We’ve almost made it to the midpoint of the season. It certainly hasn’t gone the way any of us predicted before the season started, but isn’t that the beauty of the game? It’s like the best reality television show you can find. Every week there’s a new storyline, new villains, new heroes, twists and turns no one could ever expect.

About a third of the fanbases out there are super excited. Their team is winning most of their games and they feel like a lock for the playoffs. There’s a middle third of fans that haven’t lost hope yet. And the final third, well, without a miracle they might be ready to give up on the season.

Last week we were talking about some pretty big trades and that has continued into this week. Tennessee shipped linebacker Ernest Jones to Seattle and wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins to Kansas City. Tennessee is in that bottom third. And these moves have brought up the word most fans dread – tanking.

When teams know they aren’t going to be able to compete, the front office and coaches come together and start looking at the roster. Are there players that don’t fit the future plans of the team? Do they have a diminished role on the team? Too big of a contract? An expiring contract? Are there players that have a bad attitude? So they look at all of this and start planning for the future of the team.

Players that don’t fit that future, the team tries to trade away. Get some kind of asset (draft pick) that will help the team compete in the following year. Maybe they look at some of their young guys and rookies that haven’t gotten much playing time because they are sitting behind established veterans on the depth chart. These young guys are going to get a chance to prove themselves over the rest of the season.

The result of these moves? More losses. A lot more losses

And this is what Tanking looks like.

Fans hate it because it feels like the team is giving up on the season. They hate it because some of their favorite players may end up on different teams. They hate it because it makes it seem like a winning season is even further away.

But should fans hate Tanking?

A lot of people think tanking is all about trying to get the best pick in the upcoming draft. That the goal is to lose a bunch of games to get one player in the draft that will change the fortune of the whole team. And we all know that never happens. But Tanking isn’t about getting a good draft pick. At least, when it’s done right.

Tanking is about preparing the team for the future. Making the personnel meet the goals of the coaching staff. Why keep players on the team that don’t fit the scheme?

The Raiders are a good example. Getting rid of Davante Adams made sense because of his age, contract and fit. But there are a lot of players that don’t fit the offensive system. Are they going to keep making moves? Probably not. The Raiders want to lose games so they can get a quarterback. They are trying to fix the team with one player, and that’s why the fanbase hates the tanking label.

Tennessee feels like they are going the other way. Pruning the tree so that it can grow back stronger and healthier. We’ll see how it goes. But hopefully fans can take a better look at what their teams are doing here at the trade deadline. Yes your team is tanking, but are they doing it the right way?

Stories I’m Following

Speaking of teams that aren’t reaching their season goals, who are the teams that might be looking for a new coach come January?

Every year there are half a dozen openings in the head coaching ranks. And every now and then, we get a surprise opening. So I’m going to list the few teams I think are going to be doing a coaching search and then some of my surprise teams.

Locks
These are the teams that I can almost guarantee are getting rid of their coaches:

NY Jets – Yes, it makes it easier to pick them when they’ve already fired their coach. The Jets are clearly under performing this season.

New Orleans – Dennis Allen hasn’t had much success as a head coach in the league. Injuries have hurt this team, and that might give him an out at the end of the season, but there’s been nothing to prove that he can build and develop a winning franchise. He’s a very good defensive coordinator and there’s nothing wrong with that for a career.

Dallas – First of all Mike McCarthy isn’t even under contract for next year. Jerry Jones is blaming him in the media for the struggles on offense. But more than that, there are huge gaps in the talent on this team. Someone has to take the fall for that, and since the General Manager is also the owner, it’s going to fall on the head coach.

Jacksonville – Doug Peterson hasn’t accomplished any of the goals that he was hired to produce. The offense has regressed. Trevor Lawrence no longer looks like a top quarterback after signing a huge contract in the offseason.

Likely Gone
Coaches that probably deserve to be fired, but the owners might want to give another year.

Cleveland – Kevin Stefanski has done a great job in Cleveland. This has been a trying season, but with Watson out, this offense has a chance to get back on track. There’s a real possibility that Jameis Winston can lead this team to five or six wins over the rest of the season. That would look like a win for the coaching staff and could keep them on for another year.

New York Giants – Brian Daboll has had an up and down career with the Giants and it’s only been three years. Sticking with Daniel Jones might have been the biggest mistake Daboll made. It could take him down as the coach. The Mara family seems patient and willing to give Daboll time to put in his system, but at the end of this season, there will be talk about the future. If Daboll continues to stand behind Jones, that could be it for him.

Suprises
Two teams that could have openings that aren’t on the radar right now.

Tampa Bay – Todd Bowles has done a good job down in Tampa. But if the Buccaneers end up on a losing streak because of the loss of Mike Evans and Chris Godwin there might be some sentiment in the organization to make a change this year.

Kansas City – Andy Reid might be willing to walk away from it all if they complete the threepeat. In fact, I think this is the job that a lot of very talented offensive coordinators are waiting on.

Week in Review

• Good Geno makes Seattle look like a contender
• Bad Cousins makes Atlanta look like geniuses for drafting Penix
• Calvin Ridley needs to meet the football, they’ve been missing each other for so long need a new introduction
• How does that feel Amari Cooper? Winning is kinda nice right?
• How does that feel Davante Adams? About the same, but at least you have a friend again
• Burrow finally won at Cleveland. Wait, what? That’s a thing?
• Joe Mixon versus Josh Jacobs might have been the undercard, but it ended up being the most compelling part of the game
• Detroit, Minnesota, Green Bay there’s think of the playoff combinations, think of the rematches
• Is Desmond Ridder the best quarterback on the Raiders roster? If so, why wait until now to get him?
• Hopkins and JuJu are going to be matchup nightmares for AFC teams in the playoffs
• Maybe the Eagles should try a deep pass to AJ Brown in the 1st quarter this week?
• Aaron Rodgers wasn’t eating boogers on the sideline – he was testing a new all natural remedy for arthritis
• Pittsburgh needs to block more kicks, the sideline celebration was awesome

Power Rankings

Who is playing the best football right now?

10. Philadelphia (18 Last Week)
    Beating the Giants and Browns is not a good measure of how great a team is. But the defense is getting better, the run game is solid and if AJ Brown stays healthy, the pass game has a chance to be explosive.
11. Pittsburgh (12 Last Week)
    The defense and run game have been good to great all season. If Russell Wilson can continue to play within the system and not descend into “hero ball” this team could still be a serious challenge to Baltimore in the division.
12. Washington (10 Last Week)
    Having Daniels get hurt against Carolina was a lucky break. How he plays, getting bumps and bruises were going to be a given this season. Washington was able to use the game against Carolina as an extended practice session to make sure everyone was on the same page with Mariota leading the offense. It was a good sign that everyone was able to elevate their game with Daniels on the sideline.
13. Buffalo (7 Last Week)
    I would like this offense better if Josh Allen was more aggressive with the football. The run game would be better if he ran it more. Allen has tried to push the ball down the field but his receivers have let him down. The pass game should be better as Cooper gets more integrated into the offense.
14. Houston (4 Last Week)
    Tough loss to Green Bay last week. With a good defense and a strong run game, it’s funny to think the weak link on this team is the passing game. Where is Tank Dell?
15. Green Bay (6 Last Week)
    Jordan Love is feeling it, and Josh Jacobs got his first receiving touchdown of his career. Is there nothing this offense can’t do? The defense is underrated, but it is a solid unit that is getting better each week.
16. Minnesota (3 Last Week)
    No shame in losing to Detroit on a last second field goal. But the lull in the offense in the middle of the game should be a worry for a team that has the talent to be dominant on that side of the ball.
17. Baltimore (5 Last Week)
    If this defense could play a decent fourth quarter, I could put them higher on this list. But for now, it feels like no matter what Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry do, no lead is safe. Getting a pass rusher or some help in the secondary feels like a priority for a team that has Super Bowl aspirations.
18. Kansas City (2 Last Week)
    It’s easy to point to the problems in the pass game and think this team isn’t very good. But this version of the Chiefs, and it’s the same version as last year’s Super Bowl team, is a run first/physical defense group. This team wears you down and grinds out wins. It’s not pretty, but it’s very effective.
19. Detroit (1 Last Week)
    If Detroit can’t find a way to manufacture a pass rush, they are going to be in quite a few shoot-outs the rest of the season. But honestly, I don’t think they’d mind playing high scoring games. This is a confident team that can beat anyone anywhere.

MVP Watch

Who are the players making the best case for the MVP award this year?

5. TJ Watt – a couple games in a row where TJ has been quiet. Playing against the Giants offensive line will cure that.
6. Patrick Mahomes – reputation sometimes outweighs performance on the field.
7. Josh Allen – no turnovers so far, but the offense doesn’t look as powerful as years past. Maybe Allen needs to start playing more aggressively.
8. Jared Goff – always been accurate, proving to be very good against the blitz. In a very balanced offense, Goff is the ringleader making it all work.
9. Lamar Jackson – after a slow start to the season, there isn’t a more dominant player right now in all of football. The only thing standing in his way to a third MVP might be Derrick Henry.

Weekly Predictions

Next week’s games, who’s going to win and why?

Minnesota at Los Angeles Rams
The Rams are getting reinforcements back and there’s a real chance Minnesota suffers a hangover effect from losing to the Lions. But sometimes you just gotta pick the team that is playing better football. MIN 26 – LAR 17

Baltimore at Cleveland
Jameis Winston is getting the start this week, which is good news for the Baltimore secondary. Cleveland has been getting a good pass rush lately, but the running game from Baltimore should have no problems. BAL 31 – CLE 17

Tennessee at Detroit
Dan Campbell came out and said it, Tennessee is a much better team than their record. But the biggest flaw on the team is at the quarterback position. The Titans won’t have the firepower to keep up with Detroit. DET 38 – TEN 20

Indianapolis at Houston
Anthony Richardson continues to impress with his athleticism, but his accuracy and anticipation throwing the ball are lacking. Houston is going to be motivated after the close loss in Green Bay last week. HOU 23 – IND 16

Green Bay at Jacksonville
Jacksonville just spent two weeks in England and instead of getting a bye week when they come back they get the Green Bay Packers? Is this so much of a mismatch that the Packers could overlook this game? It’s possible, but unlikely. GB 31 – JAX 13

Arizona at Miami
The early reports say Tua is trending towards starting this game. If he does, I really like Miami to have an offensive party. If not, I think the team will still find a way to win knowing that the playoffs are still possible. MIA 27 – ARI 24

New York Jets at New England
The Jets finally found a team they can beat. It’s going to be amazing to watch the sideline celebrations and the happy faces when they finally get the win. Next week, back to reality. NYJ 27 – NE 16

Atlanta at Tampa Bay
Will Atlanta keep Tampa Bay in the game by throwing it too much and not relying on their run game? Will Tampa self destruct on offense by throwing it too much and not relying on their run game? ATL 23 – TB 21

Philadelphia at Cincinnati
This matchup seemed inevitable after coming off wins against Cleveland and the New York Giants. Yes that’s right, the Eagles and Bengals are 4-0 the past two weeks playing against the same two teams. Philadelphia’s offense and defense seemed a little better in those games. PHI 22 – CIN 19

New Orleans at Los Angeles Chargers
The Saints are getting some players back from injury, but they will still have Rattler at quarterback. The Chargers are a boring football team, but if they can find a way to score a couple of touchdowns, their defense should be able to hold on for the win. LAC 23 – NO 20

Chicago at Washington
This was so close to being the Game of the Week. If I knew Daniels was going to play it probably would have made it. But Caleb Williams vs Marcus Mariota doesn’t have the same cache. Both teams run the ball well, but the Chicago defense is playing better than Washington’s. CHI 24 – WAS 16

Carolina at Denver
Bryce Young back in the starting lineup. No not because he earned it in practice, Andy Dalton was in a car accident this week. The Denver defense is going to make Bryce Young feel like he was in a car accident too. DEN 27 – CAR 13

Kansas City at Las Vegas
How fitting would it be if the Raiders put the first blemish on the Chiefs record? No, I’m not crazy. I think the Raiders are going to be very motivated for this week. They will have a two score lead at some point in the first half. But they will end up losing the game by at least two scores because at halftime they’ll be reminded that they need a top three pick in next year’s draft. KC 31 – LV 20

Dallas at San Francisco
The San Francisco defense isn’t the same this year, so Dak should be able to move the ball effectively all night. The question will be if Brock Purdy can find success without his stars on the field. The 49ers have struggled in the red zone all season, so if they are kicking field goals in this game instead of getting touchdowns, then Dallas has the advantage. DAL 31 – SF 26

New York Giants at Pittsburgh
The Giants defense has been very good at getting pressure on the quarterback. They haven’t been great at stopping the run, which is not a good sign going up against a team like the Steelers. On the flip side, TJ Watt vs the Giants offensive line is bad news for Daniel Jones. PIT 27 – NYG 17

Game of the week:

Buffalo at Seattle
Amari Cooper is a good fit for Buffalo, but it’s going to take him a few weeks to get familiar with the playbook and build chemistry with Josh Allen. The Bills offense hasn’t been great on the road this season and Allen has struggled in all three road games. The Bills wide receivers have been disappointing for much of the season, either dropping balls or running bad routes. Cook is providing good yards on the ground, but for Buffalo to win a road game against a quality opponent they will need production from the pass game.

Seattle is suffering the growing pains of a new coaching staff and a new scheme on both offense and defense. When it works, it looks great. When it doesn’t, they look lost out there. The Seattle linebackers have been an issue all year both in run and pass defense. Picking up Ernest Jones from Tennessee should help once he gets up to speed. But winning and losing so far this year has depended on which version of Geno Smith shows up. If they get accurate Geno they have a chance to win. If they get the version of Geno that throws into coverage and leads his receivers into the defender, that will spell doom for the home team.

I’d like to see Josh Allen challenge the Seattle defense with his legs and use crossing routes underneath to put pressure on their linebackers to cover. But playing in Seattle is a rough experience for visiting teams. I think this is the game Allen starts turning the ball over and Seattle’s run game will take the pressure off Geno. SEA 30 – BUF 21

Whew! Week 8 almost in the books. Get ready for next week when we do our midseason grades! Good luck to all of the fanbases out there, and be sure to follow us on Facebook and check out the Gridiron Voice Podcast!