The Cowboys Are For Real & Other Things We Learned About The NFL In Week 6
Big wins, big passing days and a big, fat tie highlighted the action from Week 6 in the NFL. Here's what we learned on Sunday:
Maybe The Eagles Should Always Wear Black
Wearing all-black uniforms for the first time in franchise history, the Eagles crushed the Giants, 27-0, on Sunday night. If head coach Chip Kelly is superstitious, his normally white or midnight green team will wear the alternate color at home for the rest of the season. More likely, Kelly will implore Philadelphia (5-1) to sack the quarterback eight times and run for 203 yards every game, as his team did against New York (3-3) on Sunday.
The Giants' loss was made worse when Pro Bowl wide receiver Victor Cruz tore his patellar tendon in his right knee in the third quarter. The injury is expected to sideline him for the rest of the season.
The Cowboys Are For Real, Just Ask The Seahawks
The Cowboys didn't figure to be one of the NFC's best teams nearing the halfway point of the season, but Dallas (5-1) is tied with Philadelphia for the best record in the conference after beating the defending Super Bowl champion Seahawks, 30-23, in Seattle on Sunday.
DeMarco Murray's 15-yard touchdown with 3:16 left gave Dallas a lead that even Seahawks' miracle-working quarterback Russell Wilson couldn't overcome. Murray has been the driving force of the Cowboys' offense. He joined Jim Brown as just the second running back in NFL history with six straight 100-yard games to start the season. Seattle (3-2) suffered its first home loss to a team outside the NFC West since 2011.
Joe Flacco, Tom Brady & Aaron Rodgers Had Big Passing Days
Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks Joe Flacco, Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers showed they can still carry their teams on Sunday.
Joe Flacco threw for 306 yards and five touchdowns in just over 16 minutes in a 48-17 rout of the Buccaneers. Baltimore (4-2) rebounded after a tough loss to Indianapolis last week, while Tampa Bay (1-5) re-established itself as one of the league's worst teams.
Remember a few weeks ago when Tom Brady was awful? Not anymore. Brady threw for 361 yards and four touchdowns in the Patriots 37-22 rout of the Bills. It took some time for the veteran signal caller to get rolling, but he now has New England (4-2) back in first place in the AFC East. Second place Buffalo (3-3) gets the benefit of playing the Vikings and Jets on consecutive weeks, ensuring that they'll stay close to the Pats.
Aaron Rodgers threw a four-yard touchdown pass to Andrew Quarless with three seconds to play to give the Packers a 27-24 win over the Dolphins. Rodgers finished with three touchdown passes and 264 yards for Green Bay (4-2) which gave up the lead twice in the game. Miami (2-3) fell under .500 on the season.
The Browns Haven't Beaten The Steelers This Badly In 25 Years
The Big Bad …Browns? Yep. Cleveland (3-2) drilled Pittsburgh, 31-10, on Sunday in a game that was even more of a blowout than the score indicates. It was just the Browns' third win over the Steelers in their last 23 meetings and their biggest margin of victory since a 51-0 rout in 1989. In true role reversal, it's Pittsburgh (3-3) who seems like a lost franchise these days, and Cleveland seems headed in the right direction.
There Was A Tie!
The Bengals and Panthers played to a 37-37 tie in Cincinnati on Sunday. Cam Newton threw for 284 yards and two scores, and he ran for 107 yards and another touchdown for Carolina (3-2-1). Andy Dalton threw for 323 yards and two TDs for Cincinnati (3-1-1), but he had to watch Mike Nugent miss a 36-yard field goal attempt on the final play of overtime, resulting in just the third NFL tie since 2008. You know all those playoff scenarios you read about at the end of the season? This tie will likely make them excruciatingly (more) complicated.
Other Scores
Thursday, Oct. 9
Indianapolis 33, Houston 28
Sunday, Oct. 12
Tennessee 16, Jacksonville 14
Denver 31, NY Jets 17
Detroit 17, Minnesota 3
San Diego 31, Oakland 28
Chicago 27, Atlanta 13
Arizona 30, Washington 20
On Bye: Kansas City, New Orleans
Full Standings