NFL Week 10 early games open thread and rooting guide

Welcome to NFL Sunday, everyone! You’ve got two NFC South games on the docket today before the Falcons kick off at 4:25, and we’re happy to tell you who to root for this week. As you’ll note from our recommendation for the first game, we’re feeling particularly mean-spirited at the moment.

Please use this as your early afternoon open thread.

Buccaneers vs. Jets

At this point, we don’t want the Bucs to get a top five pick that would give them a shot at a truly elite player, and we don’t want them to fire Dirk Koetter and give them a shot at a coach who might lift them out of mediocrity. Therefore, at random, we’ll root for them to win a few games and maybe claw their way up to 6-10 or 7-9. This is one of them, for whimsy’s sake.

Saints vs. Bills

Lord almighty am I already tired of smug Saints fans and New Orleans’ suddenly excellent secondary. When you add in the fact that continued Bills success might mean they actually win the AFC East for the first time in years, this is an easy one.

Browns vs. Lions

Chiefly for the lulz, frankly.

Bengals vs. Titans

I cannot imagine having to care about this game in any way, shape, or form.

Packers vs. Bears

The Packers are absolutely dead in the water, and while the Bears aren’t in much better shape, their defense and willingness to run the ball 30+ times in a single game would make them dangerous if they somehow snuck into the playoffs. Let’s err on the side of caution.

Chargers vs. Jaguars

The Jaguars haven’t been good in years, and their defense is legitimately entertaining. I’d love to see them wreck the AFC’s finest this year en route to a Super Bowl berth, so long as the Falcons don’t have to play them.

Vikings vs. Redskins

Give me the 4-4 team trending behind two contenders over a potentially lethal playoff team, I guess, though I’m still talking like I expect the Falcons to make the postseason. If they don’t, it’d be hard to root against the Vikings, especially with Teddy Bridgewater making his return.

Steelers vs. Colts

The way the Colts have handled some of their best players, they deserve everything that’s coming to them.