AFC North Week 3 Wrapup

In NFL terms, we’re living in interesting times.

The definition of “interesting times” is, in the purest contextual sense, negative.  Which doesn’t apply to all of the AFC North, but I suppose negativity is in the eye of the beholder.

However, it was indisputably interesting.

Here’s what happened.

Vikings 48, Bengals 10

Five turnovers by the Bengals resulted in an historic loss.  Really, there’s not much more to tell.

Backup-turned-starting QB Jake Browning (19-27, 140 yards, 1 TD, 2 INTs), brimming with the stated confidence of the organization, produced a pronounced dud Sunday afternoon against an aggressive and talented Vikings defense, who sacked Browning three times and harassed him countless others.  WRs Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins pulled in a total of six catches for 65 yards between them, with no TDs.  The lone passing score came from TE Drew Sample, long after the game was out of reach.

Browning was not helped by the Bengals’ feeble rushing attack, which produced a collective 53 yards on 21 carries, plus a lost fumble from backup RB Samaje Perine.  Starting RB Chase Brown rushed 10 times for three yards.

There’s obviously not much to compliment on defense.  DT Kris Jenkins Jr. (6 tackles) got some penetration inside and managed 1.5 sacks of Vikings backup QB Carson Wentz, and S Jordan Battle managed to post seven downfield tackles in an otherwise disastrous effort.

Better luck next week, fellas.  Looks like you’ll need it.

Steelers 21, Patriots 14

A win is a win in Pittsburgh these days.

In a game they were handed, in every sense of the word, the Steelers outlasted a rebuilding Patriots team to notch a bounce-back victory.

In Sunday’s recurring theme, the Patriots committed five turnovers, including two by RB Rhamandre Stevenson on just seven touches.  The Steelers’ defense was ultimately opportunistic, with LB Nick Herbig strip-sacking Patriots QB Drake Maye and edge T.J. Watt recovering the resulting fumble in the fourth quarter while the Patriots were driving for a go-ahead score.  The Steelers then produced a long TD drive to post the winning TD, with QB Aaron Rodgers (16-23, 139 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT) connecting with WR Calvin Austin (3 catches, 34 yards, 1 TD), leaving just 2:16 on the clock.

For the second consecutive week, RB Jaylen Warren (18 carries, 47 yards, 5 catches, 34 yards) supplied the bulk of the offense’s total yardage, with backup RB Kenneth Gainwell (4 carries, 16 yards, 1 TD) adding the team’s lone rushing touchdown.  WR D.K. Metcalf (3 catches, 32 yards, 1 TD) posted the offense’s other TD catch.

Defensively, the Steelers were led statistically by LB Patrick Queen (10 tackles, 1 TFL, 2 PD), and were aided substantially by all five New England turnovers, including one recovery by recent pickup S Jabrill Peppers (6 tackles). Edge T.J. Watt (5 tackles, 2 sacks) collected his first sacks of the season in the winning effort.

Packers 10, Browns 13

In the day’s biggest upset, the 0-2 Browns notched their first win over a Packers team many had earmarked for a Super Bowl appearance.

It wasn’t pretty by any measure, but the Browns rode some excellent defense to a win, limiting the vaunted Packers to 183 passing yards and sacking QB Jordan Love five times in the process.  The Browns applied effective pressure with their defensive line rotation, producing four sacks among DE Myles Garrett (6 tackles, 0.5 sacks, numerous QB hurries), DT Maliek Collins (5 tackles, 1.5 sacks), DE Adin Huntington (4 tackles, 0.5 sacks), rookie DT Mason Graham (3 tackles, 0.5 sacks) and DE Alex Wright (1 sack).  Emerging rookie LB Carson Schwesinger led the team with 10 tackles and added a sack of his own for good measure.

The oft-used statement is “they did just enough to win”, and that certainly applies to the Browns offense Sunday.  QB Joe Flacco (21-36, 142 yards, 1 INT) struggled much of the afternoon, but was aided by rookie RB Quinshon Judkins (18 carries, 94 yards, 1 TD) in his best effort to date as a pro.  TE David Njoku (5 catches, 40 yards) provided some consistency and key first downs in a true “grind it out” effort overall.

Lions 38, Ravens 30

The Ravens exhibited their now-routine fourth quarter struggles and lost to a game Lions team that appears to be jelling early in the season.

The Ravens, long viewed as defensive “bullies” dating back to the 2000 season, were exposed in every conceivable way on defense in allowing two 92+ yard drives and multiple third- and fourth-down conversions, including a rushing TD by Lions RB Jahmyr Gibbs.  Baltimore’s defensive line was essentially nonexistent, with Detroit’s offensive line repeatedly carving out wide rushing lanes and protecting QB Jared Goff very well (no sacks).  S Kyle Hamilton provided nine downfield, mostly ineffectual tackles, and backup DT John Jenkins added eight tackles, including one of the few tackles for loss on Lions RB David Montgomery.  There’s just not much else to say about this unit, which has surrendered the most points in a three-game stretch (97) in franchise history.

Offensively, the Ravens seemed okay until they weren’t, having produced a tie game through three quarters.  QB Lamar Jackson (21-27, 288 yards, 3 TDs, 7 carries, 35 yards) looked much better statistically than his play would indicate in absorbing several sacks for key yardage when throw-away time was available.  RB Derrick Henry’s (12 carries, 50 yards, 1 TD) fourth quarter lost fumble, his third in three games, changed the momentum entirely and energized the Lions for the rest of the game.

Notable contributions on offense include seldom-seen TE Mark Andrews (6 catches, 91 yards, 2 TDs) and WR Rashod Bateman (5 catches, 63 yards, 1 TD).

Next time.