Bears 16, Panthers 13
Bryce Young technically played a game after C.J. Stroud’s record-breaking performance against the Buccaneers, but he may not have known about it during the 4 p.m. start versus the Colts last week. He undoubtedly heard about it ahead of this contest, so the pressure was on him to have a strong performance versus a Chicago pass-funnel defense to help validate Carolina’s decision to select him ahead of Stroud in April.
Instead, Young put together another underwhelming performance. This further embarrassed a Panthers front office that went against the wishes of the coaching staff, which sorely desired Stroud. Management believed it knew better, and is now paying the price.
Young was atrocious in a favorable matchup. Excuses will be made about his blocking and receiving corps, but he does not look like an NFL starter. He went 21-of-38 for only 185 yards. He wasn’t intercepted, but he easily could have been on a couple of occasions. He often panicked in the pocket and missed some open receivers. Young threw a horrible pass on the final offensive third down of the game, forcing Eddy Pineiro into a 59-yard field goal instead of a shorter try. Had Young even dumped the ball off to a running back, Pineiro may have connected on the kick to tie the score, but Young once again was frazzled and made a bad decision.
It’s way too early to call Young a bust, but there have been no signs of him being a franchise quarterback. With Stroud playing at a high level, Panthers ownership must consider changes in the front office to prevent other horrible decisions from being made.
Oddly enough, an undrafted Division II rookie outplayed the No. 1 pick. Tyson Bagent didn’t have eye-popping numbers – he went 20-of-33 for 162 yards – but he was calmer in the pocket and did a better job of converting third downs. This includes Chicago’s final third down, where Bagent connected with Darnell Mooney to seal the victory.
Chicago prevailed with two former Panther players claiming revenge. D’Onta Foreman scored the sole non-special teams touchdown of the game, rushing for 80 yards on 21 carries in the process. D.J. Moore led all players in receiving with five catches for 58 yards. Moore and Cole Kmet (5-45) were the only Bears with more than 15 receiving yards.
Foreman and Moore outgained their counterparts. Chuba Hubbard was misused, as he didn’t log a single reception until the fourth quarter. He rushed for 23 yards on nine carries. Adam Thielen, meanwhile, caught six of his 10 targets for 42 yards.
Indianapolis Colts New England Patriots
Colts 10, Patriots 6
The Patriots’ season had been finished for quite some time, but now Mac Jones’ tenure as the team’s quarterback may be over as well. Bill Belichick pulled the plug on Jones after a hideously underthrown pass into the end zone on what should have been a touchdown to Mike Gesicki. A completion would have given New England a 13-10 lead in the fourth quarter. Instead, the poor throw was intercepted.
Jones never saw the field again. Instead, it was Bailey Zappe, who was tasked with quarterbacking the Colts in the final couple of minutes for a potential last-second victory. Zappe drove the team toward midfield, but he foolishly faked a spike and then fired a horrible pass into triple coverage that was also intercepted.
Jones completed most of his passes, going 15-of-20, but he took five sacks and crushed his team with the interception. He also previously was nearly picked in the red zone when an Indianapolis defender dropped a pass of his. Jones has been a disaster since his promising rookie season, so the Patriots may as well see what they have in Zappe before they spend a draft pick on Caleb Williams or Drake Maye.
As for the Colts, they struggled to sustain drives because they couldn’t run very well against the Patriots. Jonathan Taylor saw 23 carries to Zack Moss’ one, but Taylor generated only 69 yards. He salvaged his fantasy performance with a touchdown on the opening drive. There was some controversy here, as Michael Pittman Jr. appeared to score previously, but was ruled down inches shy of the goal line. The Colts opted not to review, but they weren’t punished for it.
Despite missing out on the touchdown, Pittman had the better PPR fantasy performance. He caught eight of his 12 targets for 84 yards. The next receiver on the list was Josh Downs, who had two catches for 40 yards as he struggled a bit through injury.
Gardner Minshew won, but he didn’t have his best game. He went 18-of-28 for 194 yards and an interception. He missed a couple of receivers on some deep throws.
As for the Patriots’ skill players, Rhamondre Stevenson rushed for 88 yards on 20 carries to go along with three catches for 14 receiving yards. He missed some time with an injury, which is why Ezekiel Elliott had 13 carries for 54 yards. Stevenson, however, was able to return to action.
Speaking of Elliott, he was second on the team in receiving with two grabs for 34 yards. Demario Douglas was the only player ahead of him. He caught six passes for 84 yards.
Houston Texans Cincinnati Bengals
Texans 30, Bengals 27
There was question about whether or not the Bengals would perform well in this game, given that Tee Higgins was sidelined and Ja’Marr Chase suffered a back injury during the prior week. It appeared as though they would be firing on all cylinders on the opening drive, as Joe Burrow marched down the field and hit Higgins’ replacement, Trenton Irwin, for a touchdown.
This would be the only time the Bengals would score in the opening half, however, as the concerns with Cincinnati’s offense were warranted. The defense also struggled with Sam Hubbard sidelined, as C.J. Stroud routinely hit big plays to various receivers. The Texans ended up with an intermission lead of 10-7, a margin that would have been even wider had Stroud not botched a snap on a fourth-and-1 in the red zone. Cincinnati, meanwhile, didn’t have a drive ending in a punt or an end of the half until the final minutes of the third quarter.
The Bengals had multiple chances to come from behind in this game, but it seemed like all of them would fail. Two opportunities concluded with Burrow interceptions. One was an overthrow, while another was late across the body. The second pick seemed to ice things for the Texans, who were up 27-17 at that point. However, Stroud was also picked, giving new life to the Bengals, who took over at the Houston 4-yard line. Joe Mixon quickly scored a touchdown, trimming the margin to 27-24.
Cincinnati needed to force one more punt, and it managed to do so. Burrow then hit Tyler Boyd for a big play, but Boyd then dropped a touchdown, an error that would prove to be very costly. The Bengals were still able to kick a field goal, but they left too much time on the clock for Houston. With Boyd dropping the touchdown, all the Texans needed was a field goal, and they moved the ball into range with big plays by Dalton Schultz and Noah Brown, who bulldozed over a defender. The only question was whether backup kicker Matt Ammendola would be able to convert from 38. It was close, but the ball went through the uprights, giving Houston an impressive upset victory.
Stroud continued his amazing rookie season. He made a couple of mistakes like mishandling the snap on a fourth down, fumbling on a strip-sack and throwing an interception to allow Cincinnati to have another chance, but he more than made up for it with impressive throws throughout the season. He went 23-of-39 for 356 yards, one touchdown and an interception. He should have thrown a second score, but the officials ruled that Robert Woods stepped out of bounds prior to catching the ball in the end zone. Replay review showed that this was not the case, however.
Stroud’s sole touchdown went to Tank Dell, who reeled in six of his 14 targets for 56 yards and the score. Dell took a huge hit at one point in the second quarter, but he didn’t miss much action. Dell was third on the team in receiving, finishing behind Brown and Schultz. Brown had a monster game with seven catches for 172 yards, while Schultz reeled in four balls for 71 yards.
Dameon Pierce sat out with an injury, allowing Devin Singletary to handle the workload. Singletary had a great game with 150 yards and a touchdown on 30 carries. He outgained his counterpart, Mixon, by a wide margin. Mixon had just 46 yards on 11 attempts, but he salvaged his fantasy performance with a touchdown.
Burrow’s final numbers were 27-of-40 for 347 yards, two touchdowns and a pair of picks. He was hot early and late, but the two quarters in between were dreadful.
Despite the back injury, Chase had a huge game with five catches for 124 yards and a touchdown. Irwin (2-54) had the other score. Boyd also posted a big stat line with eight receptions for 117 yards, but his drop ruined a potential victory.
Minnesota Vikings New Orleans Saints
Vikings 27, Saints 19
All hope seemed lost for the Vikings when Kirk Cousins tore his Achilles a couple of weeks ago. They traded for Josh Dobbs, but it seemed far-fetched that the Vikings would be able to challenge for a playoff spot with a journeyman backup quarterback. However, Dobbs showed something special when he came in off the bench and led a comeback versus Atlanta the prior week despite barely knowing any of his teammates’ names.
This was a tougher test for Dobbs, as he was set to battle a top-10 defense. Dobbs, however, was completely undaunted in this game, as he barely threw any incompletions. He also picked up chunks of yardage on the ground, scrambling for a touchdown in the opening half. This was one of three times the Vikings found the end zone on the Saints, opening up a 27-3 lead by the middle of the third quarter. By the time that happened, the Vikings had outgained the Saints, 331-119, with Minnesota achieving 20 first downs compared to five for New Orleans.
The Saints were able to trim the margin to 27-19 in the second half, despite Jameis Winston playing for an injured Derek Carr. However, the potential comeback concluded when Winston threw an interception as he got hit.
Dobbs finished 23-of-34 for 268 yards to go along with eight scrambles for 44 rushing yards and a second score. He had a great performance and made no mistakes. He has given the Vikings second life in the wake of the Cousins loss.
Dobbs will be even better once Justin Jefferson returns from injury in the near future. T.J. Hockenson continued to pick up the slack with 11 catches for 134 yards and a touchdown. Jordan Addison (4-69) was the only other Viking with more than 35 receiving yards.
Alexander Mattison rushed for only 27 yards on eight carries because he suffered a concussion. Rookie Ty Chandler replaced him and was able to rush for 45 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries.
1H Carr injured, Winston throws TD to Olave Winston int hit as he got hit
Pittsburgh Steelers Green Bay Packers
Steelers 23, Packers 19
The Packers possessed the combination of Aaron Rodgers and Mason Crosby for years. The former would throw for a ton of touchdowns, while the latter would score three points whenever the offense faltered deep in opposing territory. This worked well, as Green Bay had tons of success.
Neither Rodgers nor Crosby is on the roster anymore. “No Cookie” Jordan Love’s struggles have been well documented, and they once again continued in this game. However, Crosby’s replacement, Anders Carlson, was also responsible for the loss in this nail-biter.
Love played relatively well early, throwing a pair of touchdowns in the opening half as he was keeping pace with a surprisingly effective Steelers offense. Love, however, regressed later in the afternoon. He had a chance to take the lead in the fourth quarter, but threw behind Luke Musgrave. He had one more chance, and he drove deep into Pittsburgh territory. However, he needed a touchdown instead of a field goal because Carlson missed an extra point earlier in the game. Rather than tying with a field goal, Love took a shot toward the end zone, which was picked.
Love barely completed half of his passes, going 21-of-40 for 289 yards, two touchdowns and a pair of interceptions. He’s fortunate that he wasn’t picked on a third occasion when a Pittsburgh defender dropped the ball in the end zone.
The Steelers, meanwhile, were sharp offensively in the early stages of this game, but cooled off later in the afternoon. They did most of their damage with their running backs, as both Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren were highly productive. Harris rushed for 82 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries, and yet he was still outgained by Warren who dashed for 101 yards and a score on 15 attempts.
Despite getting lots of help from his running backs, Kenny Pickett had an underwhelming performance. He went 14-of-23 for only 126 yards. He didn’t commit any turnovers, but he was fortunate that a potential interception of his was overturned by replay review as a result of a Green Bay defender having just one foot inbounds.
With Pickett struggling to get anything downfield, his receivers posted underwhelming numbers despite Jaire Alexander being sidelined. George Pickens led the team with three catches for 45 yards, while Diontae Johnson hauled in only one pass for 17 yards, but he drew a deep pass interference flag.
The Packers had better numbers from their receivers, with Jayden Reed leading the way with five grabs for 84 yards and a touchdown. Musgrave was next with two receptions for 64 yards. Romeo Doubs (3-31) caught Love’s other touchdown. Christian Watson (2-23) continued to struggle with a big drop on third down.
Aaron Jones was also a huge disappointment. He looked healthy for the first time last week, but he regressed in a favorable matchup. He mustered only 35 yards on 13 carries. He added four catches for 19 receiving yards.
San Francisco 49ers Jacksonville Jaguars
49ers 34, Jaguars 3
The 49ers began the year 5-0, but stumbled into their bye with a three-game losing streak as a result of some key injuries. They had Trent Williams and Deebo Samuel returning for this game, however, so they were at full strength for the first time since crushing Dallas during a Sunday night game. This put the Jaguars in a tough spot, especially when considering that Jacksonville has yet to beat an elite opponent in this current regime.
That once again continued to be the case, and it was obvious right away that the Jaguars were not going to be competitive. Offensively, the 49ers did almost whatever they wanted against a poor Jacksonville pass defense. Brock Purdy scored a quick touchdown right away, as he was able to go unpunished for throwing late into triple coverage to Brandon Aiyuk. He later found George Kittle on an intermediate throw, and Kittle did the rest as he sprinted 66 yards for a touchdown. Purdy misfired on just seven occasions, going 19-of-26 for 296 yards and three touchdowns.
It must be noted that the 49ers did “almost” whatever they wanted, as specified earlier. The lone exception was having Christian McCaffrey score a touchdown. The coaching staff tried to get him into the end zone, even dialing up plays for McCaffrey at the goal line at the very end of a 34-3 blowout affair. Despite the extra focus, McCaffrey’s touchdown streak came to an end at 17 – one shy of him breaking the NFL record – because he couldn’t cross the goal line. He finished with 95 scoreless yards on 16 carries, but he was also able to catch six passes for 47 receiving yards.
Defensively, San Francisco was even more dominant. Trevor Lawrence had one of his worst performances under Doug Pederson. He committed three turnovers while going 17-of-29 for 185 yards. Lawrence lost a fumble on a strip-sack around midfield in the second quarter. He also threw two interceptions, with the first occurring when he moved out of the pocket amid pressure and had his pass deflected by Tank Bigsby. Lawrence’s second pick was a desperation heave on fourth-and-long late in the afternoon.
The 49ers made sure to take away Calvin Ridley from Lawrence. The plan worked, as Ridley caught just two passes for 20 yards. Lawrence was forced into targeting Christian Kirk instead. Kirk had a nice game with six catches for 104 yards, but he lost a fumble in the red zone. Kirk was the only Jaguar with more than 28 receiving yards.
San Francisco, conversely, had four players above than 28 receiving mark. Kittle led the way with three catches for 116 yards and a touchdown. Aiyuk (3-55) also scored, but he had an 18-yard reception wiped away by his own offensive pass interference flag.
Jacksonville got nothing out of its running game, which was hardly a surprise because San Francisco is stour versus the rush. Travis Etienne was limited to just 35 yards on nine carries. He also caught two passes for just nine receiving yards.
Cleveland Browns Baltimore Ravens
Browns 33, Ravens 31
This game looked like it was over from the start. Deshaun Watson had been struggling with his shoulder injury entering the week, and that continued instantly when he was pick-sixed on the first possession. With the Browns making other mistakes, like David Njoku dropping the ball in the red zone, and the defense allowing some big plays, including a 39-yard Keaton Mitchell touchdown run, it seemed apparent that Baltimore would run away with a victory.
The first time there was a hint of a reversal was when the Browns were down 17-6. They sacked Lamar Jackson on third down and then blocked a field goal with a nice return to set up a field goal. Jackson was then intercepted on a miscommunication. Cleveland didn’t score off that turnover, but it was still a sign that the Ravens were vulnerable.
Cleveland continued to put pressure on Jackson in the second half. They sacked Jackson twice on one drive and then were able to intercept him off a deflection for a pick-six. This appeared as though it would tie the game, but Dustin Hopkins was wide left on his extra point attempt. This suddenly appeared to be another inexplicable loss for the Browns franchise, but Cleveland was able to retain possession, and thanks to a Watson scramble, the Browns were in field goal range. Hopkins redeemed himself, hitting a 40-yarder to seal the upset victory.
Jackson had a very disappointing performance, as he was responsible for this loss because of his pick-six. Jackson went 13-of-23 for 223 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. He was swarmed by Cleveland’s terrific defense, which did a great job of limiting Jackson as a scrambler. Jackson ran eight times for only 41 yards.
Meanwhile, Watson’s heroics as a rusher helped put the Browns in position for the win. Watson nearly reached Jackson’s rushing total with 37 yards on eight scrambles. He was underwhelming as a passer, however, going 20-of-34 for 213 yards, one touchdown and the aforementioned pick-six.
The leading rusher in this game was Jerome Ford, who dashed for 107 yards on 17 carries. Unfortunately for his fantasy owners, he was vultured by Kareem Hunt (10-32). On the other side, the Ravens got touchdowns from both Mitchell (3-34) and Gus Edwards (11-24).
Despite being in a tough matchup, Amari Cooper led everyone in receiving yards, hauling in six of his nine targets for 98 yards. Njoku chipped in with six grabs for 58 yards, while Elijah Moore (5-44) hauled in Watson’s only touchdown.
As for the Baltimore receivers, Zay Flowers paced the team with five catches for 73 yards. Mark Andrews (2-44) was a disappointment in a very difficult matchup, while Odell Beckham Jr. scored a 40-yard touchdown, his only catch of the day.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Tennessee Titans
Buccaneers 20, Titans 6
By Charlie Campbell – @draftcampbell
EDITOR’S NOTE: Oh, OK, so Will Levis lights up the Falcons and plays decently against the Steelers, but he can’t do anything against the Buccaneers’ horrible defense. Yeah, sure, this isn’t rigged, or anything.
Both of these teams desperately needed a win to have any hopes of staying in the playoff race, and the Tampa Bay defense came through with a dominant performance over Titans rookie quarterback Will Levis. Tampa Bay’s stop unit was embarrassed by C.J. Stroud a week ago, but rebounded by putting the clamps on Derrick Henry and DeAndre Hopkins.
The Titans opened the game with a nice drive, moving inside the Tampa Bay 10-yard line, but a Vita Vea sack on third-and-goal forced a field goal. After a couple of good completions, Baker Mayfield made a horrible decision, throwing the ball deep into triple coverage, where the pass was easily intercepted by Roger McCreary. After trading punts, Tennessee kicker Nick Folk missed a 51-yard field goal that left the Bucs in good field position, but they couldn’t do anything with it. Tampa Bay finally got moving by using future Hall of Fame wide receiver Mike Evans. A screen to Rachaad White, who scored from 43 yards out, put the Bucs up 7-3 at the half.
Early in the third quarter, Mayfield should had a touchdown, but he underthrew the pass, which Evans brought in only by diving for the 43-yard catch. Evans soon dropped an easy touchdown, and the Bucs came away with just a field goal. On the next Tampa Bay drive, Evans would not be denied, muscling his way into the end zone on a 22-yard touchdown that put the Bucs up 17-3. The Titans finally got moving with a drive that used their backs to move the chains, but they settled for a 27-yard field goal. On the ensuing Buccaneers possession, three big penalties on the Tennessee defense gifted a field goal to Tampa Bay for a 20-6 lead midway through the fourth quarter. Shortly later, Levis was hit as he threw and the ball floated in the air like a punt to Antoine Winfield Jr., who ran under it for an interception that essentially clinched the win for Tampa Bay.
Mayfield completed 18-of-29 passes for 278 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.
White ran for 51 yards on 20 carries. He also had two receptions for 47 yards and a touchdown.
Evans totaled 143 yards and a touchdown over six catches. Chris Godwin (4-54) contributed as well.
Levis completed 19-of-39 passes for 199 yards, no touchdowns and an interception. The Tennessee offensive line really struggled.
Derrick Henry ran for 24 yards on 11 carries.
DeAndre Hopkins had three receptions for 27 yards.
Detroit Lions Los Angeles Chargers
Lions 41, Chargers 38
By Charlie Campbell – @draftcampbell
EDITOR’S NOTE: What a great game. I say this because it was the only multi-unit bet we won heading into Sunday night. Yippie.
Last offseason, a lot people who don’t know football very well criticized the Lions for signing running back David Montgomery and then drafting Alabama running back Jahmyr Gibbs in the first round. Clearly, the decision-makers in Detroit knew what they were doing as their running back tandem has been superb in 2023. That duo dominated the Chargers in the first half, keeping the vulnerable Lions defense on the sideline. That defense was completely incapable of stopping Justin Herbert and Keenan Allen, who combined to keep this game close, but Jared Goff was money in the clutch to produce a game-winning field goal drive at the end of the fourth quarter.
After a Chargers three-and-out, Goff connected with Amon-Ra St. Brown for a 47-yard gain that moved the just outside the 10. A Taylor Decker penalty canceled out a Jameson Williams touchdown, so so Detorit settled for a 33-yard field goal. Los Angeles responded with a first-down pass to Keenan Allen and a screen to Austin Ekeler that went for 24 yards. Cameron Dicker tied the game with a 48-yard field goal.
The ensuing drive saw Gibbs rip through the defense of the Chargers, racking 52 yards on the possession before scoring from a yard out to put the Lions up 10-3. A couple of plays later, Detroit’s Kerby Joseph made an incredible interception when Herbert was trying to throw the ball away. That set up Goff at the 33. The ensuing drive included a series of fourth downs, with Montgomery converting a fourth-and-5 and St. Brown converting a fourth-and-1, but on fourth-and-goal from the 2-yard line, a pass sailed incomplete.
The Chargers went three-and-out afterward, and Detroit moved the ball to the one thanks to a 24-yard screen to Gibbs and a 14-yard reception by St. Brown. On fourth-and-goal from the 1-yard line, Gibbs dove into the end zone to put Detroit farther ahead at 17-3.
Herbert got the Chargers moving with third-down conversions to Ekeler and Allen before throwing a perfect strike to Allen for a 30-yard touchdown. On the next play from scrimmage, Montgomery exploded down the field for the Lions, putting up a phenomenal run for a 75-yard score to extended his team’s lead to 24-10. The Chargers responded by using their formula of Ekeler and Allen to move inside the five. On fourth-and-1 from the two, Ekeler powered into the end zone to make the game 24-17 at halftime.
After a Lions punt, Herbert picked up were he left off, converting third downs and moving into Detroit territory. Herbert tied the game with an 18-yard scoring strike on a missile to Jalen Guyton. The Lions responded with a good drive that utilized St. Brown on a few receptions, including on a screen pass that went for a 20-yard touchdown.
Hebert continued to make great plays, escaping a sack to convert a third-and-5 and then doing it again to dodge Aidan Hutchinson before firing a rope to Quentin Johnston for a first down. A fourth-and-goal stop was negated by a questionable pass interference penalty on Cam Sutton, and on the ensuing fourth-and-goal, Herbert found Johnston for a touchdown to tie the score at 31-31 with 11 minutes remaining.
Goff came back using his tight ends, hitting Sam LaPorta for 19 yards and then a 25-yard touchdown pass to Brock Wright. Quickly, the Chargers tied things back up after Herbert found Allen open for a 38-yard touchdown on a fourth-and-1.
Late in the fourth quarter, Goff hit Kaliff Raymond in the flat, and he exploded down the field for 40 yards. On a fourth-and-2, Goff found LaPorta for a conversion to the Chargers 20. Los Angeles was out of timeouts, so the Lions did three kneel-downs to set up Riley Patterson for a 41-yard field goal attempt. He then drilled the kick on the final play of the game for the win.
Goff completed 23-of-33 passes for 333 yards and two touchdowns.
Montgomery ran for 116 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries. Jahmyr Gibbs ran for 77 yards and two touchdowns on 14 carries. He also had three receptions for 35 yards.
St. Brown caught eight passes for 156 yards and a touchdown.
Herbert completed 27-of-40 passes for 323 yards, four touchdowns and an interception.
Ekler ran for 67 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries. He turned four catches into 48 yards as well.
Allen caught 11 passes for 175 yards and two touchdowns.
Arizona Cardinals Atlanta Falcons
Cardinals 25, Falcons 23
You’d think the disrespected Falcons would play for pride and win this game. The Cardinals had been planning Kyler Murray’s return, but wanted to avoid bringing him back versus the Ravens and Browns. They deemed this to be a favorable matchup, given that Atlanta’s recent history of futility. Rather than the Falcons rising up to the challenge, their defense found a way to lose after the offense claimed a lead late in the fourth quarter.
Of course, Murray had something to say about that. He made a huge play when it looked as though the Falcons would be able to stop his chances of prevailing. On a third down on the final possession of the game, the Falcons, up 23-22, had Murray dead to rights with a couple of pass rushers surrounding him for a potential huge loss. Murray somehow eluded both of them and managed to scramble past the first-down marker for a gain of 13. This helped spark the rest of the drive, as the Cardinals eventually moved into field goal range via a deep pass to Trey McBride and then drained the clock to set up a chip-shot field goal. Matt Prater connected, giving Arizona its first victory since upsetting Dallas in Week 3.
Murray had a fine first game back from his torn ACL. He was fine as a passer, going 19-of-32 for 249 yards and an interception on a telegraphed throw. He should have thrown a touchdown, but he overshot Marquise Brown in the opening half. He showed no signs of his ACL, scrambling six times for 33 yards and a touchdown.
Murray wasn’t the only Arizona backfield player returning from injury. James Conner played his first game after coming off injured reserve. He looked good, rushing for 73 yards on 16 carries.
Murray’s top target in this game was McBride. The athletic tight end had a monstrous performance against an Atlanta defense that always struggles versus tight ends. McBride hauled in eight of the nine balls thrown his way for 131 yards. Rondale Moore (5-43) was next on the stat sheet. Brown was a huge disappointment with only one catch for 28 yards.
Murray’s counterpart, Taylor Heinicke, was knocked out with a hamstring injury in the fourth quarter. The Falcons didn’t really miss him, as Heinicke barely completed half of his passes, going 8-of-15 for only 55 yards and a touchdown versus one of the worst defenses in the NFL. Atlanta was better with Desmond Ridder, albeit in a small sample size. Ridder went 4-of-6 for 39 yards.
Arthur Smith can be criticized for yet another loss, but he at least figured out that Bijan Robinson deserves the lion’s share of the touches. Robinson handled 22 carries, which he turned into 95 yards and a touchdown. Tyler Allgeier, meanwhile, rumbled for 31 yards on nine attempts. If there’s something negative to say about this situation, it’s that Robinson saw just two targets. He caught one of them for an 11-yard reception.
Despite Robinson’s low receiving volume, there were only two Falcons who finished with more receiving yards than him: Drake London (3-36), who drew an interference flag deep downfield late in the game, and Kyle Pitts (3-30).
Dallas Cowboys New York Giants
Cowboys 49, Giants 17
The Giants never had a chance. The Cowboys steamrolled them from start to finish. It was so ugly that the Giants had fewer net yards (27) than the Cowboys (28) had points at halftime. Dallas ultimately led 42-7 when it pulled its starters.
Dak Prescott was terrific in this game. He didn’t even have the easiest matchup, but he torched the Giants mercilessly. He made only one mistake when he was intercepted on a telegraphed throw, but he was able to pilot an offense that generated 640 net yards. Prescott was able to go 26-of-35 for 404 yards, four touchdowns and the pick. He also scrambled twice for 17 rushing yards and a fifth score.
CeeDee Lamb had yet another monstrous game, reeling in 11 of his 14 targets for 151 yards and two touchdowns (one passing, one rushing). And yet, he wasn’t even Dallas’ leading receiver. That was Brandin Cooks, who hauled in nine of his 10 targets for 173 yards and a touchdown. Michael Gallup (2-70) and Jake Ferguson (4-26) also scored. Ferguson was guilty of a drop in the opening half.
The only disappointing aspect of Dallas’ offense was Tony Pollard, who was limited to only 55 yards on 15 carries. He didn’t catch a pass either. Pollard was close to scoring multiple touchdowns, but was stuffed at the goal line. At this rate, it seems unlikely that Pollard will ever find the end zone ever again. He may even begin losing snaps to Rico Dowdle, who rushed for 79 yards and a touchdown at the very end of the game on 12 attempts.
There isn’t much to say about the Giants, who did nothing outside of garbage time once Dallas’ starters sat. Tommy DeVito was 14-of-27 for 86 yards, two touchdowns and an interception, but his stats at halftime were 4-of-9 for 24 yards. DeVito also rushed for 41 yards on seven scrambles.
Saquon Barkley, who operated out of the Wildcat on occasion, rushed for 66 yards on 13 carries. He caught only one pass for minus-5 yards. Barkley was stuffed at the Dallas 2-yard line on fourth down following Prescott’s interception.
Seattle Seahawks Washington Redskins
Seahawks 29, Redskins 26
Good teams often find a way to bounce back from humiliating losses, but this was a struggle for the Seahawks. Seattle simply couldn’t get going offensively for most of the afternoon. This was a 9-9 affair at halftime, and the Redskins even led 12-9 in the third quarter, as Geno Smith struggled to keep drives alive. This was bizarre, given how terrible Washington has been defensively all year.
Everything changed toward the end of the third quarter and into the final frame. Smith finally got clicking with D.K. Metcalf, who failed to do much for most of the afternoon. The Seahawks went up by a touchdown twice, but they couldn’t quite ward off the Redskins, who also found a rhythm offensively toward the end of the game. Washington even tied this game with a minute remaining. It seemed as though this game would go to overtime, but Smith hit Metcalf for gains of 17 and 27 to move into field goal range. Josh Myers connected from 43 to give Seattle the victory.
Despite his slow start, Smith finished with some great numbers, going 31-of-47 for 369 yards and two touchdowns. Of his yardage, 217 came in the second half, as did both of his touchdowns.
As mentioned earlier, Metcalf didn’t do much for most of the game, but he finished with nearly 100 yards, thanks to his late-game heroics. He caught seven passes for 98 yards. Tyler Lockett was right behind him with eight catches for 92 yards and a touchdown.
It’s tough to run on the Redskins, which would explain why Kenneth Walker was limited to 63 yards on 19 carries. However, Walker scored on a 64-yard receiving touchdown – his only reception of the game.
Washington’s primary back had a great receiving game as well. Brian Robinson Jr. mustered only 38 yards on eight attempts, but he caught all six of his targets for 119 receiving yards and a touchdown. Antonio Gibson also did some damage with five receptions for 42 yards and a score.
Sam Howell, the architect behind these checkdowns, went 29-of-44 for 312 yards and three touchdowns. He also lost a fumble. His final score went to Dyami Brown, who tied the game at 26 with a minute remaining. Howell was hoping for another possession in overtime, but Smith and Metcalf had other ideas.
While the running backs dominated for the Redskins, the usual Washington receivers didn’t do much. Terry McLaurin was limited to four catches for 33 yards, while Jahan Dotson didn’t log a single reception.
Las Vegas Raiders New York Jets
Raiders 16, Jets 12
The Jets had no plan for when Aaron Rodgers suffered his Achilles injury. They simply thought Zach Wilson would be enough, and for the second consecutive week, he was a huge disappointment against a mediocre or worse defense in a prime-time game. He fumbled twice versus the Chargers, and in this contest, he had a huge blunder when driving in the fourth quarter.
Down 16-12, Wilson did a good job of moving the team into the red zone, but he telegraphed a pass that was picked by Robert Spillane. That effectively ended the game, dropping the Jets to 4-5.
Wilson ended up 23-of-39 for 263 yards and the interception. He also fumbled again, but a teammate of his pounced on the loose ball. Wilson had some bright moments in this game, but they were overshadowed by his many mistakes. In addition to the interception and near-fumble, Wilson overthrew a wide-open Garrett Wilson in the third quarter. The Jets would be in a completely different situation had they traded for Josh Dobbs or someone else, but their inability to adjust to a poor situation will be their undoing.
As bad as Zach Wilson is, he was expected to be the better quarterback in this matchup, given that Aidan O’Connell would be going against the best defense he had ever seen in his life in just his third pro start. O’Connell did a decent job of managing the game aside from an interception on a telegraphed throw. The Jets scored just three points off the pick, so O’Connell wasn’t really punished for his mistake.
The key catalyst for the Raiders offense was Josh Jacobs, who trampled the Jets throughout the evening. Jacobs rumbled for 116 yards on 27 carries. He made a mistake when he lost a fumble in field goal range, but the Jets once again couldn’t take advantage of a Raiders give-away.
Jacobs’ counterpart, Breece Hall, was a huge disappointment. No team had allowed more rushing yards than the Raiders entering this week, yet Hall mustered only 28 yards on 13 carries, though he caught a 35-yard pass to give him 47 receiving yards on three catches. Hall scored a touchdown at one point, but saw the score get negated by a holding penalty.
Despite his quarterback’s struggles, Garrett Wilson led all players in receiving. He caught nine of his 14 targets for 93 yards. However, he got hurt in the middle of the game and had to miss a few snaps. He threw a pass on a trick play, but missed an open receiver for a touchdown on what could have been the decisive score. Tyler Conklin, meanwhile, caught seven passes for 70 yards.
The Raiders’ leading receiver was none other than Davante Adams, who caught six pases for 86 yards, one of which was a ridiculous one-handed reception. No other Raider logged more than 21 receiving yards, as Jakobi Meyers (2-21) continued to struggle to form a connection with O’Connell.
Denver Broncos Buffalo Bills
Broncos 24, Bills 22
This looked like the ultimate redemption story for a Bills player. James Cook fumbled on the opening drive of the game to set up a Denver field goal. He was promptly benched for several drives, as Latavius Murray and even Ty Johnson took away his touches. Cook eventually returned and looked very motivated to prove himself. This persisted throughout the rest of the evening, including Buffalo’s final drive. Cook exploded for a 42-yard gain to move the Bills into Denver territory. Some more great bursts gave the Bills a first-and-goal. Josh Allen did the rest, scrambling into the end zone to take a 22-21 lead in a game in which Buffalo trailed throughout because of mental errors like Cook’s fumble.
The Broncos, however, didn’t care for such narratives. After taking a horrible sack to set up third-and-long, Russell Wilson unleashed a deep pass toward Jerry Jeudy, which drew interference flags. This put the Broncos into field goal range. Wil Lutz missed to ensure victory for the Bills, but Buffalo made one final gaffe, and it was a huge one. The Bills had 12 men on the field, giving Lutz a second chance. Lutz connected from five yards closer, giving the Broncos a 24-22 upset victory.
Questions must be asked about Buffalo’s coaching. The Bills, as mentioned, made so many crucial mistakes. In addition to the Cook fumble and the 12 men penalty, there were some other turnovers. Allen was intercepted twice. The first was on Gabe Davis, who had the ball bounce out of his hands and into the arms of a Denver player. Allen’s second interception was on him, as he stared down his receiver during the 2-minute drill prior to halftime, allowing the cornerback to undercut the route. Allen and Cook were later responsible for a fumble, as the two botched a simple handoff. Allen also had a wide-open Khalil Shakir for a potential touchdown, but he overthrew him.
Allen finished 15-of-26 for 177 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. He also scored on a rushing touchdown, but he scrambled only four times for 13 yards. This has been an issue for Allen for most of this season. For whatever reason, whether it’s poor coaching or his own personal reluctance, Allen has refused to utilize his best trait, which is his legs. His mobility made him an extremely dangerous quarterback, but opposing defenses haven’t had to worry about that because Allen would prefer to be a statue-esque quarterback like Drew Bledsoe instead.
Allen’s counterpart played a great game. Wilson misfired on only five occasions, going 24-of-29 for 193 yards and two touchdowns. Not included in that stat line is the drawn pass interference by Jeudy to set up the decisive field goal. Wilson really made only one mistake, which was failing to see a wide-open tight end for a deep touchdown. Wilson also scrambled nine times for 30 yards.
Wilson’s touchdowns went to Courtland Sutton and Javonte Williams. Sutton made an incredible catch in the end zone, inexplicably tapping his feet inbounds before falling out of play. Sutton led the team in receiving with eight grabs for 53 yards. Jeudy was next with three catches for 35 yards.
As for Williams, he rushed for 79 yards on 21 carries to go along with four catches for 31 receiving yards and a touchdown. Williams’ ACL-related restrictions have been completely lifted.
As good as Williams was, he wasn’t the top rusher in this game. That was Cook despite his missed time. He dashed for 109 yards on only 12 carries, exploiting a weak Denver run defense. He caught just two passes for 11 receiving yards.
Despite his gaffe, Davis led the Bills in receiving with two catches for 56 yards. Stefon Diggs was a huge disappointment with three grabs for 34 yards. Dalton Kincaid (5-51) secured Allen’s sole aerial touchdown.
