NFL 2025 Week 11 Recap
New York Patriots at New York Jets was the Thursday night game. Bill “The Tuna” Parcells went from the Patriots to the Jets and Bill Belichick went from the Jets to the Patriots. Whenever Parcells played against one of his former teams, it was a “Tuna Bowl.” These were blood feuds. The tradition continued on this night. Aaron Glenn is a Parcells disciple while Mike Vrabel is from the Belichick tree. Yet the Patriots were the far better team and they were at home. This game had mismatch all over it. The Jets began facing 3rd and 1 at their own 37. Breece Hall gained 11. On 3rd and 4 from the New England 45, Justin Fields gained 14. On 3rd and 5 from the New England 27, Davis gained 7. On 3rd and 6 from the New England 16, Fields went to Mitchell for 10. Fields ran for a 5 yard touchdown to cap the 14 play 72 yard, 8 minute drive to make it 7-0 Jets.
The Patriots took over at their own 31. Defensive unnecessary roughness added 15. On 4th and 2 from the Jets 38, Mike Vrabel went for it. Drake Maye went to Douglas for 7. On 3rd and 3 from the Jets 24, Maye went to Stefan Diggs for 5. The second quarter began with the Patriots facing 3rd and 1 from the Jets 10. Henderson gained 3 and then ran for the 7 yard touchdown. Each team scored on their first possession as the 13 play, 69 yard, 7 1/2 minute drive meant a 7-7 game. The Patriots got it back at their own 17. Maye went to Hunter Henry for 23. On 3rd and 7 from their own 43, Maye found Henry for 12. Maye hit Mack Hollins for big gains of 19 and 20. Henderson ran for a 7 yard touchdown to make it 14-7 Patriots. The Patriots missed a field goal to end the half but got the ball in the third quarter at their own 31. Maye went to Hollins for 17 and to Diggs for 21 and 18. Maye threw a 6 yard touchdown to Henderson to make it 21-7 Patriots.
The Jets after a touchback tried to make a game of it. Fields went to Taylor for 7 and to Ruckert for 10. on 3rd and 6 from the New England 22, Fields went to Metchie for the touchdown. With 3 minutes left in the third quarter, the Jets were within 21-14. Yet in the fourth quarter the Patriots defense closed the door. Borregales hit field goals of 44 and 26, the latter set up by a Jets fumble. Just before the 2 minute warning the Jets faced 4th and 4 from the New England 15. Needing a touchdown to survive, Fields threw incomplete. he Jets fell to 2-8 while the Patriots are 9-2 on the year. 27-14 Patriots
Washington Commanders at Miami Dolphins was the Sunday early morning game from Madrid, Spain. These teams met in 2 Super bowls, each winning once. This game was not that significant, but the first ever game in Madrid was competitive. The game was tied 3-3 after one quarter and 6-6 at the half in a game deserving no more elaboration. A strong second half kickoff return had the Commanders beginning the third quarter at their own 41. Rodriguez had a pair of 12 yard gains. Marcus Mariota threw a 20 yard touchdown pass to Deebo Samuel to have the Commanders up 13-6 after three quarters. A field position game had the Dolphins facing 3rd and 7 at midfield. Tua Tagovailoa went to Washington for gains of 13 and 11. The Dolphins began the fourth quarter at the Washington 20. Tagovailoa went to Devon Achane for 9 and 7. On 3rd and goal at the one, Gordon got in for a 13-13 game. Both teams then turned it over on downs. With 15 seconds left, Matt Gay’s 56 yard field goal try to give the Commanders the win was wide right no good. On the first play of overtime, Mariota was immediately intercepted. The Dolphins took over at the Washington 33. Riley Patterson hit the 29 yard field goal to end things. 16-13 Dolphins, OT
Cincinnati Bengals at Pittsburgh Steelers — Earlier this year Al Michaels referred to the battle between over 40 quarterbacks Joe Flacco and Aaron Rodgers as the “Alta Caca (Old Fart) Bowl.” Yet the two gun-slingers put on a great game n Cincinnati that the Bengals won 33-31 on the final play. The rematch in Pittsburgh was a completely different game early on, as the defenses dominated. The Steelers began facing 3rd and 1 at their own 31, Heyward took the direct snap and gained 2. Aaron Rodgers then went to DK Metcalf for 17. Jalen warren broke off a 35 yard run. Rodgers went to Kenneth Gainwell for an 11 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Steelers. The Bengals soon faced 3rd and 11 from their own 28. Flacco went to Iosivas for just enough. On 3rd and 6 from their own 43, Flacco went to Iosivas for 7. Brown ran for 15. Flacco went deep to Tee Higgins for a 28 yard touchdown. Zac Taylor went for an unnecessary 2 point conversion try that failed as the Bengals trailed 7-6. The defenses dug in as Chris Boswell hit a 25 yard field goal to end the half for the Steelers. Yet Rodgers took a hard shot and suffered an injured hand on the drive. Mason Rudolph finished the game. In the third quarter Evan McPherson hit from 43 for the Bengals and Boswell answered from 30 to make it 13-9 Steelers.
The key play in the game came at the end of the third quarter. The Bengals were facing 3rd and 9 from the Pittsburgh 35 with a chance to take the lead. Flacco was intercepted by Duggar, who took the pic 74 yards the other way to pay dirt. The defensive touchdown gave the Steelers breathing room up 20-9. McPherson hit again from 48 with 9 1/2 minutes left in regulation, but after that the Steelers from their own 35 turned out the lights. On 3rd and 1, Gainwell gained 2. On 3rd and 11 from their own 45, Rudolph hit Warren for 20. Rudolph went to Gainwell for 28 and again for a 5 yard touchdown to make it 27-12 Steelers. One play after the kickoff, the Bengals fumbled and Pierre returned it 35 yards for the defensive exclamation point touchdown. A close game turned into a blowout. 34-12 Steelers
Los Angeles Chargers at Jacksonville Jaguars — In the playoffs a few years ago, the Chargers led 27-0 in the first half only to have the Jaguars win 31-30 on the final play. These teams have gone in different directions since then. This year has reflected that as the 7-3 Chargers took on a Jaguars team that has faded since a 4-1 start. Early on the Jaguars turned it over on downs, leading to a 41 yard Cameron Dicker field goal and a 3-0 Chargers lead. From their own 26, the Jaguars stormed back. Trevor Lawrence hit Mundt and Washington for 9 apiece. A 31 yard defensive pass interference penalty was followed by Tuten running for 11 and then the 4 yard touchdown to make it 7-3 Panthers. A second quarter interception led to another Dicker field goal, but the Chargers offense took the remaining 43 minutes off.
The Jaguars took over at their own 40. Tuten ran for 15. Liam Cohen went for it on 4th and 1 from the Chargers 36. Tuten gained 4. Lawrence found Mundt for 16. Travis Etienne gained 8, 6, and the 2 yard touchdown to have the Jaguars up 14-6 at the intermission. From their own 35 to start the third quarter, Lawrence hit Washington for 11. On 3rd and 12 from their own 44, Lawrence hit Jakobi Meyers for 21 and Patrick for 10. On 3rd and goal at the 6, Lawrence threw incomplete but defensive pass interference meant 1st and goal at the one. Lawrence got in to make it 21-6 Jaguars. In the fourth quarter the Jaguars pounded the Chargers into submission. A staggering 16 play, 76 yard drive took 9 1/2 minutes off the clock. Lawrence hit Patrick for a one yard touchdown. On the very next play from scrimmage, an interception of Herbert had the Jaguars at the Chargers 13. Two plays and 13 seconds from that spot, Etienne got in for the touchdown. 28 unanswered points completed the blowout. 35-6 Jaguars
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Buffalo Bills — A pair of 6-3 teams looked to rebound after losing last week. This was a pinball shootout thriller. An early interception of Josh Allen led to the Buccaneers facing 1st and goal at the 7. Yet on 3rd and goal at the 5, Baker Mayfield threw incomplete. Chase McLaughlin hit from 23 to make it 3-0 Buccaneers. A 61 yard kickoff return by Mecole Hardman had the Bills starting at the Tampa By 36. Sean McDermott went for it on 4th and 4. Allen hit Gabriel Davis for 7. On 3rd and 2 from the Tampa Bay 15, Allen gained 4. On 3rd and 1 from the Bucs 2, Allen got in. The Bills led 7-3, but the lead change was the first of many in what became an aerial show.
The Buccaneers took over at their own 31. Mayfield went to Shepard for 16. On 3rd and 2 from the Buffalo 41, Mayfield ran for 13. The second quarter had the Buccaneers facing 4th and 1 at the Buffalo 4. Todd Bowles went for it and Mayfield scrambled for the touchdown to make it 10-7 Buccaneers. The Bills soon faced 3rd and 6 at their own 33. Allen went to Palmer for 13. Allen went deep to Shavers for a 43 yard touchdown to make it 14-10 Bills. The Buccaneers took over at their own 34. White ran for 9 and 2. On 3rd and 12 from their own 43, Mayfield found Shepard for 14. Tucker ripped off a 43 yard touchdown run to have the Buccaneers up 17-14. With 1:08 left in the half, the Bills were pinned at their own 8. Allen went to Shavers for 20 with 15 more tacked on for roughing the passer. On 3rd and 5 from their own 48, Allen connected with Johnson for a 52 yard touchdown to make it 21-17 Bills. Yet 36 seconds still remained. The Buccaneers moved from their own 36 to a 2nd and 4 at the Buffalo 11 with 5 seconds left. McLaughlin’s 29 yard field goal try was blocked, but defensive holding gave him a second chance. He was good for 24 as the Buccaneers trailed 21-20 at the intermission.
In the third quarter the Bills fumbled a punt and the Buccaneers recovered at the Buffalo 43. Tucker ran for 14. On 3rd and 3 from the Buffalo 14 Mayfield ran for 8. Tucker ran for a 6 yard touchdown. Todd Bowles went for 2 and Mayfield was sacked. Yet the 6th lead change of the game had the Buccaneers up 26-21. A great kickoff return gave the Bills a short field at the Tampa Bay 46. They settled for a 39 yard Matt Prater field goal as the Bills trailed 26-24. Yet Mayfield was then intercepted by Bishop, who returned the pick 12 yards to the Tampa Bay 25. One play and 5 seconds later, Allen went to James Cook for the touchdown. The 7th lead change had the Bills up 31-26. The Buccaneers soon faced 3rd and 1 at their own 47. Tucker gained 4. On 3rd and 6 from the Buffalo 45, Mayfield ran for 8 as the third quarter ended. On 3rd and 1 from the Buffalo 28 to start the fourth quarter, Mayfield went to Tucker for the touchdown. The game’s 8th lead change had the Buccaneers up 32-31 after the failed 2 point conversion try.
The Bills took over at their own 19. Allen hit Cook for 18. On 3rd and 11 from their own 36, Allen found Samuel for 14. Allen went to Davis for 22 and to Dawson Knox for 23 more. Allen ran for a 5 yard touchdown. The NFL record for lead changes in one game is 11. The 9th lead change in this game had the Bills up 37-32 after the failed 2 point try with a full 9 minutes left in regulation. The Buccaneers faced 3rd and 2 from their own 39. Mayfield threw incomplete. The Buccaneers punted and the Bills took over at their own 15. Cook had a pair of 8 yard runs sandwiched around an 11 yard completion from Allen to Davis. Allen then went to Cook for 23.
With 3 minutes left on 3rd and 4 from the Tampa Bay 29, Allen completed a pass for a 2 yard loss. Yet a killer defensive facemask penalty gave the Bills a new set of downs. Allen ran for a 9 yard touchdown with 2 1/2 minutes left to ice the game. Allen showed why he is the defending league MVP, scoring 6 touchdowns. He threw for 3 scores and had 3 more on the ground. 44-32 Bills
Chicago Bears at Minnesota Vikings — An NFC North battle saw the surprisingly good Bears take on a Viking team that has regressed since last year’s 14-3 season. In Week 1 in Chicago, the Bears dominated for three quarters before the Vikings exploded for a 21 point fourth quarter and the win. Will Reichard hit a 31 yard first quarter field goal for a 3-0 Vikings lead. The Bears took ov er in the second quarter at their own 26. Caleb Williams ran for 7 and found Burden for 14 sandwiched in between runs by Swift of 8 and 6. On 3rd and 3 from the Minnesota 38, Moore got just enough. On 3rd and 1 from the Minnesota 16, Williams gained 3. On 3rd and 4 from the Minnesota 7, Monangai gained 6 and then got the one yard touchdown to make it 7-3 Bears. An interception of JJ McCarty was returned 23 yards by Byard to the Minnesota 25. Cairo Santos hit a 38 yard field goal to make it 10-3 Bears. Santos hit from 54 and 33 as the Bears had a 16-3 stranglehold after three quarters. Yet again, they did not put the game away.
Early in the fourth quarter, the Bears had to punt on 4th and 23 from their own 19. A 43 yard punt return by Price set up the Vikings at the Chicago 24. Mason did the rest, running for 8 and then for the 16 yard touchdown. The Vikings were within 16-10. For the Bears, this was a failure to close out the game, FCO1. The Bears moved from their own 35 to a 4th and 3 at the Minnesota 27 midway through the fourth quarter. Santos came in for a 45 yard try to give the Bears some breathing room. Santos was wide left no good. This was FCO2. With 3:15 left, the Vikings began their last chance at their own 18. McCarthy went to TJ Hockenson for 21. At the 2 minute warning the Vikings faced 4th and 4 at their own 45. McCarthy went to Jordan Addison for 5. This was FCO3. From midfield, McCarthy put on a clinic. He hit Justin Jefferson for 8, Hockenson for 11, Naylor for 16, and Addison for a 15 yard touchdown. For the Bears, this was FCO4. For the Vikings, they had a 17-16 lead with only 50 seconds left.
Devon Hester may be retired and in the Hall of Fame, but Devin Duvernay also knows how to return kicks. He returned the ensuing kickoff 56 yards to the Minnesota 40. With 4 seconds left, Santos came in for a 48 yard try for the win and redemption. With everything on the line, this time Santos snuck it just inside the left upright good. The Vikings fell from a 14-3 playoff team last year to 4-6 this year. The Bears are 7-3. They lead the NFC North. Yet their critics will rightly point out that they have yet to beat a team with a winning record. 19-17 Bears
Houston Texans at Tennessee Titans — The Texans started the season miserably but have come on strong in recent weeks thanks to their stout defense. For the second straight week Davis Mills had to start for the injured CJ Stroud. Last week Mills was awful as the Texans trailed by 19 points after three quarters. Then the Texans ripped off a 26 yard fourth quarter for a shocking win. The Titans are just dreadful. Yet much of this game was a defensive slog as Houston’s offense again looked awful for long stretches. Joey Slye hit a 56 yard field goal at the end of the first quarter and a 47 yarder in the third quarter as the Titans had the stunning 6-0 lead.
After a touchback the Texans finally got going. Mills hit Nico Collins for 18 and 14. Mills went deep to Higgins for 23. Mills found Collins for a 3 yard touchdown to put the Texans up 7-6. The Texans got it back at their own 14 and moved to a 4th and 5 at the Tennessee 23. Matt Wright hit from 41 to have the Texans up 10-6 after three quarters. Early in the fourth quarter on 3rd and 10 from his own 42, Cam Ward was sacked and Fumbled. The Texans took over at the Tennessee 42. Yet on 4th and 1 from the Tennessee 25 on the road, Demeco Ryans took no chances. Wright hit from 43 as the Texans led 13-6 with 12 minutes left in regulation.
With 5 minutes left, the Titans began their last chance drive at their own 5 yard line. They were not going to go 95 yards against Houston’s defense. On 3rd and 4Ward hit Helm for 6. On 3rd and 10 from their own 17, Ward threw incomplete but defensive pass interference meant an 18 yard gain. Ward ran for 20. With 1:55 left on 3rd and 16 from the Houston 46, Ward went deep to Okonkwo for 39. Ward found Jefferson for a 3 yard touchdown. With 1:35 left the game was tied 13-13. The Texans moved from their own 35 to a 3rd and 16 at their own 42 with only 50 seconds left. Mills went to Collins for 17. Marks ran for 9, 5 and 2. With 2 seconds left, Wright came in for a 35 yard field goal try to win it. Wright was good. The Texans had clawed all the way back to 5-5 on the year. 16-13 Texans
Carolina Panthers at Atlanta Falcons — The Falcons came in having lost 4 straight. The Panthers looked awful to start the season but have rattled off several wins since then. Earlier this season in Carolina, the Panthers blanked the Falcons 30-0. In this game the Panthers began facing 3rd and 2 at their own 35. Bryce Young went to Coker for 15. Dave Canales gambled on 4th and 2 from the Atlanta 42. Young hit Xavier Legette for 22. On 3rd and 5 from the Atlanta 15, Young hit McMillan for 11. Young found McMillan for a 7 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Panthers. After that the Falcons took over.
From their own 25, Michael Penix went deep to London for 30 and back to London for 41 more. Bijan Robinson ran for a 4 yard touchdown to make it 7-7. In the second quarter the Falcons got the ball back at their own 5. Robinson gashed the defense for big gains of 5, 19, 7 and 6. Penix found Mooney for 20. On 3rd and 1 from the Carolina 29, a run lost a yard but defensive holding meant a 5 yard gain. On 3rd and 10 from the Carolina 24, Penix hit Mooney for 12 and Robinson for 11. Robinson go the last yard to make it 14-7 Falcons. The Falcons got it bak at their own 41. Robinson gained 11. On 3rd and 8 from the Carolina 46, Penix found London for 9 and again for 22. Tyler Allgeier got the last yard as the Falcons led 21-7 with 1:41 left in the half. Yet after 3 touchdowns, the Falcons would not reach the end zone again. It was up to their defense to protect a 14 point lead.
Fitzgerald hit a 34 yard field goal to have the Panthers down 21-10 at the midpoint. The Panthers began the third quarter facing 3rd and 1 at their own 41. Rico Dowdle gained 2. Young hit Coker for 21 and then went deep to Leggette for a 36 yard touchdown. The unnecessary 2 point conversion try failed but the Panthers were within 21-16. The Falcons fumbled the ensuing kickoff to set the Panthers up at the Atlanta 32. On 4th and 1 from the Atlanta 8, Dave Canales gambled and Young was blown up for a one yard loss. The Falcons suffered a bigger blow when Penix left the game injured on the next drive. Kirk Cousins finished the rest of the game. The Panthers got the ball back at their own 21 and moved to a 4th and 6 at the Atlanta 16. This time it was Fitzgerald hitting a 34 yard field goal as the Panthers were within 21-19 after three quarters.
In the fourth quarter Dave Canales gambled again on 4th and 1 from their own 55. This time Young was blown up for a 5 yard loss. With the short field, Zane Gonzales hit a 52 yard field goal to have the Falcons up 24-19 with only 2:43 to play. The Panthers were down to their las gasp facing 4th and 4 at their own 41 with 1:54 left. Young went to Sanders for 10, to Tremayne for 11, and to Dowdle for a 28 yard touchdown pass. Young went back to Dowdle for the 2 point conversion as the Panthers led 27-24 with 90 seconds left.
A strong kickoff return had the Falcons takin over at their own 45 with 1:08 left. With 16 seconds left, Gonzalez came in for a 45 yard try to tie the game. Gonzalez was good as the game was tied 27-27. The Falcons got the ball first in overtime but lost a yard and punted. The Panthers took over at their own 30. A short pass from Young to Tommy Tremble saw him weave in, out, and around the entire defense for a 54 yard gain. Fitzgerald came in for a 28 yarder to win it. Fitzgerald was good. The Panthers swept the season series and have clawed their way to 6-5 on the year. For the Falcons, the loss was the tip of the iceberg. Penix had to be placed on injured reserve and is out for the rest of the season. 30-27 Panthers, OT
Green Bay Packers at New York Giants — These teams have had epic battles over the decades, but this game was not expected to be that. The Packers are a good team coming off a loss while the 2-8 Giants finally put Brian Daboll out of his misery. Offensive coordinator and assistant head coach Mike Kafka is the interim coach starting his very first NFL game as the head coach. Meanwhile, with Jaxson Dart out with a concussion and Russell Wilson playing badly, there was a Jameis Winston sighting. The Giants 3rd stringer who throws plenty of touchdown passes to both teams got his first start in awhile. The Giants began facing 3rd and 5 at their own 40. Winston does throw a great deep ball, and he hit Robinson for 20. Winston went to Hodgins for 20. Singletary ran for a 5 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Giants.
The Packers eventually faced 3rd and 1 at their own 47. Josh Jacobs gained 2. Melton gained 17. A couple plays later Jordan Love left the game injured. Malik Willis came in for the battle of the backups. On 3rd and 8 from the Giants 32, Willis gained 16. Jacobs ran for 6 and 5 to end the first quarter and for 4 more to start the second quarter. On 3rd and goal at the one, Willis found Watson for the touchdown. The extra point was no good but the 12 play, 62 yard, 7 1/2 minute drive had the Packers within 7-6. The Packers got the ball back with Love back in the game. On 3rd and 7 at their own 19. Love went to Watson for 12 and to Golden for 24. On 3rd and 8 from the Giants 43, Love found Romeo Doubs for just enough. Love found Doubs again for 22. Wilson ran for an 11 yard touchdown for a 13-7 Packers lead.
The Giants soon faced 3rd and 12 at their own 30. Winston found Tracy for 20. Tracy had a pair of 5 yard runs. On 3rd and 1 from the Green Bay 28, Winston gained 10. Defensive pass interference added 14. Singletary ran for a 2 yard touchdown. The extra point was no good as each team’s missed extra point had the game tied 13-13. The Packers began the third quarter facing 3rd and 1 at their own 43. Love hit Watson for 16. Defensive pass interference added 35. Love went to Whyte for a 2 yard touchdown. Another missed extra point had the Packers up 19-13 at the half. Then came a typical New York Giants drive. 16 plays. 56 yards. 10 minutes off the clock. On 4th and 3 from the Green Bay 10, rather than kick the field goal, Mike Kafka went for it. Winston was sacked.
The Giants got the ball back at their own 15 to start the fourth quarter. Another long drive took 15 plays and 8 minutes. On 3rd and 5 Winston hit Tracy for 20. Tracy ran for 5 and 8. On 3rd and 7 from the Green Bay 44, Winston hit Johnson for 14. On 4th and 2 from the Green Bay 22 with a full 9 minutes left, Mike Kafka again passed up a short field goal and went for it. This time Winston hit Hodgins for 13. Winston ran for a one yard touchdown to cap the 85 yard drive. Missed kicks had Younghoe Koo getting kicked out of Atlanta. Yet this time he made the extra point as the Giants led 20-19 midway through the fourth quarter.
The Packers took over at their own 35. On 3rd and 10 from their own 47, Love went deep to Williams for 33. Love went to Watson for a 17 yard touchdown. Matt LaFleur went for 2 and Love hit Wilson successfully. The Packers led by 7, but the Giants still had 4 minutes left. After a touchback, the Giants moved to a 3rd and 6 at the Green Bay 14 with 40 seconds left. There was plenty of time for Winston to be the hero. He went to the end zone and was intercepted by Williams for a touchback. The Giants actually got the ball back at their own 35, but only 10 seconds remained. Winston has a cannon of an arm. A Hail Mary could reach the end zone. Instead, Winston was sacked and fumbled the ball away. The Packers escaped to get to 6-3 on the year. 27-20 Packers
Seattle Seahawks at Los Angeles Rams — This is why we watch football. This NFC West showdown has a pair of 7-2 teams tied for the division lead. Last week Seattle blasted Arizona to pieces while the Rams went into the San Francisco and humiliated their hated rival. Early on the Rams turned it over on downs while the Seahawks saw Sam Darnold throw an interception. Kinchens returned the interception 31 yards to the Seattle 3 yard line. On 2nd and goal at the one, Corum got stopped twice. Sean McVay went for it. On 4th and goal at the one, Kyren Williams got in to make it 7-0 Rams. Jason Myers hit a 57 yard field goal for the Seahawks, but the Rams offense was hot early on. On 1st and 20 from their own 16, Matthew Stafford hit Tyler Higbee for 23. On 3rd and 3 from their own 46, Stafford hit Puka Nacua for 10. On 4th and 1 from the Seattle 35, Mcvay gambled again. Williams ripped off a 34 yard gain down to the one. Stafford went to Davante Adams for the touchdown as the Rams led 14-3 after the first quarter. The rest of the game belonged to the defenses.
The Seahawks gradually chipped away. Myers hit from 30 and from 22 in the second quarter and from 29 in the third quarter. All those trips to the red zone, and the Seahawks could not crack the end zone. Yet they only trailed 14-12 after three quarters. Yet late in the third quarter, Darnold’s third interception was returned 22 yards by Kinchens to the Seattle 25. On 3rd and 1, Williams ran for 10. Stafford hit Cody Parkinson for a 6 yard touchdown and a 21-12 Rams lead one minute into the fourth quarter. Darnold then threw his 4th interception. Yet the Rams did not close the door. With 6 minutes left the seahawks took over at their own 16. Darnold went to Walker for 23 and former Rams star Cooper Kupp for 9 and 7. Darnold found Jackson Smith-Nigba for 9 and ran for 8 himself. Datnold found Smith-Nigba for 13 and Kupp for 7. From the one, Walker got in. The Seahawks only trailed by 2 points with 2:23 left. Seattle’s defense held but a great punt pinned the Seahawks at their own one with 1:41 left. The Seahawks moved to the Rams 43 yard line with one second left. Myers came in for a 61 yard field goal try. He had hit from that distance in a previous game against the Rams. Yet this time his kick was wide and short as the Rams survived. A rematch of these teams in the NFC Title Game would be well worth the watch. 21-19 Rams
San Francisco 49ers at Arizona Cardinals — The 49ers have struggled in recent weeks, with a bunch of injuries taking their toll. They were beaten badly at home by the Rams last week. Yet after several weeks with backup Mac Jones, Mr. Irrelevant Brock Purdy was back on the field. Arizona is just awful, which has been the case for most of their existence that began in 1899. The 49ers exploded out of the gate. Moore returned the opening kickoff 98 yards, but not for a touchdown. He was caught at the Arizona one yard line. Christian McCaffrey got in on the first play from scrimmage to make it 7-0 49ers. The 49ers got it back and soon faced 3rd and 8 at their own 32. Purdy went to Jennings for 25, to Robinson for 13, and to George Kittle for a 30 yard touchdown. The extra point was blocked but the 49ers led 13-0.
The Cardinals soon faced 3rd and 3 at their own 35. Jacoby Brissett went to Wilson for 34. On 3rd and 1 from the San Francisco 8, Brissett gained 2. Knight ran for the 6 yard touchdown to get the Cardinals within 13-7. A 58 yard field goal try by Ryland to get the Cardinals within 13-10 was no good. The 49ers took over at their own 48. Purdy went to Jennings for 11. McCaffrey gained 14. From the Arizona 27 to start the second quarter, Purdy went to Kittle for 10. Purdy found McCaffrey for a 9 yard touchdown. Another missed extra point had the 49ers up 19-7. Ryland made a 26 yard field goal to get the Cardinals within 19-10. After that the 49ers slammed the door shut.
Pineiro hit from 48 and 47 in the second quarter and from 47 in the third quarter to have the 49ers up 28-10. Turnovers killed the Cardinals, and an interception of Brissett was returned 64 yards by Lenoir to the Arizona 14. On 3rd and goal at the 4, Purdy went to Kittle for the touchdown to have the 49ers cruising up 35-10 after three quarters. The Cardinals managed a pair of garbage touchdowns in the fourth quarter, but sandwiched in between them was another 4 yard touchdown run by McCaffrey. Purdy is clearly Mr. Relevant. As for Brissett, he set an NFL record in the loss with 47 completions. He finished 47 of 57 for 452 yards with 2 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. 41-22 49ers
Baltimore Ravens at Cleveland Browns — The Ravens started 1-5 after suffering a hail of injuries. Then Lamar Jackson returned and the Ravens won 3 straight. The Browns have a decent defense and no offense. Tyler Loop hit a 25 yard field goal for the Ravens and Szmyt responded from 30 for a 3-3 game after the first quarter. Szmyt hit from 24 in the second quarter for a 6-3 Browns lead. Jackson was then intercepted by Bush, who returned the pick 23 yards to pay dirt the other way. Midway through the second quarter, the Browns had a surprising 13-3 lead.
The Ravens took over at their own 37. Derrick Henry ran for 9 and 6. Jackson went deep to Bay Flowers for a 45 yard gain. On 3rd and goal at the 3, the Browns jumped into the neutral zone. From the one, Henry got in to have the Ravens within 13-10. Szmyt hit a 46 yarder as the Browns took a 16-10 lead to the locker rooms. Yet when the second half began, the Browns fans thought they had a different reason to cheer for all the wrong reasons. Dillon Gabriel was injured. It was time for the Shedeur Sanders era to begin. For those who tried hard to forget, Shedeur is the trash talking son of Hall of Fame Deion “Prime Time” Sanders. Yet Prime backed it up on the field. Shedeur slid from being the top overall pic in the Draft to a 5th round selection. Critics said he was just not that good. He kept squawking. Now it was time to see if Shedeur Sanders was more Otto Graham or more Johnny Manziel. He had a lead and just needed to manage the game.
On his first drive on 3rd and 8 from his own 27, Sanders was sacked for an 11 yard loss. On his next drive on 3rd and 10 from his own 17, Sanders was intercepted. The Browns defense got the ball back by intercepting Jackson. The third quarter was scoreless. The next Browns drive had them facing 3rd and 6 from their own 39. Sanders was sacked for a 14 yard loss. The Ravens took over at their own 32. Although Henry ripped off a 59 yard gain, the Dawg Pound managed to hold the Ravens to a 24 yard field goal and a 16-13 Ravens deficit. The Ravens got the ball back at their own 20 and moved to the Cleveland 26. Loop hit from 44 as the game was tied 16-16 with 5 minutes left. Sanders still had a chance to be a hero.
After a pair of incompletions, on 3rd and 10 from his own 20, Sanders was flagged for a 15 yard intentional grounding penalty. The Browns punted on 4th and 25 from their own 5. A short 39 yard punt gave the Ravens the ball at the Cleveland 44. With 2 1/2 minutes left in a tie game, the Ravens faced 4th and 1 from the Cleveland 35. John Harbaugh went to his bag of tricks. Unlike Philadelphia, Baltimore does not do the tush push to protect Jackson. It’s a violent play. Last week tight end Mark Andrews lined up under center and handed the ball off. This week at the biggest moment in the game, Andrews lined up under center again. Yet rather than go up the middle, Andrews ran a naked bootleg that fooled everyone and went for the touchdown.
The Browns trailed by 7 but still had 2 1/2 minutes to try and win the game. After a touchback, Sanders threw his best pass of the day, a 25 yard completion to Fannin. On 3rd and 10 from the Baltimore 40, Sanders went to Jerry Jeudy for just enough. Yet on 2nd and 5 from the Baltimore 25 with 1:!5 left, Sanders threw 3 straight incompletions. Sanders finished a miserable 4 of 16 for 47 yards, 0 touchdowns and one interception. He was still yapping in his postgame press conference. The bottom line is he played terribly. Meanwhile, the Ravens have won 4 straight and are now a 5-5 team clearly in the thick of things. 23-16 Ravens
Kansas City Chiefs at Denver Broncos — After 9 straight AFC West crowns, the Chiefs iron grip on the division seems to be weakening. After a slow start, they won some games to get to 5-4. Yet the Broncos are 8-2. Patrick Mahomes and Bo Nix can both sling it, but Denver’s defense has been lights out. The first half was all field goals. Wil Lutz hit first quarter field goals of 29 and 24 for a 6-0 Broncos lead. The second field goal came despite the Broncos taking over at the Kansas City 11 after a 70 yard Marvin Mims punt return. Harris Butker hit from 31 in the first quarter and from 31 again in the second quarter for a 6–6 tie at halftime. The latter kick came after a 16 play, 77 yard, 9 1/2 minute drive could not garner a touchdown.
In the third quarter the Chiefs moved from their own 32 to a 3rd and 14 at the Denver 21. Then came a key play in the game. Mahomes rolled out and threw an interception to McMillan. The Broncos took over at their own 11. On 3rd and 8 from their own 25, Nix went to Franklin for 35 and to Cortland Sutton for 13. On 3rd and 2 from the Kansas city 19, Nix found Harvey for 11. McLaughlin ran for the 4 yard score to cap the 89 yard drive as the game’s first touchdown had the Broncos up 13-6 with 4 minutes left in the third quarter. The chefs soon faced 3rd and 7 at their own 28. Mahomes went deep to Thornton for 61. On 3rd and 1 from the denver 2, Karim Hunt got in. After three quarters, the game was deadlocked again 13-13.
The Broncos took over at their own 20. Nix immediately went deep to Bryant for 48. Yet the drive died at the red zone. Lutz hit from 38 for a 16-13 Broncos lead with 13 minutes left in regulation. The Chiefs took over at their own 27. Hunt ran for 11. On 3rd and 20 from their own 28, Mahomes went deep and drew a 47 yard defensive pass interference penalty. On 3rd and 6 from the Denver 21, Mahomes found Travis Kelce for the touchdown. Butker’s extra point try was blocked as the Chiefs led 19-16 with 10 minutes left. A field position game had the Broncos taking over at their own 45 with 6 1/2 minutes left. Lutz nailed a 54 yard field goal for a 19-19 tie with 4 minutes left. Mahomes had the ball and the chance to be the hero for the billionth time. Yet this time he threw a pair of incompletions and on 3rd and 10 was sacked for an 11 yard loss. The Broncos got the ball at their own 26 with 3 minutes left. Nixon hit Sutton for 20. With one minute left from the Kansas City 47, Nix went deep to Franklin for 32. That was the difference. Lutz came in for a 35 yard try with 3 seconds left. His kick was good. The Broncos are 9-2 and he Chiefs are 5-5 and in deep trouble. 22-19 Broncos
Detroit Lions at Philadelphia Eagles was the Sunday night game. In another potential blockbuster, the defending champions hosted last season’s team with the best regular season record. The 6-3 Lions offense was as potent as ever while the 7-2 Eagles were winning ugly. Yet one week after the Eagles won a brutal 10-7 game at Green Bay, this game was just as tough and nasty. An early interception of Jared Goff set up the Eagles at the Detroit 11. The Eagles settled for a 27 yard Jake Elliott field goal and a 3-0 Eagles leaf. Dan Campbell gambles have been the stuff of lore, but on this day he came up snake eyes. The Lions turned it over on downs twice in the second quarter. The latter led to a 34 yard Elliott field goal to make it 6-0 Eagles. Yet the Lions can strike quickly from anywhere. From their own 26, Goff went deep to Amon-Ra St Brown for 34 and to Williams for a 40 yard touchdown. Unsportsmanlike conduct on Williams after the touchdown meant a 48 yard extra point try. Jake Bates missed it as the game remained tied 6-6.
The Eagles took over at their own 36. Jalen Hurts went to AJ Brown and Dotson for a pair of 9 yard gains. Bigsby gained 17. Hurts hit Brown for 11. From the one, it was tush push time. with 16 seconds left in the half, Hurts got in to make it 13-6 Eagles. In the third quarter on 3 straight drives, Dan Campbell gambled on 4th down. All 3 times, he lost. He even tried a fake punt that failed. In a brutally tough game with points at a premium, field goals would have made sense. Instead the wasted opportunities meant a scoreless third quarter. The last turnover on downs gave the Eagles the ball at their own 45. Elliott hit a 49 yard field goal to make it 16-6 Eagles with 10 minutes left. With 3 minutes left the Eagles faced 4th and 1 at their own 29. This time it was Nick Sirianni who lost his mind. With Barry Switzer watching in football heaven. Hurts’s tush push was stopped cold short. At the 2 minute warning, Bates hit a 54 yard field goal to get the Lions within 7 points.
With 1:51 left, the Eagles faced 3rd and 8 at their own 37. Hurts threw incomplete, but then a flag came down. The Lions were flagged for defensive pass interference, giving the Eagles a critical first down. The call was horrendous. The receiver and the defender were jockeying for position. Both of them were clearly playing the ball. If anything could have been called, it would have been offensive pass interference. With football fans around the world in shock and disbelief, the Eagles took the clock down. The Lions took their last timeout with one minute left. Everything came down to the Eagles facing 3rd and 8 at their own 47. A run would allow the Eagles to take the clock down to under 15 seconds. The Lions would need a miracle such as a blocked punt. The Eagles could refuse to punt and kill the final seconds. It never came down to that. Saquon Barkley ran for an 8 yard gain. The Lions did not get the ball back. The Eagles are 8-2 and the Lions are 6-4 on the year. Again, Dan Campbell was far too aggressive in this game, even by his standards. 16-9 Eagles
Dallas Cowboys at Las Vegas Raiders was the Monday night game. The Raiders have a decent defense and a horrendous offense. Their offensive line is a sieve and Geno Smith makes too many dumb decisions. The Raiders just fired their special teams coach after losing games by one point due to a blocked field goal and three points from a blocked punt and a missed field goal. The Cowboys have a potent offense but no defense. They can’t stop anyone. Something had to give. An early sack of Dak Prescott forced a fumble that set up the Raiders at the Dallas 11. Geno Smith on his first play took a sack. This is because Chip Kelly refuses to run the ball. This is because the terrible offensive line can’t block. Daniel Carlson hit a 35 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Raiders. Brandon Aubrey hit from 50 and Carlson answered from 45. That was set p by the Raiders reaching 1st and 10 at the Dallas 17 before Smith was sacked again. Again, Chip Kelly won’t run the ball and the offensive line can’t block. The Raiders led 6-3 after the first quarter, but then reality set in.
The Cowboys took over at their own 32. Prescott went to George Pickens for 19 and 15. Williams ran for 10. The second quarter began with Prescott hitting CeeDee Lamb for an 18 yard touchdown to make it 10-6 Cowboys. The Cowboys got it back at their own 21. Prescott hit Pickens for 11. On 3rd and 3 from their own 39, Prescott hit Lamb for 14 and agin for 23. On 4th and 1 from the Raiders 5, Brian Schottenheimer went for it. Prescott went to Ferguson for the touchdown to cap the 12 play, 79 yard, 6 1/2 minute drive and make it 17-6 Cowboys. The Raiders moved to the Dallas 31. Smith then went deep and was intercepted by Bell, who returned the pick 24 yards to his own 31. On 3rd and 11 at the 2 minute warning, Prescott threw incomplete but defensive pass interference meant a 22 yard gain. Williams ran for 16. Prescott went to Pickens for a 37 yard touchdown to make it 24-6 Cowboys with 1:10 left in the half. For some reason, the rest of the game was played.
The Raiders reached a 2nd and 5 at the Dallas 30 with 14 seconds left. Naturally, Smith threw incomplete twice. Carlson hit from 38 as the Raiders trailed 24-9. Chip Kelly only called 4 running plays in the entire first half. He began the third quarter by calling a run that lost 3 yards. He then abandoned the run and Smith threw incomplete again. The Cowboys took over at their own 20. On 3rd and 4 from their on 37, Prescott went to Pickens for 21 and to Luke for 12. Prescott hit Pickens for 17. Prescott found Flournoy for a 2 yard touchdown to cap the 12 play, 80 yard, 7 minute drive and make it 31-9 Cowboys. NFL rules do not allow games to be called for mismatch.
The Raiders actually managed a 14 play, 62 yard, 8 minute drive. Smith hit Tre Tucker for a 6 yard touchdown 90 seconds into the fourth quarter. The Raiders defense forced a stop as the Raiders had a ray of hope down 31-16. That hope quickly evaporated as a great punt pinned them at their own one yard line. First came a false start. Then came a deep handoff to Ashton Jeanty, who was gang tackled in the end zone for a safety to have the Cowboys up by 17. The Raiders tried to go onside kick on the free kick, which failed. The Cowboys took another 8 minutes off the clock and reached a 4th and 1 at the Raiders 4. With the chance for a 40 burger, Brian Schottenheimer went for it. Prescott had a wide open Lamb in the flat. There was no defender within a mile of Lamb. Lamb dropped the ball.
With 4 minutes left in regulation, it did not matter. The Raiders offensive line can’t block, Chip Kelly won’t run the ball, Geno Smith has no pocket presence. Wash, rinse, repeat. The Raiders even went for it on 4th and 1 from their own 14. Smith was sacked. The Raiders even received a penalty for 12 men on the field when the Cowboys were trying to take a knee. Chip Kelly called 46 pass plays and only 11 runs. The Raiders had a net total of 28 yards rushing. The Cowboys still have a losing record but the Raiders are a miserable 2-8. 33-16 Cowboys