NFL Week 10 takeaways: C.J. Stroud enters the MVP race; 49ers back in business

Cover 7 | Sunday A daily NFL destination that provides in-depth analysis of football’s biggest stories. Each Sunday, three of The Athletic’s NFL writers react to the biggest news, plays and performances from the day’s games.

There was mayhem in the AFC North on Sunday as the Houston Texans upset the Cincinnati Bengals behind rookie phenom C.J. Stroud and the Cleveland Browns rallied to knock off the first-place Baltimore Ravens, with both favorites losing at home. The Pittsburgh Steelers held off the visiting Green Bay Packers despite getting outgained, but that’s nothing new for the Steelers.

Meanwhile, the San Francisco 49ers flexed some muscle against the Jacksonville Jaguars and a folk-hero story continued in Minnesota.

The Athletic NFL writers Mike Jones, Ted Nguyen and Dan Pompei share their thoughts on the top headlines from Sunday.

Stroud and the Texans earned a signature victory Sunday in Cincinnati. Are you ready to put Stroud in the MVP discussion?

Jones: Yep, he’s definitely an MVP candidate in my book. It’s hard to believe that the second overall pick of the draft would be a part of such discussions, but here we are. Once again, we saw Stroud put his team on his back and make one amazing play after another. And then, we saw him bounce back from adversity (the late-game interception, which was only his second of the year, and the Bengals’ game-tying drive) and march his team downfield and into position to win the game. Stroud is a major difference-maker for the Texans, who have now won five of their last seven to improve to 5-4. So he definitely deserves consideration at this midway point of the season.

Pompei: In a year when there isn’t a clear-cut MVP leader after 10 games, Stroud is as good a candidate as any. Stroud stepped up Sunday with the game on the line, as he did the week before. That’s what MVPs do. Of course, he’s going to have to do it more when the games count for more. The MVP isn’t decided in early November. It’s decided in December. But he’s off to as good a start as anyone. The Texans already have won more games this season than they did in any of the last three years, and they have eight left to play. The primary reason they won those games is Stroud. That’s a very valuable player.

Nguyen: How could you not? He has the numbers, he’s helped the Texans win five games after only winning two all of last season, and he has had several memorable late-game drives that ended with wins. Those are all things MVP voters typically look for. Of course, it’ll be tough to earn that respect as a rookie, and the Texans would likely have to make the playoffs for him to truly be in contention, but right now, he should certainly be in the conversation.

The Ravens and Bengals both were upset at home on Sunday ahead of their anticipated meeting Thursday night in Baltimore. With both needing to bounce back on a short week, what should we expect in that marquee AFC North matchup?

Jones: We can expect a physical, hard-fought, signature NFC North battle. Sure, Joe Burrow is going to sling it around, and Lamar Jackson is going to make plays with his arm and his legs. But there will be key battles in the trenches and some game-defining defensive plays to help determine the outcome.

Pompei: We should expect another game like both teams played Sunday. It was a perfect AFC North Sunday with back-and-forth battles, hard-to-believe plays and raging intensity. We also should expect redemptive performances from Burrow and Jackson, who threw two interceptions each. Both quarterbacks are too good for that to happen again. There is a temptation to say the winner of the Ravens-Bengals game Thursday will be positioned to win the division, but there is way too much football to conclude that. The division is entirely up for grabs, and the Browns and Steelers will be heard from.

Nguyen: The Ravens game was a wonky one in which they were in control for almost the entire game. Jackson made some uncharacteristic mistakes, throwing a pick-six in the fourth quarter. I think the Ravens are still the best team in the league.

The Bengals have played better because Burrow is healthier, but they have concerning holes throughout the roster. Their problems on the offensive line were masked by Burrow, and their lack of talent in the defensive secondary was masked by the game planning of defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo. But issues can only be masked for so long. I think the Ravens will be focused and play well against the Bengals. I think Burrow keeps them in the game for a while, but the Ravens pull away.

After a three-game losing streak, the 49ers looked like their old selves Sunday in routing the Jaguars in Jacksonville. What did you see to make you believe they’re back, or not?

Jones: I saw Trent Williams and Deebo Samuel back on the field. They’re the two security blankets Brock Purdy badly needed. The All-Pro left tackle and wide receiver have such an impact on the 49ers’ offense and the way they execute. Being able to attack with balance eased pressure on Purdy, as did the ability to play from ahead rather than being forced to play from behind, which translates into Purdy having to shoulder a far heavier passing load than he is suited for at this point. The 49ers will go as far as health will permit. That’s the main element that has held them in check in years past, and the same certainly applies now.

Pompei: I didn’t think they ever were gone, though two of their best players on offense were. Getting back Williams and Samuel helped, but it was more than that. The 49ers played their kind of game Sunday. They took control early and never relinquished it. This team is built to win that way. The 49ers struggle if they have to dig out of a hole. On Sunday, with scores on their first two drives, they didn’t make costly mistakes. Then they took the ball away from the Jaguars four times.

Nguyen: The biggest issue with the 49ers defense during their losing streak was run defense and busted coverages. Teams were coming in with tailored game plans to attack the 49ers’ aggressive style on the ground. They were much more sound with their run fits, and having a healthy Dre Greenlaw, who didn’t look right since missing Week 7, helped. Also, they were making a lot of mistakes in coverage allowing quarterbacks to quickly get rid of the ball before the pressure could get home. They made Lawrence hold the ball Sunday, and their revamped defensive line went to work, sacking him five times.

Offensively, Purdy was playing some of the best ball of his young career as far as making high-difficulty throws, but he also made costly turnovers in the last two games. Sunday, he picked up where he left off, but he took care of the ball. It’ll be extremely hard to beat the 49ers if their secondary truly cleaned up their issues with busts and Purdy can take care of the ball.

Josh Dobbs has taken Minnesota by storm, leading the Vikings to victories in his first two games after the trade from Arizona. With Justin Jefferson due back soon, what are Dobbs and the Vikings capable of the rest of the way?

Jones: I don’t know if the Vikings will wind up overtaking the Lions in the NFC North. But they will make things interesting for sure, and they should have a shot at a wild-card berth. Dobbs does a good job of executing the Vikings’ system, but he also brings another dimension with his ability to make plays with his legs. Coach Kevin O’Connell does a great job of game-planning to his strengths, and the return of Jefferson should help ease a little more pressure on Dobbs while also further creating opportunities for big plays.

Pompei: The Vikings are a fun team, well-coached, resourceful and gritty. O’Connell probably would be coach of the year after 10 games. They aren’t as talented as some of the better teams in the NFC, but they are likely to go into the last month of the season well-positioned, assuming they can take care of business they are supposed to take care of. But then they have a killer last month that includes two games against the Lions and another against the Bengals. Teams like the Vikings usually fade down the stretch even when they don’t have to play elite teams in the late stages of the regular season. The Vikings have a tough road.

Nguyen: The Vikings have three straight games against teams with losing records (Broncos, Bears, and Raiders) coming up. If they can beat the Broncos and Bears, they would enter their bye week with a seven-game winning streak, and Dobbs would theoretically be much more familiar with the Vikings playbook. With Jefferson back, this offense could be a top-10 unit the rest of the way. Rookie Jordan Addison has really emerged during Jefferson’s absence, and Dobbs already has a strong connection with tight end T.J. Hockenson (11 catches, 134 yards and a touchdown on Sunday). Dobbs’ mobility gives this offense an interesting dynamic. The defense is solid with Brian Flores pressing all the right buttons. They could legitimately be a playoff team.

The Patriots suffered another ugly loss in Frankfurt, Germany, on Sunday. They are 2-8 for the first time since 2000, and they sit at the bottom of the AFC standings. What advice would you give owner Robert Kraft?

Jones: There’s not a lot that he can do right now. Firing coach Bill Belichick in-season isn’t going to fix anything. But once they get to the offseason, some tough questions need to be asked. I don’t think firing Belichick in the offseason is a no-brainer call, either. Part of me believes Belichick created this mess and should be the one to fix it. So I’d like to hear his plan. Does it involve bringing in some help in the area of talent evaluation? What moves does he envision in free agency? I know this is unfamiliar territory for the Patriots, and it feels like Belichick has lost his touch. But knee-jerk reactions aren’t necessarily going to fix things.

Pompei: Kraft doesn’t need my advice. He’s been one of the best owners in the NFL for 29 years, and he knows better than anyone what the Patriots need. If I were him though, I’d be patient and deliberate. I’d consider what is best for the Patriots in 2024 and beyond, and not what happened in the past. That doesn’t mean retaining Belichick isn’t what’s best for the future. But it’s pretty clear the Patriots need to make some kind of significant change to rise again. The issue is whether the organization needs a complete overhaul or if they can take the valued, useful parts they already have and use them to rebuild.

Nguyen: You’re 2-8 and have a chance to draft Drake Maye or Caleb Williams. Give Belichick a year with a young quarterback to groom. Mac Jones is not the answer, but he can help you get a franchise quarterback, so don’t bench him unless Bailey Zappe is that much worse. You don’t want to risk a spark on offense ruining your draft position. Maybe you have to step in and take some personnel power away from Belichick and let him focus on coaching. What’s Ernie Adams doing? Maybe check if he would unretire for a blank check. Make sure Belichick evaluated his entire staff honestly and forget about loyalty and give him a big budget to revamp his staff. Some fresh ideas/voices in the building could make a big difference.

(Top photo of C.J. Stroud: Dylan Buell / Getty Images)

“The Football 100,” the definitive ranking of the NFL’s best 100 players of all time, is on sale now. Order it here.