10 NFL Observations From Week 8

Welcome to Players View’s breakdown of Sunday’s most definitive NFL moments.  The Monday Morning Hangover takes a look at the largest chunk of the eight week’s action.

#10 The Eagles Are Losing Their Will To Fight

Philadelphia is too talented to be written off for the year just yet. I am sure you have already heard that a million times between Sunday’s loss to the Atlanta Falcons and this very moment.

The thing is that they really don’t seem to care that much about raising their game to fight through the sludge to get their respect back.

Recently defensive struggles have let them down and previously the offense was giving opponents to many chances to keep up with them.

If this continues widespread changes may be coming fast as the fans as witnessed yesterday have already left the building.

#9 New England Can Dominate When They Feel Like It

There is something to be said for being a proven winner even when you may lose your touch here and there.

For those that count the Patriots as one of the NFL’s fading dynasties that are ready to hand the keys over to a team like the Houston Texans, Tom Brady has a message for you.

New England Patriots:  45 St. Louis Rams: 7

During Sunday’s overseas beat down even the largely absent wide receiver Brandon Lloyd got in on the action catching two passes for two touchdowns.

#8 Phillip Rivers Please Phone Home

This guy that Norv Turner has running around with a Phillip Rivers mask on can’t be the power-mouthed gunslinger that we’ve grown to respect and at times awe.

That guy can manage to throw for at least one touchdown against the Cleveland Browns. This guy… is pretty bad.

Sincerely, if we have learned one thing this season is that pressure does burst pipes and the pressure that is hanging in the air San Diego is thick.

I guess it wasn’t such a great idea to jettison skill players Vincent Jackson, Darren Sproles and less recently but no- less-impactful Michael Turner.

The loss of those three names along with that of coach Marty Schottenheimer ‘s tells the story as to why general manager  A.J. Smith’s bull-headed ways robbed this team of its championship opportunity.

#7 The Colts Want It…Bad

The Indianapolis Colts probably won’t make it to the big game this year but that is not because they are without desire.

Throw the 2011 season in the garbage and chalk it up to a bad run.

This group has a few hungry kids that want to win today and their 4-3 record is speaking loudly that they could be a wildcard contender.

Each team that takes them lightly gets burned in the fourth quarter and whether the hero is quarterback Andrew Luck or running back Vick Ballard, the Colts are finding a new hero almost weekly.

#6 Seattle Has A Chip On Its Shoulder

We get it Seahawks; you will come to play every week. But after two losses in as many weeks, it’s time to tell cornerback Richard Sherman to be quiet for awhile.

He may be playing well right now and he should be proud of limiting Calvin Johnson to minimal returns on Sunday.

Was it smart for him to come out the day-after-a-loss and brag about it?

Probably not.

Two losses in-a-row is a losing streak and boasting about anything is not a good look right now.

Don’t be mad bro.

#5 Miami Is Not A Joke

At Players View we have a running joke that every time that we unanimously pick Miami to lose…they win.

The serious part about all of this is after they beat the snot out of the Jets on Sunday we have to start looking their way in how we select games.

They are on a roll and no amount of pre-season foolishness can’t deny that they are a hot team in the AFC.

Kudos Dolphins you have fought your way back into the world’s respect.

Will they keep it?

#4 Ron Rivera Is On The Verge Of Losing The Panthers Locker Room

A month ago when it started to get ugly in Carolina, we looked at Cam Newton and pointed to his inability to handle stress and hung the team’s losses on his shoulders.

That is all well, good and true but head coach Ron Rivera is a former defensive coordinator that is currently so shell-shocked that he can’t even manage that side of the ball when it’s time to close out a upset win.

The 5-1 Bears were flailing on the ropes like a punch drunk prize fighter in the fourth quarter and Rivera’s shockingly passive defensive scheme handed the game to them.

Ron, they were who you thought they were and you let them off the hook.

#3 The Saints Are Done.

New Orleans will pick up a couple of pride wins here and there. Some of them will be against top-shelf teams and they will remind us of why they have been so dangerous in the past.

However, we can openly say that after they tail-kicking they took from the Denver Broncos on Sunday night that their post-season hopes are squashed.

I grew up with the term “mathematically eligible to make the playoffs.”

The Saints mathematically could make the playoffs.

However, they are almost dead last in the NFC conference standings at 2-5.

With Atlanta almost a lock to own the NFC South at 7-0, the Saints can hope for a wildcard spot.

This year they will be two teams coming out of the NFC West and NFC North to join the tournament.

Sorry Nawlins you will host the Super Bowl but this will be the one party you won’t get invited to.

#2 The Falcons Offense Does Have A Weakness

With running back Michael Turner trending downward, the Dirty Birds have becomes more likely to rely on the shifty Jacquizz Rodgers and the stable Jason Snelling to handle some of the load for Tuner.

As we get into the second (i.e. colder) half of the season, the Falcons are a dome team that for all shoots-and-ladders really does not have a reliable featured back.

Turner is currently averaging 3.8 yards per carry with only three touchdowns to his name on 108 carries this season.

Being undefeated is a wonderful thing and Falcons fans are hanging their hopes on the team’s incredible vertical attack to get things done.

They need to secure home field advantage to field track meets during the playoffs with the Super Bowl being hosted in a dome this season.

If they fall short again this year, don’t be surprised to watch them make a move at tailback.

#1 RG3 Needs Help

In watching the veteran Steelers group contain RG3, one has to wonder what this kid would be like if he really had some talent to work with.

Wideout Leonard Hankerson is coming along nicely but from one week to the next, Griffin III needs a stable cache of weapons to build his resume with.

Watching him get nearly knocked out as he tried to catch the ball yesterday was not the business.