By Josh Hatt
Hail Murray!
In what might have been the best game of the season so far, the Arizona Cardinals pulled off a thrilling last second win when Kyler Murray threw a desperation “Hail Mary” pass that was somehow caught by Deandre Hopkins despite having 3 Buffalo Bills defenders around him. The win catapults Arizona to the top of the NFC West, meanwhile Buffalo remains atop the AFC East but the Miami Dolphins may give them competition as they won yet again, and are just 1 game behind the Bills now. These two are some of the most exciting teams in the league, and the Hopkins trade continues to look better and better for the Cards after they acquired him from Houston this summer for a second round draft pick and running back David Johnson. Arizona also made a bold decision when they drafted Kyler Murray just a year after drafting Josh Rosen in the same position, but that decision has proven to be the right one as Murray is one of the most exciting young QB’s in the league whilst Rosen’s career has not amounted to anything at the NFL level.
Patriots stun Ravens in the rain
It hasn’t been the best of seasons for the New England, but Bill Belichick showed why he is the greatest head coach of all time on Sunday night as he masterminded a surprise 23-17 win against Baltimore. The Ravens struggled in stormy conditions to generate much offensively, and questions must be asked as to whether the league has found Greg Roman’s offensive scheme out. Baltimore’s defence also struggled, giving up 121 yards to running back Damien Harris. Baltimore has now lost 2 of 3 and sits firmly in second place behind the still undefeated Pittsburgh Steelers, who comfortably beat Cincinnati this weekend. New England meanwhile has won 2 in a row but still sits third in the AFC East. But their playoff hopes are not quite dead yet.
Giants stake their claim in the NFC East
It’s safe to say that the NFC East division this year is not only the weakest of the year, but one of the worst of all time. It’s entirely possible that a team with just 6 or 7 wins could make the playoffs this year by wining this division. And that team could be the New York Giants, who finally defeated their rivals Philadelphia for the first time since 2016. New York now moves into second place in the division having won just 3 games, the same as first place Philly!. In fairness to the Giants, most of their games have been close and they have improved a lot since the start of the season. If QB Daniel Jones can continue to play turnover free football, this team has a definite chance to take the division and host a playoff game. It would sum up 2020 if a team from this terrible division won the Superbowl.
Other talking points from week 10:
The Indianapolis Colts began the week with an impressive win on the road in Nashville against the Tennessee Titans. The Colts special teams was a key factor, as they blocked a punt for a touchdown. The win propels the Colts to the top of the AFC South ahead of the Titans, and the two will surely battle it out for a playoff berth for the rest of the year.
Tom Brady continued to defy the aging process as the 43 year old threw 3 touchdowns and ran for another as Tampa Bay beat Carolina. The highlight of the game was a 98 yard TD run from Ronald Jones, only the 4th time in NFL history that such a long run has happened.
Brady’s divisional rival Drew Brees has not managed to beat the ravages of Father Time so well, as the 41 year old suffered fractured ribs and a collapsed lung against San Francisco. The Saints still managed to beat a 49ers team that itself has had many injuries, but it is unclear who the QB will be in New Orleans next week. It may be former number 1 pick Jameis Winston, who has a strong arm but also turns the ball over far too much.
The LA Rams stifled the Seattle Seahawks offence to claim a big divisional win. The Rams sacked Russell Wilson 6 times and picked him off twice. The Seahawks offensive line has long been a problem for them, but Seattle needs its offence to improve because their defence is really struggling to stop anything. Seattle has the worst defence in the NFL, and that may prove costly for them. LA now sits in second in the NFC West with 6 wins, although Arizona and Seattle also have the same amount. This division could go down to the wire.
Sportscast Jersey 