After a quiet Saturday for Oregon football, Ducks fans still had something to watch on Sunday: former Ducks making noise around the NFL. The weekend wasn’t loaded with Oregon names because of the bye-week wave, which kept Justin Herbert, Josh Conerly Jr., and Arik Armstead off the field. Even so, there were a few standout performances that gave the fan base a lift.
Bo Nix headlined the day for Denver, and the Broncos needed it. With the offense under plenty of scrutiny this season and Sean Peyton back calling plays, Nix has taken more than his share of the blame. His passing numbers still left room for growth, but he made a huge impact with his legs.
In the second quarter, Nix broke loose for a 62-yard touchdown run that put Denver in front late in the half. He finished 15 of 29 for 222 yards and a touchdown through the air, but the run was the kind of play that can change the mood around a player who has been trying to work back into form after his injury.
Bucky Irving delivered an even bigger box score for Tampa Bay. Baker Mayfield returned for the Buccaneers on Sunday, and with the NFC South still wide open, the team leaned heavily on the run in a blowout win over the Panthers. Tampa Bay ran the ball 49 times and threw it only 11 times, and Irving was right at the center of it.
He piled up 106 rushing yards and scored two touchdowns on 24 carries, giving Oregon fans another big Sunday from a familiar name.
Tez Johnson also got in on the action for Tampa Bay. He caught two passes for a team-high 33 yards and a touchdown, and added 14 rushing yards.
The week opened on Thursday Night Football with the Bears beating the New England Patriots, and Dillon Thieneman played a key role in that win. He led Chicago with eight total tackles and added half a sack, while Noah Sewell contributed two tackles as well.
Monday Night Football will close out the weekend, with Johnny Mundt and the shorthanded Eagles facing the Cowboys, who have TJ Bass and Ajani Cornelius. After such a quiet stretch, Oregon fans will be hoping the next round of games brings more healthy Ducks and more performances like these.
In Other News...
Oregons Scoring Problem Just Put Dan Lanning Under Real Pressure
After a 21-10 loss to Illinois, Oregon made a change on the offensive side that had been building for weeks, parting ways with offensive coordinator Drew Mehringer in his first season on the job. For a program that came into the year expecting more from its attack, the move underscored how quickly patience can disappear when the offense stalls and the losses start to pile up.
Dan Lanning did not immediately name a replacement play-caller, leaving the Ducks with an obvious next question as they try to steady things before the season slips further. The timing makes the decision as much about urgency as accountability, and it puts the spotlight squarely on how Oregon plans to fix an offense that has struggled to find consistency. [Read more 🡒]
Oregons Trip To Ohio State Suddenly Feels Like A Real Opportunity
The calendar has finally put Oregons visit to Ohio State on the board, with the Big Ten announcing kickoff time and TV details for the November 7 matchup. It is a game that already carried plenty of weight, but the atmosphere around it has shifted noticeably in recent days as both teams head into it with questions that were not on the table when the schedule was first drawn up.
Ohio State will have to adjust without starting quarterback Julian Sayin, who is out indefinitely with a shoulder injury, and backup Luke Fahey is expected to get the nod. Oregon, meanwhile, comes in unranked at 4-3 after parting ways with offensive coordinator Drew Mehringer, but Dylan Raiolas recent improvement has at least given the Ducks a clearer path into a game that now feels far more open than it did a week ago. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon Fans Have One Big Fear After This Road Collapse
Illinois took control after halftime and never let Oregon get back on track, turning a shaky afternoon at Gies Memorial Stadium into a 21-10 upset. The Ducks had enough early to stay in it, but the Illinis defense tightened after the break and the home team piled up 21 unanswered points, with true freshman quarterback Michael Clayton II delivering in his first career start and senior back Aidan Laughery breaking loose for 123 rushing yards and a 75-yard touchdown.
For Oregon, the concern is less about one bad result than the way it unraveled once the game turned. A second-half shutout is the kind of issue that sticks with a team trying to prove it can handle tough road environments, and it left Ducks fans with a familiar fear: that when the pressure rises, the offense can go quiet and the margin for error disappears fast. [Read more 🡒]