The Kansas City Chiefs have yet to lose a game this season, but as we near the halfway point of the 2024 NFL season it’s hard not to look at the Detroit Lions as the league’s most flat-out impressive team so far.
Jared Goff is at his best, completing a league-leading 74.1 per cent of passes at the helm of an offence that’s tied for the highest yards per attempt (8.9) and total touchdowns (29). Incompletions are few and far between — historically so:
His near-perfect quarterback rating throughout October is the highest of any QB during the month, ever.
Detroit has posted the league’s highest point differential, at plus-14 — a number that jumps to plus-26 over the past three weeks, during which they beat both the Cowboys and Titans by 38. Those wins sandwiched their victory over the then-undefeated Vikings for the top spot in the powerful NFC North.
Awaiting them on Sunday is another important divisional matchup against the Green Bay Packers, with first place in the division once again on the line. The Packers, who enter Week 9 riding a four-game win streak, also boast six wins but have a few questions about the health of starting quarterback Jordan Love. Love suffered a groin injury Sunday against Jacksonville and didn’t practice until Thursday. He was listed as questionable on Friday.
Green Bay’s defence is about to face its toughest test of the season. Are they up for it? This is a unit that has more takeaways than any bother team, is tied for second in interceptions (with the Lions, Steelers, 49ers and Saints) thanks in large part to Xavier McKinney’s league-leading six INTs, and ranks eighth best against the run.
This should be fun.
Can Bengals, Dolphins save their seasons?
The New York Jets’ win over the Houston Texans Thursday night gave them a tiny window of hope in the AFC playoff race, turning us all into Lloyd Christmas at the midway point of what up until this point has been a disastrous season for Gang Green.
So you’re telling me there’s a chance…
The Jets, of course, aren’t the only AFC squad that entered 2024 with seriously high expectations only to fall short in the most dismal of fashions. The Cincinnati Bengals, Miami Dolphins, and Cleveland Browns (ranked 9th, 11th and 12th, respectively, in the conference standings following the Jets’ win) are also facing a near-impossible climb back into relevance after making the post-season last year. If there’s any hope of turning things around, it needs to start this Sunday.
We all know Joe Burrow’s Bengals have a habit of slow starts, and this year has been no different — they opened the season 0-3 — but we also know what can happen when this team gets hot. With just a trio of wins to their name, all against squads well under .500, the Bengals are coming off their worst point differential yet against the Philadelphia Eagles and are running out of time to warm up.
“This is a must-win game,” Burrow told reporters Wednesday. “We’re 3-5. You go to 3-6, then you’ve got to basically win out to get in. So, urgency’s very high every week from here on out.”
According to Next Gen Stats, the Bengals currently have a 29 per cent probability of making the playoffs. Their odds increase to 33 per cent with a win this Sunday over the Las Vegas Raiders and fall to 15 per cent with a loss.
Things are looking even more dismal down in Florida, where the 2-6 Miami Dolphins’ odds of making the post-season are in the single digits (six per cent) and can fall to four per cent with a loss to the division-leading Buffalo Bills. Talk about a big ask. As hot as Josh Allen and the Bills’ offence has been, the defence has been even more impressive, holding opponents to just 10 points on five different occasions this season — including their first meeting with the Dolphins.
The Browns, too, showed signs of life last week following a QB change as Jameis Winston took over following Deshaun Watson’s Achilles tear — and, unlike the Dolphins, who lost a nail-biter to the Arizona Cardinals in Week 8, pulled off the upset win over the Baltimore Ravens. Winston got favourable bounces with some dropped almost-interceptions against the Ravens, and against another strong defence in the L.A. Chargers, he may not be so lucky.
Over in the NFC, meanwhile, the Dallas Cowboys are in dire need of a season-changing victory when they take on the Atlanta Falcons. Considering the slate of opponents waiting in the wings — Philadelphia in Week 10, the Texans in Week 11, and the Commanders after that — they cannot afford to keep losing.
Trade deadline looms large
Tuesday marks the NFL’s trade deadline, and while some clubs shopped early — the Chiefs, Bills, Ravens, and Jets all acquired new receivers — we could have some deals go down to the wire.
Among the questions we’re asking ahead of Sunday’s action:
Is there any chance this is Maxx Crosby’s final game as a Raider? Ownership has insisted the star pass rusher won’t be dealt, but does Crosby want to wait around while the team rebuilds (again)?
Will the Lions gain an edge — literally — on the trade market? The loss of Aidan Hutchinson could be felt down the stretch, and the team’s window to win is now. Cleveland’s phone should be ringing.
The Rams seemingly saved their season with a Week 8 win over the Minnesota Vikings, which essentially shut down all talks about Cooper Kupp being available. Would a divisional loss to the Seahawks on Sunday change anything?
While other contenders gain weapons on the trade market, the 49ers have lost some. Same with the Houston Texans, with Stefon Diggs out for the season. Might they make some moves following their loss to the Jets?
Richardson benched in Indianapolis, Flacco takes the reins
A year after stepping onto the field in Cleveland and guiding the Browns into the playoffs, veteran quarterback Joe Flacco is now tasked with doing the same for the Colts. While the situation isn’t exactly identical — injuries forced Cleveland’s hand last season, while Indy coach Shane Steichen is benching his young gunslinger. The move comes after Anthony Richardson admitted to sitting out a pivotal play in a close divisional game against the Texans last Sunday because he was tired — not exactly winning optics for someone who’s expected to lead his team.
Richardson clearly needs more time to develop, and whether or not the Colts are dedicated to that will be determined on a timeline that extends beyond this season. For now, we turn our attention to Flacco. Can he get another underperforming AFC club into the playoffs? The Colts are currently 4-4 and knocking on the door in eighth place in the conference ahead of Sunday’s meeting with Minnesota. Flacco is 1-1 as a starter so far this season (he stepped in when Richardson was injured in Weeks 5 and 6) and now gets a shot in prime time.
Thursday, Oct. 31
Jets 21, Texans 13
Sunday, Nov. 3
Saints @ Panthers, 1 p.m. ET
Commanders @ Giants, 1 p.m. ET
Dolphins @ Bills, 1 p.m. ET
Chargers @ Browns, 1 p.m. ET
Patriots @ Titans, 1 p.m. ET
Cowboys @ Falcons, 1 p.m. ET
Raiders @ Bengals, 1 p.m. ET
Broncos @ Ravens, 1 p.m. ET
Bears @ Cardinals, 4:05 p.m. ET
Jaguars @ Eagles, 4:05 p.m. ET
Rams @ Seahawks, 4:25 p.m. ET
Lions @ Packers, 4:25 p.m. ET
Colts @ Vikings, 8:20 p.m. ET
Monday, Nov. 4
Buccaneers @ Chiefs, 8:15 p.m. ET
Hello, my name is Jack Sparrow. I'm a 50 year old self-employed Pirate from the Caribbean.
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