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Jake Klausner
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NFL Week 9 Scores
Recap: The Week Of The Dogs
What a weekend of football! This weekend saw plenty of upsets, and almost all of the games ended up covering. Furthermore, many of the teams leading their divisions coming into this week (i.e., The Bills, the Raiders, and the Cowboys) lost. Please be advised: many of these scores will surprise you.
Jets, 30 (2-6), Colts, 45 (4-5)
TAKEAWAYS:
- It was all about the offense in this one for Indy. Jonathan Taylor continues to run like a man possessed, rushing for 172 yards and two touchdowns, including a 78-yard TD run in the third quarter. That's now six straight weeks with at least one rushing touchdown for Taylor. Carson Wentz put together a solid performance, going 22 of 30 for 272 yards and three touchdowns. Either Carson Wentz is back, or it was the case of playing a terrible team. Either way, the Colts seem to be back on track for a late push for the playoffs.
- Good thing I didn't pick the Jets! After Mike White went down in the first half with an injury, all seemed lost. I can't believe the Titans and Bengals lost to this team. It's an embarrassment.
- Additionally, this game marks the third time in four weeks with a "scorigami."
WHAT'S NEXT:
- The Colts will play host to the Jacksonville Jaguars next week in an AFC South showdown.
- The Jets will go back to the Meadowlands next week to take on Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills.
Falcons: 27 (4-4), Saints: 25 (5-3)
TAKEAWAYS:
- If it were last season, the Falcons would lose this game. However, I think Atlanta could potentially start a cultural change with the Braves winning the World Series. The Falcons also don't win this game if Matt Ryan isn't doing his thing. In this game, Matty Ice was on point, going 23-30, 343 yards, two passing touchdowns, and one rushing. The Falcons led by as many as 18 points in the fourth quarter but squandered it late when Alvin Kamara gave the Saints the lead with a minute left. Ryan and the Falcons got the ball back and immediately capitalized with a big play from Cordarelle Patterson, setting up a game-winning field goal from Younghoe Koo. With the win, the Falcons find themselves at .500 but have to get ready for Dak and the Cowboys next week.
- As for the Saints, they are missing Jameis Winston right now. I'm not sure what Sean Payton sees in Trevor Siemian, but he obviously shouldn't be the starting quarterback right now. The Saints did manage to erase an 18-point deficit in the fourth quarter, but the defense gave up way too many plays to Matt Ryan, the Falcons' offense. If you are a Tampa Bay Buccaneers fan, you have to be delighted with this week's result, as they now hold a one-game lead in the NFC South.
WHAT'S NEXT:
- The Falcons have a date with Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys in Jerry World next week.
- The Saints travel to Tennessee to take on the stingy Titans.
Browns 41: (5-4), Bengals: 16 (5-4)
TAKEAWAYS:
- The 'Battle for Ohio' turned into a mugging very quickly in favor of the Browns. In their first game without the presence of Odell Beckham Jr., the Cleveland Browns made a statement by decimating the Bengals in their stadium. Cleveland's defense started with a bang by picking off Joe Burrow for a 100-yard pick-six to give the Browns a 7-0. Baker Mayfield proved to all the haters that he doesn't need Odell, throwing for 218 yards and two TDs. Nick Chubb rushed for 137 yards and two touchdowns. Overall, this was a statement win for the Cleveland Browns.
- Since winning two weeks ago in Baltimore, the Bengals are coming off two terrible losses. First, it was an inexcusable loss to the Jets; now, the Bengals find themselves in a world of hurt. Cincy couldn't get anything going on offense with Burrow struggling for most of the day. RB Joe Mixon provided the Bengals with a spark on offense, but the day belonged to the Cleveland Browns.
WHAT'S NEXT:
- The Browns head to Foxborough next week in a highly-anticipated matchup with the New England Patriots.
- The Bengals are off next week. They face Derek Carr and the Raiders for their next matchup.
Broncos 30: (5-4), Cowboys: 16 (6-2)
TAKEAWAYS:
- One of the shockers of the week is the Broncos' defense destroying the Dallas Cowboys offense, which is one of the best offenses in the NFL. After losing their best defensive player in Von Miller, everyone wrote off the Denver Broncos, saying they were giving up on the year. Denver responded with the best defensive showing all year. QB Teddy Bridgewater did an excellent job of pushing the ball down the field, and the running game with Javonte Williams and Melvin Gordon III gave the Broncos a much-needed spark on offense.
- Despite two garbage-time touchdowns to make the score a bit more reasonable, it still doesn't do the Cowboys any offense. For the Cowboys, it was a massive step in the wrong direction. The usually reliable Cowboys offense was a non-factor for the whole game. Dak Prescott got bullied by the Broncos' defense, and Zeke Elliot got held in check for the entire game. I think this week's loss for the Cowboys will tell me a lot about the Cowboys moving forward. They can't look past the Falcons next week.
WHAT'S NEXT:
- Denver heads back home next week to take on the Philadelphia Eagles.
- The Cowboys play host to Matt Ryan and my Atlanta Falcons.
Texans: 9 (1-8), Dolphins: 17 (2-7)
TAKEAWAYS:
- The headline heading into the game for the Dolphins was the decision not to start Tua Tagovailoa. Jacoby Brissett got the start, and the rest was history. Miami got their first win since week one, but it doesn't get any easier for them here on out.
- Good news, Tyrod Taylor made his return for Houston this week. The bad news, he threw three interceptions in his recovery. The Texans have now lost their last eight games and have further cemented themselves as the league's laughing stock.
WHAT'S NEXT:
- The Dolphins host Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens next week on TNF.
- The Texans are off next week but have to travel to Tennessee for their next matchup.
Patriots: 24 (5-4), Panthers: 6 (4-5)
TAKEAWAYS:
- I know I said this last week, but the Patriots continue to improve every week. Not only that, but the Patriots are also improving on offense. Mac Jones is getting it going with the passing game, and Damien Harris has it going on the ground as well. Additionally, the defense seems to be on point as well, and with the AFC regressing at the moment, the Patriots only find themselves one game behind the Bills in the AFC East. There's still a lot of football left to play.
- As for the Panthers, they may need a change at quarterback. Sam Darnold is not the answer, as he continues to make horrible decisions with the football. After starting the season in good positions, the Panthers find themselves in a deep hole they must dig out of if they want to make a playoff push. Now, they currently have a worse record than the Atlanta Falcons.
WHAT'S NEXT:
- The Patriots head back home next week to take on Baker Mayfield and the Cleveland Browns.
- The Panthers have a date with Kyler Murray and the Cardinals in Glendale next week.
Bills: 6 (5-3), Jaguars: 9 (2-6)
TAKEAWAYS:
- Easily the most surprising result of the day, the Jacksonville Jaguars pulled off the unthinkable, and it was all because of Josh Allen. No, not that Josh Allen, but Jaguars' linebacker, Josh Allen. It started with Josh Allen sacking Josh Allen. Then, a little later, the Bills Quarterback was intercepted by, you guessed it, Josh Allen! Just when you thought it couldn't get any better, on a fourth down, Bills QB, Josh Allen fumbled the football trying to extend the game. Who came away with the ball? Yup, you guessed it! The other Josh Allen! What a win for Urban Meyer and the Jacksonville Jaguars.
- The Bills got outplayed the moment the game started. Josh Allen looked sluggish throughout the game, and it looked like the Bills weren't playing their usual style of football. The Jags took them out of rhythm from the start, and they couldn't get it back. This team came into this week as the favorite in the AFC to go to the Super Bowl.
WHAT'S NEXT:
- The Jags travel to Indy for a divisional matchup with the Colts.
- The Bills travel to the Meadowlands for a divisional matchup with the Jets.
Raiders: 16 (5-3), Giants: 23 (3-6)
TAKEAWAYS:
- Don't let the record fool you; the G-Men can flat-out fight. Daniel Jones made enough plays for the Giants, but New York's defense won them the game. They picked Derek Carr off twice in this game, including a pick-six at the beginning of the third quarter to make it 17-13 at that point. Jones finished game 15 of 20, 110 passing yards, and one touchdown.
- The news surrounding Henry Ruggs seemed to be looming mainly over the Raiders this weekend. Derek Carr didn't look like himself in this game, throwing for 296 and two interceptions. Despite the bad performance, Vegas still had a chance to tie the game. Darren Waller also made his return after missing the last couple of weeks due to an injury. The tight end hauled in seven catches for 92 yards in the loss.
WHAT'S NEXT:
- The G-Men are off next week, but they have a date with Tom Brady on MNF for their next matchup.
- The Raiders host Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs for a divisional showdown on SNF.
Vikings: 31 (3-5), Ravens: 34 (6-2) Final/OT
TAKEAWAYS:
- I don't have enough good things to say about Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens right now. If I had to pick one team right now to make it out of the AFC, it would be the Ravens. They are continuing to show why they have the best running attack in football. Jackson rushed for 120 yards, as well as 266 passing yards and three touchdowns. This game certainly provided its fair share of fireworks, but ultimately, it was Justin Tucker's leg that sparked the Ravens' come-from-behind victory over the Vikings.
- After the Vikings ran back the second-half kickoff for a touchdown, they found themselves up 24-10. That's when it all started to go sideways. The defense seemed to give up big play after big play, and QB Kirk Cousins continues to show why he's not worth all the money he's getting paid at the moment. Minnesota is starting to turn into the Atlanta Falcons, meaning they can't finish football games.
WHAT'S NEXT:
- The Ravens head to Miami for a TNF showdown with the Dolphins.
- The Vikings travel to LA for the showdown with Justin Herbert and the Chargers.
Chargers: 27 (5-3), Eagles: 24 (3-6)
TAKEAWAYS:
- What a great comeback win for Justin Herbert and the Los Angeles Chargers! They needed this one badly, as they had to fight off an Eagles that has improved over recent weeks. Justin Herbert had a lovely bounce-back week after back-to-back poor performances. Herbert finished with 32-38, 356 yards, and three total touchdowns. Head coach Brandon Staley continued his gutsiness by going for it on fourth downs, but this time, it paid off, as the Chargers got a much-needed win to get them back on track.
- Even though the Eagles lost, they looked very promising. It seems as if Philly has finally figured out how to use their quarterback. Jalen Hurts ran a balanced offense that saw them return to their ground game after abandoning it early on in the season. The combination of Hurts and running backs Jordan Howard and Boston Scott have been a blessing in disguise for the Eagles. With a 3-6 record, they still sit in second place in the NFC East behind the Dallas Cowboys.
WHAT'S NEXT:
- The Chargers play host to the Minnesota Vikings next week.
- Philly will head to Denver to take that aggressive Bronco defense.
Packers: 7 (7-2), Chiefs: 13 (5-4)
TAKEAWAYS:
- The Kansas City Chiefs finally got the win to get them above .500 for the first time since week one. However, they are still struggling on offense. Patrick Mahomes continues to put together performances that are above average at best. On Sunday, Mahomes threw for 20-37, 166 yards, and one touchdown. It marked the first time Mahomes failed to throw an interception since their week one win against Cleveland.
- To no one's surprise, Jordan Love didn't do that much in their loss at Kansas City on Sunday. Despite some solid moments, the away factor proved to be too much for the young quarterback. Andy Reid's plan to blitz the Packers all night proved to be effective, as Love had absolutely no time to throw. You could tell that the Packers were missing their star quarterback.
WHAT'S NEXT:
- The Chiefs head to Vegas for an SNF showdown with the Raiders.
- The Packers head back to Lambeau for a showdown with the Seattle Seahawks.
Cardinals: 31 (8-1), 49ers: 17 (3-5)
TAKEAWAYS:
- In another shocking turn of events, the Arizona Cardinals, without Kyler Murray (leg) and DeAndre Hopkins (hamstring), got a massive win on the road at San Francisco. Without Murray, it was up to backup quarterback and seasoned veteran Colt McCoy to get the job done. While McCoy gave the Cardinals a solid performance, the day belonged to RB James Connor. After Chase Edmonds limped off the field, Connor took over as the running back racked up over 100 yards of total scrimmage yards and three total touchdowns. Overall, this was an impressive win for the Arizona Cardinals.
- George Kittle being back on the field for the Niners was beneficial, but they still couldn't get the job done. Kittle had a costly fumble in the first half despite having six catches for 101 yards and a touchdown. Overall, Arizona's defense overpowered Jimmy Garoppolo and the Niner offense.
WHAT'S NEXT:
- The Cardinals look to continue their momentum next week when they face the struggling Carolina Panthers.
- The Niners play host to Matthew Stafford and the Rams for a divisional matchup on MNF.
Titans: 28 (7-2), Rams: 16 (7-2)
TAKEAWAYS:
- Like the Cardinals, the Tennessee Titans overcame the loss of Derrek Henry in a thumping over the LA Rams in a shocking upset. Without the explosiveness of Henry, the defense stepped up in a big way. Jefferey Simmons had three sacks in the first half, and Kevin Byard and the Titans' secondary forced Matthew Stafford to make terrible decisions. This was a big win for the Titans; however, they did lose to the Jets.
- Despite their 7-2 record, the Rams' wins have all been against mediocre teams, except for the Bucs and the Colts. After back-to-back wins over terrible teams, the Rams finally faced a team with a winning record. The result was not what the doctor ordered. Stafford had, by far, his worst game of the season, throwing for 294 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions, including a pick-six.
WHAT'S NEXT:
- The Titans head home next week to take on the New Orleans Saints.
- The Rams take on the Niners in an MNF showdown.
Bears: 27 (3-5), Steelers: 29 (5-3)
TAKEAWAYS:
- The Steelers almost gave the game away in the fourth. They led by as many as 13, but a couple of miscues on special teams led to a Justin Fields pass to Darnell Mooney that would Chicago up by one with a minute left.
- The reason Pittsburgh came away with the win was because of Ben Roethlisberger. The Steelers got the ball with just over a minute left in the game. Trailing by one, they needed to get into field goal range. Big Ben did precisely that, as he threw a dart to Dionte Johnson, setting up kicker Chris Boswell for the game-winning field goal. In the end, Roethlisberger finished 21-30, 205 yards, and two touchdowns. Although it was a bit iffy at times, the Steelers got a much-needed win to keep pace with the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC North.
- The Chicago Bears played with a lot of heart, Monday. Heading into the fourth quarter trailing by 13, but Chicago clawed their way back in the game. Justin Fields looked shaky in the first half but turned it around completely in the second half, specifically, the fourth quarter. The Bears got screwed midway into the fourth quarter. The Bears returned a fumble for a touchdown to get them within three. Bears' LB Cassius Marsh received a questionable taunting call after celebrating a sack that would've forced the Steelers to punt on the ensuing possession. Marsh celebrated by looking directly at the Pittsburgh sideline. Instead of getting off the field, Pittsburgh kept the drive going, and Boswell made a field goal to put the Steelers up by six at the time.
- The NFL has made it an effort to crack down on taunting penalties. I think the NFL has gone a little soft, but that's a story for another day!
WHAT'S NEXT:
- The Steelers play host to the winless Detroit Lions next week.
- The Bears are off next week. They play Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens the following week.
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Jake Klausner covers all things sports for ThePyrrhic.com. Keep your eyes peeled for NFL Analysis, World Series Recaps, and more from Jake.
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