It was a very high scoring week in the National Football League this past Sunday. The highest scoring game of the week was the Broncos/Eagles game as Peyton Manning’s offense once again dominated, defeating the Eagles 52-20.
Manning threw 327 yards with four touchdown passes on Sunday. He has not passed for under 300 yards yet this season, his lowest being 307 yards against the Giants in week two.
Right now, Manning is projected to throw 64 touchdown passes and zero–yes you read that right–zero interceptions the entire season. (The least amount of interceptions ever thrown in a complete 16-game season is four.) For Peyton to possibly not throw any would be monumental.
However, not many teams had a week like Manning and the Broncos. His younger brother, Eli Manning, and the New York Giants struggled again in week four and fell to Kansas City, now staring up at 0-4.
The Giants aren’t alone, as three other teams remain winless after week four. Surprisingly enough, the Pittsburgh Steelers are 0-4 after they lost Sunday in London to the Minnesota Vikings.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Jacksonville Jaguars also joined the Giants and Steelers in the 0-4 club on Sunday.
It has definitely been a wacky first month of football, but that is expected every season. Injuries can play a huge role in a team’s downfall or uprising.
The Jets suffered an embarrassing loss to the Tennessee Titans in which Titans quarterback Jake Locker suffered a very serious hip injury. The extent of this injury is not yet fully known.
The Jets themselves are still dealing with injury issues as the NFL announced on Monday that quarterback Mark Sanchez will undergo season-ending surgery to repair his torn labrum. Rookie Geno Smith will be the unquestioned starter for the remainder of the season.
While the teams mentioned above have struggled and are still looking for answers moving forward, others like the Broncos, Saints, and Patriots seem very comfortable with being undefeated.
The Saints and Dolphins both entered the week four at 3-0 and faced each other on Monday night, as the Saints defeated the Dolphins 38-17.
Tom Brady of the Patriots has been consistent, despite a lack of talented receivers, a luxury he had grown accustomed to in the past. Manning and the Broncos appear able to disassemble even the stingiest defenses.
The NFL’s two New York area teams will need to find a way to improve their individual records as the Jets and Giants are both at the bottom of their divisions, at 2-2 and 0-4 respectively.
In the American Football Conference East, the Jets are tied with the Buffalo Bills and are looking ahead at the 3-1 Dolphins and the undefeated Patriots.
Meanwhile in the National Football Conference East, despite being 0-4, the Giants can move up. The Dallas Cowboys lead the division at 2-2, followed by the Philadelphia Eagles at 1-3 and the Washington Redskins and Giants both at 0-4.
Ramapo College junior Kevin Wilson, who considers himself a devote Giant’s fan said he believes the Giants can turn their season around.
“It looks bad at first when you see 0-4,” he said. “But if you look at the division they’re very much in the race.”
There are still many questions in between the New York teams and a better record. What will the Jets do to stop beating themselves with penalties and turnovers? Can Smith thrive under the pressure of being an unquestioned number one quarterback?
Will the Giants and Eli Manning be able to rebound from an 0-4 start and find some kind of offensive rhythm?
Many fans find themselves asking these questions after week four, but we are only a month in, and everyone knows that anything can happen in the NFL.
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cmay2@ramapo.edu
