Jalen Tolbert Breaks Steelers Hearts: NFL Week 5 Round Up
Can you believe some NFL fans were complaining about a ten hour game day? I know, right? Well, the NFL delivered again! MORE storylines. MORE last gasp wins/losses! MORE pressure mounts on under fire coaches and underperforming stars. On this side of the pond, it was a delight to see the Vikings and Jets battle it out in London. Stateside, there were multiple eye catching performances: none more spectacular than the ten touchdown shootout between the Bengals and Ravens: culminating in an Overtime win for the Ravens. The Cowboys win over the Steelers in the final forty seconds at Acrisure finished off a momentous day of football!
Vikings Retain Unbeaten Streak
It was a fitting return to London for the NFL: a popular veteran QB seeking to lead his team to victory against one of the in-form teams in the NFL: and Rodgers had an ace up his sleeve; an elite defense. The Vikings took charge early on, racing into a 17-0 lead that had rattled Rodgers and his Jets team mates: broadcast cameras repeatedly framed a shocked Rodgers whenever there was a break in play: particularly after his costly first half interceptions. Sam Darnold started the better with a phenomenal first half: throwing a touchdown in each of the halves’ quarters. When the second half started a refreshed and fired up Jets defense began piling the pressure on him: so much so that his rating at the end of the game (50.3) was half of his previously impressive displays against the Packers (123.4) and the Texans (119.2). The Jets’ defense caused the Vikings O-Line multiple problems: no doubt that the Vikings fans in the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium were nervous of a collapse. Darnold and the Vikings held on for a memorable win and a happy flight back to the US.
Vikings 24 Jets 17
Ravens Beat Bengals in Over-Time
This was the first game to be decided in Overtime this season, as both teams left everything on the field during this fantastic game. Both teams scored five touchdowns in regular time: and exhausted fans were forced to summon more energy for overtime. It was the Ravens that secured victory thanks to Justin Tucker’s converted field goal. Lamar Jackson and Joe Burrow put on respective clinics during this thrill-a-minute game. Jackson threw for 348 yards and four touchdowns. Burrow threw for 392 yards and five touchdowns. No doubting, both men spent much well deserved time in the physio rooms after this thriller!
Ravens 41 Bengals 38
Tolbert’s Late Late Show Breaks Steelers’ Hearts
The wheels of momentum appear to be falling off the Steelers’ wagon after this last minute loss to this Cowboys team. The Dallas based team has been written off as a competition during pre-season. It would appear the Cowboys, to their credit, have attempted to bloody as many noses this season while trying to raise expectations. This retribution raised it’s head with just forty seconds left: Dak Prescott’s pass to Jalen Tolbert. The Steelers gave the Cowboys just under five minutes to try gain parity or a winner after Pat Freiermuth scored the Steerlers’ second touchdown of the day with 4:56 left in the game. The impressive Prescott threw for 352 yards: whereas Justin Fields’ managed only 135 yards, and going 15 of 27. Last week’s superb three touchdowns from three drives against the Colts looked as if Fields and the Steelers offense had turned a corner. Unfortunately the home team fans, who saw their game delayed for over an hour due to a thunderstorm, saw their offense falter again. Here’s hoping the Steelers bounce back: their promising start has become sluggish and unconvincing in the past two weeks.
Steelers 17 Cowboys 20
And so another week of NFL action concludes and fans of each team can now see their team’s deficiencies and strengths. Despite this week being Week Five, it was an exciting weekend of firsts: the first London game; the first 5-0 team (can the Chiefs match the Vikings’ pace?). Bring on Week Six!