Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat the Seattle Seahawks 21-16 in Germany on Sunday
Week 10 is within the books, with some superb video games performed out throughout the league, whereas it was a very emotional time for me to have the ability to exit to Munich and canopy the primary ever NFL recreation in Germany, and that is the place I will begin this week’s column…
1) NFL’s debut in Germany an evening ‘I am going to always remember’
It was simply essentially the most transferring, unbelievable, pleasurable day I’ve had protecting American Soccer. The sport between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Seattle Seahawks on the Allianz Enviornment was every thing the NFL can have hoped for.
NBC Sports activities’ Peter King claimed that the Seattle Seahawks and Tampa Bay Buccaneers taking part in an everyday season recreation in Germany was good for the NFL.
It was one thing the followers in Germany deserved. They’ve waited for a recreation to be performed over there for a very long time, and they also soaked each final second out of it. They have been nonetheless within the stands, 50,000 or so of them, some 15-20 minutes after the sport had completed, nonetheless singing and dancing.
They did not need the occasion to finish. And neither did we, myself and Jason Bell. We had a good time protecting the sport, although we could not at all times hear one another! There was one lengthy reply which he gave the place all I heard have been the phrases ‘Tom Brady’ and ‘Geno Smith’. However that was the enjoyable of all of it.
Tom Brady says it was an electrical environment for the primary ever NFL recreation in Germany, after his Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat the Seattle Seahawks 21-16.
When the British followers sang ‘Candy Caroline’ on the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, that was a second; on Sunday, it was John Denver’s ‘Take Me Dwelling, Nation Roads’. I had goosebumps. I used to be very privileged to be there and it was merely an evening I am going to always remember.
2) Extra balanced Bucs ‘ones to keep watch over’
Staying in Munich, the sport itself had every thing too. A extremely good recreation broke out, with Seattle coming again into it late earlier than finally shedding 21-16.
Highlights of the Seattle Seahawks towards the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from Munich in Week 10 of the NFL season.
I used to be struck by the steadiness of Tampa Bay. If this Bucs workforce can now present up the remainder of the season, then they’ll nonetheless be a contender within the NFC. They’re in nice form of their division already, holding a one-game lead at 5-5.
They got here into Sunday averaging simply 20 run performs per recreation. They have been north of 40 on this one. They’d 161 yards on the bottom, after they had been averaging an NFL-low of 61.
Additionally, watching it within the flesh, you’ll be able to see that Tom Brady nonetheless throws a lovely ball – even at 45 years outdated! He can nonetheless lead from the entrance, however the run recreation hopefully means he does not should do all of it by himself.
Tampa dominated on the defensive position too, holding the spectacular rookie Kenneth Walker in examine. This was extra the Bucs workforce we anticipated to see this season, so one value maintaining a tally of the remainder of the way in which.
3) Vikings edge out Payments in ‘recreation of the 12 months!’
It reveals you simply how a lot that Germany meant to me, when the third level on this checklist is the sport of the 12 months within the NFL!
I acquired again to my resort room – I am not the largest occasion animal on the earth – and it was pyjamas on, and simply loved watching the Minnesota Vikings and Buffalo Payments trip.
There was a wild finish to the sport between Buffalo Payments and Minnesota Vikings with the Payments defence holding up the Vikings offense on the goal-line, earlier than gifting them a landing with a fumble after which by some means forcing time beyond regulation!
The Vikings missed an additional level, then Dalvin Prepare dinner drops a sure landing on fourth down… then they get one other play after a penalty on Buffalo, however Kirk Cousins cannot get into the top zone. And that is earlier than even essentially the most unbelievable a part of all of it, the fumble by the Payments for the Vikings landing, after which the Patrick Peterson interception in time beyond regulation that helped arrange the profitable area aim.
It was a recreation that had all of it. The best ever video games are at all times forwards and backwards between two heavyweights – which these two are – and they’re filled with unbelievable performs. And that is with out even mentioning Justin Jefferson’s catch (extra on that in a second).
4) The Dolphins able to extra than simply the playoffs
The Miami Dolphins’ march continues. They’ve now gained 4 straight and we’re beginning to think about them as a critical contender within the AFC.
Highlights of the Cleveland Browns on the Miami Dolphins in Week 10 of the NFL season.
Just a few weeks’ in the past, I’d have stated that Buffalo and the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs are streets forward, however on their day Miami can beat anybody – they have not misplaced but this season when quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has began (and completed) a recreation.
They’ve additionally acquired nice steadiness to their workforce, which they demonstrated within the 39-17 drubbing of the Cleveland Browns, dashing for 195 yards and two touchdowns. Jeff Wilson Jr. appears to be like like a very good discover since becoming a member of from the 49ers earlier than the commerce deadline.
Miami Dolphins working again Jeff Wilson Jr. catches a 10-yard landing cross from quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.
We already know what receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle can do, but when they begin now working the ball successfully and taking part in good protection – they held Nick Chubb to simply 63 yards – then they’re shaping right into a Tremendous Bowl-calibre workforce. They might upset the apple cart within the AFC and be this season’s Cincinnati Bengals.
5) Eagles unbeaten begin ended by Commanders
That is the final undefeated workforce left this season, gone. The Philadelphia Eagles dropped to 8-1 on the season with defeat to the Washington Commanders on Monday night time, with the Eagles trying slightly flat and never the identical workforce we would seen via the primary 9 weeks.
Highlights of the Washington Commanders towards the Philadelphia Eagles from Week 10 of the NFL season.
I believe they’re going to be wonderful and can bounce again, however what they’ve executed so properly this season is run the ball and so they have been held to solely 94 on the bottom by the Commanders.
It is a spirited Washington workforce. They’ve overcome a sluggish begin to sit 5-5… however they’d executed that earlier than, together with final season, after which pale down the stretch. They’re in aggressive mode proper now, with Taylor Heinicke coming in at quarterback and taking part in so properly whereas Carson Wentz has been out with a damaged finger. May this be yet one more workforce set to maneuver on from Wentz as their starter?
Participant of the Week: Justin Jefferson
Is Minnesota Vikings star Justin Jefferson this finest vast receiver within the NFL proper now?
It is loopy to suppose that the Vikings star is simply in his third season within the NFL, nonetheless with eight video games to play, and but he has already had 20 100-yard receiving days – an NFL document within the first three years of a profession – and he has already had seven 150-yard days. One other document.
I believe we’re the very best vast receiver within the NFL proper now.
Play of the Week: Justin Jefferson
One other one for Jefferson. His catch for the Vikings towards the Payments may simply be the very best I’ve ever seen.
Justin Jefferson pulled in an unbelievable one-handed catch on fourth down for the Minnesota Vikings towards the Buffalo Payments as they went on to win in an time beyond regulation thriller.
Odell Beckham Jr’s for the New York Giants towards the Dallas Cowboys just a few years again was good, however there have been no defenders round him like Jefferson needed to cope with – the Payments defender had two arms on the soccer!
The catch did not simply defy logic, it defied science. Jefferson had just one hand on it to the opposite man’s two and nonetheless he managed to wrestle it away from him – on 4th and 18!
Because the ball was flying into that crowd of Payments defenders, I nonetheless thought Jefferson had a shot – and that claims all you want to find out about him. He’s a machine!
Coach of the Week: Jeff Saturday
Whether or not you agree with the very fact he is the coach or not, he took on plenty of criticism – plenty of options that the sport was being disrespected – together with his rent on an interim foundation by the Indianapolis Colts.
Indianapolis Colts interim coach Jeff Saturday acquired off to a profitable begin towards the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday
He may solely take the job that was supplied to him, and he is once more exhibiting, regardless of the distractions, that he is a superb chief of males.
He made a direct choice to place Matt Ryan again in at quarterback, ending this nonsense of benching him for Sam Ehlinger. That paid off, and although we do not know the way the appointment will work out in totality, I am glad Staurday acquired no less than one second within the sunshine.
On My Radar
What do the NFL do subsequent, internationally? We’re getting three video games per 12 months in London – two a 12 months on the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and the Jacksonville Jaguars have their very own cope with Wembley – and how are you going to watch Sunday’s recreation in Germany and suppose one recreation a 12 months can be sufficient for that fanbase?
I believe it is necessary to notice too that, although Germany is new and there is plenty of pleasure, followers within the UK ought to by no means be anxious concerning the success of video games over there. They’re along with what’s being executed over right here – and the London video games are equally particular. These video games are going to run aspect by aspect.
Internationally, the NFL is in nice form. They have many thrilling choices in entrance of them; we now have these further seventeenth video games for groups each season, so why not a Grand Prix-style tour of the globe, like in Formulation 1? You can have a recreation in Paris, Munich, Frankfurt, London, Dublin, Brazil.
With the NFL and its worldwide video games, ‘by no means say by no means’ is the very best strategy to take. I can not wait to see what they do subsequent.
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