Week 6 Gridiron Recap

 

Week six of the NFL season provided some very exciting action on the gridiron, as we saw two overtime finishes and a handful of other games that were decided late in the fourth quarter. The 49ers finally got back on track with a victory over the Ravens, and the Lions picked up their first win of the year. There are still five undefeated teams left in the NFL. As we near the halfway point of the season, teams are starting to run away with their divisions.

 

Week 6 Game Highlights:  

 

Redskins @ Jets: The New York Jets made a bold statement to the rest of the NFL, overcoming a slow start by scoring 24 points in the second half, en route to a 34-20 win over Washington that lifted their record to 4-1. Jets quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick rallied the home team after halftime, throwing for two touchdowns and running for another in the last 30 minutes. New York wideout Brandon Marshall continued to put up monster numbers, finishing with over 100 receiving yards for the fourth game in a row. He is the first Jets receiver to accomplish this feat since 1968. The Jets look to keep pace in the AFC East, as they roll into Foxborough on Sunday to take on the rival Patriots in a pivotal divisional game.

 

Bears @ Lions: Detroit finally claimed that elusive first victory of the year, besting Chicago 37-34 in an overtime thriller. Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson showed glimpses of what made him arguably the most dangerous deep threat in the entire NFL just a few years ago, finishing with 166 receiving yards and a touchdown. Detroit quarterback Matthew Stafford put up huge numbers, throwing for four touchdowns and over 400 yards. For the Bears, wideout Alshon Jeffery hauled in eight catches for 147 yards and a touchdown.

 

Denver @ Cleveland: The Broncos remained undefeated at 6-0 after avoiding a late game comeback by the Browns, in the 26-23 overtime final. Denver quarterback Peyton Manning continued to struggle mightily, as he threw three more interceptions. On the bright side, the Broncos scored their first offensive touchdown in their last 27 drives, a streak that dated back to week four. Once again, the Denver defensive saved the day for the Broncos, forcing three turnovers and sacking the QB four times. Broncos cornerback Aqib Talib picked up his third interception of the year.

 

Chargers @ Packers: The Packers retained their perfect record with a goal line stand to end the game, beating the Chargers 27-20 in an absolute nail biter. With under a minute left, the Chargers ran four plays from inside the three yard line, but were unable to punch it in. Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers set the San Diego two franchise records, with 43 completions and 503 yards. That is now two weeks in a row in which the 2-4 Chargers have lost a game in the final seconds. For Green Bay, second string running back James Starks turned in an excellent performance with 112 rushing yards.

 

Ravens @ 49ers: The 49ers ended their four game losing streak by defeating the Ravens 25-20 at home. San Francisco QB Colin Kaepernick was nothing short of brilliant, as he threw for 340 yards and two scores, to go along with four field goals by kicker Phil Dawson. Former Baltimore receivers Anquan Boldin and Torrey Smith were each involved in pass plays of over 50 yards for the 49ers, and third year wideout Quinton Patton scored the first touchdown of his career. San Francisco linebackers NaVorro Bowman and Michael Wilhoite led the way on defense, finishing with over 10 tackles apiece. The 49ers have a very tough stretch ahead of them in the coming weeks, with two matchups against Seattle and home games against Atlanta and Arizona.

 

Looking Ahead to Week 7

 

Jets @ Patriots, 10a.m. PT: This AFC East divisional battle is by far the best matchup of week seven, as the resurgent Jets will look to continue their underdog ways against the first place, undefeated New England Patriots. Tom Brady and the Patriots offense, the highest scoring unit in the NFL, face off against a Jets defense that has given up the fewest points in the NFL. New England has won seven of the last eight meetings.

 

Raiders @ Chargers, 1:05p.m. PT on CBS: Both the Raiders and Chargers are coming off two excruciatingly tough losses in a row, and are looking to gain an edge in the AFC West. The Silver and Black are fresh off their bye week, and will look to reverse the fortune against a San Diego team that has beaten them in six of their last seven meetings. The key for Oakland is limiting mistakes on offense, as they’ve turned the ball over five times in their last two games. The Raider defense and their vulnerable secondary will have their hands full with the San Diego passing attack and Rivers, who’s coming off of a record breaking Sunday last week.  

 

Eagles @ Panthers, 5:30p.m. PT on NBC: Philadelphia has put up two impressive performances in a row, and will face off against the undefeated Panthers on Sunday Night Football. The Eagles highly touted offense has came to life in the last two weeks, scoring a combined 66 points. It’s important to note that the Eagles are 3-0 this year when they rush for over 100 yards. Philadelphia running back and fantasy bust Demarco Murray finally broke out in week six, rushing for 112 yards and a touchdown. Meanwhile, the Panthers edged the Seahawks on the road by a final of 27-23. In their 45-21 loss to the Eagles last year, Panthers quarterback Cam Newton was sacked nine times and turned the ball over 4 times.