NFL Sunday Week IX
Yesterday brought a few surprises, a few as-expected results and a more clear picture of just who some teams are… and are not.

Here’s some key tidbits from yesterday:

• Dallas rookie quarterback Das Prescott completed 21 of 27 passes (77.8 percent) for 247 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions for a 141.8 passer rating in the Cowboys’ 35-10 win at Cleveland. Prescott, who has a 104.2 passer rating this season, is the first rookie quarterback in NFL history to have six starts with a 100+ passer rating in his team’s first eight games of a season. Prescott has guided Dallas to a 7-1 start and is the first rookie quarterback in the Super Bowl era to start and win seven of his team’s first eight games of a season.
• New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees passed for 323 yards and three touchdowns in the Saints’ 41-23 win at San Francisco. Brees has 55 career games with at least 300 passing yards and three touchdown passes, the most in NFL history.
• Baltimore wide receiver Mike Wallace had four catches for 124 yards, including a 95-yard touchdown reception, in the Ravens’ 21-14 win over Pittsburgh. Wallace, who had a 95-yard touchdown catch for Pittsburgh in 2011 (October 23, 2011 at Arizona), is the third player in NFL history (John Taylor and Gus Tinsely) to have two career 95+ yard touchdown receptions. Wallace is the only player in league annals to have a 95+ yard touchdown catch with two different teams.  

Pittsburgh Steelers 14 Baltimore Ravens 21

The Ravens defense looked like one of their old Super Bowl squads and the Steelers proved they just unrest a road team this year.

Dallas Cowboys 35 Cleveland Browns 10

 

This was like an exhibition game for the Cowboys. Lamar Jackson better start checking out how he looks in orange and brown…

Jacksonville Jaguars 14 Kansas City Chiefs 19

Not much doubt on the outcome of this one. Even without their starting QB Alex Smith, the Chiefs still found a way to win against a team they should beat.

New York Jets 23 Miami Dolphins 27

The pivotal moment in this mediocre-fest was on rookie, Kenyan Drake’s 96-yard kickoff return. Drake’s return is the second-longest by a rookie in franchise history (MERCURY MORRIS, 105 yards, September 14, 1969).

NFC GAME OF THE WEEK: Detroit Lions 22 Minnesota Vikings 16

Without Norv Turner the Vikings offense couldn’t muster much and their defense couldn’t stop quite enough as the Lions stole a win in the Vikings’ Party Palace.

Philadelphia Eagles 23 New York Giants 25

O’Dell Beckham Jr. continued his birthday celebration with a win over the division rival Eagles.

Carolina Panthers 13 Los Angeles Rams 10

If the fans in the Southland wanted excitement from their newly-returned Rams, this game didn’t offer any. With clunkers like this, the NFL may soon wish they’d let the Raiders return instead…

New Orleans Saints 41 San Francisco 23

Meanwhile the NorCal fans got a fireworks display. Unfortunately it was from the visiting team as Drew Brees and his offensive mates seemed to be scoring at will on Chip Kelly’s team. Maybe Kaepernick should protest his inability to lead his team to victory?

Indianapolis Colts 31 Green Bay Packers 26

Not long ago, you could make a case for this being a Super Bowl preview. But now, it’s more like a visual illustration of disfunction. I’m sure the Green Bay faithful will be disgusted with this one for some time…

Tennessee Titans 35 San Diego Chargers 43

Melvin Gordon decided to go for a run yesterday – all over the Titans defense. Gordon racked up 196 yards on the ground.

AFC GAME OF THE WEEK: Denver Broncos 20 Oakland Raiders 30

Raider’s running back Latavius Murray hit the end zone three times as Oakland gave one final farewell gift to their O-Town fans: a decisive win over the hated Denver Broncos. Somewhere Al Davis is smiling.