NFL Week 10 Good, Bad and Ugly: Patriots Are Collapsing, while Lions Are Ascending

Detroit won its fifth consecutive game, while New England suffered its second straight embarrassing loss.

Lions receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown scored on a 56-yard touchdown pass from Jared Goff in Detriot's rout of New England on Sunday. | REUTERS

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1. GOOD: The AFC teams trying to get into the playoff picture
2. BAD: The idea that only a quarterback should win MVP
3. UGLY: Everything about the NFC East race

For the last time this season, an NFL Sunday coincided with breakfast.

In Germany, the Lions hammered the Patriots 35–10, but both teams paid a price. Patriots quarterback Drake Maye was sacked in the first quarter by Aidan Hutchinson, sustaining an ankle injury and forcing him to miss the rest of the game. Then, during the sack celebration, Hutchinson injured his knee, and did not return. A.J. Brown was also forced to miss action due to a hamstring injury.

Come early afternoon, the big game also features the NFC North with Kirk Cousins beginning his second act with the Vikings as they take on the Packers at Lambeau Field. Minnesota won the first matchup between the two in Week 1, and now looks to sweep Green Bay while giving it a two-game lead in the loss column over the Packers. 

In the late window, the 49ers travel to Dallas, giving everyone a 1990s nostalgia hit. San Francisco is trying to stay atop the NFC standings, putting its 7–1 record on the line against a struggling 4–5 Dallas team two games back of the Giants in the woeful NFC East.

Finally, the Steelers and Bengals will battle in Cincinnati on Sunday night. Each enters 6–2, with the winner claiming first place in the AFC North as we march toward Thanksgiving. 

But we start with the Patriots, who are suddenly in real trouble.

GOOD: The AFC teams trying to get into the playoff picture

If there’s been a popular refrain over the past two weeks, it’s the notion that we already know the seven AFC playoff teams. 

While seeding is obviously unknown, it’s seemed incredibly likely we’ll get the Bills, Chiefs, Broncos, Jaguars, Steelers, Bengals and Patriots in the postseason. Now, with New England not only dropping to 5–5 but also seeing Maye go down with an ankle injury, other playoff contenders have real reasons they can make a push.

All this sets up a massive game between the Texans and Browns at Cleveland this Sunday.

At 3–5, the Texans could be the biggest threat considering their talent level. C.J. Stroud has been awesome this season, throwing 16 touchdowns against two interceptions. While the defense has been spotty, ranking 19th in yards allowed per game, it features Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter screaming off the edge, with Derek Stingley Jr. and Jalen Pitre on the back end. Houston also has a favorable schedule, facing the Colts, Titans, Commanders, Eagles and Ravens. 

As for Cleveland, beating Houston would represent a massive step. The Browns would suddenly be 6–4 and hold the tiebreaker against the Texans, all while the Colts, Ravens, Raiders and Falcons on the docket. 

If New England can’t get going after next week’s bye, things could quickly spiral. After getting the Chargers in Week 12, the Patriots face the Bills and Vikings at home before traveling to see the Chiefs on Monday Night Football.

Suddenly, the AFC could have a real race for its final playoff spot.

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BAD: The idea that only a quarterback should win MVP

Anyone watching the NFL this season could make the case for several quarterbacks to be the MVP favorite. Joe Burrow has been awesome, leading the league with 23 touchdown passes. Brock Purdy has led the 49ers to a 7–1 mark, throwing for 17 touchdowns on 8.4 yards per attempt, including taking only eight sacks. Jordan Love entered the day pacing the NFL with 2,618 yards, helping the Packers survive without Micah Parsons. 

But has anybody been more valuable than Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs? Gibbs showcased all of his talents on Sunday in Germany, rushing for 153 yards and two touchdowns while catching seven of his eight targets for 99 yards, including a 50-yard catch-and-carry. 

All told, Gibbs has 1,000 rushing yards and 384 receiving yards. He’s on pace to finish with 2,614 total yards from scrimmage, a figure that would rank first all-time in NFL history.

If Detroit wins the ultra-competitive NFC North and Gibbs breaks Chris Johnson’s record of 2,509 scrimmage yards in 2009, forget about Offensive Player of the Year. Gibbs would have a fantastic case as the league’s best player, and one the Lions would have no chance of winning without, especially considering they came into Week 10 with a defense ranking 27th. 

The odds of Gibbs winning MVP are low, but they shouldn’t be.

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Giants quarterback J.J. McCarthy held off the Commanders until the fourth quarter, when Jayden Daniels led a game-winning drive to take down the NFC East leaders. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

UGLY: Everything about the NFC East race

The NFC South gets laughed at. Mocked. Ridiculed. And rightfully so. Going into Week 10, nobody in the quartet has more than three wins. 

But let’s not forget the NFC East, another division that has forgotten how to play football. On Thursday night, the Giants had a chance to take full control of the division against the Commanders, but lost 24–21 while mismanaging the fourth quarter. Twice, New York went three-and-out before J.J. McCarthy sealed its fate with a game-ending interception.

While the Eagles are well-done at 2–7 and without Jalen Hurts, Washington, Dallas and New York are in a three-way battle for supremacy. The Giants are still in the best spot at 5–3–1, but their road is about to become rocky with the Jaguars, 49ers and Seahawks over the next month. The Cowboys also see the three NFC West powers across the next five weeks, perhaps giving Washington a chance to get back into the race at 3–5–1. 

Someone from this group is going to host a playoff game. For the sake of the sport, let’s hope it’s someone who figures out how to play it by January.

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