NFL fans everywhere seemed to be a little thrown off by all the upsets that happened this week around the leauge. It was a good reminder that anything can happen in football, and maybe some of these teams aren’t as strong as fans thought they were.
Cowboys v. Broncos
The NFL started off this unpredictable Sunday with a wild Cowboys-Broncos game. It seemed like Dallas had a lock on this game — with Dak returning to QB and the loss of Von Miller for the Broncos — but the score suggested otherwise. Denver got up early on Dallas, and the Cowboys just never caught back up. Until late in the fourth quarter, the Broncos looked like they might even shut out their weary opponents. With less than 7 minutes left in the 4th quarter, Prescott threw two different TD passes to WRs Malik Turner and CeeDee Lamb (and had two successful 2-pt conversions). The Cowboys just looked like they started playing like themselves a little too late, and it ultimately cost them the game. Hopefully Mike McCarthy and the rest of the coaching staff can get the Cowboys back on their feet before the next game.
Bills v. Jaguars
This was quite possibly the most unforeseeable game of the entire season so far. The 2-6 Jaguars held out long enough to beat Buffalo with a score of 9-6. Jaguars’ LB Josh Allen had an especially impressive game — while Bills’ QB Josh Allen did not. Jacksonville’s Allen recovered a fumble, caught an interception, and made a sack. It was some of the most impressive defensive playing in Jacksonville’s recent history, and some of Buffalo’s worst. The Buffalo QB threw two picks (including the one to Allen). Neither team scored a touchdown, and maybe this game will cause the Bills to rethink their post-season plans.
Giants v. Raiders
Perhaps the release of Henry Ruggs affected Las Vegas a little more than they anticipated. Aside from Derek Carr’s shoddy performance against a weak Giants secondary, the entire team looked rough. Carr threw 2 interceptions — one being a pick 6 — and also fumbled once. Raiders kicker Daniel Carlson missed a 25-yard field goal. While the Giants weren’t playing spectacular, the Raiders were just playing so horribly that it was almost a given that they were going to lose. The AFC West has been all over the place this season, and there’s no telling who’s going to win the division this season.
