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Are the Cowboys back? Where do the Raiders go from here? + Are the Bears...good?
So, are the Cowboys actually back? That’s the multi-billion dollar question echoing through the NFL universe after their Monday night demolition of the Las Vegas Raiders, a 30-6 statement win that felt less like a game and more like a cathartic release for a franchise perpetually under the microscope. Let’s break it down like we’re chatting at the sports bar: Dak Prescott looked like the quarterback who had the league on a string a couple of seasons ago, surgically picking apart the Raiders' secondary and finally getting the ball to CeeDee Lamb in the kind of explosive, defense-terrifying ways we’ve been waiting for all year.The defense, led by Micah Parsons—who is basically a human wrecking ball with a helmet—was relentless, generating pressure and turnovers that completely stifled any rhythm the Raiders hoped to establish. It was a dominant, complete-team performance, the kind that makes you think, ‘Okay, maybe they’ve finally figured it out.’ But then you remember this is the Cowboys, a team whose season often feels like a Netflix drama with more plot twists than a Shonda Rhimes show. We’ve seen this movie before: a blistering regular-season win that ignites Super Bowl dreams, only for the narrative to crumble in January.The real test isn't beating a struggling Raiders team; it's sustaining this level of execution against the Eagles and the 49ers in the crucible of the playoff race. Speaking of the Raiders, where do they go from here? The post-Jon Gruden era, now firmly in the hands of interim coach Rich Bisaccia, feels like a ship searching for a port in a storm.Derek Carr is a solid quarterback, but the offense lacks a consistent identity, and the defense, while showing flashes, got exposed in a big way on a national stage. The rest of their season is less about playoff contention and more about an organizational audit—figuring out which pieces are part of the long-term foundation and which need to be replaced this offseason.And then there’s the Chicago Bears, the team that’s somehow become the league’s most confusing Rorschach test. Are they… good? Following their scrappy win, the debate is hotter than a deep-dish pizza fresh out of the oven.Justin Fields is undeniably electric, a human highlight reel whose rushing ability is forcing defensive coordinators to lose sleep. His progression as a passer is the key to unlocking the Bears' ceiling, but the pieces around him—the offensive line, the receiving corps—still feel a tier below the NFC’s elite.Matt Nagy’s seat might be slightly cooler, but this feels like a team building for 2023, not making a serious run in 2022. They’re the fun, chaotic team that can beat anyone on a given Sunday but also lose to anyone, the kind of squad that makes your fantasy team awesome but gives their real-life fans an ulcer.Shifting to the wild Rams-Seahawks bout, that game was a classic NFC West slugfest that came down to the final possession. Russell Wilson, even at less than 100%, is still a magician, but the Rams' offensive firepower, with Matthew Stafford slinging it to Cooper Kupp—who is putting up video game numbers—ultimately proved too much.This game highlighted the razor-thin margins in that division; a single play can be the difference between a first-round bye and a wild-card weekend on the road. Finally, Frank’s playoff projections after Week 11 paint a fascinating picture of the stretch run.The AFC is a gauntlet, with teams like the Titans, Ravens, and Patriots looking like bona fide contenders, while the Chiefs seem to have rediscovered their mojo. In the NFC, it’s the Cardinals and Packers looking down at everyone, but the Buccaneers are lurking, and if the Cowboys can play like they did on Monday night, they could crash that party. The final seven weeks are going to be pure chaos, a beautiful mess of upsets, breakout stars, and heartbreak that reminds us why we’re all glued to the screen every Sunday.
#featured
#Dallas Cowboys
#Las Vegas Raiders
#Chicago Bears
#NFL Week 11
#playoff projections
#Monday Night Football
#Aaron Rodgers injury
