The Chargers and Lions delivered a thrilling shootout at SoFi Stadium on Sunday. But we shouldn’t be surprised about that with Brandon Staley and Dan Campbell being two of the most aggressive coaches on fourth down.
It also helped that there wasn’t much defense played between Detroit and Los Angeles. Lions running backs David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs each had monster performances to hold off the Chargers, 41–38.
The matchup between the 49ers and Jaguars wasn’t as exciting as the high-scoring game in L.A., but there was a notable debut for San Francisco. It was very telling that the 49ers decided to add reinforcements to the defensive side despite having a subpar offense during a three-game losing streak. It appears that general manager John Lynch made the right call after Chase Young made an immediate impact in the 49ers’ win against the Jaguars to snap the losing skid.
We also learned that Brock Purdy is still very good with a complete offense. The quarterback brushed off his shaky three-game stretch with a three-touchdown performance in Jacksonville.
Here’s what else we learned from Week 10 in the NFL.
Lions’ offense puts on a show in L.A.
Lions’ offensive coordinator Ben Johnson called a masterful game vs. the Chargers, especially with his usage of Montgomery and Gibbs. The running back tandem combined for 193 rushing yards.
But quarterback Jared Goff, the former Rams’ signal-caller, also contributed in his return to Los Angeles. Goff had a critical six-yard completion to tight end Sam LaPorta on fourth-and-2 to keep the final drive alive. The Lions had a walk-off victory after kicker Riley Patterson drilled the game-winning 41-yard field goal. Goff also had a 25-yard touchdown pass to tight end Brock Wright in the fourth quarter, which fooled the Chargers because they were expecting a run play on third-and-1.
Staley, who calls the defensive plays, once again had another defensive letdown with the Chargers. The Lions racked up 533 total yards, but at least Los Angeles received standout performances from Justin Herbert and Keenan Allen.
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Young quickly makes a difference in 49ers’ debut
Young didn’t waste time assuring the 49ers (6–3) they made the right decision in trading a compensatory third-round pick to Washington to reunite Young with Nick Bosa. The new pass-rushing duo smothered Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence throughout the dominant 34–3 victory in Jacksonville. Young contributed half a sack and two QB hits during his 49ers’ debut. Young’s presence also ignited the 49ers’ talented defensive front, which had been somewhat of a disappointment heading into Sunday’s showdown in Jacksonville. San Francisco recorded five sacks and 10 QB hits against the Jaguars.
The sky is no longer falling for the 49ers after snapping their three-game losing streak. And they might be once again the one team that could dethrone the Eagles in the NFC because the defense finally stepped up. Purdy’s issues dominated the headlines during the losing streak, but there was a sense that he’ll be fine when Deebo Samuel and Trent Williams returned to the field. That was the case vs. the Jaguars, as the 49ers racked up 437 total yards. Purdy finished 19-of-26 for 296 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions.
Browns capitalize on Ravens’ second-half mistakes
Surprisingly, two of the best defenses in the league played in a high-scoring game Sunday, with the Browns rallying for a 33–31 win against the Ravens. But each side recorded a pick-six and forced quarterbacks Deshaun Watson and Lamar Jackson into many mistakes. Watson, however, made fewer mistakes and flashed shades of his former self—the quarterback who went to three Pro Bowls with the Houston Texans.
Watson helped the Browns march 58 yards in the final five minutes of the fourth quarter to set up Dustin Hopkins’s game-winning 40-yard field goal as time expired. Watson ignited the drive with a 17-yard completion to Amari Cooper on second-and-19. Cleveland scored 16 unanswered points in the final nine minutes of regulation. Jackson struggled to put the game away, throwing a costly pick-six to Greg Newsome II to make it 31–30 (Hopkins missed the extra-point attempt).
Some have been hesitant to back the Ravens as Super Bowl contenders because they’re not built to play from behind with a suspect receiving corps. That wasn’t quite the situation Sunday, but the Ravens failing to score on their final two possessions does add to that narrative. As for the Browns, they have plenty to be excited about after Watson finally took steps in the right direction.
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Kyler Murray has impressive season debut vs. Falcons
Murray’s return gave the Cardinals a spark during Sunday’s 25–23 win against the Falcons. Murray made plays with his arm and legs in his first game back since tearing his ACL 11 months ago. Murray had a 13-yard scramble and a 33-yard completion to tight Trey McBride during the game-winning drive.
Murray also had a six-yard rushing touchdown and nearly added a passing touchdown on his 15-yard completion to rookie wide receiver Michael Wilson, who was ruled short of the goal line. Rookie quarterback Clayton Tune filled in for Murray for the QB sneak touchdown to give the Cardinals a 22–17 advantage in the fourth quarter.
Arizona made the right move not to put its franchise quarterback in harm’s way. Yes, Murray is still the Cardinals’ franchise quarterback, but that could certainly change if the Cardinals decide to draft a quarterback in 2024. But Murray can prevent that if he’s able to lead Arizona to a handful of victories before the ‘23 campaign concludes.
Bengals’ rushing attack continues to be a problem
The Bengals have gotten by most of the season without a consistent running game, but the team needed Joe Mixon to step up Sunday vs. the Texans because of the injuries to wide receivers Tee Higgins and Ja’Marr Chase. Mixon only contributed 46 rushing yards, and the Bengals as a team managed just 66 yards on the ground during the 30–27 loss against the Texans. Higgins was ruled out because of a hamstring injury, but Chase managed to play with a bad back and contributed five catches for 124 yards and a touchdown. Cincinnati has cracked 100 rushing yards in a game only once this season.
For the most part, Joe Burrow made it work without a ground game by throwing for 347 yards. But C.J. Stroud and the Texans controlled the time of possession (31:30 compared to 28:30). Stroud also saw more opportunities in the passing game because running back Devin Singletary contributed 150 rushing yards on 30 carries. The Bengals (5–4) missed a golden opportunity to gain a game on the Ravens (7–3), who fell against the Browns.
