X-Factors For Each Week 10 NFL Game

Some of the NFL’s best teams are on bye in Week 10, which will allow other franchises to gain some ground in the standings. The majority of the league is still within shouting distance of a playoff spot, which means that coaching staffs will be hard at work trying to gain an edge. We’ll highlight one player in each game who might swing the result in their team’s direction.

Thursday Night Football features a matchup of two teams who will most likely not be a part of the NFL playoffs. Both Chicago and Carolina are in the process of evaluating players who will be around long term. The Panthers rebuffed offers for Burns, who is once again proving that he’s one of the best young pass rushers in the NFL.

New England is mired in the middle of a lost season, and it might be easy for them to pack it in before a trip to Germany to play the Colts. One way to maintain a healthy level of confidence is to dominate in the running game. Stevenson set a season-high in rushing yards last week against the Washington Commanders, and will look to build on that this Sunday.

Baltimore has recorded some awfully impressive wins against quality competition at home, and will look to log one more against Cleveland in Week 10. At times, the Ravens have seemed like an unstoppable force on offense. It’ll be up to players like Owusu-Koramoah to help keep Baltimore’s running backs, and the versatile Lamar Jackson from ripping off chunks of yardage.

Cincinnati fans held their breath when Hendrickson hurt his ankle against the San Francisco 49ers a couple weeks ago. He remained in the game, and played against the Buffalo Bills last week, but his impact was muted. The Bengals will hope that Hendrickson can continue to get healthier as the season rolls along.

Even though San Francisco comes into Week 10 having lost three straight, this contest is more of a statement opportunity for Lawrence. He’s played well for the last two years, but is still looking to prove that he is the generational prospect everyone thought he could be coming out of college. An impressive performance against a stout 49ers defense would help restore that faith.

He’s been in and out of the lineup with injury, but Darrisaw has shown that he has the ability to be one of the better linemen in the NFL when healthy. Minnesota can use all the help they can get against New Orleans. A fearsome defensive line led by Cameron Jordan can wreck a gameplan quickly if they aren’t held in check.

At long last, it seems like Jones has turned the corner from a health perspective. A lingering hamstring injury left the Green Bay running back with limited explosiveness, but he finally broke out against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 9. The Packers hope that he can be a catalyst for their offense again in Pittsburgh on Sunday.

Tennessee has proclaimed that they will be starting Will Levis under center moving forward. So far in two games, the rookie has locked on to wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, and Tampa Bay will shade coverage towards him to make Levis look elsewhere. Someone else will need to step up for the Titans, and the athletic Okonkwo is as good a candidate as any.

The injury news receiving the most attention out of Arizona is the return of quarterback Kyler Murray, but they might also get help in the backfield. Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon said Conner looked excellent during the team’s bye week, which gives him a decent chance to hit the field against Atlanta. His presence would help Murray ease back into NFL game action.

This should be a fascinating game between two really talented teams. Detroit has skilled players in their backfield and in the passing game, which will give Los Angeles all it can handle on defense. James has been a swiss-army knife in his career, and will look to establish his presence in the intermediate area of the field.

Many were expecting Pollard to become one of the best running backs in the league after claiming the starting job heading into the year. He hasn’t quite ascended to those heights, which have led some to question his ability to be a bonafide lead back. Pollard’s best game of the season came in Week 1 against New York, and he’ll hope to carve them up once more to get back on track.

Seattle was drubbed in Week 9 against the Baltimore Ravens, and fans would think that the Seahawks would get back to their bread and butter in Week 10. That should mean a heavy dose of Metcalf, who remains one of the elite physical specimens in the NFL. He was held to just one catch against Baltimore.

It’s no secret that the Jets are struggling to move the ball. While there are many reasons for why this might be, it’s apparent that quarterback Zach Wilson doesn’t always have the confidence to let the ball go downfield. That could be a problem against Crosby, whose relentless pursuit could lead Wilson to make a couple of mistakes.

Even though Denver’s defense has been much maligned this season, they still have a pillar to build their secondary around. Cornerback Patrick Surtain II has the ability to be one of the best defenders in the NFL, and will probably find himself opposite Stefon Diggs a lot on Monday night. That means Davis might have opportunities to make plays deep down the field.