The Outsider Sports Football Column - October 25th, 2023
Weekly look around of the NFL landscape, including top storylines, game picks, and the Outsider Sports NFL Power Rankings.
Photo credit to Stephen Maturen / Getty Images
Week 7 of the NFL told us who some of these teams are. After both San Francisco and Philadelphia both lost their first game in week 6, they responded in very different ways. San Francisco dropped another winnable game to Kirk Cousins and the Vikings (in primetime!), while Philadelphia dispatched the explosive Miami Dolphins, also in primetime. It was a reminder that while they are banged up, Philadelphia is still th cream of the crop in the NFC. Oh, and they’re adding All-Pro safety Kevin Byard after another Howie Roseman masterclass. The rich get richer atop the NFC.
Elsewhere, Baltimore stomped Detroit in quite a statement. Baltimore will be in play for the AFC’s top seed come playoff time. Detroit, meanwhile, needs to figure some things out if they want to truly contend. Indianapolis ran through a tough Cleveland Browns defense. Well, the rest of the defense outside of Myles Garrett. If not for some questionable calls which the league already admitted were incorrect, we’d be viewing both the Browns and the Colts very differently. But this is the state in which we live in: NFL officiating is the worst it has been in over a decade, when replacement referees ran rampant and allowed things like the Fail Mary to occur. I truly do hope to see some change for the betterment of the game. League integrity is starting to become for widely questioned following a weekend of poor officiating.
Turning our sights forward now, the NFL trade deadline approaches next week. Kevin Byard following AJ Brown from Tennessee to Philadelphia will likely not be the last move before the deadline on Halloween. Here are some names I can see being moved in the next week:
Jerry Jeudy, WR Denver Broncos
Jeudy has been in the spotlight for some of the wrong reasons. Seriously, the beef with Steve Smith Sr. was something I was not anticipating this year. Smith’s comments were a bit harsh, but not untrue. Jeudy has flashed what made him a mid-first round pick a few years ago, but hasn’t become a force like fellow draftees CeeDee Lamb and Justin Jefferson have become. I don’t blame Jeudy for dismissing Smith Sr., but it would have been nice to see him pop off. Instead, a change of scenery is sorely needed. Who could blame anyone for needing to get out of Denver? The questions for Jeudy are: who is trading for him, and what are they giving up? I can’t see much being given up, but plenty of teams could use Jeudy. Indianapolis has been linked in a trade, and Carolina has been tabbed for making a move to get Bryce Young another pass catcher. Detroit just cut ties with Marvin Jones, and a move to acquire Jeudy could help Detroit stay on track.
Budda Baker, S Arizona Cardinals
We anticipated a rough season in the desert, and things may be coming to fruition. In the past week, Arizona has cut ties with starters on their defense Myjai Sanders and K’Von Wallace in the past week or so. Budda Baker requested a trade back in the offseason, and I even anticipated a trade during the draft. Instead, Baker stuck around for Gannon thus far in 2023. So who could make a move for one of the best safeties in the game? Well, cross Philly off that list after they made the move for Byard. How about Buffalo? Their defense is banged up, and Poyer and Hyde are elder statesmen to begin with. Buffalo can likely feel their season being to slip with a less than stellar performance to the Giants, and then a loss in the waning moments to the Patriots. Baker could help this defense get their swagger back.
Derrick Henry, RB and DeAndre Hopkins, WR Tennessee Titans
The Titans may be kicking off a fire sale. After the deal to ship out Byard, they may not be done moving some big names. Henry has been rumored to be on the move for awhile now, and the latest reports indicate Hopkins could be moved as well. It could be the best bet for the Titans, as a big reset could be needed. The roster is in shambles, with only Jeffrey Simmons standing out right now. Vrabel is still a good coach in this league, but it is time to give a fresh foundation to his roster. Henry could make sense to end up in Minnesota. The Vikings have quickly turned things around, but their running game is still lagging behind. Adding Henry to a team with stud receiver Justin Jefferson returning in a few weeks and quite an easy schedule the rest of the way could land Minnesota back in the playoffs. Hopkins could find himself in Kansas City or Baltimore anyway. Kansas City would be the more likely in my mind, as adding a true WR1 could launch the Chiefs into another realm.
Other Quick Thoughts
CJ Stroud, Will Anderson, and Bryce Young fill face off when the Houston Texans and the Carolina Panthers play each other coming out of their bye weeks. It’s always exciting to see the rookies facing off against one another.
Speaking of bye weeks, I was surprised to see no team is on bye this week. Wouldn’t this be right where teams would want to start having a week off?
I mentioned it earlier, but I can’t stop thinking about Cleveland Browns’ star Myles Garrett’s performance. Let’s make sure to have him up there with the Micah Parsons and TJ Watts of the league. I fear Garrett gets lost in the shuffle sometimes because of the team he plays for.
Arthur Smith of the Atlanta Falcons has become public enemy number one for fantasy players across the country. If you know, you know…
Game Picks: Week 8 (Season: 62-44 / Last Week: 4-9)
Throughout the 2023 NFL season, I’ll be picking every game, every week. The team I’m choosing to win will be in bold down below, and I’ll keep a running record of how I do above.
Buccaneers @ Bills
Texans @ Panthers
Rams @ Cowboys
Vikings @ Packers
Saints @ Colts
Patriots @ Dolphins
Jets @ Giants
Jaguars @ Steelers
Falcons @ Titans
Eagles @ Commanders
Browns @ Seahawks
Ravens @ Cardinals
Chiefs @ Broncos
Bengals @ 49ers
Bears @ Chargers
Raiders @ Lions
The Outsider Sports NFL Power Rankings
1. Philadelphia Eagles (6-1) 57 points / Last Week: 4 / next: @ Washington Commanders (3-4)
2. Kansas City Chiefs (6-1) 56 points / Last Week: 2 / next: @ Denver Broncos (2-5)
3. San Francisco 49ers (5-2) 43 points / Last Week: 1 / next: vs. Cincinnati Bengals (3-3)
4. Baltimore Ravens (5-2) 42 points / Last Week: 7 / next: @ Arizona Cardinals (1-6)
5. Miami Dolphins (5-2) 36 points / Last Week: 3 / next: vs. New England Patriots (2-5)
6. Detroit Lions (5-2) 23 points / Last Week: 5 / next: vs. Las Vegas Raiders (3-4)
7. Jacksonville Jaguars (5-2) 22 points / Last Week: 9 / next: @ Pittsburgh Steelers (4-2)
8. Dallas Cowboys (4-2) 15 points / Last Week: 8 / next: vs. Los Angeles Rams (3-4)
9. Pittsburgh Steelers (4-2) 11 points / Last Week: N/A / next: vs. Jacksonville Jaguars (5-2)
10. Cleveland Browns (4-2) 8 points / Last Week: 10 / next: @ Seattle Seahawks (4-2)
Also Receiving Votes: Cincinnati Bengals 6pts Seattle Seahawks 6pts Buffalo Bills 3pts New York Jets 2pts
Ryan Balliet: Philadelphia Eagles, Kansas City Chiefs, San Francisco 49ers, Miami Dolphins, Baltimore Ravens, Jacksonville Jaguars, Detroit Lions, Seattle Seahawks, Pittsburgh Steelers, Dallas Cowboys
Ben Mandell: Kansas City Chiefs, Baltimore Ravens, Philadelphia Eagles, San Francisco 49ers, Cincinnati Bengals, Detroit Lions, Miami Dolphins, Dallas Cowboys, Pittsburgh Steelers, Jacksonville Jaguars
Corey Jason: Philadelphia Eagles, Kansas City Chiefs, San Francisco 49ers, Miami Dolphins, Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Dallas Cowboys, New York Jets, Detroit Lions
Dylan Mehl: Kansas City Chiefs, Philadelphia Eagles, Baltimore Ravens, Jacksonville Jaguars, Detroit Lions, San Francisco 49ers, Miami Dolphins, Pittsburgh Steelers, Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys
John Pauline: Philadelphia Eagles, Kansas City Chiefs, Miami Dolphins, San Francisco 49ers, Baltimore Ravens, Jacksonville Jaguars, Detroit Lions, Seattle Seahawks, Dallas Cowboys, Buffalo Bills
Josh Tulanowski: Philadelphia Eagles, Kansas City Chiefs, San Francisco 49ers, Baltimore Ravens, Miami Dolphins, Dallas Cowboys, Jacksonville Jaguars, Detroit Lions, Buffalo Bills, Cleveland Browns