AFC Week 10 overreactions: Bills, Josh Allen’s reckless play makes them vulnerable
Mackenzie Salmon ‘overreacts’ to the biggest AFC storylines from all the Week 10 action in theN FL.
USA TODAY
The NFL made history in Week 10. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Seattle Seahawks traveled overseas for the inaugural regular-season game in Germany, while the Minnesota Vikings and Buffalo Bills put on an instant classic stateside.
The crowd in Germany’s Allianz Arena sang in the stands with “Take Me Home, Country Roads” and “Don’t Stop Believin.”
“It’s amazing. You can tell how enthused they are to have American Football here,” Buccaneers receiver Chris Godwin said after the game. “They really showed out. I am grateful to be a part of this.”
The Buccaneers held on for a 21-16 victory and moved into first place in the NFC South. Godwin led all receivers with six catches for 71 yards and a touchdown.
In Buffalo, the Vikings and Bills put on a show that took overtime to end. After a wild back-and-forth to finish the fourth quarter, Greg Joseph’s 33-yard field goal gave the Vikings the winning margin as Minnesota (8-1) held off a Buffalo drive to cap a 33-30 thriller.
The Dallas Cowboys couldn’t hold a 14-point lead at Lambeau Field as Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers came away with a 31-28 overtime win. Rodgers, who attempted just 20 passes, connected with rookie WR Christian Watson for three touchdowns in the win.
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Here’s a rundown of all the Week 10 action around the NFL:
Carolina Panthers 25, Atlanta Falcons 15
Briefly: The Panthers remained in the NFC South race with a big victory over the Falcons. Panthers running back D’Onta Foreman added another 100-yard game to his ledger. Foreman rushed for 130 yards and scored a touchdown. The Falcons mustered just 291 yards in the rainy conditions, while Falcons quarterback Marcus Mariota struggled. He was sacked five times and finished 19-of-30 for 186 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.
One highlight to know: Falcons receiver KhaDarel Hodge scored his first NFL touchdown in the fourth quarter. Hodge celebrated in grand style as he found the endzone after 65 career games.
Next up: The Falcons host the Chicago Bears in Week 11. The Panthers have a road matchup against the Baltimore Ravens.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 21, Seattle Seahawks 16
Briefly: With key contributions from multiple players, the Buccaneers took a balanced approach to Seattle. However, it was rookie running back Rachaad White who emerged with a breakout performance. White rushed for a career-high 105 yards. He averaged 4.8 yards per carry to lead the backfield. The Seahawks were neutralized with just 39 rushing yards. Seattle had a late fourth-quarter rally, but the Buccaneers used a 9-play, 62-yard drive to secure the victory.
One highlight to know: Buccaneers receiver Julio Jones scored the first regular-season touchdown in Germany. He hauled in a 31-yard reception early in the second quarter.
Next up: Both the Seahawks and Buccaneers have a bye next week.
Miami Dolphins 39, Cleveland Browns 17
Briefly: Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa strung together his third consecutive game with three touchdowns. Tagovailoa completed 25 of 32 passes for 285 yards. He connected with eight different receivers on the afternoon. The Browns dropped to 3-6 overall following another disappointing performance. The offense was stymied as the unit averaged 4.8 yards per play. Browns running back Nick Chubb was a lone bright spot. He scored his fourth touchdown in three games.
One highlight to know: Chubb rumbled for 33 yards to score his fourth touchdown in three games. He spun away from two tacklers en route to the end zone.
Next up: The Browns play the Buffalo Bills in Week 11. The Dolphins are on a bye week.
Tennessee Titans 17, Denver Broncos 10
Briefly: The Titans continue to find ways to win football games. On Sunday, the Titans defense forced two turnovers and shut down the Broncos in the second half. Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson was sacked six times. It was another strong performance for the defensive unit. This season, the Titans have five games allowing 20 or fewer points. The Broncos fell to 3-6 overall. The offense mustered just 65 rushing yards on the afternoon.
One highlight to know: Titans receiver Nick Westbrook-Ikhine hauled in a 63-yard touchdown. He finished with five receptions for 119 yards and two scores.
Next up: The Broncos play the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 11. The Titans face the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on Thursday.
New York Giants 24, Houston Texans 16
Briefly: Giants running back Saquon Barkley rushed for 152 yards and a touchdown against the Texans. He paced the Giants offense with 35 carries as New York took advantage of the Texans NFL-worst run defense. Quarterback Davis Mills completed 22 of 37 passes for 319 yards and a touchdown in the loss. The Texans have now lost five of their last six games.
One highlight to know: Giants running back Barkley added the exclamation point to his standout performance with a 2-yard touchdown in the third quarter.
Next up: The Texans play the Washington Commanders in Week 11. The Giants welcome the Detroit Lions to MetLife Field.
Detroit Lions 31, Chicago Bears 30
Briefly: Bears quarterback Justin Fields added another top performance to his resume.Fields accounted for 314 total yards (167 rushing) and four touchdowns in the defeat. He connected with tight end Cole Kmet for two scores. However, the Lions pulled out the victory late in the fourth quarter. Lions running back Jamaal Williams scored a go-ahead 1-yard touchdown to cap an 8-play, 91-yard drive. Detroit has won two consecutive games and sit at 3-6 overall.
One highlight to know: Fields scored a 67-yard rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter. He is averaging 11.8 yards per carry over his last two games.
Next up: The Bears face the Atlanta Falcons in Week 11. The Lions play the New York Giants.
Minnesota Vikings 33, Buffalo Bills 30
Briefly: The Vikings escaped Orchard Park with a huge victory over the Bills. Minnesota stormed back with a late flurry in the fourth quarter. Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins led a 13-play drive to draw within four points. Minutes later, Vikings linebacker Eric Kendricks recovered a fumble in the end zone to take the lead. However, the Bills refused to back down. Quarterback Josh Allen drove the offense down the field with 41 seconds left. The Bills kicked a field goal to tie the game. In overtime, the Vikings pulled out the comeback victory when Patrick Peterson intercepted Allen in the red zone to end the game.
One highlight to know: Vikings receiver Justin Jefferson hauled in a one-handed catch late in the fourth quarter. It gave Minnesota a first down on a fourth-and-18 play call. Jefferson finished with 10 catches for 193 yards and a touchdown.
Next up: The Vikings play the Dallas Cowboys in Week 11. The Bills play the Cleveland Browns.
Pittsburgh Steelers 20, New Orleans Saints 10
Briefly: The Steelers improved 3-6 in what was a complete performance. Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett completed 18 of 30 passes for 199 yards. He also rushed for 51 yards and a touchdown. The Saints struggled on third down, going 3-for-12 on the afternoon. The Steelers shut down Saints superstar Alvin Kamara and the entire backfield. The unit averaged just 1.9 yards per carry. The Saints fell to 3-7 after 10 games this season.
One highlight to know: Pickett scored a 1-yard touchdown to give the Steelers the lead for good against the Saints.
Next up: The Steelers face the Cincinnati Bengals. The Saints play the Los Angeles Rams.
Kansas City Chiefs 27, Jacksonville Jaguars 17
Briefly: Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes threw for 335 yards and four touchdowns in the victory. Mahomes connected with 10 different receivers, but it was newcomer Kadarius Toney who stood out. Toney had four catches for 57 yards and a touchdown in the game. He added more explosive plays, keeping the Jaguars off balance. Jacksonville fell to 3-7 this season. However, Jaguars receiver Christian Kirk turned in a great game with nine catches for 105 yards and two touchdowns.
One highlight to know: Chiefs receiver Toney showcased his explosive agility by making multiple defenders miss early in the second quarter.
Next up: The Chiefs face the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 11. The Jaguars are on a bye week.
Indianapolis Colts 25, Las Vegas Raiders 20
Briefly: Colts interim head coach Jeff Saturday picked up his first NFL win in a game that saw the return of running back Jonathan Taylor and quarterback Matt Ryan to starting roles. Ryan, who had been previously benched in favor of Sam Ehlinger, posted a 109.5 QB rating and notched both a passing and rushing touchdown.
One highlight to know: Ryan hit wide receiver Parris Campbell for a 35-yard touchdown which put the Colts ahead with 5:07 left.
Next up: The Colts host the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 11. The Raiders travel to face the Denver Broncos.
Green Bay Packers 31, Dallas Cowboys 28
Briefly: Aaron Rodgers and the Packers picked up a statement win at home thanks to a game-winning field goal in overtime by Mason Crosby. The win keeps Green Bay alive in the NFC wild-card race. Meanwhile, the Cowboys — for the first time in franchise history — lost a game while leading by 14 or more points in the fourth quarter.
One highlight to know: Christian Watson caught the second of his three touchdown passes, a 39-yard connection with Rodgers that brought the Packers within a touchdown with 13:23 left in the game.
Next up: The Packers host the Tennessee Titans in Week 11. The Cowboys travel to take on the Minnesota Vikings.
Arizona Cardinals 27, Los Angeles Rams 17
Briefly: In a game that saw both teams’ starting quarterbacks unavailable due to injury, it was QB Colt McCoy who out-dueled John Wolford in a pivotal NFC West win for Arizona. Sparking the Cardinals’ offense was running back James Conner, who rushed for two touchdowns. Meanwhile, star wide receiver Cooper Kupp went down with an injury in the loss.
One highlight to know: With the Rams trailing by two touchdowns, Cardinals’ Budda Baker intercepted Wolford. Baker returned the pick 25 yards to set up an Arizona scoring drive, putting the game out of reach.
Next up: The Cardinals play the San Francisco 49ers in Mexico City in Week 11, and the Rams travel to face the New Orleans Saints.
San Francisco 49ers 19, Los Angeles Chargers 16
Briefly: The 49ers rode a second-half comeback en route to a win that put San Francisco above .500 in its fight to win the NFC West. QB Jimmy Garoppolo did not throw a touchdown pass, but the 49ers managed two scores on the ground. Meanwhile, the Chargers struggled to get any consistent offense going without four of their five top pass-catchers due to injury issues.
One highlight to know: 49ers RB Christian McCaffrey found the end zone on a 5-yard rushing TD with 7:54 left in the game. The score gave San Francisco a lead it would not relinquish.
Next up: The 49ers will meet the Arizona Cardinals in Mexico City in Week 11. The Chargers will host the Kansas City Chiefs.
Washington Commanders 32, Philadelphia Eagles 21
Briefly: The Philadelphia Eagles are unbeaten no more as the NFC East rival Washington Commanders handed them their first loss. Philadelphia committed four turnovers while Washington had 330 yards of total offense in what might be quarterback Taylor Heinicke’s last game as Carson Wentz heals from injury.
One highlight to know: With 5:43 left in the game and down 26-21, Jalen Hurts jetted a pass 50 yards downfield to Quez Watkins who fumbled when Benjamin St-Juste tackled him. Darrick Forrest scooped up the ball for Washington, effectively giving the Commanders momentum for the rest of the game.
Next up: The Eagles seek to rebound when they travel to face the Indianapolis Colts, who are 1-0 under interim head coach Jeff Saturday. The Commanders, who have won four of their last five games, go south to face the one-win Houston Texans.
