A Look Back at the NFL's Week 9
Titans Undefeated, Bengals Win, Giants Beat Cowboys, Brady Quinn In
Nov 5, 2008
Titans Move to 8-0, Bengals Finally Win, Lions Still Winless
It took overtime for Tennessee to keep their perfect season going as they edged the 4-4 Green Bay Packers, 19-16. Kicker Rob Bironas had a chance to win it in regulation for the Titans but missed a 47-yard FG attempt as time expired. He made up for his only miss on five chances with a 41-yard kick that sailed through the uprights a little over five minutes into the extra quarter. While Bironas accounted for 12 points the only other score for the Titans came on a 3-yard TD run from rookie Chris Johnson. Johnson finished the game with 89 yards rushing on 24 carries, with 45 of those yards coming in overtime when he almost single-handedly put the Titans in range for the game-winning FG. QB Kerry Collins failed to throw a TD for the third-straight game but has not thrown an interception during the same stretch.
Cincinnati shook the monkey off their backs on Sunday when they thwarted a last-minute two-point conversion attempt by the Jacksonville Jaguars to win their first game of the season, 21-19. Maurice Jones- Drew had brought the Jaguars to within two points when he scored on a rushing TD with 1:17 remaining. But David Garrard's conversion pass to Jerry Porter that would have tied the game was broken up by Bengals CB Johnathan Joseph to preserve the victory. Chad Johnson recorded his first multi-TD game of the season by catching both TD passes from Rory Fitzpatrick. The Bengals are now 1-8 while Jacksonville drops to 3-5.
The Lions are now alone in the NFL as the league's only team that has yet to win a game after they surrendered a 10-point lead at halftime and fell to the Chicago Bears, 27-23. Detroit was behind by 10 points after the first quarter but they outscored Chicago 23-3 in the second quarter to take the lead at the break. Bears QB Kyle Orton left the game just before the half after suffering an ankle injury and did not return. Rex Grossman replaced him and, along with RB Matt Forte (22 rushes, 126 yards), led the comeback with one passing and one rushing touchdown score. The Lions are now 0-8 while the Bears climb to 5-3.
The NFC East Remains a Beast
The NFL's toughest division saw two wins, two losses and one positional change after Week 9 action. Here's a recap of what happened:
- New York Giants 35, Dallas Cowboys 14: Someone had to lose, and it was the Cowboys in a very one-sided affair that saw Eli Manning pass for three TDs and the Dallas QB coupling of Brad Johnson and Brooks Bollinger toss three combined interceptions. Giants RB Brandon Jacobs rushed for 117 yards while his team's defense held the Cowboys to 183 total yards.
- Philadelphia Eagles 26, Seattle Seahawks 7: It looked good for Seattle after their first play of the game was a 90-yard Seneca Wallace TD pass to Koren Robinson that gave them an early 7-0 lead. But Donovan McNabb and the Eagles settled in and controlled the rest of the game. Following a first quarter that saw McNabb throw an INT, the Eagles QB completed all but one of his pass attempts on the team's next four scoring drives. Back-up tight end Brent Celek replaced L.J. Smith and finished with six receptions for a career-high 131 yards. The win was the Eagles' third consecutive and by virtue of the Dallas loss vaulted them into third place in the division.
- Pittsburgh Steelers 23, Washington Redskins 6: Redskins QB Jason Campbell threw his first INT of the season (in fact, he finished with two) as the Steelers' defense was just too much for Washington. Clinton Portis was held to just 51 rushing yards and Campbell was sacked seven times by a swarming Pittsburgh defense that overcame the loss of QB Ben Roethlisberger, who re-injured the shoulder on his throwing arm during a 1-yard TD sneak just before halftime.
NFC East Standings (after Week 9):
1. New York Giants 7-1
2. Washington Redskins 6-3
3. Philadelphia Eagles 5-3
4. Dallas Cowboys 5-4
The Giants will visit the Eagles next Sunday night.
Brady Quinn Will See His First Action of the Season in Week 10
Following the Cleveland Browns' 37-27 loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday it was announced by Cleveland head coach Romeo Crenell that Quinn would start Thursday's game against the Denver Broncos. Incumbent QB Derek Anderson has had a mediocre season so far (9 TDs, 7 INTs) and his team has been inconsistent enough to warrant Crenell's decision to try to change the situation. Quinn threw for more than 11,000 yards and 95 TDs at Notre Dame before being drafted in 2007, but had to watch from the sidelines last season as Anderson emerged to almost lead the team into the playoffs. Quinn will get the chance to turn around Cleveland's season as they currently sit in third place behind the Steelers and Browns in the AFC North with 3 wins and 5 losses.
Harrington's Headlines from Other Games Around the League
- Jets Tied with Bills Atop the AFC East After 26-17 Defeat of Buffalo
- Bucs Overcome 21-Point Deficit to Beat Chiefs 30-27 on OT Field Goal by Bryant
- Frerotte Throws 3 TDs as Vikings Even Record at 4-4 with 28-21 Win Against Texans
- Warner and Hightower Lead Cardinals to 34-13 Stomping of Rams
- Dolphins Pick Off Cutler 3 Times and Hold Broncos to 14 Rushing Yards in 26-17 Win
- Ryan Tosses 2 TDs and Turner Gains 139 Rushing Yards as Falcons Shutout Raiders 24-0
- Manning Connects with Gonzalez on 2 TD Passes as Colts Hold Off Pats 18-15
Source:
www.nfl.com
