Week 6 in the NFL provided another Sunday full of exciting moments. Not many saw Adrian Peterson having the type of day he had this week in his first game with the Arizona Cardinals, or the Kansas City Chiefs losing for the first time this year, or Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers going down with a possible season-ending broken collarbone.
But outside of the top moments, what were some of the lesser known (but still important) events that went down on the sixth Sunday of this young NFL season?
Home-not-so-sweet-home for the Falcons this year
This season, Atlanta’s brand new Mercedes-Benz Stadium was supposed to be the Falcons’ new loud-house without the aid of artificial noise. However, the last two games in their new building has not brought them any success.
After getting a Week 2 win over the Green Bay Packers in the very first regular season NFL game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, the Falcons have not been victorious at home since. The latest stumble was Sunday’s 20-17 loss to the Miami Dolphins.
Atlanta started the year 3-0, but is now 3-2 and will be on the road for four of their next five games. However, based on their recent performances in their home stadium, maybe a few away games will get their season back on track.
The Saints’ defense set a franchise record — yes, their defense
Defense is definitely not what New Orleans has become known for since Sean Payton was hired as the team’s head coach in 2006. From 2012 to 2016, the Saints’ defense has ranked 28th or lower in points allowed per game.
So far this season, that ranking has crept to 20th.
In Sunday’s win over the Detroit Lions, New Orleans was able to finish with a cool 52 points, thanks to three touchdowns from its new and improved defense.
A fumble recovery for a touchdown by Saints safety Kenny Vaccaro early in the first quarter got the scoring started against Detroit. Then rookie cornerback Marshon Lattimore and defensive end Cameron Jordan got in on the fun with a pair of pick-sixes in the second half.
Their defense’s score-happy bonanza on Sunday also just happened to set an all-time team record.
The @Saints have 3 defensive TD in a game for the 1st time in team history.
1st team with 3 def TD in a game since 2011 Week 4 (Ravens).
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) October 15, 2017
This Leonard Fournette guy is pretty good at running the ball
For the second straight week (and the third time this season), Jacksonville Jaguars rookie running back Leonard Fournette finished his game with at least 100 rushing yards.
This time, Fournette ended his afternoon on Sunday against the Los Angeles Rams rushing for 130 yards on 21 carries, including a 75-yard touchdown run on the game’s very first offensive play.
Leonard Fournette is a touchdown machine. This one goes for 75 yards! pic.twitter.com/Sf9LXYQnwK
— Cosmic (@CosmicNYG) October 15, 2017
The young running back now has seven touchdowns this year and is just the second rookie to ever score a touchdown in each of his first six games in the NFL. Maybe everyone should have taken him a little more seriously when he said a few months ago that playing in the league this year would be easy.
Wait, aren’t the Raiders supposed to be good this year?
After the first two weeks of the season, everything was looking gold for Oakland. They were 2-0 and coming off a 25-point trouncing of the New York Jets.
But to sort of quote the late Denny Green, “the (Raiders) are (not) who we thought they were!”
During their first two games this year, Oakland racked up a total of 71 points. In the four weeks since, the Raiders have only managed to score a combined 53 points (13.3 per game). Quarterback Derek Carr is dealing with an injured back and the Raiders have the 26th-best pass offense in the NFL so far this season. It goes well with their 24th-ranked rushing attack.
Now losers of four in a row, the Raiders’ season doesn’t look like it is going to get much better anytime soon, They have just a few days to prepare before the 5-1 Kansas City Chiefs come to town on Thursday.
