From the Desk of Eagles Outsider Barry Bowe

To ESPN’s Freddie Coleman – Heard you last night starting to discuss the possibility of the Titans beating Carolina this week and dropping the 8-0 Panthers from the ranks of the undefeated. But by then it was too late to pass this along to you before you went off the air.

By the way, thanks for the on-air mention Monday night.

AND THEN THERE WERE THREE . . .

Mimicking Gomer Pyle, it was one helluva surprise, surprise, surprise to see the previously unbeaten Broncos lose to the sub-500 Colts in Indy. But it was indeed a pleasant surprise because it left just three undefeated teams remaining before I can crack open my chilled bottle of Andre:

1. Patriots 8-0
2. Bengals 8-0
3. Panthers 8-0

In case you missed it, the Indy fans gave Peyton Manning a great big welcome home and then watched a back-and-forth game unfold – ending with the Colts on top 27-24.

By the way, for those of you mobile-quarterback fans out there, Andrew Luck will miss the next two-to-six weeks. Seems he suffered a lacerated kidney while running the ball against the Broncos.

I prefer the pocket quarterback.

Again, in case you missed it, an 8:38 highlight video is below:

BENGALS 31 – BROWNS 10

The Bengals made short work of the Browns last Thursday night:

• Andy Dalton threw for 234 yards and three TDs – all three to tight end Tyler Eifert.
• But Johnny Manziel – subbing for injured Josh McCown – earned a new nickname from me – Johnny Frenetic.

Except for an efficient 10-play, 92-yard drive near the end of the first half that ended with a 12-yard connection to Duke Johnson, Manziel looked like a water bug on speed for most of the night. He wound up 15-for-33 (45%) for just 168 yards and that one TD.

I’ve said it from the get-go – Johnny Manziel is not an NFL quarterback.

Next up for the Bengals (8-0) are the woeful (3-4) Texans at home on Monday Night Football. The Bengals are 12-point favorites and should have little trouble beating the Texans.

But looming ahead are back-to-back matchups that should prove to be challenges:

• November 22 versus the Cardinals on the road.
• November 29 versus the Rams at home.

Either team – or both teams – have the ability and potential to beat the Bengals.

PATRIOTS 27 – REDSKINS 10

The Patriots made short work of the Redskins:

• Tom Brady went 26-for-39 for 299 yards and two TDs.
• LeGarrette Blount rushed for 129 yards and a TD.
• Brandon LaFell and Julian Edelman both caught five passes – Edelman scoring on one.
• The Pats defense kept the Redskins out of the end zone until Kirk Cousins connected with Jordan Reed from three yards out with just 0:27 remaining in the fourth quarter.

Next up for the (8-0) Patriots are the (5-4) Giants.

The Giants are in first place in the NFC East – one game ahead of the Eagles – and would like to remain in first place. Although the Giants have the potential to pull off an upset at home, the Pats are 8½-point favorites and should survive their visit to North Jersey.

Prior to the beginning of the playoffs, the only possible threat I see on the Pats’ schedule is a rematch with the Jets on the road two days after Christmas.

PANTHERS 37 – PACKERS 29

The Panthers survived for the second straight week.

After jumping out to a 27-7 lead at the half, the Panthers held on for dear life as Aaron Rodgers drove the Packers into the red zone with 2:00 remaining. Needing a touchdown and two-point conversion to knot the score, Rodgers threw an ill-advised pass that was intercepted by linebacker Thomas Davis.

This week’s foe for the Panthers are the Titans who looked like world-beaters last week when Marcus Mariota returned to the lineup after missing two weeks with a knee injury. The Titans beat the Saints 34-28 as Mariota went 28-for-39 for 371 yards and four TDs.

I think the Panthers survive for at least one more week, but they could go down if Mariota keeps the hot hand. Either way, I don’t see the Panthers finishing the regular season undefeated.

BY THE WAY

Don Shula – who coached those 1972 Dolphins to the only Perfect Season in NFL history – is rooting for the Panthers to finish the season undefeated. That’s because his son Dave Shula is the Offensive Coordinator for the Panthers.

That thought-process fits neatly into the blood-is-thicker-than-water file. But since neither Don nor Dave Shula are my blood relatives, so I’m rooting for the Panthers to fall.

If you’re curious about my fascination with undefeated teams, CLICK HERE.

In addition to being the official Eagles Outsider for BlameMyFather.com Barry Bowe is also the author of:

• Born to Be Wild
• 1964 – The Year the Phillies Blew the Pennant
• 12 Best Eagles QBs
• Birth of the Birds
• Soon-to-be-published sexy, police procedural Caribbean Queen
• Soon-to-be-published novel Stosh Wadzinski
• Soon-to-be-published novel Polish Widow