This week in the NFL offered plenty of insights into the league’s dynamics. The Dallas Cowboys delivered a dominant performance against the Minnesota Vikings on the national stage, while the Philadelphia Eagles extended their NFC East lead. Meanwhile, the New York Giants suffered a surprising loss to the Detroit Lions.
Sunday’s games also saw the New York Jets endure a brutal defeat at the hands of the New England Patriots and the Baltimore Ravens scrape by with another lackluster win.
Despite these results, the NFC and AFC playoff pictures remain largely unchanged after Sunday’s action.
With the afternoon games concluded, there are many takeaways. But which are truths, and which are overreactions? Let’s break it all down:
The Cowboys Are the Second-Best Team in the NFC
A 37-point dismantling of the Vikings should convince the NFL of the Cowboys’ prowess. Minnesota entered the matchup riding a seven-game win streak and tied for the league’s best record. Dallas responded by holding the Vikings to just three points in a game that was never competitive.
Tony Pollard delivered a standout performance, becoming the first player in Cowboys history to achieve over 50 rushing yards, 100 receiving yards, and two receiving touchdowns in the same game.
Meanwhile, Dallas’ defense held Minnesota to a mere 183 yards and an abysmal 1-for-11 third-down conversion rate.
The Cowboys, despite their recent hiccup against the Packers, are a formidable team.
They’re currently two games behind the Eagles in the NFC standings, but their dominance over Minnesota underscores why Philadelphia is the only NFC team with a clear edge over them.
A 40-3 road victory against an 8-1 team solidifies their case as the conference’s second-best
The Vikings Aren’t as Good as Their Record Suggests
The blowout loss to Dallas drops the Vikings to 8-2, making them the first NFL team in history to hold such a record with a negative point differential (-2). This statistic raises questions about how strong the Vikings truly are.
While Minnesota is 7-0 in one-score games this season, its two matchups against top-tier NFC teams—the Eagles and Cowboys—resulted in a combined margin of defeat of 64-11. These results indicate that while the Vikings excel in close games, they struggle against elite competition.
Minnesota is on track to win the NFC North and secure a home playoff game. However, they currently fall short of the Eagles and Cowboys in terms of quality. A good team? Certainly. But a great one? Time will tell.
Jalen Hurts Is a Top-5 Quarterback in the NFL
What more does Hurts need to prove? The Eagles quarterback is among the league’s top five in several key statistical categories and demonstrated his value by willing Philadelphia to a comeback victory over the Colts—a game the Eagles had no business winning for much of the afternoon.
Philadelphia’s first double-digit fourth-quarter comeback since Week 15 of the 2010 season (spanning 43 games) came thanks to Hurts’ eight carries for 49 yards and a game-winning touchdown on third-and-goal with 1:20 remaining.
He also completed three of five passes for 38 yards and another touchdown in the fourth quarter, boasting a 123.3 passer rating.
Hurts continues to perform at an MVP level for the league’s top team, firmly establishing himself as a top-five quarterback this season.
Justin Fields Is Not a Clutch Quarterback
Fields has shown flashes of brilliance this season, but his fourth-quarter performance leaves much to be desired.
In fourth quarters and overtime, Fields has completed just 57.4% of his passes for 291 yards, three touchdowns, and four interceptions, with a 60.0 passer rating—ranking 33rd out of 34 qualified quarterbacks.
Sunday’s loss to the Falcons featured another late-game interception with the Bears trailing 27-24 and just over a minute remaining. A week earlier, Fields threw a pick-six against the Lions, costing Chicago a lead.
While his rushing stats in crunch time (236 yards and a touchdown on 6.74 yards per carry) are impressive, his passing struggles hinder his impact. Fields has potential but hasn’t yet reached the next tier of quarterback play.
The Ravens Will End Up as the No. 1 Seed in the AFC
Baltimore’s narrow victory over a struggling Carolina team improved its record to 7-3, maintaining its streak of leading by double digits in all 10 games this season.
However, the Ravens needed three defensive turnovers to overcome an offense that managed just 308 total yards.
While Baltimore has the NFL’s easiest remaining schedule and sits just one game behind Kansas City for the AFC’s top spot, they’ll need the Chiefs to lose at least twice more for home-field advantage to become a reality. Moreover, the Ravens’ offense needs to find its rhythm to make that scenario plausible.
The path is there, but Baltimore’s inconsistent play makes this a long shot for now.
James Cook Will Help Josh Allen Break Out of His Slump
Allen’s recent struggles are well-documented, but committing to the run game could expedite his return to form.
Rookie James Cook provided a spark for Buffalo on Sunday, rushing 11 times for 86 yards as part of a ground game that totaled 171 yards and averaged 5.2 yards per carry.
Though Allen missed several throws and finished 18-of-27 for 197 yards, he avoided turnovers.
Incorporating Cook into a committee with Devin Singletary could relieve pressure on Allen and provide offensive balance, setting the Bills up for a strong finish to the season.
Taylor Heinicke Will Lead the Commanders to the Playoffs
Heinicke led Washington to a solid win over Houston, completing 15 of 27 passes for 191 yards without turnovers. The Commanders are now 4-1 with him as the starter and boast a 6-5 record, keeping their season alive after a 1-4 start.
While Washington trails San Francisco for the NFC’s final playoff spot, upcoming games against the Giants will be pivotal. Sweeping New York could alter this narrative, but for now, it’s premature to declare Heinicke a playoff-bound quarterback.
The Jets Must Bench Zach Wilson
Wilson’s poor performance is costing the Jets their playoff chances. On Sunday, he completed just 9 of 22 passes for 77 yards, marking season lows in completions, passing yards, and completion percentage. The Jets managed only 103 total yards against New England, including just two in the second half.
Wilson ranks last in completion percentage (55.6%) and near the bottom in passer rating among qualified quarterbacks.
With a strong roster and elite defense, the Jets might benefit from turning to Joe Flacco or Mike White to salvage their season.
The Rams Are the Worst Defending Super Bowl Champion Ever
The Rams’ 3-7 start ties the 1999 Broncos and 1987 Giants for the worst record by a defending champion through 10 games.
Unlike those teams, which suffered key losses (John Elway’s retirement, Phil Simms’ injury), the Rams lack a clear excuse.
Matthew Stafford has underperformed, the offensive line is in disarray, and the defense hasn’t compensated for the offense’s struggles.
Los Angeles is on track to miss the playoffs and finish last in its division, cementing its place among the worst title defenders.
Injuries Will Cost the Giants a Playoff Spot
The Giants’ loss to Detroit highlighted the impact of their growing injury list. Already missing key players like Azeez Ojulari, Evan Neal, and Xavier McKinney, they lost Adoree’ Jackson, Fabian Moreau, Jon Feliciano, Tyre Phillips, Jason Pinnock, and Wan’Dale Robinson during Sunday’s game.
Sitting two games behind Philadelphia and just 1.5 games ahead of Washington, the Giants face a grueling NFC East schedule.
Key matchups against the Commanders in two of the next four games will likely determine their playoff fate. Without their injured starters, New York faces an uphill battle to remain in contention.
