This had to be one of the five worst NFL weeks I've ever had. Not only did my two remaining one-and-done survivor teams lose with the Seahawks (I have one re-buy pool through Week 6 where I took the Titans), but I'm 4-11 against the spread, having lost all four of my best bets. Moreover, my team, the Giants, are losing 27-0 to the Eagles, and I had Victor Cruz going in a tight NFFC matchup which I've now lost. Of course, Cruz is likely done for the year with a torn patellar tendon too.
The downside of being in so many leagues, picking games against the spread, being in several survivor pools and having a favorite real-life team is you will almost always be unhappy about something. But it's rare you're unhappy about nearly everything.
• Who replaced Giants offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo with Kevin Gilbride? The whole point of the new offense was tempo and quick throws. But Eli Manning was sacked four times in the first half, took a delay of game and had to burn a timeout to avoid another delay call. Why change it up when the offense was clicking so well?
• The Giants have to do better than Peyton Hillis as the No. 2 back. Andre Williams is not a good blocker or pass catcher, but you can't have a guy in the game who has no chance of getting five yards on a touch. The Giants actually handed it to Hillis on 3rd-and-25 at one point; they'd have been better off punting just in case the punter got a bad snap in which case he could fall on it and punt again.
• With Cruz likely out for the year, Odell Beckham and Rueben Randle should see a lot of targets - that is, assuming the Giants go back to what was working for four games.
• LeSean McCoy has done nothing all year, but he always goes off against the Giants. Maybe the Eagles have figured things out, but, as with Eddie Lacy, I'd feel better if he puts together two good games in a row.
• The Seahawks misdirection offense which looked so brilliant during their game-winning overtime drive against the Broncos, got badly exposed against the Cowboys of all teams. That was a four-point game, but it wasn't nearly that close. The Seahawks got a blocked punt for a score and a muffed punt and still lost at home, while Dallas dominated on the ground and shut down Seattle's passing game entirely.
• Russell Wilson is a fantastic escape artist, but why is he running for his life upon catching the snap seemingly on every play against both the Redskins and Cowboys? The offensive line is not good, and every pass against the Cowboys was of the seven-yard variety to Luke Wilson or Percy Harvin cutting across the middle. There's no vertical element to the offense this season at all.
• I thought the Cowboys offensive line was good, but they wouldn't be able to handle the Seahawks in Seattle given the crowd noise. I couldn't have been more wrong.
• Cam Newton's running again, and with Carolina's defense slipping, he should again finish as a top-seven QB.
• Derek Carr looks like a player. Not only did he throw four TDs, but there was one play on third-and-two where he rolled out, went through his progressions and finally ran for the two yards the defense gave him that particularly impressed me. It was the poise and judgement you often see in Wilson or Andrew Luck.
• Branden Oliver looks like Ray Rice/Maurice Jones-Drew at their peaks, a short, stocky quick back who can also break tackles and catch passes. Ryan Mathews could be back in a couple weeks, but expect Oliver's role to be Danny Woodhead-plus.
• Keenan Allen will have his games, but as long as Malcom Floyd and Antonio Gates are healthy, the offense is too diverse to count on any one receiver each week. That's a credit to Philip Rivers, but it's hard to count on Allen for more than an occasional big game.
• Bishop Sankey finally got his carries but didn't do much with them. He also got pulled at the goal line for Jackie Battle. Of course, Ken Whisenpunt's team needed a last-second blocked field goal to beat the Jaguars at home.
• It's odd to see defenses like the Cowboys and Bears actually give supposedly good offenses so much trouble. Matt Ryan and the Falcons usually light up opponents at home, but Ryan managed only one TD and 7.3 YPA, and thanks mainly to another long catch and run by Antone Smith.
• What a monster PPR day by Matt Forte - 10 catches for 77 yards, 80 rushing yards and two TDs. The Falcons are an especially great matchup for running backs.
• The Broncos pick six against the Jets with half a minute left was a real gut punch on a day where I needed every cover I could get. Fortunately, Kirk Cousins and the Redskins gave it back to me in Arizona.
• Ronnie Hillman seemed quick and elusive, but he fumbled once and Juwan Thompson looks the part of the feature back. If they continue to play well, there's no great reason to re-install Montee Ball when he's healthy.
• Jace Amaro caught 10 passes for not much yardage, but given the state of the Jets receiving corps, Amaro should be a frequent target the rest of the way.
• Jordan Reed looked 100 percent healthy and uncannily agile for a tight end. So long as he stays that way, he should be a top-seven option (maybe even top-five) at the position.
• Maybe Detroit's defense is for real. Teddy Bridgewater was terrible against the Lions. It's nice to see the Vikings make the switch to Jerick McKinnon - he got only 11 carries for 39 yards, but caught all six of his targets. He could be a difference maker.
• When Joe Flacco had five TDs early in the second quarter, I was wondering whether the Ravens wouldn't just say screw it and get him eight or nine for the game. NFL teams almost never do that though - it's too bad.
• I have the fourth quarter of the Giants-Eagles on in the background as I write this and it was worth leaving it on to hear Al Michaels - who frequently references point spreads - admit he's looking at potential stock market trades during the game!