This is another late addition to the NFL Fieldhouse, seeing as how Week 3 already began this Thursday.
Nevertheless, I’ll be covering three games this past week that I found to be the most significant. In this issue, I’ll be talking about an abnormally-hyped Ohio rivalry matchup, the Falcons’ next installment in their legendary choking legacy and a Super Bowl 49 rematch.
Cincinnati Bengals 30, Cleveland Browns 35
You might be thinking to yourself, “Why do you think this game has any hype around it? Aren’t the Bengals bad and the Browns mediocre?” To that I say, yes, that is 100% the case.
However, there’s a little more to it than that. While the Bengals are a really bad team, their new golden goose in QB Joe Burrow is taking the field, and everyone’s excited to see him.
As for the Browns, I think we just want to cheer for them to at least be decent this season and buck the traditional narrative. Besides, these teams have been bonded together since their inception, so it’s always fun to watch them duke it out.
Getting into the stats, Burrow had a whopping 61 pass attempts, though only 37 of those attempted resulted in completions. Burrow ultimately had 316 yards with three touchdowns and no picks.
Running back (RB) Joe Mixon had 16 carries for 49 yards, only averaging 2.9 yards per reception. The Bengals’ run game was a non-factor, with the team relying primarily on Burrow’s arm.
Wide receiver (WR) Tyler Boyd had seven receptions for 72 yards, including a touchdown. Rookie WR Tee Higgins had three catches for 35 yards.
Defensively, cornerback (CB) William Jackson III led the team in solo tackles with four alongside of recording the team’s only interception. Safety Jessie Bates III led the squad in total tackles with 10.
For the Browns, QB Baker Mayfield went 16 for 23 for 219 yards and two touchdowns against one interception.
The two-headed monster of RBs in Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt went off, recording 210 yards combined, including two touchdowns.
WR Odell Beckham Jr. bounced back from Week 1, putting up 74 yards on four receptions.
CB Tavierre Thomas led the team in solo tackles with nine while safety Andrew Sendejo led the team with 10 total tackles.
The Browns’ defensive line put in some work, racking up three sacks on Burrow. Defensive tackle (DT) Sheldon Richardson, defensive ends (DE) Myles Garrett and Adrian Clayborn all contributed in the shredding of the Bengals’ offensive line.
I’m still pretty impressed by Burrow’s play so far. He’s really taking the helm on offense and making use of the little talent he has. One day he’ll win a game, I’m sure of it.
Atlanta Falcons 39, Dallas Cowboys 40
Dang, the Falcons really did it again huh? Why is this team so susceptible to blowing leads? It has to be something to do with coaching.
Falcons’ QB Matt Ryan played a solid game, going 24 for 36, recording 273 yards and four touchdowns. Ryan didn’t have any picks either, so I definitely wouldn’t place much blame on him.
RB Todd Gurley struggled, only tallying 61 yards on 21 carries. However, WR Calvin Ridley balled out with 109 yards and two touchdowns on seven receptions. Tight end (TE) Hayden Hurst played very well with 72 yards on five receptions.
Safety Damontae Kazee led the defense in total tackles with eight. The defense only recorded one sack, but the Falcons received plenty of turnovers in the first half.
For the Cowboys, QB Dak Prescott went 34 for 47, amassing 450 yards and one passing touchdown. Former Bengals QB also saw some limited action, recording a single pass attempt that was incomplete.
RB Ezekiel Elliot had 22 carries for 89 yards and a touchdown. Prescott himself rushed for 3 touchdowns on his own.
Rookie WR CeeDee Lamb had six receptions for 106 yards, with fellow WR Amari Cooper recording 100 yards on six receptions. Even TE Dalton Schultz almost reached 100 yards.
Linebacker (LB) Jaylon Smith led the defense with 14 total tackles. DE Everson Griffin recorded the only sack.
I imagine Falcons head coach Dan Quinn had to take some heat from this. With this much talent and offensive production and you still lose means that either your defense is bad or the coaching is bad. The Falcons’ defense isn’t a game-breaker, but they aren’t that bad.
Can you really ask your offense to produce 40 or more points a game just to have a shot of winning?
For the Cowboys, Prescott’s ability to rally the troops and overcome a 20-point deficit is admirable. I’m not the biggest Prescott fan, but I was impressed with this performance.
Seahawks 35, Patriots 30
This is a game of the year candidate right here and is easily the best matchup so far this season. This match was a slug fest that ultimately resulted in the Seahawks ironically stopping the Patriots at the goal line to win.
For the Patriots, QB Cam Newton went 30 for 44, recording 397 yards and one touchdown against one interception. Newton also led the team in rushing yards with 47 yards.
Starting RB Sony Michel had a rough game, only recording 19 yards on seven carries. WR Julian Edelman was fantastic, tallying 179 yards on eight receptions.
Defensively, CB Jonathan Jonea led the way with seven total tackles, all of which being solo tackles. Safety Devin McCourty had the one pick, which resulted in six points for the defense.
For the Seahawks, QB Russell Wilson went 21 for 28, recording 288 yards and five touchdowns against one interception.
RB Chris Carson racked up 72 yards on 17 carries. The combination of WRs in D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett recorded 158 yards on 11 receptions.
The safety tandem of Ugo Amadi and Jamal Adams combined for 17 total tackles. Adams recorded a sack while CB Quinton Dunbar recorded a pick.
The Seahawks’ defense buckled late in the game, allowing Newton to drive down the field with ease. With a reception at the one-yard line, Newton attempted to run into the endzone on the final play of the game but was stopped by Seattle, capping off a thriller.
Newton looks revitalized in the Patriots’ offense, and I think he can do some serious damage moving forward.
For the Seahawks, I think this is the year that Wilson will win an MVP if he keeps up the pace. The reins have been fully given to Wilson and it shows.
Around the League
AFC North: #1 Baltimore Ravens (2-0), #2 Pittsburgh Steelers (2-0), #3 Cleveland Browns (1-1), #4 Cincinnati Bengals (0-2)
AFC South: #1 Tennessee Titans (2-0), #2 Jacksonville Jaguars (1-1), #3 Indianapolis Colts (1-1), #4 Houston Texans (0-2)
AFC East: #1 Buffalo Bills (2-0), #2 New England Patriots (1-1), #3 Miami Dolphins (0-2), #4 New York Jets (0-2)
AFC West: #1Kansas City Chiefs (2-0), #2 Las Vegas Raiders (2-0), #3 Los Angeles Chargers (1-1), #4 Denver Broncos (0-2)
NFC North: #1 Green Bay Packers (2-0), #2 Chicago Bears (2-0), #3 Minnesota Vikings (0-2), #4 Detroit Lions (0-2)
NFC South: #1 New Orleans Saints (1-1), #2 Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-1), #3 Atlanta Falcons (0-2), #4 Carolina Panthers (0-2)
NFC East: #1 Washington Football Team (1-1), #2 Dallas Cowboys (1-1), #3 New York Giants (1-1), #4 Philadelphia Eagles (0-2)
NFC West: #1 Arizona Cardinals (2-0), #2 Los Angeles Rams (2-0), #3 Seattle Seahawks (2-0), #4 San Francisco 49ers (1-1)
