Week 8 had lots of gridiron goodness just like every week prior. Sure there was another tie, and the TNF game had two uninspiring teams matched up. But we are at the halfway point of the 2016 season.
That means the pressure is fully on going forward.
Coaches wives are shopping for homes in various cities in the event their old man gets fired come Christmas. And some teams are rising to the occasion when it matters most.
NFL Grown Man of the Week: This one has to go to both Aaron Rodgers and Matt Ryan. These guys put on a show in the Georgia Dome on Sunday. Both offenses were missing weapons, but the these elite quarterbacks made due with what was available.
Rodgers didn’t even have a real running back and the receiver that was set to fill that role was pissing blood according to Erin Andrews. So Ty Montgomery couldn’t go.
And Julio Jones was banged up and did little more than distract the Packers defense in the final three periods. But Matt Ryan made a few no-names look like All-Pros, and ended up on top via a last second score.
Winner: Terrelle Pryor continues to impress on a team with not much to brag about or play for. The Browns almost got a win versus the Jets but fell short. It was not the fault of Pryor who tallied 101 yards. It helped having Josh McCown back in the lineup, as he threw for 341 yards.
Loser: The Browns are 0-8 with no hope in sight. Their remaining schedule is set up for them to go 0-16.
Winner: Matt Forte is the answer the Jets need weekly. Their QB situation is not good. So unless they feed Forte like the beast he is the rest of the way, they can count on missing the playoffs.
Loser: DeAndre Hopkins used to be a top three WR in fantasy play and on the real field. This year he has been all but forgotten. That says more about Brock Osweiler than any QB rating. Hopkins was lighting up the scoreboard with journeyman passers, but a high priced free agent from Denver has made him irrelevant.
Winner: Jordan Reed will be the best tight end in the League if Gronk ever calls it quits to be a daytime soap star or cruise ship director. Reed came off concussion protocol to get 9 catches on 13 targets from Cousins. His TD didn’t help Washington avoid a tie with Cincinnati, but a sister kiss is better than the brother kiss I guess.
Loser: Spencer Ware should have been a great fantasy choice for week 8. The Colts defense is pathetic when at full strength, but this week they had three key injuries that should have made it easy for any running back. Ware was a big let down with just 19 yards on the ground.
Winner: Nick Foles is still in the League ya’ll. He filled in for KO’d Alex Smith to help KC finish off the Colts. Foles had a couple TDs in this one that showed Indy is basically only able to compete in their own division.
Loser: Russell Wilson is dead to me. And if he’s on your season long fantasy team, you had better follow my lead this week. Drop his underperforming fantasy ass! I love this guy as a player, but man has he laid down this year in the stat categories that matter. How could he not exploit the Saints defense that was banged up and not any good even when 100 percent healthy?
Winner: Dak, Dak, and more Dak. Did Tony Romo request a trade yet? He should, after the Cowboys’ new hope lead them to a big overtime win versus Philly on SNF.
Loser: Rex Ryan had his head handed to him by the grim reaper in a hoodie, right before Halloween. Ryan is a decent football coach, but will never survive this Buffalo stint because he can’t match wits or QBs with Belichick.
Winner: Tom Brady is the MVP at this point in the year. Even if he has only played in half the games. He is the best quarterback on the best team so far. 330 yards, 4 TDs, 4 different receivers. Damn it boy!
Loser: Wade Phillips got carted off the field after a nasty collision in the Chargers game. Memo to San Diego: Killing the Broncos defensive coordinator will not make your offense more successful. Denver wins again, picking Rivers off 3 times. And the old school coach was released from the hospital with a clean bill of health.
Winner: Derek Carr is the real deal. I’ll take Brees as my steady QB on DK, but Carr is the man for upside. He has the Raiders rolling at 6-2 and unbeatable on the road. He rolled up the Bucs alleged defense for 526 total yards. Amari Cooper helped his QB out with 173 yards receiving.
Loser: Josh Norman racked up big numbers on Sunday. Not good ones, though. 5 flags. Four for “hands to the face” of WRs. Maybe just try covering guys without gouging their eyes out there Moe.
Winner: Mohamed Sanu took up the slack of the hurt Julio Jones versus the Packers in the ATL Sunday. Sanu was the workhorse on the winning final drive for the Falcons and had 9 catches on the day for 84 yards. His TD catch to take the lead for good was “awesome,” just as Matt Ryan said after the win.
Loser: Cam Newton finally had a breakdown. He was close to tears in my opinion, as he whined about not getting calls for hits he deems as extra. Cam needs to do two things.
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Realize football is still a contact sport and either try basketball or tennis.
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Burn his postgame wardrobe. His entire act is hard to stomach right now.