We're essentially at the halfway point of the NFL season, and the playoff races are heating up and starting to take shape.
asserted
races → heat → shape
I'd like to think I've figured out which teams are good and which teams are bad.
asserted
teams → like → ?
Of course, I thought that a month ago, too, and I'd appreciate it if you didn't go back and check.
asserted
you → think → it
Cincinnati made a habit of getting off to slow starts and had to rally from 13-point deficits in each of the past two weeks, including needing overtime to beat the lowly Titans.
asserted
Cincinnati → make → Titans
After allowing the Falcons to score a touchdown on their first drive, the Bengals dominated in Spain.
asserted
Bengals → allow → Spain
It was another come-from-behind victory, but this one wasn't a sweat.
asserted
one → come → behind
Cincinnati answered with four straight scoring drives to take a 24-10 lead into halftime.
asserted
Cincinnati → answer → halftime
Atlanta never got closer than a 7-point deficit in the second half, and when they did cut it to one score, Cincinnati immediately answered with another touchdown.
asserted
Cincinnati → get → touchdown
If the Bengals defense can keep playing like it did on Sunday, there's little that can be done to stop Joe Burrow, Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins.
asserted
that → keep → Burrow
We shouldn't pretend the New York Giants are a great football team, but they are 5-2-1 on the year and comfortably in first place in the NFC East.
asserted
they → pretend → East
Hiring Super Bowl-winning coach John Harbaugh after Baltimore fired him already looks like a home run for New York.
asserted
Baltimore → hire → York
The Giants have dealt with a ton of injuries, including to starting quarterback Jaxson Dart, but they've managed to keep the season on track.
asserted
they → deal → track
Sean Payton owes NFL referees a fruit basket or something.
asserted
Payton → owe → basket
The Denver Broncos have won two games this season thanks in large part to controversial calls that benefitted them.
asserted
that → win → them
On Sunday, officials flagged the Panthers 13 times for 119 yards, including several third-down penalties that kept Denver drives alive.
asserted
that → flag → drives
That's not to say they were all bad calls, but it definitely seemed like the Broncos got the better side of the yellow markers.
asserted
Broncos → say → markers
Officials also allowed Payton to challenge an incompletion after Carolina had already run another play, saying he had thrown the flag before the snap.
asserted
he → allow → snap
The review gave Denver the ball on Devon Key's interception.
asserted
review → give → interception
Despite all that, they still almost blew a 12-point lead with less than 6 minutes remaining, but got a huge strip-sack from Nik Bonitto to seal the win.
asserted
they → blow → win
Don't look now, but the "superteam" is finally over .500.
asserted
superteam → look → .500
Perhaps no team in the NFL has been hurt by injuries more than the Rams, but for the first time this season, they have more wins than losses.
asserted
they → hurt → losses
It wasn't pretty, as most of their games haven't been, but Los Angeles managed to hang on to win their third straight game after a 2-4 start.
asserted
Angeles → manage → start
Sean McVay has brought the Rams back from slow starts before, and they are starting to get healthy, with Myles Garrett returning on Sunday.
asserted
Garrett → bring → Sunday
They still don't look like the team that everyone thought was definitely going to win the Super Bowl, but they probably aren't a team that opponents are going to want to face in January.
asserted
opponents → look → January
Kansas City did what it was supposed to do.
asserted
it → do → what
When a team as good as the Chiefs hosts a team as bad as the Jets, they're supposed to run them out of the building.
asserted
they → host → building
And that's exactly what Kansas City did.
asserted
City → do → what
The Chiefs outscored the Jets 21-0 in the second half and cruised to a victory.
asserted
Chiefs → outscore → victory
They also survived an injury scare involving Patrick Mahomes' right arm.
asserted
They → survive → arm
Mahomes was shaken up but returned for Kansas City's next possession.
asserted
Mahomes → shake → possession
His health is worth monitoring because an injury to Mahomes is about the only thing that could derail Kansas City's hopes for a fourth Super Bowl title in eight seasons.
uncertain
that → derail → seasons
The Lions won a game they should have won, so good for them.
asserted
they → win → them
Detroit didn't exactly put on an offensive clinic, but it didn't need to against the Dolphins.
asserted
it → put → Dolphins
Jake Bates kicked four field goals, Jahmyr Gibbs scored the game's only touchdown and the Lions defense kept Miami out of the end zone.
asserted
defense → kick → zone
The Lions have now won four straight and sit at 6-2, which matters a lot more than this one win.
asserted
which → win → win
Beating the 1-7 Dolphins isn't going to convince anyone of anything they didn't already think about Detroit, but losing to them certainly would have.
asserted
losing → beat → them
The Cowboys and Colts turned in one of the most entertaining games of Week 9.
asserted
Cowboys → turn → Week
Indianapolis kicked a go-ahead 50-yard field goal with 1:37 left, only for Dallas to respond with a game-winning touchdown less than 30 seconds later.
asserted
Dallas → kick → touchdown
The Colts have basically punted on the season, and the Cowboys still needed a late touchdown to beat them.
asserted
Cowboys → punt → them
The game featured 23 penalties and four turnovers combined, with Dallas racking up an unconscionable 153 penalty yards.
asserted
Dallas → feature → yards
…and 42 more, not listed.
The Aporia
