Across The Shield: Terry McLaurin Scores Twice, Ezekiel Elliott is Fed and Justin Fields Gets First Win As a Starter

Terry McLaurin, Curtis Samuel and Chase Young – especially McLaurin – played key roles in the Washington Football Team's 34-30 win over the Atlanta Falcons.

McLaurin finished the game with a team-high six catches for 123 yards and two touchdowns. None of Washington's other receivers had more than 25 yards.

SCARY TERRY. #WashingtonFootball

: #WASvsATL on FOX
: NFL app pic.twitter.com/DNiKT9896H

— NFL (@NFL) October 3, 2021

Trailing 30-22, McLaurin and Taylor Heinicke brought a little backyard football to the NFL.

Its a touchdown for #WashingtonFootball! @TheTerry_25

: #WASvsATL on FOX
: NFL app pic.twitter.com/WtIlIkBmrh

— NFL (@NFL) October 3, 2021

Samuel joined McLaurin on the field for the first time this season. Following his departure from the Panthers, Samuel made his WFT debut on Sunday. The slick receiver picked up a key first down for Washington in the third quarter.

Great route by Curtis Samuel on 4th down. Sells the shallow cross and sharply breaks back outside. Wide open, easy throw for a conversion. pic.twitter.com/TW9U8mZ8BC

— Mark Bullock (@MarkBullockNFL) October 3, 2021

Samuel caught all four of the passes thrown his way and finished with 19 yards.

First win as a starter for Fields

What a difference a week makes. Coming off of a rough outing in Cleveland, Justin Fields put in a solid performance against the Detroit Lions. The Soldier Field partisan fans had to be pleased with Fields completing 11 of his 17 passes for 209 yards (with one interception) to lead the Bears to a 24-14 win.

Darnell Mooney was Fields' favorite receiver on the day as the two connected five times for 125 yards, including this spectacular 64-yard strike.

JUSTIN FIELDS. DIME. #DaBears

: #DETvsCHI on FOX
: NFL app pic.twitter.com/W8Geyu5BuR

— NFL (@NFL) October 3, 2021

Later in the game, Fields lasered a pass to Allen Robinson into a tight window for a 28-yard gain.

Fields delivers a strike to Allen Robinson. #DaBears

: #DETvsCHI on FOX
: NFL app pic.twitter.com/57V2p3tgcR

— NFL (@NFL) October 3, 2021

Following the 24-14 victory, the Bears improve to 2–2 and are in second place in the NFC North. Despite Fields’ success on Sunday, however, Bears head coach Matt Nagy continued to insist on Monday that Andy Dalton will return to the starting lineup once he's healthy.

#Bears coach Matt Nagy just confirmed that Andy Dalton is still the starting QB if healthy.

— Bryan Perez (@BryanPerezNFL) October 4, 2021

Feeding Zeke

Last Monday night, Ezekiel Elliott ran for 95 yards and two touchdowns against the Philadelphia Eagles. Against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, Jerry Jones’ $90 million dollar running back had an even bigger day as Zeke rushed 20 times for 143 yards and a touchdown.

Elliott eclipsed the century mark for the first time since December 2020 and had his highest rushing output since he ran for 151 yards against the Eagles on November 11, 2018.

This is @EzekielElliott territory. #DallasCowboys

: #CARvsDAL on FOX
: NFL app pic.twitter.com/6HutbQ6Mch

— NFL (@NFL) October 3, 2021

The 47-yard run below is Elliott's longest of the season.

Feed Zeke #DallasCowboys

: #CARvsDAL on FOX
: NFL app pic.twitter.com/qQcscWBsNL

— NFL (@NFL) October 3, 2021

Behind Zeke's legs, the Dallas Cowboys overcame a 14-13 halftime deficit and defeated the Panthers 36-28. Both teams are 3–1 and leading their divisions. 

Jenkins and Werner are tackling machines

The New York Giants overcame an 11-point fourth quarter deficit and escaped New Orleans with their first win of the 2021 season.  

Malcolm Jenkins and Pete Werner did everything they could for the Saints, but their combined 22 tackles were not enough in the 27-21 OT loss.

This is the funniest thing I've seen today.

Jabrill Peppers: BOOM! We want that ball! F*** EM

pic.twitter.com/H69uhlOONP

— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) October 3, 2021

Along with getting pissed off at Jabrill Peppers, Jenkins had 12 tackles. Werner tallied 10 tackles in his first start. They combined for 36 percent of the Saints’ 61 tackles in the game.

Burrow beats Trevor again

Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals kept Trevor Lawrence, Urban Meyer and the Jacksonville Jaguars winless. Burrow, the former Ohio State quarterback who went on to beat Lawrence in the national championship game as LSU's quarterback, completed 25 of his 32 passes for 348 yards and two touchdowns as he led the Bengals to a 24-21 victory over his former head coach.

Between his time with Clemson and Jacksonville, Lawrence has lost six games. Joe Burrow is now responsible for two of those defeats.

It wasn't all doom and gloom for Lawrence against the Bengals, as he got the best of former Buckeye defensive end Sam Hubbard early in the game.  

Ya gotta be quicker than that!#JAXvsCIN | #DUUUVAL pic.twitter.com/EjSButvHVN

— Jacksonville Jaguars (@Jaguars) October 1, 2021

As bad as it looked, Hubbard did not have his ankles broken. The Cincinnati native bounced back and finished with six tackles in the Bengals' win. 

Great stop by Sam Hubbard on second down and then an amazing Davis-Gaither PD to force the Jaguars to punt. pic.twitter.com/vc3Ua2S6ya

— Josh Kirkendall (@Josh_Kirkendall) October 1, 2021

The loss was the 19th straight for Jacksonville. Meyer lost for the first time in the state of Ohio since Baker Mayfield and Oklahoma beat the Buckeyes on Sept. 9, 2017.

Hopefully Meyer spent the weekend focusing on film and the Jaguars’ next opponent.

Roughing the passer?

Young was called for roughing the passer on Sunday even though the WFT defensive end backed off from laying the wood on Matt Ryan.

This is a terrible roughing the passer call on Chase Young. Young should have just made a proper tackle attempt, in fairness, but it was never roughing the passer pic.twitter.com/wOdpgJv22c

— Mark Bullock (@MarkBullockNFL) October 3, 2021

Atlanta's drive was given a second chance and the Falcons capitalized with a touchdown. 

Don't be surprised when Young destroys the next quarterback he faces in a similar situation. Chase might as well give the refs a legitimate reason for throwing the flag.

Bear sighting

With San Francisco leading the Seattle Seahawks by a touchdown late in the first quarter, Nick Bosa blew past Seattle's Duane Brown and dragged Rusell Wilson down for his fourth sack in as many games.

Bosa finished the contest with three tackles, a tackle for loss, three quarterback hurries and the sack below.

\_()_/

@NFLonFOX#SEAvsSF pic.twitter.com/klPyraySR8

— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) October 3, 2021

As impressive as Bosa's play was on Sunday, it wasn't enough to spur the 49ers on to victory. Seattle left Levi's Stadium with a 28-21 victory. 

Highlight Show

Need more Buckeye action from Week 4? The clips below should satisfy your needs.

Eli apple had some quality plays

With so much much negativism heard heard so far this season with no Bates, no Cheto, and Waynes in 1st game post injuries;
Apple got the tackle to setup the goal line stand and this 3rd-down pass breakup https://t.co/UPCbhVMSTh

— Craig F. Douglass (@C_F_Douglass) October 1, 2021

For a long time I wondered about why the Cowboys couldn't scheme people open well enough offensively. That TD to Blake Jarwin is a sign of scheme. Noah Brown took out two Carolina defender, giving Jarwin a free run into the end zone.

— Todd Archer (@toddarcher) October 3, 2021

. @Sam_Hubbard_ intro pic.twitter.com/Ye97rKaN8v

— Brian Hoyt (@OhioBrian) October 3, 2021

Tyquan Lewis!#INDvsMIA#MIAvsIND#ForTheShoe#FinsUp
via CBS pic.twitter.com/PQTpUL8Pp9

— Chris Shepherd (@NFLscheme) October 3, 2021Justin Fields showing LOVE to the kids after the win @justnfields (via simeon.kelley/IG) pic.twitter.com/rnoSs02HKo

— Overtime (@overtime) October 3, 2021

Nick Bosa says theres a little bit of luck associated with producing turnovers, says the #49ers just arent getting them now. #SEAvsSF pic.twitter.com/AfQtceKl6P

— Peter Panacy (@PeterPanacy) October 4, 2021

2120 Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard finish off Carolina with an option play and the Offensive Line gets to do the Landry shift to end the game. #CowboysNation #DallasCowboys #Cowboys #CARvsDAL pic.twitter.com/QDqxJZxGb6

— Dallas Cowboys Collaboration (@mailman_phil) October 3, 2021