Photo by: Jeffrey Beall. https://www.flickr.com/photos/denverjeffrey/
Week 7 has been overshadowed by Peyton Manning overtaking Brett Favre’s career touchdown record, and rightfully so. Here is a recap of the biggest headlines and the biggest games during week 7.
Cleveland vs. Jacksonville.
Coming into this matchup against the worst team in the NFL, the Cleveland Browns were actually doing well, and they were overlooked by many. With Brain Hoyer getting the job done, Ben Tate strong and healthy, the defense clicking, and the wide receivers catching what Hoyer throws at them, it seemed to be a for sure win for Cleveland. Well, that was until the Browns decided to be the Browns. Brian Hoyer and Ben Tate were unable to get anything going for the Cleveland offense. Hoyer was terrible, only completing 16/41 passes for 215 yards, 0 touchdowns and 1 interception. With the Jaguars miserable defense, you would think that the Browns would be able to get something going, something other than two field goals that put them up 6-0, which was their only points scored and their only lead. Ben Tate had a terrible game, in fact the Browns rushing game was non-existent, as they only totaled a measly 69 yards on the ground. For the Jacksonville Jaguars, the game was their first win of the season, something to get the Jacksonville faithful excited about. Something that will be very short lived, given their upcoming schedule. Blake Bortles showed his rookie tendencies, throwing three interceptions throughout the game, but the show was stolen by non other than quarterback turned running back, Denard Robinson who rushed for 127 yards and a touchdown to help secure the Jaguars lone win of the season. This excitement and joy will be short lived, as the Jaguars remain terrible. The Jaguars won at home, 24-6 over the Browns improving their record to 1-6, while the Browns go to 3-3.
Minnesota vs. Buffalo.
Kyle Orton isn’t a superstar quarterback, and he most likely wont be leading the Bills to the Super Bowl, but he knows how to lead a team to wins and come from behind victories. Non more exciting than this one on Sunday against the Vikings. Both teams this week have a lot to be proud of, and somethings they wished never happened. The good news for the Bills, Sammy Watkins. The electrifying rookie out of Clemson had a breakout game as I predicted, securing 9 passes for 122 yards, and two scores. This kid can play, and he is surely something the Bills are exited about, as he caught the game winning touchdown pass with :01 second remaining. One thing that the Bills wish they could forget about are the injuries they suffered at running back. Fred Jackson went down with a groin injury and is expected to be out for two weeks, while C.J. Spiller broke his collar bone, and could be out for the rest of the season. With crushing news to the run department, Bryce Brown and Anthony Dixon as the two healthy running backs the team has left, they will both be viable fantasy football pick-ups until Jackson returns, which then only one will remain. With the Vikings, a win for them is the play from the freakish rookie in Jerick McKinnon. Boy, can this kid play. He rushed for over 100 yards against the Bills defense! McKinnon is going to be a star in this league, and he will be a workhorse and a star running back. I’m buying into this guy 100%. Cordarrelle Patterson scored a touchdown. Yes, that’s right. After all these weeks of constant disappoinment, and everyone throwing in the towel on Patterson, he scores. Sure, he only caught two passes, but he scored. This touchdown may bring confidence in both Patterson and his rookie quarterback, Teddy Bridgewater. The Vikings lost, but there are plenty of positive things to take away. The Bills rally back and defeat the Vikings, 17-16, and improving their record to 4-3, as Minnesota falls to 2-5.
Miami vs. Chicago.
The impressive play from Miami continues, while the disappointing play from Chicago leaves fans upset, as they are still winless at home. Jay Cutler may be one of the most hot & cold quarterbacks out there. The first three games of the season left fans excited and hopeful about their revamped quarterback who was hungry for wins, which quickly turned to fans wondering when they will see a win in Chicago. Cutler completed 21/34 passing for only 190 yards, 1 touchdown and 1 interception. Despite the poor play from Cutler, Matt Forte still finds ways to get it done, he rushed for only 49 yards but scored a touchdown, but he was also the Bears leading receiver as he hauled in 6 catches for 60 yards and a score. The Dolphins continue their hot play even though they sit at .500, with a record of 3-3. Ryan Tannehill has been, well good as of late. Tannehill completed 25/32 of his passes for 277 yards and two touchdowns, he also added 48 yards on the ground. With Knoshawn Moreno out for the year, Lamar Miller has stepped up, and he scored yet another touchdown today, but only rushed for 61 yards. Charles Clay and Mike Wallace both caught a touchdown a piece to help fuel the Dolphins win over a struggling Bears team, winning on the road 27-14. The Bears move to 3-4.
New Orleans vs. Detroit.
New Orleans woes continue, as they drop another one moving to 2-4 on the season. Drew Brees might not have played his finest game, but throwing for 342 yards, 2 touchdowns and 1 interception, it was not his worst. With Mark Ingram back in the starting lineup for the Saints, their run game was not their at all, as they only totaled 73 yards on the ground, which isn’t bad against a great defense for the Lions. For the Saints, Marques Colston and Kenny Still both had over 100 yards receiving with Stills scoring a touchdown, while Brandin Cooks keeps his inconsistency up only catching two passes for 23 yards. The Detroit Lions, without Calvin Johnson looked pretty good, lead by Matt Stafford and Golden Tate. Golden Tate has been golden the past four weeks with Johnson sidelined by an ankle injury, Tate went off again with 10 catches and 154 yards with a touchdown, clearly Stafford’s favorite target. But the game looked to be in the Saints control, until a fourth quarter collapse. The Saints lead 23-10 with 5:00 minutes remaining in the game, but the Lions stormed back on a 73 yard touchdown pass by Stafford to who other than Golden Tate. The Lions scored yet again, as the game winning score was caught by Corey Fuller with 1:48 remaining, to secure the game for the Lions. Detroit moves to an impressive 5-2, while the Saints continue to struggle, falling to 2-4.
Kansas City vs. San Diego.
The Chargers have been playing the hottest football, next to the Dallas Cowboys and the Denver Broncos, but that came to an end against the Chiefs on Sunday. The Chargers struggled running the ball, as Branded Oliver only totaled 67 yards on 15 carries with no score. Phillip Rivers wasn’t at the top of his game either, throwing for 205 yards, two touchdowns, and 1 interception. Alex Smith, Jamaal Charles and Cairo Santos were just better, Charles had 95 rushing yards with a touchdown, where as Smith passed for 221 yards, 1 touchdown, and 0 interceptions. Cairo Santos nailed the game winning field goal from 48 yards out to beat the Chargers 23-20 in San Diego. Kansas City improves to 3-3, while San Diego suffers only it’s second loss going to 5-2.
Seattle vs. St. Louis.
The defending Super Bowl Champions lose their second consecutive game, as they fall just short of the tricky Rams. With Russell Wilson playing one heck of a game, throwing for 313 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 0 interceptions; while being the Seahwaks leading rusher, rushing for over 100 yards and a score, the Seahawks continue to struggle as they continue to be held down by penalties, injuries, and the Harvin trade. Doug Baldwin had himself a great game in Harvin’s absence, catching 7 passes for 123 yards and a touchdown. The Rams came into the game with upset on their mind, and they would stop at no costs to make that a reality, as they had two key tricky plays that helped propel their upset win over the Seahawks. The first one was on a punt return that was taken back 90 yards by Stedman Bailey for a touchdown, putting the Rams up 21-3, as the game was slipping away ever so quickly from Seattle. With Russell Wilson as the quarterback, nothing was out of the question, as he lead the offense down the field to put up 14 unanswered points to pull within two points of the Rams at 21-19. St. Louis scored another touchdown, putting the lead to 28-19, but Russell Wilson answered back with another touchdown of their own, pulling back within two points, 28-26. Put the game was won when the Rams gambled and went for a fake punt on fourth down, with only the clock to run down. The Rams fumbled the ball while running down the clock, and it appeared that Seattle recovered the fumble, but the Rams came out of the pile with it, and the potential turnover was never reviewed, in a very controversial ending to the game, the Rams knocked off the Seattle Seahawks, moving to 2-4, as the Seahwaks struggles continue, they move to 3-3.
New York vs. Dallas.
Is Dallas for real? Well, yeah, I would say so, so please; may we stop asking the same question over and over? DeMarco Murray, an absolute beast has put in yet another 100+ yard rushing game, that’s 7 straight, as he also scored a touchdown. Sure, he might get hurt, but he doesn’t have to get hurt, and no, the Dallas Cowboys might not be the best team, but they are playing the best football right now, and they have no intentions of slowing down. Murray has been the leader of this team, but Tony Romo hasn’t been too shabby himself, as he went 17/23 279 yards, 3 touchdowns and 1 interception. With the Cowboys playing the best football at the moment, they came into Sunday’s matchup against their rival Giants. Eli Manning had a great day at quarterback as well, throwing 21/33 for 248 yards, 3 touchdowns and 0 interceptions. Both of these quarterbacks have played quite well this season, but Manning was just outplayed by the Cowboys on Sunday. The game was sealed on a Dan Bailey field goal, that put Dallas up 31-21 with less than a minute to go, putting away any hopes of a New York comeback. Odell Beckham Jr. for the Giants, the rookie receiver out of LSU has shown exactly why he was the number 12 pick, as he caught 4 passes, 2 of which were touchdowns in a losing effort, Beckham continues to impress. The Giants fall to an even 3-3, while the Cowboys move to 6-1, looking like the best team in football.
San Francisco vs. Denver.
Saving the best for last. Peyton Manning. The man who might be the best quarterback to ever play the game, passes the record and is still going strong, stronger than ever. Peyton Manning came into the game just two touchdowns behind Brett Favre’s career record for most touchdown passes, and Peyton made easy work of it, as he threw the his third touchdown of the game, breaking the record on an 8 yard touchdown pass to Demaryius Thomas. The record was broken in the second quarter, as the Broncos played keep away with the record breaking ball, Manning and the entire team celebrated as the stadium erupted. What a better way to cap off such a historic moment by a beat down of the 49ers at home. Manning went for 22/26, 318 yards, and 4 touchdowns. He and Demaryius Thomas have been on the same page after a slow start by Thomas, he went off yet again, for the third week in a row, catching 8 passes for 171 yards and 2 touchdowns. Ronnie Hillman, who has been filling in for the injured Monte Ball, went for 74 yards and 2 touchdowns as the Broncos romp the 49ers, 42-17. The Broncos move to 5-1 on the season, looking like a dominant team aiming for another visit to the Super Bowl. The 49ers fall to 4-3 on the season.
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