NFL Week 7 aftermath: A big weekend for NFC North quarterbacks, with one exception
Check out the quarterbacks in the NFC North, and what they did Sunday:
Aaron Rodgers had the first perfect rating in Green Bay history, throwing for 429 yards and five touchdowns with no interceptions.
Kirk Cousins became the first Vikings quarterback in 15 years to throw four touchdown passes in back-to-back games.
Even though Detroit lost, Matthew Stafford reached 40,000 yards passing in his career in the fewest games (147) in league history. He eclipsed Atlanta’s Matt Ryan (151).
Chicago’s Mitch Trubisky was 14 of 27 for 84 yards by the time New Orleans was up, 29-10. The Bears made a surge in the fourth quarter to cut the final score to 36-25, but it was all cosmetics. The Bears’ offense is flat as warm beer.
One of these things is not like the others.
Don’t mess with Aaron Donald
Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald went nose to nose with Atlanta’s Devonta Freeman in a scuffle Sunday. It was comical, because Freeman threw a jab at Donald (for which he was ejected), while Donald grabbed him by the shoulder pads and fork-lifted him off the ground. It looked like the 209-pound running back was on a NASA mission the way his legs were off the ground and pedaling an invisible bicycle.
Well, people always said Freeman’s good in space.
Jacksonville West?
There were all those rumors years ago about the Jacksonville Jaguars moving to Los Angeles.
Now, with Jalen Ramsey, Dante Fowler and Blake Bortles on the Rams, the Jaguars sort of have.
The Rams’ defense has frequently looked discombobulated in coverages this season, but adding Jalen Ramsey already has changed dynamic in positive way.
Chase Edmunds joins the club
In a win over the New York Giants, Arizona’s Chase Edmonds made an exclusive list. He became the sixth player in NFL history to score three rushing touchdowns of 20-plus yards in a game. The others are Doug Martin, Adrian Peterson, Clinton Portis, Mercury Morris, and in 1935, Ernie Caddel.
Mission accomplished
Edmonds wrote down two goals when he was 10 years old:
1) Play in the NFL.
2) Pay for college for his older sister, Morgan.
According to Arizona PR czar Mark Dalton, shortly after being drafted by the Cardinals last year, Edmonds paid off the $80,000 in student loans for Morgan, who earned an undergraduate degree at North Carolina State, then a masters at Arizona State.
Did you know ...
Some great tidbits from ESPN Stats & Info:
— Seattle’s Russell Wilson has been burned by three pick-sixes since the start of the 2018 season. Only Jameis Winston, Ryan Fitzpatrick and Josh Rosen have more in that span with four each. (Doesn’t say much for the current state of football in Florida.)
— Since Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson made his debut in Week 11 last season, his 11 victories are tied with Wilson for the most in the league during that span. (And yes, I understand quarterbacks aren’t pitchers, so it’s not apples to apples with “victories.”)
— This is the first time in the Doug Pederson era that Philadelphia has given up at least 30 points in consecutive games. (Next up, Buffalo. The Bills put up 30 on Sunday for the first time this season.)
Marcus Peters makes history
It was former Rams cornerback Marcus Peters who had the pick-six against Wilson on Sunday.
Peters, traded to Baltimore last week, is the first player in league history to score on interceptions for two different teams in the same season.
Drew Brees itching to come back
The Athletic’s Jeff Duncan, a leading authority on the New Orleans Saints, said he’s hearing Drew Brees wants to come back Sunday against Arizona. Teddy Bridgewater has done a terrific job in replacing him; the Saints are 5-0 with Bridgewater starting at quarterback.
Wow, that was fast
The average NFL game length last season was three hours and 12 minutes.
San Francisco-Washington clocked in at 2:36. It was over so quick, it was as if the Redskins accidentally pocketed the 8-ball.
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