was undrafted. The Pats traded up to get Chad Ryland in the fourth round.
- The Eagles are in a bad place. They got worked the last two weeks, albeit against two excellent teams in San Fran and Dallas. Hard to replace one coordinator. Philly is replacing two, and it hasn't been a smooth transition, even though you'd gladly take 10-3 over, say, 3-10. Jalen Hurts sold me on him a year ago. He was in complete control at all times and improved drastically as a pocket passer. Guess what? He's taken a step back this year, even if he's a top-5 MVP candidate. Perhaps the lingering knee issue has contributed to the inconsistencies. Or perhaps defenses taking a shell approach has frustrated Hurts and his weapons and contributed to some of the fits and starts they've experienced offensively. Anyway, it's worth monitoring as we advance.
- It was a bad week and change for the Bills. But that win yesterday in KC certainly rinsed off some of the stink. The entire locker room appeared to come to Sean McDermott's defense, including QB Josh Allen, who passed on that opportunity before the game but didn't after.
"You can question a lot of things about coaching style," Allen said. "You can question a lot of things about my decision-making. You can question a lot of things about this team, but to question his character and who he is as a man, he's one of the better humans on this planet."
The Bills are still on the outside of the playoff picture looking in and, needed some help to hang on at the end, but they remain a dangerous team should they get in because Allen can do things few at that position are capable of.
- The league has a massive officiating problem, and I'm not talking about the offsides called on Kadarius Toney that erased a game-changing play. It was the right call, although it led to meltdowns by Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes (get those checkbooks out for the ensuing fines). I'm just talking in general. I've never spent much time on officiating. It's boring. Just be consistent, and I can live with it. But these games have been laborious; replay has only added to that, and it's hard to find that consistency not only game-to-game but also in-game. And when that's the deal, something needs to be done. None of us are here to watch the refs. Figure it out.
- I love me some Puka Nacua (Rams). 5th round receiver. Tough. Physical. Great hands. There's a plethora of talented young receivers. Nacua is one of them. LA played Baltimore toe-to-toe on the road in a driving rainstorm. Matthew Stafford is playing great ball. Sean McVay is pressing all the right buttons. If I were in the NFC, I wouldn't want to see the Rams sneak into the playoffs. If healthy, they could be a tough out.
- In that game, Lamar Jackson was great from the pocket. That Todd Monken offense has benefited the Ravens and Lamar, much like the McCarthy/Prescott pairing in terms of finding what works and then spamming the hell out of it. Jackson is so damn good from the pocket, cleaning up some of the issues that plagued him in the past. To think there wasn't a single team willing to pony up when LJ was in limbo this offseason (Patriots and Falcons immediately come to mind). He's a stud.
- Joe Flacco and Zach Wilson each threw for over 300 yards. What in the world? Actually, Zach looked like a real QB. Probably not sustainable - he had a moment or two earlier this season - but maybe he no longer gives a crap and is just going to sling it. When you have Garrett Wilson on the other end, you'll make more plays than you won't. What a terrific talent. That leads me back to the Patriots. Having an elite receiver doesn't matter if your QB can't consistently get him the ball. That's why I remain team QB over team Marvin Harrison in the NFL Draft, should the Pats really like one (Williams, Maye, Daniels).
- Forget about Jared Goff potentially being the undoing of the Detroit Lions. It's that defense. They stink.