Australian Michael Dickson is making a habit of playing with fire… and getting burned.
For the second week in a row, Seattle punter Dickson made a crucial special teams mistake. And this time, it cost his team a touchdown.
Thankfully for Dickson, the Seahawks went on to beat the Cardinals 19-9, with the only Arizona touchdown coming after the Australian fumbled the ball in the end zone.
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Punting out of his own end zone in the third quarter, Dickson received the snap and was immediately pressured by the Cardinals defense. Instead of trying to get the punt away, Dickson looked to tuck the ball and improvise.
It didn’t go well with Dickson fumbling and the Cardinals jumping on the ball to score.
The mistake came a week after Dickson tried to run for a first down against the New Orleans Saints, only for the play to be blown up.
When Dickson punted the ball against the Cardinals, he was — as he has been since entering the NFL — elite.
Dickson, who signed a four-year, $14.7 million ($A24m) extension last season, punted the ball six times, with a longest of 64 yards, and one crucial inside-20 with the game on the line.
JOSH ALLEN WINS…THIS TIME
Tied at the first, second, and third quarters, like they were in that playoff game last year, things were following a familiar script with Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs hosting Josh Allen’s Bills.
But this time around, it was Buffalo who came out on top, after an Allen touchdown drive proved the final score of the game, despite the Bills giving the ball back to Mahomes with plenty of time to spare.
Mahomes and the Chiefs only needed thirteen seconds to break hearts in the post-season. With over a minute on the clock this time, the quarterback couldn’t repeat the magic, throwing a pick which sealed a 24-20 win for the Bills.
In a game where both offenses struggled more than most expected, Allen outplayed Mahomes, throwing for three touchdowns and 329 yards, while rushing for 32 yards.
Allen’s top three targets — Stefon Diggs, Gabe Davis, and Dawson Knox — all hauled in a touchdown each.
Mahomes finished with 338 passing yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions.
THINGS GO FROM BAD TO WORSE IN CAROLINA
Carolina Panthers receiver Robbie Anderson may not be in Carolina for much longer.
Anderson was kicked out of the game and sent to the locker room by the team’s own head coach, Steve Wilkes, in the fourth quarter of Carolina’s 24-10 loss to the Rams in Los Angeles.
Trailing by multiple scores, a frustrated Anderson had more than one argument with Panthers coaches on the sideline, according to NFL Network. He could be seen in a video angrily approaching receivers coach Joe Dailey, and the two came face-to-face before jawing at each other and needing to be separated.
It was not clear what they said, but both Anderson and Dailey’s temper flared in the exchange.
A few moments later, Wilkes could be seen talking with Anderson before pointing in the direction of the tunnel. Anderson was then escorted down the sideline and into the tunnel while shaking his head in disbelief, taking time to turn back and shout back in Wilkes’ direction.
Anderson did not record a reception before the incident.
Amid a 1-5 start to the season, the Panthers are reportedly open to dealing their stars in exchange for future draft capital. While stud running back Christian McCaffrey is most likely to generate interest, they are also willing to deal Anderson, according to ESPN.
Anderson is currently in his third season with the Panthers after spending his first four seasons in the league with the Jets.
Anderson commented ‘Nooooo’ on an Instagram post that linked Mayfield to the Panthers before he was traded.
With Mayfield out injured, it was PJ Walker under center on Monday.
— with NY Post
ARE THE GIANTS… FOR REAL?
OK, it might be time to take this New York Giants team seriously.
Under new head coach Brian Daboll, the Giants improved to 5-1 on Monday with a come-from-behind 24-20 win against Lamar Jackson and the Ravens.
Daniel Jones threw two touchdowns, Saquon Barkley rushed for another, while the Giants forced two fourth quarter turnovers from Jackson, who couldn’t keep up with New York when it mattered most.
Still without a number of starting wide receivers, Daboll just continues to make it work; the first-year head coach welcomed rookie Wan’Dale Robinson into the mix after he missed the start of the season with an injury.
Robinson caught a touchdown in his first career start. Tight end Daniel Bellinger hauled in the other.
JETS DO IT AGAIN
Last week it was the Miami Dolphins. This week, the Green Bay Packers.
And all of a sudden, the New York Jets are 4-2, keeping the pressure on the Buffalo Bills in the AFC East.
On Monday, the Jets managed to hold Aaron Rodgers and the Packers offense to just 10 points at Lambeau Field, while piling on 27 of their own.
Zach Wilson passed for just 110 yards — without a touchdown or interception — but it was the rushing game and special teams that proved the difference.
Rookie Breece Hall rushed for 116 yards and a touchdown, while the Jets also took a blocked punt for a score.
Without Davante Adams, Rodgers just hasn’t been able to get the Green Bay offense going; the Packers are now 3-3 to start the season.
STEELERS FIND A WAY
Not to be outdone, the Pittsburgh Steelers, who last week dropped to a 38-3 defeat against the Bills, managed to upset Tom Brady and the Bucs.
Rookie quarterback Kenny Pickett left the game in concussion protocol, but Mitch Trubisky carried the Steelers home, throwing for 144 yards and a touchdown in an impressive cameo.
Tom Brady passed for 243 yards and a touchdown, but Tampa Bay just couldn’t get going against a Pittsburgh defense that was out to avoid a repeat of last week.
Brady’s decision to come out of retirement is starting to look like a bad one, with the Bucs now 3-3 and the 45-year-old’s offensive line looking less than impressive.
And Brady let them know about it.
‘Fired up’ Brady berates the boys | 00:29
In a video that unsurprisingly made the rounds on social media, Brady can be heard yelling at his offensive linemen on the sideline, “You’re so much better than the way you’re f–king playing.”
Moments before Brady had a fiery heart-to-heart with his linemen, the 45-year-old quarterback was sacked for a loss of 9 yards and fumbled the football. Fortunately, Buccaneers receiver Chris Godwin recovered and maintained possession for Tampa Bay.
— with NY Post.
RESULTS
SAN FRANCISCO 14 — 28 ATLANTA FALCONS
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS 38 — 15 CLEVELAND BROWNS
NEW YORK JETS 27 — 10 GREEN BAY PACKERS
JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS 27 — 34 INDIANAPOLIS COLTS
MINNESOTA VIKINGS 24 — 16 MIAMI DOLPHINS
CINCINNATI BENGALS 30 — 26 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
BALTIMORE RAVENS 20 — 24 NEW YORK GIANTS
TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS 18 — 20 PITTSBURGH STEELERS
CAROLINA PANTHERS 10 — 24 LOS ANGELES RAMS
ARIZONA CARDINALS 9 — 19 SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
BUFFALO BILLS 24 — 20 KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
DALLAS COWBOYS 17 — 26 PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
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