Washington Commanders (3-5) – Philadelphia Eagles (7-1): 31-38
Miami Dolphins (6-2) – New England Patriots (2-6): 31-17
Dallas Cowboys (5-2) – Los Angeles Rams (3-5): 43-20
New York Giants (2-6) – New York Jets (4-3): 10-13 (ap)
Pittsburgh Steelers (4-3) – Jacksonville Jaguars (6-2): 10-20
Tennessee Titans (3-4) – Atlanta Falcons (4-4): 28-23
It will be very difficult for Mike Vrabel to justify a possible return of Ryan Tannehill to the field. In the absence of the veteran due to injury, Will Levis (19/29, 238 yards, 4 TDs) took his chance, showing everything his teammate no longer seems to be able to do: throw deep, score touchdowns and lift the crowd.
Tannehill has thrown two touchdowns since the start of the season. Levis has already doubled this total.
The Titans started with the funny idea of rotating Will Levis and Malik Willis at quarterback. An idea calmed when the latter lost a fumble on the first possession. And even more so when Levis found DeAndre Hopkins (4 rec, 128 yards, 3 TDs) for a 47-yard touchdown in the first quarter. Obviously, everything was not perfect, with several fruitless offensives. But Will Levis found enough highlights to make the difference. A second connection with Hopkins in the end zone, and Tennessee leads 14-3 at the break.
Opposite, Desmond Ridder (8/12, 71 yards) cannot do it. The attack is blocked, the quarterback loses another ball (his 4th in two games) and he even goes out to be examined for a suspected concussion. Ultimately, he has nothing, but Tyler Heinicke (12/21, 175 yards, 1 TD) is preferred for the second part of the match. Atlanta comes back (14-9), but Will Levis and Hopkins score again, this time from 61 yards (21-9)!
The match is on. Bijan Robinson (11 races, 62 yards, 1 TD) responds (21-16). But Levis continues his dream debut by finding Nick Westbrook-Ikhine 33 yards for another touchdown (28-16).
WILL LEVIS! 4 TD PASSES!
📺: #JAXvsPIT on CBS
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/Quwvdzpx7G pic.twitter.com/18G0sx962C— NFL (@NFL) October 29, 2023
Atlanta doesn’t give up with a touchdown from Scott Miller to get back together again (28-23). The Falcons defense held strong, and Heinicke even had the winning ball with just over two minutes remaining. But the Titans hold on. The defense stopped Atlanta and guaranteed Levis to emerge victorious from his baptism of fire.
The Will Levis era seems to be dawning on the Titans.
Indianapolis Colts (3-5) – New Orleans Saints (4-4): 27-38
Taysom Hill superstar! New Orleans was off to a bad start in this match. But trailing 17-7 in the second quarter, they were able to rely on their captains. Taysom Hill, therefore, with a 20-yard run for a touchdown (17-14). Then a 58-yard pass from Derek Carr (19/27, 310 yards, 2 TDs) to Rashid Shaheed (3 rec, 153 yards, 1 TD) (21-17). Enough to regain control at the break (21-20).
In the third quarter, it was Alvin Kamara who widened the gap (28-20), before that Hill returns to deliver the final blow, once again on the ground (35-20). Indianapolis conceded a 28-3! Drew Ogletree may reduce the score, but it’s too late. The Saints defense finishes the job late in the game to ensure that Indianapolis does not come back.
The Colts had started on the right foot, however. Literally. With the good races of Jonathan Taylor (12 races, 95 yards) and Zack Moss (11 races, 66 yards, 1 TD), Gardner Minshew (23/41, 213 yards, 2 TDs, 1 int) had enough to be more comfortable. With touchdowns from Michael Pittman (8 rec, 40 yards, 1 TD) and Moss, they led 17-7. But this is the moment that New Orleans chose to finally exploit all of its offensive weapons.
Carolina Panthers (1-6) – Houston Texans (3-4): 15-13
It’s not for lack of having had opportunities to widen the gap. Houston had two possessions in the final quarter with a one-point lead (12-13) but did nothing with it. The Panthers therefore won their first victory of the season thanks to a masterfully controlled drive: 14 actions, 81 yards, a little over six minutes and the winning field goal. A chaotic kick, which had to be hit three times because of penalties called in Houston.
The important thing being victory, we will remember little about the manner. A very difficult match, in which neither team exceeded 230 yards gained.
CJ Stroud (16/24, 140 yards) and his attack opened the scoring in the second quarter. Just before the break, Bryce Young (22/31, 235 yards, 1 TD) responds by finding Tommy Tremble in the end zone, but the extra point is missed by Eddy Pineiro. No problem, Carolina goes in front and breaks away in the third quarter thanks to two kicks (12-7). But Houston recovered and continued for more than 7 minutes until a touchdown on the ground from Stroud (12-13, 2-point conversion missed).
The Panthers are completely stuck. Their next two offensives ended in a loss of yards… But Houston’s attack did not take advantage of this and Houston finally achieved the right drive at the right time. Well helped by Adam Thielen (8 rec, 72 yards) and Chuba Hubbard (15 races, 28 yards – 2 rec, 26 yards), Bryce Young, number one in the last Draft, achieved his first success.
Green Bay Packers (2-5) – Minnesota Vikings (4-4): 10-24
Minnesota won, but the focus is mainly on Kirk Cousins (23/31, 274 yards, 2 TDs). While his team led comfortably, the Minnesota quarterback went out with an ankle injury that seemed painful.
Too bad, because his team had rather picked up the pace. After a sluggish first half, Minnesota widened the gap by scoring twice in a row after returning from the locker room. Cousins first found TJ Hockenson (6 rec, 88 yards, 1 TD), then Jordan Addison (7 rec, 82 yards, 1 TD), to make the score 24-3.
Minnesota was helped a lot by an interception from Jordan Love (24/41, 229 yards, 1 TD, 1 int), in difficulty for a good part of the match and intercepted between Minnesota’s two touchdowns.
Love was only entitled to a clearing on the following possession, with a touchdown thrown to Romeo Doubs (4 rec, 18 yards, 1 TD). Afterwards ? Three failures in a row on fourth attempt. In his defense, Love was helped neither by the ground game nor by the slippery hands of his receivers.
After losing their first three games of the season, the Vikings are back in the race for the playoffs. But will Kirk Cousins be there to continue?
