NFL Week Six: Panthers top Seahawks and more!

Every Monday morning, Section 215’s Akiem Bailum gives an in-depth and unfiltered look at all of the latest sports news in The Monday Morning Realist. You can follow Akiem on Twitter @AkiemBailum

NFL Week Six

You win this game! No, you win this game!

Oct 18, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning (18) talks with Cleveland Browns quarterback Josh McCown (13) after the game between the Cleveland Browns and the Denver Broncos at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Broncos won 26-23. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

Herman Edwards, while coach of the New York Jets is probably known most for when he bellowed “You play to win the game!” at a reporter during a press conference.

The object of sports is of course to win, but somewhere along the way, the Denver Broncos and Cleveland Browns did not seem to get the memo.

Last week was not one of the best weeks to be an aficionado of the Cleveland Browns as evidenced by yet another Johnny Manziel headline.

He was pulled over for allegedly driving while under the influence in addition to a supposed argument with his girlfriend.

Individually for Manziel, it was another bad look for him in a football time under the radar that appears to be one where he cannot seem to realize he is no longer the “big man on campus” at Texas A&M.

He avoided arrest by the way for some reason.

As for the game itself, it is one thing for a team to be a favorite going into any game. It is another thing for that team to not play like a favorite.

There is an old saying that says that defense wins championships, but so far it has been the thing that has won games for the Denver Broncos this season.

We are so used to seeing Peyton Manning-led teams blow the proverbial doors off their opponents. We are so accustomed to seeing #18 complete 26 of his 30 or so passes he will throw a game and tack on three touchdowns with at least 300 yards every game.

Needless to say that Manning has not shown up for the Broncos this season. There is a lot of concern as to if that Manning will ever show up again. There is a lot out there that seems to hint that Father Time, as it has got to many an NFL player, has finally made its way to The Sheriff.

There have been at least three and maybe four games that the Broncos have won where Manning looked like a rookie and not a former Super Bowl MVP. Still they have managed to win…and win….and win.

Realists, I watch Broncos games nowadays almost the same way I watch Lions games, as I mentioned a few weeks ago. I am expecting virtually every week for Denver to play in a huge game where they end up blowing it in the end instead of snatching victory from the jaws of defeat by about an eyelash.

That is what happened here again. Manning threw three interceptions. When your defense forces the great Peyton Manning into three occasions where he throws the ball to an opponent you win the game, right?

Not if you are the snakebit Cleveland Browns.

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How “Josh McCown” did Josh McCown look today. His stat line will officially read that he was 20/39 for 213 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions, but most in Northeast Ohio will only remember what Denver’s defense did to Cleveland in overtime.

After forcing Manning into yet another interception (memo to the media, by the way, Peyton’s probably 2-4 if this Manning was in Chicago by the way) the Browns had a clear shot to win the game with a field goal in overtime.

Their ensuing drive went 18 yards—in the wrong direction. Plus there was an earlier play during regulation where Cleveland decided to try for a 2-point conversion and chase points when they did not need to.

They could have used that extra point in the waning moments of the fourth quarter did they?

Instead, Manning and the Broncos marched down the field in OT (primarily by way of the run) and a Brandon McManus field goal provided the winning score for Denver and a 6-0 record.

Manning, by the way, was 26/40 for 290 yards and one touchdown plus the three picks. Ronnie Hillman rushed for 111 yards on 20 carries. Both DeMaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders had 100+ yard games (Thomas—10 for 111, Sanders—4 for 109, 1 TD)

Travis Benjamin caught nine passes for 117 yards and Duke Benjamin, Jr. rushed for 38 yards on nine carries.

The mistakes by the lake seem to continue for Cleveland. The St. Louis Rams next week will appreciate it if they continued next week in the STL. A bye week couldn’t come soon enough for Manning—he’s got one next week.

Final: Broncos 26, Browns 23

Landry Service

Oct 18, 2015; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Landry Jones (3) at the line of scrimmage against the Arizona Cardinals during the second half at Heinz Field. The Steelers won the game, 25-13. Mandatory Credit: Jason Bridge-USA TODAY Sports

The year was 2009. That was the year of Super Bowl XLIII. Arizona Cardinals vs. Pittsburgh Steelers is one of my favorite ones of the last 10 years. The halftime show left much to be desired, but I digress.

The game itself was one of my favorites and an instant classic. Just as Ben Roethlisberger and Santonio Holmes.

A lot has changed since that 2008-09 season of course and many of those players that were there for both teams are no longer there for either team.

Kurt Warner has since retired and is now an NFL Network analyst. Ben Roethlisberger is still on Pittsburgh’s roster—but still was not on the field due to an injury.

The translation is that this year’s rendition of the Pittsburgh Steelers would not exactly be the same as that rendition and probably would not have the same success as that year’s rendition given that the Cincinnati Bengals are in the same division as the black and gold.

And by the way, those very Cincinnati Bengals are still undefeated after this week with a victory on the road at the Bills.

At least that’s what I originally thought re: the Steelers.

Except this was the same team that last week (still with Mike Vick at quarterback managed to defeat the San Diego Chargers, and they had the Arizona Cardinals this week.

The 4-1 Cardinals by the way (at least entering this game). The Cards don’t have a brand synonymous with winning or a quarterback synonymous with greatness so it is extremely easy to dismiss Arizona even when they are potentially one of the best teams in the entire NFL.

As for Pittsburgh, the majority of the throws were done by Landry Jones. Yeah—that’s right. Landry Jones who just so happens to be a third-string quarterback behind Roethlisberger and Vick vs. a 4-1 Arizona Cardinals team.

Jones only threw 12 passes, but he didn’t have to worry about his own numbers as long as Martavis Bryant is putting his own large stats. His line for the game was six receptions for 137 yards. Le’Veon Bell—24 carries for 88 yards.

Jones completed eight of those 12 passes for 168 yards and two touchdowns—both of which ended up in Bryant’s hands.

An old adage of football is to ensure you score more touchdowns than field goals. Pittsburgh’s four Chris Boswell field goals complimented the two Steelers scores that ended up in six points being scored.

Four of the Cardinals’ offensive possessions resulted in either interceptions (Carson Palmer had two to go with his one touchdown, 421 yards, and 29/45 passing), a fumble, or a missed field goal. Turnovers and leaving points on the field will not help as we all know.

John Brown did his best to try to cancel out those miscues with his performance—10 of Palmer’s 29 passes went to him and he caught nearly 200 yards (196, to be exact). Larry Fitzgerald had another eight receptions for 93 yards.

Certainly a surprise given the trajectory of both teams it appears…but the good news for both teams is both have winnable games next week.

Pittsburgh will go to Kansas City to play the Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium. That, the way the Chiefs have performed over the last few weeks, looks less like a game and more like a bye week.
Arizona has a long rest as they go back home to play the Ravens—on ESPN—on Monday Night Football.

Final: Steelers 25, Cardinals 13

Ivory Coasts

Oct 18, 2015; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Jets running back Chris Ivory (33) carries the ball past Washington Redskins defensive end Jason Hatcher (97) during the second quarter at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Imagine logging on to your favorite sports news website or picking up a newspaper (especially if you reside in the greater New York metropolitan area. Right now with the Mets in the National League Championship Series, they are owning the back pages of the Gotham tabloids.

But also found in Big Apple sports sections are some stories about the Jets—including the possibility they could go 4-1 if they were to beat the Redskins on Sunday at MetLife Stadium.

4-1? The Jets?! Behind Ryan Fitzpatrick at QB? The same New York Jets who before the season began had the guy who was supposed to be their franchise QB in Geno Smith punched out by one of his (now former) teammates?

Well, don’t tell SNY which is neck-deep in Mets coverage, but the Jets had a chance to up their mark to 4-1…yes with Ryan Fitzpatrick at quarterback.

In previous years, the Jets have been looked at as a soap opera—engulfed in dysfunction off the field and could never quite get their act together on the field.

Quite frankly, if the Jets have been a soap opera in previous years, the Redskins are a six-part movie that uses the soap opera/Telenovela blueprint.

Washington these days cannot seem to decide who it really wants at quarterback between Kirk Cousins and Robert Griffin III. Cousins is starting but it appears they are already showing the door to RGIII.

Washingtonians not agreeing on stuff—what a concept.

Cousins once again got the start while RGIII continues to warm his heavily paid self (Daniel Snyder, anyone?) on the bench for the Burgundy and Gold.

Washington had a lead of 13-10 at the half, but that was before the New York Jets began to resemble less the Jets of old and more like their division rivals in New England.

New York did not punt once in the second half. The second half possessions for the Jets went something like this: Field Goal-Touchdown-Touchdown-Touchdown-Missed Field Goal—Blocked Punt for a Redskins touchdown.

As for that of the Redskins: Interception-Punt-Interception-Punt-Turnover on Downs.

As we know in football, when you begin to send out your third string quarterback and it has nothing to do with either an injury then it is a huge problem.

It also does not look good on the stat sheet when you’re a quarterback and your stat line reads that you have more interceptions than touchdown throws. For Kirk Cousins, that is exactly what happened.

He only threw one touchdown but had two interceptions. One to Marcus Gilchrist, the other to Darrelle Revis.

In addition to that, he threw 25/43 for 196 yards. That ultimately equals a 57.9 passer rating.

When you’re leading rusher has only 21 yards on 11 carries (Alfred Morris), your leading receiver has only 40 yards on four receptions (Jamison Crowder) and you give up 34 points to a team you should not be giving up 34 points to—that’s a problem. Plus when only two of your scores come on offense (other on special teams).

So was Chris Ivory. Arguably an underrated runningback, what ever the Washington run defense was supposed to be doing, it did not work. Ivory—20 carries for 146 yards and one touchdown.

They were shredded in the air as well as on the ground and they can thank Ryan Fitzpatrick for that who threw for 253 yards, 19/26, two touchdowns, and one interception. That all equals out to a 113.1 rating.

Of those 253 yards, 111 of them went in the direction of Brandon Marshall. He got those yards on seven receptions and also added a touchdown to his day.

Again—through five games the New York Jets have upped their record to 4-1. This team would be leading the AFC South if they were there, but despite some of the geographical head-scratching that has gone on throughout sports history (putting an Atlanta baseball team in the National League WEST) not even that is going to happen.

And it appears once again the Washington soap opera is indeed going to continue. No quarterback controversy yet? Jay Gruden still maintains Kirk Cousins is his guy even though every indication seems to be that Cousins is overrated and Snyder really, really, really, really, really, really, really would like to see what he’s getting out of his multi-million $ draft investment.

The next episode of that Redskins soap opera may air this week on a television station in DC near you…or it could wait until next Sunday when the Skins return to Landover, Maryland as Jameis Winston and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers visit town.

As for the Jets, they head north through Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts they go to Foxboro where the Patriots await.

Final: Jets 34, Redskins 20

Cam beats Kam

Oct 18, 2015; Seattle, WA, USA; Carolina Panthers tight end Greg Olsen (88) celebrates with quarterback Cam Newton (1) after catching a touchdown pass during the fourth quarter against the Seattle Seahawks at CenturyLink Field. The Panthers won 27-23. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports

Oct 18, 2015; Seattle, WA, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton (1) celebrates as he runs off the field to the locker room following a 27-23 victory against the Seattle Seahawks at CenturyLink Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

Say it with me…the Carolina Panthers are one of the best teams in the NFC, if not the best (Green Bay may have something to say about that).

Say it with me again…the Carolina Panthers are one of the best teams in the NFL.

Some have tried to discredit the Panthers’ record by looking at their schedule, but a 4-0 record is a 4-0 record with there being only two teams left in the NFC being undefeated.

The Falcons were jettisoned from the ranks of the unbeaten this past Thursday night in New Orleans in what was Steve Gleason Night at the Superdome.

No doubt that Carolina had to be watching intently on what was going on involving their two division rivals. With the Falcons suffering their first loss (and some overreactionary pundits saying that the Falcons were exposed and looked like frauds after only one loss).

Those very Panthers had a tall task on their hands—traveling to Seattle and defeating the defending two-time NFC Champion Seahawks. Even if coming into this one the Seahawks were only 2-3 (one of those wins perhaps being a gift win—the Monday Night game vs. Detroit), defeating the defending NFC champions still was a statement worthy of being made.

But it was also a Seattle team that was coming off a crushing loss to the Cincinnati Bengals that allowed them to stay undefeated. The Seahawks were up 24-7 on the Bengals with a clear opportunity to give them their first loss—a loss that may have been a confidence booster for a team that sorely needed one.

Instead, Andy Dalton rallied his team, they tied the game up, the game went to overtime and the Bengals ended up winning the matchup in overtime. Lions fans, after what had went down the previous week on Monday Night probably had a good laugh at the Emerald City’s expense.

And as the Seahawks did last week vs. the Bengals, they did again this week against Carolina. They had led at one point by 13 (20-7) and another by nine (23-14).

One of those Seahawks touchdowns was an unbelievable reception by Ricardo Lockette where he ended catching the ball by reaching over a Panthers defender and then finding the end zone. That was early in the third quarter.

But just as the Seahawks defense did last week against the Bengals, they did this week against another undefeated team. Late in the fourth quarter, Jonathan Stewart scored from one yard out to make the score 23-20 as the Seahawks lead was trimmed.

That was good for Carolina. What was bad for Carolina was the ensuing extra point attempt which Graham Gano missed.

In the past, extra kicks were basically a given that they’d be made in the NFL unless they were blocked. Thanks in part to a charging Richard Sherman, Gano’s kick went wide left.

What happened on the ensuing Panthers possession should be, in my opinion, game tape that should be looked at by every professional and college coach in the country. Teams on many occasions (see Jacksonville State earlier this year against Auburn) will play for overtime instead of going for a victory.

They’ll play conservative and will just hope that they can stay in it until overtime.

Not Ron Rivera’s Carolina Panthers who exuded what it means to “Keep Pounding” on this day.

Eight plays, 80 yards and a minute and 48 seconds later, Cam Newton found Greg Olsen in the end zone for a 26 yard touchdown. That and the ensuing extra point from Gano gave the Panthers a 27-23 advantage.

That was the game-winner as the Seattle Seahawks could not stage a late rally as they had to find the end zone and not settle for a Steven Hauschka field goal.

Again—this is the game tape that should be shown to every college and professional coach in the country when they decide if they want to play it safe and try for the tie or say “yolo” and try for the win. This is what happens when you play for the win and not to lose, because when you play to lose, you will likely lose. It is basically the “prevent offense” at work.

As for the Seahawks—it is another sign that perhaps the contract negotiations earlier in the season with Kam Chancellor may not be what put them in a hole. Perhaps the Seahawks are still feeling the after effects of what happened in the waning moments of last year’s Super Bowl when they were picked off at the one yard line by the Patriots.

Maybe the Seattle Seahawks—last year’s NFC representative in the Super Bowl…just isn’t all that good this season.

Seattle is 2-4, but again, one of those victories was only by way of a controversial miscall by a referee against the Detroit Lions. The Seahawks are very fortunate they are not 1-5 and in last place in a division that has a 4-2 Cardinals team and a conference that still has two undefeated teams in the Panthers and Packers.

Because they’re 2-4 now and tied with the San Francisco 49ers for last place in the NFC West—which is another remarkable statistic—the two teams that were in the NFC Championship game two years ago are now in last place, even though the Niners have been even less stable than the Seahawks have been as evidenced by their laundry list of departures from this past offseason.

Wilson threw for 241 yards on 18/30 passing with one touchdown. Marshawn Lynch also contributed a score to the Seattle effort in addition to 17 carries and 54 yards. Jimmy Graham put up New Orleans Saint-like numbers—eight receptions with 140 yards.

As for the Panthers—Newton only had a passer rating of 65.6, but it looked like 158.3 on that last drive when he needed to have his Superman cape on. His official line was 20/36 for 269 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. Olsen caught the one touchdown along with seven receptions for 131 yards. Stewart rushed for 78 yards on 20 carries.

Did I mention the Seahawks and 49ers? They play each other on Thursday Night Football on NFL Network to kick off Week 7. Carolina? Philadelphia? Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday Night?
You betcha.

Final: Panthers 27, Seahawks 23

Blowout? What blowout?

Oct 18, 2015; Indianapolis, IN, USA; New England Patriots running back LeGarrette Blount (29) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Indianapolis Colts in the second half during the NFL game at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

Here we go…at least if you ask most pundits.

This looked to be a game where football ultimately ended up taking precedence over midweek drama.

As every football fan, their significant others, their mothers, sisters, brothers, fathers, cousins, second cousins, third cousins, and even pets probably know by now—that thing known as Deflate-Gate also began when someone tipped off an Indianapolis reporter about the Patriots supposedly under-inflating footballs during last year’s playoffs.

Ever since that occurred, it took on a life of its own and eventually morphed into the biggest story in the NFL (at least by media coverage). There were much bigger stuff going on such as the NFL’s continuing fetish with wanting to return to the Los Angeles area, but the league’s seemingly endless crusade against the Pats took the cake for the offseason.

It especially picked up during the period where the NBA Finals ended and NFL training camps began (even though the media should have been occupied in the fact that the U.S. Women’s Soccer Team was going for and won a World Cup).

That is another Realist for another time.

But, given the fact that Deflate-Gate was practically born in Indianapolis (with a dash of New York and Baltimore thrown in that recipe), everyone was looking forward to the Patriots going into Indianapolis and potentially blowing out the Colts as they have done to previous opponents in past years when Bill Belichick wanted to make a statement to the rest of the NFL.

It was similar to when Peyton Manning and the Broncos returned to Indianapolis to play Andrew Luck and the Colts (a game that the Colts won and actually was a well-played game).

But the press was so caught up in building up the game because of how “bloody” the divorce was between Manning and Colts boss Jim Irsay that everyone somewhat forgot that Indianapolis has a pretty good quarterback who can read the field and throw the football.

And here we went again—with another game that was involving the Colts that was littered with pregame hype throughout the day and throughout the week. Another Patriots game where they wanted to make a statement to the league (just as they supposedly wanted to do in the post-Spygate period) and thrash the Colts in The House that Peyton Built for making New England the punchline for every late-night sports joke over the previous 10 months.

And there appeared to be some modicum of legitimacy to the idea that New England would throttle Indianapolis by 50 or so points because so far the Colts have not looked like the same Colts team that they were the past few years where they were still at the top of the AFC South despite Manning moving on.

After all, they began 0-2 and while they have since rallied to win their last three games to move to 3-2 (and once again atop the paper-weak AFC South) they certainly do not look like the Patriots, Packers, Bengals, or Panthers early on this season.

Instead…something else happened. Instead…a (le gasp!) football game happened. A football game that saw the Colts leading the Patriots at the half 21-20. One of those scores came off a Julian Edelman misplay (where it looked like he hurt his hand or his finger earlier) and had ended up in the hands of Mike Adams. The interception became a pick 6 and a touchdown/14-10 Colts lead.

Luck (who was also returning from an injury) later threw to T.Y. Hilton for six (seven) more points that put Indy up 21-17—proving that they were up to this challenge and made the game what it should have been about the whole time—football instead of clickbait headlines.

After the halftime period, Brady found the end zone on two more occasions—once to Rob Gronkowski and another to LeGarrette Blount, giving his team a 14-point lead at 34-20. The Colts did not score again until the closing moments of the fourth quarter when Luck threw to Griff Whalen for seven more points, making it 34-27.

And that fake punt attempt the Colts ran may actually grab more of the internet’s attention than the actual final score, but as I say all the time, it could have been worse.

And by all intents and purposes it probably should have been worse—except it wasn’t. The game was actually good and no blowout was needed. It may not have been the sexy result the pigskin-obsessed press was looking for, but 5-0 via 2nd round TKO is the same as 5-0 via going all 11 rounds if one asks Belichick and Brady.

As for Brady, he threw for 312 yards, 3 TDs and one pick along with completing 23 of his 37 passes. Blount had 93 yards on 16 carries (plus one touchdown) while it was a 105 yard-seven catch night for Danny Amendola.

Luck threw for 312 yards, three touchdowns and completed 30/50 of his passes. Frank Gore—78 yards on 13 carries. T.Y. Hilton threw for 74 yards on six receptions.

Both Patriots and Colts will be at home for Week 7. New England gets division rival Jets who are 4-1 and the Colts get the Saints who are coming off an extended week of rest after putting the Falcons in the loss column for the first time this season.

Final: Patriots 34, Colts 27

Other Games

October 4, 2015; Santa Clara, CA, USA; General view of the Breast Cancer Awareness logo on the football during the third quarter between the San Francisco 49ers and the Green Bay Packers at Levi

New Orleans Saints defeat Atlanta Falcons 31-21

Minnesota Vikings defeat Kansas City Chiefs 16-10

Cincinnati Bengals defeat Buffalo Bills 16-10

Detroit Lions defeat Chicago Bears 37-34

Houston Texans defeat Jacksonville Jaguars 31-20

Miami Dolphins defeat Tennessee Titans 38-10

Green Bay Packers defeat San Diego Chargers 27-20

San Francisco 49ers defeat Baltimore Ravens 25-20

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Next: NFL Week Five: Giants take NFC East lead, Bears stun Chiefs

Home/Philadelphia Sports

NFL Week Six: Panthers go 5-0, Browns gift a Broncos win

By Akiem Bailum | Oct 19, 2015

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