What we learned in NFL Week 10: Vikings’ positive trajectory, Patriots’ plummet and more

By no means within the NFL’s 103-year historical past have 5 video games been determined by game-winning discipline targets on the identical Sunday.

Nevertheless it occurred this week, with the Cardinals, Browns, Lions, Texans and Seahawks all successful with discipline targets on the buzzer. Notably, 10 of 13 video games in Week 10 have been determined by one rating or much less, and up to now, virtually 70 % of video games this season have been inside eight factors.

In different information, the Josh Dobbs story provides a brand new chapter. The Steelers maintain successful, the Packers maintain dropping. Dan Campbell’s Lions are 7-2. The Cowboys did what they’ve performed many of the season — they routed a nasty crew, beating the Giants 49-17 — whereas Deshaun Watson had his most interesting second as a Brown.

The Patriots’ mess is getting worse, and severe questions are being requested about Invoice Belichick’s future.

DeMeco Ryans’ Texans seem like they’re for actual. And after a protracted, very long time away, Kyler Murray is formally again — and making spotlight performs once more.

Right here’s what stood out from the NFL’s Week 10:

Josh Dobbs for MVP?

Kidding.

Type of.

The Vikings are having the strangest season in soccer: They began 0-3, misplaced their franchise quarterback for the yr, have been with out their All-Professional wideout for a month, and but, someway, have gained 5 in a row.

Josh Dobbs started his Sunday by displaying as much as U.S. Financial institution Stadium needing instructions from a stadium worker on how you can get to the house locker room. (In his protection, he’d by no means been there earlier than.) He completed it together with his second consecutive win because the Vikings’ quarterback — and, keep in mind, he’s been with the crew for all of 12 days. Twelve days! Dobbs’ 312 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns have been sufficient in Minnesota’s 27-19 victory in opposition to New Orleans.

Josh Dobbs did not know the place the Vikings dwelling locker room was 😂😅 pic.twitter.com/UiC1mgC1FW

— FOX Sports activities: NFL (@NFLonFOX) November 12, 2023

“That is enjoyable,” he mentioned after the sport. Arduous in charge him. A shock transfer on the commerce deadline is paying off in a giant method for a Minnesota crew that all of a sudden is again within the NFC North race.

Dobbs’ 7-yard landing run within the second quarter might need been the sport’s greatest play, a highlight-reel scramble that he someway became six factors. Thus far, Dobbs has 426 passing yards, 110 dashing yards and no interceptions in his first two begins with the Vikings, turning into the primary participant in NFL historical past with not less than 400 passing yards, 100 dashing yards and no picks in his first two video games with a crew.

Tight finish T.J. Hockenson was unimaginable for the Vikings, hauling in 11 passes for 134 yards and a landing. A season that felt doomed early all of a sudden has new life — with wideout Justin Jefferson primed for a return, probably as early as subsequent week. With the Broncos and Bears up subsequent, the Vikings (6-4) might very nicely simply carry on successful and push the Lions (7-2) within the division race.

The Saints, in the meantime, fall to 5-5. Quarterback Derek Carr left the sport with a concussion and proper shoulder damage; backup Jameis Winston entered and threw two touchdowns to tug New Orleans inside a rating however two interceptions adopted.

Patriots stumble to a 23-year low

Not since his first yr in New England, method again in 2000, has Invoice Belichick confronted severe questions on his job safety. Six championships and a two-decade run of unprecedented success will do this.

However after Sunday’s ugly 10-6 loss to the Colts in Germany — a recreation proprietor Robert Kraft wasn’t shy about boasting how badly he needed to win — it’s honest to marvel how this all ends for one of many recreation’s biggest coaches.

As a result of each week, it feels prefer it will get worse.

“We’re all disillusioned within the season,” Belichick mentioned glumly after the sport.

And now, his gamers are being requested about their perception in him — one thing that will have been unthinkable as lately as a yr in the past. However Sunday’s loss dropped the Patriots to 2-8, their worst begin to a season since Belichick’s first in New England. The crew is on observe for its first top-five draft decide since 1994.

“I’ve as a lot religion in Invoice Belichick as I’ve ever had,” mentioned veteran particular groups ace Matthew Slater.

The outcomes merely aren’t there this season. The Patriots are among the many worst groups in soccer. They’re averaging 14.1 factors per recreation, second-fewest within the league. They’ve failed to attain a landing in three video games this yr, together with Sunday, and Mac Jones tossed an incomprehensible red-zone interception within the fourth quarter with an opportunity to take the lead. Belichick then benched Jones for backup Bailey Zappe, who threw one other errant interception to seal the loss. Becoming.

It feels just like the Patriots’ perception in Jones has evaporated.

Whether or not they really feel the identical about their legendary coach stays to be seen.

Regardless of his a long time of success, questions proceed to mount about Invoice Belichick’s future. (Nathan Ray Seebeck / USA As we speak)

‘Ice in his veins’

After taking part in mistake-free soccer for the higher a part of three quarters, his crew up 10 factors on the highway in opposition to a Tremendous Bowl contender, C.J. Stroud lastly cracked. The Texans’ rookie quarterback threw an ill-timed, terrible interception late within the fourth quarter in Cincinnati, and for a second, it appeared prefer it was going to be the spark the Bengals wanted for a surprising fourth-quarter rally.

On the sideline, Stroud went as much as his coach, DeMeco Ryans, and left him with three phrases.

“I bought you.”

Translation: I’ll make up for that.

Ryans nodded.

“I belief you,” the coach mentioned.

Good factor he did. Stroud was proper. Even after the Texans’ 10-point lead disappeared, and a raucous Paycor Stadium crowd began to assume comeback, the rookie was unflappable. With simply 93 seconds on the clock and one timeout, Stroud coolly drove his crew down the sector in 5 performs to arrange a 38-yard, successful discipline objective from a kicker, Matt Ammendola, who had been on the roster all of 5 days.

Regardless of. Texans 30, Bengals 27.

Houston’s all of a sudden gained 4 of 5 — their revival spurred by Ryans’ affect and Stroud’s fast ascent — and the Bengals’ five-game successful streak is over.

“Ice in his veins, that’s all I’ll say,” mentioned Texans cornerback Shaquil Griffin, referring to Stroud, who’s now led two game-winning drives in as many weeks. “For a man to make a mistake like that, then instantly inform his coach, ‘Put the sport again on me,’ then exit and win it? That’s a man I can go to battle with any day of the week.”

By way of 9 video games, Stroud has handed for two,626 yards, the third-most by a rookie over that span in historical past, trailing solely Justin Herbert (2020) and Andrew Luck (2012).

49ers’ dropping streak is historical past

One thing needed to give in Jacksonville on Sunday: Two groups, every coming off their bye, arrived on very completely different streaks. The Jaguars had gained 5 straight, climbing to the highest of the AFC South, whereas the 49ers — as soon as an ideal 5-0 — have been coming off three consecutive losses and dealing with questions on quarterback Brock Purdy and a protection that all of a sudden didn’t look all that intimidating.

San Francisco silenced these considerations Sunday with the kind of dominant efficiency this crew had grown accustomed to within the first month of the season. This was the 49ers wanting just like the 49ers once more, whipping the Jags 34-3, reminding everybody that they’re nonetheless very a lot a contender for the Tremendous Bowl in February, three-game dropping streak or not.

Purdy was sharp, throwing for 296 yards and three touchdowns in three quarters of labor; Deebo Samuel scored a landing in his first recreation in a month, and the protection picked off Jags QB Trevor Lawrence twice. The one little bit of unhealthy information: Christian McCaffrey’s landing streak ended at 17 video games. It stays tied for the longest in league historical past.

Together with the Eagles, the 49ers stay a high contender within the NFC. Sunday reminded us why.

Deebo Samuel averaged greater than eight yards per contact Sunday in his first motion since Week 6. (David Rosenblum / Icon Sportswire by way of Getty Photographs)

Browns put out their very own hearth

For stretches Sunday in Baltimore, Deshaun Watson was merely terrible. Within the first quarter, the Browns’ $230 million quarterback was 1-for-9 for 19 yards, a pick-six and a 0.0 passer ranking. Yikes. He completed the half a dismal 6-for-20 for 79 yards and no touchdowns. Yikes once more.

However by recreation’s finish, he’d scripted his high comeback of his brief tenure in Cleveland, main the Browns again from a 15-point deficit and to a 33-31 win in opposition to their division rivals.

Watson completed the second half 14-for-14 for 134 yards and a landing. And after kicker Dustin Hopkins missed an additional level that will have tied the rating halfway by means of the fourth quarter, he earned a little bit of redemption as time expired by drilling a 40-yard discipline objective for the win.

“I really feel a bit like an arsonist that will get to place out his personal hearth, then will get a pat on the again,” Hopkins mentioned after the sport.

And identical to that, a muddy division will get muddier. It’s a expensive loss for the Ravens, who have been in command for many of the recreation and led 31-17 early within the fourth quarter. With Pittsburgh additionally successful Sunday, the AFC’s hardest division is much more bunched up. The AFC North now appears like this: Baltimore nonetheless leads at 7-3, however the Steelers and Browns are only a half a recreation again at 6-3, and the Bengals are lurking at 5-4.

Simply what the Cardinals wanted

Welcome again, Kyler Murray.

The Cardinals’ starter informed his new coach, Jonathan Gannon, to “let me experience” in his first recreation in 335 days. Murray tore his ACL final season and was making his first begin of 2023.

It proved memorable.

After the Falcons took a 23-22 lead with 2:33 left, Murray orchestrated an 11-play, 70-yard drive that culminated with a 23-yard Matt Prater discipline objective to win it, 25-23. Murray’s 13-yard scramble — this was classic stuff, with the QB most likely operating about 40 yards in all to be able to evade defenders within the backfield — and 33-yard reference to tight finish Trey McBride have been crucial in organising Prater’s successful kick.

Murray completed 19-for-32 for 249 passing yards, a dashing landing and an interception. Arizona has its second win of the season, and its six-game dropping streak is over.

After beginning 2-0, the Falcons have hit a wall midseason, falling to 4-5 on the yr after dropping 4 of their final 5.

(Prime photograph of Josh Dobbs: Adam Bettcher / Getty Photographs)

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