This will be a weekly series where I will be looking at the box score and giving a summary/ my thoughts of how I felt each game went if I was able to watch it. This may change as the season goes on and the article progresses but for now this is how it is.
49ers 31 VS Seahawks 42
The Mccaffrey show has been canceledâĤ After rushing for over 200 yards last week, he ran for 41 yards on 10 attempts. This just isn’t winning football and the loss here shows that. Purdy isn’t going to be the guy you can rely on to throw 30 plus times and win you the game. He doesn’t have the skills to do this, then you mix his tendency to throw interceptions, you’re just making it worse. He did throw 3 touchdowns but also had 3 interceptions. You mix this with the other team only throwing 1 and you’re just handicapping yourself. Things need to change and soon, otherwise the season is over in San Francisco. Geno Smith is back and is looking to take the Seahawks to the playoffs.
Jaguars 30 VS Bears 27
I heard this game started out as a huge lead for the Jaguars but the Bears were able to comeback and make it a close game. I’d say the fact that Willaims threw 3 interceptions could have played into this if they came early in the game. Lawrence threw 2 touchdowns but also 2 interceptions which is why they almost gave up the lead. This is a great win for a Jaguar team that started out at a disadvantage.
Packers 38 Cardinals 21
The backup bunch that is the Cardinal offense were no match for this Packer defense. This combined with the fact that Love had a field day throwing 4 touchdowns and this is the reason for the score. If the defense gives up touchdowns, the injuries on the Cardinals just make it tough to have a shoot out with. They should be getting healthier soon which is the perfect time to make a run for the end of the season. The Packers, after a sluggish start are hitting their grove and finding their offense.
Colts 28 VS Titans 42
If you were given a hidden scoreboard and just a statline of one team had 4 interceptions thrown and the other had 6 total touchdowns scored, who do you think these would apply to? Given the season so far, you would think that Levis would have been the one to throw interceptions, but in fact it was Richardson. The titan defense forced him to throw 4 interceptions while their offense threw for 3 touchdowns and ran for three touchdowns. If Miles can continue this balanced approach while playing defense and limiting the turnovers, he may find himself competing for the division.
Texans 35 VS Patriots 38
Where’s the defense? Imagine throwing for 5 touchdowns yet still losing the game..The Texans defense really let them down here against an opponent who isn’t known for their offensive prowess. Maye played as a fantastic game manager and let the run game work for them. 207 yards rushing from 6 different ball carriers is impressive work. Nef isn’t forcing things with this roster and is trying to control the game. It worked here and it was an important win for them if they want to compete with the Bills. As for the Texans, the division is underwhelming so they still have a shot but the defense needs to come together when the offense is playing well.
Buccaneers 41 VS Saints 27
The battle for the NFC South will be between these two teams. The Bucs even with Baker’s 3 interceptions get the nod in this one. Alvin Kamara fumbled the ball twice which was a key point in the Bucs victory. You can’t always count on those fumbles and had they not happened it could have been a different outcome. Baker’s gunslinger approach may cost this team an important win in the future. He will need to be able to sling the ball while also protecting it if they want a shot at beating top tier teams.
Browns 28 Eagles 38
Myles Garrett picked off a RPO pass only to get hurt for not only the rest of the game but for multiple weeks. This injury was key as even though the Browns picked off the pass, it took their best defender out of the game which opened things for the Eagles offense. The defense was able to force 2 sacks, 1 fumble, and 3 interceptions, one which a pick six. The rivalry between HD and I goes back to last cycle where I won that battle 6-4 and now I start off this battle 1-0.
Commanders 44 VS Ravens 61
This Commanders team is such an enigma. This is the second time in 6 weeks that they have given up 60 plus points. The offense is scoring tons of points and an offense putting up 44 should be able to win any game but when you’re giving up more than you can score it doesn’t matter. If the Commanders find a defense then look out for them to be a contender this season. Let’s not mention that Daniels threw 4 interceptions and the offense still put up that many points. Jackson and company put up 7 offensive touchdowns. Huntley threw a couple of those which means that the Ravens must have been up big at some point. This was a good win for the Ravens as they have been playing well, just losing out at the end of games.
Chargers 20 VS Broncos 31
Bo Nix versus Justin Herbert will be an interesting battle of quarterbacks this cycle. So far Nix has a game over Herbert. Nix was a game manager in this one only throwing 1 touchdown, however, he only threw 1 interception as well. The Bronco run game mixed with the defense intercepting Herbert 4 times was the key to victory. THe CHargers still were impressive given the turnovers, especially the run game that rushed for 194 yards. We’ll continue to get great matchups from these teams and I bet it will go back and forth throughout the cycle. Nonetheless, the Broncos continue their impressive season in the toughest division in the league.
Steelers 17 VS Raiders 42
Max Duggan is the guy in Vegas. He was signed off of the street only to come into this game and threw for over 350 yards and 5 touchdowns. To be honest, he doesn’t have impressive statistics but he is the type of running quarterback that Codes likes. He only rushed 3 times but the threat of him running with his ability to throw the ball on the run and out of the pocket adds another element that no other quarterback on the roster had. We know the Raiders are trying to keep pace with the better teams in the division and they may have found their missing piece to do so. Even though the Steelers lose and are on a losing streak, they are in a division that is winnable and can always turn it around.
Lions 45 VS Cowboys 15
The Cowboys look at themselves as not only contenders in the NFC East but the NFC itself. They have beaten teams that they were expected to beat so far and this could have changed that narrative. Unfortunately, they had no answer for Jameson Willaims lead offense. Williams caught 6 receptions for 195 yards and 3 touchdowns. That’s just way too easy for him and it seemed that the Cowboys let him roam free in the back of their defense. If you don’t double guard Willaims deep, Fin has shown that he will throw it to him no matter how many receptions or yards he already has. You can’t expect to give up something and for someone not to take it. THis approach may get Willaims suspended, however, it worked very well in this game.
Falcons 19 VS Panthers 31
The Falcons are getting closer and closer each week to their first victory. I know that they will get a few this season but this game just wasn’t one of them. Penix played well if you minus the interceptions thrown. He threw for over 300 yards and 3 touchdowns, but 4 interceptions. The Panthers aren’t going to lose by turning over the ball. They are a patient team that wants to run the ball and waste the clock. Young usually isn’t the highlight of their game but he played very well in this game. Most likely the Falcons sold out for the run and Young made them pay. These two teams play again later in the season and we will see if the Falcons can steal one next time.
Bengals 37 VS Giants 34
The Giants had this game right where they wanted. They were able to force overtime and they got the ball in overtime. Jones had thrown 4 interceptions up to this point but the running game was working for them and was a key reason for the score being close despite the interceptions. Instead of sticking with the run game, the Giants attempted to fool the Bengals and have Jones drop back to pass three straight times in overtime. The third and final time was the dagger. Jones had a man in the middle of the field, but did not wait for him to clear his man in time and threw it straight to the defender. This led to the fg victory for the Bengals. It was a great win for a Bengals team that needed to win to stay in their own division race.
Bills 45 Jets 36
Josh Allens perfect season has come to an end. He was forced into 2 interceptions in this game. Now that the pressure of being flawless is over, Allen can sling the ball without focusing on that. He did very well despite the interceptions as he threw for 399 yards and 5 touchdowns. Old man Rodgers tried to keep pace but he threw for 2 less touchdowns and 1 more interception. The Bills have no competition in the East at the moment and are looking like they will be able to rest their starters a lot sooner than everyone else if they choose to do so.
