Sam’s NFL Week in Review: Week Six

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Reporter Sam Kuykendall breaks down NFL games from week six.

Panthers 37, Buccaneers 26

The rematch between these two NFC South rivals went the way of the Panthers this time. Jameis Winston threw for 400 yards and a touchdown in a high volume passing attack, but was quite prone to mistakes, with a career-high five interceptions. That’s right, five interceptions in one game. However, receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin benefitted from the volume of passes, hauling in 96 and 151 yards respectively. The Panthers were victorious, with Christian McCaffrey scoring twice but being once again stifled by the Tampa Bay defense for most of the game. The red hot Panthers have the undefeated 49ers to deal with next week while Tampa Bay looks to snap a two-game losing streak against the struggling Tennessee Titans.

Seahawks 32, Browns 28

It was more of the same for the Cleveland Browns, who had victory in their grasp, only to have it snatched away. Nick Chubb was doing well, running for 122 yards and two scores, but it wasn’t enough as the Browns killed themselves with turnovers, with Baker Mayfield threw three interceptions. The Browns’ chances of stopping the bleeding are slim, as they play the undefeated New England Patriots after their bye week. The Seahawks looked impressive yet again on offense, with Russell Wilson continuing to be phenomenal. The Ravens will be an interesting matchup next week for Seattle, as both teams have a lot of offensive firepower.

Texans 31, Chiefs 24

In a clash of high volume offenses, the Texans pulled off the upset in a very close game that came down to the wire. The Texan offense was very successful in the run game, with Carlos Hyde running all over the Chiefs for 116 yards and a score. Deshaun Watson continued to look impressive, leading his team to a victory in a very back and forth game. They play the Colts next week. The Chiefs put up points as per usual, but were not able to beat out the Texans. Tyreek Hill had two scores in his return, and the Chiefs will need him at full capacity again against the Broncos.

Vikings 38, Eagles 20

With Minnesota’s struggles throwing the ball, you wouldn’t know it by watching this game. Kirk Cousins took advantage of a weak Eagles passing defense, with receiver Stefon Diggs racking up an immense stat line of 167 yards and three scores. The Vikings hope to replicate their offensive success against the Detroit Lions next week. The Eagles put up 20, but they will need more against the Cowboys next week. 

Saints 13, Jaguars 6

Chalk up another win for the Saints in the absence of their Hall of Fame quarterback Drew Brees. In a low scoring affair, Teddy Bridgewater connected with Jared Cook for the only score. It may have been ugly, but a win is a win for the Saints, who will need to score more points against a potent Bears defense next week. Gardner Minshew and the Jaguars will have an easier time next week against the lowly Bengals. 

49ers 20, Rams 7

I’m not quite sure what happened in the offseason to this team, but the San Francisco 49ers are still unbeaten after defeating the Rams. The 49ers’ defense was dominant, and Tevin Coleman and Jimmy Garoppolo each ran for a touchdown. San Fran is hopeful to stay unbeaten against a substandard Redskins team. The Rams, on the other hand, are slumping fast. The offense has struggled and the defense has been lackluster recently. However, the Rams get to play the Atlanta Falcons next, a matchup that will favor them to win.

Cardinals 34, Falcons 33

What on earth has happened to the Falcons this season? The defense has been disastrous and kicker Matt Bryant missed an extra point that would have tied the game in the final minutes. The offense looked good, but the defense gave up 34 points to the Cardinals offense that has been subpar. Things won’t get easier for the Falcons, as they play the Rams next. Meanwhile, the Cardinals were able to get something done against a floundering Falcons defense. The Cards have a matchup with the New York Giants next, with a chance to improve to an even win/loss record.

Jets 24, Cowboys 22

I’m not sure what to say about this other than I find it hilarious. In the return of Sam Darnold from mono, the Jets stopped the Cowboys on a 2-point conversion to pull off their first win in a spectacular upset fashion. However, I wouldn’t expect much next Monday as they play the Patriots once again. The Cowboys clearly couldn’t stay on the horse. They produced yardage on offense but somehow didn’t score enough to outscore the Jets’ offense. According to one of my favorite NFL related social media accounts, NFL teams are 90-1 since 1991 when they win time of possession, total yards, turnovers, pick up 25 first downs, and convert at least 10 or more third-down attempts. I bet you can guess who the one loss is. Maybe they can get it turned around next week against the Eagles. Maybe…

Packers 22, Lions 20

As happy as I am that the Pack won this game at Lambeau, as an NFL fan I can’t overlook the fact that the Lions really should have won this game. Two ridiculous calls for illegal use of hands to the face on Trey Flowers of the Lions allowed kicker Mason Crosby to nail an easy 23-yard field goal to seal the game for Green Bay. The Lions came out of the gate swinging, gaining a 13-0 lead before the Packers were able to answer. The Lions seemed in control of the game as the Packers shot themselves in the foot with turnovers. However, the Pack were able to hold the Lions to several field goals, enough for the offense to be able to climb back from a two score deficit to win the game. The Packers have a tough stretch of games coming up, starting with a home game against the Raiders. The Lions play their second division rival in a row in a game next week against the Minnesota Vikings.