Jordan’s Serial: NFL 2013 Week 7 Takeaways

Another NFL week is in the history books, and another one full of talking points, bizarre game changing calls, and a first loss to the machine like Denver Broncos. Their defeat means that we are down to just one undefeated team in the league, and one that I’m fairly sure 99.99% of the NFL fans media and players didn’t see happening. The Kansas City Chiefs are on top of the pile at 7-0. This coming weekend the NFL returns to London, and the Jacksonville Jaguars bring with them a 0-7 record.

Two opposite ends of the spectrum, let’s take a look and see how they got they way.

SEAHAWKS 34 CARDINALS 22

Last Thursday Seattle went into the desert and dominated Arizona, largely due to the excellent play of Russell Wilson, showing once again why they really are top contenders in the NFC and the entire league. The final score didn’t do the Seahawks any real justice, but they won’t mind that, as I’ve said before about them they just get the job done. The loss probably spells the end of any play-off talk that may have been emanating from die-hard Cards fans, and already they can start looking to 2014.

BUCCANEERS 23 FALCONS 31

Season back on track? Atlanta will hope so, but a win against hapless Tampa Bay does not really prove anything. They still face a long and most likely fruitless chase of New Orleans in the NFC South, but will still harbour a hope of a wild card, but they can’t afford any more slip ups. The Buccaneers, as the Cardinals above, will be looking towards the season end and the hope that they can rebuild in the off-season. This was a franchise on the rise a couple of years ago but it’s just a mess now.

BEARS 41 REDSKINS 45

A wild one, which in reflection was won by the better team on the day. Could this be the springboard that Washington fans were waiting for? They know after last year how exciting their offence can be, this just proved the point. They will now consider themselves back in the NFC East race, even with a 2-4 record, they will look back to the run they went on last year to secure the division. Chicago is now looking a bit desperate, the meltdown has become official and a bit earlier than usual, add to this they are now without QB Cutler for around a month. The right time for a bye week you feel.

COWBOYS 17 EAGLES 3

Philadelphia disappointed on Sunday, they couldn’t get anything going on offence which was a bit surprising given that they have the weapons that could have hurt Dallas. The Cowboys have all of a sudden become a team that can stop the opposition, they have only conceded one touchdown in the last two games, both against division foes. The fact that they are only 4-3 is a little bewildering but 3-0 within the division, which of course bodes well further down the line. The Eagles aren’t done yet, and can still get a decent figure in the win column this year.

PATRIOTS 27 JETS 30

Every time the New England had the ball towards the end of the game you expected that old Brady magic to rise through and steak away the game. This though was a puzzling one. They couldn’t see past the sea of New York Jets defenders who did more than enough to stop the Patriots time and again. Speaking of being puzzled, the Jets fans must be scratching their heads every week wondering why on earth they can’t produce this kind of display every week. The game went into overtime and was sealed with another puzzle. On a long field goal attempt, which was missed, the Patriots were penalised for an illegal push in the back on one of their own players. This gave the Jets another chance and 15 yards closer. For once New England fans get to taste what so many others have at their hands.

BILLS 23 DOLPHINS 21

Should the Patriots slip up and lose their stranglehold on the AFC East the Buffalo Bills look to be the ones that could take over, a strange thought when they prop up the division with a 3-4 record. They are an aggressive team that stick together and play hard. Against Miami they had to dig deep to preserve the win, one which leaves the Dolphins wondering where its all gone wrong, from 3-0 to an even 3-3. If they can just grab a couple of wins they would be back in contention, this was one that got away though.

CHARGERS 24 JAGUARS 6

If it wasn’t for the excellent play of the Broncos and Chiefs, San Diego would be having a considerably good season. After this routine win they are now 4-3, and could at least be one game better off, remember that giveaway to Houston on opening weekend? Like other teams you never quite know which Chargers side will turn up each week, and this will be a worry as we go into the second half of the season. They could be the ones that actually build some momentum, and now that teams have seen a chink in the Denver armour, maybe they have a chance in the division still. London bound Jacksonville have a total of 76 points through their opening seven games. The math isn’t hard, and when you’re scoring just 10 points per game you’re not going to win many.

RAMS 15 PANTHERS 30

Carolina is a team that is on the up, a team that others won’t want to play right now. Mean, tight defence is now being paired by a threatening offence. They banged up on St.Louis and are now back at an even .500 on the year. A wild card shout, possibly, but they will need help along the way and will probably need to win at least seven of the remaining 10 to get in. The Rams are now starting to become forgotten men in the NFC West. After going unbeaten in the division last year it was hoped that would catapult them into a strong 2013. Now though the season looks to be lost, in the case of QB Sam Bradford it is, gone for the year through injury.

BENGALS 27 LIONS 24

At last the Cincinnati Bengals are showing their claws. They were many experts pick to be the cream of the AFC this year, well at the very least the North division. A win in Detroit, in a close hard fought win emphasises that they are indeed the team to beat in that division and now hold a 2 game edge. Detroit however will see this as a lost chance to take a grip in the NFC North, they could have the divison lead now, and its this type of game that makes them so susceptible going into the tail end of the season. Undoubtedly they have the talent to challenge, but sometimes lack that killer instinct.

49ERS 31 TITANS 17

This is more like it from San Francisco, the team that should be running away with the NFC is now starting to pick up the pace. QB Kaepernick looks to have been freed of his shackles and if this is the case he should be running al around London this coming Sunday. The early season back-to –back losses are long forgotten, well at least until the play Seattle again. Hard to put your finger on where Tennessee is at right now, another team that fails to build any momentum and can’t win the big games. They are unfortunate to be in the same division as the Colts too.

TEXANS 16 CHIEFS 17

Houston we have a problem. They are in a tailspin freefall. Hang on though, this latest loss was to the unbeaten Kansas City Chiefs. Oh yes, the same Chiefs that when the schedule come out they would have put a big W against it. The Chiefs are winning well as I’ve said before, nothing spectacular, just winning. They owe this of course to arguably one man, who will then in turn deflect that acclaim and pass it onto his staff and players. Coach Andy Reid will have a big smile inside of him now, his coaching expertise cannot be questioned any more. Of course the season could still go terribly wrong, but right now he is the coach of the year, apart from in Philly of course.

RAVENS 16 STEELERS 19

Pittsburgh coach, Mike Tomlin, is a great believer in his team, and so he should be. Over the years they have served him well. They know how to win. For the first month of this campaign they had just forgotten what it feels like, now though they have a hungry look again. Unfortunate to lose in London, they took that as a building block, it wouldn’t surprise me if they make a run for the play-offs. Whereas the Baltimore Ravens could be an addition to the list of teams that win it all one year and fail to make the play-offs the next. Once again the defence stiffens and hold a team to under 30 points but their colleagues on offence cannot generate enough to gain a win.

BROWNS 13 PACKERS 31

You can never write off a Green Bay team, even one that has encountered many injuries. They will just find a way to win. Not that this was a test against a Cleveland team that has lost its way since it lost its QB Hoyer, He was the answer they were looking for but now he’s gone for the season, they are struggling again. The Packers are on a three-game tear and in control of the NFC North, a team that is notoriously hard to beat down the stretch will probably look ahead and feel that more wins come out of the division (currently 1-0) and a couple outside of that will lead to a possible bye week in January.

BRONCOS 33 COLTS 39

Was a blueprint on how to defeat the Denver Broncos laid down by the Cowboys a few weeks ago? It showed that if you attack them you could have some joy, but they Cowboys didn’t have luck, or should that be Luck on their side. Rapidly becoming one of the best clutch players in the league Indianapolis QB Andrew Luck capitalised on some errors by Manning’s men and kept going for the jugular. They got up early on the scoreboard and defended well to put a dent in Denver dominance. Now, all of a sudden the league has decent film to study on how to beat the Broncos. Denver of course is not a bad team overnight, but the invincible tag is no more.

VIKINGS 7 GIANTS 23

The Monday Night Football audience was treated to a match-up between two teams that had only managed one win between them all season, and that wasn’t even in the USA! New York Giants have pretty much come to terms with the fact that their season is a car wreck that just needs to be taken off the highway and filed away. Minnesota didn’t use the platform of the Wembley win to raise their game, and now can also write off the 2013 year. Not even AP can save them now.