Ten Things We Learned On The NFL’s Sixteenth Sunday

Added on Dec 27, 2010 by Scott in

NFL

Week 16 of the NFL season didn’t disappoint. Playoff spots were secured, divisions captured, teams eliminated and games postponed. The Patriots won their seventh consecutive, the Chiefs seized the AFC West crown, the 49ers are finished and the Eagles-Patriots will play on Tuesday night due to the Blizzard of 2010. Weird, wild stuff, to say the least. There was much to be learned on this sixteenth Sunday. Ten things to be exact.

10. The Bears are getting offensive – Chicago has racked 78 points the last two weeks and is one step away from gaining a first-round bye in the playoffs. Jay Cutler isn’t wowing anyone with gaudy stats, but he’s been efficient in tossing 23 touchdowns and only 14 interceptions. It also helps that Devin Hester has once again become a major weapon. Most pigskin pundits don’t think they will go far, but the Bears are the most well-rounded team in the NFC.

9. The Jaguars are a fraud – Technically, Jacksonville is still alive to win the AFC South. If they beat Houston next week and the Colts lose at home to the woeful Titans, they’re in. Uh, not gonna happen. No Maurice Jones-Drew means no shot. Losing at home to the Redskins is laughable and inexcusable for a team with postseason aspirations. Jack Del Rio will be fortunate to keep his job.

8. Matt Cassel is legit, for now – Two weeks removed from appendectomy surgery, Cassel lit up the Titans for 314 yards and three touchdowns. That gives him 27 scores for the year and only five picks. Impressive. The Chiefs still haven’t defeated a team with a winning record, but you can’t deny their amazing turnaround in 2010. Against all odds, they are your AFC West champions.

7. The Lions have won three in a row – For the first time since 2007, Detroit is officially on a roll. Down by ten with five minutes to go, the motor city cats scored 17 to oust the Phins. A healthy Matt Stafford, a go-to running back and a few more pieces on defense could make the 2011 Lions a team to watch. Head coach Jim Schwartz deserves credit for making his charges competitive week in and week out.

6. The Rams control their own destiny – Beat the fading Seahawks next Sunday and the worst team in 2009 will win the NFC West. Steve Spagnuolo probably won’t receive much love in the Coach of the Year voting, but earning a playoff berth with a rookie quarterback under center and a patchwork corps of receivers is worthy of respect and admiration. Lest we forget, the Rams won six games between 2007-09.

5. The Norv Turner watch is on – The Chargers so-called number one defense allowed Carson Palmer and the 3-11 Bengals to torch them for four touchdowns without starting wide receivers Terrell Owens and Chad Ochocinco. As a result, the Bolts are done. Norv has nine lives, but at some point General Manager A.J. Smith must pull the plug. The team has regressed since Turner’s arrival in 2007.

4. Tim Tebow mania is here to stay – Whether or not he’s the savior in Denver makes little difference. Tim Tebow will put butts in the seats in 2011. He threw for 308 yards, one touchdown and ran for another in leading the Broncos to a comeback victory over the Texans. It’s safe to assume the Kyle Orton era is over in Mile High.

3. The Packers are dangerous – Green Bay’s dismantling of the fading G-Men sets up a doozy in Lambeau next Sunday when the Bears come to town for a matchup with numerous playoff implications. If Aaron Rodgers is razor sharp and the defense continues to force turnovers, the Pack will be a force in January.

2. Josh Freeman keeps getting it done – He has nearly a 4 to 1 touchdown/interception ratio, has resurrected the career of tight end Kellen Winslow and helped transform rookie wide receiver Mike Williams into a stud. On top of that, quarterback Josh Freeman is keeping his team afloat in the NFC playoff race. Five touchdowns versus Seattle? Don’t sleep on the young Bucs.

1. Winter weather is annoying – The last few weeks has felt like the movie The Day After Tomorrow. We’ve seen stadium roofs collapse, games moved to neutral sites/college fields and now for the first time since 1946, a game will be played on a Tuesday night. The Eagles-Vikings could’ve strapped ‘em up Monday, but methinks the league wanted to give Favre and Peterson an extra day to get healthy.