(September 13, 2014 – Source: Jamie Sabau/Getty Images North America)
With week two of the NFL season in the books, here is the InscriberMag’s NFC South Roundup.
Thanks to Last-Second 29-Yard FG From Billy Cundiff, Browns Shock Saints, 26-24: Thanks to a 29-yard field goal from Billy Cundiff in the final second, the New Orleans Saints (0-2) lost their second straight game in the final moments, 26-24 to the Cleveland Browns (1-1)
After losing on the road to bitter rival, Atlanta, New Orleans needed a win on the road against a team that had not won it’s home opener in the Browns since 2004.
Down 16-10 at halftime, the Saints came out firing in the second half in feeding All-Pro tight end Jimmy Graham early and often.
After a quiet first half, Graham would catch 11 passes for 118 yards and two touchdowns.
Drew Brees would get rocked early by a revamped and aggressive Browns defense, as evidenced by Paul Kruger’s hit early on Brees in the game would help set the tone. Thanks to Cleveland’s relentless pressure, it forced Brees to sail an errant pass right into the arms of Browns safety Tashaun Gipson, who would pick off Brees and return it for a 62-yard pick-six.
Thanks to a missed extra point earlier by the Browns, the Saints were able to take a 24-23 lead late before the heroics of the fore mentioned Cundiff and local product in starting quarterback Brian Hoyer.
Hoyer with 13 seconds left found a wide-open Andrew Hawkins for a 28-yard completion which would set up the game-winning kick and rookie head coach, Mike Pettine’s first win in the NFL.
For the game, Hoyer finished 24-of-40 for 204 yards, one touchdown and no turnovers. Brees would finish the game by going 27-of-40 for 237 yards, two touchdowns, one interception and pass two-time Super Bowl champion John Elway for fourth on the NFL’s career passing list.
Andy Dalton, Bengals Ground Falcons, 24-10: After an emotional 37-34 overtime win over the New Orleans Saints, the Atlanta Falcons(1-1) would be brought back to earth by the defending AFC North champion Cincinnati Bengals (2-0), 24-10.
Thanks to an opportunistic defense and Andy Dalton, the Bengals pounced on the Dirty Birds and never looked back, as Dalton and second-year running back, Giovanni Bernard stepped up in place of Pro Bowl wideout, A.J. Green,(toe) as the Bengals didn’t miss a beat on offense.
For the game, Dalton passed for 252 yards and one touchdown and Bernard rushed for 90 yards on 27 carries.
While effective on offense, it was the Bengals defense that would be the Falcons undoing.
Thanks to Cincinnati’s defense, Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan would throw three interceptions. For the game, Ryan was 24-of-44 for 231 yards and one touchdown.
Panthers To Lions, Improve to 2-0: Despite being sacked five times by the Detroit Lions (1-1) ferocious pass rush, Cam Newton stood tall in the clutch.
Thanks to Newton’s timely passing, the Carolina Panthers(2-0) topped the Lions. For the game, Newton went 22-of-34 for 281 yards passing and one touchdown.
One week after embarrassing Eli Manning and the New York Giants(0-2), the Lions looked flat on offense. For the game, Matthew Stafford went 27-of-48 passes for 291 yards, one touchdown and one interception.
Lions receiver, Calvin Johnson caught six passes for 83 yards and no touchdowns.
Sam Bradford-less Rams Top Bucs, 19-14: One month after losing franchise quarterback Sam Bradford, the St Louis Rams may have found themselves a replacement in Austin Davis.
Davis, a second-year quarterback out of Southern Mississippi, completed 22-of-29 passes for 235 yards in guiding the St Louis Rams (1-1) to their first win of the season over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-2).
Thanks to four field goals from Greg Zuerlein (38, 36, 35 and 46) and 71 yards rushing on 19 carries from Zac Stacy, the Rams kept Tampa Bay winless on the season.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback, Josh McCown completed 16-of-21 passes for 179 yards, one interception and would be sacked once.
NFC South standings as of 9/18/2014
- Carolina Panthers: 2-0
- Atlanta Falcons: 1-1
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 0-2
- New Orleans Saints: 0-2
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