Jean Fugett’s Week 10 NFL Recap
By Jean Fugett; thanks to Charlie Campbell – @draftcampbell
WalterFootball.com is proud to partner with former Redskins and Cowboys tight end Jean Fugett, Jr. Esq. Fugett grew up in Baltimore, Maryland and attended Amherst College. He was the last pick of the 13th round in the 1972 NFL Draft. Fugett made the Cowboys as a backup to future Hall of Famer Mike Ditka. Fugett eventually became a starter for Tom Landry’s Cowboys and started in Super Bowl X. He made the Pro Bowl in 1977.
As a free agent, Fugett went from being the lowest-paid starting tight end to the highest-paid with the Washington Redskins. While playing for legendary Redskins coach George Allen, Fugett attended law school at George Washington University at night.
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During and after his playing days, Fugett worked with CBS, the Washington Post and other media. He went on to serve as Director and Vice-Chair of the McCall Pattern Company Management Committee, founded a Baltimore law firm and partnered with Fanfone in Europe. After the death of his brother Reginald F. Lewis in 1993, Fugett took over TLC Beatrice International Foods, the largest black-owned and black-managed business in the world at the time. Fugett has served on committees with the NFL Players Association and on the Leadership Council for the American Diabetes Association Maryland Chapter. |
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WalterFootball.com would like to thank Redskins general manager Bruce Allen and senior vice president/executive producer of media Larry Michael for connecting us to Fugett. Now, let’s let Jean take over.
Week 11 NFL Picks
Falcons at Bucs (Falcons -1.5) Bucs win 2 in a row while Falcons mail it in
Jets at Bills (Bills -1.5) Jets better BUT Bills win at home fooling Ed Reed
Lions at Steelers (Steelers +1.5) Steelers too tough at home outside
Redskins at Eagles (Eagles -3) Did somebody say “All in for week 11?”
Ravens at Bears (Bears -3) Bears special teams
49ers at Saints (Saints -3) Brees at home unbeatable
Packers at Giants (Giants -6) Giants roll at home
Chiefs at Broncos (Broncos -8) Chiefs cover and could win
Patriots at Panthers (Panthers -2.5) Panthers the better team… Really!
Week 10 NFL Recap
Looking at the results this week was very interesting. I saw more teams using the read option or the threat of the read option. I think those teams will have an advantage over the teams that do not. Here is a list of the games with drop-back quarterbacks:
Baltimore-Cincinnati
Detroit-Chicago
Jacksonville-Tennessee
St. Louis-Indianapolis
Denver-San Diego
Dallas-New Orleans
Arizona-Houston
Although, Arizona gave some read-option looks, but of course, Carson Palmer isn’t going to run the ball. Here is a list of the games with at least one team that has the read option in its offense.
Seattle-Atlanta
Philadelphia-Green Bay
Carolina-San Francisco
Oakland-New York Giants
Buffalo-Pittsburgh
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In the top-two games, the read-option team won. Both Carolina and San Francisco are read-option teams, so that is a wash. The Giants beat a read-option team at home. Pittsburgh beat a read-option team, but the Steelers do run the Wildcat from time to time. Overall, the read-option teams did pretty well. I think the league is trending toward needing a quarterback who can do more than drop back. The pocket is a dangerous place for any human being, but especially a quarterback who can’t move around. The weather will now begin to change and impact games. Injuries will really take a toll on the team. As we proceed to the playoffs, we will find people talking about things other than the Miami administration’s control on their players. |
Former Redskin and Cowboy tight end Jean Fugett was a Pro Bowler in 1977 and a starter in Super Bowl X. |
Each game becomes decisive right now as a potential elimination game. For example, Washington at Philadelphia. The loser of that game is not going to the playoffs. Detroit and Pittsburgh; the Steelers could be eliminated in that game. Green Bay at the Giants; the Giants can’t afford to lose anymore games. That is just a few of the games happening next week that could determine the playoff hopes of some teams. As we get into the final half of the season, the games are much more important. We are going to have fun watching Kansas City at Denver next Sunday night.
As we move toward the playoffs, we can eliminate Oakland, San Diego, Jacksonville, Houston – we can already eliminate Buffalo. In the NFC, we can eliminate Minnesota, Tampa Bay and Atlanta. In the NFC West, I have to eliminate St. Louis and Arizona because of the records of the 49ers and the Seahawks. Green Bay, I believe, is on its way to being eliminated. All four teams in the NFC East are alive; what a great country we live in!
AFC
The Patriots will easily win their division. Both the Jets and the Dolphins have four losses. Either of those teams will have a difficult time making the playoffs.
The Colts are going to be up-and-down, but when they lose 38-8 you have to wonder how serious they are as a potential playoff team. Houston is already planning for next year. The division may come down to the last game. Now with Indianapolis at 6-3 and Tennessee at 4-5, the Titans should have been closer than that, but the Colts still have a two-game lead.
In the AFC North, it is still anybody’s division with the worst team being 3-6 and the best team at 6-4. It is tough to compare when everybody hasn’t had their bye yet. Baltimore is alive, and that division is going to be contested.
Kansas City had a week off and is 9-0. Denver has one loss but certainly is playoff bound. The Broncos are coming off a close divisional game and continue to compete. You have to wonder if Peyton Manning will make it through the season.
A 9-7 team could sneak in as the last wild card. Kansas City or Denver is a virtual lock for one wild card. That second wild card is going to be won by tiebreakers. The second-place teams in all three of the other divisions have a chance to make it. The Jets and the Dolphins are in there. Tennessee, Cleveland and Baltimore have five losses, so those teams can only lose two more games. It will be a tougher road for them.
NFC
Detroit and Chicago was only a two-point game, so that division is going to be contested. Green Bay is slipping because of all the injures. I think the Lions and Bears will fight out this division, while the Packers are without Aaron Rodgers. Detroit has a one-game lead, but I expect Green Bay to have difficulties keeping up.
Philadelphia is emerging. Dallas continues to have hope because it plays in the worst division in football. Looking at the standings, you have to scratch your head with the Cowboys at 5-5 tied with the Eagles for first place. The Giants and Redskins are only one loss behind.
Drew Brees is unbelievable at home. Anyone who picked Dallas over New Orleans needs to get their head examined. Carolina is putting some pressure on New Orleans as the Panthers are only one game behind. Carolina is doing as well as it can with a quarterback who is not fully developed. Cam Newton still has trouble throwing out of the pocket. Sometimes he makes great throws, but I don’t know if it is his footwork or he looks too much in one direction and can’t get back. I still think Newton has mechanical issues that have to be worked out, too.
The key for Carolina is to win on third down. If second and third down are mixer downs where you can run or pass, that is when the Panthers are dangerous. If they fail at first down and get into second-and-long and third-and-long, those are the situations that Cam Newton has to improve upon. It doesn’t help when your receivers drop passes, which we saw more than once on Sunday. Drops impact a quarterback’s confidence; of course, if he had better receivers, he would have a better passing game. One time, Newton made a 10-yard down and out to the other hash mark – one of the toughest throws in professional football – but on easier throws, he had some where he failed to connect. I don’t know if it is the Panthers’ receivers or if Newton just needs to improve.
The Seahawks continue to show that they may be the best team in the NFC. Seattle is separating from San Francisco. It was Kaepernick versus Superman and Superman won. Wow! Arizona is only one game behind San Francisco nine games into the season. Who would have thought that back in August?
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Jean Fugett's Week 5 NFL Picks and NFL Week 4 Recap - 9/30
Jean Fugett's Week 3 NFL Picks and NFL Week 2 Recap - 9/19
Jean Fugett's Week 2 NFL Picks and NFL Week 1 Recap - 9/15
Jean Fugett's 2013 NFL Season Preview - 8/31
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