QUICK NFL THOUGHTS–WEEK 12

In this week’s edition of NFL random thoughts, Volume 12, we take look at what teams and players are letting the rest of the NFL know…

• Philadelphia is letting the rest of the NFL know that they are for real.  The Eagles have scored 30 or more points in five consecutive games.
• Dallas is letting the rest of the NFL know that without Ezekiel Elliott they stink.  For the first time in Cowboys history, they’ve scored less than 10 points in three straight games.
• The management teams in Denver, Oakland and Los Angeles are letting the rest of the NFL know that when it comes to hiring coaches, recycling is the only option.  As NFL Network host Rich Eisen recently tweeted, “Former Chargers HC fired as Broncos OC and replaced by former Raiders OC just as Broncos head to Raiders who just fired DC and replaced him with former Chargers DC.  You follow?
• Cincinnati’s rookie defensive end Carl Lawson is letting the rest of the NFL know that when playing the Bengals you’re guaranteed a free five yards at least once a game because he’ll jump offsides.
• Andy Reid is letting the rest of the NFL know that he doesn’t trust his quarterback, Alex Smith, to throw the ball down the field anymore.  When the Chiefs won their first five games this season, Smith averaged 8.8 yards per pass attempt.  In the following six games, Kansas City is 1-5 and Smith’s average yards per pass attempt has dropped to 6.8
• After benching Eli Manning in favor of Geno Smith, New York Giants head coach Ben McAdoo is letting the rest of the NFL know that he’ll be looking for employment once the season is over.
• The New England Patriots are letting the rest of the NFL know that some things never change.  Their victory over Miami on Sunday guaranteed the Patriots their 17tth consecutive winning season.
• Michael Crabtree and Aqib Talib are letting the rest of the NFL know that they don’t have clue when it comes to the current public perception of the league and its players behavior.
• Since Deshaun Watson went down with a season-ending injury, Texans head coach Bill O’Brien has let the rest of the NFL know that he is over-rated and blowhard who conjures up memories of Jeff Fisher roaming the sidelines.
• One look at the play calling at the end of their 27-24 last-second loss to Arizona and it appears Jacksonville head coach Doug Marrone is letting the rest of the NFL know that he is unaware that Blake Bortles is his quarterback.
• The Bengals organization is letting the rest of the NFL know that the disappointing season of rookie first-round draft choice John Ross is the result of either poor scouting or poor coaching and development.  Regardless, it’s the only explanation for why a healthy Ross is declared inactive every week.