2024 NFL Season: Football food for thought in Week 10
The first-place Pittsburgh Steelers and defending NFC champion San Francisco 49ers return to action this week. That means by the end of Week 10, every team in the National Football League will have played at least nine games.
Over the past few weeks, and most notably on Tuesday, there was plenty of player movement on the final day of the NFL trade deadline. Some teams were busier than others, while there were numerous sellers by those teams that are in the midst of miserable campaigns.
Off: Cleveland, Green Bay, Las Vegas, Seattle
Thursday, Nov. 7
Cincinnati (4-5) at Baltimore (6-3): It’s a rematch of one of the wildest games of 2024. Five weeks ago in the Queen City, the Ravens came up with a 41-38 overtime win. Talk about disparity? Baltimore (1,727 yards) has more than doubled Cincinnati on the ground (848). The latter just got some needed help, dealing for running back Khalil Herbert (Panthers). Joe Burrow takes aim at the NFL’s worst pass defense.
Sunday, Nov. 10
N.Y. Giants (2-7) vs. Carolina (2-7) (Munich): On paper, it’s certainly not the most scintillating of match-ups, and there’s no truth to the rumor that the Giants and Panthers were both deported. All kidding aside, former Panthers’/turned Giants’ pass rusher Brian Burns has more sacks (5.0) than the combined wins of New York and Carolina (4). The Panthers are allowing an NFL-worst 32.6 points per game this season.
New England (2-7) at Chicago (4-4): It’s a battle of teams that are both residing in the basement of their respective divisions. For the second time in three weeks, rookie quarterback Caleb Williams faces another member of the 2024 quarterback draft class. This time it’s third overall pick Drake Maye, who has as many TD passes (6) as turnovers this season. Bears have scored 119 points in four wins, 53 points in four losses.
Buffalo (7-2) at Indianapolis (4-5): The first-place Bills, who have as many wins as the Jets, Dolphins, and Patriots combined, head to Indianapolis for the first time since 2018. Sean McDermott’s surging team is tied for the NFL lead in turnover differential (plus-11). Quarterback Josh Allen has thrown 17 touchdown passes and been picked off only twice. The Bills and Colts have each forced an impressive 15 turnovers.
Minnesota (6-2) at Jacksonville (2-7): The Vikings face the second of three straight AFC South opponents, and also begin a three-game road swing. One can only imagine the numbers Minnesota’s Justin Jefferson could put up against the league’s 31st-ranked pass defense. It’s been quite a fall for Doug Pederson’s team. Since their strong 8-3 start in 2023, the last-place Jaguars have dropped 12 of their last 15 contests.
Denver (5-4) at Kansas City (8-0): Last season, the Broncos snapped a 15-game losing streak to the Chiefs with a 24-9 win at Denver in Week 8. The club looks to win at Arrowhead Stadium for the first time since 2015. Sean Payton’s club comes off a 41-10 loss at Baltimore, a stunner considering the Broncos allowed only 120 points in their first eight games. The Chiefs’ overall winning streak stands at 14 straight games.
Atlanta (6-3) at New Orleans (2-7): Another week and another divisional contest for the first-place Falcons, who face an NFC South rival for the fifth time in 10 weeks. Atlanta is one win away from matching its victory total of each of the previous three seasons, while the Saints own the longest-current losing streak in the league. A seventh straight setback on Sunday cost head coach Dennis Allen his job.
San Francisco (4-4) at Tampa Bay (4-5): The Niners had last week off and look to extend the Buccaneers’ current three-game losing streak. Todd Bowles’s club has allowed 30 or more points in four of their last five outings. Now the Bucs will likely be dealing with 49ers’ RB Christian McCaffrey, who hasn’t played a down in 2024. Kyle Shanahan’s team is one loss way from equaling the team’s setback total in 2024.
Pittsburgh (6-2) at Washington (7-2): Mike Tomlin’s well-rested team heads to D.C. to take on a Commanders’ club that could double its victory total from a season ago with a victory in this battle of first-place teams. Steelers’ general manager Omar Khan was busy on Tuesday, acquiring veterans wide receiver Mike Williams and outside linebacker Preston Smith. The Commanders are 4-0 at home.
Tennessee (2-6) at L.A. Chargers (5-3): There’s something that the Titans can certainly take away (pun intended) from last Sunday’s win overtime win vs. the Patriots? After forcing only three turnovers in their first seven games, Brian Callahan’s club came away with three Drake Maye miscues in the 20-17 victory. In his first seasons as the team’s head coach, Jim Harbaugh has already equaled the Bolts’ 2023 win total.
N.Y. Jets (3-6) at Arizona (5-4): The Green and White has had a little extra time to prepare for this clash against one of the hotter teams in the league. The Cardinals have already won one more game than they did all of last season and are currently riding a three-game winning streak. Only six teams are averaging more yards per game on the ground than Arizona (149.7), bad news for the Jets’ 21st-ranked run defense.
Philadelphia (6-2) at Dallas (3-5): It’s the classic two teams headed in opposite directions. The Eagles have been choppy at times, but have won four straight games. Dallas is in the midst of a three- game skid, and Mike McCarthy’s team will be without Dak Prescott (hamstring) for a spell. Including last year’s playoff loss to the Packers, Dallas has dropped four straight games at home and allowed a combined 167 points.
Sunday night
Detroit (7-1) at Houston (6-3): The Lions are in the midst of a six-game winning streak in which Dave Campbell’s club has doubled up its foes (216-108) on the scoreboard. Four of those victories have come on the road. The team lost defensive end Aidan Hutchinson back in Week 6, but just swung a deal for Za’Darius Smith (Browns). The Texans have allowed 31 sacks, tied for the second-most in the league.
Monday, Nov. 11
Miami (2-6) at L.A. Rams (4-4): It’s been heartbreak city for Mike McDaniel’s club the last two weeks, losing on field goals on the final play of the game and with five seconds to play, respectively, to Arizona (28-27) and Buffalo (30-27). The Rams are minus-24 in scoring differential, but Sean McVay’s club has won three in a row after a 1-4 start. Sean McVay’s club has outscored its opponents 49-13 in the first quarter.