Seven losses in a row was four too many for Dennis Allen
Dennis Allen was fired a few days ago and by no means was I surprised. They lost seven in a row. Everybody reading this needs to fully understand what that means.
When you lose three in a row in the NFL, panic ensues. Four in a row is bad, but seven! At that point, panic sets in and the owners will feel that they have to make a snap decision.
The New Orleans Saints have their issues, it’s an older team with salary caps to navigate. They had to make a move on the head coach and sooner rather than later they’re going to have to tear everything down and start over.
Their downturn in form was shocking given the way they started, after two weeks we were all talking about how good they look. However, I warned people then that they were an ageing squad and things could begin to go downhill, and they did.
Two trades that caught the eye
One move I like the look of is the Baltimore Ravens snapping up Tre'Davious White from the LA Rams, for just one seventh round pick. The low-risk, potentially high-reward nature of the trade makes it a good one for the Ravens in my eyes.
They really just needed bodies, they needed someone smart who could come in and get to grips with their defense quickly, and that’s what they got in Tre'Davious White.
He brings a wealth of experience. They’re not bringing him in because he’s a playmaker, he’s an experienced mind who will only be a positive in the dressing room.
He was one of the best in the league in his prime but injuries got the better of him and slowed him down. That said, he’s still a capable player and he’s a safe pair of hands.
The other trade which stands out to me is a slightly different one, which saw Marshon Lattimore head from New Orleans to Washington.
He’s not just going to be a reliable back-up and squad player; he could be their number one cornerback. He’s under contract and can be their number one corner for a few years.
Pittsburgh will take Command in Washington
There are some huge matchups to look forward to in Week 10 and the first one that grabs my attention is the Pittsburgh Steelers hitting the road to take on the Washington Commanders.
This is one of two games between sides who both have six or more wins on the board, so there’ll be some real quality on show here.
Washington have home advantage and most people make them favourites here, but they’re going to lose this game.
Money Line - Pittsburgh Steelers
As good as they’ve been, we’re looking at a rookie quarterback in Jayden Daniels going up against this Pittsburgh defense and their pass rush.
Not to mention Russell Wilson coordinating the game plan exactly as the Steelers want him to. It’s going to be a real challenge for Daniels.
I can’t look past the Steelers’ defense here. They’ve got the momentum of winning three in a row, but they’re also fresh off a bye week. They’ve had time to recover and get a good look at the Commanders, which I think will tell here.
Prediction: Pittsburgh Steelers to win
Lions to keep up Super Bowl charge
No prizes for guessing the second game I want to look at, as my pre-season Super Bowl prediction team, the Detroit Lions, head to Houston to keep their incredible run going.
This is the other game between two sides who both have six or more wins, but I can only see one team extending their winning record.
We’ll start with the Texans though. They need to get their act together, or they could take a beating here. They should be fired up in front of their home fans following that disappointing loss to the New York Jets.
They need to find a way to protect C. J. Stroud better and allow him to do his thing.
He’s a had a tough season but I think you can largely put that down to two things: not having Nico Collins and Stefon Diggs every week, and the offensive line.
Houston will make this game competitive, but the Detroit Lions are the best team in the NFL and I can’t see them having a day off here. As much as I like Houston, this is just a bad day to run into such a good team.
One stat sums up just how good they’ve been this season: they have scored more touchdowns this season than Jared Goff has incompletions – some things are just ridiculous!
The continuity of this offense is shining so bright. I’m feeling pretty good about picking them for the Super Bowl back in September!
Prediction: Detroit Lions to win
