Before we begin our journey into Week Eight of the NFL season, it’s important to take a look back at what we learned from the previous weekend of games.
HEALTH IS GOING TO BE A HUGE FACTOR THIS SEASON
Every week we see one, if not multiple big names go down with injuries. While you could argue that though Joe Thomas’ triceps tear was bad, it’s not going to cost the Cleveland Browns playoff positioning. The same can’t be said for Jason Peters of the Philadelphia Eagles.
Peters tore both his ACL and MCL Monday night in a win over the Washington Redskins. The Eagles have the best record in the league, 6-1, and the schedule ahead of them to probably lock up a playoff spot, if not the NFC East, early. Peters’ loss will be felt, though, especially against good teams with a solid pass rush. It’s a bomb that might not really go off until the playoffs, but when it does it’s the kind of absence that can derail a Super Bowl season.
Jason Peters is done for the year after MRI reveals both ACL and MCL tears. Thank you for everything, Bodyguard! pic.twitter.com/mNDKfh4AVL
— Made For Philly (@MadeForPhilly) October 24, 2017
Speaking of irreplaceable, players, the Eagles’ primary competition in the NFC East, the Dallas Cowboys, will have to find a way to make up for the loss of kicker Dan Bailey for the next few weeks. Bailey is sidelined with a groin injury and the Cowboys have signed free agent Mike Nugent to replace him. Last weekend, safety Jeff Heath had to take over for extra points, hitting two of three.
How will Nugent replace Bailey? It won’t be easy. Bailey is the most accurate kicker in NFL history. Dallas added him as an undrafted free agent in 2011 and he’s not missed a game. The good news for the Cowboys is their next three games are all in domes or stadiums with retractable roofs.
The Jacksonville Jaguars may have to go without rookie left tackle Cam Robinson for a while. He sprained his ankle in their 27-0 win over the Indianapolis Colts. He, along with running back Leonard Fournette, are two of the top rookies in the league and a big reason why the Jaguars are even in the conversation. Fournette missed last week with an ankle injury of his own.
The Panthers could be down a couple of offensive linemen themselves and they can’t afford any more missteps. Trai Turner and Ryan Kalil both left Sunday’s game with injuries.
WE STILL HAVE TWO WINLESS TEAMS
This was not the week for the Cleveland Browns and San Francisco 49ers to stop sniffing glue. The Browns made a game of it against the Mike Mularkey coached Tennessee Titans, but lost 12-9 in overtime. The 49ers never came close to that kind of success Sunday. After weeks of close, heartbreaking losses, San Francisco decided to remove all intrigue in their game against the Cowboys, trailing 20-3 at halftime before losing 40-10.
The 49ers sent a questionnaire to fans asking "in terms of game day experience how important is it that your team wins?"
— Ann Killion (@annkillion) October 25, 2017
With the shuffling of players and injuries, there’s hope on the horizon for the 49ers. This week they have a date with the guillotine when they travel to Lincoln Financial field for a beat down at the hands of the Eagles. But after that, there’s a light at the end of the tunnel. San Francisco hosts the Carson Palmer-less Arizona Cardinals on Nov. 5 and the New York Giants and their completely incompetent offense on Nov. 12. After a game against the Seattle Seahawks, they’ll travel to Chicago to teak on the Bears. It’s entirely possible the 49ers could win all three of those games.
It’s a lot more bleak for Cleveland. The Browns have the Minnesota Vikings, the Detroit Lions, the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Cincinnati Bengals and the suddenly relevant Los Angeles Chargers coming up in consecutive weeks. They host the Green Bay Packers without Aaron Rodgers on Dec. 10, so there might be an opportunity there. After that, it’s the Baltimore Ravens and Chicago Bears. If the Browns are going to win a game, it’ll have to be one of those three.
BRUCE ARIANS MAY RETIRE AFTER THE SEASON
Reports surfaced after the weekend that Arizona Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians may retire at the end of the season. He has refuted those reports, but there has to be a reason that speculation was out there.
Hearing reports I'm retiring. News to me. Nothing could be further from truth & 100% focused on getting back on track at SF! #birdgang
— Bruce Arians (@BruceArians) October 24, 2017
First off, Arians is 65 years old and no one that age needs any excuse at all to step down and spend time with his family. The shame is, Arians waited a long time to get his shot at a head coaching position and made the most of it with the Cardinals. They’ve certainly been consistently better under his regime than at any other point in my lifetime. There are major holes that need to be filled and Arizona needs a quarterback of the future. Is that more than Arians wants to deal with?
At least publicly, he isn’t throwing the towel in just yet.
“I don’t know who put that out there,” Arians told ESPN. “But that’s something I never think about until the end of the season. I’m just focused on being 1-0 this week.”
Arians current contract runs through the 2018 season with a team option for the 2019 season. I can’t see him leaving before that and certainly there can’t be any desire from Arizona management to make a change. I mean, all they have to do is look at their Wikipedia page. It’s not been great.
Unless he has some serious health issues, I don’t see Arians handing in his badge. In 2016 he was hospitalized twice, the first for diverticulitis and the second with chest pains.
FUTURE FIRED COACHES TOP 10
1. Ben McAdoo, New York Giants
How about we McAdon’t?
2. Chuck Pagano, Indianapolis Colts
Still Luckless after seven weeks.
3. Hue Jackson, Cleveland Browns
That Browns stink is really starting to set in
4. Dirk Koetter, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
So much for potential, so little coaching.
5. Todd Bowles, New York Jets
He looked safe, now he’s rising fast.
6. Marvin Lewis, Cincinnati Bengals
A cheat, since his contract is up at the end of the year anyway.
7. John Fox, Chicago Bears
A couple of wins helps, but not much.
8. Mike Mularkey, Tennessee Titans
Should be on this list if the Titans were 7-0 right now.
9. John Harbaugh, Baltimore Ravens
A team falling off a cliff could take its coach with it.
10. Jay Gruden, Washington Redskins
On the bright side, the Bengals will probably hire him.
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