The Skillz Report

2017 NFL ICY HOT TD, Week 7

 

(originally written 10/25/17)

 

 

 

What is NFL ICY HOT TD, anyway? I'll tell you—ICY HOT TD = In Case You Had Other Things To Do.

While some of us are able to watch NFL football all Sunday long and follow it up with postgame analysis/highlight shows well into the night...many of us can't. I aim to bring those fans bits of trivia, data, and news  they likely missed on Game Day.

Such as:

 

 

• A week after Rams kicker Greg Zuerlein knocked seven field goals through, Minnesota's Kai Forbath drilled six—ranging from 32 to 52 yards—teaming with Ravens K Justin Tucker for an NFL-record nine combined made FG. (The Vikings won 24-16.)
   

• In that same game, Ravens WR Mike Wallace was knocked out by a shoulder-to-head hit Andrew Sendejo that led to a 15-yard penalty and ended Wallace's day (much to his chagrin). The safety, fined earlier in the year for an illegal hit, was suspended later in the week.
   

• Before the Chiefs' 31-30 loss at Oakland on Thursday Night Football, they had not lost two straight games since October 11 and 18, 2015. The Raiders won despite having two touchdowns overturned by officials on their final drive, finally completing a flag-free winning score  to WR Michael Crabtree as time expired.

 

• Amari Cooper became the first Raider in 28 years with two first-quarter TD receptions.
   

• The Broncos had not been shut out since November 22, 1992 (Rams) until the Chargers dropped them 21-zip this week.
   

• Philadelphia's ugly opening to Monday Night Football lended little optimism for an eventual victory—hosting the Redskins, the Eagles' first five plays resulted as follows: Offensive Pass Interference penalty, Illegal Block penalty, Holding Penalty, 12 Men On The Field Penalty, Interception. Yet they pulled out a 34-24 win.
   

• Atlanta spotted host New England 23 points, making that 54 unanswered Patriots points dating back to the Super Bowl. In fact, with Miami having scored the final 20 of their Week 6 clash, the Falcons had allowed 43 unanswered points overall this season too—until WR Julio Jones' late 1-yard TD catch. (The Pats won 23-7.)

 

• While QB Ben Roethlisberger starred in Pittsburgh's 29-14 win over the Bengals, a successful fake punt pass from S Robert Golden to WR Darius Heyward-Bey for 44 yards helped seal the deal. (It wasn't a thing of beauty, but it worked.)
   

• Miami beat the Jets despite allowing over 20 points for the first time all season—final score 31-28.
   

• Bears rookie S Eddie Jackson became the first ever with two defensive TD of 75+ yards in one game, taking both a fumble and interception to the house in Chicago's 17-3 win over Carolina. Jackson is the first Bear with two defensive TD of any length in one game since 1948, and the NFL's first since 2012.
   

• Thanks to the turnovers, Carolina lost despite a 38:35-21:25 time of possession edge, 293-153 yardage edge, and racking up four times the first downs as the Bears. 

 

• Jacksonville's 10 sacks, the most ever against Indianapolis, tied a team record set in Week 1 (and played a major role in my fantasy loss this week.) Their 27-0 shutout of the Colts was the team's first in 11 years.
   

• The Rams played in London for the third time and earned their first victory there, a 33-0 whitewash of Arizona. 
   

• After losing their past five games by a total of 13 points, the 49ers lost to visiting Dallas by 30. Cowboys WR Dez Bryant tied Bob Hayes' team record of 71 TD receptions with a fourth-quarter grab in the 40-10 win. 
   

• Dallas K Dan Bailey left early with a groin strain; S Jeff Heath took over kicking duties and didn't do half-bad.

 

• Including playoffs, Drew Brees became the fourth with 500 touchdown passes—Brandon Coleman's 22-yarder in the 3rd quarter was Brees' 476th regular-season connection; he's got 24 in the postseason. 
   

• Brees' counterpart was Green Bay's Brett Hundley, making his first NFL start with all of zero career TD passes entering play. Yeah, the Saints won (although Hundley did throw his first TD.)
   

• Titans kicker Ryan Succop advanced his NFL-record streak of made sub-50-yard FG to 55, drilling four against the Browns—including the game-winner in OT.

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• Browns lineman Joe Thomas, a perennial Pro Bowler, had started every one of Cleveland's games since entering the league in '07 but will miss his first career action beginning in Week 8 (biceps). According to ESPN, Thomas boasted a streak of over 10,000 consecutive snaps as well.

 

 

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