5. Five tidbits
Rookie QB Deshaun Watson continued to impress on Sunday,
throwing three more touchdown passes, tying Mark Rypien and Kurt Warner for the most passing TD (15) through his first six career games (ESPN). Watson leads the
league in that category...
Since benching quarterback Mike Glennon, the Chicago Bears
have had three players throw their first career touchdown passes – rookie QB
Mitchell Trubisky, rookie RB Tarik Cohen, and punter Pat O’Donnell...
New Orleans and Detroit played in a game in which there were
a combined five touchdowns by way of defense and special teams...
In that game, Lions DT A’Shawn
Robinson intercepted Drew Brees at the two yard-line, taking it back for a
score, while Saints DE Cam Jordan tipped a Matthew Stafford pass and picked it
off in the end zone. It is the first time ever that two defensive linemen had interceptions
for scores in the same game...
Pittsburgh’s Le’Veon Bell rushed for 179 yards on 32 carries
while teammate Antonio Brown hauled in 8 passes for 155 yards. It was the first
time both players recorded over 150 yards from scrimmage in the same game.
Fun Fact: New Orleans next two games will be against the Brett
Hundley-led Packers and the Mitchell Trubisky-led Bears. Saints QB Drew Brees
has 472 more career passing touchdowns than those two combined (ESPN).
4. The NFC is WIDE
open
Injuries are always tough to manage, especially through a
rugged 16-game schedule. It’s even tougher when losing one of the best in the
game. Reality hit Green Bay on Sunday, when quarterback Aaron Rodgers was lost for
the season due to a broken collarbone. According to ESPN, the Packers went from
having a 9.6% chance of winning the Super Bowl to 1.7% without Rodgers, from
53% to 25% to win the division, and from 79.6% to 50.2% to make the playoffs.
It now opens the door for the rest of the NFC to make a strong
push. Currently, Philadelphia (5-1), Minnesota (4-2), Los Angeles (4-2), and
Carolina (4-2) lead the way, with six other teams with three wins a piece. The
largest lead in any division belongs to the Eagles, who have a two-game lead on
the Skins in the East. Every other NFC division is either tied at the top or has
teams that are a game or less behind.
3. Turning back the
clock
Oh what a change of scenery can do. After being signed by
the Saints in the offseason, Adrian Peterson quickly became an afterthought in
Sean Payton’s offense. Demoted to third string in favor of rookie star Alvin
Kamara, Peterson didn’t fit the scheme. It showed through four games, as he
tallied just 81 yards on 27 attempts (just 3 yards/carry).
As a result, Arizona -- a team desperate for a running game
-- came calling, and in his first start in the desert, vintage AP returned to
form rushing for 134 yards on 26 carries, including two touchdowns (5.2 yards
per carry). It was the first time he rushed for over 100 yards in a game since
2015. All against a Tampa Bay defense that ranked eighth in rushing yards
allowed entering week 6. Whether Peterson can continue this production remains
to be seen, but for yet another Sunday, ‘all day’ echoed his epic play of the past
to help jolt a struggling Cardinals offense. If AP returns to form, Arizona
could be in contention in the NFC West.
2. Don’t worry, he’s
not a top 20 quarterback…
Going into the 2016 NFL draft, the Cleveland Browns’ brass (imagine
that) passed on Carson Wentz, concluding that he wouldn’t develop into a top 20
starting quarterback in the NFL. Hmm…
All Wentz has done since is develop into one of the best
young signal callers in the game. In 2017, he is off to a scorching start living up to
his number two overall selection. Through the first six weeks of the season, he
ranks seventh in QB rating, fifth in passing yards, and second in touchdowns (13), all while
leading the Eagles to a 5-1 start – the best in the NFC.
It’s okay Browns fans, while you continue to watch your team
(and soon to be management) crumble with each passing game, the Eagles thank
you for gifting them not only a top 5 [upside] gunslinger, but a QB that has
the potential to finally take Philly over the top.
1. Pop the Champagne!
What a day for Phins nation. For the first time all season,
the Dolphins looked like an NFL team, coming back from a 17-0 halftime deficit
to stun the Falcons in their own building, 20-17. Later in the day, the
Steelers defeated the Chiefs, the last of the unbeaten, to solidify the ’72 Dolphins
record – the only team to go undefeated in a season – for at least another year.
Cheers!
 |
| For another year, the Dolphins '72 undefeated record remains intact (palmbeachpost). |
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