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| Broncos Jets |
"We are getting better and better every week," muses the head coach of the Chicago Bears Lovie Smith, whose team improved to 6-3 last week. "We've been seeing progress. We are going up in the standings. It's November and the time that teams compete really intend to come and play their best football. Hopefully, when we are."
And what a difference from year to year. Six of the eight divisions hold a team back into first place on the final standings last season. The six new divisional leaders have combined record of 42-14 (750) during the tenth week, 12 more wins than their records a year ago at this point in the season (30-24, .556).
Leading the way are the Green Bay Packers, who improved to 9-0 with a victory on Monday night. The Packers are third Super Bowl champs the following season to boot 9-0 (San Francisco 49ers in 1990 and Denver Broncos in 1998).
Some of the key games of the eleventh week:
NEW YORK JETS (5-4) at DENVER BRONCOS (4-5)
Two teams in the struggle to enter the AFC playoffs will start at the eleventh week with a matchup Thursday night in Denver.
The Jets won three in a row before his defeat in the tenth week and looking back on track in the eleventh week. With a 5-4 mark, New York is tied with Buffalo for second place in the AFC East, one game behind division leader, New England (6-3).
"We can not sit on it," says the head coach of the Jets Rex Ryan about the downfall of the team last week against the Patriots. "We must leave it behind quickly. With the way Denver is playing, it will be a tough game."
The Broncos won three of their last four with quarterback Tim Tebow as a starter. In the 17-10 victory last week in Kansas City, Tebow threw a 56-yard touchdown pass and added a seven-yard scoring carry. It marked the sixth time in his career that has a touchdown scorer and carry the same game.
"We have a very strong and full of character," praises Tebow. "We are a team that goes out and plays for each other. We care about what we are doing and then we have in the field."
CINCINNATI BENGALS (6-3) at BALTIMORE RAVENS (6-3)
The Jets won three in a row before his defeat in the tenth week and looking back on track in the eleventh week. With a 5-4 mark, New York is tied with Buffalo for second place in the AFC East, one game behind division leader, New England (6-3).
"We can not sit on it," says the head coach of the Jets Rex Ryan about the downfall of the team last week against the Patriots. "We must leave it behind quickly. With the way Denver is playing, it will be a tough game."
The Broncos won three of their last four with quarterback Tim Tebow as a starter. In the 17-10 victory last week in Kansas City, Tebow threw a 56-yard touchdown pass and added a seven-yard scoring carry. It marked the sixth time in his career that has a touchdown scorer and carry the same game.
"We have a very strong and full of character," praises Tebow. "We are a team that goes out and plays for each other. We care about what we are doing and then we have in the field."
CINCINNATI BENGALS (6-3) at BALTIMORE RAVENS (6-3)
The Bengals and the Ravens enter the eleventh week tied for second in the AFC North, one game behind the division leaders, the Pittsburgh Steelers. With a 6-3 mark, both Cincinnati and Baltimore are in position to reach a place in the AFC playoffs.
"I always said that we are contenders and will continue to remain so," referred to the Bengals tackle ANDREW WHITWORTH a team attitude.
Cincinnati is one of seven teams - San Francisco (eight), Houston (seven), Cincinnati (six), Detroit (six), Buffalo (five), Denver (four), Carolina (two) - already equaled or exceeded its win total from last year. Two other teams - Dallas (5-4) and Tennessee (5-4) - may join the list this week.
Last week, quarterback Andy Dalton the Bengals threw two touchdown passes - his third straight game with at least two touchdowns air - and has 14 this season, the most by a rookie over the first nine game since at least 1970.
The Ravens have a perfect record of 4-0 at home this season and going back to 2009, won 14 of their last 15 home games, doubling on their opponents 415-224 points during that span.
"It's the National Football League," said Baltimore linebacker Ray Lewis, "and it is certain that next week we will have a division in dispute. That's exciting."
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (3-6) AT NEW YORK GIANTS (6-3)
"I always said that we are contenders and will continue to remain so," referred to the Bengals tackle ANDREW WHITWORTH a team attitude.
Cincinnati is one of seven teams - San Francisco (eight), Houston (seven), Cincinnati (six), Detroit (six), Buffalo (five), Denver (four), Carolina (two) - already equaled or exceeded its win total from last year. Two other teams - Dallas (5-4) and Tennessee (5-4) - may join the list this week.
Last week, quarterback Andy Dalton the Bengals threw two touchdown passes - his third straight game with at least two touchdowns air - and has 14 this season, the most by a rookie over the first nine game since at least 1970.
The Ravens have a perfect record of 4-0 at home this season and going back to 2009, won 14 of their last 15 home games, doubling on their opponents 415-224 points during that span.
"It's the National Football League," said Baltimore linebacker Ray Lewis, "and it is certain that next week we will have a division in dispute. That's exciting."
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (3-6) AT NEW YORK GIANTS (6-3)
Two rivals in the NFC East are on Sunday night when the Eagles visit the Giants. Philadelphia is three games behind New York, head of the division, and seeks to return to fight for it.
In the third week, the Giants defeated the Eagles 29-16, ahead on points at Philadelphia 15-0 in the fourth quarter, allowing them to make a comeback from behind victory. The quarterback Eli Manning threw New York that day four touchdowns and was named Offensive Player of the Week for his performance in the NFC. In that duel, Manning became the first opponent for the Eagles to launch at least four touchdown passes in a victory in Philadelphia since 1989, when Hall of Famer Joe Montana threw five for San Francisco in similar circumstances.
"We have to go out and have a good week of practice," explains New York receiver Hakeem Nicks, who had a scoring reception in the tenth week. "We have a division rival this week."
Eagles running back LE SEAN MC COY leads the NFL with 12 entries (10 carrying two receiving) and scored in each of the first nine games of his team. McCoy is the fourth runner since 1960 to score in each of the first nine games of the season, having joined the Hall of Famer Lenny Moore (1964) and OJ SIMPSON (1975) and George Rogers (1986).
"We have to work on certain things. But we're close, obviously," relieved head coach ANDY REID Philadelphia. Five of the Eagles' six losses this season have been by seven points or less. "Our challenge as coaches and players is sure to get that win."
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (4-5) AT NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (6-3)
The victory of New England in the tenth week gave BILL BELICHICK and TOM BRADY his 117 th win together, the most by a pair of head coach and quarterback in the Super Bowl era, enters the Hall of Fame Don Shula and Dan Marino.
"Our players did a great job," Belichick said about the Patriots' victory against the New York Jets. "Give them credit. But now we need to turn the page. We have another important match on Monday night. We are not even Thanksgiving yet. There are a lot of football this season. A single win will not do much. "
In the victory of the tenth week Brady threw 329 yards and three touchdowns, including 113 yards and two touchdowns to tight end Rob Gronkowski. The wideout Wes Welker added six receptions and became the fastest player in NFL history to reach 500 receptions for a team (70 games).
The Chiefs, who recovered from a 0-3 start, are just one game of first place in the AFC West and preparing for an onslaught.
"The season will continue and we are in a position where, if we play our best football, we will be with possibilities," said head coach Todd Haley of Kansas City. "What we need is to prepare to play this week. It will be a game very, very important to us, outside the home and in New England."
In the third week, the Giants defeated the Eagles 29-16, ahead on points at Philadelphia 15-0 in the fourth quarter, allowing them to make a comeback from behind victory. The quarterback Eli Manning threw New York that day four touchdowns and was named Offensive Player of the Week for his performance in the NFC. In that duel, Manning became the first opponent for the Eagles to launch at least four touchdown passes in a victory in Philadelphia since 1989, when Hall of Famer Joe Montana threw five for San Francisco in similar circumstances.
"We have to go out and have a good week of practice," explains New York receiver Hakeem Nicks, who had a scoring reception in the tenth week. "We have a division rival this week."
Eagles running back LE SEAN MC COY leads the NFL with 12 entries (10 carrying two receiving) and scored in each of the first nine games of his team. McCoy is the fourth runner since 1960 to score in each of the first nine games of the season, having joined the Hall of Famer Lenny Moore (1964) and OJ SIMPSON (1975) and George Rogers (1986).
"We have to work on certain things. But we're close, obviously," relieved head coach ANDY REID Philadelphia. Five of the Eagles' six losses this season have been by seven points or less. "Our challenge as coaches and players is sure to get that win."
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (4-5) AT NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (6-3)
The victory of New England in the tenth week gave BILL BELICHICK and TOM BRADY his 117 th win together, the most by a pair of head coach and quarterback in the Super Bowl era, enters the Hall of Fame Don Shula and Dan Marino.
"Our players did a great job," Belichick said about the Patriots' victory against the New York Jets. "Give them credit. But now we need to turn the page. We have another important match on Monday night. We are not even Thanksgiving yet. There are a lot of football this season. A single win will not do much. "
In the victory of the tenth week Brady threw 329 yards and three touchdowns, including 113 yards and two touchdowns to tight end Rob Gronkowski. The wideout Wes Welker added six receptions and became the fastest player in NFL history to reach 500 receptions for a team (70 games).
The Chiefs, who recovered from a 0-3 start, are just one game of first place in the AFC West and preparing for an onslaught.
"The season will continue and we are in a position where, if we play our best football, we will be with possibilities," said head coach Todd Haley of Kansas City. "What we need is to prepare to play this week. It will be a game very, very important to us, outside the home and in New England."
