http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2016/10/30/saints-rally-hold-on-late-to-beat-seahawks/
Saints rally, hold on late to beat Seahawks
Posted by Zac Jackson on October 30, 2016
AP
The Saints turned in probably their best defensive effort of the season and held on to beat the Seahawks Sunday, 25-20.
The Saints moved the ball all day and, for once, they limited the opponent’s big plays.
Drew Brees ran for a touchdown and threw another to
Brandin Cooks in the fourth quarter, and despite four times having to settle for
Wil Lutz field goals the Saints hung on.
The Seahawks drove to the Saints’ 10-yard line and had a final play with :02 left.
Jermaine Kearse caught a fade in the back corner of the end zone but couldn’t get his feet down.
Brees now has a touchdown pass in 58 consecutive home games, extending his NFL-record streak. Brees threw for 265 yards, and the Saints overcame an early 14-3 deficit.
The Seahawks had just one offensive touchdown, a 2-yard touchdown run by
Christine Michael in the second quarter. The Saints had the ball for more than 36 minutes and had 28 first downs to the Seahawks’ 15.
The Seahawks fall to 4-2-1 and have to be anxious to get back home after two difficult road games. They host the Bills next week.
The Saints improve to 3-4 after starting 0-3.
http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...ast-cardinals-to-get-back-on-track-after-bye/
Panthers cruise past Cardinals to get back on track after bye
Posted by Darin Gantt on October 30, 2016
AP
Maybe the Panthers just needed a week off, or a reminder of a time when their defense helped carry them to a Super Bowl.
Whatever it was, the formula worked, as the Panthers blasted the Cardinals 30-20 for just their second win of the season.
It was reminiscent of their 49-15 win in the NFC Championship Game for many reasons, even if their 2-5 record may suggest another trip to the Super Bowl is not in the offing.
They sacked
Carson Palmer eight times (after entering the game with just 12 in six games).
And they held the Cardinals running game to just 24 yards (though the early deficit kept them from being able to run).
It was exactly the thing they needed after their bye week, when so many things were going wrong for them. They still have problems (namely an injury which knocked center
Ryan Kalil out), but it was a rare bit of good news.
The Cardinals are now 3-4-1 and floundering, following last week’s marathon tie against the Seahawks. They also have their own injury issues to worry about, with left tackle
Jared Veldheer and safety
Tyrann Mathieu not returning to the game.
http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2016/10/30/no-alex-smith-no-problem-for-chiefs-in-30-14-win/
No Alex Smith is no problem for Chiefs in 30-14 win
Posted by Josh Alper on October 30, 2016
Getty Images
The Chiefs will have to wait to find out if quarterback Alex Smith will clear the concussion protocol in time to face the Jaguars in Week Nine, but they’ll do it knowing that backup
Nick Foles is capable of leading the offense to a victory.
Smith was knocked out of the game in the third quarter and missed some of the first half while being evaluated for a concussion for the first time, but the Chiefs cruised to a 30-14 victory over the Colts.
Foles completed 16-of-22 passes for 223 yards and threw a touchdown pass in both halves of the game to keep everything running in fine condition for the 5-2 Chiefs.
Foles hit several big plays during his time in the game with
Tyreek Hill,
Chris Conley,
Jeremy Maclin and
Travis Kelce all coming up with long gains through the air. Kelce’s day could have been even bigger had officials not overturned an apparent 37-yard gain because they found he did not retain control of the ball while going to the ground late in the third quarter.
Kelce still had seven catches for 101 yards, though, and Hill added a couple of good punt returns to help the Chiefs in the field position battle.
There weren’t all that many highlights for the Colts over the course of the afternoon. Their defense lost cornerback
Vontae Davis to a concussion, which helps explain why there was so much room for Chiefs receivers to operate, and their offensive line turned in a dismal effort.
Andrew Luck was sacked six times and wound up as the team’s leading rusher thanks to his many scrambles out of the pocket over the course of the afternoon.
Luck was also charged with a pair of turnovers on a fumbled snap and an interception, so there was bad all around for the Colts on Sunday. Even their attempt to make the final score more respectable with a
Donte Moncrief touchdown catch was squashed by a holding penalty.
The Colts are now 3-5 and they’ll head to Green Bay next week before a Week 10 bye. No one has sprinted away with the AFC South, but a loss to the Packers will make it pretty hard for the Colts to maintain realistic hopes of putting together the kind of run it would take to challenge for a playoff spot.
Smith won’t be the only player being checked out by the Chiefs medical staff in the coming days. Running back
Spencer Ware also left with a concussion and left guard
Parker Ehinger didn’t return after hurting his knee, but it’s always easier to deal with such issues coming off of a win that leaves you at the top of the division.