NFL 2015 Week 10 Gameplan

Eventually, a midseason review will slide in here. Let’s look at my misses from last week – there weren’t many, as I went 9-4 in Week 9:

– Carolina was able to control the clock with 36 rushing attempts, 130 rushing yards, and a rushing TD from QB Cam Newton; the Packers got close after trailing 37-14 in the 4th quarter, but MVP QB Aaron Rodgers failed to complete the comeback despite a career-high 162 4th quarter pass yards.

– Saints TE Ben Watson had 60 receiving yards, while fellow Saints TEs Josh Hill and Michael Hoomanawanui both scored TDs, but the Saints allowed 153 receiving yards and 3 TDs to Titans TEs Delanie Walker, Anthony Fasano (who scored the OT TD), and Craig Stevens.

– It was a long day for the Pittsburgh secondary, as Oakland WRs Michael Crabtree, Amari Cooper and Seth Roberts combined for 269 receiving yards and 3 TD; it was a longer one for Oakland’s secondary, as WR Antonio Brown caught 17 passes for 284 receiving yards.

– The Eagles picked a great time to play their first game of the season without a giveaway; Philadelphia rushed for 172 yards in Dallas, and QB Sam Bradford found WR Jordan Matthews for Philadelphia’s first OT TD since 1988 – on Bradford’s birthday, no less.

We’re starting to come to the end of the bye week portion of the calendar. 4 teams are off this week:

Atlanta: The last time the Falcons started 6-3, the team had a rookie QB in Matt Ryan and a new head coach in Mike Smith. That 2008 Falcons team finished 11-5 before losing to eventual NFC Champion Arizona in the Wild Card. The 2008 Falcons got an All-Pro season out of RB Michael Turner, while the 2015 Falcons, under new head coach Dan Quinn, are relying heavily on WR Julio Jones (1,029 receiving yards) and RB Devonta Freeman (1,141 yards from scrimmage, 11 TD).

Indianapolis: The Colts are 4-5 for the first time since 2001, which marked the 4th and final season of head coach Jim Mora. The 2001 Colts finished 6-10, and Mora had the infamous “Playoffs?!” rant after his 4th-year QB Peyton Manning threw 4 INTs against the 49ers. Colts head coach Chuck Pagano has already gotten upset about 4th-year QB Andrew Luck’s turnovers and general manager Ryan Grigson’s general imperfections with the roster. Pagano has already lopped offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton in favor of former Browns head coach Rob Chudzinski. Owner Jim Irsay hasn’t assured Pagano or Grigson of returning in 2016. And now, 40-year-old QB Matt Hasselbeck will be the starter indefinitely after Luck suffered a lacerated kidney last week. It’s not like Pagano and defensive coordinator Greg Manusky’s defense has been solid either; they’re allowing a franchise-worst 279.3 pass yards per game. Fortunately for the Colts, they’re still leading their annually sorry division.

San Diego: It’s not looking good for the Chargers, who are having their worst season since 2003. That’s the last time the team started 2-7, and the last time the Chargers lost more than 9 games (finished 4-12). The 2003 secondary was bad (36 TD passes allowed), but the 2015 secondary may be worse, as they’re allowing a passer rating of 102.3, worst in franchise history. In other words – QB Philip Rivers is still playing well (100.7 passer rating this season), but San Diego’s secondary is making QBs look like passers who are better than Rivers.

San Francisco: The 49ers are 3-6 for the first time since 2010 – the year that saw head coach Mike Singletary replaced for the final game of the regular season by current head coach Jim Tomsula. The 2010 49ers alternated between QBs Alex Smith and Troy Smith and finished the season 6-10. That was the season before Jim Harbaugh was hired as head coach. Now Harbaugh is gone, and Tomsula is in his first season as Harbaugh’s replacement. The result has been the worst offense in football and another revolving door of QBs, with Colin Kaepernick being replaced by fellow 2011 draft pick Blaine Gabbert.

2015 #NFL Week 10 picks (9-4 in Week 9, +10 for 2015): BUF, BAL, GB, PHI, PIT, STL, DAL, CAR, NO, MIN, DEN, NE, SEA, CIN

— Law Murray (@LawMurrayTheNU) November 11, 2015

Buffalo at New York Jets: So much color in this game. Bills S Baccari Rambo is probably headed for AFC Player of the Week honors after forcing two fumbles, recovering one, and recording an INT; Buffalo forced 4 turnovers overall to move ahead of the Jets in the AFC East.

Jacksonville at Baltimore: The Ravens are 6-1 when coming off a bye, and they dominated Jacksonville’s offensive line last season, keeping the Jaguars under 100 rushing yards while recording 8 sacks.

Detroit at Green Bay: The Lions have lost 24 straight road games against the Packers, and Green Bay QB Aaron Rodgers has thrown 11 TD to 3 INTs in 6 home starts against the Lions.

Miami at Philadelphia: Former Eagles QB coach Bill Lazor is the Miami offensive coordinator, but the bigger matchup pits Philadelphia’s improved ground game (2nd-best in NFL since Week 5) against a Miami run defense that is allowing the 2nd-most rushing yards per game this season.

Cleveland at Pittsburgh: The Browns have lost 11 straight games in Pittsburgh, and QB Johnny Manziel will be the 9th different starter since QB Tim Couch won in Pittsburgh in 2003; even though QB Landry Jones will start for the Steelers, expect Pittsburgh WR Antonio Brown to have another big day.

Chicago at Saint Louis: The Rams get the Bears at home with Chicago coming off a short week, and the Bears may have a tough time moving the ball with WR Alshon Jeffery and RB Matt Forte questionable at best against a stingy Rams secondary.

Dallas at Tampa Bay: The Cowboys are a mess, but so is Tampa Bay’s secondary; Dallas QB Matt Cassel should be able to move the ball in what is expected to be his last start before QB Tony Romo is reactivated.

Carolina at Tennessee: Carolina QB Cam Newton has thrown 14 TD passes this season and has ran for 5 more; expect Newton to give the Titans problems on the ground.

New Orleans at Washington: The Saints have the worst pass defense of all-time right now, so they’re going to have to air it out in Washington; New Orleans QB Drew Brees has won 5 of his last 6 outdoor starts.

Minnesota at Oakland: This is a rematch of Super Bowl XI, and the Vikings are T-2nd in points per game allowed, allowing no 300-yard passers all season.

Kansas City at Denver: The Broncos defense struggled in Indianapolis, but they return home to host a Kansas City offense that allows the 3rd-most sacks in the NFL.

New England at New York Giants: The Giants have won 3 straight against the Patriots, but New York led the NFL in sacks in 2007 and were T-3rd in 2011; in 2015, no team has fewer sacks than the Giants.

Arizona at Seattle: The Seahawks haven’t lost a primetime home game since 2007 – 12 straight wins, including the postseason; Arizona QB Carson Palmer threw a game-winning TD pass in his last start in Seattle, but he also threw 4 INTs in that 2013 game.

Houston at Cincinnati: I have 3 9-0 teams coming out of this week; the Bengals haven’t won two primetime games in the same season since 2004, but they get a Houston team that they held under 300 total yards last year.

It wasn’t the primary receivers that burned the Patriots in the Giants’ last two Super Bowl wins. Is Rueben Randle going to catch a Hail Mary? (PC: NBC Connecticut)