Did the loss to the Jets this week seal Giants coach Tom Coughlin’s fate?  Coughlin’s run with the team has been a rollercoaster.  In 2007, Coughlin was rumored to be on the way out, having lost the lockerroom and with his team seemingly out of contention.  Then Eli Manning got hot and the Giants went on to an unlikely Super Bowl win over the then undefeated New England Patriots.

The Giants were unable to sustain or duplicate that success, however, fizzing in the playoffs the following year and then falling out of contention altogether.  Another unlikely Super Bowl win (again over New England) probably extended Coughlin’s shelf life in 2012.

This year, the Giants’ offensive talent is considerable.  In fact, the team ought to be the NFC’s answer to the Pittsburgh Steelers.  Instead, the Giants are snakebit, and have blown game after game.  Only the ineptitude of the NFC East as a whole has the Giants still in the running.  Will it take another unlikely Super Bowl win to save Coughlin’s job?  If that doesn’t happen, I’ll bet there will be any number of NFL teams eager to get their hands on Tom Coughlin, a proven NFL winner, even if he hasn’t produced consistent results.

 

This Week’s Sucked And Won

Ryan Tannehill, QB (MIA):  I knew Tannehill was bad this season but his stats from Sunday are just mind numbing.  9 for 19 for 86 yards and a passer rating of 78.0 on a day when he was playing a defense that’s beyond banged up and his running game was in 100% effective mode.  Tannehill might be done in Miami, because it’s clear there’s no trust in his ability any longer.

 

This week’s catch of the day goes to Patriots QB Tom Brady, who looked quite good on a trick play where Brady feigned confusion at the line and then ran a short pass pattern and accumulated a tidy number of yards after catch to complete a 36 yard play against the Eagles on Sunday.

 

Shocking Realization of the Week

Bengals QB Andy Dalton became just the second player in NFL history (after Peyton Manning) to throw for 3000+ yards in his first five seasons in the NFL.

 

If you watched the Bengals and Browns this week, you couldn’t have missed the play of Bengals DL Geno Atkins.  He dominated the game on defense, putting endless pressure on Browns QB Austin Davis.  This is why you have to watch the games, however.  Atkins final stat line is a row of gooseeggs.  Even though Atkins spent all game pressuring the QB, he didn’t register a sack or a tackle in the contest.

 

This Week’s Great But Lost

Allen Robinson, WR (JAX):  While Jaguars QB Blake Bortles was also great in defeat, throwing for 5 TDs, Robinson’s day was special, as he caught 10 passes for 153 yards and 3 touchdowns, and became the first Jacksonville receiver since Jimmy Smith 10 years ago to eclipse 1000 yards for the season.

 

The word out of Cleveland on Monday was the Johnny Manziel would once again start at quarterback for the Browns, “per reports.”  That’s right.  Coach Mike Pettine is so anti Manziel he refused to announce (or wasn’t privy to) the decision to name Manziel the starter.  Whatever Pettine’s feelings on the matter, with Josh McCown out, he’s being a dolt if he doesn’t start Manziel.  He has no one else on his roster who belongs on the field as an NFL quarterback.

 

Thursday Pick:  Minnesota (+8) @Arizona (MGM Mirage)

Think the Vikings are getting dissed here?  They’re an 8-4 team but they’re getting more than a touchdown in this game.  That line ought to be telling you the Vikings are in some trouble.  They’ve had multiple chances to take the next step, but they barely showed up against the Packers and Seahawks, and the Cardinals are better than those teams.  Add in several key injuries on defense and I like the Cardinals in this game a whole lot.  Enough, in fact, to make this one of my Best Picks of the week.

Arizona Cardinals 28 Minnesota Vikings 17

 

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