NFL Week 11: Mark Sanchez Is Clutch and 25 Things We Learned
NFL Week 11 was full of surprises with the Jets winning their third game in a row in the last minute, Richard Seymour punching Ben Roethlisberger and the Falcons scoring no matter who has the ball.
Each game had its own lesson to teach. Although it's debatable on whether or not anyone learned anything, the lessons are out there for us to absorb.
So open your books and get ready to take notes. We're headed into the film room to break everything down.
25. You Can Have Two Manning Faces in One Night
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First there was Peyton in the Patriots game, and then there was Eli in the night game.
There's nothing quite like the "Manning Face" when they throw a pick. It's a combination of confusion, disgust, anger and indigestion.
24. Derek Anderson Can Make It Through a Game Without Throwing a Pick
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This doesn't mean the Cardinals played well or won the game. It just means Derek Anderson actually made some smart decisions and didn't just wing the ball down the field figuring someone would come up with it.
Don't get too excited, Anderson will be back to his usual self next week.
23. The Raiders Are Not an Elite Team Yet
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The Raiders have been riding high the last few weeks and this was bound to happen, because the Raiders just aren't as good as they think they are. We're not saying they're bad, because they've clearly proven they're no longer Buffalo Bills or Cincinnati Bengals bad.
But they're not in the NFL elite yet and it took the Pittsburgh Steelers to remind them of that.
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22. The Cowboys Really Do Like Playing for Jason Garrett
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For the second week in a row, the Cowboys came out and played with energy, snappiness and a clear desire to win.
Whatever Jason Garrett has done since taking over—and the list of changes is long and comprehensive— it's working.
This team is already one to take a lot more seriously. Even if the Cowboys' chances of making the playoffs are extremely slim, they still can play spoiler.
21. James Harrison Doesn't Care About $50,000 Fines
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Another week, another vicious James Harrison hit.
Harrison got a roughing-the-quarterback call for a hit on Jason Campbell. The hit, in the larger scheme of things, really was nothing to get excited about, but it's the kind of hit that draws huge fines from the NFL now.
Harrison can complain about the fines all he wants, but he apparently doesn't mind getting them since he continues to play in a way that elicits fines from the NFL.
*Personal note: I could care less about the hit, I'm pointing out the obvious. Save the hate mail for the commissioner.
20. Vince Young Still Hasn't Grown Up
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Vince Young tears his flexor tendon in his thumb and responds to his benching by throwing his gear into the stands, arguing with the coach after the game and storming out of the facility.
You know Young's time in Tennessee is coming to a close when the coach is completely candid about the injury in the postgame press conference and hints there will be further repercussions.
Young has never handled the pressures of being a starting quarterback well, and this is just the latest example of why it might be time for the Titans to move on.
19. Eagles Wide Receivers Have Forgotten How To Catch
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This is a photo of Michael Vick running. He's running because his receivers forgot how to catch between the last Monday night game and Sunday night.
There were three critical drops in the first half in which Vick threw the ball perfectly and the receiver just didn't come up with it, including one to Jeremy Maclin right before the half.
The receivers have to be more consistent than that.
18. The Ravens May Have a New Return Man
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David Reed had an 84-yard return that set up a field goal in the game, and the Ravens special teams all of a sudden has a threat.
Reed's run definitely gets this rookie more chances this week and Ravens fans have to be happy about the prospect of getting their own return specialist who makes things happen.
17. John Fox Thinks He Knows Quarterbacks (We're Suspicious of This)
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The Carolina Panthers have quarterback problems.
First they started Matt Moore, but he wasn't very good so they put in the big rookie, Jimmy Clausen. Clausen wasn't any better, so Moore came back in.
Moore got injured, so in came Clausen. Clausen got injured, so in came the third quarterback and sixth-round draft pick Tony Pike.
What? That's not what happened? They pulled some guy off the couch?
Brian St. Pierre came in over a sixth-round draft pick and a third-round pick, Armanti Edwards, who was a quarterback in college but has been converted to wide receiver this year.
St. Pierre wasn't very good, but did anyone really expect him to be?
If anyone can explain why a guy who hasn't taken a snap since 2008 was supposed to be a better option than two guys who've been in the system since training camp, including one who's been practicing with the team in the quarterback position, please step to the front of the class.
16. Troy Smith Isn't Perfect
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The 49ers were getting excited because Troy Smith was adding some much needed energy to the offense, and the 49ers were seeing some success.
That all ended on Sunday, so now the question is whether Troy Smith has been figured out or if he can bounce back next week and give hope to the 49ers for the future.
15. The Jacksonville Jaguars Are the New Kardiac Kids
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Fittingly, the Jaguars are becoming the new Kardiac Kids against the team that invented the term.
The Jaguars, in successive weeks, have won a game on a Hail Mary pass and then had two big plays in the last minute of the game.
14. The Cleveland Browns Have Forgotten How To Tackle
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Conversely, the Cleveland Browns, in successive weeks, have allowed the opposition to win games by stoutly refusing to tackle anybody.
You see, the Browns are too good to tackle opponents. They feel a stern glance or the flick of an arm will suffice.
As a last ditch effort, you throw yourself at their feet and beg them to fall down.
13. Tony Romo May Start Throwing This Week
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News out of the Cowboys camp is that Romo will undergo another X-Ray sometime on Monday and that, depending on how that X-Ray looks, he could start throwing again this week.
This is great news for everyone involved.
12. You Can Get a Second Chance
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Graham Gano missed the game-winning field goal at the end of regulation, but he nailed it in overtime and gets to keep his job for one more week.
11. Miami May Need To Draft a Quarterback
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Chad Pennington's career may be over, Chad Henne already lost the starting job to Pennington, and Tyler Thigpen isn't going to suddenly morph into the second coming of Dan Marino.
This leaves the Dolphins in a bit of a dilemma since they may also be losing both of their running backs after the season. Ronnie Brown will be a free agent, as will Ricky Williams, but that's assuming Williams doesn't just decide to hang it up.
The Dolphins, a team that looked so promising the last few years, now seems to have regressed back to square one.
10. Brett Favre's Career May Be Over a Few Weeks Early
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Favre played his last game versus his old team and the Vikings are now out of the playoff race. So the question is if Favre should even bother finishing out the season at his age, given the state of his ankle and bicep.
Favre said he will "re-evaluate" everything this week, but what that means is anyone's guess.
9. A Patriots-Colts Game Will Never Be a Blowout
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Every year people predict blowouts for the Colts-Patriots game, and every year the game is competitive.
Rarely is the game lopsided and the contest often comes down to the last few minutes, as it did this week.
Peyton Manning was driving down the field and the Colts were hoping to at least tie the game and send it in to overtime. But one interception later, the Patriots took the field for the victory formation.
8. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers Will Not Go Away
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Attention Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans Saints: The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are here to stay and you're just going to have to deal with it.
Thank you for your attention.
7. Richard Seymour Can Throw a Punch
19 of 25While this move was incredibly stupid, it was incredibly entertaining.
6. The Buffalo Bills Are Explosive
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If anyone drafted Ryan Fitzpatrick with the first pick in their fantasy league, they're either a seer, a diehard Bills fan or just didn't take fantasy football seriously.
Anyone who hasn't tried to pick up Fitzpatrick for their fantasy league in the last month is a fool.
The Bills offense is explosive, it scores points and the league is officially on notice that the Bills aren't to be taken lightly.
5. Marvin Lewis No Longer Has Job Security
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If anyone thinks Marvin Lewis isn't making sure it that doesn't take him more than five minutes to clean out his office on Monday, they don't follow the NFL.
Lewis has had only one successful team under his watch, and this year's team has underperformed like few other "good" teams have.
Getting blown out by the Buffalo Bills may have the Bengals front office flipping through the coaches Rolodex.
4. The Bears Are Going To Be Fun To Watch Not Go Anywhere in the Playoffs
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The Bears have a very good chance to make the playoffs, but they look like a one-and-done team, and that's just an honest observation from someone who neither likes nor dislikes the Bears.
The defense is good enough to get this team a Wild Card berth, assuming the NFC East and NFC South don't lock those two positions up, but they're not going to win the division, and that offense is toast once it hits the playoffs.
Cutler should go into the first playoff game wearing padded kevlar with springs and pillows attached to his body just to soften the blows from the 15 sacks he'll probably get in the first half.
3. Drew Brees Is Going To Break a Manning Record
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Drew Brees is less than 500 yards away from breaking Archie Manning's club record of 21,734 passing yards.
Brees can break that in the next two weeks, three at most.
2. Michael Vick Is Human
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After last Monday night's performance, it was tempting to think Michael Vick was just going to destroy everyone in his path the rest of the year.
But then he ran into the New York Giants defense.
Vick had no chance of repeating his Monday night performance against the stout Giants defense and, in a way, that's a good thing for the Eagles, as now they can break things down and make adjustments.
1. The New York Jets Are Either the Best Team Or the Luckiest in the NFL
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Seriously?
Three weeks and three incredible finishes for the New York Jets. While you can say luck plays a factor, good teams make their own luck.
Bottom line is Mark Sanchez has made it clear he's no longer a rookie quarterback and, if the game is on the line in the fourth quarter, the last thing you want to do is put the ball in his hands.
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