Detroit Lions 28, Seattle Seahawks 24
The Seattle Seahawks need to get it together on the road in short order if they want to actually contend for a playoff spot, much less the NFC West this season. Seattle is now 6-17 under Pete Carroll in his tenure in the Pacific Northwest.
One of the primary issues that I have with Seattle right now is the fact that its defense seems to have regressed a bit. After allowing Frank Gore to compile nearly 190 total yards the week prior, its pass defense was torn apart by Matthew Stafford and company on Sunday and it cost Seattle the game. Seattle took a three-point lead on a touchdown pass from the impressive Russell Wilson to Zach Miller with just a little over 5:00 remaining in the fourth quarter. Its defense then let Stafford drive Detrout down the field on a 80-yard, 16 play drive culminating in a touchdown pass to Titus Young with just 20 second remaining in the game.
For Detroit, it was a season saving comeback from Stafford. It now sits at 3-4 and in contention for a postseason spot, instead of falling to 2-5 through the first eight weeks of the season. Meanwhile, Seattle is now 4-4 and two games behind the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC West.
Top Fantasy Performers
Matthew Stafford: 34/49, 352 yards, four touchdowns (one rushing) and one interception.
Titus Young: Nine receptions, 100 yards and two touchdowns
Marshawn Lynch: 12 rushes, 105 yards and one touchdown
Russell Wilson: 25/35, 236, two touchdowns and one interception
New England Patriots 45, St. Louis Rams 7
For the first time all season St. Louis failed to compete on the football field. After taking a 7-0 lead on a Sam Bradford 50 yard touchdown pass to rookie Chris Givens, the Rams yielded 45 unanswered points and were absolutely destroyed by New England in London.
It was the Rams defense that really let this team down. They allowed New England to score touchdowns on its first five drives, accumulating 375 yards in the process. That just isn't going to get it done. Meanwhile, Bradford struggled a great deal getting the ball down the field after his initial touchdown pass. He averaged just 5.3 yards per attempt in his other 29 passes, once again proving that the Rams struggle with consistency at the wide receiver position.
For its part, New England was dominating in nearly every aspect of the game. Tom Brady threw four touchdowns and Stevan Ridley added 115 yards on the ground. Ridley is now fourth among fantasy running backs in points. The Patriots are now in sole possession of first in the AFC East, one game ahead of the Miami Dolphins. On the other hand, St. Louis is now 3-5 and three games back in the NFC West through the first-half of the season.
Top Fantasy Performers
Tom Brady: 23/35, 304 yards, four touchdowns and zero interceptions.
Rob Gronkowski: Eight receptions, 146 yards and two touchdowns.
Brandon Lloyd: Two receptions, 28 yards and two touchdowns
Stevan Ridley: 15 rushes, 127 yards and one touchdown.
San Francisco 49ers 24, Arizona Cardinals 3
That was a good ol' fashion beatdown by San Francisco on Monday Night Football. It held the Cardinals to a total of seven yards on the ground as Alex Smith completed an NFL record 18-of-19 passes for over 230 yards and three touchdowns. From the initial kickoff, it appeared that San Francisco was going to dismantle the homestanding Cardinals. After the final whistle blew, one team stood at 6-2 and the clear favorites in the NFC West, while the other team fell to .500 after losing a fourth consecutive game.
Randy Moss was a difference maker all game long. He through a few tremendous blocks, forced the Cardinals defense to follow him down the field and connected with Smith on a visually stunning 47 yard touchdown. Meanwhile, Michael Crabtree treated Patrick Peterson like he had stolen his sisters lunch money. Crabtree ended the game with two touchdowns.
In all, San Francisco proved itself to be the clear-cut best team in the NFC West and one of the top teams in the entire NFL. If it continues to play like this after the bye, there is no reason to believe that Jim Harbaugh's squad won't be vying for the Super Bowl.
Top Fantasy Performers
Alex Smith: 18/19, 232 yards, three touchdowns and zero interceptions
Michael Crabtree: Five receptions, 72 yards and two touchdowns
Randy Moss: One reception, 47 yards and one touchdown