The New York Jets, Philadelphia Eagles and Tennessee Titans — three proud NFL franchises.
Cold, colder and coldest.
The Jets lost to one-win Buffalo, the Eagles lost to one-win Oakland and the winless Titans, well, they should warm themselves by burning the video from Sunday’s 59-0 obliteration at New England.
“You never go into a game thinking it’s going to be like this,” said Patriots coach Bill Belichick, whose team put on a record-setting performance at snowy Gillette Stadium. “It’s just our day today.”
Two hundred miles down the Eastern Seaboard, it certainly wasn’t the Jets’ day. They lost in overtime to the Bills 16-13 when Buffalo’s Rian Lindell — who was wide right on a chance to end it in regulation — kicked a 47-yard field goal with 2 minutes, 44 seconds left in the extra period.
It was a bitter blow to the Jets, who have lost three in a row after a 3-0 start. Rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez, who had never a started a game when it was colder than 55 degrees at kickoff, was as frigid as the near-freezing night. Five of his passes were intercepted.
That was surprising, but Philadelphia’s 13-9 loss at Oakland was stunning. The Raiders showed they still have some life, particularly on defense, racking up six sacks of Donovan McNabb.
This was an Oakland team that for the first time in franchise history had lost three consecutive games by at least 20 points each. This time, quarterback JaMarcus Russell got the ball into the right hands, those of tight end Zach Miller, who scored on an 86-yard catch and carry.
That was the only touchdown of the day in Oakland. Meanwhile, the Patriots had plenty of touchdowns to spare.
Tom Brady threw six scoring passes, an NFL-record five in one quarter, as the Titans went slip-sliding to their most lopsided defeat since they started playing as the Houston Oilers in 1960.
Hot potato: The Steelers and Browns had a 3:55 stretch in the third quarter that was both utterly memorable and forgettable.
In all there were five turnovers in rapid-fire succession:
4:09 remaining — the Steelers’ Ben Roethlisberger was intercepted.
2:38 — the Browns’ Derek Anderson fumbled. Steelers recovered.
1:50 — the Steelers’ Willie Parker fumbled. Browns recovered.
:21 — Anderson fumbled. Steelers recovered.
:14 — the Steelers’ Rashard Mendenhall fumbled. Browns recovered.
Hitting triple digits: Although he came into Week 6 leading the NFC in rushing, the Vikings’ Adrian Peterson had gone four games without rushing for 100 yards. He did that and then some Sunday, gaining 143 yards in 22 carries against Baltimore.
The Ravens, who had gone 39 consecutive games without allowing a 100-yard rusher, now have done so in consecutive weeks, first against the Bengals’ Cedric Benson and now against Peterson. Next is the Broncos’ Knowshon Moreno, the leading rookie rusher.
Winless wonderland: The 2-4 Redskins can place the blame in a lot of places when trying to explain their disappointing start, but they cannot point a finger at the schedule-makers.
In every game, the Redskins have faced a winless opponent: Giants (0-0 when they played), Rams (0-1), Lions (0-2), Bucs (0-3), Panthers (0-4) and Chiefs (0-5).
Cream Puff City: Before their game at New Orleans, the Giants had played the Bucs, Chiefs and Raiders in consecutive weeks. That terrible trio accounted for a combined 23 points.
The Saints scored 34 in the first half.
——–
sfarmer@tribune.com
