Sunday Rundown: So that's what he meant by 'blood and guts'

Sunday Rundown recaps the most important developments from the day's action and examines their significance moving forward. 

Steve Smith was handed his walking papers by Carolina Panthers general manager Dave Gettleman this offseason. Rather than pay the 35-year-old face of the franchise $7 million to remain with the team, the Panthers decided they would rather pay him $5 million to leave. 

Smith made them pay even more Sunday.

The NFL's most fiery player on a normal Sunday was on a special mission this week, promising "blood and guts." When it was over, Smith had dropped 139 yards and two touchdowns on his old team, leading the Ravens to a 38-10 victory. He personally outgained the Panthers offense 122-112 in the first half, and outscored the unit 12-7. 

After the game, Smith was in no mood to bury the hatchet with his former colleagues, saying the Panthers "didn't even deserve for me to spin the ball on them."

He added: "I'm 35 years old and I ran around them boys like they were schoolyard kids."

The Panthers aren't destitute at receiver without Smith, thanks in large part to the emergence of rookie Kelvin Benjamin, but it's hard to imagine this team wouldn't be in a far better position today with Smith on the roster.

As is often the case, there must be more to this story than we know. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport revealed a hint of the complexities at play Sunday morning when he reported Smith was displeased with Cam Newton's mental processing. 

If the Panthers were forced to make the call between a feuding Smith and Newton, they acted in the only manner they reasonably could. The decision sure hurts right now, though.

As Smith would say, ice up.

Raiders' problems run much deeper than Allen

The latest reports suggest Oakland Raiders head coach Dennis Allen may be fired when his team returns home from London. On the heels of a fourth straight loss, this one far more embarrassing than the first three, it's probably a necessary decision and likely an inevitability even if it doesn't happen this week. 

It will be a mistake if Reggie McKenzie doesn't follow Allen out the door after the season. This is the man who traded two draft picks and committed $6.5 million in guaranteed money to acquire Matt Flynn, only to cut him after one start, then followed up that blunder by trading a draft pick and committing millions more to acquire Matt Schaub. Schaub has yet to start a game for the Raiders. 

In between, McKenzie allowed Lamarr Houston and Jared Veldheer, probably the Raiders' two best players, to leave in free agency. He turned the most salary cap space in the league (by far) into Justin Tuck, LaMarr Woodley, James Jones and Maurice Jones-Drew – all players whose best days are behind them. Tuck, in particular, looks to be following the recent trend of players easing their way into retirement by spending a season or two with the Raiders.

Allen and McKenzie have to go, but it will be an even bigger mistake if the Raiders hire Jon Gruden to replace them and give him absolute power over football operations, but by some accounts that's a likely scenario should Allen and McKenzie depart. 

Raiders fans deserve better than this. They've suffered through more than a decade without a winning season. Sadly, until Mark Davis is no longer team owner, there's little reason to believe things will improve. 

49ers save season in second half

The Philadelphia Eagles entered their Week 4 game at San Francisco averaging 24.7 points scored in the second half of games this season.

The 49ers, on the other hand, had been outscored 52-3 after 30 minutes. 

So, of course, the 49ers found a way to blank the Eagles 13-0 in the second half Sunday, overcoming a 21-13 deficit and saving their season in the process. Just when we thought we had things figured out ....

The 49ers turned their fortunes around by finally becoming the team most expected them to be before the season. They played tough, opportunistic defense and pounded the ball on the ground. Frank Gore rushed for over 100 yards (119) for the first time this season and added a 55-yard touchdown reception.

There were some blips, like giving the Eagles the ball and a chance to win late, but 49ers defenders made big plays when they had to. A goal-line stand after the two-minute warning and an interception of Nick Foles with 40 seconds to play sealed the win.

This team is a far cry from the squad that came within inches of a trip to the Super Bowl. Injuries and a suspension have left the defense short on talent. The quarterback still doesn't seem to realize he can't always rely on his otherworldly athleticism. The coach might (depending on whom you ask) have one eye out the door.

But this is a team that, at 2-2, is still very much in the hunt for a division title. It's also a team that, having played in three straight NFC title games, knows the season is a marathon and it matters far more how you run the last mile than the first. 

Stray Thoughts

• Andrew Luck has eight touchdown passes against cupcake defenses in the past two weeks, but no quarterback is playing better than Philip Rivers. Rivers has completed better than 70 percent of his passes with eight touchdowns and no interceptions in the Chargers' past three games – all wins. Rivers is the NFL's MVP at the quarter mark. 
• What a day for rookie receivers picked in the first round. Sammy Watkins, Mike Evans and Kelvin Benjamin all scored touchdowns. Meanwhile, Odell Beckham Jr. has yet to see the field this season.
• Injuries left the Falcons so thin on the offensive line that they were forced to play tight end Levine Toilolo at right tackle. That doesn't happen often. 
• Nick Foles can't survive a full season of getting hit like this. We're going to see Mark Sanchez at some point.
• Remember when Cordarrelle Patterson was going to be Norv Turner's new Josh Gordon? It turns out that knowing how to run a pass route was a prerequisite. Patterson was invisible against the Falcons. 
• Quarterbacks with man buns are 0-1 as starters this season. That feels right. The Titans should be starting Zach Mettenberger, anyhow. 
• J.J. Watt has as many touchdowns this season as Calvin Johnson and LeSean McCoy combined. 
• Matt Asiata is by far the worst player ever to have two career three-touchdown games. 

Injury Ward

Recapping the day's most significant injuries. 

Teddy Bridgewater, QB, Vikings
Ankle injury. Reportedly minor.
Bridgewater rode a cart to the locker room but soon returned to the sideline. The Vikings were able to run out the clock without him. The rookie is tentatively expected to start on Thursday. 

Derek Carr, QB, Raiders
Sprained MCL and high ankle sprain.
Carr is expected to miss a month and perhaps longer with two significant injuries. It's unclear whether Matt Schaub (who's away from the team because of a family issue) or Matt McGloin will take over as starter. 

DeAngelo Williams, RB, Panthers
Ankle sprain. More tests planned.
This looked like a classic high ankle sprain. The Panthers can't afford to lose Williams with Jonathan Stewart battling a knee sprain and Mike Tolbert on IR-recall.

Stat of the Week