Tag: bye week

Recapping the NFC Week 6: Why Seahawks won with their bye

The Seattle Seahawks came away winners Week 6 despite being on their bye. Here’s a look at why things went Seattle’s way in the NFC.

The Seattle Seahawks may have been sitting at home on their couches during the bye, but they had a very successful Week 6 nonetheless. The Seahawks entered the bye sitting at 5-0 and in first place in the division. Despite not playing a game themselves, they managed to improve their positioning.

The biggest thing that went Seattle’s way was the Rams being taken down. The Rams were right on the Seahawks’ tail at 4-1, looking like they might be getting back to their old ways and becoming the stiffest competition for Seattle. On Sunday night, they were beaten up by the last-place 49ers, who were fresh off a 43-17 blowout loss to the Dolphins.

The final score of 24-16 was never as close as it might indicate, as Los Angeles trailed 21-6 for the majority of the game. This loss knocked the Rams all the way down to third place, still above the 3-3 Niners who are still No. 4 in the standings.

Another key break for the Seahawks was gifted by the Buccaneers, who eviscerated the previously undefeated Packers by a score of 38-10. Green Bay was red hot and had one of the best offenses in the NFL, but looked positively anemic against the Bucs.

The Packers losing ensured the Seahawks were the lone undefeated team in the entire NFC, and the miserable play of quarterback Aaron Rodgers – 16-of-35 passing, 160 yards, two picks, no touchdowns – helped solidify Russell Wilson’s position of MVP front runner.

The only game to not go Seattle’s way was Arizona’s when the Cardinals who took the Cowboys to the woodshed on “Monday Night Football,” winning 38-10. The Seahawks will face the Cardinals in Arizona this coming Sunday.

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Packers come out flat after bye week for second year in a row under Matt LaFleur

The Packers have been outscored 75-18 after the bye the last two seasons under Matt LaFleur.

Something about Matt LaFleur and bye weeks doesn’t seem to go well together. The Green Bay Packers are 0-3 in their last three games following a bye week, but the last two defeats under LaFleur have been nothing short of demoralizing. Just to put into perspective how bad it’s been, Green Bay has been outscored 75-18 coming off bye weeks in LaFleur’s first two seasons. While the Packers appear to be more than capable of bouncing back – as they eventually did last year – this isn’t something LaFleur wants to be known for.

Last season, the Packers faced the would-be NFC Champion San Francisco 49ers in Week 12 after their bye. It was a putrid performance in basically every facet, and the end result was quite similar to the one we saw Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

During that post-bye performance, the 49ers started the game with a strip-sack on Aaron Rodgers and it led to a touchdown on the next play. It was a telling sign as Rodgers would be under duress for most of the night. He was sacked five times in total, and the San Francisco defense was credited with 10 QB hits. Meanwhile, 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo had a nearly flawless performance, completing 14 of 20 passes for 252 yards and two touchdowns. San Francisco’s running backs added 112 yards on the ground and two touchdowns.

It was the worst performance the Packers had all season, at least until they met the 49ers again in the NFC Championship Game.

Sunday’s game didn’t start like the one in San Francisco but it definitely felt like it in the end. Rodgers and the Packers jumped out to a 10-0 lead on the first two drives. They even had the ball looking to score again, however, Rodgers saw his pass to Davante Adams get jumped by cornerback Jamel Dean for a pick-six. It was his first interception of the year and only the third interception returned for a touchdown of his career.

However, much like the case was against the 49ers, it only took one mistake for everything to implode. On the ensuing drive, Rodgers tried to fit a pass into Adams on third down only to be intercepted by Mike Edwards. The turnover was then capped off by a two-yard run for a touchdown, and just like that, Green Bay’s lead was gone.

Following those first two drives, the Packers’ offense never found anything close to resembling a rhythm. Postgame, Rodgers was unsupportive of the rhythm offensively, even from the first two drives. He took a beating as well, getting sacked four times and getting hit 13 times by the final whistle.

Strangely though, despite not being able to generate momentum on either side of the ball against San Francisco or Tampa Bay, somehow Green Bay has managed to win the time of possession battle on both occasions. They had the ball 10 minutes longer than the 49ers and just held the ball three minutes longer than the Buccaneers. So, the offense was on the field enough, but couldn’t do anything with the ball.

Right now, Green Bay is still licking their wounds, and it’s hard to pinpoint exactly what happened in their last two meetings coming off of rest. Mainly because so much has gone wrong. The offense looked flat and the defense was far too inconsistent against the run.

Both Rodgers and LaFleur pointed to a bad week of practice, which was the expedient thing to say. It’s possible the Packers just had an off week. That can happen through the course of a 16-game schedule. The 2019 performance was not indicative of how the rest of the season turned out, and Sunday’s won’t be either. Eventually, however, LaFleur isn’t going to want his team to play so poorly after a bye week.

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Colts enter bye week 4-2 after comeback win vs. Bengals

Colts have a solid record entering the bye.

The Indianapolis Colts (4-2) came out flat against the Cincinnati Bengals (1-4-1) on Sunday but found their groove to pull of a 31-27 comeback win at Lucas Oil Stadium.

With the win under their belt, the Colts will now enter their Week 7 bye with a 4-2 record set up for a big second-half schedule that includes some tough opponents like the Tennessee Titans (twice), Green Bay Packers, Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers.

The Colts got some vintage Philip Rivers on Sunday as the 38-year-old led a comeback that turned back the clock. Rivers finished 29 of 44 for 371 yards, three touchdowns, one interception and a 105.4 passer rating. He also averaged 9.5 yards per attempt.

The Colts got a huge game from wide receiver Marcus Johnson, who finished with five receptions for 108 yards. Tight end Trey Burton also had a big game catching four passes for 58 yards and a touchdown. He also added rushing touchdown.

The Colts are going to have play strong football in the second half as the schedule gets tougher, especially with five divisional games still to come.

But they have set themselves up to make a run with a 4-2 record entering the bye week.

Anthony Lynn insists Chargers not panicking despite poor start

The Los Angeles Chargers are hoping to make a quick turnaround to the season following their bye week.

It’s been a frustrating sight for Chargers fans to witness the first five weeks of the 2020 regular season.

Los Angeles has blown 17-point first-half leads in the past two consecutive weeks. They have lost four games in a row, and sitting at 1-4, they’re last place in the AFC West.

Despite the shaky start, coach Anthony Lynn and the rest of the team are not panicking heading into their surprisingly early bye week.

L.A. has competed with some of the league’s best teams, all while being ran by a rookie quarterback. However, the issue of them not being able to close out games has been ongoing and is worrisome.

Since the start of 2019, the Chargers are 3-13 in one-score games. They lost nine of their 11 one-score games last year, and they have now lost four of their five one-score games this season.

The list of reasons why they’re not winning could be attached to the fact that they’ve been missing a multitude of key players due to injuries. But there have been plenty of “what if” moments, and they have failed to execute the critical things when they mattered the most, both players and coaches.

“I could give you a ton of excuses, but I’m not about excuses,” Lynn said after the game, when asked about the 3-13 record in one-score games. “At the end of the day, we just got to get it done, and that’s on me.”

Lynn added that the players are trying to do what the coaches are asking for, which includes winning the turnover battle, good red zone efficiency, and simply doing their job. He believes that if they continue to do that the wins will come as they enter a long stretch of play following their bye week.

Saints go into the bye week at 3-2 after rallying vs. Chargers

The New Orleans Saints overcame a slow first-half start to defeat the Los Angeles Chargers in overtime, winning 30-27 off a Wil Lutz kick.

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The New Orleans Saints overcame a weak showing in the first half with their best effort in the second half, defeating the Los Angeles Chargers 30-27. A promising opening drive in overtime ended with a Saints field goal, but rookie Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert wasn’t able to match it after his receivers dropped several passes near midfield.

It sends the Saints into their Week 6 bye with an ugly 3-2 record. That’s disappointing on face value, but it could be so much worse. After letting a few winnable games slip away, they’re sitting on top of the NFC South — by a hair.

The game wasn’t without its bright moments. The Saints were led in receiving by Emmanuel Sanders, who recorded his first 100-yard game in black and gold (totaling 122 yards and 12 catches on 14 targets). On defense, the Saints hit Herbert a dozen times, with three sacks. But like other big-bodied quarterbacks Cam Newton and Josh Allen, the 6-foot-6, 236-pound Herbert was too often too difficult to bring down.

New Orleans has a lot to work on and polish during their bye week; Herbert completed just 20 passes in this game, but he averaged 13.2 yards per completion and scored 4 touchdown catches. But there’s enough positives to take away from this to keep expectations high.

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Pete Carroll says ‘always protect the team’ rule applies to bye week

The Seattle Seahawks players will continue their daily testing for COVID-19 throughout the bye week, encouraged to “always protect the team.”

The Seattle Seahawks are entering the bye week with a perfect 5-0 record to start the season for the first time in franchise history. But there is a more important record coach Pete Carroll wants the team to preserve as well – continuing to test negative for COVID-19 throughout the break.

With the coronavirus pandemic still in full swing, players will still be required to test daily, even during the bye week.

“We have to be so, so tuned in,” Carroll said during his Monday morning press conference. “Rule No. 1 is always protect the team, you know. This is what this week is about. Rule No.1 is all about conscience and staying connected to team and players and who you represent and all that.

“Everything is at stake.”

Carroll explained the reason the message is so important is that everyone will be away from their daily routines and there is simply no way to practice or prepare for the gravity of the situation.

Carroll said the players will undergo COVID-19 tests each morning.

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Presumed rescheduling pushes Dolphins’ bye week to Week 6

Presumed rescheduling pushes Dolphins’ bye week to Week 6

The ongoing coronavirus pandemic continues to linger in the background of the 2020 NFL season and now the implications of positive tests have arrived to impact the Miami Dolphins. No, there are no active COVID-19 cases on the Dolphins’ roster or in their organization. No, the Dolphins’ previously scheduled Week 6 opponent, the Denver Broncos, aren’t mired down by the virus either. But the Broncos have not been cleared to play the New England Patriots this weekend as the Patriots grapple with the virus.

The end result? Miami’s Week 6 contest has been rescheduled. And now, courtesy of ESPN’s Adam Schefter, we know what the rumored plan of attack is for the NFL as they look to pivot and readjust their expectations for the schedule. Most prominent to the Dolphins?

A Week 6 bye and a date with the Broncos during Miami’s previously scheduled bye in Week 11.

This is sure to not be the last adjustment the NFL must make in scheduling amid the COVID-19 pandemic. But for the Dolphins, this is a significant change as it removes all possible wiggle room for Miami without having to add additional weeks to the schedule. If another Dolphins opponent, or the Dolphins themselves, see an uptick in cases of the virus, the NFL will be greatly challenged to pivot once again.

If you’re looking for a silver lining for an unexpected bye week, it may build the Dolphins the bridge they need to make that much anticipated change at quarterback. But first we’ll need to see how today goes in San Francisco against the 49ers. The Dolphins and 49ers kickoff at 4:05 PM EST.

Early-season stumbles are par for the course for Sean Payton’s Saints

The New Orleans Saints have historically struggled in September under Sean Payton, but there’s reasons to expect their usual October bump.

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Another year, another slow start for the New Orleans Saints. After handling their business in the season opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Tom Brady, they dropped losses in each of the following weeks to the Las Vegas Raiders and the Green Bay Packers by a combined margin of 71-54. New Orleans also lead the NFL with 24 fouls for 331 penalty yards, further evidence of their sloppiness out of the gate.

Unfortunately, that’s been the norm since Sean Payton was hired to coach the team. Under his management, the Saints are 25-22 during the month of the September, usually the opening games of each season; but their record jumps to 38-13 in October, reflecting the in-season adjustments he and his staff have made year after year.

Put another way, that’s a leap from a September winning percentage of .532 all the way up to .745. Over the course of a full season, that’s the difference between an 8-7-1 regular season record and a 12-4 finish. That’s, uh, significant.

So don’t lose faith yet, even if the Saints are making it easy to doubt their process. There’s plenty of time for Drew Brees to get in better sync with his weapons (especially once Michael Thomas is back in the lineup), and for the pass rush to wake up from whatever’s put Cameron Jordan to sleep — returning third-year defensive end Marcus Davenport should help with that.

The Saints are set to visit the Detroit Lions before returning to New Orleans for another prime-time game with the Los Angeles Chargers, and both teams have 1-2 records.

There’s a world where the Saints go into their Week 6 bye with a 3-2 record, before coming out the other side and going on a tear. But they have a ton of work ahead of them if we’re going to see it.

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Chiefs to play Raiders after bye week for third consecutive season

A favorable schedule pattern for the Kansas City Chiefs against one of their most bitter AFC West rivals.

The Kansas City Chiefs are getting a familiar opponent after they go on a bye week in 2020.

The Chiefs will play their AFC West foe, the Raiders, after the bye week for the third consecutive season. In 2018, they played the Raiders in Oakland after a Week 12 bye, coming away with a 40-33 win. In 2019, they had the Raiders at Arrowhead Stadium also after a Week 12 bye, defeating them 40-9.

In the last 10 seasons, Kansas City has played eight AFC West opponents following the bye week. That’s good for the most division opponents after a bye week of any team during that span. The most common opponent following the Chiefs’ bye week has been the Raiders with six games played in the past 10 seasons (including 2020).

So what was the Chiefs’ record against the Raiders during that span? Four wins and one loss, with the lone loss coming during the Chiefs’ 2-14 season in 2012, which was before Andy Reid’s arrival with Kansas City. Reid, of course, makes all the difference in the world here. After the 2019 NFL season, Reid coached teams have an 18-3 record after the bye week.

The bye week and Reid’s record of success aren’t the only reasons that Kansas City has found such success against the Raiders in recent years, but they certainly won’t hurt the Chiefs.

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2020 Seahawks schedule: Week 6 bye makes for difficult final stretch

The Seattle Seahawks will head into the playoffs having played 11 games in 11 weeks thanks to their early Week 6 bye.

The NFL released the schedule for the upcoming 2020 campaign, and the Seattle Seahawks have four primetime games on the docket, as well as a handful of early games out east, and a regular-season finale against the 49ers in San Francisco.

They also have their bye in Week 6, one of the earliest bye weeks the NFL offers.

They’ll host the Vikings on Sunday night in Week 5, on October 11, and then won’t play again until Sunday, October 25 on the road against the Cardinals, a road trip that has caused Seattle trouble in recent years.

Seattle is 7-3 after their bye week in the Pete Carroll-era, but the last time they lost was in 2015…..against the Cardinals.

Assuming no changes to the schedule occur because of COVID-19, the Seahawks will play 11 games in 11 weeks, starting October 25 and going through January 3, when they take on the 49ers in San Francisco to close out the regular season.

The bye week is designed to give teams a much-needed break during a hectic regular season, and while there will always be teams that draw the short end of the stick, it’s no fun to go into the playoffs having played 11 football games in 11 weeks – and it will no doubt test the resolve of the players and coaches as they look to advance to the Super Bowl this season.

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