I doubt I was the only one who went into this Sunday’s football spread expecting Carson Wentz and the Philadelphia Eagles to fall to Earth faster than the asteroid in Armageddon. After all, this was a rookie quarterback going against a proven defense and a veteran signal caller, Ben Roethlisberger, on offense. Plus, it wasn’t as though Wentz and company suffered much competition in weeks one and two. The Bears (who kept their losing streak going against the Dallas Cowboys) and woeful Browns hardly count as a challenge and are both likely already out of playoff contention. The Eagles might have had a harder time beating 11 Verne Troyers than the Bears or the Browns. But then came the Steelers game.
A proper, unmistakeable rout of the Steelers cements Wentz as a legitimate force to be reckoned with. Finishing with 23 completions out of 31 attempts, 301 yards, and two touchdowns, it would be foolish to presume that this is some kind of wacky fluke or charming underdog story. The Eagles truly and completely walked over a team that on paper should contend for the AFC championship. Before today, the Steelers were 19-2 against rookie quarterbacks. They were 2-0 this season, beating the Bengals and Washington — two teams that are legitimate playoff contenders. Wentz was not even supposed to be the Eagles starter, but his undeniable quality caused the Eagles to trade Sam Bradford to the Minnesota Vikings — a team desperate for a veteran behind center after losing Teddy Bridgewater for the season.
Those Vikings had much to prove on Sunday, too. They had to go into the home stadium of the defending NFC champion Carolina Panthers, into a city overwhelmed by racial tension, and assert their claim to conference supremacy. And they had to do it with Bradford – someone that most football analysts had no faith in coming out of training camp – and without running back Adrian Peterson, yet again. Bradford, ever the game manager, put up decent numbers — 171 yards and one touchdown. Carolina’s vaunted offense only made it into the red zone once all day, handing a win to the resilient Vikings.
The man drafted over wunderkind Wentz, the Los Angeles Rams’ Jared Goff, continued to watch the action from the sidelines. For once, he got to see some touchdowns. The Rams took their second win of the season away to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 37-32, after a lengthy delay due to a thunderstorm. The Rams offense is spotty, lethargic, and often lacking in ingenuity, but key plays like a late touchdown pass to Tavon Austin and an early 44 yard pass to start the contest helped LA’s new football team to the top of the NFC West.
The question of whether or not they chose wisely by drafting Goff over Wentz is not quite answered. Quarterback careers in the NFL are judged by years of work rather than weeks. For all we know, Goff could become the next Aaron Rodgers. But today, the question is certainly less hazy.
Quote of the week
“If Belichick’s playing quarterback, we’re comin’ after him.”
Rex actually said this #Bills pic.twitter.com/XAc0Jzmb20
— Matthew Bové (@Matt_Bove) September 25, 2016
Buffalo Bills head coach and foot aficionado Rex Ryan does not care who lines up to take snaps for the New England Patriots next week. He’s riding high off of an unexpected 33-18 drubbing of the Arizona Cardinals. As of now, it’s possible that wide receiver Julian Edelman will play QB for the Pats next week in the traditionally heated contest between Ryan and his most hated rivals, but Tom Brady back-up Jimmy Garoppolo might be able to make what is likely his final start of the 2016 season if he can adequately recover from a sprained AC joint in his shoulder. Boldly, team sources told ESPN that third-string quarterback Jacoby Brissett might even be available after injuring his thumb in a victory against the Houston Texans on Thursday. The Patriots are 11-4 against Rex Ryan coached football teams. If the Bills are going to beat New England this season, this is probably their best chance.
Stat of the week
Six. That’s how many picks Ryan Fitzpatrick threw in a gruesome, Jake Delhommme-esque performance in a 24-3 drubbing at the hands of the Kansas City Chiefs. That ties the Jets’ franchise record for interceptions by a quarterback in a single game. Three of those interceptions were in the red zone and one was returned for a pick six. “It was a bunch of people, starting with the coaches,” Jets head coach Todd Bowles said. “It was just a shitty game plan, shitty execution, shitty all around. I’m stung, disappointed, pissed off, mad.”
Fantasy player of the week
Marvin Jones, wide receiver, Detroit Lions. Two touchdowns and 205 yards from a WR2 will guarantee most fantasy teams a win. The Lions fell to the Packers on the road, but Jones’s performance will be something Lions fans can use to give them hope for next week’s much easier match-up against the Chicago Bears. Jones’s first two fantasy performances were decent, but his work this weekend could mean that he’s got WR1 potential going forward. The schedule is not easy for the Lions after facing Chicago — the resurgent Rams and Washington at home, away to Houston, and away to Minnesota before their bye week — but he was targeted eight times Sunday and caught six of those balls. That’s tied for the second most targets on the team. After his big day, one would have to imagine Matt Stafford will be looking for him next week.
Gif of the week
Eli Harold's sack on Russell Wilson. #SFvsSEA https://t.co/hRODW8LGqw
— Rob Lowder (@Rob_Lowder) September 25, 2016
Russell Wilson’s leg injury makes me want to throw up all over my nacho platter. Enjoy! I will not be starting him on my fantasy team next week (and it looks like his injury is not as serious as first feared).
Elsewhere around the league
- The Oakland Raiders squeaked one out on the road against the Tennessee Titans, 17-10. The young Raiders bounced back from a tough loss last week, despite 114 yards and a touchdown from Titans running back DeMarco Murray. Oakland have a tough road matchup against the undefeated Ravens next week. Those Ravens kept their clean record by topping the Jacksonville Jaguars 19-17.
- The Cleveland Browns, scraping the bottom of the barrel for a quarterback, lost in overtime to the Miami Dolphins 30-24. Browns fans everywhere crawled back into whatever cold tool shed they spend the days between games.
- Trevor Siemian threw for 312 yards and four touchdowns to defeat the Cincinnati Bengals 29-17. The Broncos are proving more and more that they made the right choice walking away from Brock Osweiler, who only seems like a mild improvement over Brian Hoyer in Houston.
- Washington defeated the New York Giants in a tight one, 29-27. Odell Beckham Jr found himself shook by Josh Norman yet again, but his greatest nemesis on Sunday was a kicking net after a red zone interception by quarterback Eli Manning. More importantly, the Giants cost me a perfect record in my weekly wins pool. This is something I will never forgive.
- The Colts beat the Chargers 26-22, because literally someone had to win this clash of mediocre football teams. Somewhere, Andrew “the Giant” Luck is giving a memorable post-game interview.
