Following byes for the New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers last week, all NFC South teams returned to action. As it turns out, Week 6 turned out to be quite a topsy-turvy weekend for the division.
Carolina Panthers 23, Philadelphia Eagles 28
Penalties became one of the main headlines as the Eagles incurred over 125 yards of infractions on the night.
http://gty.im/841988262
Ultimately, turnovers became the name of the game, as Cam Newton‘s three interceptions were key in determining the outcome. The first two left the Eagles short fields to drive for touchdowns, consequently gifting them 14 points.
Most significantly, the final interception killed off a late comeback bid, as Newton and Kelvin Benjamin got crossed up on routes. That left Jalen Mills with the easy pick to settle the affair.
http://gty.im/860937534
Passing woes aside, Newton had nearly engineered the win for the Panthers by leading the team in rushing. The highlight was a spectacular dive that was ruled short of a touchdown after review.
http://gty.im/860730088
The Panthers now hold a half-game division lead anyway, so overcoming this loss is not difficult. The biggest concern will be the health of star linebacker Luke Kuechly. At the time of writing, there had been no confirmation from the Panthers as to whether he had cleared the concussion protocol. Nevertheless, Christian McCaffrey scored from that short distance out anyway.
This would mark Kuechly’s third straight season picking up a concussion, markedly raising serious concerns for the heart and soul of the Panthers’ front seven.
Playing the Thursday night game gives the Panthers three extra days of rest before traveling to Chicago to face the Bears. The rushing game has been anemic thus far, and that game could be just what the doctor ordered.
Atlanta Falcons 17, Miami Dolphins 20
Despite building up a 17-0 halftime lead, the Falcons were unable to hold off Jay Cutler‘s comeback bid. The Four Dolphins scoring drives in the second half stunned the Mercedes-Benz Stadium crowd as the Falcons fell to 3-2.
Running back Tevin Coleman has been a bright spark for the Falcons thus far, including a touchdown this week. Though recognized as the clear #2 to Devonta Freeman in the backfield, Coleman has averaged close to 75 total yards per game. This tandem remains one of the most potent in the league, and leads the NFC in touchdowns with good reason.
http://gty.im/861708136
Defensively, this squad is a fairly strong one even if not dominant. There are concerns about Matt Ryan‘s form, already only one interception shy of matching his total for 2016. Furthermore, his touchdown count has dipped from this corresponding period last season (15 vs. 6 this year). Injuries to his favorite receivers have not helped, but Julio Jones‘ return should help spark a turnaround.
http://gty.im/861670160
A rough three-game road stretch is up next for the Falcons. First up is a Super Bowl reunion with the Patriots in Week 7, which could well be a shootout. The Falcons seek a small measure of revenge, and facing the worst pass defense in the league is tantalizing. Following that, they travel to face the Jets before heading to Charlotte for an NFC South showdown with the Panthers.
New Orleans Saints 52, Detroit Lions 38
This game is the clear frontrunner for “Wackiest Game of 2017,” as the Saints almost threw away a five-touchdown lead.
http://gty.im/862460644
The much-maligned defense has stepped up so far. Even though they still give up a prodigious amount of yards per game – just under 370, to be exact – they also rank in the top 10 in turnovers forced and turnover differential.
This game was no different, with the Saints adding 5 more turnovers. For added effect, they tallied no less than three defensive touchdowns.
As expected, Alvin Kamara has seen his number of touches go up as a dual-threat back. If Mark Ingram‘s 114-yard day proves to be no fluke, that will keep defenses honest, which could be just what Drew Brees needs. And to think this was all after trading away Adrian Peterson……
This, of course, is not to say that Brees has any particular issues currently. He continues to rank among the leaders in major passing categories, and has merely two turnovers on the flip side.
An 0-2 start to the season may have been cause for concern. However, a strong three-game win streak whilst averaging over 35 points per game is no mean feat in this league.
Next up? A road trip to face the Aaron Rodgers–less Packers, followed by a homestand against the Bears and Buccaneers. This stretch offers a lot of promise for a strong finish to the first half of the season.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 33, Arizona Cardinals 38
Speaking of Peterson, the future Hall of Famer wasted no time in impacting the NFC South after arriving in Arizona. A touchdown on his very first drive set the tone as the Cardinals opened up a 24-0 halftime lead.
http://gty.im/861721296
As with the Panthers, a notable injury added a sour note when Jameis Winston was knocked out of the game. Backup Ryan Fitzpatrick almost pulled off a furious comeback that ultimately ran out of time.
The Buccaneers can ill-afford to lose Winston for an extended period. As of today, his injury status remains “day-to-day,” which makes him likely to start this week. Having been washed out of Week 1 by Hurricane Irma, Winston will have to plug on without the benefit of a bye week moving foward.
http://gty.im/861744854
After missing two weeks, Lavonte David returned to action with a vengeance. The linebacker pulled off a unique trifecta with a forced fumble, recovery, and return for a touchdown, which Buccaneers faithful hope is merely a preview of what this defense is capable of especially once Kwon Alexander comes back.
A tricky road game against the Buffalo Bills and their top-ranked scoring defense awaits in Week 7. Back-to-back NFC South matchups against the Panthers and at the Saints follow after that. Between Mike Evans, DeSean Jackson, Cameron Brate, and Doug Martin, they have plenty of options at their disposal. They just need a healthy Winston at the helm.
SUMMARY
The Saints appear to have momentum on their side, but things have a tendency to change quickly in this division. Three division matchups will take place by Week 9 and will set things up before crunch time in December, where the remaining determine the NFC South standings.
Comments are closed, but trackbacks and pingbacks are open.