Carolina Panthers (6-3) vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (6-2-1)
Final Score: Steelers 52, Panthers 21
Recap: The Pittsburgh Steelers extended their winning streak to five games with a dominant 52-21 victory over the Carolina Panthers. The win ensures the Steelers stay atop the AFC North, while Carolina is now faced with an even more daunting challenge to try and keep pace with the New Orleans Saints. Ben Roethlisberger had a perfect passer rating of 158.3, finishing the game with more touchdowns than incompletions, a very impressive feat. Carolina, meanwhile, saw Cam Newton and their offense stagnate, which could be a problem in these last few weeks. Pittsburgh now prepares for a rematch of last year’s divisional playoff game against Jacksonville, while Carolina will play Detroit on Sunday.
A great opening drive saw Carolina take the first lead of the game behind 60 total yards by Christian McCaffrey. One play later, Pittsburgh tied the game on a bomb by Roethlisberger to Juju Smith-Schuster for 75 yards. On the next Panthers possession, Newton was backed up and almost sacked for a safety, but decided to throw it up for grabs, and it was intercepted and returned by Nick Williams for a touchdown. Not soon after, James Conner would find paydirt and Antonio Brown would reach the end zone, and the half came with Pittsburgh up 31-14. From there, Carolina could only play for pride as the Steelers imposed their will until the final horn sounded.
Notable Performances:
Carolina Panthers
Cam Newton, QB: 23/29, 193 yds, 2 TD, 1 INT; 2 rush, 10 yds
Christian McCaffrey, RB: 14 rush, 77 yds, 1 TD, 5.5 ypc; 5 rec, 61 yds, 2 TD
Devin Funchess, WR: 3 rec, 32 yds
Greg Olsen, TE: 4 rec, 40 yds
Pittsburgh Steelers
Ben Roethlisberger, QB: 22/25, 328 yds, 5 TD; 3 rush, 27 yds
James Conner, RB: 13 rush, 65 yds, 1 TD, 5.0 ypc
Antonio Brown, WR: 6 rec, 96 yds, 1 TD
Juju Smith-Schuster, WR: 3 rec, 90 yds, TD
Written by: Joe Carlino
New Orleans Saints (8-1) vs. Cincinnati Bengals (5-4)
Final Score: Saints 51, Panthers 14
Recap: In arguably the most lopsided contest of Week 10, the New Orleans Saints went into Cincinnati and thoroughly defeated the Bengals 51-14 and extended their winning streak to eight games. Drew Brees and Co. played out of their minds, scoring on every possession with the exception of their final one, where they took a knee to end the onslaught. Cincinnati, meanwhile, was embarrassed so badly, they fired their defensive coordinator on Monday. New Orleans now returns home to the Bayou for a game with the reeling Super Bowl champion Eagles, while Cincinnati will travel to Baltimore for a date with their AFC North rival Ravens.
The first two drives by both sides saw Michael Thomas and John Ross catch touchdowns to hold a 7-7 tie after the first quarter. From there, it was all New Orleans, as they would score 44 unanswered points over the second, third, and half of the fourth quarter. Kamara’s two scores came in the second quarter, and Brees would add a rushing score himself in the third. The Bengals would get a garbage time score, with Jeff Driskel scoring from 27 yards out. But by then, the game’s outcome was already out of hand.
Notable Performances:
New Orleans Saints
Drew Brees, QB: 22/25, 265 yds, 3 TD; 2 rush, 3 yds, 1 TD
Alvin Kamara, RB: 12 rush, 56 yds, 2 TD, 4.7 ypc; 4 rec, 46 yds
Mark Ingram II, RB: 13 rush, 134 yds, 8.0 ypc; 3 rec, 58 yds, 1 TD
Michael Thomas, WR: 8 rec, 70 yds, 2 TD
Cincinnati Bengals
Andy Dalton, QB: 12/20, 153 yds, TD, 2 INT
Joe Mixon, RB: 11 rush, 61 yds, 5.5 ypc
John Ross, WR: 2 rec, 39 yds, TD
Tyler Boyd, TE: 3 rec, 65 yds
Written by: Joe Carlino
Atlanta Falcons (4-5) vs. Cleveland Browns (3-6-1)
Final Score: Browns 28, Falcons 16
Recap: The Browns get their third win of the season with a comfortable 12 point victory over the Falcons. Baker Mayfield had his most efficient day of his professional career, going 17/20 for 3 touchdowns and no interceptions. Nick Chubb also had a career day against Atlanta’s run defense with 176 yards and one touchdown. The Falcons offense had an inconsistent outing, moving the ball well through the air but unable to punch it into the end zone. They continue to struggle on 3rd downs, going 5 for 14.
In the 3rd quarter, Nick Chubb broke a Browns record for the longest touchdown run in franchise history, with a 92 yard scamper. A quarter later, down by 18 with 11:32 left in the game, the Falcons faced a 4th and goal from the 1 yard line. Instead of kicking the field goal and putting the game within two scores, they elected to go for it and missed on a pass to Eric Saubert. The Falcons wouldn’t score again until the game was out of reach, with 4 minutes left.
Notable Performances:
Atlanta Falcons
Matt Ryan, QB: 38/52, 330 yds, 2 TD; 3 rush, 13 yds, 1 FUM
Julio Jones, WR: 7 rec, 107 yds, 1 TD
Austin Hooper, TE: 10 rec, 56 yds, 1 TD
Cleveland Browns
Baker Mayfield, QB: 17/20, 216 yds, 3 TD; 6 rush, 20 yds
Nick Chubb, RB: 20 rush, 176 yds, 1 TD, 8.8 ypc; 3 rec, 33 yds, 1 TD
Duke Johnson Jr., RB: 3 rush, 15 yds, 5 ypc; 4 rec, 31 yds, 1 TD
Written by: Blake Hymel
Detroit Lions (3-6) vs. Chicago Bears (6-3)
Final Score: Bears 34, Lions 22
Recap: Up 26-0, to the surprise of many, the Bears had this game in the books with 8 minutes left in the 2nd quarter. One wide receiver after another was left wide open (AND I MEAN WIDE OPEN) and QB Mitchell Trubisky continuously capitalized on the Lions pourise secondary. The Chicago defense seemed to have their way with the Lions, especially in the trenches, sacking Matt Stafford 6 times and allowing an average of only 3.2 yards per rush on the ground. The Lions made a valiant effort late in the 4th quarter but it just wasn’t enough to overcome 3 turnovers and numerous mistakes and missed assignments on both sides of the ball. Are the Bears really contenders in the NFC? In the North, yes, but it’s hard to see how they’ll beat the upper echelon of teams inside their conference such as the Rams and Saints.
It’s worth noting that this game could and should have been even worse of a beating if not for 2 Cody Parkey missed field goals and another 2 extra points bouncing off the uprights. Allen Robinson dominated the game from start to finish, reeling in multiple touchdown grabs, including a beautiful back shoulder throw in the endzone while being blanketed by Deshawn Shead. The Lions wouldn’t even see the scoreboard until a minute left in the 1st half. Kerryon Johnson was held in check all day but was able to find the endzone twice. Once the Bears backed off and started to play prevent defense, Stafford was able to find Kenny Golladay on multiple occasions in the 4th quarter, but time just wasn’t on their side. The Bears would seal the deal by recovering the Lions second onside kick attempt.
Notable Performances:
Detroit Lions
Matthew Stafford, QB: 25/42, 274 yds, 2 TD, 2 INT
Kerryon Johnson, RB: 14 rush, 51 yds, 1 TD, 3.6 ypc
Kenny Golladay, WR: 6 rec, 78 yds, 1 TD
Chicago Bears
Mitchell Trubisky, QB: 23-30, 355 yds, 3 TD
Jordan Howard, RB: 11 rush, 21 yds, 1.9 ypc
Allen Robinson, WR: 6 rec, 133 yds, 2 TD
Written by: Jack Bourgeois
Arizona Cardinals (2-7) vs. Kansas City Chiefs (9-1)
Final Score: Chiefs 26, Cardinals 14
Recap: We need to give credit where credit is due, and it belongs to offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich. Although the offense wasn’t highly productive on the back of Josh Rosen’s two interception outing, David Johnson burst onto the scene with 183 total yards and 2 scores. With David Johnson now heavily involved there is only one way for this offense to go, and that’s up. For most of the game, 1 score separated these two teams. However, the Chiefs high powered offense was too much for Arizona to handle, and they were outclassed. With New England suffering a loss, the Chiefs move 2 games ahead in the pursuit of home field advantage throughout the playoffs. The Cardinals are on the opposite end of the spectrum, with the possibility of drafting a top tier pass rusher to add across from Chandler Jones.
This game was highlighted by David Johnson's emergence and the continual chemistry showcased between Tyreek Hill and Patrick Mahomes. Mahomes and KC’s offense got rolling early as the MVP frontrunner found Tyreek Hill for an opening drive score, and once the Chiefs took the lead, it was never relinquished. Two costly turnovers from Rosen cemented Arizona’s fate in this contest. Mahomes accrued his 30th and 31st touchdowns on the season, and with the season winding down, the MVP race is looking like a star in the making against a 39 year-old legend.
Notable Performances:
Arizona Cardinals
Josh Rosen, QB: 22/39, 208 yds, 1 TD, 2 INT
David Johnson, RB: 21 rush, 98 yds, 1 TD, 4.7 ypc; 7 rec, 85 yds, 1 TD
Chandler Jones, OLB: 3 tackles, 2 TFL, 2 sacks
Kansas City Chiefs
Patrick Mahomes, QB: 21/28, 249 yds, 2 TD
Kareem Hunt, RB: 16 rush, 71 yds, 4.4 ypc; 2 rec, 25 yds
Tyreek Hill, WR: 7 rec, 117 yds, 2 TD; 1 rush, 20 yds
Written by: Jason Feiner
New England Patriots (7-3) vs. Tennessee Titans (5-4)
Final Score: Titans 38, Patriots 10
Recap: No one saw this one coming. The vaunted and highly praised Titans defense was as advertised this weekend in Nissan Stadium, but their usual lackluster and underperforming offense was left behind. In its place was an offense capable of putting up multiple touchdowns through the air and on the ground. Marcus Mariota looked his best all year, and picked apart a clearly undermatched Patriots defense by utilizing an explosive group of skill players, throwing for two touchdowns, and even registering a catch. The Titans defense had an even better game than the offense, holding Tom Brady to zero touchdowns and the entire Patriots offense to only 10 points. With Trent Brown ailing, the Titans sacked Brady only three times, but he was under pressure all day and he was forced to check down plenty of times. This was a memorable win for Mike Vrabel and the Titans and a forgettable loss for the Patriots. It seems as if their bye week could not come at a better time.
The Titans started off the game hot and set the tone of the game almost immediately by taking the opening kickoff 58 yards and then scoring a Jonnu Smith touchdown 7 plays later. They never really looked back from there. The Patriots’ opening drive resulted in only three points, and Tennessee responded on their next drive with a touchdown to Corey Davis. The Patriots looked as if they were creeping towards a comeback after a James Devlin touchdown put the game within one score, but Derrick Henry’s one-yard dive put the game out of reach before halftime. The Patriots could not manage to score again for the entire game, and Brady was done with 7 minutes left to go.
Notable Performances:
New England Patriots
Tom Brady QB: 21/41, 254 yds
Sony Michel, RB: 11, 31 yds, 2.8 ypc
Julian Edelman, WR: 9 rec, 104 yds
Tennessee Titans
Marcus Mariota, QB: 16/24/, 228 yds, 2 TD
Derrick Henry, RB: 11 rush, 58 yds, 2 TD, 5.3 ypc
Corey Davis, WR: 7 rec, 125 yds, 1 TD
Written by: George Haraktsis
Washington Redskins (6-3) vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-6)
Final Score: Redskins 16, Buccaneers 3
Recap: Two weeks after Ryan Fitzpatrick almost orchestrated a brilliant, 18-point comeback against the Cincinnati Bengals, the Buccaneers lay a dud against a stifling Redskins defense. The Buccaneers accumulated a whopping 501 yards yet scored just 3 points, as they committed 4 turnovers. The Redskins, meanwhile, won on just 16 points thanks to a defense that has been among the best in the league. Going forward, however, it’s concerning that they couldn’t score more against a defense that was giving up over 32 points per game entering the match. Their wide receivers still barely gain over 50 yards per game. Nevertheless, the Redskins have a two game lead in the NFC East, while it’s now time for the Bucs to look forward to next season.
Tampa Bay drove down into the red zone on their very first drive, but Josh Norman had a beautiful interception on his own goalline. After a field goal by the Redskins, the Buccaneers put together drives of 7, 13, and 9 plays, but they resulted in just 3 points thanks to a missed field goal by Chandler Catanzaro. Washington then executed an uninspired 11 play drive that stalled at Tampa’s 25 yard line, also just resulting in 3 points. The second half was just a mess for the Bucs. This is how each of their 5 second half drives ended: missed field goal, interception, fumble, fumble, end of game. Washington built a quick 13 point lead following halftime, and walked away with an easy win.
Notable Performances:
Washington Redskins
Alex Smith, QB: 19/27, 178 yds, 1 TD; 2 rush, 16 yds
Adrian Peterson, RB: 19 rush, 68 yds, 3.6 ypc
Josh Doctson, WR: 4 rec, 46 yds, 1 TD
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Ryan Fitzpatrick, QB: 29/41, 406 yds, 2 INT; 8 rush, 35 yds
Peyton Barber, RB: 13 rush, 61 yds, 4.7 ypc
Chris Godwin, WR: 7 rec, 103 yds
Jacquizz Rodgers, RB: 8 rec, 102 yds
Written by: Alexander Amir
Buffalo Bills (3-7) vs. New York Jets (3-7)
Final Score: Bills 41, Jets 10
Recap: Everyone predicted that Matt Barkley would lead the Buffalo Bills to a decisive win on the road against the Jets, right? Barkley secured his first win in two years on Sunday, but did so with a total team effort. LeSean McCoy had his best outing of the year with 113 yards on 26 carries and 2 TDs, and Zay Jones did the same with his 8 catch, 93 yard, 1 TD outing. The defense matched the offense’s output and held New York to only 10 points and just 12 first downs. If Todd Bowles wasn’t on the hot seat before, he definitely is now after a putrid performance by both his offense and defense. At the beginning of the second quarter, the Bills had outgained the Jets 186-1. New York’s offense could not get a single thing going after being forced to play journeyman Josh McCown in place of an injured Sam Darnold. The defense that has shown flashes of brilliance all year allowed 31 points before halftime and lost this game in the first half. This was a terrible loss for a Jets team trying to forget a more terrible year.
The Bills took a 14-0 lead in the first quarter on a fluky Zay Jones fumble that landed in the hands of tight end Jason Croom in the end zone. That’s the type of day it was though. Lineman Dion Dawkins caught a touchdown pass to put Buffalo up by three scores, and just in case the Jets weren’t demoralized enough, LeSean McCoy’s scamper from the one made the deficit 31 points until a Jason Myers field goal broke the shutout and gave the game a 31-3 score going into half. The game was perfectly summed up for the Jets on a first-half play that saw three New York players get flagged for holding penalties. Fortunately for the Jets, there was one bright spot in this game — Their offensive drought of 22 straight possessions without a touchdown was broken by a 5-yard touchdown by Isaiah Crowell in the third quarter.
Notable Performances:
Buffalo Bills
Matt Barkley, QB: 15/25, 232 yds, 2 TD, INT
LeSean McCoy, RB: 26 rush, 113 yds, 2 TD, 4.4 ypc
Zay Jones, WR: 8 rec, 93 yds, 1 TD
New York Jets
Josh McCown, QB: 17/34, 135 yds, 2 INT
Isaiah Crowell RB: 7 rush, 19 yds, 1 TD, 2.7 ypc
Avery Williamson, LB: 11 tackles
Written by: George Haraktsis
Jacksonville Jaguars (3-6) vs. Indianapolis Colts (4-5)
Final Score: Colts 29, Jaguars 26
Recap: The Jaguars and Colts found themselves in a nailbiter that came down to Indianapolis’ defense making a play when it counted. Leonard Fournette was able to make immediate contributions with 109 total yards and 2 touchdowns. Andrew Luck continues his torrid play, as he joined Tom Brady and Peyton Manning as the only quarterbacks in NFL history to have at least 3 touchdowns in six straight games. Blake Bortles wasn’t exactly the problem, as he was able to put up over 300 yards passing and a couple touchdowns. The biggest star of the day was Eric Ebron, who had a touchdown hat-trick that included a rushing score.
The biggest play of the day came after the Jaguars fought themselves back from a 29-13 deficit to being only down by 3 after an Adam Vinatieri missed field goal attempt. Jacksonville started to march down the field after Blake Bortles connected with Rashad Greene. But as he was getting into field goal range he fumbled it right before his body hit the ground. The Colts recovered and locked up the big divisional win. The Jaguars’ promising season appears to be gone and they have high-rolling Steelers coming up, who won’t make their chances for a late-season push any easier. Indianapolis will be riding a three-game winning streak against the hot Titans for a shot to get into the playoff picture after next week.
Notable Performances:
Jacksonville Jaguars
Blake Bortles, QB: 26/38, 320 yds, 2 TD
Leonard Fournette, RB: 24 rush, 53 yds, 1 TD, 2.2 ypc, 5 rec, 56 yds, 1 TD
Donte Moncrief, WR: 3 rec, 98 yds, 1 TD
Indianapolis Colts
Andrew Luck, QB: 21/29, 285 yds, 3 TD, 1 INT
Marlon Mack, RB: 12 rush, 29 yds, 2.4 ypc, 2 rec, 9 yds
T.Y. Hilton, WR: 3 rec, 77 yds
Eric Ebron, TE: 3 rec, 69 yds, 2 TD, 1 rush, 2 yds, 1 TD
Written by: Cody Manning
Los Angeles Chargers (7-2) vs. Oakland Raiders (1-8)
Final Score: Chargers 20, Raiders 6
Recap: This game had a closer final score than I predicted but it was still all Chargers all the way. Los Angeles’ offense was led to victory by a solid performance from quarterback Philip Rivers, who threw for 223 yards and two touchdowns. Running back Melvin Gordon also had a nice day, finishing with 91 rushing yards and also led the team with 72 receiving yards and one receiving touchdown. The Raiders couldn’t get any type of offense going as they were kept out of the end zone for the entire game. Quarterback Derek Carr was held to 243 yards through the air and was sacked four times. With the win, the Chargers keep their momentum going in their chase of the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Raiders opened with the first points of the game on a 46-yard field goal by Daniel Carson. Los Angeles answered with a field goal of their own and never looked back. Rivers connected on a 11-yard touchdown pass to Keenan Allen and a 66-yard pass to Gordon to give the Chargers a 17-3 lead going into the fourth quarter. Oakland connected on another field goal in the fourth to keep things close, but it wasn’t nearly enough. The Chargers walked away with a 20-6 victory on the road as the Raiders continued to struggle at the bottom of the league.
Notable Performances:
Los Angeles Chargers
Philip Rivers, QB: 18/26, 223 yds, 2 TD, 1 INT
Melvin Gordon, RB: 18 rush, 93 yds, 5.2 ypc; 5 rec, 72 rec yds, 1 rec TD
Keenan Allen, WR: 6 rec, 57 yds, 1 TD
Oakland Raiders
Derek Carr, QB: 24/37, 243 yds
Doug Martin, RB: 15 rush, 61 yds, 4.1 ypc
Jared Cook, TE: 4 rec, 52 yds
Written by: Ryan Lippert
Seattle Seahawks (4-5) vs. Los Angeles Rams (9-1)
Final Score: Rams 36, Seahawks 31
Recap: When the Rams play the Seahawks, it’s always a game to watch. This contest was no outlier, as Russell Wilson almost did the unthinkable and brought the Seahawks within a score in the final minutes of regulation, but came up empty on a 4th down overthrow falling to the Rams for the second time this year. With this victory, the Rams stays within one game of the first place Saints who they lost to in week 9, and the Seahawks fall to the bottom of a six team race (CHI, GB, ATL, DAL, PHI, SEA) for what seems like the final playoff spot in the NFC. Although they lost, a playoff berth may not be out of reach, yet. LA has a chance to clinch the NFC West in week 11, barring a Seattle win and a Rams loss.
Both teams showcased talent on both sides of the ball, as the divisional showdown had multiple lead changes throughout the game. LA’s defense seemed sluggish in the early going, committing tough penalties that extended both of Seattle’s opening drive scores. Both teams were clicking on offense. Todd Gurley is staring at a second Offensive Player of the Year award in two years after finishing the day with 120 yards and a score, bringing his total 12 yards shy of the 1,000 yard mark. It was a game of “what if’s” and Russell Wilson’s last second heroics came up just short.
Notable Performances:
Seattle Seahawks
Russell Wilson, QB: 17/26, 176 yds, 3 TD; 9 rush, 92 yds
Rashad Penny, RB: 12 rush, 108 yds, 1 TD, 9.0 ypc
Mike Davis, RB: 11 rush, 58 yds, 5.3 ypc; 4 rec, 22 yds, 1 TD
Los Angeles Rams
Jared Goff, QB: 28/39, 318 yds, 2 TD
Todd Gurley, RB: 16 rush, 120 yds, 1 TD, 7.5 ypc, 3 rec, 40 yds
Brandin Cooks, WR: 10 rec, 100 yds, 1 rush, 9 yds, 1 TD
Cooper Kupp, WR: 5 rec, 39 yds (Torn ACL)
Written by: Jason Feiner
Miami Dolphins (5-5) vs. Green Bay Packers (4-4-1)
Final Score: Packers 31, Dolphins 12
Recap: It finally happened. Brock Osweiler played like the Brock Osweiler of old. Yes, he had no help from his defense, mishmash offensive line, and injured wide receivers, but he was missing throws high and made bad choices all game. Their offense just couldn’t score touchdowns, and this seems to be a recurring theme as of late. The Packers’ defense at home made it a hellish day for Brock as a whole. The Dolphins defense was given fits by Aaron Rodgers, who was moving well in the pocket and found Davante Adams on two touchdowns. But were absolutely exposed on the ground by Aaron Jones on 15 carries 145 yards and 2 touchdowns. After this performance and the rash of injuries the Dolphins have incurred, their Week 11 bye could not have come at a better time. As for the Packers, we're starting to see a more complete team form around Aaron Rodgers.
Brock Osweiler’s turnover on their game-opening drive fumbled away a prime opportunity to put points on the board and allowed the Packers to cash in with a Davante Adams touchdown right after. Later in the game, a 67 yard run through the middle of Miami’s defense by Aaron Jones set up a two-yard touchdown by the running back to extend Green Bay’s lead to 14-3. The Dolphins managed three more field goals to close the gap and make the game 12-14. The game flipped on the ensuing kickoff when Jason Sanders was penalized for kicking out of bounds. This penalty allowed the Packers to start their drive on the 40, which ended with an Aaron Jones TD and put the game out of reach.
Notable Performances:
Miami Dolphins
Brock Osweiler, QB: 23/37, 213 yds, 1 INT
Frank Gore, RB: 13 rush, 90 yds, 6.9 ypc
Danny Amendola, WR: 7 rec, 72 yds
Green Bay Packers
Aaron Rodgers QB: 19/28, 199 yds, 2 TD
Aaron Jones, RB: 15 rush, 145 yds, 2 TD, 9.7 ypc
Davante Adams, WR: 4 rec, 57 yds, 2 TD
Written by: George Haraktsis
Dallas Cowboys (4-5) vs. Philadelphia Eagles (4-5)
Final Score: Cowboys 27, Eagles 20
Recap: The Cowboys entered this game coming off their worst loss of the season just six days prior to the Titans at home, and many expected Philly to put the nail in the coffin on Dallas’ season on Sunday night. A desperate Dallas team (and coaching staff) clearly knew what was at stake, playing with a level of urgency and aggressiveness that was sorely lacking a week ago. Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott were reminiscent of their 2016 rookie form as they paced the Dallas offense all night, and particularly down the stretch, with two huge 4th-quarter touchdowns to help seal the game for their first road victory of the season. Elliott finished with 187 total yards and two touchdowns on the night. The defensive performance of the night came from Cowboys rookie linebacker Leighton Vander Esch, had his first career INT in the first quarter off Wentz (leading to a Brett Maher FG) and finished with 13 total tackles. Dallas rode off the play of these three throughout the night to improve to 4-5 and stay in the mix in the NFC East.
After a slow start to the game for each team offensively, Dallas led 6-3 with less than two minutes until halftime and the Eagles were burning timeouts in hopes of getting the ball back and putting points on the board before the break. Instead of playing for field position by punting and giving the ball back to Wentz and the Eagles' offense, Prescott hit Michael Gallup on a screen pass on 3rd-and-15 for a gain of 25 yards, leading to a momentum-building touchdown drive and a 13-3 lead for the road team at half. However, the Eagles kept it interesting in the second half, thanks in large part to the strong connection between Carson Wentz and Zach Ertz, as the dynamic tight end finished with 14 catches for 145 yards and two touchdowns. With Dallas holding a 27-20 lead late in the 4th-quarter, the Eagles were facing a 3rd-and-2 on the Dallas 30-yard line. Corey Clement caught a screen pass from Wentz with two blockers out in front and a lot of open space, but Vander Esch somehow found a way to beat both blockers and tackle Clement for a loss of five yards, setting up 4th-and-7. Wentz found his favorite target in Ertz, who appeared to catch it in the air right at the sticks, but a strong hit by Jeff Heath knocked Ertz a yard back before he could fully gain control of the ball and land. After that turnover on downs, Dallas forced Philly to burn all three timeouts and held them off on a last-second drive, preserving the win as well as their playoff hopes.
Notable Performances:
Dallas Cowboys
Dak Prescott, QB: 26/36, 270 yds, 2 TD; 6 rush, 9 yds, TD
Ezekiel Elliott, RB: 19 rush, 151 yds, TD, 7.9 ypc; 6 rec, 36 yds, TD
Amari Cooper, WR: 6 rec, 75 yds
Leighton Vander Esch, LB: 13 tackles, 1 INT
Philadelphia Eagles
Carson Wentz, QB: 32/44, 360 yds, 2 TD, INT
Josh Adams, RB: 7 rush, 47 yds, 6.9 ypc
Zach Ertz, TE: 14 rec, 145 yds, 2 TD
Alshon Jeffery, WR: 4 rec, 48 yds
Written by: Greg Lehr
New York Giants (2-7) vs. San Francisco 49ers (2-8)
Final Score: Giants 27, 49ers 23
Recap: The battle for the #2 overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft turned out to be an entertaining one, featuring big plays by both offenses, a few interceptions, and a couple nice kick returns. The Giants finally learned what happens when they throw the ball deep, as they moved the ball far better than they have all season despite Saquon Barkley getting little going on the ground. It helped that San Francisco’s defensive line failed to generate much pressure on Eli Manning. Matt Breida absolutely gashed a Giants defense that has suddenly struggled against the run since trading Damon Harrison to Detroit. Despite his final stat line Nick Mullens played well, posting a 69% completion percentage and slicing up the Giants defense when he had time in the pocket. The Giants now go into a winnable game at Tampa Bay, while the 49ers enter a bye week in which Mullens will learn from his mistakes and continue to improve.
The Giants got their first interception off of Mullens late in the 1st quarter, after Janoris Jenkins jumped a throw intended for Kendrick Bourne and tipped it into the hands of teammate B.J. Goodson. That occured deep in 49ers territory, and Odell Beckham Jr. scored his first touchdown 3 plays later. San Fran answered right back with a 75-yard drive ending in a Matt Breida TD run. After tacking on another field goal before the half, the 49ers marched down the field in 11 plays to open the scoring after halftime. But Corey Coleman’s 51 yard kick return let the Giants score just 4 plays later. With the 49ers up 3 and with under three minutes left in the 4th, the Giants executed a quick, 9 play drive that culminated in a great TD catch by Sterling Shepard. Mullens gave the Niners a fighting chance at the end, but just ran out of time to complete the comeback.
Notable Performances:
New York Giants
Eli Manning, QB: 19/31, 188 yds, 3 TD
Saquon Barkley, RB: 20 rush, 67 yds, 3.3 ypc; 4 rec, 33 yds
Odell Beckham Jr., WR: 4 rec, 73 yds, 2 TD
B.J. Goodson, LB: 6 tackles, 2 INT
San Francisco 49ers
Nick Mullens, QB: 27/39, 250 yds, 1 TD, 2 INT
Matt Breida, RB: 17 rush, 101 yds, 1 TD; 3 rec, 31 yds, 1 rec TD
George Kittle, TE: 9 rec, 83 yds
Written by: Alexander Amir