Matthew Stafford got his revenge against the Detroit Lions on Sunday. That wasn’t the only action within the division this weekend as the Cardinals remained unbeaten, the 49ers drowned in the rain at home against the Colts and the Seahawks were offensively challenged against the Saints.
TGIF* Turf Show Family
*Thank Goodness It’s Football
Houston has a MAJOR problem in butt-whooping by undefeated Cardinals
Kyler Murray once again put on a show in a 31-5 win which made the Texans look worse than the remnants of a crunchy taco supreme in a Taco Bell bathroom. If you thought that visual was disgusting, than you haven’t watched the Houston Texans attempt to play football this season. Houston wished they were next to be sent out on Jeff Bezos’ spaceship as Murray blasted them by going 20-of-28 for 261 yards and three touchdowns. Following the game, Murray joined some rarified air:
Dating back to at least 1950, @K1 is just the fourth QB to post a 7-0 record and a 70.0+ completion percentage in a team’s first seven games.
— Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals) October 25, 2021
He also does things like this. pic.twitter.com/LJo062XtWu
One of Kyler’s three touchdown passes went to wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins who got sweet revenge on his former organization. Hopkins led the team in receptions by snagging seven passes for 53 yards. It’s too bad his ol’ buddy Bill O’Brien wasn’t in the crowd to watch Hopkin’s score to get the Redbirds on the board:
DeAndre Hopkins is good at football.@DeAndreHopkins x #RedSea pic.twitter.com/R6FiFB5Ccf
— Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals) October 24, 2021
New acquisition Zach Ertz got in on the action and to celebrate National Tight Ends Day. By the way, did anyone know that Tight Ends Day is now recognized in the state of New Jersey? As if Americans needed yet another day to cookout and drink beer while screaming at their TV. Actually...
Anyways, Ertz caught three passes for 66 yards and this 47-yard score:
INTRODUCING... ZACH ERTZ.@ZERTZ_86 x #NationalTightEndsDay pic.twitter.com/gdSYxHsLLB
— Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals) October 24, 2021
Zach made history in the process by becoming the first player to catch a touchdown pass in back-to-back weeks with two different teams. I would assume he already likes the trade to a Super Bowl contending team, although I would find it impossible to leave those cheesesteaks in Philly.
Next Week: The Cardinals have a short week ahead as they host the Packers on Thursday Night Football. Green Bay will be without defensive coordinator Joe Barry and like All-Pro pass catcher Davante Adams. With the way the Cards have been playing, I don’t think it’ll really matter if those two were available.
49ers are unable to enjoy backyard Slip N’ Slide in loss to Colts
To start Trey Lance or not to start Trey Lance, that is the question.
- William Shakespeare (probably)
At this point, I don’t think it matters what the 49ers do in terms of Lance or anything as they’re such a mess in everything they do. That much was evident in their 30-18 loss at home to the Colts on Sunday Night Football. Their biggest issue is quarterback which is surprising an important position in the NFL. San Fran must not have gotten the message.
Jimmy Garoppolo was horrible as he completed 16-of-27 passes for 181 yards with a touchdown, two interceptions and a lost fumble, finishing with a 60.9 passer rating. Incredibly, Head Coach Kyle Shanahan will stick with Jimmy at starter even after what he deemed to be the QB’s “worst game” of the season.
“We didn’t go into that game thinking that Jimmy was one bad game away from losing his job or anything like that,” Shanahan said via ESPN. “I definitely thought he could have played better but that was not a game where ‘Hey, if Jimmy has one bad game, he’s losing his job.’ We know Trey is the future here and we’re trying to do what’s best for him and for our team.”
Shanahan didn’t have any other option besides Garoppolo as rookie signal caller Trey Lance is on the mend with a knee injury suffered against the Cardinals. Still, you know it’s gotten back in San Francisco when the team is sputtering more and more in each of his starts.
Jimmy Garoppolo last 14 Games (including 2019 playoffs)
— Race Baiter (@RoscoesMr) October 25, 2021
Record 7-7
Total TDs 16
Turnovers 15
Y/A 7.73
65%
Jimmy G is Rex Grossman pic.twitter.com/ea0HLVJvyN
I know I shouldn’t criticize the great offensive guru Kyle Shanahan, but why not? This is a Rams page for God’s sake so truthfully I can say whatever the H-E-Double Hockey Sticks I want. Shanahan is a creative offensive mind, but that doesn’t make anyone a great coach. Look at Adam Gase for one...sorry, terrible example.
Not counting this year, the guy’s had only one winning season in four tries. With the 2-4 record the team has currently and excluding the 2019 Super Bowl run, Shanahan has gone 18-34. His 49ers teams have achieved an average of being 17th in points scored per game and his track record isn’t all that great except for a few outliers.
Kyle Shanahan rank in points per game as OC/HC
— Ian Hartitz (@Ihartitz) October 25, 2021
Houston
2008: 17th
2009: 10th
Washington
2010: 25th
2011: 26th
2012: 4th
2013: 23rd
Cleveland
2014: 27th
Atlanta
2015: 21st
2016: 1st
San Francisco
2017: 20th
2018: 21st
2019: 2nd
2020: 21st
2021 Weeks 1-7: 20th
Next Week: The 49ers travel to Soldier Field to take on the barely-there Bears. It’s too bad Chicago Head Coach Matt Nagy is out this week considering this would’ve been the perfect mediocre coaching duel. As much shiitake as the fans and media give Nagy, he has never had a losing season and has a better career record than the SF wonder boy. (Yeah it’s real, I couldn’t believe it either.)
Seahawks look offensive in yet another game without Russell Wilson
Seattle started Monday Night Football with a bang, thanks to an 84-yard DK Metcalf touchdown:
DK Metcalf takes an 84-yard trip to the crib
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) October 26, 2021
(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/ooUUlZZdw2
But as the saying goes, it’s not how you start, it’s how you finish and the Seahawks couldn’t as they scored three points the rest of the way in a 13-10 home loss to the Saints. That touchdown grab would be one of only two catches by Metcalf on the night.
Yep, that’s right, DK Metcalf finished for two catches for 96 yards. Why you ask? Well, that’s due to Head Coach Pete Carroll running at will no matter how many times it wasn’t working. I think Pete needs to be reminded that he doesn’t have Marshawn Lynch anymore.
Before this becomes an all-out Pete Carroll roast session, (I’ll chew an entire pack of Juicy Fruit in his honor), let’s just remember that his team is without star quarterback Russell Wilson for several weeks. Regardless, I think Carroll has to be milking this excuse because he knows he’s not great without Wilson:
Pete Carroll on how much Seahawks miss Russell Wilson. “I’ve been here a long time and if we didn’t have Russell I probably wouldn’t have been here a long time.”
— Bob Condotta (@bcondotta) October 26, 2021
Wilson has been carrying this dinosaur of the game for the vast majority of his career. I give him points for being honest, but seriously, it’s not a great sign that a head coach of a professional sports team admitted that his career was lengthened due to one guy, although a legendary player at that. Maybe if Carroll continues along this path, the Seahawks will push him out and he can return to USC, not that they’d be thrilled to have him back.
Next Week: The Seahawks will play host to the Jaguars who are coming off the high of the most recent win overseas. Jacksonville has been playing more competitive in recent weeks so expect that this one will be close. Urban Meyer is looking for bars to commemorate a possible win as we speak.
Loading comments...