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.
Bengals 14 VS Ravens 40
It seems that it is a two man race in the AFC North and currently the Ravens are looking like the best team in the division. It’s ironic that these two teams are only a few wins record wise from each other because this game ending the way it did showed how far apart they really are. Burrow throwing 4 interceptions to the point that the backup Browning comes in and does better shows something else is going on. I am not sure if Vet just doesn’t like Burrow or what but the mash between the two isnt working out. Burrow has 25 interceptions and looks to be losing his abilities unless a miracle happens.
Giants 52 VS Panthers 14
I know this was a blowout but Daniel Jones didn’t throw it 10 times in this one? I am not sure if the box score is just wrong or the game got out of hand real quickly but we will have to see how this one shakes out. It will be a real shame if someone gets suspended because the Giants didn’t want to throw it even more in a blow out. The Panthers can’t quite find their identity this season and the playing of Franks and Young supports that. Young wasn’t bad per say, but he wasn’t a difference maker either. He only threw 2 interceptions, but for some reason Franks was brought in the game and it didn’t work out for him. Franks only threw it 5 times and 2 of those were for interceptions. The Panthers are trying to find their way and for the most part play close games, this one just got away.
Patriots 31 VS Bears 28
If we had to pick a team that is doing really well and wasn’t expected to, it would be the Patriots. They were expected to be picking in the top 5 of the draft and now are looking at potentially making the playoffs. The roster isn’t great but Nef is doing his best to make them look good. This win was a huge one for them and even though they have lost to some teams with lower records then them, the Bears are a team that is a playoff contender in one of the toughest divisions in the league. Maye didn’t do much, he was back to game manager but that was all that was needed. The Patriots defense forced Willaims to throw 50 times and that’s just not a sustainable offense. Swift just got in the 10 rushes that were needed and maybe if he ran more than that this game would have ended differently. Between this game and the Commanders game, the Bears have lost two close ones that might come back to haunt them at the end of the season.
Bills 52 VS Colts 34
Allen versus the powerhouse combo of Richardson and Flacco made an interesting game but it ended just as expected. Allen was nearly perfect throwing for over 80%, 4 touchdowns and 1 interception. Richardson had a mixed day as he threw for 3 touchdowns but 4 interceptions as well. Either he got hurt or because of the interceptions, Flacco came into the game and threw 5 completions for 138 yards and 2 touchdowns. The Bills continued their improbable run and look like they might be the top team in the AFC while the Colts did hurt their chances at the wildcard spot but are still in it to win their division.
Broncos 44 VS Chiefs 59
The Broncos computer is doing very well for themselves. They have already beaten users and came close to beating one of the best teams in the league. The Chiefs were able to pull this one out but if they hadn’t it would have stung twice by losing to the computer and giving a divisional team a win.
Falcons 35 VS Saints 38
The Falcons come back after their first win only to suffer another close loss. The combination of Cousins and Penix just isn’t cutting it in Atlanta. Both guys played in this one and both guys threw 2 interceptions. I am not sure why Penix came into the game, but unless it was due to an injury maybe it would have been better if Cousins played the whole game and maybe the outcome would have been different. As for the Saints, they continue to march on and are currently a wildcard team in the playoffs. I am not sure if the NFC South was pegged to have two playoff teams but it could happen if both teams continue their winning ways.
49ers 14 VS Buccaneers 49
This was a computer game that got out of hand real quickly. It got out of hand so much that stat limits were broken by Baker and you can bet he will be suspended for it. I wonder how much this will affect the team going forward. Baker has been a superstar this season so I don’t know if their backup can bring out the best in the team like Baker has.
Steelers 24 VS Commanders 56
I watched some of this game and I thought that the Steelers defense could put enough pressure on Daniels to force him into some interceptions and they would have a shot. I was right about this somewhat as Daniels threw for 428 yards, 4 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions but given the fact that Fields threw 4 interceptions, it didn’t matter. You know it’s a long day when you only complete 8 passes to your team and half that to the other. Maybe a quarterback change is needed in Pittsburgh because they haven’t gotten it done with Fields. I know he is the better Madden quarterback but something has to change. If things keep trending in the same direction, they will have their choice of quarterbacks in the draft so that’s always a plus.
Vikings 36 VS Jaguars 17
The Vikings continued their dominance in this one. It seems that even the most mediocre quarterbacks can have success under Coach Spdot. Tannehill had another great day throwing for 388 yards and 3 touchdowns. On the flip side Lawrence threw 2 touchdowns and 2 interceptions which isn’t bad per say but it isn’t enough to beat a team like the Vikings. They are 11-1 for a reason and look like they will be getting the number one spot unless someone in their division can step up and stop them. The Packers gave them their only loss so teams need to look at that game for the recipe.
Titans 14 VS Chargers 45
The Miles of old was back at the helm for this game. 45 passing attempts and only 19 completions between two quarterbacks is terrible. Lets add in the fact that they combined for 6 interceptions and you see why this game ended in a blow out. Like the Falcons, the Titans don’t seem to like any of their quarterbacks and they are just using whoever to see what sticks. It’s not helping and might even be hurting given the differences between the two. As for the Chargers, Herbert played great tossing up 2 touchdowns and let the defense handle the rest. These are the games they need to win in order to keep with the rest of the West.
Eagles 39 VS Cowboys 56
I started in the hole down 17-0 and tried to claw my way back but I couldn’t make a stop on defense. It was a ten point game, 39-49 with 3 minutes left and Drama went for a fourth down on his side of the field. I played the perfect coverage as I knew a route to his tight end was coming but my defensive back couldn’t get there and the first down was completed and eventually another touchdown was scored. Defense couldn’t make a stop all game, man coverage was a joke as Ceedee torched Rodgers for multiple touchdowns. If you combine this with 2 pick sixes and a kickoff return, you get the score we have. I feel like if those 21 quick points were there then the game would have been different but shoulda woulda coulda.
Jets 18 VS Cardinals 20
This was a close one and one that both teams needed in order to stay within the playoff race. Greeny knows this team well and looked to take advantage of their weaknesses. The move for Watson didn’t seem to move the needle in this one. He was pretty accurate but he didn’t throw any touchdowns and threw 1 interception. Murray had pretty much the same statline as Watson which meant both defenses played well. The difference in this one was the Cardinal defense forcing two field goals out of the Jets offense. When you are settling for field goals it’s only a matter of time before that comes to bite you and in this close loss that’s exactly what happened for the Jets.
Lions 31 VS Texans 10
The Williams show in Detroit continues to move on. He caught 5 receptions for 141 and 2 touchdowns. I am not sure what it is about teams but they don’t seem to be focusing on the fastest player on the field. He needs to be either double guarded or user guarded on each and every play or he is going to burn you. That’s exactly what happened in this game. Well, that and the fact that Stroud threw 6 interceptions… I am not sure what is going on with Ant and Stroud but it looks like it’s going to end with Stroud losing his abilities which can help the situation. This was a great win for the Lions to keep up with the Vikings but it showed the talent difference in the conferences here. The NFC is way better than the AFC outside of the AFC West.
Dolphins 31 VS Rams 7
This was a simmed result after a DC occurred with the Dolphins up. This was a bad loss to a Rams team that had high hopes coming into the season. The division is still in reach but the wins need to come sooner rather than later. The Dolphins are an enigma. They can play really good one game then bad the next. They need to finish the season strong as their cap space does not allow them to get much better next season. This is their season and they have the team to do it. I feel like if Curt can play mistake free football he can pull this season around and get this team into the playoffs.
