First Call: Rough week to watch! During Steelers ‘bye,’ division and conference rivals win.
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The Steelers had an unexpected day off Sunday thanks to the postponement of their game against the Tennessee Titans. And if they spent it watching the rest of NFL, they didn’t like what they saw.
All three of their AFC North rivals ended up winning. A pair of other AFC contenders emerged victorious as well.
Even next week’s opponent, the Philadelphia Eagles, won in San Francisco on “Sunday Night Football.”
For “First Call” Monday, we recap an unfortunate day of scoreboard watching for the Black and Gold.
Baltimore bounce back
After a disappointing loss to the Kansas City Chiefs last Monday night, the Baltimore Ravens did exactly what they needed to do in Week 4.
They thrashed a bad Washington team, 31-17. And the game wasn’t even that close as Washington got a touchdown late in the fourth quarter.
Lamar Jackson scored his first rushing touchdown of the year on a 50-yard jaunt.
THERE GOES LAMAR. @lj_era8
: #BALvsWAS on CBS
: NFL app // Yahoo Sports app: https://t.co/T1i6s2rIdv pic.twitter.com/ndr6nLEqp8— NFL (@NFL) October 4, 2020
Tight end Mark Andrews caught two touchdowns as well. The Ravens are now 3-1. They could be 5-1 (and rested) before they welcome the Steelers for that shuffled Week 8 game.
Jackson and company host the Cincinnati Bengals (1-2-1) and the Philadelphia Eagles (1-2-1) before a bye week between now and that Nov. 1 showdown in Baltimore.
Big ‘O’ in Big ‘D’
Think what you want about the Cleveland Browns.
I know you do. Me, too.
But through the first quarter of the season, Cleveland is 3-1. The Browns won their third in a row Sunday, outscoring the Dallas Cowboys 49-38.
The Browns racked up 508 yards in offense. Odell Beckham Jr. had a huge day, catching two touchdown passes and scoring on the ground thanks to a 50-yard pitch.
ODELL BECKHAM JR.
: #CLEvsDAL on FOX
: NFL app // Yahoo Sports app: https://t.co/wvEEn0SFTV pic.twitter.com/A8P7Hx8E7H— NFL (@NFL) October 4, 2020
Beckham totaled 154 yards from scrimmage. The Steelers host the Browns in two weeks.
Not bad for the Bengals
For the Cincinnati Bengals, it’s back-to-back weeks without a loss.
Hey, they’ll take that in Cincinnati anytime.
After a 23-23 tie in Philadelphia last week, Cincy beat the Jacksonville Jaguars 33-25 Sunday.
Congratulations to quarterback Joe Burrow. He went over 300 yards passing for a third straight game. And he only managed to get sacked once. That’s after getting dumped eight times last week against the Eagles.
Running back Joe Mixon had a bust-out game as well.
.@Joe_MainMixon out of the backfield…
Touchdown, @Bengals! #SeizeTheDey
: #JAXvsCIN on CBS
: NFL app // Yahoo Sports app: https://t.co/wvEEn0SFTV pic.twitter.com/SPKU1QzDMw— NFL (@NFL) October 4, 2020
Along with catching that touchdown, Mixon scored twice on the ground to go along with 151 yards rushing.
This is the first time the Bengals have managed to go two games without a loss since Weeks 4 and 5 of 2018. Things get really tough for the Bengals from here, though. They play the Ravens, Indianapolis Colts, Browns, Titans and Steelers over their next five games.
Those teams have a record of 15-3.
Unbeaten Bills
Many people, including myself, picked the Buffalo Bills to end New England’s reign of terror in the AFC East. The Patriots have won that division 11 years in a row.
So far so good on that prediction. Buffalo improved to 4-0 with a 30-23 win in Vegas over the Raiders.
Flippin' sweet.
: #BUFvsLV on CBS pic.twitter.com/LYVBmvQsk7
— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) October 4, 2020
What an effort by Cole Beasley to hold onto that catch for a score.
The Bills may be able to get a little help from the Kansas City Chiefs Monday night as they welcome the Patriots for that game which was rescheduled from Sunday.
But if the Patriots should win the division and if the Ravens win the North, the Steelers may find themselves jousting with the Bills for wild-card position.
Just make it 5 for 5
Another team worth tracking is Indianapolis. Like the other four teams we outlined, they won on Sunday, too.
The Colts improved to 3-1 by grinding out a 19-11 victory over the previously unbeaten Chicago Bears (3-1).
The lone touchdown of the day for the Colts was a Philip Rivers pass to tight end Mo Alie-Cox in the first quarter.
THROW TO MO!
? CBS | #INDvsCHI pic.twitter.com/yBuzXmJ6LZ
— Indianapolis Colts (@Colts) October 4, 2020
If you don’t think the Titans are going to win the South, you probably are expecting the Colts to do so. Indy comes to Heinz Field for Game 15 of the Steelers’ season.
Don’t be surprised if there are significant playoff implications attached.