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Ten Thoughts on the NFL

The NFL is awesome because the old saying, 'On any given Sunday,' is often true. Each and every week something amazing and unexpected happens and we get to talk about it right here.

By Lester A. Wiltfong Jr.
Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

1) Pittsburgh Steelers' running back DeAngelo Williams is 32 years old and in his 10th season in the NFL. He has carried the ball over 1,500 times with almost 200 receptions, and last year he labored through an injury plagued season missing 10 games with a bad hammy, a high ankle sprain and a fractured finger.

If the Steelers would have gone along with the popular opinion, they never would have offered a player on the "wrong side of 30" a 2 year contract. But they did, and he was a real good fill in while starter Le'Veon Bell sat out his 2 game suspension to open the season. Williams went for 204 yards on 41 carries in weeks 1 and 2, but he's been even better the last 2 weeks after Bell was lost for the year with a knee injury. In about a game and a half, Williams has rushed for 241 yards on 36 carries.

2) I can't mention the Steelers without hitting on wide out Antonio Brown's 17 catches and 284 receiving yards, which are both Steeler records. In fact, Brown totaled 306 yards from scrimmage on Sunday, which was more than three other teams.

3) Oh by the way, the Steelers beat the Oakland Raiders 38-35 in what was a very exciting game on a Sunday that only had 3 out of 11 games decided by more than 8 points. Then to top off week 9, the Monday Night capper came down to the final seconds as well.

4) The Green Bay Packers and their fans have had a rough couple of weeks. First off, thanks to the Curse Of Ditka, they've seen their undefeated team lose two straight games. Then on Sunday, Carolina Panthers' QB Cam Newton ripped down a Packer banner in what has become the most idiotic NFL controversy of this season.

Just how dumb has it become? SB Nation's PFT Commenter touched on it in his MMBM column this week.

Sunday's loss against the Panthers featured not only this sideline tiff,

But also quarterback Aaron Rodgers throwing a tablet...

And also Julius Peppers auditioning for the role of The Grinch.

But the worst of all may be unexpectedly dropping into a tie with the Minnesota Vikings at 6-2.

5) And speaking of the Vikings, Minnesota head coach Mike Zimmer didn't mince words when talking about St. Louis Rams' defensive coordinator Gregg Williams. You remember Williams don't you? He was the D.C of the Saints during their Bounty scandal.

Here's the hit that got Zimmer all fired up.

That's his starting QB Teddy Bridgewater getting knocked out by a cheap shot, and here's Zimmer's open to his post game press conference, "I know we played very clean on our side of the ball."

Zimmer went on to say the hit on his QB was definitely a "cheap shot" and that Williams' "defenses are all like that."

6) Rams rookie running back Todd Gurley has been making the most waves among 1st year players at his position, but have you noticed what Buffalo 5th round draft pick Karlos Williams has done this year?

Williams has played in 5 games this season and he has scored a TD in each of them. He's just the 4th player in NFL history to do that. He's averaging 6.6 yards per carry for the 4-4 Bills.

7) Staying with the Bills, Is there a bigger Troll in the NFL than Buffalo Bills head coach Rex Ryan?

Buffalo travels to play the Jets this Thursday and Ryan, who coached the Jets from 2009-2014, has already named IK Enemkpali one of their co-captains. You remember Enemkpali don't you? He's the guy that broke Jets QB Geno Smith's jaw earlier this season when he was still employed by the Jets.

8) In last week's Thoughts, I talked about number two overall draft pick Marcus Mariota kind of coming back to earth in his last three games, with 5 interceptions to 3 TDs, and a 74.4 passer rating. So of course he lights it up with 371 yards and 4 TDs, with no picks, against the Saints on Sunday.

I think both he and Jameis Winston are going to buck the trend of QBs going 1-2 in the draft going 50/50 on long term success. Both are playing solid football for rookies.

9) Did anyone have the Colts beating the Broncos?

So can we assume the Colts have righted the ship now that they made a change at offensive coordinator?

Andrew Luck had only the 2nd turnover free game of the 7 he's played this year.

9a) And speaking of Luck, the Colts just announced that he'll be out the next 2-6 weeks with a lacerated kidney and a partial tear of an abdominal muscle.

9b) With the Broncos dropping off the list of the undefeateds, there are only three left. New England at 8-0 isn't a surprise, but are you guys more surprised at the unblemished Bengals or Panthers?

10) What kind of Chicago Bears fan are you?

Do you look at the 2015 team and think that they are only a few plays away from being 6-2?

Or...

Do you look at the 2015 team and think that they are only a few plays away from being 0-8?

Or...

Maybe you fall somewhere in the middle?

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