Author: Raza Umerani

Week 6 of the NFL season played out much like the weeks that came before it: tons of offense, blown leads everywhere, and learning more and more about each team in the league. Let’s recap what happened in the 14 games this week.

Titans 42-36 Texans

What a doozy this game was down the stretch in Nashville. This game had everything: big time players making big time plays, incredible individual performances, blown leads, clutch plays, and a walk-off touchdown. Let’s start with the losing side, led by Deshaun Watson, who was masterful. The Texans QB completed 28 of his 37 attempts for 335 yards and 4 TDs, with WR Will Fuller V accounting for 123 of those yards and a score. Even after falling into a 14 point hole, Watson led Houston back on drive after drive to help them claim a lead in the second half. All 4 of his touchdowns went to 4 different receivers, as the Titans defense had no answers. Tennessee’s offense had all the answers, however, as QB Ryan Tannehill and RB Derrick Henry both played a spectacular game once again. Tannehill threw for 364 yards and 4 TDs on 73% completion, and Henry ran for 212 yards and 2 TDs on 22 carries, including a remarkable 94 yard sprint int he 4th quarter. Henry became just the 3rd player in NFL history to run for 200+ yards in 3 games. These teams went back and forth in the 4th quarter, with the Texans taking a 1 point lead on a 53 yard dime to Will Fuller V after the aforementioned Henry touchdown run. After a poor interception thrown by Tannehill, the Texans reached the endzone again with 1:50 left on a Brandin Cooks TD catch. Houston went for 2 to put the game out of reach, but was stopped, making it a 36-29 game. Ryan Tannehill led his team all the way down the field, and threw a perfect ball to WR A.J. Brown in the endzone for the game-tying touchdown with just 4 seconds left. The Titans won the toss in OT, marched the ball all the way down the field, and Derrick Henry ran in the game-winning touchdown from 5 yards out. It was a tough loss for the Texans, who now drop to 1-5 on the year. The loss re-sparked the conversation about the NFL’s overtime rules, and how it only seems fair that both teams should get the ball in the extra period. I don’t disagree at all, but that shouldn’t undermine how impressive the win was for the Titans. They are now one of only 3 undefeated teams left in the NFL at 5-0, and really look like one of the league’s best teams. They play exceptionally well in almost every facet of the game, and they have been putting it to opponents. Derrick Henry is making a case for being the best RB in football, and Ryan Tannehill is playing the best football of his life. This was an amazing game from start to finish, and it’s a shame that one team had to walk away with a loss.

Colts 31-27 Bengals

Speaking of blown leads, the Cincinnati Bengals played football on Sunday. Cincy came out firing on all cylinders on both sides of the ball, absolutely dominating the Colts for over a quarter to the tune of an early 21-0 lead. QB Joe Burrow was on fire, throwing dime after dime, often connecting with fellow rookie, WR Tee Higgins. Indianapolis finally woke up after falling behind 3 scores, scoring 3 2nd quarter touchdowns, and ended up only down 3 at halftime. It was all Colts from there on out, as their defense stiffened up and locked up the Bengals offense for almost the entire second half. Thanks to an incredible TD grab by TE Jack Doyle, a late field goal, and an insurance INT of Joe Burrow, the Colts walked away with the win. It was a testament to how tough this team is, bouncing back from a bad loss last week and an awful start in the game itself. QB Philip Rivers finished with an impressive statline of 371 yards and 3 touchdowns. Burrow didn’t have a bad game either with 313 yards of his own, but it wasn’t enough. Once again, the #1 overall pick played well, but it wasn’t enough. That’s a trend that we can only hope doesn’t continue for too long in Cincinnati.

Falcons 40-23 Vikings

Congratulations to the Atlanta Falcons for getting their first win of 2020 and making the Trevor Lawrence Sweepstakes™ a much, much tighter race. The Falcons continued the trend of winning games after firing a head coach, which has seemingly never failed in recent memory. This was quite the domination by Atlanta, who jumped out to a 23-0 lead and never looked back. How thankful do Falcons fans have to be that they didn’t blow this? It was a very impressive game from two Falcons in particular: QB Matt Ryan and WR Julio Jones. Falcons fans have been waiting for Julio to return to the Julio Jones of old, and he certainly looked like it on Sunday in Minnesota. Ryan and Jones linked up 8 times for 137 yards and 2 TDs on some impressive plays by both of them. Minnesota QB Kirk Cousins got off to a horrid start with 3 first half interceptions en route to a scoreless first 30 minutes. He ended up statpadding his way back to a seemingly respectable statline at the end of the game, but we all know that’s because of the way the Falcons play once getting up big. There is one Viking I don’t want to take away from, and that is rookie WR Justin Jefferson. After a down week last Sunday in Seattle, Jefferson bounced back in a big way with 166 yards and 2 TDs on 9 catches. My fantasy team thanks you, JJets. Both of these teams walked out of US Bank Stadium at 1-5. The Falcons should feel good with the burden of Dan Quinn off their shoulders, but the Vikings have to be asking themselves questions about where to go from here. This is a talented team, but they have refused to step up this season. They can’t get it done in the clutch, and if their games aren’t close, they’re the ones getting blown out. Kirk Cousins now has two 3 interception games this season, and is tied for the lead league in INTs, which is inexcusable. When his contract is up after this year, it’s hard to believe he’ll be back in Minnesota.

Broncos 18-12 Patriots

This was a snoozefest. There is no other way to put it. Both of these offenses struggled all game long, and we only had one touchdown in 60 minutes of play. The Broncos field goal-ed their way to victory behind 6 FGs from Brandon McManus. The Patriots almost mounted a late comeback behind a touchdown run from QB Cam Newton and a gift interception from Broncos QB Drew Lock, but Newton was picked off by the Denver defense to put the game to bed. And, in the words of Jedi Master Yoda, “not short enough it was.” This game was a complete eye sore, but it did reveal a lot about both teams. Denver finally got their starting QB Drew Lock back, and he led his team to victory in his first start back, despite a plethora of injuries across the board on offense. The Broncos have had quarterback questions, but there’s no doubt that Lock is a solid starter that can lead this team, especially when their healthy. For New England, this was a headscratching performance offensively. The defense did its job, but the offense could not move the ball for almost the whole game. Newton looked lethargic, the run game was stagnant, and the passing game was virtually nonexistent. The team is now 2-3 and struggling on the offensive side of the ball more than ever, even after a week off. They need to figure things out fast if they want to compete against a division that, outside of the Jets, is actually pretty good.

Giants 20-19 Washington

Sigh. Speaking of snoozefests, we had our first Trevor Lawrence Sweepstakes™ Bowl of 2020 in East Rutherford on Sunday. The Giants got off to a relatively hot start with a 10-0 first quarter lead, including a dime of a touchdown throw to Darius Slayton by QB Daniel Jones. Jones even had a shocking 60 yard run in which he left the Washington defense in the dust with some of that “sneaky athleticism”. It took Washington a much longer time to get going, as they didn’t reach the endzone until there was 13 seconds left in the first half. But, they finally did on a very nice throw from QB Kyle Allen to TE Logan Thomas. For the rest of the game, both offenses struggled to move the ball, plagued by turnovers and poor play. In a 13-13 game with less than 4 minutes to play, Kyle Allen was trying to lead a game-winning drive, but ended up fumbling the ball on a strip sack, leading to a Giants recovery and touchdown return. It was seemingly flattening for Washington, but they didn’t give up just yet. Allen brought his team right back down the field, and with just 22 seconds left, found WR Cam Sims on a great pass into the corner of the endzone for a touchdown. Instead of electing to tie the game with an extra point, HC Ron Rivera told his offense to go for 2 and the win. After running around, searching for an open receiver, Kyle Allen threw an incomplete pass to end the game and secure the first win of the Giants season, and the fifth consecutive Washington loss. Although Kyle Allen looked good at times, it was an overall poor game from the newly appointed starting QB. It didn’t help that the rest of his offense didn’t show up for most of the game. The Giants and QB Daniel Jones were not much better, as they were outgained by almost 100 yards, despite coming out with the win. The Washington defense looked improved, but the Giants will make any defense look good. Washington is now in last place in the division, and is a new emerging contender in the Trevor Lawerence Sweepstakes™. Even with a very easy upcoming schedule, you can only feel like this team is not built to win many games for the rest of the year.

Ravens 30-28 Eagles

The final score of this game should not fool you. The Ravens, despite letting up a bit at the end of the game, dominated this game for most of the way on Sunday. Baltimore’s offense controlled the tempo for all but 7 minutes of the game, with QB Lamar Jackson doing his thing both throwing and running the ball. Jackson had 186 yards passing and 108 yards rushing with 2 total touchdowns. It took Philadelphia a while to get going, as they were scoreless for the first 38 minutes of the game. The Eagles got on the board thanks to a long run by RB Miles Sanders, who fumbled the ball close to the goal line, but it was recovered by WR J.J. Arcega-Whiteside for a touchdown. Down 30-14 with less than 4 minutes left, the Eagles reached the endzone twice, but missed the 2nd of two 2-point conversions and fell just short. QB Carson Wentz played well in the comeback effort, throwing for 213 yards and 2 TDs, but the most impressive stat was having 0 interceptions. It was the first game without a pick for Wentz this season, who has been plagued by that this whole year. The Eagles are now 1-4-1, but still just a half game out of first place in the pile of trash that we call the NFC East. This was the 3rd consecutive win for Baltimore who is getting back into their groove. The Ravens are back to looking like one of the league’s best teams, but I’d still like to see them be more productive in the passing game. Until they do that, I’m not sure if I like them to beat the other elite teams in the AFC.

Steelers 38-7 Browns

If you want the textbook definition of a statement victory, this is it. Yes, the Steelers have historically owned the Browns, but this Cleveland team felt different. They came into this game at 4-1 and feeling great about themselves. The Steelers came in at 4-0, but still being disrespected by the media thanks to their opponents poor records. But after this game, they left nothing up to question anymore. From the jump, this was a Pittsburgh domination. The Steelers jumped out to a 24-0 lead behind a pick 6 of Browns QB Baker Mayfield and back to back impressive second quarter touchdown drives. They never looked back, locking up the Browns offense for the whole game, including another interception, and making their mark in the AFC with a blowout victory. It was a very tough reality check for a Browns team that had looked so impressive in the last month or so. QB Baker Mayfield had an awful game, as he has tended to do so often in his time in Cleveland. I don’t think it’s time to panic at all, but I certainly do not think that Baker Mayfield is the long term answer at QB in Cleveland. Perhaps he can get it done for the time being, but if the Browns keep getting embarrassed like this in big games, and he continues to play poorly in those games, then it will eventually be time to move off of him.

Bears 23-16 Panthers

Ok, ok, fine. I’ll stop disrespecting the Chicago Bears. If there’s anything we knew about this team, it’s that their defense is fantastic. On Sunday, they reiterated that in a big way. Chicago’s D kept the Panthers in check for most of the game and forced 3 turnovers, including 2 interceptions of Carolina QB Teddy Bridgewater. The offense did what it needed to do, as it has so many times this season, as they scored efficiently and led by as many as 14 points in the 4th quarter. The Panthers tried to make it a game at the end, but the Bears defense simply did not let up. Chicago isn’t the most flashy team, they’re not exciting and won’t make it on SportsCenter Top 10, but all they have done is win. HC Matt Nagy has done a fantastic job with his team, and it seems that the move to start Nick Foles at QB is paying off, as he has led his team to back to back wins against some very good teams. Chicago now sits atop the NFC North thanks to a certain dud performance by the Packers, and look poised as ever to keep on winning. I can’t wait to see what they have in store for the rest of the year.

Lions 34-16 Jaguars

What a game for the Lions offense. Detroit controlled this game for all 60 minutes on Sunday in Jacksonville thanks to some big performances by some of their stars. WR Kenny Golladay had 4 catches for 105 yards, and rookie RB D’Andre Swift had his fingerprints all over the game with 116 yards rushing and 2 TDs. It was a rough game for the Jaguars, who couldn’t muster much offensively once again. Their leading rusher was RB James Robinson with just 29 yards. WR Keelan Cole had himself a nice game with 143 yards on 6 catches, but that was about it for Jacksonville. They looked lifeless the whole game, just as they have for the last month or so. We can officially stick a fork in this team that looked so promising early in the year. I was a believer in QB Gardner Minshew II, but now I’m not sure if he can get the job done. He does put up numbers, but I’m not entirely sure if he’s a franchise QB. The Jags are on the fringe of the Trevor Lawrence Sweepstakes™, but don’t be surprised if they’re fully in it in a few weeks.

Dolphins 24-0 Jets

Ah yes, the New York Jets. What a team. What a ride. It took 6 weeks in a season with record-setting offense, but we had our first shutout of 2020. And of course it was the Jets. Led by backup QB Joe Flacco once again, they did absolutely nothing offensively. Literally nothing… to the tune of a goose egg on the scoreboard. The Dolphins, who have looked very impressive in the last couple of weeks, dominated this game and made it look like New York didn’t even belong on the field. If we’re being completely honest, they didn’t. This team is still a mess. Without Sam Darnold, they are impossible to watch. I still don’t know how Adam Gase is employed. But alas, it makes for good content, so I’m here for it. The Dolphins finally got to see their #5 overall pick QB Tua Tagovailoa in action with a couple of minutes left for a couple checkdowns and handoffs, but you could sense that he brought a new level of excitement and energy to an already talented and inspired roster. Apparently, HC Brian Flores liked what he saw so much that he has made the decision to name Tua the starter (more on that tomorrow). It’s an exciting time for the Dolphins. As for the Jets, they are still in the lead in the Trevor Lawrence Sweepstakes™, and with the Giants and Falcons winning on Sunday, they are now the lone winless team in the NFL. I don’t expect that to change any time soon.

Buccaneers 38-10 Packers

Another resounding, statement victory. Everybody was so excited to see this matchup, and for good reason. Both of these teams are elite contenders led by two of the greatest QBs of all time. But what we got was a coaching and overall team performance virtuoso by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Yes, the Packers jumped out to a 10-0 first quarter lead thanks to some great drives led by QB Aaron Rodgers, including his… questionable hip thrusts. But the Bucs’ second quarter was one of the more dominant periods you’ll ever see from a team. CB Jamel Dean picked off Rodgers and returned it down the sideline for 6, followed by another interception off of a deflection to set up another touchdown, this time for RB Ronald Jones II. Later in the quarter, rookie WR Tyler Johnson caught a short touchdown from QB Tom Brady, and at the end of the quarter, Brady found his old friend, TE Rob Gronkowski for the fourth touchdown of the period. It was Gronk’s first touchdown of the season, and the 91st touchdown he has caught from Tom Brady. From there, the game was never in doubt, as the Packers couldn’t even muster another point. 10 3rd quarter points later, and the game was all but over. With their spectacular defense making life hell for Rodgers, and their offense clicking and firing on all cylinders, the Bucs finished the game scoring 38 unanswered points and completely shutting down Green Bay, handing them their first loss of 2020. I knew that Tampa was good, but I did not expect this at all. The Packers looked like a completely different team than they had been in their previous 4 games, and I’m sure they’re gonna take a long, hard look at themselves this week in preparation for their next game. Perhaps Green Bay is not as formidable as we thought. Or perhaps Tampa Bay is even better than we imagined.

49ers 24-16 Rams

Sunday night’s NFC West showdown was pretty fun, but I wanna start by saying that the best part of the game was the uni matchup. I’m in the minority that loves the new Rams getups, and the 49ers throwbacks are some of the best unis in football. So when those two are combined, I am very pleased. The game itself was very interesting as well, as San Francisco honestly dominated for almost the whole game. Their defense bounced back in a huge way after an embarrassing performance last Sunday, holding the Rams to just 9 points in the first 56+ minutes of the game. The offense did its job as well, as they played a very efficient first half. QB Jimmy Garoppolo had himself a night with 268 yards and 3 TDs on 70% completion after playing the worst game of his life last week. It was a fairly uneventful second half, but the Niners held off a late comeback attempt by the Rams to hold on and get back to .500. Kyle Shanahan is now 4-0 as a head coach against Sean McVay, who seemingly has no answers against the 49ers. The Rams are now winless this season against non-NFC East teams, but I’m sure they’ll be fine. They lost to a Niners team that was playing with complete and utter urgency, and were simply outplayed. This division just keeps on getting more and more juicy, as all 4 teams are .500 or above. Can they all play each other very week please?

Chiefs 26-17 Bills

This one was pretty ugly for the most part. Monday afternoon’s game was played in a complete downpour, but it didn’t stop the Chiefs from doing big things through the air. QB Patrick Mahomes played another brilliant, efficient game. They didn’t ask him to make any huge plays because he didn’t need to, but when his number was called, he delivered. Mahomes threw for 225 yards and 2 TDs on a brilliant 81% completion. The real bread and butter in the game for KC was the run game. Rookie RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire ran for 161 yards on a whopping 26 carries, and he is now 2nd in the league in rushing. The gameplan was very similar to the one the Chiefs had against Houston on opening night: pick the defense apart, throw the ball efficiently, and gash the opposition on the ground. When Kansas City is playing like that, I’m not really sure who can stop them. For Buffalo, it was a slow, sluggish game, and they could never really get going offensively past the second quarter. QB Josh Allen didn’t seem to handle the conditions very well, but still delivered some good throws, including a dime on a touchdown to WR Stefon Diggs. But outside of that, it was a slow day at the office for the Bills. They only racked up 206 yards offensively, and they only scored 7 second half points. Allen finished with 122 yards and a pick, but also threw for 2 TDs. The Bills have now put up complete duds in back to back weeks against 2 of the NFL’s best teams, so I’m not sure what to make of them just yet. Are they a fringe contender that isn’t good enough to beat the best? Or were they tricking us the whole time? We’ll find out soon enough.

Cardinals 38-10 Cowboys

The Andy Dalton era could not have gotten off to a worse start in Dallas. Both teams got off to a slow start on Monday night, but the second quarter was an offensive explosion by the Cardinals. It helped that Cowboys RB Ezekiel Elliott could not have held onto the ball even if you paid him to (which they quite literally are). Zeke fumbled the ball twice on consecutive drives, with each turnover leading to a touchdown for Arizona. He now has 3 lost fumbles on the year, which is absolutely inexcusable for somebody being paid $90 million and being asked to shoulder the load offensively for a team that is now without their star QB. On the next drive for Arizona, QB Kyler Murray unloaded an absolute beauty of a deep shot to WR Christian Kirk, who sprinted past every resident in Texas en route to an 80 yard touchdown. In only 8 minutes, the Cards found themselves up 21-0, and they never looked back. They even went up 28-3 in the 3rd, but unlike the other red bird team in the NFL, they continued to dominate. Their defense also showed up big time, led by S Budda Baker, who had his hands all over the game. Baker accounted for one of two interceptions thrown by Cowboys QB Andy Dalton, who struggled from start to finish. Outside of a garbage time touchdown, Dalton was horrendous, missing easy throws and getting absolutely dismantled by the Cardinals defense. It could be the product of his first start in a very long time, facing an elite defense, and not getting any favors from his RB or his porous defense, or it could just be Dalton not being the short term answer at QB that Dallas needs. Next up for them is another good defense in Washington, but if they cannot beat that team, then it is certainly panic time in Dallas. Such a shame for a team that looked like it had such a bright future. Arizona is now 4-2 and sitting nicely at 2nd place in the NFL’s best division, the NFC West. If they can continue stringing together some wins, especially against division opponents, then they can continue gaining some playoff traction. Next up for them is Russell Wilson and the Seahawks. Let’s see what this team is truly made of.

All stats taken from ESPN.

The 2020 NFL season is continuing to deliver. Week 5 was filled with incredible highs and heartbreaking lows. Let’s break down one of the wildest weeks in recent memory.

Bears 20-19 Buccaneers

For the first time in… history, perhaps, Tom Brady had a complete lapse on the football field. The Bucs QB not knowing it was 4th down on the game’s deciding play was the culmination of a night filled with mistakes, anger, and poor play from Tampa Bay. The Bucs got off to a 13-0 start, but two TDs in the last 2 minutes of the first half from Chicago (thanks to a questionable fumble call) put the Bears right back in it. The second half was fairly back and forth as the game became a battle of field goals. Tampa’s offense looked very sluggish in the absence of WR Chris Godwin and RB Leonard Fournette, and the offensive line looked overwhelmed by a fantastic Bears front. Star LB Khalil Mack had his way with the Bucs’ tackles, much to the dismay of Tom Brady, who was barking at his offensive linemen all night long. The Bears offense and QB Nick Foles did what they needed to do when it mattered most, leading to the game-winning field goal from Cairo Santos with 73 seconds left. It was an ugly game for both sides, but it showed us a lot about these teams, especially as they head into some tough upcoming games. I’ll get into that more tomorrow.

Panthers 23-16 Falcons

The Atlanta Falcons are finally cleaning house. After their 5th loss in 5 tries, both HC Dan Quinn and GM Thomas Dimitroff were fired. It was a move that was a long time coming as the Falcons have never been able to get their franchise back on track after 28-3. Outside of an early touchdown, it felt like Atlanta was never truly in this game, as the Panthers controlled the tempo from start to finish thanks to more great play from their offense, led by QB Teddy Bridgewater. Behind 313 yards passing and 2 touchdowns, the Panthers cruised to a close, but seemingly easy win in Atlanta. The Panthers are now on a 3 game win streak, despite being without RB Christian McCaffrey in each of those games. It has been a very impressive stretch that is a testament to the coaching of HC Matt Rhule and experience of this offense, which has come together quite nicely. The Falcons now turn to Raheem Morris as interim HC for the rest of 2020 as they try to right the ship. Or, perhaps Atlanta will tank for a QB in this year’s draft. It’s safe to say that they are firmly in the Trevor Lawrence Sweepstakes™ as one of the league’s 3 winless teams.

Raiders 40-32 Chiefs

For the first time in his career, Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes has lost a game by more than 7 points. The Raiders walked into Arrowhead on Sunday and put on an offensive clinic. The game was a shootout from the jump, as both teams traded big play after big play en route to a 24-24 halftime score. After a scoreless 3rd quarter, the Raiders came out firing in the 4th, scoring 16 unanswered to all but ice the game. They were helped out by Mahomes throwing his first interception of the season to S Jeff Heath, who almost returned it for 6. Kansas City almost mounted an improbable comeback, but the Raiders run game picked up huge first downs to put the game away late. In the end, QB Derek Carr threw for 347 yards and 3 touchdowns, including a 72 yard bomb to 2020 1st round pick WR Henry Ruggs III. RB Josh Jacobs also added 77 yards and 2 TDs of his own. This was a return trip to Earth for the Chiefs, who had won their previous 13 games dating back to last year, including the playoffs. These are the Kansas City Chiefs, so they will be fine, but this defense did not look good at all, and the offense was struggling mightily for almost the whole second half. Meanwhile, the enigma that is the Las Vegas Raiders finally got their signature win under HC Jon Gruden. If they can keep the momentum from this game going forward this season, then the silver and black will be right in the thick of the AFC playoff race.

Cardinals 30-10 Jets

Not much to talk about here. New York Jets very bad. Adam Gase very bad. Joe Flacco very bad. The Cardinals got back on track, as I predicted, and got good performances out of all their star players. QB Kyler Murray had another good game that was not in vain as he threw for 380 yards and a score to WR DeAndre Hopkins, who had 131 yards of his own. The Jets never had a chance in this game, as their abysmal offense could barely move at all. Perhaps they could have done more had QB Sam Darnold played, but I seriously doubt it. This is the worst team in football by a wiiiiiiiide margin, and they are seemingly getting worse by the week. Now there are talks of RB Le’Veon Bell being traded, which I’m sure Bell is dying for. The team is terrible, the culture is terrible, the coaching is terrible, and the fans are miserable. They’re probably dreaming of Trevor Lawrence more than they’re dreaming for a win.

Steelers 38-29 Eagles

The Keystone State battle did not disappoint. There is a ton of stuff to get into from this game. Let’s start with the losing side, who put up a much better fight than I anticipated. The Eagles were often down but never out on Sunday. Each time Pittsburgh retook the lead, they were met with resistance from the Birds. RB Miles Sanders had a somewhat weird game with 80 yards and 2 TDs, with 74 of those yards and 1 of those touchdowns coming on a 74 yard touchdown in the 1st quarter. QB Carson Wentz had another one of those Carson Wentz games where he played just well enough to keep his team in the game, but still made mistakes that ended up costing his team the game. He had 2 more interceptions, with one of them leading to a Steelers touchdown that gave them a very comfortable cushion. He still threw for 258 yards and 2 touchdowns, with the once no-name WR Travis Fulgham catching 10 balls for 152 yards and a score, but it was not enough. The Steelers were too much to handle on offense, as rookie WR Chase Claypool caught 7 passes for 110 yards and 3 touchdowns, in addition to scoring another TD on the ground. QB Ben Roethlisberger had himself a game with 239 yards and 3 TDs on 80% completion. Pittsburgh’s offense, which was a major question mark for me, finally showed up to play, but their defense looked a bit suspect against a team that had no business moving the ball as well as they did. They still showed up when they needed to, but it was questionable. The Steelers are now 4-0, bit their opponents are an abysmal combined 3-15-1. Their next 2 games are against Cleveland and Baltimore. It’s time to see if this team is truly a contender or a team that beats up on the league’s worst.

Rams 30-10 Washington

It’s official: Dwayne Haskins was not the problem. The Washington Football Team finished Sunday’s contest with 108 total yards, the 3rd lowest mark in a game in 50 years. The coaching staff, especially OC Scott Turner, is that bad. QB Kyle Allen made his first start for Washington and, quite predictably, the offense looked horrible. Allen did lead a 1st quarter TD drive that was capped with an impressive TD run, but that was about it. The story of the game was Allen being knocked out of the game with a shoulder injury after a big hit from Rams CB Jalen Ramsey, allowing Alex Smith to enter the game at QB. It was Smith’s first action since his gruesome leg injury 693 days beforehand. It was absolutely incredible to see him back on a football field, and it is a testament to how hard of a worker and how much of a fighter he is. I wasn’t the biggest fan of him as our QB, but I love him for who he is and how he never gives up. I am so happy that he was back out there, and even happier that his family got to see it live. That being said, I was holding my breath on every play. It doesn’t help at all that his offensive line decided they didn’t want to play, allowing Smith to be sacked 6 times. The team gave up a total of 8 sacks on the day in an absolutely shambolic performance by both the offense and the defense. But Dwayne Haskins was the problem. Sure. On the other side of the ball, the Rams offense looked pretty good, as it has so many times this season. They weren’t met with much resistance from the Washington defense, but I will still give them credit. QB Jared Goff had a nice, efficient game, outside of a poor interception to Washington CB Kendall Fuller. LA’s defense dominated the game for 4 quarters to help keep the game locked for the Rams. The game ended up being ugly in the second half thanks to a downpour of rain, but it was never in doubt. Rams HC Sean McVay returned to Landover and stuck it to his old team with authority, because as he knows all too well, the Washington Football Team is far too predictable.

Ravens 27-3 Bengals

We need to get Joe Burrow an offensive line for the greater good. The Bengals rookie QB was getting battered for 60 minutes on Sunday thanks to his offensive line continuing to play like the worst in football. Burrow was sacked 7 times, and the offense could not do a thing. The Bengals were scoreless for the first 59 minutes and 28 seconds of this game for crying out loud. Cincinnati better start drafting some tackles if they want to protect Burrow, otherwise he’s in for a long career with the Bengals. Sunday’s performance was a masterful one by the Ravens defense, which is getting back into a groove. They locked up the Bengals offense all game long, including a 53 yard fumble return TD by rookie LB Patrick Queen. The Baltimore offense did its job as well, despite only 180 passing yards from QB Lamar Jackson. This team’s passing offense is arguably its biggest concern, but if the defense can keep playing at this level, then it might not matter.

Texans 30-14 Jaguars

As I predicted, the first game without Bill O’Brien was a win for the Houston Texans. Good for them, and interim HC Romeo Crennel, who became the oldest man to ever be a HC on Sunday. Houston was in control for a large majority of the game, despite a decent outing by the Jacksonville offense. QB Gardner Minshew II had another 300 yard game with 301 and added 2 TDs. But Jacksonville could not overcome two things: the Texans passing game, and themselves. QB Deshaun Watson threw for 359 yards and 3 TDs, with 161 yards and a score going to WR Brandin Cooks. RB David Johnson also had a nice game on the ground with 96 yards on 17 carries. But more importantly, the Jaguars couldn’t get out of their own way. On an imperative 4th down late in the game, with a chance to get back into it, Jacksonville called a ridiculous trick play in which they snapped the ball directly to RB James Robinson, who fumbled the football and turned it over. I’m not sure if HC Doug Marrone or OC Jay Gruden was responsible for that, but regardless, it was inexcusable, and it costed the Jags a shot at coming back. Jacksonville has now lost their last 4 games, and coaching has been a large factor in all 4. Perhaps they should follow in the Texans’ footsteps.

Dolphins 43-17 49ers

This one was… shocking. The Dolphins absolutely boatraced the 49ers all afternoon long on Sunday in one of the more unexpected outcomes of 2020 so far. Miami came out of the gate firing and didn’t look back for a second, leading by 14 at the end of the 1st quarter, 23 at the end of the 2nd, and winning by 26. The offense looked fantastic as QB Ryan Fitzpatrick put together another impressive performance with 350 yards and 3 touchdowns on 78.5% completion. They got whatever they wanted against a 49ers defense that played absolutely awful football. But as bad as San Francisco’s defense was, it was not nearly as bad as their offense. QB Jimmy Garoppolo played perhaps the worst game of his life with 77 yards, 2 REALLY bad INTs and 0 TDs on 7/17 passing for a whopping 15.7 passer rating. Jimmy G ended up getting benched for C.J. Beathard, who played a much better game, although it didn’t end up meaning anything. The Niners struggles are still going strong against teams not from New York, and it appears as though it might be time to make some decisions. If Garoppolo continues to play poorly and not perform like the QB that took this team to the Super Bowl just one year ago, and that this team is paying over $100 million dollars, then it might be time to move on.

Browns 32-23 Colts

Perhaps the best game on paper in Week 5 did not disappoint. It was a fun, classic feeling game on Sunday afternoon in Cleveland. I felt that the Indianapolis defense would keep them in this game, but the Browns’ overpowering offense was the story in this game. Thanks to a great first half, the Browns were in control for a large majority of the game, despite a couple of interceptions from QB Baker Mayfield. Even the Cleveland defense showed up in a big way, picking off Colts QB Philip Rivers for a touchdown in the 3rd quarter, forcing a safety, and only allowing one offensive touchdown. We already know that the Colts offense is a bit sluggish thanks to the lack of ability that Rivers brings to the table, but Sunday showed us that this team could be so much more dangerous with a better QB. They had so many drives that ended up deep in Browns territory, but ended with 3 points due to the lack of ability to move the ball any further. The defense also played its worst game of the year, but I truly think that says more about the Cleveland offense, which has cemented itself as one of the league’s best. If this game did anything, it’s that it furthered the narratives that we already had on these teams.

Cowboys 37-34 Giants

This was a spectacular game in Arlington on Sunday which was unfortunately highlighted by a horrific moment in recent NFL memory. Cowboys QB Dak Prescott was rolled up on after a short run and suffered a compound fracture and dislocation of his ankle in a gruesome injury that broke the hearts of players, media, and fans all across the country. I was personally very emotional for Dak, who has been through so much in his NFL career, and was so close to getting paid in a big way. Seeing him getting carted off the field in tears was just heartbreaking. We’re all praying for you, 4. At the time of the injury, the Cowboys were losing thanks to some impressive play from the Giants on both sides of the ball, highlighted by a 46 yard pick six of Prescott. Dak lead his team back from 14 down, including a wild trick play in which he caught a touchdown from WR Cedrick Wilson. Backup QB and former Cincinnati Bengal Andy Dalton came in for Dallas, and struggled for a while as the Giants retook the lead with less than 9 minutes to play. The Cowboys got a late field goal to tie the game, stopped the Giants with less than a minute to play, and the Red Rifle hit WR Michael Gallup on back to back amazing throws to set up the game-winning field goal. It was an inspiring win by a team that was absolutely devastated by the loss of their franchise QB. Dallas now sits atop the NFC East at 2-3, and I think they’re in very good hands with Dalton. The Giants are now 0-5 and still very much a contender in the Trevor Lawrence Sweepstakes™. It was their best game of the year, but it still wasn’t enough. Next up for them is Washington, in what might be one of the worst games you will ever see.

Seahawks 27-26 Vikings

Russell Wilson did it again. As if there were any doubt. The Seahawks looked absolutely lethargic for over a half of football as they could barely move the football against a Vikings team that was not scared of the challenge. The Minnesota offense was churning on both the ground and through the air as they jumped out to a 13-0 lead. The Seahawks drove for a touchdown for their first points of the game, then were gifted a short field on a fumble, scored another touchdown, and then were gifted another short field on a spectacular INT of Cousins by LB K.J. Wright, and scored another touchdown to take a 21-13 lead in the blink of an eye. Three TDs in two minutes from a team that couldn’t buy a point in the first half got them right back into it. Cousins responded with an impressive drive ending in a TD to Adam Thielen, then hit Thielen for another touchdown with 7 minutes left in the game to put the Vikings in the driver’s seat. The ball was back in Wilson’s hands, and everyone expected the Seahawks to take the lead right back led by the most clutch player in football. But shockingly, Russ threw a sloppy interception to seemingly seal Seattle’s fate. All Minnesota needed was a few first downs. The Vikings got inside the redzone and were stopped short of the line to gain, and facing 4th and inches, had two choices: go for it and end the game with a first down or kick a field goal to take an 8 point lead with less than 2 minutes to play. HC Mike Zimmer preposterously chose the former, and the Vikings were stopped. Russell Wilson had a chance at redemption, and did not make the same mistakes twice. On a 4th and 10 with his back to his own endzone, he hit WR D.K. Metcalf on a beautiful deep ball down the left sideline. He drove his team all the way down to the goal line with about 30 seconds to play, but Seattle couldn’t punch it in on 3 straight plays. Facing 4th down with 15 seconds left, Wilson found Metcalf again for the game-winning touchdown. It was another game-winning drive led by Wilson, who is always built for the moment. The Seahawks were outplayed all night long, but Russ somehow managed to snatch a victory from the jaws of defeat to lead his team to 5-0. He is firmly in the lead for this season’s MVP. It’s not even close.

Saints 30-27 Chargers

For the first time in 2020, I got the exact score of a game right in a prediction! I definitely didn’t expect the game to go the way it went in terms of how badly the Chargers blew it, but still, it feels nice to be exactly right. The Chargers came out firing on all cylinders led by rookie QB Justin Herbert, who threw 3 first half TDs to lead his team to a 20-3 lead. Herbert looked as mobile and as strong as ever, and his arm was dropping jaws all across America. New Orleans’ offense looked lifeless as QB Drew Brees struggled for almost the entire first half, highlighted by a very poor interception that led to a touchdown for LA. The Saints reached the endzone right at the end of the half to cut the lead to 10, and cut it to 7 in the 3rd. Brees found TE Jared Cook on a beautiful deep ball in the 4th to tie the game, and the Chargers’ lead was officially blown (again). Both defenses held up for almost the rest of the quarter, but on a pivotal 3rd down with less than 4 minutes left, the Saints secondary blew their coverage on Chargers WR Mike Williams who was wide open and walked into the endzone for a go-ahead touchdown with 3:40 left. The rookie delivered again as he did all night for his 4th touchdown of the game. But, this is the Chargers, so of course they had to blow it. The Saints drove right down the field and tied the game on a Taysom Hill touchdown run with 52 seconds left. But even then, the former Oregon QB didn’t give up. Herbert led his team down the field and set up a potential game-winning field goal, but kicker Michael Badgley doinked it off the right upright, and the game went to overtime. In OT, the Saints took the lead on a field goal, and after a big drop by Chargers rookie WR K.J. Hill, stopped LA on 4th down to win it. It was another blown lead by LA, who has now lost their last 4 games despite deserving to win each game. Herbert is still winless as a starter, but should be undefeated. The rookie shut up any and all doubters with 264 yards and 4 touchdowns, but even he isn’t good enough to stop the Chargers from being the Chargers.

Titans 42-16 Bills

Tuesday night’s battle of undefeateds showed us quite a bit about each of these teams. The Tennessee Titans aren’t the flashiest or the most exciting, but they just win games. Everyone on the team does their job and it works to perfection. Tennessee was in control from start to finish as both their offense and defense executed from start to finish. CB Malcolm Butler picked off Bills QB Josh Allen twice, RB Derrick Henry was running people over and throwing people off him like they were JV players, and QB Ryan Tannehill put up another efficient and dominant game. HC Mike Vrabel’s squad does their job week in and week out, winning games and shutting down great teams, even dating back to last year. Even with their COVID-19 issues, they put together a masterclass against a Bills team that is very good. This Titans team is certainly one of the league’s best, and now they have put the NFL on notice with this huge win in primetime. This isn’t the end of the world for Buffalo, but they definitely need to tighten up as they take on the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday evening.

All stats taken from ESPN.

Another week, another slate of games filled with offense and storylines. Let’s get into it.

Broncos 37-28 Jets

This game was much more entertaining than I ever could have imagined. Maybe I should’ve expected this from 2 teams playing for absolutely nothing. The game got off to a very exciting start with Jets QB Sam Darnold ripping off an incredible 46 yard TD run that probably should never have happened, but the Broncos were watching Trevor Lawrence highlights in the locker room and didn’t want to play defense. Broncos QB Brett Rypien got the call for his first career start, and was playing fairly well for most of the game. He found rookie WR Jerry Jeudy for a long TD and spread the ball out all over the field to a completely depleted offense. He did throw a pick 6 to get the Jets back into it late; New York even took the lead with 6 minutes left. But, a late field goal and dagger TD gave Denver their first win of 2020. This was an ugly game for the Jets defense, who committed so many personal fouls that Broncos HC refused to let his players shake hands with any New York players. Nothing says “a Gregg Williams defense” like no discipline and dirty play. The Jets have strengthened their grip on the Trevor Lawerence Sweepstakes™.

Bengals 33-25 Jaguars

Just as I predicted, QB Joe Burrow got his first win on Sunday. The Bengals rookie signal caller looked great once again, becoming the first rookie QB to throw for 300 yards in 3 consecutive games. He got a ton of help offensively (for once), especially from RB Joe Mixon, who ran for over 150 yards and accounted for 3 total touchdowns. The Jags didn’t play a poor game by any means. QB Gardner Minshew II threw for 351 yards and 2 scores, both to WR DJ Chark. But they could not keep up with the Cincinnati offense, which played its best game of the year with over 500 total yards. If the Bengals attack can play this well consistently, then there are plenty of games to be won.

Browns 49-38 Cowboys

Oh my, where to begin with this one. The Browns came out of the gate firing, scoring first on a trick play that saw WR Jarvis Landry launch a touchdown to WR Odell Beckham Jr. Dallas retaliated to gain a 14-7 lead, including a long touchdown to an emerging star, rookie WR CeeDee Lamb. Cleveland then ripped off an unimaginable 34 unanswered points. The Browns had a whopping 24 point second quarter en route to a 17 point halftime lead, and they didn’t look back (for a time). QB Baker Mayfield was dotting the Cowboys defense and the Browns running game was relentless. Unfortunately, star RB Nick Chubb was rolled up on and injured. Chubb will likely miss up to 6 weeks, but luckily, Cleveland still has Kareem Hunt and D’Ernest Johnson, who was somehow the Browns leading rusher on Sunday. After going up 41-14, the Browns defense kinda gave up, allowing QB Dak Prescott and the Cowboys to do that thing they always do in the 4th quarter where they score a bunch of points and try to come back and make the loss look much less embarrassing than it is. Dallas scored 24 unanswered points to cut the lead to just 3. Then, the Browns put the game away in spectacular fashion. Odell got his number called on a reverse play on which he broke tackles and left Dallas defenders in the dust en route to a 50 yard touchdown to finally put the game away for Cleveland. The Browns are now 3-1 and the offense looks fantastic. HC Kevin Stefanski has finally realized the potential of this team. The Cowboys are now 1-3, and should 100% be 0-4 if the Falcons weren’t, you know, the Falcons. This team is very talented offensively, as Dak Prescott is on pace to break records and has put up great numbers so far this year, but why do they only play well offensively once they’re down by a huge margin? They start super slow, the defense (which is absolutely dreadful) get them in a major hole, and then Dak statpads to an impressive statline and they make the loss look “respectable”. This team needs to make some changes if they want to improve. I personally hope it doesn’t happen.

Saints 35-29 Lions

We need to start giving the Lions more crap for not being able to hold on leads. With their blown 14 point lead on Sunday, they made some incredible NFL history. The Detroit Lions are the only team to blow six (6) straight double digit leads and lose. They are 0-6 in their last 6 games in which they were up by 10+ points. How is that even possible? Maybe it’s because Matt Patricia is a horrible head coach. He is now 10-25-1 in Detroit with several blown games and awful performances. The Saints scored 35 straight points after the Lions started the game up 14-0. For being a “defensive” head coach, his defenses have been atrocious. Yes, the Lions made it a game in the end, but they didn’t really. Even up 14-0, it never felt like the Lions had a grip on this game. Saints QB Drew Brees shook off an early interception and played a good game, leading his team to victory in what was likely their last game without star WR Michael Thomas. The Saints need every win and weapon they can get this season, as their schedule doesn’t get much easier. The Lions need to hit the reset button if they want to have a chance to win more than 5 games a year. Patricia needs to go.

Seahawks 31-23 Dolphins

This game went along fairly predictably. Seattle was in control from wire to wire, but Miami stuck around due to the Seahawks nonexistent pass rush, allowing QB Ryan Fitzpatrick to rack up over 300 yards passing. Seahawks QB Russell Wilson continued to put up big numbers as well, tossing for 360 yards and 2 touchdowns. His 16 TDs through 4 games tied the NFL record, equaling Peyton Manning’s total through 4 weeks in 2013. There’s not much to be said about this game, but I can think of 2 major takeaways. First, it’s time to start preparing rookie QB Tua Tagovailoa to play in Miami. Fitz gets the job done to an extent, but Tua will give this team the hope and “pizzazz”, if you will, that this team needs. It’s a talented group that needs that spark. And second, how does Tyler Lockett only have 2 catches Russ? My fantasy team did not appreciate that.

Buccaneers 38-31 Chargers

This was quite the game down in Florida. LA jumped out to a 24-7 lead behind some incredible throws by rookie QB Justin Herbert and a long pick 6 of Bucs QB Tom Brady. Herbert continued looking like the quarterback of the future in Los Angeles, as he found WR Tyron Johnson for a long TD on a drop dead gorgeous throw. The Bucs slowly worked their way back into the game, as Brady became the living embodiment of the going from leaning back to leaning forward in your chair meme. Brady tossed 5 touchdowns to 5 different receivers and threw for 369 yards to bring his team back and lead them to victory. The Chargers did regain the lead late in the 3rd quarter behind another beautiful deep touchdown throw from Herbert, but Tampa controlled the game the rest of the way. It was the 222nd regular season win in Tom Brady’s career, giving him the most wins of any player at any position in NFL history. It was a great QB battle between two players born 21 years apart from each other. The Bucs continued to look like one of the best teams in the NFL, and the Chargers have to be excited about their future with Herbert at the helm.

Ravens 31-17 Washington

The Washington Football Team put up a good fight on Sunday against one of the best teams in the league. It may have looked like Washington got off to a slow start, but the offense was actually moving along nicely. A fumble on a great play by Ravens DB Marlon Humphrey and a missed field goal spotted the Ravens 2 short fields and resulted in 2 touchdowns. Yes, the Ravens offense looked very surgical from start to finish, but they finished with only 7 more total yards than Washington. QB Dwayne Haskins played one of the better games of his career, statistically, completing 71% of his passes and racking up 314 passing yards. Haskins hit WR Terry McLaurin on a beautiful deep ball and ran for a score late, showing flashes of good play, and hopefully boosting his confidence after a rough outing last week in Cleveland. Another bright spot for Washington was rookie RB Antonio Gibson, who accounted for 128 total yards and scored a touchdown. This team did not play too poorly in a game that I thought they would look lifeless in. They’re slowly improving, and rallying behind HC Ron Rivera is helping bring this team together. They get Chase Young back next week, which will greatly help the defense. I wouldn’t count Washington out yet.

Panthers 31-21 Cardinals

It’s official. The Cardinals were tricking us. In back-to-back weeks they have lost to two teams who really had no business winning. I do think the Panthers are better than many people, myself included, were giving them credit for, but without RB Christian McCaffrey, the fact that they won this game is shocking. After 2 very convincing wins to start 2020, the Cardinals have not looked like the same team in the last 2 weeks. The offense has not been able to get going as QB Kyler Murray threw for just 133 yards on Sunday. RB Kenyan Drake also got knocked out of the game, hurting the run game for Arizona. For the Panthers, QB Teddy Bridgewater looked great, throwing for 276 yards and 2 TDs, as well as running in his first touchdown since his awful knee injury 4 years ago. The Panthers don’t look like a bad team at all, and I think they’ll win many more games this year, especially once McCaffrey returns. Arizona, on the other hand, needs to return to form if they want to keep up in the NFC.

Vikings 31-23 Texans

The Winless Bowl had some pretty big ramifications. The game itself was controlled by Minnesota from wire to wire, although the Texans almost mounted a comeback late. Kirk Cousins had another nice game, throwing for 260 yards and a touchdown with no picks. Houston played a good game offensively and almost tied the game, but the referees ruled a would-be touchdown incomplete to end things. The Vikings left NRG Stadium with their first win of 2020, and the Texans decided to fire HC/GM Bill O’Brien after an 0-4 start. It was a move that was seemingly a long time coming, as the trades that gave away WR DeAndre Hopkins and multiple first and second round picks made zero sense and have set this team back drastically. The fans and players seem very pleased about it on social media, and I think that is completely justified. Yes, under BOB this team was winning and in the playoffs, but they never had that signature win to cement them as an elite team. They could have had it last year in Kansas City, but Patrick Mahomes said no. This is the right move for Houston, and I hope it pays off.

Rams 17-9 Giants

This is one I did not see coming. Yes I picked the Rams to win, but I predicted a 35 point win, not an 8 point one. Both offenses struggled mightily all game long on Sunday, outside of the Rams’ opening drive. I’m not sure how an the offense, which has looked so good through the first 3 games of the year, played so poorly against a Giants defense which couldn’t even stop Nick Mullens last week. But, they still got the job done thanks to a late, long catch-and-run touchdown from WR Cooper Kupp. I, for one, hope the Rams struggle just as much if not more than they did against the Giants when they roll into the nation’s capital next Sunday. But, I don’t think Sean McVay will let that happen.

Colts 19-11 Bears

Perhaps Mitch Trubisky wasn’t the problem. Or maybe the Colts defense is just that good. New Bears starting QB Nick Foles struggled quite a bit against Indianapolis, who has proven to have one of the best defenses in football. They statistically lead the league in yards allowed per game and points allowed per game. They held Chicago to just 3 points for over 58 minutes on Sunday. The offense did what it needed to do as well, scoring a touchdown and netting 4 field goals to control the game from start to finish. This is not a flashy team by any means, but the Colts are very solid all around. They have the roster to compete with many top teams in the AFC. Don’t be surprised if Indy is the team to play spoiler against some AFC favorites later in the year en route to a playoff appearance.

Bills 30-23 Raiders

Josh Allen is still doing Josh Allen things. The Bills QB continued putting up huge numbers on Sunday in Vegas. He threw for 288 yards, 115 of which going to WR Stefon Diggs, who is now the leading receiver in the NFL. The Raiders stuck around for the whole game, but the Bills led the whole way and stomped on Vegas’ throats in the 4th quarter. The Raiders defense continues to be a massive problem for them. They have the talent on both sides of the ball to be competitive, but it needs to translate to more wins against great teams. The Bills are not just a great team, but an elite team. They can beat anyone on any given Sunday. Their next 2 games will tell us a lot more about how much of a contender they are, as they take on the currently unbeaten Titans and Chiefs.

Eagles 25-20 49ers

This was… hard to watch. I really don’t know how Eagles QB Carson Wentz willed his team to victory on Sunday, considering he was playing with Walmart grocery baggers at WR. It seemed like the 49ers were in control for most of this game, despite pretty bad QB play from Nick Mullens. But it turns out that Mullens would truly be San Francisco’s downfall, as he threw an AWFUL pick that was returned for a touchdown to all but ice the game for Philadelphia. Yes, CJ Beathard came in for the Niners and almost led the incredible comeback, but it was far too little too late. The Niners lost a game they had no excuse losing, and now the Eagles sit on top of the NFC (L)East at 1-2-1. I will give credit to Wentz for winning a game with what he was given, but I’m still very bitter about Washington being knocked out of first. Hopefully the Eagles go back to losing, which is more likely than not.

Chiefs 26-10 Patriots

This was interesting. Patriots QB Cam Newton unfortunately tested positive for COVID-19, pushing this game back to Monday evening, and forcing New England to start QB Brian Hoyer. Even with the significant downgrade at QB, the Patriots hung around for a while on Monday. Their defense played a terrific game against the Chiefs offense and QB Patrick Mahomes. New England was in this game for a while, even after having to bench Hoyer for Jarrett Stidham. It wasn’t until Stidham threw a pick 6 thanks to WR Julian Edelman dropping a pass that I could have caught that the Patriots were out of it. I truly think that, had Cam Newton played in this game, the Patriots would have won. I’d keep an eye out for these two teams meeting again in January, because I wouldn’t be so sure that the Patriots wouldn’t come out on top.

Packers 30-16 Falcons

Update: Aaron Rodgers is still a bad man. Missing his 2 best WRs, all ARod did was throw for a measly 327 yards and 4 TDs on 82% completion. Packers TE Robert Tonyan, who you would not know about if he played on any other team, had 98 yards and 3 touchdowns. Green Bay didn’t even need RB Aaron Jones to carry a big load, as Jamaal Williams got plenty of snaps in the backfield and did his thing both running and catch the ball. I tweeted earlier today that Rodgers could take 52 lawn chairs to the playoffs, and it might not be too much of an exaggeration. Rodgers put on a masterclass, and he’s getting his best weapon back next week. Even the defense looked spectacular with star LB Za’Darius Smith and CB Jaire Alexander putting on shows. Alexander held star Falcons WR Calvin Ridley to a shocking goose egg in the receiving column. The Green Bay Packers are the best team in the NFC and they are a force to be reckoned with. The Falcons offense struggled all night against the Green Bay defense, and Atlanta is now 0-4. They probably should be 2-2, but we don’t hand out moral victories here. Sooner or later, coaching changes need to be made. I think they will be made much sooner than later.

All stats taken from ESPN.