You Get a Fumble! You Get a Fumble! Everybody Gets a Fumble!!!
This felt like the weekend of WWE style tackles and fumbles. Everywhere you turned there was either a guy getting superplexed into the ground or a Baltimore Raven butterfingering the ball. I’d rate it as a medium to high thrilling week.
NYG v. SF
It’s the Brock Purdy show and we’ve all been kindly invited to attend. 300+ yards, 2 TDs plus a CMC running TD? Add in Baby Bosa and the Niners are an all around solid team this year. That said, I need to see them up against a strong defense before I can completely buy in. The Giants aren’t it. They don’t have an offense and they don’t have a defense. We’ll see how it plays out in SF. But also, can someone who does all the stat research tell me the last time a team started the first three games of the season scoring the exact same number of points? Can they do it again next week?
Final Score: NYG 12 SF 30
TEN v. CLE
Okayyy, this game was brutal. The officiating was questionable at best, Tennessee could barely get anything going and the Browns clearly figured out how to deal with the Titans secondary. That said, Murphy-Bunting had a hell of a punch out to force a fumble and give the Titans good field position to try to drive the ball. That’s the kind of energy Tennessee needs to carry into the rest of the season. As for Cleveland, Watson threw the ball backward nearly giving it up for a scoop and score instead of taking the sack. And this guy convinced the Browns to give him $200 million?
Final Score: TEN 3 CLE 27
ATL v. DET
Let me set the scene. Its late August. I’m prepping for my fantasy football draft and thinking about how I want to work the later picks. Who is going to be a good solid sleeper for me that I can get in round 10 or later? Insert Sam LaPorta. Goff loved throwing to Hockensen last year and with his trade, he needed a new tight end buddy. Sam LaPorta is that man, and today my bet paid off. Not only did he get his first TD, he scored 16 fantasy football points for me. I screamed with joy like it was my own team. So much so that both my husband and my dog looked at me like I had 3 heads. But I stand by that reaction. My bet paid off and I don’t think this will be the last week it does.
Final Score: ATL 6 DET 20
NO v. GB
We’re entering the 4th quarter and GB has failed to score any points so far. NO hasn’t score since the first half. It seems to be a very mellow game compared to some others in the league this week. Hoooo boy GB flipped the script. 18 points on back-to-back-to-back drives at the end of the fourth quarter INCLUDING a two point conversion to seal the win. That’s not just good game execution, but there was some great play calling to make it happen. I’m happy for Jordan Love. Getting that home opener win means a lot in GB. Here’s hoping Carr’s shoulder injury isn’t too bad.
Final Score: NO 17 GB 18
DEN v. MIA
Was I watching a Big 10 team crush a non-conference opponent? No, it was an NFL team? The score could’ve fooled me. Miami ran all over the field and it looked like Denver was just there as decoration. To lose that badly, especially even after most of the starters have ended their day is incredibly demoralizing. I’m not sure where they go from here, but I have to imagine Sean Payton can come up with something. Props to Miami for keeping the game exciting for three quarters.
Final Score: DEN 20 MIA 70(!)
LAC v. MIN
Kirk Cousins has now started the season with more than 1000 yards, 9 touchdowns, and 3 losses. Fumbles are killing Minnesota. They have to figure out how to a) hold onto the ball, and b) use their defense to actually stop an opponent. I’m frustrated watching it. I can’t even imagine how the players feel. The Chargers were able to put on a good showing even without Ekeler which I think says a lot about how we should expect them to play the rest of the season.
Final Score: LAC 28 MIN 24
NE v. NYJ
Seriously, Jets, hire a new QB. Maybe then the hail mary at the end would’ve been successful. I don’t understand how the Jets think this is going to bring them anything this season. Zach Wilson is not good. Get someone else in there who understands what routes WRs run and how to throw the ball in that general direction instead of to the defense.
Final Score: NE 15 NYJ 10
BUF v. WAS
Ugh. You can’t turn the ball over 5 times and expect the game to fall their way. The Commanders just couldn’t get out of their own way during this game and it cleared the road for the Bills to get an easy win. Why didn’t Washington kick the field goal on 4th and goal? Take the points when you’re down by only 2 scores. Take the freaking points! I would swear to you that that turnover on downs sealed Washington’s fate. They just didn’t have any drive the rest of the game.
Final Score: BUF 37 WAS 3
HOU v. JAX
CJ Stroud might’ve found his stride. He’s starting to look more like the QB at OSU than the skittish QB we saw in Week 1. I don’t think there is enough going on in Houston to help the team win all season, but with another year and a few key trades filled, Stroud could be the best OSU QB the NFL has seen in a long time.
Final Score: HOU 37 JAX 17
IND v. BAL
An OT thriller. The missed call on Zay Flowers. Minshew stepping out of the back of the endzone for a safety actually saving them from handing Baltimore a strip sack defensive TD. Matt Gay becoming the first kicker to kick 4 FGs from 50+ in one game. This game had everything except for a special teams score. Keep the excitement coming!
Final Score: IND 22 BAL 19
CAR v. SEA
This was the first game to start of the late games and took as long as the games that started 20 minutes later solely because these teams had 20 accepted penalties. That’s absolutely ridiculous. No one wants to see yellow flags constantly on the field. It’s no fun. I have no other comments solely because I’m so annoyed by the crappy play.
Final Score: CAR 27 SEA 37
CHI v. KC
Chicago is just bad. It’s really unfortunate for the team and its fans. KC arguably could’ve scored nearly as much as Miami if they hadn’t pulled Mahomes to keep him safe after tweaking his ankle, but pulling Mahomes was the right move. KC is in a decent position if Mahomes can stay healthy, but if that ankle is limited then I can see it affecting KC for at least a few weeks in the middle of this season.
Final Score: CHI 10 KC 41
DAL v. ARI
Down goes Dallas. And to the most unexpected opponent. No one would’ve picked Arizona to somehow create the opportunity. James Connor and Josh Dobbs had very strong showings against a team that has squashed its opponents to date. I feel like this is proving my point that Dallas is a defense heavy team, but there’s not much offense. Question is: can Arizona win again?
Final Score: DAL 16 ARI 28
PIT v. LV
I have to admit, I’ve been going to sleep early lately. And the last 2 weeks I haven’t made it through the entirety of the Sunday night games. This one kept me up and enthralled until the very end. Kenny Pickett had a connection with Pickens and Davante Adams can catch nearly anything you throw in a 5-yard radius of him. On top of all of that, TJ Watt is the scariest MFer on the field. I feel bad for anyone who has to block him.
Final Score: PIT 23 LV 16