THE TYGRRRR EXPRESS

Before getting to the NFL action, one football game on Saturday deserves a recap. My coed touch football team “Team Awesome” played our opener. We were the light green shirts, and we were playing the brown team.

Another team had won two straight championships while this team was on Summer vacation, but so what? The Rockets won twice when Michael Jordan retired. Those don’t count. We won six straight before that, with me on the last two championships of that run.

With former team leader Scott engaged and in Virginia, and his brother Ryan and their cousin Andrew partying in Las Vegas, others had to step it up in week 1. Luckily we have Ashley, Tiffany, and Brittany, football’s fabulous females. I at age 38 came out of retirement for one more season. I am two years younger than Brett Favre, and know personally how tough it is to retire from football.

Chris Steck was our emotional leader, and a pair of new guys Chris and Conrad are solid players. We play iron man football. On offense I run the Wes Welker crossing routes because the deep patterns come less easy. On defense I rush the passer because in football years, I am old. Covering receivers is more strenuous than pass rushing.

Team Awesome Light Green Team at Brown Team–We fell behind 6-0 after our quarterback threw an interception, at which point Scott may have tried to call from Virginia to yell at us. Yet we came back and led 22-6 at the half. The Brown team mounted a furious rally but Team Awesome is just that. We prevailed by a dozen. I had several receptions and did no harm. The chase for the seventh straight championship is well underway. 38-26 Team Awesome Light Green Team.

Now for the NFL Week 5 Recap.

Kansas City Chiefs @ Indianapolis Colts–This would be the week where we would see if the Chiefs were for real. Todd Haley decided to start with a surprise onsides kick that failed, setting up the Colts at the Kansas City 37. The Colts came out running, with Addai getting them inside the 5. The drive stalled, and a field goal had the Colts up 3-0. The defenses controlled the game, although the Colts eventually added another field goal to lead 6-0 in the second quarter. With 2 seconds left in the half, Ryan Succop hit a 45 yard field goal to have the Chiefs within 6-3 as Jim Caldwell shockingly enough stayed expressionless.

Neither team could crack the end zone, and a third quarter field goal had the Colts up 9-3. The Chiefs drove to the red zone and again settled for a field goal to trail 9-6. Manning was intercepted, setting the Chiefs up at the Colts 35. Shockingly enough, the Chiefs moved nowhere and another field goal had the game tied 9-9. This awful game saw the Colts go back in front with…what else? Another field goal.

A lifeless game finally saw Manning lead a 12 play, 71 yard drive that consumed 5 1/2 minutes. With 4 minutes left in the game, an 11 yard touchdown run by Hart made the difference. Kansas City had one last shot, but a game of field goals ended when Succop missed a field goal. It is hard to say the Colts should be concerned at 3-2, but their offense is sluggish. Jim Caldwell may be emotionless, but the team itself seemed passionless on the field. They did just enough, as the Chiefs lost their first game of the year. 19-9 Colts

Denver Broncos @ Baltimore Ravens–Joe Flacco threw a 58 yard pass to Dixon, as the Ravens moved to the one. Heloti Ngata was borught in on offense in the tradition of William the Refrigerator Perry. On 3rd and goal Willis McGahee got belted backward. On 4th and goal from the 1, Flacco went back to pass and got sacked for a 14 yard loss.

Flacco came back and found Todd Heap for a 22 yard gain. Again the Ravens to the one, and this time Flacco snuck over as the Ravens led 7-0. The Ravens got the ball back, and defensive pass interference in the end zone had the Ravens on the one. Ray Rice ran it in to have the Ravens up 14-0.

Denver fumbled the ensuing kickoff, setting up the Ravens up at the Denver 20. A field goal had the Ravens up 17-0. The Broncos finally showed life with less than one minute before the half as Kyle Orton went deep to Brandon Lloyd for  50 yard touchdown to get Denver within 17-7.

After a scoreless third quarter, the Ravens effectively salted the game away with a 14 play, 72 yard drive that lasted 7 1/2 minutes. Rice banged it in to lead 24-7. Denver did tack on a 38 yard Josh Prater field goal got the Broncos within 24-10, but the Ravens simply kept the ball. An 11 play, 90 yard drive ended with McGahee running 30 yards for the score that had the Ravens winning in a blowout 31-10. A garbage touchdown was not enough to keep the Broncos falling to 2-3. As the Ravens, they did not have a letdown after their big emotional smackdown win last week at Pittsburgh. John Harbaugh has the Ravens looking like a Super Bowl contender. Josh McDaniels is merely in a stupor. 31-17 Ravens

St. Louis Rams @ Detroit Lions–The Rams began the game with an onsides kick that failed. This led to a field goal. As the second quarter the Rams tied the game, when a lifeless game exploded with Logan returning the ensuing kickoff 105 yards to have the Lions up 10-3.

Shawn Hill led a 13 play, 81 yard drive that lasted over 7 minutes. After a deep ball to Calvin Johnson almost connected, the Lions methodically drove to the one, where Hill hit Johnson for the touchdown to have the Lions up 17-3.

The Rams did add another field goal, but then Shawn Hill led a 12 pla, 80 yard drive just before the half. A 3 yard touchdown to Brandon Pettigrew had the Lions up big 24-6.

In the third quarter Hill hit Nate Burleson for a 26 yard touchdown as the Lions led 31-6, on their way to finally getting their first win this season and not going 0-16 again. The Lions poured it on with Jason Hanson adding two more field goals and Smith returning an interception of Sam Bradford 42 yards for a touchdown. Steve Spagnuolo and Sam Brdfors will turn the Rams around, but finally we can say that Bradford is only a rookie. He took his lumps today. 44-6 Lions

Chicago Bears @ Carolina Panthers–A short field had the Bears at the Carolina 38. Matt Forte ran 18 yards to put the Bears up 7-0. Carolina came back, but stalled inside the Chicago 10. A  John Kasay field goal had the Panthers within 7-3. Forte then broke off a 68 yard touchdown to have the Bears up 14-3. Robbie Gould added a field goal before the half to have the Bears up 17-3.

The second half was unwatchable, as the quarterback play was dreadful. Todd Collins finished 6 of 16 for 32 yards passing and 4 interceptions…and he was somehow on the winning side. As for Carolina, Jimmy Clausen was 9 of 22 for 61 yards and an interception, while Matt Moore was 5 of 10 for 35 yards and 2 interceptions. The only quarterback to do anything right was 3rd string Chicago quarterback Hanie, who went 2 for 3 for 19 yards without any interceptions.

John Kasay connected from 53 yards out in the third quarter, but Robbie Gould salted it away in the fourth quarter with kicks from 53 and 43 to provide a mercy killing to this horrible game. Lovie Smith saw his team somehow get to 4-1 while the Panthers remained winless as Jon Fox groped for a ray of hope. 23-6 Bears

Jimmy Clausen then was intercepted, as the Bears were back in the red zone. The offense stalled, but a 29 yard Robbie Gould field goal had the Bears up 17-3. The Bears missed a chance to go up 24-3 when Jay Cutler was intercepted inside the 5 as the Panthers temporarily stopped the bleeding.

Jacksonville Jaguars @ Buffalo Bills–A 45 yard touchdown pass from Ryan Fitzpatrick to Lee Evans had the Bills up 7-0 early. David Garrard was then intercepted, and Buffalo was on the move again. Jacksonville tacked on a field goal of their own to get within 10-3.

In the second quarter Fitzpatrick led a staggering 15 play, 9 minute drive that stalled at the 5 yard line after 70 yards as Buffalo settled for a 22 yard Ryan Lindell field goal to lead 13-3. Garrard came back with a 12 play drive to set up Josh Scobee from 49 yards out. Last week Scobee drilled the 59 yarder at the gun, so this was a chip shot. He made it to have the Jaguars within 13-6. Garrard led the Jaguars back again, and the 1 yard touchdown pass to Mercedes Lewis had the teams tied 13-13 at the break.

In the third quarter Garrard hit Lewis again, this time for a 27 yard touchdown as the  Jaguars led 20-13. Fitzpatrick returend the favor, and a 5 yard touchdown pass to St. Johnson had the game tied again 20-20. The teams went tit for tat as a 7 yard touchdown pass from Garrard to Sims-Walker had the Jaguars in the lead again 27-20.

In the fourth quarter, Garrard led the Jaguars to a 4th and 1 at the Buffalo 17. Jack Del Rio decided not to go for it, and the short field goal gave the Bills some breathing room at 30-20. Buffalo punted, Garrard led Jacksonville in an exact repeat of the previous drive. On 4th and 1 from the 22, again Del Rio opted for the field goal as the Jaguars led 33-20.

Buffalo again could not move the ball, and again Garrard led them into long field goal territory. Scobee connected for the 5th time, this time from 46 yards as the Jaguars led 36-20. Fitzpatrick led a furious desperate rally, hitting St. Johnson from 7 yards out with 1:40 to play. Yet the 2 point conversion failed, ending any further threat. The Bills remained winless under Chan Gailey as the Jaguars kept scrapping wins for Del Rio. 36-26 Jaguars

Green Bay Packers @ Washington Redskins–Brandon Jackson rambled for 71 yards to set up a 4 yard touchdown pass from Aaron Rodgers to Donald Lee. To have the Packers up 7-0. Green Bay drove to the Washington one in the second quarter, but on 4th and goal Rodgers threw incomplete.

Later in the half the Packers took over inside the Washington 35, but went backwards and settled for a 52 yard Mason Crosby field goal to lead 10-0. The Redskins managed a field goal to trail 10-3 at the break.

In the third quarter it was the Packers tacking on a field goal to lead 13-3. Early in the fourth quarter Donovan McNabb went deep to Armstrong for a 48 yard touchdown to get the Redskins within 13-10.

With less than 2 minutes to play McNabb had the Redskins on the move. With one minute to go, Graham Gano barely made a 45 yard field goal to tie the game 13-13.  With 24 seconds left Rodgers fired a perfect strike over the middle to set up a 53 yard field goal Crosby attempt with 7 seconds left. Crosby had hit from 52 and 36 but missed from 44. Crosby doinked it off the upright and the game went to overtime.

In overtime, Rodgers was intercepted, giving the Redskins the ball at the Green Bay 39. On 3rd and 1 at the 30, defensive holding moved the Redskins closer. On 3rd and 3 from the 15, Mike Shanahan took no chances, bringing in Gano from 33 yards out. Midway through overtime, Gano was perfect as the Redskins had the win to improve to 3-2. The Packers had the lead and blew it, and Mike McCarthy will have to regroup his team that had high expectations when the season began. 16-13 Redskins,

New York Giants @ Houston Texans–Eli Manning threw a 5 yard touchdown pass to Ahmad Bradshaw, who stretched it just beyond the pileon to have the Giants up 7-0. Big Blue got the ball back at the Carolina 40, and Manning hit Hakeem Nicks for a 27 yard completion to the one. Brandon Jacobs banged it in to have the Giants up 14-0.

In the second quarter Manning hit Nicks again, this time for a short touchdown pass to have the Giants cruising on the road 21-0. The Texans got on the board with a field goal, but the Giants added a field goal to lead 24-3. The second half was uneventful as Big Blue made a statement on the road by throttling the Texans.

Ward did run it in from one yard out to get the Texans within 24-10, but a 42 yard field goal by Lawrence Tynes and a fourth quarter 4 yard pass from Manning to Steve Smith completed the rout as Tom Coughlin saw his team answer their critics today as Gary Kubiak saw his critics return after another lopsided home loss following a strong start to the season. 34-10 Giants

Atlanta Falcons @ Cleveland Browns–After a scoreless opening quarter, Matt Ryan led the Falcons 66 yards in 12 plays, but the drive stalled at the 7 yard line. A 24 yard Matt Bryant field goal had the Falcons up 3-0. Seneca Wallace came back for the Browns quickly, with a 19 yard touchdown pass to Hillis to have the Browns up 7-3, as Walrus Mike Holmgren allowed Eric Mangini to coach the rest of the half.

Ryan then led a 14 play, 70 yard drive that consumed nearly  7 1/2 minutes, but again the Falcons bogged down in the red zone. A 30 yard Bryant field goal had the Falcons within 7-6. A third chip shot field goal for Bryant was blocked.

Cleveland added a field goal to led 10-6, but in the third quarter the Falcons finally woke up. Matt Ryan went deep to Roddy White for a 45 yard touchdown to have the Falcons up 13-10. A miserable game saw Seneca Wallace get replaced with Jake Delhomme. Delhomme has been besieged in the last couple of years, and both his old and enw team are horrendous this year. EVerything came down to one play with 4 1/2 minutes left in regulation.

On 3rd and 7 from the Cleveland 47, Delhomme was intercepted by Biermann, who returned it for a 31 yard touchdown to ice the game. Mike Smith, a non-decript white guy who looks like a guy named Mike Smith, saw his team win a non-descript below average game. The win still counted. 20-10 Falcons

Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Cincinnati Bengals–Carson Palmer went deep to Terrell Owens for a 43 yard touchdown as Owens reminded the crowd that he loved him some him. Palmer then completed a pass to Cody Grimm, who plays defense for the Buccaneers. The 11 yard interception return tied the game 7-7. The Bengals added a field goal to lead 10-7 in a game somebody cared about somewhere. Surprisingly enough, the second half was as exciting as it was heartbreaking.

In the third quarter Josh Freeman led the Buccaneers 80 yards in just over 5 minutes. On 3rd and 11 from the Tampa Bay 37, Freeman scrambled for 12. After Freeman hit Kellen Winslow for 22 yards, defensive pass interference set up the Bucs on the one yard line. Graham took it in to have the Tampa up 14-10.

Carson Palmer brought the Bengals back, but the drive bogged down at the Tampa. Mike Nugent connected from 35 as the Bengals trailed 14-13. The Buccaneers fumbled the ensuing kickoff, and the Bengals took over at the Tampa 29. On 3rd and 9, Palmer hit Leonard for 11. Cedric Benson ran for 9, 6, and 1 yard to set up Palmer to Gresham for the 1 yard touchdown. Benson ran it in for the 2 point conversion to have the Bengals up 21-14 with 12 minutes left in regulation.

The Bucs faced 3rd and 10 at their own 20 when Freeman hit Williams for 37 yards.  The drive stalled and the Bucs punted. The Bengals took over at their own 6 with 9 minutes left in regulation. The reams exchanged punts, and the Bengals still led with 2 1/2 minutes to play. Then came a meltdown that will be talked about in Cincy for weeks to come.

Facing 3rd and 13 at their own 38, Palmer was intercepted at midfield. On 3rd and 4 from the Cincy 44, Freeman scrambled for 9 yards at the 2 minute warning. Freeman hit Williams for 15 and then went to Williams again for a 20 yard touchdown to tie the game 21-21 with 1:34 left.

The Bengals took over at their own 16, and Palmer quickly hit Owens for 29 yards to the Cincy 45 with 57 seconds left. On 3rd and 1, Palmer picked up 3 yards to the Tampa 43 with 31 seconds left. The Bengals appeared to be in the drivers seat.

Out of nowhere, Palmer threw for Chad Johnson and was intercepted by Piscitelli, who returned it 31 yards to the Cincinnati 34 with 14 seconds left in front of a shellshocked home crowd. It was Palmer’s 3rd interception on the day. Freeman then hit Spurlock for 21 yards down to the 13 with 5 seconds left. Connor Barth nailed the 31 yard kick to give the Buccaneers the stunning win. Marvin Lewis saw a win get blown to bits as Raheem Morris saw his young team steal a win. 24-21 Buccaneers

San Diego Chargers @ Oakland Raiders–13 straight times the Chargers have won this game.

San Diego began and went 3 and out. The Raiders struck immediately on special teams as Mike Scifres had his punt blocked by Rod Cartwright. It rolled out the back of the end zone as the Raiders led 2-0 only one minute into the game. The free kick resulted in successive blunders on special teams as it went out of bounds, giving the Raiders the ball at midfield.

Bruce Gradkowski went right to work, hitting Zach Miller for 14 yards. Michael Bush, starting in place of an injured Darren McFadden, ran twice for 4 total yards, followed by an incomplete pass. Sebastian Janikowski came in for a 50 yard field goal. Seabass drilled it, and the Raiders led 5-0 only 3 minutes in.

San Diego again went 3 and out, and then a moment happened that had people everywhere asking “Are you kidding me?” Scifres had his punt blocked a second time, this time by Meyers. This time the ball bounced perfectly to Eugene to result in an easy touchdown return. In a shocker, special teams had the Raiders up 12-0 only 4 1/2 minutes in.

San Diego took over at their own 20 and Philip Rivers connected with Darren Sproles for 29 yards. Yet illegal motion brought the play back. Yet on 3rd and 15 from the 15, Rivers completed a pass to Malcolm Floyd at midfield. On 3rd and 8 Rivers completed a 10 yard pass to Sproles for another first down. A 16 yard completion had the Chargers with 1st and goal at the 10. Matthews got the ball to the one. This is where the Chargers are supposed to steamroll over the Raiders.

Not this time. The running play resulted in a fumble that the Raiders returned to the 15. Everything had gone right for the Raiders so far. They had gotten every break. Now it was time to see if the offense could make it matter over the course of the game.

Early on they could not. 6 yards by Michael Bush was followed by a pair of incomplete passes. Even leading 12-0, the Raiders would need offense to win this game. The defense dodged a bullet, but now was back on the field.

One play resulted in a 45 yard completion to Floyd down to the Oakland 17. Again, the Raiders showed the heart that was missing in previous seasons. Rivers got belted from the blind side, and the Raiders recovered the fumble. Again, the offense needed to do something.

Gradkowski then got hit and fumbled, with the Chargers having 1st and goal. It appeared that Gradkowski’s arm was going forward, and Tom Cable challenged the call. Gradkowski got hurt on the play as well. The call was overturned and the Raiders retained possession. A personal foul against the Raiders on the play moved the Raiders back to the 10. Jason Campbell came in for Gradkowski as the Raider nation held their breath. Campbell handed the ball off to Michael Bush, who on 3rd and 15 came up one yard short on a draw play. Shane Lechler punted 58 yards, as the Chargers began the second quarter at their own 24.

While the scoreboard showed the Chargers down 12-0, they had moved the ball easily on their previous 2 drives. Only so many bullets can be dodged. On 3rd and 7 from the 26, Rivers hit Sproles for 23 yards. A 13 yard completion had the Chargers at the Raiders 38. The Raiders were very solid against the run, stuffing the ground game. Yet the passing game was killing them. Rivers hit Floyd for 15 more down to the 23. From the 18, Rivers fired between 2 defenders and hit Antonio Gates for the touchdown. The Chargers were within 12-7, and for the billionth time, the Raiders had to show some life on offense if they were to win.

The Raiders fumbled on the ensuing kickoff, but were lucky enough to retain possession. Gradkowski remained in the locker room as Campbell came back out behind an offensive line that early on was getting hammered by the San Diego defense. Naturally, the Raiders went 3 and out and the Chargers took over at their own 18. On 3rd and 1 Rivers went deep incomplete as the Chargers punted. Barring a 3rd blocked punt, the Raiders would need to do something…anything…on offense.

They never got the chance. The punt was almost blocked, and Scifres got decked. Roughing the kicker allowed the Chargers to retain possession, as Scifres got up slowly. The Chargers took over at their own 42. Rivers made it look easy, hitting Gates for 23 yards. At that moment Rivers had 211 yards passing, to only 13 for the Raiders. Rivers hit Floyd at the 15. A pass to Jacob Hester set up 1st and goal at the 4. Tolbert ran it in untouched as reality had finally set in. The Raiders had been dominated statistically, and somehow only trailed 14-12 instead of 28-0. There were still 5 minutes left in the half, but with the Raiders offense being pathetic, it almost seemed pointless to watch or expect anything.

The Raiders took over at their own 34. Campbell got sacked, and punting on 2nd down seemed very appealing. Somehow, on 3rd and 14, Campbell hit Zach Miller, who took it for a 17 yard gain to keep the drive going. On 3rd and 6, Campbell was hit and fumbled. Guard Lofa recovered the ball and then kept rolling on the ground trying to pick up the 1st down. This was not the Holy Roller, but it was still heads up football. On 4th and 1 from the San Diego 43, Tom Cable decided to go for it. It was an absolutely necessary decision, and Michael Bush barreled up the middle for 8 yards to the 35. A short swing pass to Bush went for 16 yards down to the 19. with 1:15 left on the clock. On 4th and 3 from the 12, Seabass nailed a 30 yard field goal to have the Raiders up 15-14 in a game they had been completely outplayed on offense and defense.

Rivers calmly lofted a 35 yard bomb to Floyd to the Raiders 34, and then a 13 yarder to Gates to the Oakland 21. On 3rd and 9, Rivers threw incomplete. Yet illegal contact gave the Chargers an automatic first down with 16 seconds left in the half. The Raiders had only 2 penalties a week earlier, but were drowning in yellow flags this week. Yet offensive holding on Dombrowski, who is named perfectly for a football player, moved the Chargers back with 6 seconds left in the half. Nate Kaeding came in for a 43 yard field goal. Kaeding nailed it, and the Chargers led 17-15 at halftime. Philip Rivers had thrown for 290 yards in the first half alone, with the all time game record of 554 by Norm Van Brocklin being a possibility. Short of the Raiders blocking another two punts, they were in big trouble.

Despite being only 1 of 5 for 14 yards before being injured, Gradkowski showed hit typical grit by starting the second half. An ounce of offensive line protection to keep him from getting killed would have been helpful. After a 4 yard run by Bush, a pair of incomplete passes, including one dropped by Johnny Lee Higgins, led to another punt. The Chargers took over at their own 34, as Rivers attempted to put on another passing clinic.

Rivers was sacked by Richard Seymour for an 8 yard loss, but on 3rd and 7 Rivers avoided the sack and completed an 11 yard pass for another first down on his way to maybe passing for 1000 yards in this game. A dropped pass on 2nd and 10 was nullified by offsides on the Raiders. On 3rd and 7, Rivers fired incomplete and the Raiders finally had a defensive stop. Rarely are punts exciting,  but all eyes were on Scifres. The punt got off cleanly, but a great return was short of a touchdown only when the return man ran into his own blocker past midfield. The Raiders took over at the San Diego 46.

Gradkowski was clearly hurt, as Jason Campbell came back in. On 3rd and 2 from the 38, Bush ran into a brick wall and lost a yard. Cable decided to go for it rather than try the 55 yard field goal or punt. Bush lunged up the middle and was short by a couple inches, as the Chargers took over. Rivers went deep for a 41 yard touchdown bomb to Floyd as the Chargers led 24-15. The only question was how quickly the Raiders would fold.

The answer appeared to come on the ensuing kickoff, which Ford Bobbled before falling down at the 2 yard line. The Raiders did stay calm, and a pair of Bush runs set up 3rd and short. Campbell snuck for the 1st down at the 15. Campbell went deep to Reece. The call was ruled out of bounds, although it appeared Reece got both feet down inbounds. Cable again challenged the call. The call stood, but a 3rd and 4 laser from Campbell to Louis Murphy went for 58 yards to the San Diego 21.

On 3rd and 2 from the 13, Campbell burned the second Oakland timeout. After a false start, Campbell hit Bush for 11 yards to set up 1st and goal at the 7. Bush took it to the 4 and then to the 2. On 3rd and goal Campbell rolled out and fired to the back of the end zone. This was not Montana to Clark, but Zach Miller made a leaping catch. Initially ruled a touchdown, Norv Turner challenged the call. It clearly seemed like Miller got his knee and hand came down inbounds before his elbow landed out. The call stood, and the Raiders were within 24-22 with just over one minute remaining in the third quarter. The 99 yard drive was the longest touchdown drive by the Raiders since 1997. Seabass did his part by booming the kick for a touchback. Now the defense had to somehow stop Rivers.

Rivers immediately hit Gates for 28 yards. Illegal contact moved the ball 5 yards more past midfield. Encroachment added 5 more for the 10th Raiders penalty. Despite not being able or even needing to run all game, a couple runs as the fourth quarter began had the Chargers at the Raiders 18. On 3rd and 9 from the 17, Rivers threw incomplete. Kaeding hit the 34 yard field goal as the Chargers led 27-22 with a full 12 minutes left in regulation. The anemic Oakland offense went 99 yards on the last drive. They needed one more touchdown drive to take the lead and end the nightmarish losing streak.

The Raiders took over at their own 27. On 2nd and 7, Bush picked up 7 for the 1st down at the 37. An incomplete pass on 2nd and 10 was nullified by illegal contact. This time the Chargers gave the Raiders the gift. From the Oakland 42, Campbell hit Zach Miller, who bulled his way for 11 yards to the San Diego 47. A 20 yard pass to Louis Murphy was nullified by offensive interference against Murphy as the Raiders faced 2nd and 18 on their own side of midfield.  A pass to Miller set up 3rd and 11. Then divine providence took over.

Campbell fired a bullet to Miller. Miller had the first down, but in fighting, lost the ball. Ford, atoning for his earlier mistake fielding a kickoff, pounced on it at the Chargers 32 for the Raiders. Bush picked up 8 yards and one more on 2nd and 2. On 3rd and 1 from the 23, Campbell went nowhere on a sneak. 4 1/2 minutes remained as the Raiders faced 4th and 1. They burned their final timeout as the Al Pacino speech in “Any Given Sunday” about fighting for that inch became an appropriate metaphor. The Raiders have been losing for 7 years, and plays like this either turn a team around or continue the misery.

Campbell faked the handoff to Bush, rolled to his right, and hit a wide open Meyers for 12 yards down to the 15. Michael Bush slammed up the middle for 6 more yards. Encroachment set up 2nd down and less than a yard from the 5. Out of the shotgun, Bush took the draw play from Campbell and rammed it in just past the goal line. With 3:39 to play, the Raiders led by one point with the 2 point conversion looming large.  With the running game working perfectly, Campbell rolled out for a low percentage pass that was incomplete. It was a bad call, and Rivers had plenty of time to inflict more suffering on the Raider Nation. Seabass kicked it to the end zone, but Sproles returned it to the San Diego 27.

Rivers quickly scrambled for 14 yards and hit Floyd for 13 more as the Chargers passed midfield in what at this point seemed inevitable. At the 2 minute warning the Chargers faced 3rd and 5 at the Oakland 40. Rivers fired complete to the 34 to pass 400 yards, with over 200 going to Floyd. Rivers went to Floyd again, and defensive pass interference on Chris Johnson set up the Chargers at the 24. With the Chargers now totally in the drivers seat, offensive holding pushed them back to the 34 with 1:15 left. The Raiders sent an all out blitz and drilled Rivers just after he threw it incomplete.

On 2nd and 20, the Raiders sent another all out blitz. Rivers was hit and fumbled. It was returned all the way for a touchdown. The Raiders celebrated, but the officials huddled to discuss it. For those who remember the nightmare of the “Tuck Rule,” this was critical. Rivers clearly had the ball come out before his arm went forward. Either the Raiders were going to lead by 8, or the Chargers would have 3rd and 20 and a winning field goal chance. Nothing will ever erase the pain of the Tuck Rule, but sweet vindication lit up the Silver and Black faithful as the touchdown stood. The 65 yard fumble return by Tyvone Branch had the Raiders up by 8 with 58 seconds left as Seabass drilled the extra point after the third Chargers fumble. Yet the game was not over.

Seabass again kicked it deep, and Sproles again brought it out. This time he was cut down at the 15. A sure interception by Stanford Routt somehow became a 22 yard reception as the 44 seconds remained. A deep pass to Buster Davis appeared to have the Chargers in business but Routt redeemed himself and broke it up at the last possible moment as it fell incomplete.  A short pass to Davis resulted in him getting leveled by Rolando McClain with 31 seconds left and 3rd and 5. The Chargers took their final timeout. Last year the CHargers came back to win in Oakland with 18 seconds left. This time Mike Mitchell broke up the 3rd down pass to make it 4th and 5 with 27 seconds left.

The Raiders brought everybody as Rivers fired incomplete deep. The bleeding has stopped. The nightmare has stopped. The losing has stopped. For the first time since 2003, the Raiders have defeated the Chargers.

Norvelous Norv Turner graciously shook the hand of Tom Cable. 2 weeks ago the Raiders missed a chance to turn the corner. While they are only 2-3, they are not 1-4. 1-4 ends the season. 2-3 keeps things alive. Some people will ask about a quarterback controversy. There is none. If Gradkowski is healthy, he starts. Yet without Gradkowski and McFadden, the Raiders gave Al Davis something the team has not had in awhile…pride and poise. This was a gigantic win. 35-27 Raiders

New Orleans Saints @ Arizona Cardinals–This game was supposed to be an easy win for the defending champions. As Chris Berman says, “That’s why they play the games.” Drew Brees quickly got the Saints to the Arizona 14, where they settled for a 31 yard Jon Carney field goal to lead 3-0. Later in the opening quarter Brees led an 11 play, 76 yard drive that took 5 1/2 minutes and ended in a 1 yard pass to Jeremy Shockey as the Saints led 10-0. Then the coronation took a wrong turn.

Ken Whisenhunt is at the bottom of his quarterback depth chart.  Kurt Warner is retired, Matt Leinart was cut, and Derek Anderson was benched. Max Hall started this game. Hall did just enough in the second quarter on a 10 play drive to allow Jay Feeley to hit a 37 yard field goal to get the Cardinals to within 10-3.

With 4 minutes left in the half the Cardinals had the ball at the Saints 31, but holding pushed them out of field goal range. A  perfect punt pinned the Saints at their own 1. Rather than run the ball, Sean Payton called for a pass play n the shadow of the goal line. Disaster struck when Brees was intercepted. From the 2 yard line, the Cardinals did it the hard way. On 3rd and goal from the 1, Hall was sacked at the 2 and fumbled the ball. While this again was not the Holy Roller, it was fumbled forward into the end zone and recovered by Brown for a Cardinals touchdown and a 10-10 tie in front of relieved home crowd.

The Saints got the ball back at their own 28 with 2:13 left in the half Brees quickly hit Marquis Colston for 19 yards and Devry Henderson for 39 more. The drive went no further, but a 32 yard John Carney field goal had the Saints up 13-10 at intermission.

The Saints went nowhere to start the second half, and the Cardinals took over at their own 40. On 2nd and 5 from the Saints 44, Hall was sacked and fumbled. Twice in one game, the Cardinals offense consisted of fumble recoveries of their own miscues. Instead of a loss of possession or even yardage, Alan Faneca recovered the ball for a 10 yard gain to the Saints 34 and a first down. Jay Feely nailed the 44 yard field goal to tie the game 13-13.

Brees methodically led a 7 1/2 minute drive from the Saints 28 to the Cardinals 4. A false start killed the drive, and John Carney came in for the 29 yard field goal. Garret Hartley lost his job to Carney after missing a 29 yarder a couple weeks ago. This time it was Carney who missed the chip shot, and the game remained tied.

Hall came back for the Cardinals, leading them from the 20 to the Saints 11. This time it was Jay Feely with the 29 yard attempt. He made it, and with 11 1/2 minutes left in regulation, the Cardinals had the 16-13 lead. Disaster struck the Saints again one minute later when Betts fumbled, and Rhodes returned it 27 yards for a touchdown as the Cardinals led 23-13. 90 seconds later the miscues continued as Brees was intercepted again. The Cardinals punted, and the Saints took over at their own 11 with 7 1/2 minutes left. The teams exchanged punts, and the Saints began at their own 20 with 3 1/2 minutes left.

Brees hit Shockey for 18 yards and Meachem for 12 more before throwing a 35 yard touchdown pass to Meachem. The Saints were within 23-20 and their was still 1:49 left to play. The onsides kick failed, and the Cardinals took over at the Saints 35. On 4th and 5 from the 30, Ken Whisenhunt decided against the field goal with 34 seconds to play. He decided to punt and play field position, and the Saints were trapped at their own 9  with 24 seconds left.

Brees was instantly intercepted by Dominick Rodgers-Comartie. Rather than go down, Cromartie decided to run it all the way back. This causes teams to lose games, but this time he scored the 28 yard touchdown at the buzzer to put an exclamation point on the upset. The Saints are simply not the same team as last year, and every team is gearing up to knock them off. 30-20 Cardinals

Tennessee Titans @ Dallas Cowboys–This game was a pinball machine, despite Wade Phillips and Jeff Fisher being known for defense. The TItans began the circus with Vince Young hitting Nate Washington for a 24 yard touchdown pass to have the Titnas up 7-0. The Cowboy punted, and Young led the Titans from their 14 to the Dallas 34. Rob Bironas nailed a 52 yard field goal to have the Titans up 10-0.

Tony Romo led the Cowboys, and the opposing 34 yard line was the final destination for this drive as well. Buehler connected from 51 to have the Cowboys within 10-3. From the Titans 33, Young scrambled to midfield. On 3rd and 7, illegal use of hands kept the Titans moving. Chris Johnson ran for 29 yards to the 14. Young hit Kenny Britt for the 12 yard touchdown as the Titans led 17-3 and Jerry Jones considered burning down his billion dollar metropolis and firing his entire staff. When the Cowboys went from 1st and 10 at their own 29 to 1st and 10 at the Tennessee 34 back to 4th and 31 at their own 45, Jones prepared the bulldozers.

The game did continue, and with 2:48 left in the half the Cowboys took over at their own 25. Romo hit Roy Williams for 17, and on 3rd and 7 from the Tennessee 42,  Romo hit Dez Bryant for 9 yards. Romo went back to Williams for a 27 yard gain, and from the 6 Romo hit Williams one more time to have the Cowboys within 17-10 at the break. The Titans did reach their own 41, but Jeff Fisher opted to have Vince Young take a knee and a locker room lead rather than risk a disastrous Hail Mary.

The Cowboys began the second half at their own 25. On 3rd and 4 from the 31, Romo went deep to Miles Austin. Austin caught the ball between 2 defenders and raced for a 69 yard touchdown as the game was instantly tied 17-17. The Titans punted, and Romo quickly moved Dallas to a 3rd and 4 at the Tennessee 19. Romo was then sacked, one of 6 sacks on the day. Buehler missed the 44 yard field goal and the game remained tied.

Tennessee punted again, as the Cowboys took over at their own 9. Romo led them to the Tennessee 21 and then went for all the marbles. In what would be a common theme in the second half, Romo was intercepted in the end zone for a touchback as the game was still tied.

From the 20, Young went deep to Britt for what was first ruled an 80 yard touchdown. Wade Phillips challenged the call. The touchdown was reversed as Britt was ruled down by contact, but the play still went for 52 yards. Yet the Titans went no further and instead settled for a 40 yard Birona field goal as the stalemate was finally broken with the Titans back on top 20-17 just before the third quarter ended.

Dallas took over at their own 36. From the 48, Romo hit Jason Witten for 31 yards. Yet on 3rd and goal from the 3, a false start ended the threat. Buehler connected from 26 as the game was tied again 20-20 with 10 1/2 minutes left in regulation.

The Titans punted, and the Cowboys took over at their own 12. From the 16, Romo was intercepted again, as Verner returned it to the one. Chris Johnson plunged in as the Titans led again 27-20 with 7 1/2 minutes left.

Bironas kicked the kickoff out of bounds, as the Cowboys took over at their own 40. Romo found WIlliams for a 27 yard gain. On 4th and 2 from the Tennessee 25 and 5 minutes left, Phillips decided to go for it. Romo hit Austin for 7 yards. On the next play Romo hit Witten  for the touchdown. 4 1/2 minutes remained, and for the third time in the second half the game was tied at 27-27.

Due to unsportsmanlike conduct on the Cowboys, they kicked off from their own 15.  Mariani took the kickoff at the Tennessee 16 and returned it 73 yards to the Dallas 11. This was not the Home Run Throwback Adelphia Miracle, but it was just as effective. A facemask moved the ball to the 5. On 3rd and goal at the 1, Johnson ran it in again as the Titans were back up by 7 with 3 1/2 minutes to play.

The Cowboys took over at their own 24, but on 4th and 9 from the Dallas 43 Romo fired incomplete. 1:54 still remained and the Cowboys had 2 timeouts left. Fisher played it very conservatively, and on 4th and 4 from the Dallas 37, decided to punt rather than risk a 55 yard field goal. An awful 14 yard punt had the Cowboys at their own 23 with 47 seconds left.

Romo then threw his third interception, quickly ending any suspense. The preseason Super Bowl contending Cowboys are now 1-3, while the Titans continue to win impressive games on the road. Romo threw for over 400 yards, but not the win. 34-27 Titans

Philadelphia Eagles @ San Francisco 49ers–Andy Reid does very little talking, quietly letting the long-term results speak for themselves. Mike Singletary is the second coming of Ray Rhodes, all scowl and bark and no results. Kevin Kolb started for the injured Michael Vick.

The 49ers returned the opening kickoff near midfield, and Alex Smith went right to work by giving the ball to Frank Gore. 3 straight runs went forward and the 4th one went backward 4 yards. On 3rd and 10 from the Philly 38, Smith hit Zeigler for 20 yards. Smith hit Michael Crabtree for a 7 yard touchdown to culminate the 11 play, 7 minute drive to have the 49ers up 7-0.

Kolb brought the Eagles right back from the Philly 25. From the Philly 38, Kolb hit Captain Morgan Brent Celek for 32 yards. On 3rd and 3 from the 23, a wildcat snap to Deshard Jackson went for 8 yards. Kolb hit Captain Morgan Brent Celek for the 8 yard touchdown to tie the game 7-7.

At the end of the opening quarter, Gore fumbled and the Eagles took over at the San Francisco 45. Stalwart David Akers hit a 32 yard field goal to have the Eagles up 10-7. Alex Smith went deep from the Philly 47, but was intercepted at the 3 yard line to keep the score unchanged.

With 3 minutes left in the half, the Eagles took over at their own 47. Kolb hit Jackson for 20 yards. At the 2 minute warning, McCoy ran up the middle for a 29 yard touchdown that gave the Eagles the 17-7 lead. Smith brought the 49ers back with passes of 17 to Crabtree, 11 to Gore, and 22 more to Crabtree. With 47 seconds left in the half, Joe Nedney nailed a 50 yard field goal to get the 49ers within 17-10. With 25 seconds left in the half the Eagles had 3rd and 3 at their own 44. Kolb was sacked and fumbled, as the 49ers recovered. Yet Joe Nedney had less success from 40 as he did from 50, with his miss ending the half.

The third quarter saw Gore fumble the ball away at the Philly 44. Yet with the Eagles facing 3rd and 1 at the San Francisco 30, Andy Reid resorted to gimmicks because in 11 years he has refued to draft a bruising running back. The wildcat snap failed. On 4th and 1 Reid passed up the field goal. Reid called a pass because once again, the Eagles have not run the football in short yardage situations in over 11 years. Kolb threw incomplete.

As the third quarter was ending, the Eagles had 4th and 2 at the 49ers 35. Admitting that he has no running game, the wind became an issue as Reid opted to punt rather than have Akers try a 53 yard field goal. Yet Reid waited for the quarter to end without snapping the ball. With the wind more favorable to start the fourth quarter, Reid brought in Akers instead.  The Strategy made sense, except Akers missed and the 49ers took over at their own 44.

From the Philly 35, Smith was sacked and fumbled. Mikell picked the ball up at the Philly 48 and rumbled 52 yards for the touchdown. A close game all of a sudden had the Eagles up 24-10. Mike Singletary prepared to bench Smith, and with the home crowd booing Smith relentlessly, Singletary decided to leave him in. At some point you have to let him succeed or fail, but repeatedly benching serves no purpose. Ted Ginn returned the kickoff to the San Francisco 40, but 3 straight SMith incompletions led to a punt. Philly went 3 and out and the 49ers took over with 11 minutes left in the game at their own 31.

Singletary was rewarded for his loyalty. Smith hit Zeigler for 12 yards and Vernon Davis for 36 more. Smith hit Davis for the 7 yard touchdown as the 49ers were back within 24-17 with 7 1/2 minutes left as the Eagles appeared to coast too early.

From the Philly 36, there would be no coasting. Kolb hit Jeremy Maclin for 22 yards.  McCoy fumbled but, the Eagles retained possession and actually picked up 10 yards. With 4 1/2 minutes left Akers was brought in for a 45 yard kick. Akers barely made it, but the Eagles had some breathing room at 27-17.

Yet while the offense did just enough, the defense and special teams fo the Eagles did much less. Ginn returned the ensuing kickoff 61 yards to the Philly 36. On 3rd and 4 Smith hit Crabtree for 5 yards, and then hit Crabtree for 16 more. On 3rd and goal from the 1, Smith hit Gore for the score. The 49ers were down by a field goal with 2:02 to play. The 49ers had all 3 timeouts, and Singletary decided to kick it deep and rely on his defense rather than go for the onsides.

From the 20, Andy Reid rewarded Singletary by going ultra-conservative. A running play lost 3 yards. Then Reid does what he always does whenever the run fails. He abandons it. On 3rd and 2 from the 28, Kolb threw incomplete. A failed run would have forced the 49ers to use their last timeout. Instead the 49ers took over after at their own 32 with 1:28 to play and one timeout.

Smith hit Davis for 27 yards. An injury to a Philly defender stopped the clock and again preserved the final San Francisco timeout. Yet with 36 seconds left from the Philly 44 on 3rd and 10, Smith was intercepted by Lindley. Taking no chances, Lindley went to the ground rather than fumble it back as the 49ers did last week. The 49ers fell to 0-5 as agonizingly close losses continue to mount. 27-24 Eagles

Minnesota Vikings @ New York Jets–The subplots are overwhelming.  Randy Moss is back with the Vikings. Brett Favre may be engulfed in scandal. Favre is playing against one of his old teams. The Vikings have the offense, with Adrian Peterson running hard. Rex Ryan brings the defense. Darrel Revis has a hamstring problem but will play. Santonio Holmes returned from his 4 game suspension. Adding to all the drama was a lightning storm that delayed the opening kickoff almost an hour. The teams even exchanged words before the game began. Beyond all of that were two teams that fell one game short of the Super Bowl last year, and desperate to take that last step.

The Jets kicked the opening kickoff out of bounds, giving Minnesota the ball at the 40. Brad Childress decided to go to the bag of tricks on the very first play. Favre pitched the ball out. Then it was pitched to Randy Moss on a reverse. Then Moss threw it to Favre, who caught it for a first down. It was gorgeous, but Favre was flagged for being an illegal man downfield. That followed by a pair false starts had Minnesota moving backward and the Vikings punted.

Sanchez started out with play action to Ladanian Tomlinson, firing to Braylon Edwards past midfield.  the drive stalled, and the teams traded punts, with the Jets starting their next drive at the Minnesota 40. Tomlinson ripped off a 12 yard run, and Nick Folk hit a 25 yard field goal to have the Jets up 3-0.

On their next series the Jets faced 3rd and 15 at their own 9. Sanchez completed a pass for the 1st down, but holding brought it back. So instead a run straight up the middle got the Jets the 1st down anyway. The Jets eventually kicked another field goal to lead 6-0 in a game that became a slog due to the torrential rains. The second kick was from 53 yards out, but that was before the skies opened full throttle and drenched everything.

The Vikings could not muster any offense. With 30 seconds left in the half the Jets managed to reach the 4 yard line, but Rex Ryan tried passes rather than ram it in. Several incompletions later, a 22 yard field goal had the Jets up 9-0.

Despite trying to avoid kicking to Percy Harvin all half, a squib kick was returned by Harvin to the Minnesota 41. Brad Childress, who is bald and Catholic, decided that bringing Favre out of retirement and getting Randy Moss served one purpose…to guard on the kneel down play rather than try the Hail Mary.

Mark Sanchez began the third quarter by rolling out on a naked bootleg and getting absolutely clocked. The Jets punted, but Brett Favre fumbled a snap without being touched, giving the Jets the ball at the Minnesota 46. Favre already led the NFL all time in passes, completions, touchdowns, and interceptions. Now he leads in fumbles as well. This led to a fourth field goal and a 12-0 lead as the rain slowed.

After nearly three quarters of lifeless football, the Vikings offense finally got going. Favre led a 10 play, 72 yard drive. Favre hit Percy Harvin for 11 yards. On 3rd and 15 Favre hit Randy Moss for 16 yards at midfield. On 3rd and 12 Favre hit Harvin for 22 yards. At that moment Favre became the only quarterback to throw for more than 70,000 yards. On 3rd and 17 from the Jets 37, Favre went deep to Randy Moss, as a perfect pass and perfect catch became Favre’s 500th touchdown pass, the only quarterback to achieve that. It was his first touchdown connection with Moss, as Favre hugged Moss and pumped his fists on the way to the sidelines. The Jets still led 12-7 with 2 minutes left in the third quarter.

The Jet seemed to quickly regain momentum when Brad Smith returned the kickoff 86 yards to the Minnesota 15. Yet again the Minnesota defense held, and a 5th field goal with less than one minute left in the third quarter had the Jets up 15-7.

Percy Harvin returned the kickoff 17 yards to the Minnesota 35, and Adrian Peterson ran for 30 yards to the Jets 35 as the third quarter ended. The fourth quarter began with Peterson barreling over defenders for another 10 yards. Favre then went deep to Moss again, and Moss was flagged for offensive pass interference. On 3rd and 9 Favre delivered a perfect laser to Harvin, who caught it in stride and completed the 34 yard touchdown to get the Jets within 2 points.

Confusion then reigned as Childress prepared for the extra point even though the Jets were down by 2. There was a Jets game awhile back where Rich Kotite got confused about whether to call a 2 point conversion because rain had caused his chart to get wet, rendering him unable to decide what to do. Kotite was Jewish, while Childress is bald and Catholic. Either way, the decision to go for 2 should not require a timeout, which Childress burned to discuss it. Favre rolled out, avoided a tackler, and fired into the end zone for an interception. The Vikings still trailed by 2 with 13 minutes left in regulation.

The teams exchanged punts, and with 7 minutes left the Jets took over at their own 34. Sanchez hit Braylon Edwards for 16 yards and Jerricho Cotcherry for 10 more. Tomlinson picked up 16, and Greene ran for a 23 yard touchdown. The extra point had the Jets up 22-13 with 4 1/2 minutes to play.

Favre was nowhere close to being done. Needing 2 scores, Harvin returned the kickoff to the Minnesota 46. On 2nd and 15 Favre hit Peterson for 21. From the Jets 39, Favre hit Greg Lewis for 33 yards down to the 6. After a false start, Favre hit Harvin for the 11 yard touchdown as Harvin somehow got his feet in bounds. This wass done in a bit over a minute as the Vikings again trailed by a deuce with 3:16 to play and 2 timeouts.

After Minnesota took their second timeout, Sanchez hit Santonio Holmes for 11 yards and a 1st down. Yet on 2nd and 11 from the Jets 34, Sanchez blundered badly in terms of clock management. He snapped the ball with 2:08 left, rather than wait a few more seconds. The pass landed incomplete with 2:04 left, essentially giving the Vikings another timeout. The next pass fell incomplete as well at the 2 minute warning, but the Vikings would get the ball back with one timeout. Had Sanchez waited before snapping the ball on 2nd down, the Vikings would have had to burn their last timeout. The Vikings took over at their own 15 with 1:48 to play, needing only a field goal.

After an incomplete deep ball to Moss, the Jets took a timeout on defense as Ryan decided to bring pressure rather than sit back in a prevent. Ryan sent the entire house and Darrell Revis fell down, but Favre overthrew Harvin on a lob with nobody else defending. The Jets got flagged for encroachment to set up 3rd and 5.

Favre had thrown 3 touchdown passes in this game, and throughout 20 years we have seen the good, the bad, and the ugly out of the Gunslinger. At the worst possible time, # 4 gave us the ugly. His 4th touchdown pass was completed to Gang Green defender Dwight Lowery, who returned it 21 yards for a touchdown. Nick Folk, in addition to 5 field goals, kicked the extra point to ice the game.

Rex Ryan saw his Jets improve to 4-1 while the Vikings dropped to 1-3. Next week Minnesota plays Dallas, and it is shocking to think that the two teams many picked for the NFC Title Game will see the loser of that game drop to 1-4. The Jets have won 4 straight after an opening one point loss, and look every bit as tough as advertised. As for the league, this game was everything it was billed to be and more. This is Monday Night Football at its best. 29-20 Jets

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