Cowboys 31-26 over the Redskins: 1. Well QB Dak Prescott & RB Ezekiel Elliot again dominated the other team’s defense. Elliot had 120 all purpose yards and 2 TDS as Prescott threw one TD pass and ran one in for a rushing TD. 2. Kirk Cousins had a great game with over 440 yards passing and 3 TD passes, 2 of those going to TE Jordan Reed. WR DeSean Jackson had over 110 yards and one TD. Despite the good game on offense Washington was behind 17-6 at halftime. It is hard for any team to overcome that especially with Elliot keeping other teams’ offense off the field for large chunks of time.
Lions 16-13 over the Vikings: In a divisional game where the Lions are in first place having swept the Vikings this year. 1. It was very much a field goal game with 5 between both teams. 2. Again QB Sam Bradford didn’t have a great game since he had one interception while his counterpart Matthew Stafford had a TD pass and had more yards than Bradford. 3. It was the third week in a row that RB Matt Asiata had a TD.
Steelers 28-7 over the Colts: 1.Well again the Colts defense didn’t show up as the big 3 on the Steelers all had great days. WR Antonio Brown caught all of Ben Roethlisberger 3 TD passes, and RB Le’Veon Bell had over 140 all purpose yards and a TD. 2. While the Steelers defense forced a fumble and intercepted Andrew Luck’s replacement at QB Scott Tolzein two times. So without Luck this team can’t win and even with him there he has to have a great performance.
Ravens 19-14 over the Bengals: In a low scoring six field goal divisional game the Ravens used the rules to their advantage at the end to win. The Ravens are the class of the division which is something you never would have thought of going into the year. 1. They had all of their offensive lineman hold onto the Bengals defensive lineman to let the clock run out to ice the game which did draw a flag but the game clock was at 0:00, which means game over. 2. Baltimore defense all was better as they had 3 forced fumbles and halted the run game and kept all receivers under 70 yards. 3. Four of the 6 field goals were by Justin Tucker of the Ravens and three were over 50 yards.
Saints 49-21 over the Rams: In a high scoring game the Saints lit up the good defense of the Rams. 1. QB Drew Brees had 310 yards and 4 TD passes. While RB Mark Ingram who came back from a concussion had over 160 all purpose yards, a receiving and rushing TD. His backup Tim Hightower had 105 all purpose yards and WR Michael Thomas had over 100 yards and 2 TDS. 1. You can’t fault the Rams for offense since they were playing from behind most of the game as rookie QB Jared Goff in his second game did better as he had over 200 yards and 3 TD passes. 3. The Saints had a few trick plays while they were up early to get some revenge VS their former defensive coordinator Greg Williams, now the coordinator for the Rams, who was punished in the Bounty Gate scandal.
Falcons 38-19 over the Cardinals: In a battle of the birds the Falcons ran all over the vaunted but disappointing Cardinals defense. 2. Both RBS for Atlanta scored, Tevin Coleman had one rushing TD and two for Devonta Freeman. 2. Despite throwing a pick QB Matt Ryan threw for 260+ yards and 2 TD passes to the same WR Taylor Gabriel. 3. Again RB David Johnson was a beast as he had over 160 all purpose yards and receiving TD, while leading the team in rushing and receiving yards. 4. Former Bengals TE Jermaine Gresham had a TD vs. his old team. Despite the efforts of Gresham and Johnson it wasn’t enough as the Cardinals were playing from behind most of the game, and QB Carson Palmer had an interception and a fumble. This so called defense didn’t show up again which has been a theme for this team all sides of the ball and not playing up to the level they should be at.
Dolphins 31-24 over the 49ers: Hey the Dolphins can be a playoff team at this point of the year, and no one would have said that to start the year as they won their 6th straight game. 1. QB Ryan Tannehill had a clean game no interceptions, 3 TD passes and over 280 yards, while RB Jay Ajayi had a TD as well. 2. Despite Colin Kaepernick’s 3 TD game and leading his team in rushing with over 100 yards he had one pick. Miami caused two fumbles and sacked him two times making it hard for him to attempt a comeback or win as they were done 24-14 to start the 4th quarter. If you lead your team in rushing and your RB only gets a TD from a pass from you, you are not going to win when you are down.
Bills 31-28 over the Jaguars: 1. LeSean McCoy led the effort in this game with over 130 all purpose yards and 2 rushing TDS, as usual QB Tyrod Taylor had an underwhelming game. As Taylor only helps the team with his legs as he had another rushing TD despite having WR Sammy Watkins back, he only threw one TD pass. 2. QB Blake Bortles had a clean game with no interceptions and 2 TD passes but wasn’t going to win the game as he was being sacked two times and was the team’s leading rusher. 3. It was another underwhelming game for two of the better young WRS in the game as Allen Robison had only 24 yards, and Allen Hurns had a TD but only had 12 yards. 4. Jacksonville can at least say their defense played well getting five sacks but again couldn’t stop the others team’s best player which this time was McCoy.
Titans 27-21 over the Bears: Well the Bears defense didn’t show up but QB Matt Barkley getting his first career start in the regular season had a gutsy performance but his receivers failed him. 1. Barkley did have two picks but it was his first start and those things happen but he had 3 TD passes and over 300 yards passing. It was his receivers dropping a record 10 passes the most in over a decade including the game winning attempt. 2. All of sudden Demarco Murray took a backseat to the rookie RB Derrick Henry who had a TD and QB Marcus Mariota out rushed Murray. Mariota threw 2 TD passes and had over 220 passing yards and one of those TDs went to TE Delanie Walker. It was a gusty comeback attempt by Barkley since the Bears were down early 21-7.
Giants 27-13 over the Browns: Well the Giants handed the Browns their 15th straight loss. 1. QB Eli Manning had 3 TD passes with two going to WR Odell Beckham JR. 2. New York’s defense forced 3 fumbles and caused five in total with six sacks. 3. Cleveland wasted WR Terrelle Pryor 131 receiving game as Corey Coleman scored the only TD since the rest of the offense was field goals.
Chargers 21-13 over the Texans: Based on talent and record the Chargers upset the Texans. 1. QB Phillip Rivers had 3 TD passes and over 240 yards passing. WR Dontrelle Inman had over 110 yards, catching one of Rivers 3 TD passes. 2. QB Brock Osweiler had 0 passing TDS and three picks, while he had the only scoring TD of the game as he ran one in to start the game. He is wasting the talent at WR in Will Fuller and DeAndre Hopkins who had a great year last with four below average QBS.
Buccaneers 14-5 over the Seahawks: 1. This was the upset of the week as Tampa Bay held QB Russell Wilson to 0 TDS and 2 interceptions. As Wilson was the team’s leading rusher since they shut down Thomas Rawls. WR Doug Baldwin and TE Jimmy Graham each had under 80 yards and 40 yards respectively. 2. Tampa Bay had six sacks and two forced fumbles besides those picks. 3. QB Jameis Winston did throw a pick but he did have 2 TD passes as WR Mike Evans caught both TD passes and had over 100 yards. 4. The reason Seattle had 5 points was because they got a safety and field goal as their only offense.
Patriots 22-17 over the Jets: 1.Tom Brady had 2 TD passes and over 280 yards despite not being at a full strength, both of those TD passes went to WR Malcolm Mitchell. 2. QB Ryan Fitzpatrick didn’t throw a pick and had 2 TD passes one going to WR Brandon Marshall. New England just barely held on at the end as the Jets had a 4th quarter TD but Brady threw one himself after a field goal. 3. TE Rob Gronkowski was a game time decision after a punctured lung but he played and left the game with a back injury.
Raiders 35-32 over the Panthers: 1. QB Derek Car keeps showing why he can win MVP as he had over 300 yards and 2 TD passes despite having an interception, as WR Michael Crabtree had 110 yards. 2. His run game also showed up as RB Latavius Murray had a TD. While the defense did give up 32 they forced a fumble and an interception by DE Khalil Mack who also had one of the teams two sacks. 3. QB Cam Newton had another uneven game with 2 TDs, one interception and fumble. Yes his run game showed up as RB Jonathan Stewarts had 2 TDs but he was down early no thanks to the disappointing defense this year. Yes they had a pick and a forced fumble but they gave up 35 and 24 to start.
Chiefs 30-27 over the Broncos: In a crazy divisional and OT game the Chiefs hit a game winning field goal. As both teams traded field goals in OT till the Chiefs got the ball back as the Broncos kicker Brandon McManus missed a 60+ yard field goal earlier. 1. It was a high scoring affair for two teams with good defenses as QB Trevor Siemian had 3 TD passes with one going to Emmanuel Sanders who had over 160 yards. 2. WR Tyreek Hill had 3 TDs, rushing, receiving and a kickoff return, the first time since Gale Sayers. As QB Alex Smith was his usual safe self with just 200 yards and one TD pass while TE Travis Kelce had over 100 yards. Denver looks like they might miss the playoffs based on the year the Raiders are having and are now behind KC.
Packers 27-13 over the Eagles: 1. Well Green Bay’s defense finally showed up and stopped QB Carson Wentz and the Eagles offense as Wentz had no TD passes and one interception but had a rushing TD as the only scoring TD of the game for Philly. 2. Rodgers has his usual good game with over 300 yards and 2 TDS his 6th straight game of multiple TDS, the second longest streak in the NFL. While WR Devante Parker had over 100 yards his 4th game of 100 yards or more and caught both of Rodgers TD passes.