Monday, October 28th, 2024

This Given Sunday: Commanders produce magic moment

Gridiron

This Given Sunday: Commanders produce magic moment

Gridiron NFL

While the league’s best tight ends tried to take the headlines on their special day, it was Jayden Daniels who delivered the lasting image of Week 8 of the 2024 NFL season. 

The Commanders’ last second Hail Mary was one of five game winning scores in the final two minutes of action on Sunday. With one game left to play on Monday, 11 of the 14 matchups have been decided by a score, bringing the tally of games decided by seven or fewer points up to 66. That’s the highest through Week 8 in NFL history. 

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NFL Week 8 scores

Thursday:
Minnesota Vikings (5-2) 20 @ Los Angeles Rams (3-4) 30

Sunday:
Atlanta Falcons (5-3) 31 @
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-4) 26
Philadelphia Eagles (5-2) 37 @ Cincinatti Bengals (3-5) 17
New York Jets (2-6) 22 @ New England Patriots (2-6) 25
Tennessee Titans (1-6) 14 @ Detroit Lions (6-1) 52
Baltimore Ravens (5-3) 24 @ Cleveland Browns (2-6) 29
Indianapolis Colts (4-4) 20 @ Houston Texans (6-2) 23
Green Pay Packers (6-2) 30 @ Jacksonville Jaguars (2-6) 27
Arizona Cardinals (4-4) 28 @ Miami Dolphins (2-5) 27
New Orleans Saints (2-6) 8 @ Los Angeles Chargers (4-3) 26
Buffalo Bills (6-2) 31 @ Seattle Seahawks (4-4) 10
Carolina Panthers (1-7) 14  @ Denver Broncos (5-3) 28
Kansas City Chiefs (7-0) 27
@
Las Vegas Raiders (2-6) 20

Chicago Bears (4-3) 15 @ Washington Commanders (6-2) 18 

Monday

Dallas Cowboys (3-4) 24 @ San Francisco 49ers (4-4) 30

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GAME OF THE WEEK: Chicago Bears 15 — 18 Washington Commanders

For a sport so driven by finding the best young talent at quarterback, a game between the first and second overall pick during their rookie season is rare. Jayden Daniels vs Caleb Williams was just the tenth time such a matchup has happened in the history of the NFL. 

It’s a narrative that is so easy to understand and appreciate. Here are two young men, both Heisman Trophy winners, both showing signs of excellence in their young careers, who hopefully will be battling for supremacy for the next 15 years. While this game may have relatively low stakes, the first blow always counts in any burgeoning rivalry. For Daniels and his Commanders’ teammates, they left it until the very last second to land the telling strike. 

Neither team could amass points in the early going. Washington were able to move the ball well between the 20s, behind an efficient ground attack spearheaded by Brian Robinson and Austin Ekeler. Their 5.2 yards per carry is tied for the second-best in the league, and provided welcome respite for Daniels who still appeared to be nursing a painful rib injury. In the red zone however, the Commanders couldn’t convert, instead settling for three Austin Siebert field goals in the first half. Meanwhile the Bears could hardly muster any offense, routinely punting away possession in picking up a measly 60 yards from scrimmage before the break. 

That trend continued in the second half. Williams again looked flustered, routinely missing passes to his receivers and feeling pressure in the pocket. Daniels would lead another field goal drive, this time allaying fears of his fitness with some impressive scrambling of his own. In need of a shot in the arm, the Bears would finally score the first touchdown of the game late in the third as D’Andre Swift broke a 59-yard field goal to make it 12-7 to the hosts. 

Seibert has been money at home this season for the Commanders, scoring 100% of his field goals in Landover until Gervon Dexter’s meaty paw swatted his 50-yarder out of the air, maintaining the Bears momentum. However Williams again couldn’t capitalise. With just ten minutes left on the clock, the number one overall pick had only connected with four passes on the day. 

After trading possessions, Williams finally started to heat up, showing the poise and ability to operate outside of structure that made him a generational prospect. First there was a crucial third down hookup with Rome Odunze. Then, an acrobatic toss across his body to find Keenan Allen alone in the middle of the field. Just as the drive looked to be stymied, Allen forced a pass interference penalty in the Washington end zone on fourth down, setting up a two-yard plunge to the end zone by Roschon Johnson. A well designed shovel pass to Cole Kmet on a two-point conversion gave the Bears a three point lead with 30 seconds on the clock.

Daniels managed to connect on two throws to McLaurin and Ertz, taking advantage of the Bears’ soft coverage to advance the ball to midfield. What happened next is scarcely believable. At the start of the play, Bears corner Tyrique Stevenson is taunting the Washington faithful, and isn’t aware the play is progressing until the Commanders’ receiver are almost to the goal line. In the mean time, Daniels is slaloming away from pass rushers, holding the ball for 12.5 seconds before heaving a pass that travels over 60 yards in the air. As the ball drops around the Bears one-yard line, Stevenson has managed to somewhat reclaim his position, jumping up to deflect the ball. He’s only able to palm the pigskin up in the air, past his teammates, and into the hands of Noah Brown for the go ahead score.

Jim Nantz called it a “miracle”, and the play would be played “over and over again for decades”. Given the characters involved, you’ll be seeing this Hail Mary every time Williams and Daniels lock up. Hopefully, that will be frequently, and with ever increasing stakes as these two signal callers forge their care

MVP OF THE WEEK: Jameis Winston

Jameis Winston is one of the league’s best characters. He is both immensely talented, and endearingly error prone. Where one would assume a highly recruited quarterback would be aloof and cool, he is prone to moments of intense nerdiness, cringeworthy behaviour and brain fades of the highest magnitude. Eating the dubs. Almost falling on his arse taking a shotgun snap. Mistaking the words ‘condom’ and ‘tandem’ during an interview. The man is a walking meme.

This Sunday was Winston’s masterpiece. Taking the place of Deshaun Watson at quarterback for the 1-6 Cleveland Browns, going against the surging Baltimore Ravens, expectations were low. That’s normally where Winston does his best work. 

The former number one overall pick connected on 66% of his passes for three touchdowns and 334 yards. Cleveland’s offense generated 6.1 yards per play, compared to the 4.2 it had managed thus far this season. Huntington Bank Field came alive, just a week after the Browns’ fans were maligned for booing the injured Watson as he left the field. With a 29-24 win over one of the best teams in the league, Winston delivered a moment which could save the reputation of his coach Kevin Stefanski, and solidify himself as a starter again next season. Of course, he then had to follow up the performance by incorrectly quoting ‘a white boy from Detroit’ aka Eminem, in his post match presser, but this is Jameis Winston we’re talking about. We wouldn’t have him any other way. 

WINNERS & LOSERS 

Winner: George Kittle

Oh I wish it could be National Tight End Day, every day. If that’s what it takes for the best players in the position to finally start lighting up the box score, I’ll take the 150 times Scott Hanson mentions it during the RedZone broadcast. 

George Kittle’s brainchild seems to have had the desired effect, as he and his colleagues decimated league defenses at a historic clip on Sunday. Per Field Yates, the 177 catches by tight ends was a record for any day in NFL history. The superstars that had underwhelmed fantasy owners like Sam Laporta, Mark Andrews, and Travis Kelce all found the endzone. Kittle himself logged a score and 128 yards on six catches, while Trey McBride also eclipsed a ton for the Cardinals. In Tampa, Kyle Pitts and Cade Otton were locked in a back-and-forth battle, both men scoring twice. 

Losers: Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams

One last job. A Super Bowl ready roster with your quarterback soul mate. The hated Head Coach out of the way. An offense made in the image of those halcyon days in Wisconsin. One last job.

You son of a bitch, I’m in.

Since joining the New York Jets, Davante Adams has caught seven passes for 84 yards. On Sunday, he was completely shut out by Christian Gonzales. Four targets, no catches, no yards.

Aaron Rodgers spent his post-match presser talking about ‘the darkness’. I’m not sure doing a terrible Bane impression is what this team needs right now. They look lost on both sides of the ball, unsure of their identity. I guess that’s what happens when you placate the needs of an aging superstar with ideas that are five years out of date, and you fire your head coach four weeks into the season. To lose to this version of the Patriots, a team that has tormented the Jets for so long, must be particularly galling for long-suffering members of Gang Green.

Winner: Dan Campbell

With the majority games again decided by the narrowest of margins, the ability to handle your business with minimal fuss is a welcome sign. The Detroit Lions again looked like a complete team as they battered the Titans 52-14. 

Perhaps more impressive than the final scoreline, is Detroit were able to lay such a punishing scoreline on Tennessee despite Jared Goff throwing for just 85 yards on the day. The Lions scored on runs from David Mongomery and Jahmyr Gibbs, a pass from Montgomery to LaPorta, a Khalif Reymond punt return and three darts from their signal caller. Despite a monster half from Calvin Ridley and competent play from Mason Rudolph, two picks kept the Titans in check as the game progressed. There will be tougher tests for Campbell and his men, but there’s little doubt this team are remarkably well coached in all three phases, and seem more than capable of rebounding from the disappointment of losing Aidan Hutchinson. They are clearly the team to beat in the NFC.

Loser: Mike McCarthy

In a week where the Eagles and Commanders picked up wins, the Cowboys again showed they must be considered third favourites in the NFC East. Increasingly, it looks like the Cowboys will finish outside of the playoff slots, which if it comes to pass, will inevitably mark the end McCarthy’s tenure in Big D. 

The 30-24 scoreline flatters Dallas. The 49ers were routinely able to gash the Cowboys defence for chunk plays, tallying 12 plays of more than 20 yards on the day. Dallas managed just one before the fourth quarter. The run game, ‘led’ by Ezekiel Elliott, is averaging just 77.2 yards per game, and didn’t manage a single explosive game against the Niners. CeeDee Lamb had his best game of the season statistically, but he remains the only receiver that’s winning against man coverage. Dak Prescott is throwing into the narrowest windows of any quarterback in the league. 

McCarthy must lament the decisions of his boss in private. He has been saddled with a ludicrously top heavy roster, littered with curious decisions and over-inflated contracts. Jones’ repeated assertions he is in charge of the football operations will give Cowboys fans no respite, as this season and many more to come, look increasingly lost.

STATS OF THE WEEK

  • Jalen Hurts totalled three rushing touchdowns, one score through the air, and a passer rating of 132.5 in the Eagles 37-17 win over the Bengals. He is only the second player in NFL history to record such a game, and the first since 1972
  • Jayden Daniels is only the second rookie in NFL history to record a game-winning touchdown of more than 50 yards with time expired
  • Arizona’s Chad Ryland and Green Bay’s Brandon McManus became the first kickers since Greg Joseph (with Minnesota in Weeks 15-16, 2022) to convert a game-winning field goal on the final play of a game in consecutive weeks
  • Kirk Cousins logged 276 yards and four touchdowns during Atlanta’s 31-26 victory over Tampa. He is only the sixth signal caller in NFL history to throw for at least three touchdowns and eclipse a 140-passer rating ten times in his career
  • Travis Kelce’s touchdown on Sunday was the 75th of his career. He is now fifth all time for touchdowns at the position
  • With 501 yards on the season, Lamar Jackson is the first quarterback to run for more than 500 yards in seven straight seasons

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