The San Francisco 49ers are on bye in Week 11, which means we can relax and enjoy some quality matchups like Rams-Vikings, Titans-Steelers, Eagles-Cowboys, and Falcons-Seahawks.
And then there’s Texans-Cardinals. Both teams are stumbling lately, with injuries leading to serious problems. The Texans looked like a playoff contender before quarterback Deshaun Watson tore his ACL. The Cardinals weren’t particularly good with Carson Palmer at quarterback, but they had a puncher’s chance each week.
This week, we could be looking at a matchup featuring Tom Savage and Blaine Gabbert. The Texans have confirmed that Savage will get a third straight start this weekend against Arizona. On the other side, Cardinals quarterback Drew Stanton suffered a sprain knee, and is a question mark for the next couple weeks. If he is unable to go, Blaine Gabbert will get the start.
I enjoy the bye week because it allows for a full weekend of football without having to think much at all about the 49ers. Sure, I’ll keep an eye on the Browns and Giants for draft pick purposes, but for the most part, it’s a matter of just relaxing with football. But Texans-Cardinals? I’m almost inclined to hate watch whatever you want to call that slop.