NFL Week 10: What's at Stake for Teams, Players This Weekend?

The NFL landscape evolves on a weekly basis. How your team is viewed is directly tied to the previous week. That puts a big emphasis on what’s at stake for teams and players every game.

Some games are decided directly by particular matchups. The better, more talented team doesn’t always win because of the importance of style and the ability to adjust. But that is often overlooked because winning is really what matters in the big picture.

For teams that have started slowly out of the gate, they have little time to turn things around. Unless, of course, if the entire division has struggled. The AFC South and NFC East come to mind immediately, but those teams need the wheels to start turning, or else they won’t peak at the right time.

We’ve highlighted seven key storylines on the following slides that will determine whether or not these teams are successful in Week 10. Several critical divisional matchups could put certain franchises at great risk of being eliminated from the playoffs earlier than imagined. That doesn’t mean Week 10’s results will end a season, but it could set up particular teams for a big hill to climb.

Arizona Cardinals: Silence the 12th Man

David Richard/Associated Press

Considering how injuries ravaged the Arizona Cardinals last season and how they changed a Super Bowl favorite into a limping carcass, this week’s matchup is a big one. The Cardinals have played well this season, jumping out to a 6-2 record. Their NFC West counterparts, the Seattle Seahawks, have disappointed with a 4-4 start.

A win in Seattle would really put the Cardinals into a commanding position with just seven games remaining after Week 10 ends. Arizona may need a three-game lead as well, seeing as its second-half schedule has several tough opponents coming to Glendale before the season ends. The season also concludes with Seattle coming to Arizona.

With Carson Palmer and the Cardinals offense playing well and a defense with little to no drop-off from 2014, this is a dangerous team. One could argue this is the best team in the NFC, even over the undefeated Carolina Panthers. A win this week would only strengthen that argument.

New England Patriots: Is Perfection Possible?

Winslow Townson/Associated Press

It’s a little too early to drum up the perfection talk, as three teams are without a blemish through nine weeks. That doesn’t mean the discussion hasn’t started, though. The New England Patriots have several marquee matchups down the stretch, including a showdown in the Meadowlands this week.

The New York Giants are a familiar nemesis for the Patriots, beating New England twice in recent Super Bowls. Can New York once again slay the proverbial giants? If Tom Brady and company continue to play at the level they’ve established thus far, this game may be a shootout.

Coming off a three-week homestand, the Patriots will be seeing the road more often from Week 10 on. Expect the intensity of these games to also pick up as teams fight for playoff positioning. If the Patriots can win this week, they’ll have a legitimate chance to win out.

Detroit Lions: All Signs Point to the No. 1 Pick

Matt Dunham/Associated Press

The deconstruction of the Detroit Lions began last week as the team fired key front-office personnel and offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi. The move to fire Lombardi was not surprising, as his offense was the blandest I’ve seen of any team in the NFL this year. But firing longtime team president Tom Lewand and general manager Martin Mayhew sent a loud and clear message: Ownership is tired of disappointment.

Among speculation that players could be available after the season, the Lions should focus on rebuilding. Whether quarterback Matt Stafford is in the long-term plans or not, the Lions should look to maximize as much draft capital as they can. The 2016 NFL draft looks deep with quality players who could contribute to this team immediately.

Looking at their schedule, the Lions could win a few games to close out the season. Although tanking is not a term to use loosely, ownership should mandate the use of younger players who may need playing time to develop. That way the next staff can get more data to evaluate them on while the Lions can work toward the No. 1 overall pick.

Oakland Raiders: Make a Statement at Home

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The NFL is a better place when the Oakland Raiders are a good team. There’s just something about the silver and black that feels right. Oakland has the chance to make a big statement at home this week when it hosts the Minnesota Vikings.

Some may pit this game as Derek Carr against Teddy Bridgewater, but the reality is both young quarterbacks are promising players with different styles. Carr’s improvement is not only a testament to him but the Raiders’ ability to build their offense up around him. General manager Reggie McKenzie deserves praise for building this roster into a physical and fast bunch.

For the 4-4 Raiders to beat the 6-2 Vikings, their defense must step up to the challenge of stopping Adrian Peterson. He is on pace for more than 1,500 yards this season, and when Peterson hasn’t been pulverizing would-be tacklers, Bridgewater has made timely plays to finish games off. This could be the game of the week.

Blake Bortles: Continue the Momentum

Seth Wenig/Associated Press

He hasn’t been getting the press that he probably deserves, but Blake Bortles has shown improvement this season. His physical tools no longer seem like a source of potential, but rather he is using them correctly as the game slows down for him. He has been sharper, more accurate and more consistent all season long.

There are still bad moments and throws for the second-year quarterback, but Bortles looks so much more confident in his downfield strikes this year. He’s already thrown for 2,193 yards, 17 touchdowns and only 10 interceptions. He’s basically flipped his touchdown-to-interception ratio from 2014, and he has lots of time to keep developing.

The Jaguars threw Bortles into the fire last season as a rookie, but he’s benefited from the live action. There’s no surefire plan to develop quarterbacks properly, as every player is his own case study. Watch for Bortles to continue his good play in Week 10 against the Baltimore Ravens.

Dan Campbell: His Long-Term Viability Is Slipping Away

Bill Wippert/Associated Press

After an exciting start to his interim tenure as the head coach of the Miami Dolphins, Dan Campbell has lost all of his momentum. It turns out that destroying two of the worst teams in the league was not sustainable. Things will only continue to get worse for Miami as the injuries pile up.

Campbell’s energy and sharp focus represent a breath of fresh air, even if Miami may be too flawed to right the ship this season. His focus should turn from winning the head coaching job to showing he can develop players. Miami has a young offense but an old defense. If Campbell can show he can foster the growth of young talent, he could stick around on the staff next year.

Since the firing of Joe Philbin, most of Miami’s young players have seen a dip in playing time. This is not smart as the season progresses and Miami falls farther out of the playoff race. Players on rookie contracts must be evaluated as much as possible. Watch for this team to start sitting soon-to-be free agents and aging veterans.

Dallas Cowboys: It’s Time to Go on a Run

Michael Ainsworth/Associated Press

It’s no surprise the Dallas Cowboys have struggled without their star quarterback, Tony Romo. He can return as soon as Week 11, but the Cowboys may be out of their divisional race by then. Six straight losses have left this team 2-6 and on the verge of falling too far behind.

Luckily for the Cowboys, the rest of the division has been mediocre as well. At three games behind the New York Giants, the Cowboys likely must finish 7-1 to have a realistic chance at winning the division. A tough stretch to finish the season will make that difficult.

Still, the Cowboys have a chance. But they must win in Week 10 against the Buccaneers. Tampa Bay is highly vulnerable, even at home. The time is now for Dallas to turn things around and begin its playoff chase.

All stats used are from Sports-Reference.com.

Ian Wharton is an NFL Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report. 

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