Fansided

NFL Overreactions Week 4: Lions tame the Jets, Raiders remain lame, Ravens’ Smith brings A-Game

By Jeff Weisinger

Sep 28, 2014; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Steve Smith, Sr. (89) catches a pass in front of Carolina Panthers cornerback Josh Norman (24) in the second quarter at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 28, 2014; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Steve Smith, Sr. (89) catches a pass in front of Carolina Panthers cornerback Josh Norman (24) in the second quarter at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports /
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Sep 28, 2014; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater (5) throws during the third quarter against the Atlanta Falcons at TCF Bank Stadium. The Vikings defeated the Falcons 41-28. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 28, 2014; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater (5) throws during the third quarter against the Atlanta Falcons at TCF Bank Stadium. The Vikings defeated the Falcons 41-28. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports /

Those other rookie QBs made their debut… in case you forgot about them.  Like we all did.

Two other rookie quarterbacks not named Johnny Manziel made their first career starts on Sunday, and both of which went in opposite directions.  

In other news, the most important rookie quarterback ever in the history of the league is enjoying his bye week.  

Both Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater and Jaguars rookie Blake Bortles made their first NFL starts for their respective teams on Sunday with both having successful debuts, despite one winning and the other losing.

Bortles played fairly well in his first start for Jacksonville, who fell to 0-4 after their 33-14 loss to San Diego.

Sep 28, 2014; San Diego, CA, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles (5) runs with the ball against the San Diego Chargers during fourth quarter action at Qualcomm Stadium. The Chargers won 33-14. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 28, 2014; San Diego, CA, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles (5) runs with the ball against the San Diego Chargers during fourth quarter action at Qualcomm Stadium. The Chargers won 33-14. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports /

He went 29-for-37 for 253 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions.  Bortles went 15-for-18 for 149 yards in the first half, and kept the Jags in it, only down three, 17-14 at halftime.

“I thought we had a decent first half and we have to continue to carry that over to the second half,” Bortles said.

“He’s a great quarterback,” San Diego’s Brandon Flowers, who had one of Bortles’ two picks, said.

“I think he’s going to be a real good quarterback in this league.”

Bortles’ first task as the Jags quarterback is to get this team moving in the right direction, let alone winning a game.

Jacksonville has now lost five straight games by double digits dating back to Week 17 last year.  So far this season, they’ve been outscored 152-58 in their four losses.

On the other side, the Vikes’ Teddy Bridgewater also had a successful first start, leading Minnesota to a 41-28 win over the originally red-hot Atlanta Falcons.

Bridgewater went 19-for-30 for 317 yards with no turnovers and ran for 27 yards with a touchdown.

However, on his last carry, Bridgewater rolled his left foot as he was tackled by a pair of Falcons defenders at the 1-yard line.  Bridgewater stayed in on the drive, handing the ball off to Matt Asiata (20 car., 78 yds., 3 TDs) for a one-yard touchdown, then throwing a dart to Rhett Ellison to push the Viking lead to 35-28 in the fourth.  Christian Ponder took over at quarterback following that drive.

It’s been a while since both teams had legitimate quarterbacks, and if Sunday was a preview as to what’s ahead, the Vikings and the Jaguars could be back on the road to winning again.  A statement nobody ever thought would be said for a long while.

Meanwhile, about that guy in Cleveland…

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