Written by: Tyler Deakin
Week 9 was a mixed bag, as there were some good games such as Vikings & Ravens mixed in with some clunkers such as Browns & Bengals. There were several upsets too including the Jaguars over the Bills, Falcons over the Saints, and Broncos over the Cowboys. We’ve come to expect such parody this late in the NFL calendar, as the saying goes “on any given Sunday.” Week 10 marks the halfway point in the NFL’s new 17-game schedule, so I would expect to see plenty of fireworks this weekend. What exciting new adventures await football fans this coming week? Here is my list of contenders for the best games to watch on the Week 10 NFL docket.
Kansas City Chiefs at Las Vegas Raiders (Sunday Night Football)
This is a huge game for both teams as it is not only a divisional game, but a chance for both teams to separate themselves from the pack in a hyper competitive AFC. Will Patrick Mahomes get right in primetime? He’s had a down year so far, as evidenced by his 13 turnovers & 54.3 QB Rating. Further compounding the issues for the Chiefs is that the defense has been a sieve all year save for a big win over the Packers last week. Meanwhile, the Raiders have issues of their own in that their head coach abruptly “retired” a couple weeks ago and their top receiver was recently arrested & later released. Will they kill the narratives & win a big game on Sunday?
Los Angeles Rams at San Francisco 49ers (Monday Night Football)
Nothing better than a competitive divisional game to watch on a Monday night. The 49ers season is on the line in this one as they are 3-5 heading into the contest. Good luck to them trying to block both DT Aaron Donald & DE Von Miller, who should make his Rams debut this week. I’m interested to see if the 49ers turn to rookie QB Trey Lance to try & save their season if things turn ugly in this one. Matt Stafford needs to rebound after an ugly performance against the Titans last week where he tossed 2 crucial INTs including a pick-6. He needs to kill the narrative that he can’t win big games, and what better way to do that than winning this one in primetime?
New Orleans Saints at Tennessee Titans
These teams have two of the best running games in the league, so I expect this to be a rugged, physical affair. Their defenses have also played well in recent weeks, which leads me to believe this will be a low-scoring matchup. This is a potential Revenge Game for RB Adrian Peterson as he makes his return to New Orleans. He played 4 games for them back in 2017; it didn’t go well for him nor the team, and he now finds himself as the Titans RB1. The Saints recent acquisition of RB Mark Ingram could pay huge dividends this week, as RB Alvin Kamara missed practice on Wednesday with a knee issue. Ingram will start if Kamara can’t go this week.
Cleveland Browns at New England Patriots
Bill Belichick makes his return to Cleveland after being fired as their head coach back in 1996. He’s obviously played against the team since then, but that fact doesn’t change the narrative nor the Patriots stellar 7-2 record against the Browns since 2000. There’s obvious Revenge Game implications in this one as Belichick’s career comes down to the wire. Both teams are 5-4 & need a win to stay in the playoff picture. The matchup to watch here is QB Mac Jones versus DE Myles Garrett. Jones gets the ball out of his hands very fast, but Garrett has a knack for getting to the QB even quicker than that. Who wins this pivotal matchup on Sunday?
Seattle Seahawks at Green Bay Packers
Both teams will see their starting quarterbacks return in this one as Russell Wilson faces off against Aaron Rodgers. Two of the best in the business face off in a potential Game of the Year matchup. No doubt that this one will come down to the wire & will be determined by who has the ball last. We can revisit these comments if the results from this game make me look like an idiot. Regardless, this has the makings of an instant classic & one for football fans to enjoy.
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