The List: Wilson, Jackson star in tough wins, Browns implosion continues
The List: Wilson, Jackson star in tough wins, Browns implosion continues
The Week 9 schedule included bye weeks that left fantasy teams devoid of players such as Matt Ryan, Julio Jones, Jared Goff, Todd Gurley, Drew Brees, Alvin Kamara, and Michael Thomas. However, there were some memorable individual and team performances in the NFL this week. Here is a look at the best and worst from the first week in November.
WINNERS
Wilson helps Seahawks outlast Buccaneers – Russell Wilson tried to get his team to sign disgruntled receiver Antonio Brown earlier in the week, but Seattle signed another former Patriot, Josh Gordon, instead. As it turns out, the Seahawks got plenty of offense in a home game against the Buccaneers on Sunday. Wilson outplayed Jameis Winston, but the game needed an extra period to reach a conclusion.
The teams traded fumbles and then field goals in the fourth quarter before each quarterback led his team to a touchdown. Wilson was first, completing a 19-yard pass to Tyler Lockett and then a 53-yard scoring strike to rookie DK Metcalf with 4½ minutes left for a 34-27 Seattle lead. Tampa Bay fought back, with Winston completing several key passes and converting a critical 4th-and-5 with a scramble. The 10-play drive ended with Dare Ogunbowale’s one-yard run with 46 seconds left to tie the score.
Seattle had a chance to win. Wilson completed a clutch pass to Metcalf, then scrambled for 21 yards. However, Jason Myers pushed a 40-yard field goal wide right as time expired in regulation. The Seahawks won the overtime coin toss and never gave the Buccaneers a chance. Wilson completed three more first-down passes before finding tight end Jacob Hollister with a 10-yard game-winner. Wilson finished with 378 yards and a career-high five touchdowns. Chris Carson ran 16 times for 105 yards. Lockett had 13 catches for 152 yards and two touchdowns, Metcalf caught six passes for 123 yards and Hollister also had two scores. Winston threw for 335 yards and two touchdowns, with Mike Evans catching 12 passes for 180 yards and a score.
Busy three minutes in London game - The 26-3 final score in favor of Houston could suggest that Sunday morning’s NFL game at Wembley Stadium in London was boring. However, that was not the case, especially late. Down 19-3, Gardner Minshew tried to bring the Jaguars back, but his pass at midfield was intercepted by Jahleel Addae with 6:37 remaining. Four plays later, Carlos Hyde fumbled the ball back to Jacksonville, but Minshew overthrew his target and was picked again with 4:43 left by Justin Reid.
The Texans didn’t take very long to increase their lead. Two plays later, Deshaun Watson found his favorite target, DeAndre Hopkins, with a one-yard touchdown pass and a 26-3 advantage. Minshew went on the attack again, hitting Keelan Cole with a 31-yard pass. However, on the next play, the quarterback tried to scramble, but Jacob Martin knocked the ball out and Zach Cunningham recovered with 3:39 left. On Tuesday, Jacksonville head coach Doug Marrone named the returning Nick Foles as the starting quarterback.
Jackson makes sure the Patriots are undefeated no more – The top-rated New England defense could not handle unorthodox quarterback Lamar Jackson, who completed 17 of 23 passes for 163 yards and a touchdown and also ran for 61 yards and two scores. Mark Ingram added 115 yards rushing in the 37-20 Ravens win, which drops the Patriots to 8-1. Tom Brady threw for 285 yards and a touchdown and Julian Edelman and Mohamed Sanu each caught 10 passes in a losing effort.
From two to one on both ends - While the Patriots lost, the 49ers defeated Arizona, 28-25, on Thursday night, making San Francisco the last undefeated team in the NFL. Jimmy Garoppolo threw for 317 yards and four touchdowns, and new receiver Emmanuel Sanders caught seven passes for 112 yards. There was one dark spot, as the Niners lost linebacker Kwon Alexander for the rest of the season with a torn pectoral muscle.
On the other end of the spectrum, the Bengals and their 0-8 record were on bye. The other winless team, the Dolphins, scored 21 points in the second quarter and held off the Jets for a 26-18 victory. Ryan Fitzpatrick passed for 288 yards and three touchdowns, but receiver Preston Williams will miss the rest of the year with an ACL injury. Also, running back Mark Walton was suspended four games for three offseason arrests and a violation of the league’s substance-abuse policy.
It’s good to be an Allen – All three quarterbacks with the surname Allen won in the NFL this week. For Josh Allen (6-2 as the starter in Buffalo) and Kyle Allen (5-1 since taking over for the injured Cam Newton in Carolina), those results are nothing new. However, Brandon Allen led the Broncos to a 24-19 home win over the Browns (more on them later) in his first career start on Sunday. Josh threw for 160 yards and a touchdown in a 24-9 Bills win over the Redskins. Kyle passed for 232 yards and two scores in a 30-20 Panthers victory against the Titans. Brandon completed 12 of 20 passes for 193 yards and two first-half scores as Denver took a 14-3 lead over Cleveland in the second quarter.
There’s no place like home - Something unique happened this Sunday in the NFL. Every home team in a game played in the United States won (Jacksonville was technically the “home” team in the London game). In addition to the Allens, the Dolphins and the Seahawks, there were two upsets. Pittsburgh edged Indianapolis on a late missed field goal and the Chargers rolled over the Packers in a game that may have had more fans of the road team in the stadium at Los Angeles.
Weekly stat leaders - Wilson, Winston, Minshew, and Garoppolo were joined in the 300-yard club this week by Matthew Stafford, who threw for 406 yards and three touchdowns in a Lions loss to the Raiders. Veteran Ryan Tannehill had 331 yards in a Titans loss to the Panthers. Fitzpatrick and Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott threw for three scores in wins. Kirk Cousins and Brian Hoyer (in relief of an injured Jacoby Brissett with the Colts) did the same in Sunday losses.
Despite his fumble, Carlos Hyde was the league’s top rusher with 160 yards in London. Christian McCaffrey ran for 146 yards and had three total touchdowns in Carolina’s win. Ezekiel Elliott totaled 139 yards on Monday night. Raiders rookie Josh Jacobs ran for 120 yards and two touchdowns. Damien Williams ran for 125 yards, including a career-long 91-yard scoring run. Finally, Kenyan Drake proved to be a good acquisition for the Cardinals, running for 110 yards in Arizona’s loss on Thursday night.
Evans and Lockett had the two biggest receiving totals of the week. Tyreek Hill had six catches for 140 yards and a touchdown as the Chiefs edged the Vikings. Marvin Jones Jr. caught eight passes for 126 yards and Kenny Golladay added four receptions for 132 yards, and both caught scoring passes for the Lions.
LOSERS
Wayward cleats, poor play and social media craziness for the Browns - During Cleveland’s 24-19 loss in Denver, the team’s starting receivers (and former teammates at LSU) Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry wore cleats against the NFL’s uniform policy. Landry wore gold custom cleats and Beckham’s footwear featured a red and blue clown face resembling the title character from the recently released Joker movie. It seems like something two of the Browns’ top players should be worried about when their team is 2-6.
After another debacle on the field, safety Jermaine Whitehead was a particular target on social media. Browns TV and radio broadcaster Dustin Fox said his tackling was “a joke” during the game, which set Whitehead off on a rant. Within 15 minutes from the game’s end (and while he was reportedly still in uniform), Whitehead had his Twitter account suspended for attacking fans, using racial slurs and threatening violence. Somehow, it took Cleveland an entire day to waive him. The Browns are still in the running for two dubious distinctions, worst team on the field in the NFL and the biggest dumpster fire of an organization off the field.
“Cat-astrophe” on Monday Night Football - The Monday night game was going swimmingly for the Giants, as they were up 9-3 late in the second quarter. However, with 5:32 left in the half, a black cat ran onto the field, halting play. Several minutes later, the cat evaded security and scurried through the end zone, off the field, and up the tunnel. From that moment on, Daniel Jones threw an interception and lost two fumbles, and the Cowboys rallied with 21 fourth-quarter points for a 37-18 victory. So just to recap, the Giants couldn’t catch Dak Prescott, Ezekiel Elliott or a stray cat.
More season-ending injuries - Cam Newton’s foot injury has not improved, so Carolina placed their star quarterback on injured reserve, thus ending any chance he had of returning during the regular season. He would be eligible to appear should the Panthers make the playoffs (although, if Kyle Allen is good enough to get them there, he probably should still be starting).
The team Carolina faced this week lost a player as well. Malcolm Butler, a Titans cornerback and former Super Bowl XLIX hero with the Patriots, suffered a broken wrist during Sunday’s loss. Butler tried to break up a catch by Panthers receiver Curtis Samuels, but his arm got twisted as they both went to the ground. The play ended up being a 12-yard touchdown reception for Samuels.
Eagles wide receiver DeSean Jackson joins Newton and Butler on IR due to a torn abdominal muscle suffered during Sunday’s win over the Bears. The recovery time from surgery is six weeks, but he will not be eligible to return before the playoffs.
Raiders defensive tackle Arden Key suffered a broken foot in a win over the Lions on Sunday, most likely ending his season. Key had a sack in each of the past two games.
In other injury news: Vikings wide receiver most likely will miss next week’s game against the Cowboys with a hamstring injury. Steelers running back James Conner, who missed this week’s win over the Colts, could be limited in practice, as well as during the team’s next game against the Rams. Finally, Giants tight end Evan Engram (sore foot) and wide receiver Sterling Shepard (concussion) have a questionable status for this week’s game against the Jets.
If football doesn’t work out … - There’s always martial arts should Raiders linebacker Tahir Whitehead get tired of the NFL. Whitehead chopped the neck of Lions receiver (of course officials didn’t see it) during Sunday’s home win. Golladay totaled 132 yards, including a 59-yard scoring pass from Matthew Stafford. Even though he wasn’t penalized during the game, Whitehead could face a fine by the league.
Steelers fined for injury report violation - Ben Roethlisberger’s elbow had been bothering him after Pittsburgh’s loss to New England in Week 1. However, that ailment was not listed on the team’s Week 2 injury reporter. The failure was finally addressed by the NFL late last week, with the Steelers receiving a $75,000 fine and head coach Mike Tomlin getting a $25,000 penalty. Roethlisberger left the game against Seattle and eventually had season-ending surgery.
