"The Stack" 10-29-18

Meet your new all-time leader in points in NFL history...Indianapolis Colts kicker Adam Vinatieri. The former Jackrabbit passed Morten Andersen on a second quarter field goal in the Colts 42-28 win over the Oakland Raiders.

The Stack is back on this Monday and there were a number of things that happened on Sunday in the NFL. The Saints exacted revenge on the Vikings in their first game against one another since the Minneapolis Miracle. The Rams struggled, but found a way to beat the Packers. Fitzmagic is back and there is plenty more so let’s get right to some reaction from week 8 in the NFL in “the stack” for today, Monday, October 29th:

Eagles 24 Jaguars 18

One team was going to lose their fifth game of the year barring a tie and that team was the Jacksonville Jaguars. Things seemed to turn once Jaguars wide receiver Keelan Cole fumbled inside of two minutes after he made a nice catch. Philadelphia would score a touchdown to take a 10-6 lead going into the half and Carson Wentz and company would not look back. While there is still some concern for the Eagles,, there is far more concern for the Jaguars who don’t look very good at all at this point.

Ravens 21 Panthers 36

The Baltimore Ravens defense has been very good this season. They were not on Sunday as Cam Newton and Christian McCaffrey had their way with them. After spotting the Ravens an early 7-0 lead, Carolina went to work with McCaffrey catching a touchdown and rushing for another one. Newton would also add a rushing touchdown and threw for another and Joe Flacco was anything but elite for the Ravens who did not have much of a chance in this one. The Panthers are looking good. The Ravens are running into some road blocks.

Jets 10 Bears 24

On a windy day in the Windy City, offense was not the name of the game and Chicago’s first touchdown, a 70-yard touchdown screen pass by Trubisky to Tarik Cohen was pretty much all Chicago needed. Jets rookie quarterback Sam Darnold struggled and the Bears won comfortably against the rebuilding Jets.

Buccaneers 34 Bengals 37

Things did not start out well in this game for Tampa Bay. Cincinnati running back Joe Mixon ran all over the Bucs in the first half with over 100 yards and two touchdowns. The Bengals were having their way offensively with the Bucs. After Jameis Winston threw his fourth interception of the game, the Bucs put Ryan Fitzpatrick in and he led the Bucs to tie the game after throwing a touchdown on fourth down to tight end O.J. Howard and completing the subsequent two point conversion. Alas, Andy Dalton drove the Bengals down to the game-winning field goal and the Bengals avoided what would have been a devastating defeat. It’s decision time in Tampa regarding their starting quarterback.

Seahawks 28 Lions 14

Perhaps it was the inspiration or motivation to play for their late owner, Paul Allen, or maybe it was the bye week. Either way, the Seahawks dominated the Lions. Russell Wilson was brilliant with three touchdowns and the Seahawks defense shut down the Lions virtually the entire game. An interception essentially iced the game. Great performance and game plan by the Seahawks.

Broncos 23 Chiefs 30

The Broncos know how to play the Chiefs tough. They were at it again Sunday and may very well have had a chance to win the game had it not been for costly penalties and turnovers that doomed them all day. What an absolutely brilliant play in the second half by the Chiefs offense on fourth and one when Patrick Mahomes shovel passed to Kareem Hunt who picked up the first down, hurdled a defender and carried other Broncos into the endzone for a touchdown. What a play! This guy is the real deal. The Chiefs are the real deal as well.

Washington 20 Giants 13

The Giants stink. Odell Beckham Jr. did his best for them, but this team is just not very good. This game wasn’t great, but Washington running back Adrian Peterson was. He had a receiving touchdown and put the game out of reach with a long touchdown run. He has been reborn in Washington and Washington sits atop the NFC East. The season only continues to get longer for the Giants.

Browns 18 Steelers 33

The Steelers don’t appear to be missing Le’Veon Bell at all. Pittsburgh running back James Conner was sensational in this one with over 100 yards rushing and two touchdowns as the Steelers beat down the Browns. Antonio Brown also added two receiving touchdowns. The Browns are looking more like the team of last year the last few weeks and with the Chiefs and Falcons coming up, it isn’t going to get any better…or easier.

Colts 42 Raiders 28

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck loves his tight ends. He threw three touchdowns to tight ends in this game which I believe makes it twelve or thirteen of his 23 passing touchdowns going to tight ends. Marlon Mack ran it well and the Colts needed all of the touchdowns they could muster as Derek Carr and the Oakland Raiders fought them in the high scoring game. Of major note in this one, Colts kicker Adam Vinatieri became the NFL’s all-time leading scorer after he passed former kicker Morten Andersen on a field goal in the second quarter. He is a sure-fire hall-of-famer, possibly first ballot.

49ers 15 Cardinals 18

If only the Arizona Cardinals could play the San Francisco 49ers every game. The Cardinals won their eighth straight against the 49ers and while it wasn’t pretty, the way rookie quarterback Josh Rosen led the Cardinals back with two fourth quarter touchdowns should provide Cardinals fans a tad optimistic about the team’s future. For the 49ers, yet another close game has slipped through their grasps.

Packers 27 Rams 29

What a thoroughly entertaining game. The Green Bay defense made life very difficult for the Los Angeles Rams in the first half, bottling up Todd Gurley and getting pressure on Jared Goff. The second half the Rams adjusted though and Gurley was his usual beastly self rushing and receiving. His selfless move too to go down and run the clock out instead of score a touchdown and give the ball back to the Packers was the smartest play of the day. The Packers offense just wasn’t good enough on this day and Ty Montgomery’s fumble on the ensuing kickoff after the Rams’ go-ahead field goal will be talked about for a while.

Saints 30 Vikings 20

So the New Orleans Saints exacted revenge and won the first matchup of these two teams since the Minneapolis Miracle in January. The game completely turned when Adam Thielen fumbled after catching a short pass with a minute to go in the second quarter and the Vikings in the redzone. The Saints returned it deep into Minnesota territory and thanks to an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty by Laquon Treadwell scored a touchdown before half and never looked back. Couple that with Stefon Diggs stopping on a route that wound up being picked off and returned for a touchdown and the Vikings wide receivers had a rough night. Thielen did go over 100 yards receiving for the eighth straight game, but that is of little to no consolation following the loss. Make that six in a row for the Saints. Drew Brees threw for 120 yards…for the game! And the Saints won. Amazing transformation.

5-2 New England Patriots @ 2-5 Buffalo Bills 8:15 PM ET ESPN MNF

Initially before the season began, I gave the Bills a win here since it is their only primetime game of the season for them. After seeing this team though through the first almost half of the season, it’s clear they stink and that the New England Patriots are heating up at the right time. Give me the Patriots in a blowout.

Prediction: Patriots 38 Bills 13

Coming up Tuesday: World Series reaction, MNF recap, college football and more