There was much chatter after the Steelers became the last unbeaten team to fall that the 1972 Miami Dolphins could celebrate being the only perfect team.
But the 11-0 Steelers, who may have been affected by all their schedule changes because of their opponents being hit by Covid outbreaks, weren’t likely to go unbeaten even if they had beaten 4-7 Washington.
The Steelers aren’t likely to get to the Super Bowl – hard to imagine them beating Kansas City to get there – much less win it.
—Washington’s upset win over the Steelers and the Giants upset win over the Seahawks left both teams tied for first place in the NFC East at 5-7. One of them is likely to host a playoff game with a losing record.
—The New York Jets remained winless and in the lead in the Trevor Lawrence Derby when defensive coordinator Gregg Williams called an all-out blitz in a Hail Mary situation against the Raiders. Rookie Henry Ruggs III ran by cornerback Lamar Jackson and caught the game-winning 46-yard touchdown pass. Williams was then fired. Why the architect of Bountygate in New Orleans was hired in the first place is a bigger question. According to Next Gen Stats, they’re the only team to send eight or more pass rushers in the last 30 seconds of a game.
—The Jets are the 12th team to start 0-12 and may join the expansion 0-11-1 Dallas Cowboys, the expansion 0-14 Tampa Bay Bucs, the 0-16 2008 Detroit Lions and the 0-16 2017 Cleveland Browns as the only teams to go winless for an entire season since 1944 that was shortened by a strike. The Jets only have to lose to the Seahawks, Rams, Browns and Patriots to get Lawrence.
—The Chiefs tend to play just well enough to win and that is what they did in a 22-16 victory over the Broncos. But they’ve still got a great shot at repeating as long as Patrick Mahomes stays healthy.-“
—Taysom Hill boosted his record to 3-0 filling in for Drew Brees as the Saints beat Atlanta. Last year, Teddy Bridgewater went 5-0 filling in for Brees.
—The Patriots don’t figure to make the playoffs without Tom Brady but they have won their last two games by a 65-17 margin even though they threw for just 195 yards passing in those two games. They routed the Chargers 45-0.
—Cleveland is finally turning it around. They’re 9-3 after beating the Titans with a franchise record 38 points in the first half. They will likely make the playoffs.–Carson Wentz was benched for rookie Jalen Hurts in the Eagles loss to the Packers and Hurts will start against the Saints, making Wentz an expensive backup.