No Huddle: Week 10 Predictions
By: Michael Mills, Assistant Sports Editor
Courtesy of sportslogos.net
Competitive football was hard to come by one week past the midway point of the season. The average margin of victory for the NFL’s 1 p.m. games on Sunday was 16. Both the Philadelphia Eagles and Los Angeles Rams put up 51 points in blowout wins. The Rams have scored 263 points in eight games, surpassing their total from last season when they scored an NFL-worst 224 points. Sunday also marked the first time in NFL history that two quarterbacks selected with the first two picks in the same NFL Draft – Jared Goff and Carson Wentz – each threw four touchdowns on the same day.
The Tennessee Titans beat an underwhelming Baltimore Ravens squad in a pivotal AFC matchup. With a win, Baltimore’s playoff chances could have improved to 69 percent. Instead, they fell to 28 percent after a 23-20 loss in Nashville. Titans safety Kevin Byard made history Sunday, tying the record for the most interceptions by an NFL player in consecutive games since the 1970 merger. He tied the record after intercepting Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco twice. Byard now has five interceptions in his last two games.
Perhaps the best and most exciting game Sunday took place in Seattle at CenturyLink Field. The Washington Redskins went on the road and came away with a shocking victory. After Seattle’s impressive shootout win against the Houston Texans last week, almost no one expected the Redskins to put up much of a fight. Both defenses dominated the game, and Washington escaped with a 17-14 win. The race for second place in the NFC East might be the most entertaining battle to watch during the second half of the season. The Dallas Cowboys sit one game atop the Redskins after an impressive 28-17 win over the Kansas City Chiefs.
Once again the NFC matchups reign supreme in week 10. Following their bye week, the Minnesota Vikings take on the Washington Redskins. Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater will be active for the game. However, it is unlikely that Bridgewater will start over quarterback Case Keenum. The Vikings have played great without their starting quarterback all season. Their defense is stifling and perhaps the most underrated in the league. It’s hard to pick against the Vikings here following their bye week.
Score: Vikings 26 Redskins 17
This next matchup has a ton of star power. The Cowboys travel to Atlanta to face quarterback Matt Ryan and the Falcons. The Falcons have struggled mightily, and wide receiver Julio Jones has battled injuries all year. If both teams play to their potential, this game could be a shootout. However, the Falcons are in the midst of a Super Bowl slump, and the Cowboys are starting to click on all cylinders. Even if running back Ezekiel Elliott gets suspended, the Cowboys roll to their fourth straight win.
Score: Cowboys 28 Falcons 16