Week 10 in the NFL proved to be an eventful one, as numerous standouts staked their claim for MVP and unexpected teams played thrilling games. With only eight weeks to go in the regular season, it will be interesting to see how the playoff race develops.
Texans enter uncharted territory
Not many people expected the Nov. 9 matchup between the Jacksonville Jaguars and Houston Texans to be incredible. The game — and the ensuing result — was a surprise to all. The Jaguars came into the game fresh off an overtime thriller in Las Vegas and looked to continue the winning habit to challenge the Indianapolis Colts for the top spot in the AFC South.
The Texans were coming off a heartbreaking loss to the Denver Broncos, losing the services of their star quarterback C.J. Stroud to a concussion midway through the game. Backup quarterback Davis Mills was slated to start this game as well, and it seemed like it would be a tough game after Mills threw an interception on the third play of the game, allowing the Jaguars to take a 3-0 lead after a successful field goal try by last week’s record-breaker, Cam Little. The Jaguars didn’t let up, forcing a fumble on a kickoff return and scoring a touchdown for a 10-0 lead.
Down by 19 in the fourth quarter, the Texans thought back to a video shown by head coach DeMeco Ryans at a team meeting Nov. 8 of a boxer who dislocated his shoulder but still knocked out his opponent. It appeared his fighting spirit and scrappy nature had an impact on the Texans, as the Houston outfit embarked on an unanswered, 26-point rally in the fourth quarter, marshalled by Mills and wide receiver Nico Collins. Collins had 136 receiving yards in the game and caught a crucial two-point conversion attempt to make the score 26-18 with 12 minutes left in the game. The vaunted Texans defense showed why it’s ranked No. 1 in the league, not allowing a single first down in the fourth quarter, allowing the Texans to get the ball back and score once more to make it 29-24.
The game was not over yet, as the Jaguars still had 31 seconds to get into field goal range, enhanced by Little’s reputation as a record-breaker. However, in their attempt, Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence was sacked by defensive end Will Anderson Jr.. The fumbled ball was recovered by defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins, who returned it for a touchdown as time expired, giving the Texans a 36-29 victory. This was the first such instance of this final score in NFL history, a term referred to in the NFL as “scorigami.” The Texans will be heartened by this game and aim to carry their form into their remaining fixtures, hoping to usurp the Jaguars and challenge the Colts for supremacy atop the AFC South.
Taylor is quite swift
Colts running back Jonathan Taylor’s performance against the Atlanta Falcons Nov. 8 ensured that fans in the United States, as well as Germany, would make a case for the 26-year-old to be the NFL MVP, an award most commonly given to quarterbacks. Taylor had possibly the best game of his career in Berlin, carving up the Falcons defense like it was a Thanksgiving turkey. He racked up 244 yards and three touchdowns, negating quarterback Daniel Jones fumbling more times than your best friend’s ex. Taylor also had 42 receiving yards, giving him 286 scrimmage yards, a career-high for the running back out of Wisconsin. Taylor was also the hero in the game, scoring a decisive touchdown to win the game for the Colts in overtime, maintaining their control over the AFC. Taylor set a franchise record in Germany, passing Hall of Famer Edgerrin James for the most rushing touchdowns in franchise history. While the MVP award is primarily awarded to quarterbacks, Taylor’s performance and his importance to the Colts’ success make a strong case for the MVP award to go to a non-quarterback.
Patriots train keeps rolling
The New England Patriots may be well and truly back. Quarterback Drake Maye and the Patriots marched into Tampa Bay and emerged with yet another win, boosting their record to 8-2 and perching them atop the AFC, alongside the Broncos and Colts. Maye was slightly less efficient than usual, completing 16 of his 31 pass attempts for 270 yards. Maye also threw two touchdowns and one interception in the game. Luckily for Maye, the Patriots were also able to establish their running game with rookie running back TreVeyon Henderson rushing for 147 yards. Maye had to face consistent pressure during the game and relied on big plays to win, including a 72-yard passing touchdown to rookie wide receiver Kyle Williams and two rushes of 55 and 69 yards by fellow rookie Henderson. The Patriots defense was also tested, but stood firm, forcing a crucial stop in the dying minutes after a dire interception by Maye gave the Buccaneers a chance to win the game. The Patriots were also able to recover an onside kick to seal the game and keep themselves in the running for the No. 1 spot in the AFC and earn a first round bye in the playoffs; a crucial advantage for any team.
Sit/Start
Yet another week has passed, and matchups are becoming more stressful. Here are some recommendations on what matchups to exploit and what players to avoid for a successful fantasy matchday.
Start
Aaron Rodgers (QB, PIT, home vs. CIN)
There isn’t a nice way to say it: Aaron Rodgers was awful against the Los Angeles Chargers Nov. 9. Rodgers threw two interceptions and thought he had the legs to outrun edge rusher Khalil Mack, conceding a safety as well, nearly losing the football. However, expect Rodgers to bounce back against an awful Bengals defense that will likely be missing premier edge rusher Trey Hendrickson and rookie defensive end Shemar Stewart. Rodgers has also played the Bengals before and threw four touchdowns against the team. The Bengals have the fourth-worst pass defense in the league, a weakness you can expect Rodgers and Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith to exploit.
Josh Jacobs (RB, GB, away vs. NYG)
Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs has had a mixed start to the season. Jacobs holds the fourth-most carries and is second in the league in rushing touchdowns, but averages 3.8 yards per carry and is 14th in the league in rushing yards. He will have the perfect chance to amend those numbers against a leaky New York Giants defense that struggles against the run. The Giants concede an average of 152 rushing yards per game and are the worst-run defense in the league. The Packers’ offensive line struggled to protect quarterback Jordan Love against the Philadelphia Eagles Nov. 10, possibly prompting head coach Matt LaFleur and offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich to try to establish a strong run game, taking advantage of the Giants’ struggles against opposition running backs.
Rachaad White (RB, TB, away vs. BUF)
The Buffalo Bills’ defense is more bipolar than Bradley Cooper’s character in “Silver Linings Playbook.” After a strong showing in the win over the Kansas City Chiefs Nov. 2, the Bills immediately followed it up with a 30-point collapse to a 16th-ranked Miami Dolphins offense. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have relied on their aerial attack thus far, boosted by strong showings from veteran quarterback Baker Mayfield and star rookie wide receiver Emeka Egbuka. However, the Bills have struggled mightily against the run (ranked 28th in the league), and with first-choice running back Bucky Irving yet to return from injury, it looks like veteran Rachaad White is primed to have one of the best games of his career, especially as the Buccaneers look to lick their wounds and bounce back from a demoralizing loss.
Sit
Tetairoa McMillan (WR, CAR, away vs. ATL)
Fresh off handing the New Orleans Saints their first win since Week 5, the Carolina Panthers travel to Atlanta to face the Falcons Nov. 16. The Falcons defense has struggled against the run this season, and Panthers running back Rico Dowdle has been a surprise standout this season. All this likely suggests that the Panthers’ coaching staff will try and establish the run game against a weak team, lessening opportunities to pass the ball, suggesting that McMillan may not have as many targets as he would like. Thus, it makes sense to bench McMillan for this week.
Travis Kelce (TE, KC, away vs. DEN)
It’s hard to recommend sitting one of the more consistent producers in fantasy football, but Travis Kelce is about to face a Denver Broncos defense that is strong against the pass. The Broncos defense is ranked No. 10 in the league against the pass and will look to extend their winning streak. Further hindering Kelce is the presence of outside linebacker Dre Greenlaw on the Broncos. Greenlaw last faced Kelce in Super Bowl LVIII and held the tight end to one catch for one yard before suffering an unfortunate injury that ruled him out of the game.
Kelce was able to catch eight passes for 92 yards in Greenlaw’s absence. This matchup is tough for Kelce, and it may be tough for quarterback Patrick Mahomes to target him as many times as he would like, so it’s a safe move to sit Kelce for this week.
Tony Pollard (RB, TEN, vs. HOU)
The Tennessee Titans look set to earn the first pick in the draft for the second successive year as they stand at 1-8 and face a buoyant Texans team. Not helping running back Tony Pollard’s case is the fact that he has to share carries with partner Tyjae Spears.
Pollard also faces the second-best rushing defense in the league and will struggle to earn rushing yards and carries, as Titans offensive coordinator Nick Holz may try to make quarterback Cam Ward throw the ball, as Houston is relatively weaker against the pass than it is against the run (No. 4 against the pass, No. 2 against the run). In order to avoid this matchup, placing Pollard on your bench this week is a better idea.
