NFL Sunday Recap: Bears, Ravens, and Lions Shine
Sunday was packed with action as the Chicago Bears cruised past the Jacksonville Jaguars (1–5) to improve their record to 4–2. The Bears are really coming together, keeping pace in the competitive NFC North.
The 1 p.m. ET games had plenty of excitement, but the highlight was definitely the clash between the Washington Commanders (4–2) and the Baltimore Ravens (4–2). Lamar Jackson was in top form, throwing for 363 yards and a touchdown in a solid 30–23 win at home.
Later in the day, the Detroit Lions (4–1) put a hurting on the Dallas Cowboys (3–3) but lost star Aidan Hutchinson to what looked like a serious leg injury. Meanwhile, the Cincinnati Bengals (2–4) faced off against the New York Giants (2–4) in a must-win game and managed to get the W, with Joe Burrow throwing for 208 yards.
Highlights from Sunday
Ravens 30, Commanders 23 My thoughts: Baltimore (4–2) is back on track! The combo of Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry is starting to shine, racking up a total of 495 yards and three touchdowns. Washington’s defense struggled big time, allowing a whopping 7.4 yards per play. Rookie QB Jayden Daniels had a solid outing with 291 total yards and two touchdowns, even in the loss.
Stock up: Zay Flowers had a breakout game, snagging nine catches for 132 yards. He was a constant threat, especially in the first half.
Stock down: Washington’s defense needs work. They’ve been gashed by top offenses, allowing 920 yards and 63 points in the last two games. Injuries to Jonathan Allen and Dorance Armstrong didn’t help either.
Next Up: Panthers at Commanders, 4:05 p.m. ET Oct. 20; Ravens at Buccaneers, 8:15 p.m. ET Oct. 21
Texans 41, Patriots 21 My thoughts: Houston (5–1) is starting to pull away in the AFC South. They handled New England (1–5) easily. The spotlight was on rookie QB Drake Maye, who had a decent debut, throwing for 243 yards and three touchdowns despite a couple of picks.
Stock up: Joe Mixon looked great, rushing for 102 yards, including a 59-yard burst.
Stock down: New England’s O-line is in trouble, allowing four sacks against Houston. Maye’s going to need more time if this keeps up.
Next Up: Texans at Packers, 1 p.m. ET Oct. 20; Patriots at Jaguars, 9:30 a.m. ET Oct. 20
Lions 47, Cowboys 9 My thoughts: The Lions (4–1) are making a strong case as top contenders in the NFC, while the Cowboys (3–3) are in trouble. Dallas has been blown out at home three times now. It’s looking like they might need a major overhaul after another rough outing.
Stock up: Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson had Dallas on skates, with a well-executed game plan.
Stock down: The Cowboys as a national draw are struggling. Dak Prescott isn’t fun to watch right now, and the team is riddled with injuries.
Next Up: Lions at Vikings, 1 p.m. ET Oct. 20; Cowboys, bye
Packers 38, Cardinals 10 My thoughts: Green Bay (4–2) is finally getting healthy and finding its rhythm. They dominated Arizona (2–4) at Lambeau Field. Jordan Love threw four touchdowns, including two to Romeo Doubs, fresh off his suspension.
Stock up: Love bounced back nicely after a shaky outing last week.
Stock down: Arizona’s receivers need to step up. With Marvin Harrison Jr. out with a concussion, the remaining guys struggled.
Next Up: Chargers at Cardinals, 8:45 p.m. ET Oct. 21; Texans at Packers, 1 p.m. ET Oct. 20
Buccaneers 51, Saints 27 My thoughts: The Saints (2–4) can’t catch a break, while Tampa Bay (4–2) continues to roll. Baker Mayfield threw for four touchdowns despite some wild interceptions, and Chris Godwin had a big day.
Stock up: The Buccaneers ran all over the Saints, racking up 277 rushing yards.
Stock down: Dennis Allen’s coaching is under scrutiny with the defense struggling to stop anyone.
Next Up: Ravens at Buccaneers, 8:15 p.m. ET Oct. 21; Broncos at Saints, 8:15 p.m. ET Oct. 17
Falcons 38, Panthers 20 My thoughts: Atlanta (4–2) looks like they’re finding their groove. They handled Carolina (1–5) easily, with a strong ground game led by Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier.
Stock up: Kyle Pitts is starting to come alive, with back-to-back solid performances.
Stock down: Carolina’s defense is a mess, allowing 34 points in three straight games.
Next Up: Seahawks at Falcons, 1 p.m. ET Oct. 20; Panthers at Commanders, 4:05 p.m. ET Oct. 20
Eagles 20, Browns 16 My thoughts: Cleveland (1–5) is in rough shape. They had a chance late but fell apart, with mistakes on their final drive. Meanwhile, Philadelphia (3–2) managed to pull out a win, but it wasn’t pretty.
Stock up: A.J. Brown was back in a big way, catching a touchdown in his return.
Stock down: Everything about the Browns seems off right now, from third downs to pass protection.
Next Up: Bengals at Browns, 1 p.m. ET Oct. 20; Eagles at Giants, 1 p.m. ET Oct. 20
Bengals 17, Giants 7 My thoughts: Cincinnati (2–4) managed to get a win, but they’re far from being a contender. Their defense stepped up big time, allowing just 309 yards.
Stock up: Brian Burns shined for the Giants, showcasing why they traded for him.
Stock down: Daniel Jones needs to step it up. He missed key throws and didn’t help his team’s chances.
Next Up: Bengals at Browns, 1 p.m. ET Oct. 20; Eagles at Giants, 1 p.m. ET Oct. 20
Steelers 32, Raiders 13 My thoughts: The Raiders (2–4) are sinking fast, and it might be time to trade Davante Adams for a better pick. Pittsburgh (4–2) is tied for the division lead but needs to figure out their quarterback situation.
Stock up: Brock Bowers is making a name for himself, putting up solid numbers despite the quarterback carousel.
Stock down: The Raiders’ running game is struggling big time, averaging just 3.0 yards per carry.
Next Up: Jets at Steelers, 8:20 p.m. ET Oct. 20; Raiders at Rams, 4:05 p.m. ET Oct. 20
Chargers 23, Broncos 16 My thoughts: Denver’s defense kept them in the game, but the offense is struggling. Los Angeles (3–2) is in a decent position in the AFC West with a favorable upcoming schedule.
Stock up: Justin Herbert spread the ball around, showing good depth in the receiving corps.
Stock down: Bo Nix needs to find his rhythm; the Broncos can’t afford to have him struggle like this.
Next Up: Chargers at Cardinals, 8:45 p.m. ET Oct. 21; Broncos at Saints, 8:15 p.m. ET Oct. 17
Bears 35, Jaguars 16 My thoughts: The Jaguars need to seriously rethink their strategy after a rough outing against a rising Bears team. Caleb Williams was on fire, throwing for 226 yards and four touchdowns.
Stock up: Cole Kmet is finally getting the recognition he deserves, scoring two touchdowns.
Stock down: Jacksonville’s entire roster looks lost, and Trevor Lawrence is not living up to his contract.
Next Up: Bye; Patriots at Jaguars, 9:30 a.m. ET Oct. 20
Colts 20, Titans 17 My thoughts: Tennessee (1–4) has to face the music—Will Levis isn’t cutting it. The Colts (3–3) managed to snag a win even without some key players.
Stock up: Shane Steichen deserves props for pulling off the win with a patchwork lineup.
Stock down: Calvin Ridley needs to step up big time; he’s been a major disappointment since signing his big contract.
Next Up: Dolphins at Colts, 1 p.m. ET Oct. 20; Titans at Bills, 1 p.m. ET Oct. 20
49ers 36, Seahawks 24 My thoughts: The Niners bounced back nicely after a rough loss to the Cardinals. Brock Purdy had a solid game, and the ground game was strong.
Stock up: San Francisco’s running back depth is impressive, with Isaac Guerendo stepping up after an injury.
Stock down: Seattle couldn’t get anything going on the ground, which put too much pressure on Geno Smith.
That’s a wrap on an exciting Sunday! Can’t wait to see what’s in store next week
Week 6 of the 2024 NFL season kicked off with a bang as the 49ers snagged a crucial NFC West victory over the Seahawks on Thursday night. Meanwhile, over in London, the Bears took care of business against the Jaguars, making a statement overseas.
Sunday was full of fireworks, with teams like the Packers, Texans, and Buccaneers lighting up the scoreboard. The Ravens managed a narrow win over the Commanders, while the Eagles held off a tough challenge from the Browns.
It was a big day for rookie quarterbacks, too! Drake Maye and Spencer Rattler both made their first starts—though it didn’t quite go their way, they showed some real promise despite the losses. Joe Flacco stepped in again for the Colts, filling in for Anthony Richardson and leading his team to a much-needed win.
In the late games, all four road teams came out on top. The Lions, Falcons, and Steelers all scored over 30 points, showcasing some serious offensive firepower. The Chargers dominated the Broncos early, shutting them out for the first three quarters before holding off a late surge from rookie Bo Nix.
To cap off the day, the Bengals picked up their second win of the season against the Giants in a Sunday night showdown. All in all, it was an exciting week filled with impressive performances and plenty of drama!