Minnesota Vikings (1-2-1) vs. Los Angeles Rams (4-0)
Final Score: Rams 38, Vikings 31
Recap
With the Rams missing much of their secondary and the Viking still without defensive centerpiece Emerson Griffin, this game quickly turned into a barn burner. Both quarterbacks played lights out football as they combined for 987 yards through the air, putting on a passing clinic of epic proportions. The Vikings quickly struck first, going up 7-0 in the first quarter, but once Minnesota started to settle for field goals, the Rams continued to reach the end zone and never looked back. Down 10 late in the 4th quarter, the Vikings were able to kick a field goal to make it a one possession game. They followed that up by forcing the Rams to go 3 and out, setting the Vikings up to potentially send the game to overtime with a touchdown. A few plays later, the Rams defense would spoil the last second comeback with a strip sack to seal the game for Los Angeles.
The Rams offense was clicking on all cylinders thanks to Jared Goff and HC/play caller Sean McVay. Los Angeles exploited mismatches throughout the game, taking advantage of Minnesota’s linebackers in coverage (specifically Anthony Barr) any chance they got. Barr was the victim of three touchdowns, as the Rams targeted him nearly anytime he was forced to cover Todd Gurley, Cooper Kupp, or Robert Woods one on one. Both secondaries looked susceptible, as Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen had their way with a banged up Marcus Peters and an aging Sam Shields, while Woods, Kupp, and Cooks manhandled Trae Waynes and Mckenzie Alexander. The game came down to pass protection, and ultimately the Rams were able to apply pressure on Cousins when they needed it the most. Rookie defensive end John Franklin-Myers caused a strip sack in the final two minutes of the game, sealing the deal and a home victory on Thursday night.
Notable Performances
Minnesota Vikings
Kirk Cousins, QB: 36/50, 422 YDS, 3 TD
Adam Thielen, WR: 8 rec, 135 YDS, 1 TD
Stefon Diggs, WR: 11 rec, 123 yds
Los Angeles Rams
Jared Goff, QB: 26/33, 465 YDS, 5 TD
Todd Gurley II, RB: 17 rush, 83 yds, 4.9 ypc
Cooper Kupp, WR: 9 rec, 162 yds, 2 TD
Written by: Jack Bourgeois
New York Jets (1-3) vs. Jacksonville Jaguars (3-1)
Final Score: Jaguars 31, Jets 12
Recap
Although this game was within two scores for the Jets in the 4th quarter, it felt as if the Jaguars were completely in control the entire game. The Jags defense was flying around like crazy. Their extotic and downright confusing fronts constantly pressured Darnold and made him look uncomfortable and lost in the pocket. Darnold had no help from his run game or receivers either — these eyes saw two deep balls dropped on surefire touchdowns for Gang Green. The mostly Fournette-less Jaguars offense made mincemeat of the Jets defense too. Bortles had all the time in the world in the pocket and never seemed to force the ball. He was helped by the play calling, which used the run to set up the pass effectively, and the lack of execution by the Jets defense. The Jets DBs blew assignment after assignment, leaving Keelan Cole and Dede Westbrook wide open in the middle of the field numerous times. This was the game we expected to see before the first kickoff.
The Jaguars finished the first half with three made field goals, but did find the end zone late in the second quarter on a pass to a very wide open T.J. Yeldon for a 31 yard touchdown. The defense got in on the action in the third quarter when Marcell Dareus & Calais Campbell forced a safety on an Isaiah Crowell carry. The second of Bortles’ touchdowns came on a 67 yard pitch and catch to Donte Moncrief, which helped him end his day with 388 yards, a career high. After a T.J. Yeldon fumble, the Jets did manage to find the endzone on a Jordan Leggett touchdown catch, but Yeldon’s touchdown run later in the 4th cemented the win for the Jags.
Notable Performances
New York Jets
Sam Darnold, QB: 17/34, 167 yds, 1 TD
Bilal Powell, RB: 8 carries, 26 yds, 3.25 ypc
Quincy Enunwa, WR: 4 rec, 66 yds
Jacksonville Jaguars
Blake Bortles, QB: 29/38, 388 yds, 1 TD, 2 INT
T.J. Yeldon, RB: 18 rush, 52 yds, 1 TD, 2.9 ypc; 3 rec, 48 yards 1 TD
Dede Westbrook WR: 8 rec, 130 yds, 1 TD
Written by: George Haraktsis
Miami Dolphins (3-1) vs. New England Patriots (2-2)
Final Score: Patriots 38, Dolphins 7
Recap
This was a must-win game for the Patriots and they sure delivered. The Dolphins offense could never find the magic that they produced during the first three weeks of the NFL season against a Patriots defense that harassed Tannehill early and often, sacking him three times and forcing and interception. Tannehill had no help from his ground game, which was stifled by the Patriots defense front and could only produce 56 yards rushing. The Dolphins defense was no match for the Patriots offense. New England uncharacteristically found success in the hands of players not named Tom Brady. They ran for 175 yards on the ground, led by rookie Sony Michel and team captain James White. While Brady did throw for three touchdowns, he threw two interceptions, and missed a few times on somewhat easy throws. This could be the new identity for the Patriots — short passes and a ground and pound scheme — until Brady and his receivers find their groove.
The game’s first touchdown wasn’t scored until the beginning of the second quarter on a well designed play that sprung Cordarelle Patterson for a 55 yard score. The Patriots never looked back after this. James White scored on a 22 yard run with some great blocking and a well timed cutback, and Phillip Dorsett joined the fun with a touchdown catch with 18 seconds to go in the first half. The second half was highlighted by two more Patriots touchdowns-a 14 yard pass to James White, and a 10 yard run for Sony Michel’s first NFL touchdown. The Dolphins did manage to finally break the shutout and score on a Frank Gore touchdown catch, but it was thrown by backup Brock Osweiler after Adam Gase decided to pull most of his starters with the game out of reach. Not a great showing from a Gase-led offense.
Notable Performances
Miami Dolphins
Ryan Tannehill QB: 11/20, 100 yards, 1 INT
Frank Gore RB: 11 rush, 44 yds, 4 ypc; 2 rec, 16 yds, 1 TD
Kenny Stills, WR: 3 rec, 40 yds
New England Patriots
Tom Brady QB:, 23/35, 274 yds, 3 TD, 2 INT
Sony Michel, RB: 25 rush, 112 yds, 1 TD, 4.48 ypc
James White RB: 8 rush, 44 yds, 1 TD, 5.5 ypc; 8 rec, 68 yds, 1 TD
Written by: George Haraktsis
Philadelphia Eagles (2-2) vs. Tennessee Titans (3-1)
Final Score: Titans 26, Eagles 23 F/OT
Recap
In a very close game that needed overtime to settle it, the defending Super Bowl champions lost near the end of the overtime period. Both teams had struggles on offense and defense, but Tennessee offensive coordinator Matt LaFleur revved up his offense when it mattered in the waning moments of the game.
The Eagles took a commanding lead at the 7:36 mark of the 3rd quarter at 17-3. But Marcus Mariota led the Titans’ offense to 17 unanswered points to take a 20-17 lead with 5:01 to go in the 4th. DeAndre Carter took a Tennessee punt 42 yards to set the Philadelphia offense up in great position to tie or take the lead, but the Eagles ultimately settled for overtime as Jake Elliott kicked the tying field goal. In overtime, the Eagles drove first and kicked another field goal. The Titans’ offense then converted three 4th downs on a game-winning touchdown drive to end the game.
Notable Performances
Philadelphia Eagles
Carson Wentz, QB: 33/50, 348 yards, 2 TD
Jay Ajayi, RB: 15 rush, 70 yards, 4.7 ypc
Zach Ertz, TE: 10 rec, 112 yards
Alshon Jeffery, WR: 8 rec, 105 yards, 1 TD
Tennessee Titans
Marcus Mariota, QB: 30/43, 344 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT; 10 rush, 46 yards, 1 TD
Corey Davis, WR: 9 rec, 161 yards, 1 TD (game-winner)
Malcolm Butler, CB: 10 tackles, 1 sack, 1 TFL, 1 QB Hit
Written by: Rusty Miller
Houston Texans (1-3) vs. Indianapolis Colts (1-3)
Final Score: Texans 37, Colts 34
Recap
The Texans-Colts matchup was eventful and full of ups and downs for each team, as it came down to the end of overtime to determine the winner. After getting off to a hot start, Houston found themselves up 28-10 before Andrew Luck put Indianapolis on his back and helped lead his team back in the game as they tied it up in the final minutes. Deshaun Watson made only a handful of mistakes, including an interception, but for the most part he looked like the player that we saw last year before he tore his ACL. Even though the Colts lost, Adam Vinatieri did set the record for most field goals made in NFL history during this contest.
The biggest play that determined the winner came in overtime. After trading a couple of field goals, the Colts had the ball on their 43, it was 4th and 4, Frank Reich decided to go for it. They did miss it and the Texans made the play to get into field goal range to get the win. While most are questioning Reich’s decision, I think it was the right call. No one likes a tie, and Indianapolis needs to attempt to get as many wins as they can this season. The Colts need to work on finding a way to win these close games they have lost so far this season. Houston will look to continue their momentum from this divisional win into next week.
Notable Performances
Houston Texans
Deshaun Watson, QB: 29/42, 375 yds, 2 TD, 1 INT, 6 rush, 41 yds, 1 TD
DeAndre Hopkins, WR: 10 rec, 169 yds, 1 TD
Keke Coutee, WR: 11 rec, 109 yds
Indianapolis Colts
Andrew Luck, QB: 40/62, 464 yds, 4 TD
Nyheim Hines, RB: 4 rush, 10 yds, 2.5 ypc; 9 rec, 63 yds, 2 TD
T.Y. Hilton, WR: 4 rec, 115 yds
Written by: Cody Manning
Buffalo Bills (1-3) vs. Green Bay Packers (2-1-1)
Final Score: Packers 22, Bills 0
Recap
This was never the Bills’ game from the start. The Green Bay Packers shut down the run right off the bat and forced Josh Allen to beat them through the air. The rookie QB couldn’t do it with his offensive line looking like swiss cheese, allowing 7 sacks and countless amounts of pressures, also forcing two turnovers from Allen. The Bills defense could not get a grip on the game either, as they had no answer to Aaron Jones and the Green Bay running game, which accumulated 141 yards on the ground. They couldn't stifle Aaron Rodgers either, who made play after play with his arm while picking up numerous key first downs with his feet as well. It was a poor showing for the Bills overall, and a clear indication that they’ve come back down to earth after their win against the Vikings.
Although the Packers offense scored 22 points, it still did not look like they were clicking at times. Rodgers was moving a lot better than he was last week, but he was missing receivers left and right. This could have been an off-day but it is something to monitor. One thing that did look good was the run game. Aaron Jones showed some great signs of becoming a lead back in this league. He displayed power, explosion, and decisiveness throughout the game, and looks to have complete control over RB1 duties. If McCarthy makes the switch to Jones, he could establish a continuity in the run-game that would help the offense finally find its groove. As for the Bills, this offense is going nowhere fast with that terrible offensive line and sad group of skill position players. Allen will continue to struggle all year through no fault of his own.
Notable Performances
Buffalo Bills
Josh Allen, QB: 16/33, 151 yds, 2 INT
LeSean McCoy, RB: 5 rush, 25 yds, 5 ypc
Charles Clay, TE: 4 rec, 40 yds
Green Bay Packers
Aaron Rodgers, QB: 22/40, 298 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT
Aaron Jones, RB: 11 rush, 65 yds, 1 TD, 5.9 ypc
Davante Adams, WR: 8 rec, 81 yds
Written by: George Haraktsis
Detroit Lions (1-3) vs. Dallas Cowboys (2-2)
Final Score: Cowboys 26, Lions 24
Recap
This was about as back and forth of a game as it can get. The matchup featured a little bit of every, some tough running, some insane catches, good defense, and quarterback play from both sides. The Cowboys struck first with a field goal, but would trade blows and lead changes a total of five times with the Lions. Stafford and company played well enough to win but simply gave the Cowboys the ball back with too much time left on the clock. This allowed Dak to connect with Zeke on a go route down the sidelines in the final minute and a half of the game, and kicker Brett Maher sealed the deal with a 38 yard field goal as time expired.
The Cowboys finally seemed to find their rhythm on offense, as Jason Garrett fed Ezekiel Elliott the ball a total of 29 times, leading the team in rushes, catches, and routes ran. It paid dividends for Dak Prescott's performance, as he went over 200 yards passing for the first time this season. The young Dallas secondary was able to limit the ultra-talented wide receiving core of Detroit, but Golden Tate would still find a way to make a difference. The Lions star wideout and Stafford’s favorite target was able to take two catches of 38 or more yards to the house on Sunday, making defenders look silly in the process. Ultimately, the game was determined by the Lions inability to slow down Zeke, and his combined 240 yards from scrimmage was just too much to overcome.
Notable Performances
Detroit Lions
Matthew Stafford, QB: 24/30, 307 yds, 2 TD
Kerryon Johnson, RB: 9 rush, 55 yds, 1 TD, 6.1 ypc
Golden Tate, WR: 8 rec, 132 yds, 2 TD
Dallas Cowboys
Dak Prescott, QB: 17/27, 255 yds, 2 TD
Ezekiel Elliott, RB: 25 rush, 152 yds, 6.08 ypc; 4 rec, 88 yds, 1 TD
Cole Beasley, WR: 4 rec, 53 yds
Written by: Jack Bourgeois
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-2) vs. Chicago Bears (3-1)
Final Score: Bears 48, Buccaneers 10
Recap
A game that wasn’t even close saw the Chicago Bears absolutely obliterate the Buccaneers and essentially put an end to the “Fitzmagic” hype train as the Bucs enter their bye week. Mitchell Trubisky was on fire throughout the game, posting a perfect 158.3 passer rating in the first half and tossing five touchdowns. The Bears defense was also unstoppable, as Khalil Mack caused yet another strip sack, tying an NFL record with four straight games. Jameis Winston came in to start the second half, but his first drive ended in an interception prompted by Mack applying pressure to the right side of the line. Tampa is now faced with a decision to make for their upcoming contest against Atlanta in Week Six: Jameis or Fitzpatrick?
The scoring started quick and early for the home team, as Trubisky found Trey Burton for a 39-yard score, and then found Allen Robinson from 14 yards out with just over two minutes left in the quarter. Chicago’s first seven possessions: 5 touchdowns, one field goal, and a punt. Fitzpatrick threw an interception in the red zone, and that was all for his game. Winston tried to put out the fire, but it was too much to overcome. The Bucs’ final drive also ended in an interception, and Chicago continues to stymie some great offensive teams. After the game, Bucs head coach Dirk Koetter described the game: “We should have fired everyone on that field today, starting with me. That was horrific.”
Notable Performances
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Ryan Fitzpatrick, QB: 9/18, 126 yds, 1 INT
Jameis Winston, QB: 16/20, 145 yds, TD, 2 INT
Ronald Jones, RB: 10 rush, 29 yds, 2.9 ypc
Desean Jackson, WR: 5 rec, 112 yds
Mike Evans, WR: 6 rec, 59 yds
Chicago Bears
Mitchell Trubisky, QB: 19/26, 354 yds, 6 TD; 3 rush, 53 yds
Tarik Cohen, RB: 13 rush, 53 yds, 4.1 ypc; 7 rec, 121 yds, TD
Taylor Gabriel, WR: 7 rec, 104 yds, 2 TD; 1 rush, 10 yds
Written by: Joe Carlino
Cincinnati Bengals (3-1) vs. Atlanta Falcons (1-3)
Final Score: Bengals 37, Falcons 36
Recap
In one of the best games of the weekend, the Bengals and Falcons went down to the wire as both offenses looked almost unstoppable. The game went back and forth for most of the day, and both teams combined for 902 yards of total offense. In the end, the Bengals’ defense was simply able to hold off the Falcons just enough to squeak out a one point win on the road.
There were several plays in the game that were huge for the Bengals. John Ross, the Bengals’ 2017 first round pick, caught a 39 yard touchdown midway through the 2nd quarter to give Cincinatti a 21-14 advantage. They did not lost that lead until Calvin Ridley hauled in his second touchdown of the game on a 30 yard pass from Matt Ryan with 14:25 to go in the game. Andy Dalton was able to lead the Bengals on scoring drives twice in the 4th quarter, including his 13 yard, game winning touchdown pass with 7 seconds to go in the game.
Notable Performances
Cincinnati Bengals
Andy Dalton, QB: 29/41, 337 yds, 3 TD, 1 INT
Gio Bernard, RB: 15 rush, 69 yds, 2 TD, 4.6 ypc; 4 rec, 27 yds
A.J. Green, WR: 4 rec. 78 yds, 1 TD
Atlanta Falcons
Matt Ryan, QB: 29/39, 419 yds, 3 TD
Julio Jones, WR: 9 rec, 173 yds
Calvin Ridley, WR: 4 rec, 54 yds, 2 TD
Written by: Jake Leicht
Seattle Seahawks (2-2) vs. Arizona Cardinals (0-4)
Final Score: Seahawks 20, Cardinals 17
Recap
Josh Rosen received his first start in his NFL career and recorded his first loss in heartbreaking fashion. After leading a 4th quarter comeback, he set the offense up for a possible go ahead field goal with under two minutes to go. Duke Dawson couldn’t convert and handed the ball back to Russell Wilson with excellent field position. He took advantage, setting up what turned into the game winning field goal as time expired.
This game was anything but pretty for either team, and was headlined by an injury that will have ramifications on Seattle's secondary and the athlete’s career moving forward. Star safety Earl Thomas fractured his leg (the same leg as two years prior), and will head to IR for the remainder of the season. After sitting out for the entire offseason in search of a new contract and starting the first three weeks as the NFL’s leader in interceptions, his gamble ends without security. Mike Davis took over for the inactive Chris Carson, en route to 102 yards on the ground, while receiving a total of 16 more touches than first round pick Rashaad Penny. Rosen gave the Cardinals an opportunity to win their first game of the season, but fell short and dropped to 0-4, becoming the only winless team in the league after four weeks.
Notable Performances
Seattle Seahawks
Russell Wilson, QB: 19/26, 172 yds, 4 rush, 21 yds
Mike Davis, RB: 21 rush, 102 yds, 2 TD, 4.8 ypc, 4 rec, 23 yds
Rashaad Penny, RB: 9 rush, 49 yds
Doug Baldwin, WR: 5 rec, 41 yds
Arizona Cardinals
Josh Rosen, QB: 15/27, 180 yds, 1 TD
David Johnson, RB: 22 rush, 71 yds, 1 TD, 3.2 ypc; 4 rec, 41 yds
Christian Kirk, WR: 4 rec, 28 yds
Written by: Jason Feiner
Cleveland Browns (1-2-1) vs. Oakland Raiders (1-3)
Final Score: Raiders 45, Browns 42
Recap
In what turned out to be the biggest shootout of the weekend, the Oakland Raiders bested the Cleveland Browns at home by a final score of 45-42. The game was a back and forth affair, as both teams saw multiple leads at various points in the game. At the end of the day, the Raiders won the turnover battle, which ultimately was a huge factor in winning the game in overtime.
The biggest plays for the Raiders really came on defense, as they took advantage of the Browns’ turnovers on multiple occasions. Amari Cooper was almost unguardable in the 4th quarter, while the Browns simply could not put enough pressure on Derek Carr to put the game away. For the Browns, the biggest play of the game came down to a 3rd and 3 rush late in the 4th quarter in which it looked like Carlos Hyde got the first down. After review, the referees changed the call on the field, and the Raiders took advantage by sending the game into overtime and ultimately winning. Nick Chubb came in clutch for the Browns, as he made the most of his 3 carries by having touchdown runs of 63 and 41 yards. In the end, the Raiders simply played better in crunch time at home, and won the game late in overtime.
Notable Performances
Cleveland Browns
Baker Mayfield, QB: 21/41, 295 yds, 2 TD, 2 INT
Nick Chubb, RB: 3 rush, 105 yds, 2 TD. 35.0 ypc
Carlos Hyde, RB: 22 rush, 82 yds, 1 TD, 3.7 ypc
Oakland Raiders
Derek Carr, QB: 35/58, 437 yds, 4 TD, 2 INT
Marshawn Lynch, RB: 20 rush, 130 yds, 6.5 ypc; 3 rec, 27 yds
Amari Cooper, WR: 8 rec, 128 yds, 1 TD
Written by: Jake Leicht
New Orleans Saints (3-1) vs. New York Giants (1-3)
Final Score: Saints 33, Giants 18
Recap
The Saints picked up right where they left off in Atlanta, winning their second straight road game over the New York Giants. Second year back Alvin Kamara was dominant again, scoring three times and consistently causing problems for the Giants defense. Eli Manning was decent in this contest, but once again, his offensive line failed him, especially at the end of the game. Saints quarterback Drew Brees threw for 217 yards in this game, and now needs 201 yards to break Peyton Manning’s career passing yards record. Next week against Washington in the Superdome is a must-watch game if you care about history.
The Giants striked first with Sterling Shepard scoring from two yards out to give Big Blue an early advantage. Then came Brees and Kamara, and that duo basically took over this contest. Following a second quarter in which the only four scoring plays were field goals by Saints kicker Will Lutz (long of 42 yards), Kamara would score three times in the second half, with two runs from inside the ten yard line. The Giants tried to bounce back and even made it 26-18 with 3:45 left, but Kamara sealed the win with a 49-yard score. The Giants had one final attempt to maybe make it a one-score game late, but Eli was stripped and the ball was recovered by New Orleans.
Notable Performances
New Orleans Saints
Drew Brees, QB: 18/32, 217 yds
Alvin Kamara, RB: 19 rush, 134 yds, 3 TD, 7.1 ypc; 5 rec, 47 yds
Michael Thomas, WR: 4 rec, 47 yds
Josh Hill, TE: 3 rec, 63 yds
New York Giants
Eli Manning, QB: 31/41, 255 yds, TD; 2 rush, 5 yds
Saquon Barkley, RB: 10 rush, 44 yds, TD, 4.4 ypc; 6 rec, 56 yds
Sterling Shepard, WR: 7 rec, 77 yds, TD
Odell Beckham, Jr., WR: 7 rec, 60 yds; 1 rush, 10 yds
Written by: Joe Carlino
San Francisco 49ers (1-3) vs. Los Angeles Chargers (2-2)
Final Score: Chargers 29, 49ers 27
Recap
The Chargers edged out the San Francisco 49ers on a day that many expected a blowout, given that the 49ers just lost their starting quarterback to an ACL tear one week ago. Although CJ Beathard played well, he didn’t do enough in what turned out to be his fifth loss in six career starts. The Chargers improved to 2-2 on the year, staying close to the high flying Chiefs at the top of the division.
Philip Rivers finished the day with 250 yards, passing John Elway for eight on the all-time passing list. The future Hall of Fame passer led the charge with three touchdown passes along with his career accolade, but it was the running back tandem that lit up the Chargers offense once again. Combining for 215 yards and two touchdowns, Melvin Gordon and Austin Ekler continue to show the league why they are the best 1-2 punch in the league. In what turned out to be an impressive offensive output by the 49ers, George Kittle was the best player on the field, converting 6 receptions for 125 yards and a touchdown. He will continue to be a featured pass catcher in this offensive scheme moving forward.
Notable Performances
San Francisco 49ers
CJ Beathard, QB: 23/37, 298 yds, 2 TD, 2 INT
Matt Breida, RB: 9 rush, 39 yds, 4.3 ypc; 3 rec, 32 yds
George Kittle, TE: 6 rec, 125 yds, 1 TD
Los Angeles Chargers
Phillip Rivers, QB: 25/39, 250 yds, 3 TD, 1 INT
Melvin Gordon, RB:15 rush, 104 yds, 6.9 ypc; 7 rec, 55 yds, 1 TD
Austin Ekeler, RB: 8 rush, 21 yds, 3.1 ypc; 2 rec, 31 yds, 1 TD
Keenan Allen, WR: 7 rec, 63 yds
Written by: Jason Feiner
Baltimore Ravens (3-1) vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (1-2-1)
Final Score: Baltimore Ravens 26, Pittsburgh Steelers 14
Recap
In what was promised to be a spectacular rivalry game this Sunday night, the Steelers and Ravens did not disappoint NFL fans. The game got chippy early and often, but ultimately the Ravens got out to an early lead and did not look back. In my game preview, I suggested that the Steelers would get out to a quick start. That did not happen, as Baltimore simply smothered the Steelers’ offensive unit all night long.
The Ravens got out to a swift 14-0 lead in the 1st quarter behind two touchdown passes from Joe Flacco to John brown and Alex Collins. The Steelers were able to claw their way back into the game after a big play in the endzone by Antonio Brown and two field goals from Chris Boswell. The Ravens could not find the endzone in the second half, but Joe Flacco and company were able to put together four drives that ended in field goals by All-Pro kicker, Justin Tucker. The Steelers are reeling right now, and if they do not find answers on offense, they could find themselves too far out of the playoff hunt by early November.
Notable Performances
Baltimore Ravens
Joe Flacco, QB: 28/42, 363 yds, 2 TDs
Alex Collins, RB: 11 rushes, 42 yds, 1 rec, 3 yds, 1 TD
John Brown, WR: 3 rec, 116 yds, 1 TD
Pittsburgh Steelers
Ben Roethlisberger, QB: 27/47, 274 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT
James Conner, RB: 9 rushes, 19 yds, 3 rec, 25 yds
Antonio Brown, WR: 5 rec, 62 yds, 1 TD
Written by: Jake Leicht
Kansas City Chiefs (4-0) vs. Denver Broncos (2-2)
Final Score: Chiefs 27, Broncos 23
Recap
As I predicted in my preview, this divisional rivalry was a hard fought battle until the very end. It was a back and forth contest for the majority of the game but the Chiefs held on at the end to capture the 27-23 victory and remain undefeated. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes stepped up to the challenge of this impressive Broncos pass rush and finished with 304 yards passing and a touchdown. He also scored one touchdown on the ground. Kareem Hunt also had a big day for the Chiefs, rushing for 121 yards and a score. Both of Denver’s touchdowns came on the ground. Phillip Lindsay led the way with 69 yards and a touchdown, while rookie Royce Freeman scored on the ground as well. With this loss, Denver falls to 2-2 on the season.
This game was close from the very beginning as the two teams were tied 3-3 at the end of the first quarter. The Broncos went into the half leading 13-10 after a last second field goal by Brandon McManus. Kansas City tied the game to begin the the second half after a field goal by Harrison Butker, which was followed by 10 unanswered points by the Broncos to take a 23-13 lead. The Chiefs came charging back on a touchdown pass from Mahomes to Travis Kelce to make it 23-20. The biggest play of the game came on the final drive for the Chiefs, when Mahomes avoided a sack and threw a left-handed pass to Tyreek Hill. This led to a game-winning touchdown run by Hunt with just over a minute left to play.
Notable Performances
Kansas City Chiefs
Patrick Mahomes, QB: 28/45, 304 yds, 1 TD, 1 rush TD
Kareem Hunt, RB: 19 rush, 121 yds, 1 TD, 6.4 ypc
Travis Kelce, TE: 7 rec, 78 yds, 1 TD
Denver Broncos
Case Keenum,, QB: 21/33, 245 yds,1 INT
Phillip Lindsay, RB: 12 rush, 69 yds, 1 TD, 5.8 ypc
Jeff Heuerman, WR: 4 rec, 57 yds
Written by: Ryan Lippert