2021 NFL Week Eleven: Biggest Storylines and Takeaways
2021 NFL Week Eleven is in the books and this has officially become the most unpredictable season in recent memory. Tennessee had a five-game winning streak against 2020 playoff teams only to lose to the 1-8 Houston Texans. The Bills got absolutely thrashed by the Colts and Colt McCoy has won two road divisional games. The 2021 NFL season has been nothing short of a rollercoaster ride and I fully expect this madness to continue. Check out the biggest storylines and takeaways from week eleven here!
2021 NFL Week Eleven- Colts Blitz The Bills
The Colts marched into Buffalo and destroyed Josh Allen and the Bills. While the Bills managed to score 15 points, the final score felt like the Colts were winning by 100. Let’ start with the Colts. They are 6-5 with a huge win against Buffalo, Carson Wentz is playing some of the best football of his career, and Jonathan Taylor looks like the best running back in the league. This team kind of got written off after they lost both their divisional games to Tennesse but fast forward a couple of weeks and this team has a legitimate shot at a playoff birth. Indy’s remaining schedule is not horrible, while they have tough opponents like the Bucs, Patriots, and Cardinals, they also play the Jags, Texans, and Raiders. Don’t be shocked if this team sneaks into the playoffs.
Now for the Bills. I think the main problem for Buffalo is their offense has become very one dimensional. Without a consistent rushing attack, they are forced to throw that ball it seems like every single play. They have their deep threat in Stefon Diggs and their safety blanket in Cole Beasley but other than that their offense just does not look as potent as it did last year. I wouldn’t panic if I am the Bills, you still have a great young QB, a smart head coach, and a ton of talent. Those two games against New England are huge.
2021 NFL Week Eleven- Kliff Kingsbury, I Apologize
I said it a couple of weeks ago when Colt McCoy walked into Levi Stadium and throttled the 49ers that I owe Kliff Kingsbury an apology. I said that he was going to get fired before the season ended and that could not have been more inaccurate. Not only are the Cardinals 9-2 and hold the best record in football, but they also have won two division road games with their backup quarterback. I don’t care who you are playing, who is on your team, if you let alone win one game with your back up it is extremely impressive. Kingsbury not only went 2-1 with Colt McCoy, but they essentially dog-walked the Niners and Seahawks in their own stadiums.
If Kinsbury is not the coach of the year then I don’t know who is. Colt McCoy deserves his credit, not only did he come in and win two games but against Seattle, he was virtually unstoppable. In his two wins, McCoy threw for 577 yards and three touchdowns, he not only did what a backup is supposed to do but he exceeded all my expectations.
2021 NFL Week Eleven- Eagles Turning A Corner
I said last week that the Eagles were a fascinating team but I did not know what to make of them. Although, the box score says the Eagles beat the Saints 40-29 the game was not that close. The Eagles were a couple of plays away from putting up 50 plus, this was a good ole fashion ass kicking. I got to give Nick Sirianni credit where credit is due, he has completely morphed this offense to compliment what Jalen Hurts does best, run the ball. I think people wrote him off because of his goofy press conferences talking about how they establish systems upon systems or how he played rock, paper scissors with potential draft picks. But as the NFL transitions to an offensive league, Sirianni has proven to be a competent play-caller and he has found what Jalen Hurts does best. Hurts has shown he isn’t the most accurate or dynamic thrower but like Lamar Jackson and Kyler Murray, he is deadly with his legs.
The NFC has five “lock” playoff teams; the Packers, Rams, Cardinals, Bucs, and Cowboys. That leaves two wild-card spots up for grabs. The Eagles sit at 5-6 with a favorable end to their schedule, they still play the Giants and WFT twice and get a cupcake with the Jets in week 14. They play Dallas in week 18 which is a tough game but by that time the Cowboys will have the division locked up and could sit some key players.
2021 NFL Week Eleven- Patriots Back On Top
Cue the Darth Vader music because Bill Belichick and company are back. After taking 2020 off, the Patriots are right back to their roots as they sit atop of the AFC East. Patriots fans should be sending flowers to the Colts and Texans as they beat Bills and Titans, respectively. Next week New England has a chance to take the #1 seed in the AFC, if the Patriots can beat the Titans and Cleveland beats Baltimore, the New England Patriots will be atop of the AFC. I just want to remind the Bills fans who said the AFC East was theirs for a decade. A quick word to the wise, don’t count out the greatest football coach in the history of the sport. Pats are back and I’m here for it.
2021 NFL Week Eleven- Trouble In Seattle
The Seattle Seahawks’ season from hell continued this weekend as the Cardinals came into Seattle and dismantled the Seahawks. Even worse, Colt McCoy outplayed Russell Wilson and it wasn’t particularly close. Wilson has now played three games since returning from his finger injury and looks like a shell of himself. The past couple of years, it seemed like the only thing going for Seattle was Russell Wilson. So when he does not play at an elite level it exposes a lot of the shortcomings of the team that Wilson usually covered up. They have a 3-7 record and unless they plan on running the table, will most likely miss the playoffs. To add insult to injury, they traded away their first-round pick in the Jamal Adams trade, that trade continues to look better and better for the Jets.
I think the solution is to move on from Pete Carroll. He is 70 years old and has made his mark as a defensive “guru” but the defense has been bad for a couple of years now. I know Russell expressed his frustration last year but I fundamentally disagree with trading an elite, Hall of Fame level quarterback. Similar to the Aaron Rodgers dilemma, I think you have to go to Wilson and do whatever it takes to keep him in Seattle. Seattle is in a tough spot and losing games only heightens the frustration.
Check out week ten here, and come back for week twelve!
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