NFL Week Nine: Thoughts on Greg Hardy, Packers tied with Vikings atop NFC North

Every Monday morning, Section 215’s Akiem Bailum gives an in-depth and unfiltered look at all of the latest sports news in The Monday Morning Realist. You can follow Akiem on Twitter @AkiemBailum.

Enough is Enough

Nov 8, 2015; Arlington, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys defensive end Greg Hardy (76) leaves the field following a game against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. Eagles won 33-27 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Ray Carlin-USA TODAY Sports

Nov 8, 2015; Arlington, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys defensive end Greg Hardy (76) sits on the bench during the first quarter of a game against the Philadelphia Eagles at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ray Carlin-USA TODAY Sports

Realists, I decided to begin this Monday’s edition on a heavier note than usual. Normally, the fifth and final place on these MMR’s are reserved for the Sunday Night Football game, which this week was between the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys.

I decided not to recap that game as much as to give my thoughts on Greg Hardy and the photos that were released of his battered and bruised significant other, Nicole Holder.

Just thinking about what this little boy (specifically used because Hardy is not deserving of the title of “man”) did to another woman makes me want to vomit. The Deadspin report mentioned how he threw Holder up against a tile wall, threw her onto a bed full of guns, and threatened to kill her.

These revelations of abuse came out while Hardy was still a member of the Carolina Panthers—a team that has since got rid of the unnecessary fat that was Hardy and have seen positive results since (more on the Panthers later).

Yet another team still signed him—the Dallas Cowboys, who have an owner in Jerry Jones who would probably sign O.J. Simpson if it meant he would win another Super Bowl.

But then again, when you are an owner who has only won three Super Bowls thanks to Jimmy Johnson, Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith, and Michael Irvin, you have to be a bit desperate.

We knew exactly who Hardy was. We knew he was not exactly a Citizen of the Year candidate. We also knew given how much attention was given to the issue of domestic violence last year in the NFL post-Ray Rice, Adrian Peterson, Ray McDonald, and others that the NFL had to at least show some sign it was serious about this issue.

Instead—Jerry Jones signed him. But then again, are we surprised? This is Jerry Jones we’re talking about.

Not to mention this is the NFL’s Players’ Union we are also talking about. The NFL had originally suspended Hardy for ten games, when the NFLPA decided defending anybody is okay as long as you are defending somebody, so Hardy’s suspension was reduced to four games.

Once again, the league and its union displaying fully that the only times when they think about women is during October when it is time to sell them pink jerseys…..errr….I mean give awareness to breast cancer.

If the league had treated domestic violence with the same level of urgency that it wasted on the “DeflateGate” non-scandal, there truly would be no place in the NFL for woman beaters.

If the league had treated domestic violence with the same level of urgency it does when trying to reprimand a player who wants to honor his father in the fight against cancer, there truly would be no place in the NFL for woman beaters.

If the league had treated domestic violence with the same level of urgency it wastes on when a player chooses not to wear a corporate logo on its uniforms, there truly would be no place in the NFL for woman beaters.

If the league had treated domestic violence with the same level of urgency it wastes on trying reprimand the Oakland Raiders for not painting the numeral “50” in gold at O.co Coliseum to honor the fiftieth anniversary of the Super Bowl (a Super Bowl that will be played at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, of all places) there truly would be no place in the league for woman beaters.

If the league had treated domestic violence with the same level of urgency it wastes on trying to force one, or two, or three franchises on Los Angeles (a city that does not need the NFL, by the way) there truly would not be a place in the league for woman beaters.

If the league had treated domestic violence with the same level of urgency it wastes on trying to continuously force-feed the NFL down the throats of Britons (so much to the point where the league has regular fetishes over a team in London despite all of its logistical nightmares), there truly would be no place in the league for woman beaters.

Except—the NFL does not treat this issue as serious because of the old boy’s network that exists on Park Avenue. I’m not saying the league should be full of Tim Tebows, but the NFL continues to ignore that it has an image problem among women.

It wants its women fans to buy authentic jerseys for ladies, while ignoring domestic violence or the low pay of its cheerleaders.

Realists, it is times like this where you wish Adam Silver was NFL commissioner instead of Roger Goodell.

Carolina’s Cool Cats

Nov 8, 2015; Charlotte, NC, USA; Carolina Panthers outside linebacker Thomas Davis (58) celebrates with middle linebacker A.J. Klein (56) and free safety Tre Boston (33) after intercepting the ball late in the fourth quarter. The Panthers defeated the Packers 37-29 at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

And what happened in Carolina yesterday is a classic example of what happens when malcontents like Hardy are kicked to the curb.

As we know, the Panthers were 7-8-1 last season. Coming into their matchup against the Green Bay Packers, Carolina had already won seven games. Losses? Zero.

The Packers also at one point were a team that was playing without a blemish on its 2015-16 slate—until they ran into the buzzsaw known as the Denver Broncos—and a Peyton Manning who resembled more of the Manning from his days wearing Colts blue.

That loss had to be shocking for many cheeseheads not only because of the loss itself, but the manner in which they lost. Green Bay was not just beaten—they were ran out of the state of Colorado last week on Sunday night.

And that loss could not have come at a more inopportune time for Green Bay because just as they suffered their first loss, in their rear view mirror is a team that has not looked like contenders in a while—the Minnesota Vikings.

After last week, I fully expected Carolina to win this game. It was at home. It was against a team that just got thrashed on the road in front of one playoff bound team, now they were up against another playoff bound team that just happens to be in their division.

For a while it appeared as if the ill effects from last week’s performance still were with Green Bay as the first half ended with the Panthers ahead by a score of 27-7. As for Cam Newton—he already had three touchdowns prior to the half—two of the throwing variety and another using his feet.

The Packers did make a statement to begin the second half as one minute in, Cobb was the recipient of a 53-yard touchdown pass from Aaron Rodgers. This trimmed the Panthers’ lead to 27-14 and seemed to indicate that this game was not over yet.

Except—it was over.

Because what was a 27-14 lead later became a 37-14 lead after a Graham Gano field goal and Newton’s third touchdown pass of the day (Devin Funchess for 14 yards).

At that point—garbage time had begun.

It was also at this point where the Packers did find the opportunity to tack on 15 more points—both via touchdown passes by Rodgers which made it 37-29, but that would be the final result of this game.

Say it with me—Carolina Panthers: best team in the NFC.

Ron Rivera has this team playing not only at a high level, but the team is playing with a high level of confidence. In my opinion, it started with the comeback win against the Seahawks in Seattle.

The Seahawks were ahead 24-7 in a game in which they had Kam Chancellor back after he held out. He returned and that was supposed to spark the Legion of Boom. SuperCam vs. the LOB and SuperCam won.

If you are a football fan in North and South Carolina right now, football Sundays are becoming more and more a day to look forward to at the end of the week. Any more performances like this and the road to Super Bowl 50 through the NFC will pass through MetroLina.

Newton’s numbers were not exactly pedestrian. When you throw 15/30 for 297 yards and three touchdowns (one pick) plus a passer rating of 104.4, you were quarterbacking the way quarterbacks are supposed to quarterback.

Gaining 57 yards on the ground will not hurt either (nine carries with one touchdown). Their leading rusher was Jonathan Stewart who had 20 carries for 66 yards and Jerricho Cotchery caught three passes for 82 yards.

As for Rodgers, he threw 25/48 for 369 yards, four touchdowns and one pick. James Starks rushed for 39 yards on 10 carries while Cobb (in addition to his one touchdown) caught four passes for 99 yards.

Week 10 should be pretty interesting Realists. (Side note…we’re about to be at Week 10, already? Time flies when you’re having fun, I guess.)

While the Panthers get the Tennessee Titans next week in Nashville, Green Bay should get a reprieve from the last two weeks as they return to Lambeau Field to play the Detroit Lions. In the NFL, that’s called a bye week.

But while the last two weeks may have allowed doubt to creep into the minds of virtually every football fan in Wisconsin, it was also allowed an opening for the Packers’ arch rivals from the neighboring state of Minnesota.

Final: Panthers 37, Packers 29

The High Cost of Victory

Nov 8, 2015; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings kicker Blair Walsh (3) celebrates his game-winning field goal with wide receiver Mike Wallace (11) during overtime against the St. Louis Rams at TCF Bank Stadium. The Vikings defeated the Rams 21-18. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports

Unfortunately, I only use this headline when necessary.

But just earlier, I mentioned the Minnesota Vikings. In previous Realists I have not talked about the Vikings that much, but I figured they are finally worthy of some modicum of respect.

After all, they have emerged to be one of this season’s biggest surprises and after last week, found themselves only a game behind the Packers for the top spot in the NFC North.

In my humble opinion, the story of the Vikings has been about much of the development of Teddy Bridgewater into an NFL quarterback as it is about potentially anything else.

Coming out of Louisville, Bridgewater was not exactly a ballyhooed NFL prospect to the level of Johnny Manziel or Tim Tebow. And while his accuracy as a QB has not been exactly the best, the Vikings’ start can at least be partly attributed to the development of Bridgwater into an NFL QB.

It also has a lot to do with one Adrian Peterson. Again, just as I mentioned earlier in the Greg Hardy portion of this week’s Realist (see above) one has to wonder given his issues as a malcontent why he is in the NFL as is Hardy. But, despite his own transgressions, Peterson seems to have not lost a single step. Not one.

On the other side of the leger for this one was the St. Louis Rams. Even though they’re making more headlines off the field than on it for being more than flirtatious with the girl known as Los Angeles, second place in the NFC West is still second place and a potential Wild Card playoff berth is a potential Wild Card playoff berth.

Oh, and Todd Gurley is Todd Gurley. St. Louis has not been this excited about a runningback since the Marshall Faulk and Steven Jackson days and even those may not last if the Rams decide to back up the Ryder truck to the Edward Jones Dome and ship off to the City of Angels.

After a streak of games where Gurley rushed for at least 125 yards (including last week against division rival San Francisco 49ers), the Vikings knew what they had to do in order to win this game—keep Gurley somewhat in check.

By Gurley’s rapidly rising (and lofty) standards, Minnesota did just that as they held him under 100 yards. He did rush for 89 yards on 24 carries including one touchdown while Nick Foles threw for 168 yards on 18/33 passing while Kenny Britt caught three receptions for 87 yards.

Peterson was the leading rusher for all players this game with 125 yards on 29 carries and one touchdown run while Stefon Diggs had 42 yards on three receptions.

Bridgewater threw for 144 yards (13/21 passing) and one interception—before he was taken out of the game in favor of Shaun Hill. Why? Because late in the fourth quarter as the Minnesota quarterback was attempting to slide to the turf, he was knocked unconscious by St. Louis’ LaMarcus Joyner.

Bridgewater is now being treated for a concussion. Meanwhile, Mike Zimmer was none too happy about what Joyner did to Bridgewater and now people are taking shots at Rams defensive coordinator Gregg Williams as well as head coach Jeff Fisher.

People are starting to remember that Gregg Williams was with the Saints when the team was embroiled in the BountyGate scandal.

It was tied 18-18 after regulation and Minnesota would prevail in overtime en route to their sixth win and a tie with the Packers atop the NFC North. The hit to Bridgewater is probably dampening the glow of said win in the Land of 10,000 Lakes somewhat.

It is safe to say the name LaMarcus Joyner now has “four letters” in throughout the upper Midwest at this point. “Rams” actually has four letters and they will play the Chicago Bears at home next week.

Final: Vikings 21, Rams 18

Yo, Gabbert Gabbert

November 8, 2015; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Blaine Gabbert (2) celebrates with tight end Garrett Celek (88) after a touchdown during the second quarter against the Atlanta Falcons at Levi

Atlanta Falcons and San Francisco 49ers. When I looked at this game, particularly at the midweek drama coming out of the 49ers this week, this looked like a story of one team that is enduring short-term adversity vs another team that appears to be going through long-term adversity.

The Falcons may be going through a period of short-term adversity because after looking like the NFC’s Super Bowl participants for the first four or five games of the season, the last three games seem to indicate Atlanta may not exactly be ready for the big time yet. It also may possibly indicate that the rest of the league has indeed figured out new head coach Dan Quinn.

By the virtue of what is going on in Atlanta, this appears to be a rough patch in what is ultimately a lengthy season. This is only a mere internet short compared to the San Francisco 49ers.
That team has become a soap opera that KGO-TV ABC7, KPIX-TV CBS5, and KNTV-TV NBC Bay Area might as well pick up for daytime television.

The latest episode for the Niners (which probably should be simply titled “Life After Harbaugh” came when Colin Kaepernick (who again was the starting quarterback for the Super Bowl a few years ago) was benched for Blaine Gabbert.

I guess all of the calls that came into KNBR calling for Kap’s starting job finally got to brass in Santa Clara and as a result, Gabbert became the starting quarterback and Kap was left warming the bench.

But the drama with the 49ers did not only end with the possibly budding QB controversy between Gabbert and Kaepernick. Prior to #7 losing the starting job to Gabbert, the 49ers announced a trade with the Denver Broncos that sent Vernon Davis to the Rocky Mountains.

The trade came at cheap for the Broncos as they gave up virtually nothing to land one of the league’s premier (albeit, sometimes underrated) players.

Plus—Vernon Davis had supposedly called out Kaepernick in a player’s only meeting prior to him getting shipped out of the Bay Area.

Again—the Falcons only need a short-term fix whereas the 49ers need something more long term.

The offenses must have responded well to the pregame speeches because in the first half the offenses for both teams played like it as Atlanta and San Francisco combined for 30 points and three touchdowns between them.

Normally, the Falcons possess an offense led by quarterback Matt Ryan that is able to take advantage of another team’s mishaps. San Francisco coughed the ball up twice in the second half to the Falcons, but the 49ers’ defense forced a punt from the Falcons after the first turnover.

Late in the game with Atlanta only down 17-13, they picked off San Francisco again thanks to Vic Beasley. The first turnover was an interception by Phillip Adams. But even after Beasley’s pick, the Falcons had to settle for Matt Bryant’s third field goal of the game which only made it a 17-16 game.

If only Atlanta’s defense could get a stop with less than three minutes left to go in the game to put their offense back on the field when now all they needed was another Bryant field goal.

If only the Falcons had a reliable run defense when they needed it as on the 49ers’ last possession as San Francisco picked up two first downs by keeping the ball on the ground (and one was with Gabbert himself). The other was via Kendall Gaskins who only had 20 carries on seven attempts.

Gabbert was 15/25 with 185 yards, two TDs, and two picks while Shaun Draughn had 58 yards on the ground on 16 carries. Quinton Patton caught three passes for 70 yards.

Ryan put up very Ryan-like numbers: 30/45 for 303 yards, one touchdown. What about what the 49ers run defense was able to do to Devonta Freeman? Earlier in the year, some were pegging him as a potential MVP candidate. Against San Francisco’s defensive line, he looked like a rookie as he only notched 12 carries and 12 yards (but he did have big numbers through the air with eight receptions and 67 yards with one touchdown).

Julio Jones did catch 10 passes for 137 yards, but when a defense forces your team to almost abandon the run and go completely one-dimensional with the pass, nine times out of ten your team will lose and that is simply what happened to the Falcons.

The alarms will really start to sound in Atlanta now with cries of their team being on the downside and another ATL sports disappointment being just around the corner.

Luckily for the Falcons fans is that the Saints did not win. Thanks to a certain former Oregon QB who is now the starter in Tennessee (Marcus Mariota), New Orleans’ record fell to 4-5 in a game against a team they should have beaten at the Superdome.

So, it was not all bad if you are a Falcons fan, but this one has to hurt losing against a team like this with this much turmoil around it. Oh, dear. And those questions about Kaepernick’s status in San Francisco are probably only going to get louder as the speculation continues to grow that #7 will not be with the 49ers next season.

Looking at Week 10, it appears…both teams are on byes.

Final: 49ers 17, Falcons 16

Good Luck, Chuck

Nov 8, 2015; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indianapolis Colts cornerback Darius Butler (20) is congratulated by his teammates after making an interception against the Denver Broncos in the 4th quarter at Lucas Oil Stadium. Indianapolis defeats Denver 27-24. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

File this one for the “Any Given Sunday” bin.

This is the part where I typically ask for a few hands to be raised in response to a certain question.

Raise your hand high if you were expecting a Colts win over the Broncos in Indianapolis yesterday afternoon. You do not count in this one if you are from the state of Indiana.
Realists, I need to stop myself because quite frankly, I probably would not have had my hand raised either.

After all, this was a Denver Broncos team that just came off last week’s dominating performance against the Green Bay Packers and were now traveling to Indianapolis to face a Colts team that, similar to the 49ers, is also engulfed in struggle-induced turmoil.

Except Indianapolis’ appears to be in the front office and with the coaching staff. Someone from that coaching staff was canned earlier in the week as the Colts made the decision to fire offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton.

And as the offensive coordinator has been let go after Indianapolis’ loss to the Panthers on Monday night last week, the calls were only supposed to get louder for Jim Irsay to hand a pink slip to head coach Chuck Pagano.

And, oh yeah, it was Peyton Manning returning to Indianapolis to face his former team and the man who succeeded him at QB for the Colts—Andrew Luck. And, oh yeah, it was a Broncos team that basically only gave up some packed powder in the Rocky Mountains to get Vernon Davis from the 49ers.

Remember what we have been saying about the Broncos and how they have a 2000 Ravens-esque or 2014 Seahawks-esque defense? Early on, Luck and the Colts thought nothing of that defense, jumping out to a 17-0 lead via a Frank Gore touchdown run, an Andrew Luck touchdown pass to Jack Doyle, and an Adam Vinatieri field goal.

But….that Denver defense! But…all the drama in Indianapolis!

Except Manning remembered he is Peyton Manning and 17-0 became 17-17 via an Omar Bolden punt return for a touchdown (83 yards) a Manning TD pass to Emmanuel Sanders (64 yards) and a Brandon McManus field goal (29 yards).

Both teams then traded touchdowns as Ahmad Bradshaw caught an eight yard pass from Luck, ending a 12-play 80 yard drive that lasted 5:52. 24-17 Indy, but that became 24-24 as Manning found Owen Daniels for one yard ending a nine-play, 80 yard drive lasting 5:11.

Two minutes, seven plays, and 33 yards later, Indianapolis moved back in front by a score of 27-24 after Vinatieri’s second field goal of the game—this one from 55 yards out. It did not give Manning and the Broncos offense much time to mount a game-tying drive to send it to overtime, but on the first play of said drive, he was picked off for the second time this game (Darius Butler). The first was by Mike Adams.

In the end, a lot of people will pin this loss for the Broncos as another performance that resembled what Manning is like in playoff games (even though this was not a playoff game, it had to feel like one for Indianapolis given Manning’s return and the team they were up against).

In the end, it is on the Broncos’ defense. That defense has saved Denver’s offense from losses that they probably would have suffered if they had a defense like…say….Chicago’s.

This time, their defense could not do so plus Manning threw a couple of picks, including one to end the game. The 27 points is also the most given up by Denver this year to an opponent.

Luck—21/36 with 252 yards and two touchdowns. Frank Gore had a San Francisco-like performance with one touchdown, and 83 yards on 28 carries. T.Y. Hilton also caught five footballs for 82 yards.

As for Manning—he was 21/36 as well with 281 yards, two touchdowns, and two picks. C.J. Anderson had 34 yards on the ground on seven carries while Owen Daniels caught six receptions for 102 yards and one touchdown.

A lot of people knew it was only a manner of time before the Broncos wound up in the loss column. Not too many people thought that loss would come against the Colts even if Indianapolis was playing at home. The status quo seems to have been preserved in the AFC South as the Colts will likely win this division despite it being paper-thin.

Plus, one can also say that Indianapolis was playing for head coach Chuck Pagano. After last week, the tension between him and the GM, and the firing of the OC, if they lost to Denver, it was likely that Pagano would have coached his last game for Indianapolis.

Instead his job is safe for another game and he will be with the Colts after they come off their bye week next week. Denver already had its bye earlier in the season and they will take Frontier back to Colorado as they renew divisional hostilities at Sports Authority Field with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Final: Colts 27, Broncos 24

Other Games

November 8, 2015; Santa Clara, CA, USA; Detail view of the NFL logo with salute the troops logo on the end zone pylon during the second quarter between the San Francisco 49ers and the Atlanta Falcons at Levi

Cincinnati Bengals defeat Cleveland Browns 31-10

New England Patriots defeat Washington Redskins 27-10

Tennessee Titans defeat New Orleans Saints 34-28

Buffalo Bills defeat Miami Dolphins 33-17

New York Jets defeat Jacksonville Jaguars 28-23

Pittsburgh Steelers defeat Oakland Raiders 38-35

New York Giants defeat Tampa Bay Buccaneers 32-18

Philadelphia Eagles defeat Dallas Cowboys 33-27

Chicago Bears at San Diego Chargers (8:30, Monday Night Football)