Atlanta Falcons

NFL Week 10: 5 Teams on Upset Alert

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 10:07 p.m. ET

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Nov 3, 2016; Tampa, FL, USA; Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan (2) calls out the snap during the second half of a football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium. The Falcons won 43-28. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports

Take a look at these five teams that should be on upset alert heading into NFL Week 10 of the 2016 season.

After another exciting weekend of football, it’s time to take a look at five more teams on upset alert heading into NFL Week 10. From the Detroit Lions pulling off a thrilling comeback against the Minnesota Vikings to the Indianapolis Colts shocking the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field, Week 9 gave football fans plenty of exciting games to set the bar high heading into Sunday.

Just when it seemed like all hope was lost for the Lions, Matthew Stafford rallied his team to tie last weekend’s game up against the Vikings in the final 23 seconds before going on to win in overtime.

As for the Colts, nobody expected this team to march into Lambeau and pull off an epic performance like they did against the Packers last Sunday. Indianapolis was in complete control of this game from the opening kickoff, but the tough task now becomes finding a way to play at this level on a weekly basis instead of continuing their inconsistency issues.

So what should football fans expect once Sunday rolls around? Starting off with the New York Jets, here’s a look at five teams that should consider themselves on upset alert for NFL Week 10.

Nov 6, 2016; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; New York Jets quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick (14) attempts a pass against the Miami Dolphins during the first half at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

5. New York Jets

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In a battle between two of the most disappointing teams of the 2016 season, the Los Angeles Rams will travel across the country to square off against the New York Jets as each team will be looking to earn their fourth win of the season. The good news for the Jets is they managed to put together a two game winning streak prior to their Week 9 loss against the Miami Dolphins, but that doesn’t mean Sunday’s game against the Rams will be a walk in the park.

If anything, New York should be concerned about the extra motivation Los Angeles will be playing with as Jeff Fisher‘s squad is feeling plenty of frustration after losing each of their last four games. To top it off, Fisher may be entering desperation mode as the head coach was reportedly given four games to prove himself worthy of keeping his job with the Rams following the team’s embarrassing performance in London from Week 8.

If Los Angeles were finally going to put an end to their disastrous losing streak, this would be the week to do so as the defense should be able to apply the same type of pressure to Ryan Fitzpatrick as they did against Cam Newton last weekend.

Nov 6, 2016; San Diego, CA, USA; San Diego Chargers running back Melvin Gordon (28) stumbles at the end of a second quarter run against the San Diego Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

4. San Diego Chargers

What do the San Diego Chargers and Miami Dolphins have in common this season? Not only did both teams start off the year with a disappointing 1-4 record, but both the Chargers and Dolphins have emerged as two of the hottest teams in the NFL over the last couple of weeks.

Not long ago, Mike McCoy seemed to be close to losing his job as head coach before the Chargers went on to win three of their next four games, including key wins against the Denver Broncos and Atlanta Falcons. Even if San Diego is considered one of the hottest teams in the AFC at the moment, McCoy knows the last thing this team can afford to do is come in unprepared against the Dolphins.

Just like San Diego, Miami has emerged as one of the hottest teams in the AFC thanks to a three-game winning streak of their own. A win on Sunday would put the Dolphins above .500 for the first time all season, which means the Chargers should be on full alert.

Their records may not be as impressive as some of the other contenders in the AFC, but this should be considered one of the most underrated games of Week 10 between two teams on the rise in the Chargers and Dolphins.

Nov 6, 2016; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Giants head coach Ben McAdoo talks with Giants wide receiver Sterling Shepard (87) and quarterback Eli Manning (10) and wide receiver Roger Lewis (82) and wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. (13) during a review during the fourth quarter against the Philadelphia Eagles at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

3. New York Giants

It’s amazing how quickly the New York Giants have turned around their season as they went from a 2-3 start to winning three in a row heading into Monday’s showdown against the Cincinnati Bengals. Monday will mark the second game of a three-game homestand for the Giants, but that doesn’t mean Eli Manning and company will have the advantage in this one.

While New York has found a way to get back in the conversation of the playoff hunt, Cincinnati could be in much better shape when it comes to the AFC North if they can figure out a way to win this key matchup on the road. Thanks to some help from the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers over the last few weeks, the Bengals seem to have just as good of a shot to win the division as their rivals.

Of course, with Baltimore already coming through with a Week 10 win over the Cleveland Browns, Cincinnati may be feeling even more pressure to win against New York while playing in front of the national spotlight. It won’t be easy, but the Bengals are certainly capable of pulling off the upset against the Giants with the type of talent they have on both sides of the football.

Oct 30, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; Green Bay Packers head coach Mike McCarthy and quarterback Aaron Rodgers (12) talk during a stoppage in play against the Atlanta Falcons in the fourth quarter at the Georgia Dome. The Falcons defeated the Packers 33-32. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

2. Green Bay Packers

Normally, the Green Bay Packers never have to worry about falling out of contention in the NFC, but another loss will put them below .500 for the first time this season. With three losses over their last four games, the Packers realize the importance of winning on the road against the Tennessee Titans to avoid adding any more pressure to the team.

Injuries to numerous key players, especially at running back, has been one of the main reasons behind Green Bay’s struggles this season as there’s only so much Aaron Rodgers can do by himself on a weekly basis. Rodgers may have two of the most talented wide receivers in Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb, but even he needs a reliable running back to help take off some of the load on offense.

As for the Titans, they’re one of the last teams anyone should sleep on in the NFL, even if their inconsistency gets frustrating from time to time. Whether or not Tennessee can find a way to defeat Green Bay at home will come down to the play of Marcus Mariota at quarterback.

If the second-year quarterback can avoid costly turnovers, there’s a good chance Mariota will see similar success as some of the other recent quarterbacks that have faced the Packers as of late.

Sep 18, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Atlanta Falcons tight end Jacob Tamme (83) is congratulated by wide receiver Julio Jones (11) after catching a touchdown against the Oakland Raiders in the third quarter at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. The Falcons defeated the Raiders 35-28. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

1. Atlanta Falcons

When looking at the way the offense of the Atlanta Falcons has been playing this season, a road matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles would seem like a lock for a team currently sitting on top of the NFC South. However, this seems like the perfect trap game for the Falcons as the Eagles are looking to recover from back-to-back losses against two division rivals in the Dallas Cowboys and the New York Giants.

Three weeks ago, Philadelphia seemed to be back in the NFC hunt after the defense came up big by handing the Minnesota Vikings their first loss of the season. Since that game, Philadelphia’s cornerbacks have been absolutely horrendous when looking at their performances against the Cowboys and Giants.

So if the cornerbacks of the Eagles have struggled this much over their last two games, how on earth are they going to figure out a way to contain Julio Jones on Sunday? As crazy as it sounds, it’s certainly possible as Jones has been limited to three catches or fewer in three games throughout the 2016 season.

Plus, despite how much this team has struggled at times over their last two games, it should also be noted that Philadelphia is 3-0 at home this season. If Doug Pederson makes better decisions with the calling plays for the Eagles, the Falcons could be in for a tougher outing than originally expected.

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