NFL 2025 Week 14 Recap
Dallas Cowboys at Detroit Lions was the Thursday night game. Both teams have high octane offenses, while the Dallas defense is a mess. The Cowboys came in having won 3 straight but were still on the brink of a lost season. The Lions desperately needed this home win to keep pace in a competitive NFC. Jake Bates hit a 38 yard field for the Lions and Brandon Aubrey answered from 57 for a 3-3 game. The Cowboys had to punt on 4th and 14 from their own one yard line. A 21 yard punt return had the Lions with a short field at the Dallas 42. On 2nd and 13 from the Dallas 34, Goff went to Amon-Ra St. Brown for 26. Gibbs ran for a one yard touchdown to make it 10-3 Lions. In the second quarter Aubrey hit from 42 to get the Cowboys within 10-6.
A key play came with the Cowboys facing 3rd and 21 from their own 47. A short pass was fumbled and the Lions recovered at their own 47. On 2nd and 17 Jared Goff went to Williams for 25. David Montgomery ran for a 35 yard touchdown to make it 17-6 Lions. Aubrey hit a 55 yard field goal with 50 seconds left in the half. Bates answered from 47 to have the Lions up 20-9 at the half. On the first play of the third quarter, Dak Prescott was intercepted and Barnes returned the pick 23 yards to the Dallas 14. Two plays later Goff went to TeSlaa for a 12 yard touchdown. The Cowboys were kicking field goals while the Lions were scoring touchdowns for a 27-9 Lions lead.
The Cowboys took over at their own 35. Prescott went to CeeDee Lamb for 32. Williams ran for 11. On 4th and 5 from the Detroit 9, Prescott went to Pickens for 7. Williams ran for a one yard touchdown to have the Cowboys within 27-16. A 52 yard field goal try by Bates to get the lead back up to 14 was blocked. Aubrey leveled a 63 yard field goal and Bates responded from 46 in the fourth quarter to make it 30-19 Lions. The Cowboys took over at their own 30. Prescott ran for 12 and Williams added 11. Prescott went deep to Flournoy for a 42 yard touchdown. Brian Schottenheier went for 2 and Prescott hit Ferguson. With 10 minutes left in regulation, the Cowboys were only down 30-27.
A good kickoff return had the Lions taking over at their own 41. On 3rd and 6, the Cowboys were one defensive stop from getting the ball back with a shot at the lead. Instead Goff went to Williams for 29 with roughing the passer adding 13 more. Jahmyr Gibbs ran for a 10 yard touchdown to make it 37-27 Lions. The Cowboys moved to a 3rd and 3 at the Detroit 11 with 4 minutes left. Prescott threw incomplete. Needing 2 scores, Brian Schottenheimer played it safe. Aubrey hit from 29 to have the Cowboys within 37-30. Another great kickoff return had the Lions just shy of midfield. Goff went to St. Brown for 37. Gibbs ran fora 13 yard touchdown with 2:19 to play to ice the game. The Lions got to 8-5 while the Cowboys dropped to 6-6 on the year. 44-30 Lions
Seattle Seahawks at Atlanta Falcons — The Seahawks are very good. The Falcons are not. The first half was hideous except for people who love kickers. In the first quarter Zane Gonzalez hit from 35 for the Falcons and Jason Myers answered from 22. In the second quarter Gonzalez had his 50 yard try blocked. Gonzalez hit from 43 with one minute left in the half and Myers answered from 48 for a 6-6 game at recess. Special teams broke the game open as Rasheed Shaheed returned the second half kickoff 100 yards for a 13-6 Seahawks lead. The Falcons reached 3rd and 1 at the Seattle 18. Bijan Robinson fumbled and the Seahawks recovered at their own 12. On 3rd and 2 Sam Darnold hit Shaheed for 6. Darnold went deep to Jackson Smith-Nigba for 30 and again for the 28 yard touchdown to make it 20-6 Seahawks. Kirk Cousins was intercepted to give the Seahawks a short field at the Atlanta 47. Myers hit from 37 to have the Seahawks up 23-6 after three quarters. The Falcons managed a fourth quarter field goal but never reached the end zone. The Seahawks added 2 more touchdowns as Darnold hit Cooper Kupp for an 11 yard score and Smith-Nigba for a 4 yard touchdown. The Seahawks are 10-3 on the year. 37-9 Seahawks
Pittsburgh Steelers at Baltimore Ravens — Both teams are 6-6 and fighting for the playoffs. This was your typical AFC North Steelers vs Ravens slobberknocker. Mike Tomlin and John Harbaugh have mirrored each other’s teams for years. Home field has never mattered. Stone age football wins these games. Tyler Loop hit a 36 yard field goal to have the Ravens up 3-0 early. The Steelers took over at their own 35. Aaron Rodgers went bombs away to DK Metcalf for a 52 yard gain. On 4th and 1 from the Baltimore 4, Tomlin went for it. Hayward took the direct snap for 2 yards. On 3rd and goal from the one, Rodgers got in for a 7-3 Steelers. The Steelers got it back and moved to a 4th and 3 at the Baltimore 5. This time Tomlin played it safe. Chris Boswell hit from 23 for a 10-3 Steelers lead. Lamar Jackson was then intercepted to give the Steelers the ball at the Baltimore 36. Rodgers went to Skowronek for 13. On 4th and 1 from the Baltimore 13, Tomlin initially played it safe. Boswell hit the field goal but a defensive personal foul on the kick caused Tomlin to take the points off the board. On the next play Kenneth Gainwell ran for a 6 yard touchdown to make it 17-3 Steelers.
The second half kickoff was short of the landing zone to set up the Ravens at their own 40. Derek Henry ran for 2 and 9. Jackson went to Bay Flowers for 9. On 3rd and 2 from the Pittsburgh 30, the defense jumped into the neutral zone. On 3rd and 8 from the Pittsburgh 23, Jackson threw incomplete but defensive illegal contact meant a new set of downs. On 3rd and goal at the 6, Jackson got in. The extra point was no good as the Ravens trailed 17-9. Boswell hit a 28 yard field goal in the third quarter to give the Steelers breathing room up 20-9. The Ravens soon faced 3rd and 1 from their own 38. Mitchell got around the end for a 55 yard gain. On 3rd and goal from the 4, Jackson went to Isaiah Likely for the touchdown to get the Ravens within 20-16.
The Steelers soon faced 3rd and 5 at their own 25. Rodgers went deep to Austin for 31. On 3rd and 4 from the Baltimore 38, Rodgers connected with Warren, who went all the way for the touchdown to have the Steelers up 27-16 late in the third quarter. Twice the Ravens reached the red zone in the fourth quarter. Twice they were denied the end zone. Loop hit fourth quarter field goals of 28 and 36 to have the Ravens within 5 points midway through the fourth quarter. The Ravens moved from their own 22 to a 3rd and 2 at the Pittsburgh 5 with 2 1/2 minutes left. Derrick Henry got blown up for a 3 yard loss. Rather than kick a field goal to get within 27-25, John Harbaugh went for it. Jackson threw incomplete. he Ravens took their timeouts on defense and got the ball back at their own 26 just past the 2 minute warning. They moved to a 3rd and 1 at the Pittsburgh 30 with 9 seconds left. Yet they needed a touchdown rather than a field goal. The relatively short Hail Mary never happened as Jackson was sacked. The Steelers are 7-6 while the 6-7 Ravens have lost 2 straight division games at home. 27-22 Steelers
Tennessee Titans at Cleveland Browns — The Browns are one of the worst teams in the league but the Titans are the very worst, having won only one game. A strong kickoff return had the Titans starting at their own 47. On 3rd and 10 Cam ward went to Spears for 24. On 3rd and 6 from the Cleveland 25, Ward hit Okonkwo for 9. Ward found Ayamanor for a 14 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Titans. An interception of Ward gave the Browns a short field at the Tennessee 39, One play and 13 seconds after a touchback, Pollard gave the Titans a 14-3 lead with a 65 yard touchdown run.
The ensuing kickoff went out of bounds to set the Browns up at their own 40. Shedeur Sanders went to Judkins for a 58 yard gain. On 3rd and goal at the one, Sanders hit David Njoku for the touchdown to get the Browns within 14-10. The Browns got it back at their own 26. Sanders ran for 14. Sanders then went bombs away to Jerry Jeudy for a 60 yard touchdown to put the Browns up 17-14.
Late in the third quarter an interception of Sanders set up the Titans at the Cleveland 38. Pollard ran for 6 and then for the 3 2yard touchdown to put the Titans back in front 21-17 after three quarters. A Cleveland fumble with 11 minutes left in regulation was picked up Gray and returned 19 yards to give the Titans 1st and goal at the Cleveland 8. On 3rd and goal at the 5, Ward went to Dike for the touchdown to have the Titans up 28-17 with 9 1/2 minutes left. The Browns then punted and the Titans blocked it, setting up yet another short field for the Titans at the Cleveland 29. Joey Slye hit a 41 yard field goal to have the Titans up 31-17 with 6:17 to play.
The Browns took over at their own 34. On 3rd and 5, Sanders threw incomplete but defensive unnecessary roughness meant 15 yards. Sanders hit Fannin for 17 and Larvadain for 14. Sanders ran for a 7 yard touchdown with 4 1/2 minutes left. Unfortunately for the Browns, Kevin Stefanski decided to go with analysts instead of common sense. A recent trend has teams down by 14 scoring a touchdown and going for 2 to cut the gap to 6. Then somehow they get another touchdown and win by one point. This never works. This never, ever works. Coaches end up chasing points and losing. Just kick the bloody extra point. Sanders took the 2 point try himself and fumbled the ball away as the Browns trailed 31-23.
The Browns got the ball back at their own 20 with 2:43 left. Sanders hit Fannin for 13. On 3rd and 4 from the Tennessee 46 at the 2 minute warning, Sanderson hit Sampson for 31. Sanders hit Sampon for a 7 yard touchdown with one minute left. Now the Browns and to go for 2 just to tie the game. Had they not gone for 2 earlier they could have gone for the win this time or even an extra point for a tie. Fire every analysts guy in the league and anyone who listens to them. Making matters worse, with the game on the line, Stefanski went with a halfback option pass. It fell incomplete and the Browns lost. 31-29 Titans
Indianapolis Colts at Jacksonville Jaguars — A pair of 8-4 teams battled for first place in the AFC South. On the Colts first play from scrimmage, Daniel Jones was intercepted to set up the Jaguars at the Indianapolis 21. Lawrence went to Thomas for 18. Travis Etienne ran for a 3 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Jaguars. The colts took over at their own 24. Jones went to Pittman for 16. Jones went to Pierce for 17 and Warren for 13. Jonathan Taylor ran for a one yard touchdown for a 7-7 game. The Jaguars soon faced 3rd and 5 at their own 31. Lawrence went to Thomas for 39 and to Strange for 16. Lawrence hit Jakobi Meyers for a 14 yard touchdown to make it 14-7 Jaguars. Late in the first quarter Daniel Jones went down without being touched and stayed down. Grimacing in pain, Jones slammed his helmet repeatedly in frustration. His injured leg gave way and he may be done for the rest of the year. Riley Leonard played the rest of the way. In the second quarter Taylor fumbled and the Jaguars recovered at the Indianapolis 28. One play and 7 seconds later, the Jaguars led 21-7 after Travis Etienne ran for the touchdown.
Blake Grupe hit a 28 yard field goal for the Colts, but the Jaguars kept coming. On 3rd and 15 from their own 40, Lawrence went to Patrick for 37. On 3rd and 3 from the Indy 16, Lawrence gained just enough. On 3rd and 2 from the Indy 5, eyers gained 3. Lawrence went to Patrick for a 7 yard touchdown with 7 seconds left in the half to have the Jaguars up 28-10. The second half was pointless. The Colts managed a third quarter field goal. In the fourth quarter the Jaguars added a pair of field goals sandwiched around a safety for a 36-13 Jaguars lead. The Colts got one garbage touchdown but they lost the game and most likely their quarterback. The Jaguars gained sole possession of first place in the division. 36-19 Jaguars
Washington Commanders at Minnesota Vikings — Both teams had great seasons last year and fell apart this year. The Vikings began at their own 39. JJ McCarthy went to Sims for 9, to TJ Hockenson for 10, to Nailor for 9, and to Oliver for an 18 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Vikings. The Commanders mounted a very long 15 play drive that moved 83 yards and took 8 1/2 minutes off the clock. On 2nd and goal at the 2, a run went nowhere and Jayden Daniels then threw incomplete. Dan Quinn gambled. On 4th and goal at the 2, Daniels threw incomplete again as the Commanders came up snake eyes. The Vikings soon faced 3rd and 6 from their own 6. McCarthy ran for 7. The second quarter began with McCarthy hitting Naylor for 9. Mason ran for 12 and 4. On 3rd and 9 from their own 37, McCarthy found Naylor for 12. On 3rd and 8 just past midfield, McCarthy found Addison for 21. On 3rd and 12 from the Washington 30, McCarthy hit Justin Jefferson for 13. On 3rd and 1 from the Washington 8, Mason got around the end for the touchdown. This was the drive of the year. 19…yes, 19…plays. 98 yards. 12…yes, 12…minutes. The Vikings led 14-0. In the third quarter the Commanders moved 68 yards in 12 plays and 7 minutes. Yet on 4th and 3 from the Minnesota 19, Quinn gambled again and lost again as Daniels was intercepted. Van Ginkel returned the interception 40 yards to the Washington 30. Will Reichard hit a 45 yard field goal to make it 17-0 Vikings. Daniels went out injured and Marcus Mariota came in. Mariota was then intercepted. Smith returned it 11 yards to the Washington 37. McCarthy went to Jordan Addison for 20. McCarthy went to Oliver for a 6 yard touchdown to make it 24-0 Vikings. McCarthy hit Hockenson for a 2 yard touchdown in the fourth quarter to complete the shutout. 31-0 Vikings
Miami Dolphins at New York Jets — A pair of terrible teams played. The Dolphins began at their own 31. Jalen Waddle ran for 21 Devon Achane ripped off a 39 yard gain. Tua tagvailoa got hit as he threw but got it to Waddle for a 3 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Dolphins. The Dolphins got it back at their own 20. Tagovailoa went to Dulcich for 23, to Walker for 13, and to Waddle for 24. Achane ran for a 13 yard touchdown to make it 14-0 Dolphins. Tyrod Taylor was quickly intercepted to set up the Dolphins at the Jets 29. Tagovailoa went to Dulcich for 12. Wright ran for a 2 yard touchdown to make it 21-0 Dolphins still in the first quarter. For some reason, the remaining 48 minutes were played. The Jets managed a first quarter touchdown but this game was over. The Dolphins hit a second quarter field goal and the Jets managed a fourth quarter field goal. Gordon ran for a 7 yard touchdown to cap a 67 yard drive. The Dolphins tacked on one more field goal. 34-10 Dolphins
New Orleans Saints at Tampa Bay Buccaneers — The Saints are awful. The Buccaneers lead their division. A 54 yard kickoff return to start the game and the Saints at the Tampa Bay 45.Tyler Shough went to Vele for 16 and to Johnson for 12. Shough ran for 11. Neal ran for the 3 yard touchdown t make it 7-0 Saints. The Buccaneers soon faced 3rd and 5 at their own 38. The defense jumped into the neutral zone. On 3rd and 1 from the New Orleans 48, Irving gained 3. Mayfield went to Chris Godwin for 21 and to Irving for a 24 yard touchdown to make it 7-7. Chase McLaughlin hit a 41 yard field goal to have the Buccaneers up 10-7 at the half. A third quarter interception of Baker Mayfield was returned 10 yards to the Tampa Bay 47. Shough ran for a 34 yard touchdown to have the Saints up 14-10. The Buccaneers soon faced 3rd and 1 from their own 44. Tucker gained 6. Defensive pass interference added 28. Tucker ran for 13 and then for the one yard touchdown to make it 17-14 Buccaneers. Smyth hit a 30 yard field goal for a 17-17 game after three quarters.
In the first half both coaches kept going for it on 4th down and kept turning the ball over on downs. In the fourth quarter Todd Bowles gambled on 4th and 2 from the New Orleans 46. Mayfield threw incomplete. On 3rd and 10, Shough hit Olave for 12 and 10. On 3rd and 3 from the Tampa Bay 27, Shough went to Neal for 14. Shough somehow avoided a sack from 3 defenders and then scrambled all the way for a 13 yard touchdown for a 24-17 Saints. With 5 minutes left in regulation, the Buccaneers faced 4th and 12 at the New Orleans 19. Todd Bowles opted for the field goal. McLaughlin hit from 37 to get the Buccaneers within 4 points. The Buccaneers got the ball back at their own 20 with 1:48 left. With 1:26 left on 4th and 4, Mayfield hit Otton for only 3 yards. For the 5th time on the day, the Buccaneers failed to convert 4th down, dropping to 7-6 on the year. 24-20 Saints
Cincinnati Bengals at Buffalo Bills — Two years ago the Bengals went into Buffalo in a playoff snowstorm and won. The Bills are fighting for a playoff spot while the Bengals finally won another game when Joe Burrow returned from injury. The Bengals began facing 3rd and 5 from their own 38.
Burrow hit Tee Higgins for 10 and 12. On 3rd and 6 from the Buffalo 36, Burrow found Perine for 7. On 3rd nd 10 from the Buffalo29, Burrow hit Iosivas for 11. Brown ran for a 5 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Bengals. The Bills reached 3rd and 2 at the Cincinnati 5. Josh Allen lost 3 yards. Matt Prater hit a 26 yard field goal. The Bengals took over at their own 45. The second quarter began with the Bengals facing 3rd and 11 at the Buffalo 43. Burrow went to Mike Gesicki for 14. Burrow went to Higgins for a 21 yard touchdown for a 14-3 Bengals lead.
The Bills took over at their own 30. Allen hit Dawson Knox for 14. Sean McDermott gambled on 4th and 4 from the Cincinnati 45. Allen went to Gabriel Davis for 17. McDermott gambled again on 4th and 4 from the Cincinnati 11, Allen went to Shakir for the touchdown. McDermott went for 2 and Allen hit Knox successfully to get the Bills within 14-11. The Bengals took over at their own 31. On 3rd and 7 Burrow went to Gesicki for 13. On 3rd and 3 from the Buffalo 46, Samaji Perine gained just enough. A 33 yard defensive pass interference call meant 1st and goal st the 10. Burrow went to Brown for the touchdown to make it 21-11 Bengals.
The Bills began the third quarter at their own 25. Defensive pass interference added 19, On 3rd and 5 from the Buffalo 41, Allen ran for 16. On 3rd and 3 from the Cincinnati 36, Allen went to Cook for 27. Allen went to Dalton Kincaid for a 5 yard touchdown to get the Bills within 21-18. The Bills got it back at their own 28 and moved 70 yards in 12 plays and 7 1/2 minutes. On 1st and goal at the 2, Cook got the carry and fumbled the ball away for a touchback. The Bengals took over at their own 20. Perine ran for 9 and 5. In the fourth quarter on 3rd and 4 from the Buffalo 44, Burrow went to JaMarr Chase for 6. On 3rd and 6 from the Buffalo 34, Burrow went to Higgins for 18. Burrow hit Gesicki for a 12 yard touchdown. Every time the Bills got within 3, the Bengals got it back up to 10 as the Bengals led 28-18 with 9 minutes left in regulation.
The Bills took over at their own 32. Allen went to Shavers for 16 and to Kincaid for 12. Allen found a large hole and raced for a 40 yard touchdown. Every time the Bengals led by 10, the Bills got back within 3 a the Bills trailed 28-25 midway through the fourth quarter. The Bengals quickly moved from their own 33 to a 1st and 10 at the Buffalo 33. With 5 1/2 minutes left came the play of the game. Burrow’s simple screen pass went haywire. Christian Benford made a leaping block of the pass, aught his own deflection, broke an attempted tackle from Burrow, and somehow held off Chase for a 63 yard interception return touchdown. Just like that, rather than trailing by double digits, the Bills led 32-28. On the very next play from scrimmage, Burrow was intercepted again. The Bills took over at the Cincinnati 29. After going backward, Allen hit Knox for 31. On 3rd and goal at the 3, Allen hit Knox for the touchdown. 21 straight points in 5 minutes turned a double digit deficit into a double digit lead as the Bills led 39-28 with 3 minutes left.
The Bengals took over at their own 34. Burrow went deep to Gesicki for 37. On 3rd and 6 from the Buffalo 25, Burrow went to Higgins for the touchdown. The 2 point try failed but the Bengals were within 5 with 2:13 to play. Zac Taylor decided to kick it deep and trust his defense rather than go onside kick. Everything came down to the Bills facing 3rd and 15 at their own 25 with 1:54 to play. The Bengals were out of timeouts. One stop would give Burrow a chance to pull out a win. In this situation you run the ball every single time. Every…single…time. Allen looked around to throw but he was not going to risk an incomplete pass and a clock stoppage. Allen got loose and ran for 17 yards and the killer first down. The Bengals are all but eliminated while the Bills at 8-5 are in the thick of the playoff race after winning a thrilling football game. 39-34 Bills
Denver Broncos at Las Vegas Raiders — The Broncos came in 10-2 while he Raiders were 2-10. A few weeks ago the Raiders went into Denver and lost a brutal 10-7 slugfest. A blocked punt and a missed field goal killed the Raiders, who fired their special teams coach after the game. A couple weeks later they fired offensive coordinator Chip Kelly and vowed to run the ball more. The rematch felt like a Broncos home game anyway. The Broncos began at their own 19. Harvey ran for 11. On the fourth play from scrimmage the Broncos faced 3rd and 2 from their own 38. Then came a play that symbolized the entire season for both teams. Bo Nix threw a backward swing pass to Harvey that saw Harvey immediately get belted for what should have been a big loss. Yet football is about blocking and tackling, and the Raider do neither. Despite being hit dead t rights, Harvey broke a pathetic tackle attempt and gained 3 for a first down. On 2nd and 13, Nix hit Cortland Sutton for 14. Harvey ran for 15. On 3rd and goal at the 8, Nix scrambled up the middle for the touchdown to cap the 14 play, 81 yard drive to make it 7-0 Broncos.
The Raiders took over at their own 30. Geno Smith hit Thomas for 12 and Tre Tucker for 13. On 3rd and 3 from the Denver 35, Smith went to Thomas for 5. Smith found Brock Powers for a 15 yard touchdown. For the second week in a row, the Raiders tied a superior opponent 7-7. For the umpteenth straight week, the Raiders offense got their one early touchdown and then took much of the rest of the game off. The Raiders got it back and had to punt on 4th and 15 at their own 6. Marvin Mims received it and was immediately swarmed by 3 Raiders. Yet none of them bothered to tackle Mims, who escaped all of them, got to the sideline, and raced for a 48 yard touchdown. The Broncos led 14-7. With 7 seconds left in the half the Raiders had 4th and 3 at their own 48. Going for the Hail Mary is fine but gent Smith makes too many dumb decisions. As he was being swarmed by an offensive line unable to block anyone, all he had to do was throw the ball somewhere, anywhere. Intentional grounding would not hurt if the clock ran out. Instead, Smith was sacked with 2 seconds left. That gave the Broncos a chance at a Hail Mary of their own. The Raiders were lucky that Nix’s well thrown ball barley fell incomplete.
The Raiders got the ball to start the third quarter and did nothing. The Broncos took over at their own 9 and mounted a drive even longer than their first drive. Nix hit Prentice for 13. On 2nd and 18 from their own 29, a mindless defensive facemask on Jamal adams gifted he Broncos a new set of downs. Adams was the one with the early missed tackle that led to the Broncos first touchdown rather than a punt. On 3rd and 1 from the Raiders 32, Prentice gained 18. On 3rd and 4 from the Raiders 8, Nix hit Harvey fr 5. Harvey ran for a 3 yard touchdown. The Raiders are bad at all 3 phases of football, and the Broncos had 3 touchdowns to show for it with a 21-7 Broncos lead. Their drive was 14 plays, 91 yards, and took 9 minutes off the clock. The Raiders got a ray of hope when Smith left the game injured and Kenny Pickett moved the Raiders to a 4th and goal at the 5. Pete Carroll went for it and Pickett threw incomplete. The Broncos then imposed an even more humiliating drive on the defense. 19…yes, 19…plays. 90 yards. Over 10…yes, over 10 minutes off the clock. On 4th and 3 from the Raiders 5, Sean Payton opted for the field goal in what can only be described as an odd case of Christmas mercy. Wil Lutz hit from 23 to make it 24-7 Broncos.
After 56 minutes of mostly miserable football, the Raiders decided to pad the stats and make the score look close. They quickly moved 65 yards, with Pickett hitting Jackson for a 25 yard touchdown. The riders were within 24-14 with 2:17 to play. The onside kick failed. On 4th and 4 from the Raiders 28, Sean Payton decided to go for it rather than kick another field goal. Harvey got stopped for no gain. The Raiders needed 2 scores. They need to quickly move down the field, get a field goal, recover an onside kick, and then try a Hail Mary. That has not worked in six forevers and a day. By the time the offense got in position and spiked the ball to stop the clock, only 5 seconds remained. Daniel Carlson hit the 46 yard field goal and the Raiders insisted one second remained. The officials disagreed. The game was over. The Raiders lost their 7th straight to fall to 2-11 while the Broncos won their 10th straight to get to 11-2. Right now the Broncos are the top seed in the AFC. The Raiders went from the 4th pick in the Draft to the 2nd pick. The game was nowhere near as close as the score indicated. 24-17 Broncos
Chicago Bears at Green Bay Packers — With game time weather in the single digits, the 9-3 Bears hoped to stay atop the NFC against the 8-3-1 Packers. The Bears were coming off a big road win at Philadelphia that silenced a ton of critics. A win here would silence them all. After a scoreless first quarter, the Packers began the second quarter at their own 20. Josh Jacobs ran for 7 and 5. On 3rd and 1 from their own 41, Jacobs gained 7. On 3rd and 2 from the Chicago 44, Love went to Whyte for 21. Love went to Watson for a 23 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Packers. Cairo santos hit a 33 yard field goal to get the Bears on the board. Yet Santos’s ensuing kickoff was short of the landing zone, setting up the Packers at their own 40. Love went to Musgrave for 12. Love then went bombs away to Melton for a 45 yard touchdown to make it 14-3 Packers.
In the third quarter the Bears took over at their own 36. On 3rd and 5 from the Green Bay 47, Caleb Williams hit Loveland for 10. Williams then went deep to Cole Kmet for 26. On 3rd and 1 from the Green Bay 2, Swift got the tough yard. Williams went to Zaccheaus for the touchdown. Ben Johnson went for a 2 post conversion and Monangai ran it in successfully to have the Bears within 14-11.The Packers took over at their own 37. Reed ran for 15. On 3rd and 3 from the Chicago 41, Love hit Watson, who pulled away from the defense for the touchdown to make it 21-11 Packers.
This time it was Brandon McManus who hit the ensuing kickoff out of bounds to have the Bears at their own 40. The Bears moved to a 2nd and 7 at their own 23. Williams threw incomplete twice. Santos hit the 41 yard field goal to have the Bears within 21-14. The Bears got the ball back at their own 17. On 3rd and 1 Monangai ran for 9. From their own 35 to start the fourth quarter, Monangai added 9 more. On 3rd and 1, Swift gained 7, 7 more, caught a pass from Williams for 8. On 3rd and 1 from the green Bay 25, Swift gained 8. On 3rd and 8 from the Green Bay 15, Williams went to Burden for 10. On 3rd and goal at the one, Williams hit Lovelace for the touchdown. The staggering 17 play, 83 yard, 8 1/2 minute drive had the game tied 21-21 midway through the fourth quarter.
The Packers took over at their own 35. Jacobs ran for 11. Love went to Reed for 18. On 3rd and 2 from the Chicago 28, Jacobs ran for 21. On 3rd and goal at the 2, Jacobs banged his way in to give the Packers the 7 point lead with 3 1/2 minutes left in regulation. The Bears took over at their 26 and moved to a 3rd and 1 at the Green Bay 14 with 35 seconds left. There was plenty of time to get the tie or even the win. A run went nowhere. On 4th and 1, both teams called timeout with 27 seconds left. With everything on the line, the Bears faked the run and went play action pass. Williams went to the end zone and Nixon intercepted him for a touchback. The Packers at 9-3 now lead the 9-4 Bears by half a game in the Black and Blue NFC North Division. 28-21 Packers
Los Angeles Rams at Arizona Cardinals — The Rams are a legitimate Super Bowl contender. The Cardinals are a mess. There were no surprises here. The Cardinals began at their own 33. Jacoby Brissett went to McBride for 27 and again for 18. Brissett then went to Wilson for a 19 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Cardinals. Then reality set in as the Cardinals took much of the remaining 57 minutes off. The Rams moved to a 1st and goal at the 8 but Matthew Stafford then threw three straight incompletions. Mevis hit the 26 yard field goal to get the Rams within 7-3. The Rams got the ball back at their own 26. Stafford went to Puka Nacua for 18 and again for 32. Corum ran for 7, 14, and for the 2 yard touchdown to make it 10-7 Rams after the first quarter. Ryland hit a 38 yard field goal for the Cardinals. With 8 1/2 minutes left in the half, the game was tied 10-10. After that the Rams blasted he Cardinals to pieces.
The Rams took over at their own 35. Stafford hit Williams for 9. Kyren Williams ran for 20. Stafford went to Nacua for 20. Williams ran for a 2 yard touchdown to make it 17-10 Rams. The Rams got it back at their own 8. Williams ran for 10. Stafford went to Davantae Adams for 10. Stafford went to Nacua for 28. Stafford hit Colby Parkinson for 14. On 3rd and 10 from the Arizona 28 with 12 seconds left in the half, Stafford went to Nacua for the touchdown. A close game was broken open as the Rams led 24-10. A 63 yard field goal try by Ryland was no good. The Rams began the third quarter at their own 26. Stafford went to Allen for 12. Corum ran for 17 and 4. On 3rd and goal at the 6, Stafford went to Parkinson for the touchdown to make it 31-10 Rams. An interception of Brissett set up the Rams at the Arizona 31. One play and 12 seconds was enough for Stafford to go to Nacua for the touchdown to make it 38-10 Rams. The Rams got it back at the Arizona 48. One play and 10 seconds was enough for Corum to run for the touchdown to make it 45-10 Rams in the fourth quarter. After surrendering 35 straight points, the Cardinals got one garbage touchdown. The 10-3 Rams are a legitimate Super Bowl contender. 45-17 Rams
Houston Texans at Kansas City Chiefs is he Sunday night game. The 7-5 Texans and 6-6 Chiefs came in both on the brink, two desperate teams just trying to survive. Kaimi Fairbairn hit a 35 yard field goal to have the Texans up 3-0 after the first quarter. The Texans began the second quarter facing 3rd and 9 t their own 11. CJ Stroud threw incomplete but defensive holding kept the drive going. On 3rd and 3 from their own 23, Stroud found Dalton Schultz for 14. Stroud went bombs away to Nico Collins for 53. On 3rd and goal at the 9, Stroud went to Marks for the touchdown to cap the 10 play, 90 yard, 5 1/2 minute drive and make it 10-0 Texans. Late in the half Harrison Butker’s 43 yard field goal try doinked off the right upright no good. The Chiefs took over at their own 44 in the third quarter. Patrick Mahomes went deep to Malcolm Hollywood Brown for 35. On 3rd and 1 from the Houston 12, Hunt got the tough yard. On 4th and 1 from the Houston 2, Walrus Andy Reid went for it. Hunt got the first down and the touchdown to have the Chiefs within 10-7. Butker connected from 36 as this game was a 10-10 street fight after three quarters. The Chiefs were like a vampire. The only way to beat them is to drive the stake through the heart. Instead they had clawed back into it.
On 3rd and 6 from their own 42, Mahomes had a pass batted into the air and interception. The Chiefs got it back and faced 4th and 1 at their own 31. Walrus Andy Reid lost his mind and decided to go for it rather than punt and play field position in a defensive boneblack. Mahomes threw incomplete. On 3rd and 3 from the Kansas City 24, Stroud went to Higgins for 8. Ogunbowale ran for the 6 yard touchdown. The Texans led 17-10 midway through the third quarter. The Chiefs soon faced 4th and 4 at their own 41. With 5 12 minutes left, Reid gambled again. He lost again as Mahoems threw incomplete again. The Chiefs got it back at their own 8 with 3:45 left. On 2nd and 10, Mahomes threw to Kelce past the first down marker. There were 3 defenders near Kelce but the pass was perfectly thrown. Kelce bobbled it straight into the air. Al-Shaair intercepted it at the Kansas City 26. The Chiefs took their last timeout with 3 1/2 minutes left and the Texans facing 3rd and 5 from the Kansas City 21. Marks gained 6. Fairbairn came in for a 28 yard field goal try to lock up the win. Given how many miracles the Chiefs have pulled out over the years, a blocked field goal return for a touchdown was possible. Not this time. Fairbairn delivered the dagger. The Texans are 8-5, having won 8 of their last 10. The 6-7 Chiefs are clinging to life, currently out of the playoff picture. After 9 straight years of being AFC West Champs from 2016-2024, the steak was snapped as the division is now out of reach. 20-10 Texans
Philadelphia Eagles at Los Angeles Chargers was the Monday night game. A pair of 8-4 teams battled, although the eagles came in having lost 2 straight. The first half was hideous as both teams turned the ball over 3 times. The Chargers began facing 3rd and 7 at their own 23. Herbert connected with Vidal for a 60 yard gain. Hampton ran for 11. Herbert went to Hampton for an 11 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Chargers. The rest of the half belonged to the kickers. Jake elliott hit from 41 for the Eagles in the first quarter. In the second quarter, In the second quarter, Cameron Dicker hit from 45 and Elliott hit from 30. Elliott also missed from 48 to end the half. Dicker hit from 34 with 5 1/2 minutes left in the third quarter for a 13-6 Eagles lead. Elliott hit from 54 late in the third quarter to get the Eagles within 13-9. On the first play of the fourth quarter the Eagles faced 3rd and 1 at their own 48, Saquon Barkley got around the end and raced for a 52 yard touchdown to make it 16-13 Eagles. Dicker hit from 31 for a 16-16 tie midway through the fourth quarter.Elliott hit from 44 to have the Eagles back up by a field goal with 2:15 left. The Chargers had one timeout left plus the 2 minute warning. With 12 seconds left, Dicker came in for a 46 yard try to fore overtime. Dicker was good. In overtime, Dicker came in for a 54 yard try to give the Chargers the lead. Dicker was good again. The Eagles moved from their own 31 to a 1st and 10 at the Chargers 17 with 2 1/2 minutes left in overtime. A tying field goal would be only 35 yards, but there was plenty of time to methodically get the win. Instead under pressure, Hurts threw a ball that was tipped and intercepted. His 4th interception and 5th Eagles turnover meant the Eagles 3rd straight loss. 22-19 Chargers, OT