At 4-2 heading into their sport in opposition to the 5-1 Detroit Lions, the Baltimore Ravens hadn’t absolutely taken flight. They’d the league’s second-best protection however had been struggling to place collectively a constant offense. Sadly for the Lions, Baltimore had been clicking on either side of the ball on Sunday, placing collectively a 28-0 halftime lead and finally successful 38-6. With the victory, the AFC North main Ravens made a case for being potential Tremendous Bowl champions whereas bringing the Lions again right down to earth.
The important thing to the Ravens’ offense stays Lamar Jackson, who was boosted within the offseason by the arrival of receivers Odell Beckham Jr, Nelson Agholor and first-round decide Zay Flowers. Below new offensive coordinator Todd Monken, Jackson got here out flat-footed in his regular-season debut, going and not using a passing or speeding landing in a Week 1 win over the Houston Texans. He regained his rhythm with a four-touchdown sport in opposition to the Cleveland Browns in Week 4 however his group had pink zone struggles as not too long ago as final week’s win in opposition to the Tennessee Titans.
“We simply need to a greater job of – like I mentioned – scheming it, do a greater job of executing it when now we have these alternatives,” Monken mentioned just some days in the past, acknowledging the offense’s most urgent weak spot.
No matter changes Monken made within the final week, they supplied dividends. Towards the Lions’ protection, the Ravens went four-for-four within the pink zone of their first 4 drives of the sport, giving their protection greater than sufficient cushion to render the remainder of the sport irrelevant.
Jackson was as soon as once more their not-so-secret weapon. Though he initially had a fame as a run-first QB – there was a time when so-called specialists had been telling Baltimore to transform him right into a working again – Jackson is nigh-unstoppable when he has his passing sport going. He actually had it in opposition to Detroit: he went 21-for-27, passing for 357 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. He additionally blended issues up, speeding for 36 yards and one further landing. (OK, he misplaced a single fumble within the sport however, given every part else, we’ll give him a cross on that one.)
Jackson’s a harmful twin menace due to his potential to interrupt free from defensive stress and make performs with both his arms or his legs. Of his three passing TDs, probably the most spectacular was solely doable due to his uncanny scrambling potential as he managed to maintain a play alive for a mindboggling 9.24 seconds earlier than nailing a throw to Agholor.
It was the very best of instances for the Ravens and the worst of instances for the Lions, who stumbled after being hyped as a darkish horse Tremendous Bowl contender after the Philadelphia Eagles and San Francisco 49ers misplaced their undefeated season bids final week. As quickly as boosters started making the case for Detroit having the very best group within the NFL their long-suffering followers instantly feared that the Soccer Gods had been setting them as much as be uncovered as Paper Tigers. It seems they had been proper.
The excellent news for the now 5-2 Lions is that they’re nonetheless on prime of the NFC North. In actual fact, no different group of their division is above .500. It’s not their file that’s the problem, nevertheless: the issue is that the Ravens left their protection completely uncovered. It’s doable that no group might have overwhelmed Baltimore on Sunday however the beatdown was the precise reverse of a “ethical victory.” With the loss, their upcoming sport in opposition to the Las Vegas Raiders out of the blue appears like a litmus take a look at of how actual the Lions truly are.
MVP of the week
Myles Garrett, defensive finish, Cleveland Browns. Right here’s a confession: it’s sometimes simpler to make an offensive participant MVP of the week. Defenses are inclined to work as a collective, making particular person contributions considerably harder to trace.
Typically, nevertheless, the very best participant on the sphere is clearly a defensive one. As was the case for the Cleveland Browns throughout their 39-38 come-from-behind win over the Indianapolis Colts. Garrett had two strip-sacks for the Browns, one in all which was recovered for a landing, 9 tackles and a blocked subject objective, throughout which Garrett hopped over the Colts’ line. Garrett primarily wrapped up this award earlier than the first-half was over.
As the ultimate rating suggests, Cleveland wanted Garrett simply to remain within the sport. The Browns’ passing sport struggled underneath backup quarterback PJ Walker. He got here on for Deshaun Watson, who threw the group’s first interception of the day (the Browns later mentioned Watson was changed to “defend” him however didn’t specify an harm. Watson mentioned he’s “undecided” if he reinjured the shoulder that has troubled him the previous couple of weeks. His profession in Cleveland continues to be mystifying). The Colts took a 38-33 lead late within the sport however two questionable penalties arrange a Kareem Hunt speeding landing that ended up being the distinction. Because of Garrett’s dominant first half, the Browns improved their file to 4-2 whereas the Colts fell to 3-4.
Video of the week
Suppose being an NFL official is simple? Think about attempting to make a ruling on whether or not Seattle Seahawks large receiver Jake Bobo’s leaping catch was a landing or not. In real-time, officers thought it wasn’t however after Seattle head coach Pete Carroll challenged, replay decided that Bobo (by some means) landed in-bounds. Even when there wasn’t sufficient proof to overturn the decision on the sphere – and there was on this occasion – that is the textbook “play so cool that it ought to have been dominated a catch on vibes alone.” The Seahawks went on to defeat the now 1-6 Arizona Cardinals 20-10, bettering their very own file to 4-2.
Stat of the week
50. That’s the variety of instances the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce have related for a landing over the course of their partnership, the fourth-most by any QB and TE mixture. It got here on Nationwide Tight Ends Day too.
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Apart from being a well-known boyfriend and notable celeb pitchperson, Kelce might go down as the best to play the place. In the mean time, the not too long ago retired Rob Gronkowski most likely has that standing after successful Tremendous Bowls as Tom Brady’s favourite goal on two totally different groups. Kelce, after all, is a way off so far as rings go, however given his nearly supernatural reference to Mahomes, it appears like time and well being may very well be the largest elements in deciding whether or not or not the 34-year-old finally ties Gronk for championships.
In the meantime, he simply retains doing issues we haven’t seen in a long time. Kelce picked up greater than 100 receiving yards within the first half for the second sport in a row. No tight finish has performed that since 2000. In actual fact, no participant at any place has performed that within the final 5 seasons. Mahomes, Kelce and the Chiefs beat the Chargers 31-17, bettering their file to an AFC-best 6-1.
Elsewhere across the league
— The New England Patriots’ 29-25 comeback victory marked Invoice Belichick’s three hundredth regular-season win as a head coach. However it might not have even been the largest Belichick information of the day because it accompanied studies that the 71-year-old signed a brand new contract with the Patriots over the offseason. If these studies grow to be correct, it looks like this victory will mark the tip of the “is that this Belichick’s last season” hypothesis. As for the Payments, they’ve now misplaced to the 2-5 Pats, the Aaron Rodgers-less New York Jets and spluttered to victory over the woeful New York Giants. A formidable win over the Miami Dolphins apart, they don’t appear like Tremendous Bowl contenders at this stage of the season.
— In what might grow to be a preview of the Tremendous Bowl, the Philadelphia Eagles confronted the Dolphins on Sunday Evening Soccer. After a dispiriting loss to the Jets final week, the Eagles smothered the potent Miami Dolphins offense, who had been restricted to only 244 yards. Philly walked away 31-17 winners and have the very best file within the NFC at 6-1.
— Quarterback controversy in Chicago? Justin Fields didn’t begin on Sunday because of a thumb harm. So, as a substitute, Chicago began undrafted rookie Tyson Bagent. Bagent didn’t have eye-popping numbers in opposition to the Las Vegas Raiders – he threw for simply 162 yards on 21-for-29 passing and a single landing – however the Bears had two speeding touchdowns and one other on protection. With the 30-12 win, the Bears improved their file to 2-5.
— Quarterback controversies for everyone? Sam Howell had a reasonably awful day because the Washington Commanders’ beginning quarterback, taking six sacks in opposition to the Giants. The Commanders had an opportunity to tie the sport late, however the Giants protection pressured a cease to safe a 14-7 victory. With the loss, Washington’s file dropped to 3-4.
In the meantime, the Giants had Tyrod Taylor as signal-caller rather than Daniel Jones, who has been recovering from a neck harm and has been slightly ineffective in his first season after signing a $160m contract over the offseason. Taylor threw for 279 yards and two touchdowns as New York secured their second victory of the season, ending a four-game shedding streak.
One other objective line evaluate goes the best way of the Buccaneers.
Desmond Ridder was initially dominated to have scored a TD, which might have put the Falcons up 9 with the PAT pending.
However Tampa’s Antoine Winfield knocked the ball out simply earlier than Ridder scored, making a touchback. pic.twitter.com/6dSL055DOC
— The Comeback (@thecomeback) October 22, 2023
— The Denver Broncos defeated the Inexperienced Bay Packers 19-17. Contemplating that the Broncos are 2-5 and the Packers 2-4, this sport might not find yourself having any significance on the postseason standings. Why point out it right here? Nicely, it’s solely due to large receiver Jayden Reed managing to catch a deflected Jordan Love cross for a landing whereas tumbling down in the long run zone. If it weren’t for Bobo’s seize, this might have been the video of the week and it’s proof that within the NFL, even a comparatively meaningless contest can present memorable moments.
— The Tampa Bay Buccaneers protection made life troublesome for Atlanta Falcons quarterback Desmond Ridder who misplaced three fumbles on the day. Essentially the most evident was when Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ Antoine Winfield Jr knocked the ball out of Ridder’s arms, turning a doable landing right into a touchback. With Ridder contributing only a single speeding landing, Atlanta wanted somebody to step up and be a hero. That somebody turned out to be kicker Younghoe Koo who went 3-for-3 on subject targets, together with a 51-yarder with time expiring that secured a 16-13 Falcons victory and put them prime of the NFC South.
