Week 6 turned into a lighter chapter for the former Hawks in the NFL, especially with bye weeks wiping out action for both TJ Hockenson and Sam LaPorta. Even so, there were still a few notable performances scattered across the slate, from George Kittle’s steady production for San Francisco to Tory Taylor’s latest dose of chaos on special teams.
Kittle kept doing Kittle things in the 49ers’ 23-17 win over Washington on Monday night. With San Francisco’s receiver group battered by injuries, he’s functioning as TE1 and, in some ways, WR1 too. He responded with 5 catches for 69 yards and the opening touchdown of the night, an 11-yard strike from Brock Purdy.
The numbers keep climbing toward what looks like an all-Pro season. Kittle now has 26 receptions for 337 yards and 5 touchdowns, and those five scores put him third in the league behind Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who has 7, and Christian Watson, who has 6.
There was also a nod on the Washington side to Drew Stephens, the rookie kicker who drilled a 51-yarder in the first quarter and added both extra points. And while it wasn’t tied to a former Hawk, the NFC East made a bit of history by going winless in consecutive weeks, the first time any division has done that in NFL history. That stretch included games against Washington and New York last week.
Taylor delivered the week’s most memorable special-teams moment in Chicago’s 31-23 win in Atlanta. The Aussie punter finished with 5 punts for 224 yards, good for a 44.8-yard average, but the biggest play came from the shape he put on one of those kicks. His banana ball helped force a Falcons fumble, and Josh Blackwell came away with the recovery.
That made it Taylor’s second forced fumble of the season, after he also caused one in Week 1 against Carolina.
Amani Hooker was central to Tennessee finally getting over the line. The Titans beat the Colts 26-20 after rallying back, and Hooker turned in a heavy workload with 13 tackles and an early interception that mattered in the swing of the game.
The rest of the week was more scattered than spotlight-heavy. Kaleb Johnson had 1 carry for -2 yards in Green Bay’s Sunday night win over Dallas.
Lukas Van Ness added 3 tackles and a sack, while Kristian Welch chipped in 1 tackle. On Dallas’ side, Tyler Goodson had 2 carries for no yards, but he also handled kick-return duties, bringing back 5 kicks for 122 yards with a long of 30.
Kaevon Merriweather logged 7 tackles for Jacksonville in a tight 34-31 loss to Houston. Cooper DeJean finished with 6 tackles, including one for loss, as the Eagles fell to Carolina at home and dropped to 2-4.
There was also some slight controversy around Philadelphia because of its handling of Jalen Hurts in London. Dane Belton, now with the Jets, added 9 tackles in New York’s 26-19 loss to New England.
In Other News...
Iowa Heads Into Minnesota With More Riding On This Rivalry Than Usual
Iowas trip to Minneapolis for the 120th meeting with Minnesota comes with a little extra weight attached, even for a rivalry that has lasted more than a century. The Hawkeyes arrive off a win over Washington, while Minnesota is trying to steady itself after a loss to Purdue, and both sides know this one can shift the tone of the season in a hurry.
The setting only adds to the usual Big Ten grit, with rain and wind expected to be part of the backdrop. Iowa has controlled the series lately, winning nine of the last 10 matchups, even though Minnesota still holds the historical edge at 63-54-2, which is part of what makes this rivalry feel a little different every time it comes around. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa Faces One Huge Floyd Of Rosedale Test On Defense
Minnesota brings a more varied offense into the Floyd of Rosedale matchup than Iowa typically wants to see, and that makes this one a real stress test for the Hawkeyes on that side of the ball. Drake Lindsey gives the Gophers a different kind of challenge at quarterback, while wideouts Javon Tracy and Noah Jennings add another layer of concern for a defense that will be trying to control the game the way it usually prefers.
The run game matters just as much, with Darius Taylor and TJ Thomas giving Minnesota options to keep the pressure off Lindsey and force Iowa to handle multiple threats snap after snap. For the Hawkeyes, the task is less about any one player and more about whether they can stay disciplined against a rivalry opponent that has enough talent to make mistakes costly, especially if Minnesota starts finding answers to the looks Iowa uses most often. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa's Ranking Surge Suddenly Puts Real Pressure On One Decision
Iowas climb in the Week 7 college football rankings has sharpened the spotlight on every move the Hawkeyes make from here on out. With Ohio State still rolling despite the Julian Sayin injury scare and the rest of the Big Ten offering its usual mix of chaos and opportunity, the Hawkeyes are suddenly in a position where each result carries more weight than it did a few weeks ago.
The next step is no longer just about staying relevant, but about handling the kind of pressure that comes with being viewed differently by the rest of the league. With Indiana, UCLA, USC, Northwestern, Oregon, Michigan, Minnesota and Washington all working through their own paths on the schedule, Iowas ranking rise turns one looming decision into something much bigger than a routine call. [Read more 🡒]