You didn’t miss Jonathan Taylor’s massive day. You didn’t miss the Detroit Lions, Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks piling on points in lopsided wins. You didn’t even miss the way Drake Maye and the New England Patriots got a statement win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
But let’s try to spin it forward, dive deeper and think outside the box about what we just saw. This is “Sound Smart,” where we prepare you for Monday morning with seven observations from the Sunday slate. If I do my job, you’ll be fluent in the NFL’s Week 10 action.
1. If there’s only one thing you should know from Sunday …
It’s that the Rams are the best team in the NFL.
The Rams have a special combination of assets that makes them an easy decision as the NFL’s top team.
They have the basic elements that every “best” team needs. First, they just trounced the San Francisco 49ers, their division rival that entered the game with the same number of wins. The Rams are officially hot, now winners of four straight. Second, their defense is one of the best two units in the NFL, with just 17 points allowed per game through Week 10. Third, they have dealt with injuries to their best playmaker, Puka Nacua, yet still entered the game with a top-10 scoring offense.
(Relatively speaking, even the quality of the Rams’ two defeats is impressive — both one-possession games. They lost to the 49ers on a last-minute fumble, which they just rectified in blowout fashion. And they lost to the Eagles in fairly fluky fashion via two blocked field goals.)
So they have all of that going for them — and they have Matthew Stafford, who is probably playing better than any quarterback in the NFL. It’s a close call between him and Drake Maye — but no one is talking about Stafford because … he’s been doing this for so long. But even for Stafford, this has been a special season, thanks to the supporting cast of Nacua, Davante Adams and Kyren Williams.
And then Stafford has something that all the NFL’s other hot quarterbacks don’t have: a Super Bowl win. He and Sean McVay are screaming confidence and competence that make them the most dangerous duo in the NFL. They’re not interesting like the often-dysfunctional Philadelphia Eagles. They’re not the flashy new toy like Maye and the Patriots. But the Rams are solid. They’re built to win a Super Bowl.
2. You lost my trust & earned my trust
Lost my trust: The Buffalo Bills‘ run defense
It’s one thing for their secondary to get ripped to shreds. They were, after all, without defensive backs Christian Benford, Taron Johnson and Taylor Rapp. But it was De’Von Achane who pummeled the Bills into submission to the tune of 22 carries, 174 rushing yards, six catches, 51 receiving yards and two rushing touchdowns.
Earned my trust: Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet
As messy as things got for the Seattle Seahawks in their lopsided win over the Cardinals, Charbonnet was explosive. If you’ve been paying attention to Charbonnet’s season, his production and efficiency have paled in comparison to his backfield-mate, Kenneth Walker. But Charbonnet always seemed to fit well in this Seahawks scheme. This is the game where he finally proved the Seahawks right for sticking with him. He helped burn out the clock and — when Seahawks’ players kept coughing up the ball — stayed turnover-free.
3. Tomorrow’s controversy
Are we sure Caleb Williams and Ben Johnson have figured each other out?
Williams took control of the game for the Chicago Bears in their comeback win over the New York Giants on Sunday. We haven’t seen much in the way of game management from Williams in the NFL. But that’s what he did to get the Bears back into the lead in the closing moments of the game. He ran. He got creative. He didn’t turn the ball over.
He did not, however, operate Johnson’s system to a T — not like Jared Goff once did. And so I found myself thinking about what the Bears coach said when he joined our air this week to discuss Williams after last week’s comeback win over the Cincinnati Bengals.
“He appreciates those [fourth-quarter comeback] alternatives as a result of it offers him an opportunity to essentially write his story,” Johnson instructed “First Issues First” final week. “A variety of confidence in him in these waning minutes, and he simply finds a method. It may not be precisely the way you draw it up as a coach, and but, he simply has that playmaking capability.”
At first look, one line — “it may not be precisely the way you draw it up” — struck me as a possible pink flag for his or her relationship. It’s a spot the place you may learn between the strains. And there was one other second Sunday the place you may learn between the strains, the place Johnson barely acknowledged Williams at midfield after the sport (during which Williams rushed for the go-ahead landing).
Bizarre.
There’ll possible be a push and pull between Williams, thriving out of construction, and Johnson, an skilled in constructing and educating offensive methods. Proper now, they’ve discovered equilibrium. However possibly Johnson senses it’s not ok, given what’s to come back.
Sure, the Bears are 6-1 over the previous seven video games (and now 6-3 on the season). However this was a win over the Giants, who had been with out their beginning QB for a lot of the second half. The Bears higher be wanting to show themselves within the coming weeks. They’re at Minnesota subsequent week, internet hosting Pittsburgh in Week 12 after which at Philadelphia in Week 13.
So I opened with that query — have they lastly figured one another out? — as a result of I feel these coming weeks will inform us. If Williams can proceed to generate game-winning performs in opposition to the elite groups, then this will likely be a heavyweight tandem that may — not paradoxically — “take the North and by no means give it again,” as basic supervisor Ryan Poles as soon as promised.
But when they will’t compromise, then we’d witness an odd mismatch of outsized abilities that merely don’t mesh.
4. Blind passing chart check: Who’s this quarterback?
You’ll discover the reply and the evaluation on the backside.
5. Everybody else is afraid to say …
Kevin O’Connell mismanaged J.J. McCarthy’s newest outing.
Forward of this season, the Vikings gave the impression to be one of the best teaching workers within the NFL. O’Connell was set to run the prolific offense, but once more. Brian Flores was set to run the heady, aggressive protection. And all could be properly in Minnesota, significantly as a result of O’Connell appeared to have an excellent plan in place for his younger QB stepping below the microscope.
This week’s efficiency may’ve been the worst teaching efficiency of the Vikings coach’s profession. And it led to a really poor efficiency from his QB, who O’Connell swore to guard from himself.
The largest situation in opposition to the Ravens was a seemingly easy drawback to repair, significantly at dwelling: eight false begins. That’s a franchise file at dwelling. After the sport, O’Connell admitted McCarthy gave the impression to be having cadence points that didn’t present up final week as a result of they had been utilizing silent counts on the highway. They “tried to simplify,” however couldn’t work out the place the error was displaying up.
“No matter was happening with the cadence — or no matter it could be — simply not acceptable in any method. And we’ve acquired to get it mounted. And we’ll,” O’Connell stated postgame. “No matter was unearthed immediately must get mounted instantly.”
That seemingly easy drawback created widespread points on offense, together with play-calling.
The Vikings completely may have and may’ve gained Sunday, on condition that they had been up 10-3 early within the first half. Their workforce is meant to be constructed to carry the lead, with a powerful run recreation and an incredible protection. However O’Connell wouldn’t stop the passing recreation — not even in short-yardage conditions (the place McCarthy ended up throwing a pair of deep passes for a pair of interceptions). After which as Minnesota slowly gave up the lead, he needed to ask his quarterback to maintain passing.
By the tip of the sport, McCarthy had a frenetic vitality that made life tough for the Vikings. It confirmed up in each throw. After spending all offseason discussing an emphasis on layering balls and making use of extra contact to his passing, the QB started throwing fastballs, solely. It was a transparent regression away from a serious level of developmental emphasis.
The Vikings threw the ball (and dedicated penalties) on third-and-short. They tried to remain out of third-and-long however dedicated too many penalties. They checked off the “find out how to beat your self” checklist and, in flip, missed a serious alternative to beat a surging Ravens membership.
6. Random rating: Who’re one of the best seven rookie WRs?
- Emeka Egbuka, Buccaneers
- Tetairoa McMillan, Panthers
- Elic Ayomanor, Titans
- Travis Hunter, Jaguars
- Matthew Golden, Packers
- Tez Johnson, Buccaneers
- Jayden Higgins, Texans
7. He stated WHAT?!
Falcons linebacker Kaden Elliss stated the protection “stop” on Jonathan Taylor’s game-winning 83-yard run
The Falcons have misplaced 4 straight video games. And the previous two have been one-possession defeats. It’s beginning to appear like they’ve management and energy points cropping up.
Even they may admit that. Not solely did Elliss say the protection “stop” on the clinching play in time beyond regulation in Berlin on Sunday, however star cornerback A.J. Terrell admitted the protection relaxed as soon as they noticed Taylor stopped initially on the line of scrimmage, per the Atlanta Journal-Structure’s D. Orlando Ledbetter.
Anytime you hear the phrase “stop” in a locker room, you have got an issue.
There aren’t any scarcity of the reason why Taylor had 32 carries for 244 yards and three touchdowns with three catches for 42 receiving yards. However you may guess the phrases “stop” and “relaxed” had one thing to do with it.
The Falcons are spiraling, which is regarding for Raheem Morris’ job safety.
ANSWER: Blind passing chart check: It’s Drake Maye
Earlier than becoming a member of FOX Sports activities as an NFL reporter and columnist, Henry McKenna spent seven years overlaying the Patriots for USA TODAY Sports activities Media Group and Boston Globe Media. Observe him on Twitter at @henrycmckenna.
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