What You Missed In The NFL: AFC West unbeatens, botched radio call, so much taunting

If the Chiefs win the AFC West for a sixth straight year, it likely won’t be as easy as a year ago.

The Chiefs won the West by a whopping six games last season, and they were the only division team with a winning record.

But through two weeks of the 2021 season, the Broncos and Raiders are both 2-0 and a game ahead of the Chiefs in the AFC West.

The Broncos beat the Jaguars 23-13 in Jacksonville for a second straight road win to start the season.

“We talk about how you win on Sunday by how we prepare during the week. And we’ve had two great weeks of preparation and of course we can always be better,” Broncos quarterback Teddy Bridgewater told 9 News.

“We get another opportunity next week, we play the New York Jets. At home. 2-0. That place is going to be rockin’ so looking forward to that.”

The Raiders improved to 2-0 by beating the Steelers 26-17 in Pittsburgh as Derek Carr threw for 382 yards and two touchdowns. That included a 61-yard bomb to Henry Ruggs that clinched the win.

“I’ve been clamoring about Derek Carr since I’ve been here,” coach Jon Gruden said. “Hopefully he gets some recognition for doing what he did today. He had some long drives, he was big again at the end of the game against two great defenses, two weeks in a row and a big reason why we’ve been able to win.”

A hot mic caught Gruden cursing at an official. Be warned, there is more than one F-bomb in this video:

Missed FG and radio call

The Chargers lost at home to the Cowboys, who made a 56-yard field goal to win 17-14.

Minnesota had a shot at winning on a late field goal in Arizona, but Greg Joseph’s 37-yard attempt was wide right as the Cardinals held on for a 34-33 victory.

For a few seconds, fans back in Minneapolis thought the kick was good, because that was the call from radio play-by-play man Paul Allen.

Allen did correct himself:

A botched punt

The Rams defeated the Colts 27-24 despite gifting Indianapolis a touchdown. LA was punting from deep in its own end when the snap hit a blocker and the Colts recovered in the end zone:

Lockett joins legends

The Titans beat the Seahawks 33-30 in overtime, but Seattle receiver Tyler Lockett, the former K-State star, had eight catches for 178 yards and one touchdown. That included a 63-yard touchdown reception.

The NFL noted he had a 69-yard touchdown catch in Week 1 and is the fourth player since 1990 with multiple touchdown receptions of at least 60 yards in his team’s first two games of a season.

The others: Steve Smith Sr. (2007), and Pro Football Hall of Famers Randy Moss (2005) and Jerry Rice (1991).

Multiple taunting calls

The NFL said it was cracking down on taunting this season, and fans saw that on Sunday.

A number of players were flagged, including Seattle’s D.J. Reed:

The Chargers’ Keenan Allen also was penalized:

And Buffalo’s Levi Wallace saw yellow: