THE TYGRRRR EXPRESS

NFL 2014 Week 3 Prequel

http://www.commdiginews.com/sports/nfl-2014-week-3-preview-and-bettors-guide-26104/

eric

NFL 2014 Week 2 Recap

Here is the NFL 2014 Week 2 Recap.

http://www.commdiginews.com/sports/nfl-week-2-what-have-we-learned-26019/

Pittsburgh Steelers at Baltimore Ravens was the Thursday night game. With the anniversary of the original September 11th attacks as the backdrop, two division rivals renewed their intensity. While these teams fell of last year from past years, this game for awhile was the typical AFC North defensive slobberknocker.

Early on it was the Ravens controlling the clock as Joe Flacco mounted a 12-play, 85-yard, 6 1/2 minute drive that culminated in a 2 yard touchdown pass to Owen Daniels. In the second quarter the Ravens again drove into the Red Zone but had to settle for a 30-yard Justin Tucker field goal and a 10-0 lead. Pittsburgh finally got going but did not crack the end zone, settling for a second quarter Shawn Suisham field goal from 25 and a 43 yarder in the third quarter to trail 10-6.

Flacco mounted a mirror image 12 play, 80 yard, 6 1/2 minute drive that ended with a one yard touchdown toss to Daniels for a 17-6 Ravens lead. In the fourth quarter the Ravens drove deep thrice but again did not reach the end zone. However, field goals of 23, 22 and 20 by Tucker put the game out of reach. 26-6 Ravens

Detroit Lions at Carolina Panthers — Jim Caldwell has revitalized Matthew Stafford and Cam Newton has returned, but early on it was all defense. Graham Gano hit 29 and 53 yard field goals in the second quarter to make it 6-0 Panthers. In the third quarter Stafford led the Lions 63 yards and tossed a one yard touchdown to Collins to make it 7-6 Lions. Newton came back with a 72 yard drive that ended with a 14 yard touchdown to Avant make it 13-7 Panthers.

Midway through the fourth quarter Newton led a 70 yard drive, as Stewart scored from two yards out. The 2 point conversion to Jerricho Cotcherry had the Panthers up 21-7. A fumble on the ensuing kickoff set up Carolina at the Detroit 30. Gano hit from 38 to lock up the win with only 5 minutes left in regulation. 24-7 Panthers

Miami Dolphins at Buffalo Bills — The shock in this game is that both teams won their openers against superior teams. Whoever wins this game can be the worst 2-0 team in the league. Dan Carpenter hit a pair of 27 yard field goals to make it 6-0 Bills. The second kick was set up by a  blocked punt. In the second quarter Carpenter connected from 31 to make it 9-0 Bills. Caleb Sturgis hit a 34 yarder in the third quarter to get the Dolphins within 9-3. Since neither offense could reach the end zone, special teams had to do it. CJ Spiller returned the ensuing kickoff 102 yards for the 16-3 Bills lead.

The Dolphins eventually got going, as Ryan Tannehille moved them 64 yards, with a 7 yard touchdown to Mike Wallace getting Miami within 16-10. EJ Manuel came back with a 77 yard drive as the 12 yard touchdown pass to Sammy Watkins made it 23-10 Bills after three quarters. Carpenter hit from 32 and 38 in the fourth quarter to wrap it up. 29-10 Dolphins.

Jacksonville Jaguars at Washington Redskins — Robert Griffin III has been under fire, with many fans wanting Kirk Cousins to start. Midway through the first quarter RGIII again landed awkwardly on his knee, the same horrifying way that he went down in the playoff game against Seattle 2 years ago. Cousins came in and immediately threw a 20 yard touchdown to Young to make it 7-0 Redskins. In the second quarter Alfred Morris scored twice from one yard out to put Washington up 21-0. The last score came on a 92 yard drive that was mostly done on the ground. Jacksonville finally struck when Chad Henne went to Mercedes Lewis for a 63 yard touchdown to get the Jaguars within 21-7.

A 37 yard punt return in the third quarter set up Washington at the Jacksonville 30. A 35 yard Kai Forbath field goal made it 24-7 Redskins. Cousins hit Paul from 2 yards out in the fourth quarter for a 31-7 Redskins lead. Forbath hit a 42 yarder with 11 minutes left to compound the Jacksonville misery as the Redskins led 34-7. Jacksonville would kick a field goal, but make up for it by giving up another touchdown. 41-10 Redskins

Dallas Cowboys at Tennessee Titans — Last week it was Dallas looking awful at home and Tennessee winning big on the road. Yet this week it was Dan Bailey hitting a 48 yard field goal to put the Cowboys up 3-0 early. In the second quarter an interception of Jake Locker gave Dallas a short field. From the 40, Donald Murray did the rest, running for gains of 18, 6, 13, and the 3 yard touchdown to make it 10-0 Cowboys. Bailey adde a 44 yarder to make it 13-0 Cowboys in the second quarter. A solid punt return gave Dallas another short field just before the half. Carpenter hit from 51 to make it 16-0 Cowboys.

A 47 yard Ryan Succop field goal in the third quarter finally got the Titans on the board down 16-3. Locker would then throw a 61 yard touchdown pass to Walker to get the Titans within 16-10. Tony Romo led the Cowboys 12 plays in 80 yards over 5 1/2 minutes, hitting Dez Bryant for the 3 yard touchdown to make it 23-10 Cowboys. A 48 yard Bailey field goal in the fourth quarter made it 26-10 Cowboys. Locker quickly moved the Cardinals 80 yards as a 6 yard touchdown to Nate Washington got the Titans within ten points. Unfortunately the call was challenged and reversed incomplete, and the Titans were done. 26-10 Cowboys

Arizona Cardinals at New York Giants — With Carson Palmer out injured, Drew Stanton got the nod for the Cardinals. Stanton hardly ever plays, so an 80 yard drive capped by an 8-yard touchdown pass to Larry Fitzgerald meant more than a 7-0 Cardinals lead and an angry Coughlin-cam. The Giants really are that woeful. When Catanzaro tacked on a 49 yard field goal to make it 10-0 Cardinals, the Big Blue faithful grew restless.

In the second quarter the Giants finally showed some life as Eli Manning led a 13 play, 90 yard, 7 minute drive that culminated in a 7 yard touchdown pass to Reuben Randle to get the Giants within 10-7. In the third quarter Manning moved the Giants 74 yards as a one yard touchdown to Fells made it 14-10 Giants.

In the fourth quarter Catanzaro hit from 37 to get the Cardinals within 14-13. The Giants punted, and Ted Ginn Jr. made them pay. The 71 yard return for a touchdown had the Cardinals up 19-14 after the failed 2 point try. The Giants fumbled the ensuing kickoff, giving Arizona the ball at the New York 21. Catanzano hit from 32 to make it 22-14 Cardinals.

Manning led the Giants to the Arizona 17 with 4 1/2 minutes left looking to tie the game. Instead Rashad Jennings fumbled, and Stanton led the Cardinals to one more field goal to lock up the game. the Cardinals may not be as good as their 2-0 record, but the Giants are even more awful than their 0-2 record suggests. They lost at home to there backup quarterback. Coughlin may retire on the plane ride home if his players do not show some heart. 25-14 Cardinals

New England Patriots at Minnesota Vikings — With Adrian Peterson out suspended, the Vikings faced a Patriots team stunned by its loss last week. Matt Cassel started out, as a 25-yard touchdown pass to Asiata had the Vikings up 7-0. Later on Cassel went deep and paid a heavy price, as McCourty intercepted the pass and returned it 60 yards down to the one. Shawn Ridley took it in to tie the game 7-7. A 48 yard Stephen Gostkowski field goal made it 10-7 Patriots.

In the second quarter, former Patriots quarterback Cassel was intercepted again, giving his mentor Brady another short field. Brady hit Julian Edelman from 9 yards out to make it 17-7 Patriots. With seconds left in the half the Vikings lined up for a field goal. Jones blocked the kick, got the perfect bounce to scoop it up, and raced 57 yards the other way to make it 24-7 Patriots in front of a shocked home crowd. In the third quarter Gostkowski added a 47 yarder and then kicked a 27 yarder in the fourth quarter to round out the scoring. The Patriots are like vampires. Until a stake is driven through their hearts, they are a force to be reckoned with. 30-7 Patriots.

New Orleans Saints at Cleveland Browns — Bryan Hoyer led a valiant comeback but the Browns suffered a heartbreaking loss on the final play. This week he threw a 3 yard pass to Miles Austin. Despite having once dated a Kardashian, Austin caught the ball for the touchdown and the 7-0 Browns lead. Billy Cundiff tacked on a 32 yard field goal to give the Browns the surprising 10-0 lead.

In the second quarter the Saints finally got on the board with a 27 yard Shane Graham field goal to trail 10-3. Yet the Browns kept up the pressure. An interception of Drew Brees was returned by Gipson 62 yards for a touchdown as the Browns had the 16-3 lead. The extra point as no good. Brees then moved the Browns 85 yards in 12 plays as a 9 yard touchdown pass to Jimmy Graham had the Saints within 16-10 at halftime.

The Browns left the door open and the Saints put the pedal to the medal. Sean Payton kept Drew breed doing what he does, as a one yard touchdown pass to Graham in the third quarter put the Saints up 17-16. Hoyer brought the Browns back, moving them 80 yards in 14 plays over 6 minutes. A 9 yard run by West made it 23-17 Browns. Brees brought the Saints back 80 yards in 13 plays over 6 minutes, with Mark Ingram getting in from the one to make it 24-23 Saints early in the fourth quarter.

With 3 1/2 minutes left in regulation the Saints faced 4th and 12 from the Cleveland 38. Sean Payton opted to punt, and the Browns were pinned back at their own 4 yard line with 2:45 left. Hoyer converted a pair of third downs and on fourth and 6 from the Cleveland 38 found Barnidge for 10 more. A 13 yard completion to Austin had the ball on he Saints 39  with 15 seconds left. With everything on the line, Rob Ryan’s defense had a meltdown. Hoyer found a wide open Hawkins for a 28 yard gain down to the 11. Cundiff made up for his missed extra point by nailing the 29 yard field goal.

For the second straight week the preseason Super Bowl contenders lost on the road on the final play to fall to 0-2. As for Johnny Clipboard, he will have to wait. Cleveland has a quarterback, and his name is Bryan Hoyer. Not since the 1980 Brian Sipe led Cardiac Kids have the Browns been so much fun. 26-24 Browns

Atlanta Falcons at Cincinnati Bengals — Last week the Bengals almost lost because they settled for 5 field goals in the first half. Once again they drove deep and wilted in the red zone, as a 31 yard Mike Nugent kick put them up 3-0. Matt Bryant responded with a 46 yarder to tie it 3-3. In the second quarter Red Rifle Andy Dalton moved the Bengals 91 yards, and this time Cincinnati finished the job. Bernard ran it in from 4 yards out to make it 10-3 Bengals.

In the third quarter Dalton went to Sanu for a 76 yard touchdown to make it 17-3 Bengals. A interception of Matt Ryan set up Cincinnati at the Atlanta 43. Hill would crash in from the one to make it 24-3 Bengals. With 8 1/2 minutes left in regulation, a 77 yard drive finished with Ryan hitting Julio Jones for the 14 yard touchdown but the Falcons got no closer. 24-10 Bengals

St. Louis Rams at Tampa Bay Buccaneers — Josh McCown led a 10 play, 77 yard, 6 minute drive and ran the final 5 yards himself to make it 7-0 Buccaneers early on. The Rams came back 80 yards as Zac Stacy plowed in from the 2 to tie the game 7-7. A lengthy lightning storm meant a major delay, but 2 plays made the difference in the second quarter. Early on, with the Buccaneers inside the 10, McCown was intercepted in the end zone for a touchback. With 3 1/2 minutes left in the half the Buccaneers had a punt blocked, leading to a 36 yard Greg Zuerline field goal as the Rams led 10-7 at intermission.

In the third quarter McCown led the Bucs 60 yards, getting the last yard himself to make it 14-10 Tampa Bay. Zuerlein would hit a 35 yarder to get the Rams within 14-13. On the first play of the fourth quarter, the Bucs had a 24 yard field goal try blocked. With 9 minutes left in regulation Zuerlein hit from 46 to put the Rams in front 16-14. The Bucs had another field goal try from 36 with 5:20 play and this time Murray hit it to give Tampa Bay the 17-16 lead. With 42 seconds left Zuerlein came in for a 38 yarder, and Greg “the leg” was good for the fourth time on the day. With 20 seconds left from the Tampa 39, McCown found Evans for 29 yards to the Rams 32, in field goal range. Without a timeout, the clock ran out before the Bucs could try the field goal. The Rams may have lost their starting quarterback, but Jeff Fisher teams have heart. 19-17 Rams

Seattle Seahawks at San Diego Chargers — San Diego held the ball for 8 minutes and ran 14 plays but only move 48 yards. Nick Novak hit a 50 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Chargers. Percy Harvin quickly raced 51 yards for a touchdown to make it 7-3 Seahawks. In the second quarter Philip Rivers moved the Chargers 80 yards and threw an 8 yard touchdown to Antonio Gates for the 10-7 San Diego lead. Novak would hit from 43 to make it 13-7 Chargers. The Seahawks fumbled the ensuing kickoff, giving the Chargers the ball at the Seattle 28. Rivers would throw another 8 yard touchdown to Gates as the Chargers built a 20-7 lead over the defending champs.

Russell Wilson came back and led the Seahawks 69 yards, with Turbin taking it the final 3 to get the Seahawks within 20-14. In the third quarter Rivers led the Chargers 76 yards in 12 plays in 6 1/2 minutes, connecting with Gates again for a 21 yard touchdown to make it 27-14 Chargers. Wilson led Seattle 70 yards, hitting Marshawn Lynch for a a 14 yard touchdown to get the Seahawks within 27-21 after there quarters. The Seahawks have the all world Legion of Boom, but in the fourth quarter it was the Chargers defense that turned out the lights. With 3 minutes left in the game the Seahawks had one last chance from their own 11 and lost a yard, turning it over on downs. Novak hit the 29 yard

with 15 seconds left to salt it away. 30-21 Chargers

Houston Texans at Oakland Raiders — The Raiders won in Houston the day after Al Davis died. They no longer play inspired football, sucking in every phase of the game. Arriun Foster raced for a 41 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Texans early on. Foster was ruled down at the one, so Ryan Fitzpatrick instead found a wide open J.J. Watt. Yes, J.J. Watt now plays offense in addition to being one of the best defenders in the league. The Texans defense had more offensive touchdowns than the entire Oakland offense, but it was still early enough for things to get worse for the Raider Nation. Oakland went 3 yards in 3 play, and exciting one yard per play before punting.

An 8 minute, 70 yard drive had Foster score from one yard out to make it 14-0 Texans. In the opening quarter the Raiders total offense was 3 plays, 3 yards, and 90 seconds of offensive possession. The Texans in their 13 1/2 minutes of possession, 23 plays, and 151 yards may have put the game away.

In the second quarter from the Oakland 17, Derek Carr fooled the defense and ran for 42 yards. Yet from the Houston 31, Carr was intercepted by Jackson, who returned it 56 yards to the Oakland 24. Bullock hit a 33 yard field goal to have the Texans rolling 17-0. Carr tried to breathe life into the Raiders but got no help. With 2 1/2 minutes left in the half he moved the Raiders from their 13 to their 45 with one minute left. Carr went deep to James Jones at the Houston 35. Jones caught it, was stripped, recovered his own fumble, raced to the Houston 18, was stripped again, and saw the Texans recover at their own 3 yard line. These are the Raiders. Carr got it back and had them in position for a Hail Mary when a receiver failed to get out of bounds. These are the Raiders.

The Third quarter was more of the same. Carr moved the Raiders from their 24 to the Houston 35. On 3rd and 13 from the 38, Carr hit Rivera for a 6 yard gain in field goal range. Yet Rivera was stripped, and Houston picked it up and 42 yards to the Oakland 20. These are the Raiders. On 3rd and 8 from the 19, Fitzpatrick threw incomplete but the Raiders were called for defensive holding. On 3rd and 8 from the 12, Fitzpatrick found Hopkins for the touchdown to make it 24-0 Texans. These are the Raiders. Houston would tack on a 39 yard field goal to lead 27-0.

The Raiders avoided the shutout when the Texans were called for defensive pass interference in the end zone. Darren McFadden got the one yard to get the Raiders within 27-7. Dennis Allen decided to add defensive pass interference calls to the playbook. Needing a stop, the Oakland defense could not find one. Houston ground the Raiders into dirt with a 14 play drive that consumed over 9 minutes off the clock. The 46 yard field goal was just icing on the cake. Carr would throw a touchdown pass with 13 seconds left against the backup defense. Carr has talent. He has little around him and nobody coaching him or the rest of the team. Owner Mark Davis and General Manager Reggie McKenzie need to blow the entire coaching staff up. Nothing is working. Bill O’Brien started 2-0, joining NFL rookies Jim Harbaugh and Chip Kelly as quick turnaround artists. As for Dennis Allen, he is in his third year and the Raiders are getting worse. 30-14 Texans

New York Jets at Green Bay Packers — On the first play from scrimmage, Aaron Rodgers fumbled the snap and the Jets recovered at the Packers 16. Geno Smith ran it in from one yard out as the Jets led 7-0. Gang Green got it back and moved 84 yards quickly, with Smith throwing a 29 yard touchdown to Eric Decker to make it 14-0 in front of a stunned home crowd.

The Packers dodged a bullet when a sack of Rodgers caused a fumble that the Jets recovered. It was ruled an incomplete pass. The when Rodgers moved the Packers to the Jets 13, a completion down to the one was reversed and ruled incomplete. Mason Crosby hit a 31 yard field goal but the Packers trailed 14-3. Smith then led a staggering 16 play, 80 yard, 8 1/2 minute drive that ground the Packers into dust. Chris Ivory scored from 4 yards out to make it 21-3 Packers.

Green Bay would reach the Jets 2 yard line but settle for a 20 yard Crosby field goal to trail 21-6. Crosby would nail a 55 yarder with 3 1/2 minutes left in the half as the Packers got within 21-9. Smith had the Jets moving but went for it all and was intercepted. The Packers took over at their own 3 with 1:52 left in the half. Rodgers moved the Packers 97 yards, hitting Randall Cobb for the 6 yard touchdown with 8 seconds to spare. The Packers trailed 21-16 at halftime but had all the momentum.

In the third quarter Rodgers moved the Packers 67 yards, with a one yard touchdown toss to Cobb to give the Packers the lead for the first time. Rodgers went back to Cobb for the 2 point conversion to make it 24-21 Packers. The Jets stayed calm as Nick Folk drilled a 52 yard field goal with to tie the game 24-24 late in the third quarter. One play and 13 seconds later the Packers had the 31-24 lead when Rodgers went deep to Jordy Nelson for the 80 yard touchdown.

The Jets faced a fourth down and Smith went for all the marbles. A circus catch in the end zone had the Jets celebrating, but it was all for naught. Rex Ryan called timeout before the snap, despite nobody hearing a whistle. To make things even more confusing, Ryan never called the timeout. Offensive coordinator Marty Morninghweg did. Despite the rules saying only the head coach can call the timeout, the refs never saw who asked for it, so they allowed it. Smith would lead the Jets to a 4th and 8 at the Packers 28 with 3 1/2 minutes left, but he then went to the end zone incomplete. On 3rd and 3 at the 2 minute warning, Mike McCarthy decided to pass the ball. Rodgers fired a quick strike complete as the Packers hung on for the gutty comeback win. 31-24 Packers

Kansas City Chiefs at Denver Broncos — 80 yards came easily as Peyton Manning found Julius Thomas for a 4 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Broncos. Santos would hit a 45 yard field goal to get the Chiefs within 7-3. In the second quarter Davis would run it in from 2 yards out to cap a 66 yard drive as the Chiefs had the 10-7 lead. Manning moved the Broncos 75 yards as a 4 yard touchdown pass to Jacob Tamme made it 14-10 Broncos. It was deja vu all over again as Manning led the Broncos 88 yards and hit Denarius Thomas for the 12 yard score to make it 21-10 Broncos.

The way to keep Manning from throwing touchdowns is to refuse to let him on the field. The Chiefs mounted a 14 play, 90 yard drive that consumed almost 8 minutes. Davis ran it in from 4 yards out as the Chiefs only trailed 21-17 midway through the fourth quarter. Manning tok the Broncos down the field again but this time Denver stalled at the Chiefs 2 yard line. The field goal had Denver up by 7 with 3 1/2 minutes to play. Alex Smith brought the Chiefs down the field, and with 18 seconds left everything came down to 4th and goal at the 2. Smith threw incomplete and Denver survived. John Fox got the win to make the Broncos 2-0 while the 0-2 Chiefs have rendered Andy Reid a most unhappy Walrus Lite. 24-17 Broncos

Chicago Bears at San Francisco 49ers was the Sunday night game. This was the very first game for the Santa Clara Silicon Valley 49ers of San Francisco in their new digs at Levi Stadium. The 49ers got off to a quick start by blocking a Chicago punt to set up a 3 yard touchdown pass from Colin Kaepernick to Michael Crabtree. Phil Dawson tacked on a 27 yard field goal as the 49ers led 10-0.

In the second quarter the 49ers turned it over twice but suffered no consequences as the Bears were forced to punt on 4th and 29 from their own 1. The 49ers took over at the Chicago 30 and Frank Gore barreled in from 8 yards out to make it 17-0 49ers. With 2:22 left in the half, the Bears showed signs of life when Jay Cutler moved Chicago 80 yards, throng a 17 yard touchdown pass to Brandon Marshall just before the half. In the third quarter Kaeprenick led a ridiculous 14 play, 84 yard drive that consumed over 9 minutes off the clock. Yet despite 1st and 5 from the 6, for the second time the 49ers bogged down close and settled for a field goal. Although the 49ers led 20-7 after three quarters, the fourth quarter will be talked about for some time in the Bay Area.

Cutler again marched the Bears 80 yards, needing 13 plays and 7 1/2 minutes to do it. Cutler hit Marshall again, this time for a 5 yard touchdown less than 90 seconds into the final quarter to get the Bears within 20-14. On the next offensive play, another interception of Kaepernick set up the Bears at the San Francisco 3 yard line. Kaepernick lost his cool and was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct on the play. One play after that, Cutler threw the touchdown to Michael Bennett. 2 scores in 24 seconds had the Bears up 21-20.

Kaepernick was intercepted yet again, with Chicago taking over at the San Francisco 42. Cutler threw a 29 yard completion to Jeffery and connected with Marshall for the third time as the 3 yard score put the Bears up by 8 midway through the fourth quarter. Kaepernick moved the 49ers from their 20 to a 1st and 10 at the Chicago 18. On 4th and 9 with 1:17 to play, Kaepernick fired incomplete and the Bears had the shocking upset one week after losing at home to lowly Buffalo. Cutler had 4 touchdowns while Kaepernick was a turnover machine. 28-20 Bears

Philadelphia Eagles at Indianapolis Colts was the Monday night game. Both offenses moved the ball well, but the Eagles did not finish drives. Nick Foles led them 69 yards in 11 plays, but settled for a 31 yard Parkey field goal to lead 3-0. Andrew Luck brought the Colts 72 yards and threw a 1 yard touchdown to Ahmad Bradshaw to make it 7-3 Colts. In the second quarter the Colts tacked on a 46 yard Adam Vinatieri field goal to lead 10-3. Again the Eagles drove deep but again had to settle for a 23 yard Parkey field goal to trail 10-6. Luck brought the Colts down the field again and a 2 yard touchdown pass to Doyle had the Colts up 17-6 at halftime. Foles had the far superior numbers but the trouble in the red zone hurt the Eagles.

In the third quarter it was the Colts failing to finish a drive as they settled for a 27 yard Vinatieri field goal and a 20-6 lead. The Eagles quickly moved 80 yards as LeSean McCoy took it in from the one to get the Eagles within 20-13. Trent Richardson fumbled on the next play from scrimmage and the Eagles took over at the Colts 26. On 3rd and 15 Foles found McCoy for 21. Darren Sproles ran it from 19 yards out as the Eagles tied the game 20-20 late in the third quarter.

The shootout continued in the fourth quarter when Luck moved the Colts 80 yards in 12 plays, taking 6 minutes to do so. A  7 yard touchdown to Bradshaw put the Colts up 27-20 with 12 minutes left in regulation. The Eagles went 3 and out and Luck moved the Colts from the Indianapolis 37 to a 3rd and 9 at the Philadelphia 22. Well in field goal range to put the game out of reach, Luck threw an interception. With 5 minutes left, the Eagles had life. After a horse collar penalty against the Colts meant 15 more yards, Foles threw a 51 yard bomb to Sproles down to the Colts 6 yard line. Luck then threw the touchdown to Jeremy Maclin to tie the game 27-27 with 3:25 to play.

Now it was the Colts who went 3 and out as the Eagles got the ball back at their own 40 with 1:56 left. Foles found Zac Ertz for 24 yards and Sproles for 17 more. With 3 seconds left, it was Parkey coming in for the win. From 36 yards out, Parkey was good and the Eagles became the first team in NFL history to win their first two games when trailing both in the second half by at least 14 points. 30-27 Eagles

NFL 2014 Week 2 Prequel

http://www.commdiginews.com/sports/nfl-2014-week-2-preview-and-bettors-guide-25584/

eric

NFL 2014 Week 1 Recap

 

The National Football League is finally back.

With that, here is the NFL 2014 Week 1 Recap.

http://www.commdiginews.com/sports/nfl-2014-week-1-lessons-learned-and-lessons-not-learned-25533/

Green Bay Packers at Seattle Seahawks was the Thursday night game to kick off the 2014 NFL season. Pass-happy Mike McCarthy actually came out running the ball, but it was Seattle that cracked the scoreboard first. A running into the kicker penalty gave the Seahawks a second chance, leading to Steven Hauschka kicking a field goal for the 3-0 Seahawks lead.

Green Bay caught a break when Earl Thomas fumbled a punt, setting up the Packers at the Seattle 34. Mike McCarthy continued playing smash mouth. From the one, John Kuhn barely stretched the ball over the goal line when it appeared he had been stopped by several defenders. The Packers led 7-3 after the opening quarter.

The Seahawks began the second quarter moving rapidly and took the 10-7 lead when Russell Wilson threw a 33-yard touchdown pass to Lockette. Green Bay went bombs away on 3rd and 5 as a defensive pass interference penalty set up 1st and goal at the 8. The defense held as Mason Crosby tied the game 10-10.

A heavy dose of Percy Harvin led to a 9-yard run by Marshawn Lynch for a 17-10 Seahawks lead with 3 1/2 minutes left in the half.

In the third quarter a pass by Rodgers bounced right of the receivers fingers into the arms of Byron Maxwell, setting up Seattle with 1st and goal at the 8. Green Bay held again on defense but another Hauschka field goal gave the Seahawks some breathing room up 20-10.

Later on a good punt had the Packers pinned inside their own 10. Michael Bennett sacked Rodgers, forcing a fumble that went backward into the Green Bay end zone. The Packers fell on it for a safety as the Seahawks led 22-10. After the free kick, Wilson marched the Seahawks straight down the field. The fourth quarter began with Seattle facing 1st and goal at the Packers 3 after a 12 yard Wilson scramble. Lynch carried it in for a 29-10 Seahawks advantage.

Rodgers did throw a 3-yard touchdown pass to get the Packers within 29-16, but Wilson led a 13 play, 80-yard, 7 minute drive to turn out the lights. Wilson hit Coleman from 15 yards out to complete the decisive victory. 7 months after winning it all, the Seahawks are still every bit as super. 36-16 Seahawks

 

New Orleans Saints at Atlanta Falcons — Shane Graham had a pair of field goals from 31 and 50 yards as the Saints led 6-0 after the first quarter. Drew Brees then led an 80 yard drive that led to a 2 yard Robinson run to make it 13-0 Saints. The Falcons finally got going as Matt Ryan led a 14 play, 80 yard, 7 1/2 minute drive. The 2 yard touchdown to Roddy White had Atlanta within 13-7.

Ryan had 146 yards passing in the first half, but Brees was a pinball machine, racking up 181 yards. Another 80 yard drive and a 3 yard touchdown pass to Cooks had the Saints up 20-7. Matt Bryant would hit a 40 yard field goal just before the half as the Falcons trailed 20-10.

In the third quarter Ryan led the Falcons 80 yards in 12 plays over 5 1/2 minutes. A one yard touchdown pass to Toilolo got Atlanta within 20-17. Ryan then threw a 54 yard touchdown pass to Smith as the Falcons had the 24-20 lead.

In the fourth quarter Brees led another 12 play, 80 yard, 6 1/2 minute drive. Mark Ingram plowed in from the 3 as the Saints led 27-24 with 6 minutes left in the game. Ryan brought the Falcons back 94 yards, with Jacquez Rodgers running in the final 17 yards. The Falcons claimed the 31-27 lead with 3 minutes left.

Now Brees had his turn. 71 yards came quickly, with Ingram running it in from the 3. The Saints had reclaimed the lead 34-31 with 1:20 to play. From the 20, Ryan fired 13 yards to Douglas, 12 yards to Julio Jones and 21 yards to Devon Hester. With everything on the line, Bryant came in for a 51 yard field goal try to tie the game. Bryant drilled it and this thriller was tied 34-34 at the end of regulation.

The Saints got the ball to start overtime and disaster quickly struck. On the second play from scrimmage from the Saints 20, a pass to Marquis Colston gained 13 yards before Colston was hit and fumbled. Atlanta recovered at the Saints 38 as an angry Colston threw his helmet off and bounced it. Bryant came in for a 52 yard field goal, and again he leveled it.

This game was expected to be a thriller and it was. Brees finished 29 of 42 for 333 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Matty Ice was 31 of 43 for a ridiculous 448 yards, three touchdowns and zero interceptions. The rematch of these teams cannot come soon enough. 37-34 Falcons

Minnesota Vikings at St. Louis Rams — Blair Walsh hit a 52 yard field goal in the first quarter and a 46 yarder in the second quarter for a 6-0 Vikings lead. Matt Cassel threw an 8 yard touchdown to Greg Jennings to make it 13-0 Vikings at the half.

In the third quarter Greg the leg Zuerlein drilled a 56 yard field goal to get the Rams on the board. Minnesota then closed the door as Cordarelle Patterson broke free for a 67 yard touchdown run to make it 20-3 Vikings. Cassel would throw a 7 yard touchdown pass to Rudolph to make it 27-3 Vikings.

The Rams did finally throw a touchdown pass, but it went to Minnesota. The 81 yard interception return by Cook ended the Rams misery. St. Louis would tack on another field goal, but Jeff Fisher needs a quarterback in a hurry. Mike Zimmer got a win in his first game as a head coach. 34-6 Vikings

Cleveland Browns at Pittsburgh Steelers — Shawn Suisham hit a 36 yard field goal for the Steelers and Billy Cundiff responded with a 39 yarder for the Browns. Then reality set in. LeGuarrette Blount ran for touchdowns of 7 and 38 yards sandwiched around a 35 yard touchdown pass from Ben Roethlisberger to Antonio Brown to make it 24-3 Steelers. Suisham added a 34 harder as the Steelers led 27-3 at halftime.

Despite the Cleveland fans begging for Johnny Clipboard, Bryan Hoyer stayed in the game and led a pair of touchdown drives. Crowell ran it in from 3 and 15 yards to get the Browns within 27-17. Hoyer led another long drive that saw Cundiff hit a 25 yard field goal as the fourth quarter began as the Browns only trailed 27-20. Hoyer brought the Browns back again as 9 yard touchdown pass to Benjamin tied the game 27-27 with 11 1/2 minutes left in regulation.

Hoyer did not play badly, finishing 19 of 31 for 230 yards, one touchdown, and zero interceptions. Yet it was Big Ben Roethlisberger who went 23 of 34 for 365 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Despite overcoming a 24 point deficit, critical decisions by rookie head coach Mike Pettine hurt the Browns. With 4 1/2 minutes to play and the Browns facing 4th and 7 at the Pittsburgh 35, Pettine opted to go conservative and punt. Then with less than 2 minutes to play and the Browns at their own 20, Pettine got aggressive. Cleveland ended up punting on 4th and 21 from their own 9, and the Steelers got it back at their own 43 with 47 seconds to play.

Roethlisberger went to Wheaton for gains of 11 and 20 and Suisham nailed a 41 yard field goal as time expired. Mike Tomlin saw his team survive a scare as the Browns were left to wonder what might have been. 30-27 Steelers

Jacksonville Jaguars at Philadelphia Eagles — The Eagles were expected to roll over the Jaguars. Early on the Eagles just rolled over. Nick Foles was hit and fumbled, setting up the Jaguars at the Philly 44. Chad Henne threw a 34 yard touchdown pass to Hums for a 7-0 Jaguars lead. Foles was then hit and fumbled again, setting up Jacksonville at the Eagles 21. Henne went to Hums again for another touchdown and a 14-0 Jaguars lead. In the second quarter Josh Scobee tacked on a 49 yard field goal to make it 17-0 Jaguars in front of a stunned home crowd.

Desperately needing a spark in the third quarter, Chip kelly decided to go for it on 4th and 1 from the Jacksonville 49. Darren Sproles got the first down and everything else as he raced for the touchdown to get the Eagles within 17-7. Nick Foles then threw a 25 yard touchdown pass to Zac Ertz as the Eagles only trailed 17-14.

The fourth quarter was all Philadelphia. Parkey drilled a 51 yard field goal to tie the game. Then Foles went deep to Jeremy Maclin for a 68 yard touchdown to give the Eagles the lead. Parkey tacked on a 28 yard field goal to put the Eagles up 27-17. A 17 yard fumble return by Cox salted the game away. 34-17 Eagles

Oakland Raiders at New York Jets — The Jets took over at their own 40 yard line and Geno Smith went right to work. The Jets moved with ease until a perfectly thrown pass was dropped in the end zone. The Raiders dodged a bullet as the Jets settled for a 45 yard Nick Folk field goal and a 3-0 lead.

The Derek Carr era began from the Oakland 20 with a completion for 0 yards, a staple of the Dink and Dunk with Dennis Allen West Coast Offense. At least a traditional running play on 3rd and 1 failed to gain a first down as the Raiders punted.

A diving interception of Smith by Charles Woodson set up the Raiders at the Jets 28. After converting a 3rd down with a short pass, on 3rd and 5 from the 12 Carr hit Rod Streater, who raced to the end zone. Carr’s first ever NFL touchdown pass had the Silver and Black up 7-3.

Yet on defense, the Raiders could not get off the field. In the second quarter, with the Jets facing 3rd and 8 from their own 16, Smith threw for the first down. On 3rd and 13 from their 45, Smith ran for the first down. From the Oakland 30, a perfect pass over the middle set up 1st and goal at the 3. On 2nd down, Smith scrambled again. This time he got belted by 2 Raiders and fumbled. The Raiders recovered at their own 3, again getting a major break.

The Jets continued to do everything but score as Smith found wide open receivers and killed the Raiders on 3rd down. On 3rd and 8 near midfield, Smith scrambled, just barely reaching the marker. With 30 seconds left in the half, the Jets faced 3rd and 4 at the Oakland 5. A perfectly executed shovel pass went for the touchdown as the Jets led 10-7 at halftime.

A strong kickoff return and the Raiders starting the second half at their own 41. Then the referees got involved, or in this case failed to get involved.  A simple handoff to Maurice Jones-Drew saw Jones-Drew get his head taken off by the defender. No penalty was called, and the resulting fumble meant an 11 yard loss for the Raiders. Then Carr was called for a delay of game. Shockingly enough, it was the first penalty against the Raiders all game. The Jets were flagged 8 times in the first half, and the Raiders of all teams had 0 flags for 0 yards at the break. Nevertheless, this drive was done as the Raiders punted again.

The Jets on 3rd and 17 from the Oakland 46 saw Smith complete another first down. However, this time offensive pass interference negated the play. The Jets punted again. The Raiders offense stalled, and the Jets continued to move straight down the field. Yet again the Jets hurt themselves as a critical offensive face mask penalty in the red zone stopped the drive. Folk hit a 42 yard field goal as the Jets led 13-7 late in the third quarter.

A major special teams mistake saw the Raiders return man call a fair catch at the 5 yard line rather than let the ball bounce into the end zone. Dennis Allen continued trying to dink and dunk, which meant death and another Raiders punt.

Despite giving up huge chunks of yards, the Raiders defense sacked Smith to end another drive. Once again, another third down meant Dennis Allen would call a dink and dunk pass that left the Raiders punting the ball again. Throwing past the first down marker is just not something he does. With the defense bending the whole game, it finally broke. Chris Ivory got through five mistackles and raced for a 71 yard touchdown. With 8 minutes left the Jets had a 19-7 lead. With Dennis Allen ordering Carr to throw 2 yard passes, another Raiders loss seemed assured.

The Raiders tried to fold but the Jets would not let them. A roughing the passer penalty followed by defensive pass interference gave the Raiders yardage. It didn’t matter. On 4th and 14 form near midfield, the Raiders decided to go for it. Then they burned a timeout. Then they took a false start. Then they decided to punt. Oakland got it back with 2 1/2 minutes left, plenty of time for Dennis Allen to call 3 more 2 yard passes.

When finally allowed to throw the ball due to necessity, Carr went deep to James Jones, who made an acrobatic 30 yard touchdown catch with 80 seconds to play. The onside kick failed and the Raiders were done. Dink and Dunk with Dennis meant death for the Raiders. Dennis Allen still has not been fired. 19-14 Jets

Cincinnati Bengals at Baltimore Ravens — Cincinnati moved the ball at will early on, but had to settle for Mike Nugent field goals. Nugent connected from 49 and 22 in the first quarter and from 26, 46 and 38 in the second quarter in powering the Bengals to a 15-0 lead.

In the third quarter the Ravens finally showed some life, as Joe Flacco led an 82 yard drive. Forsett ran it in from the 13 to get the Ravens on the board down 15-7. Justin Tucker hit a 38 yard field goal to get the Ravens within 15-10. With the Ravens facing 3rd and 14 form their own 20, Flacco then went bombs away to Steve Smith for an 80 yard touchdown. With 6 minutes left in regulation the Ravens had come back to take the 16-15 lead.

Only one minute late it was Red Rifle Andy Dalton going deep to AJ Green for a 77 yard touchdown. The Bengals retook the 7 point lead. Flacco led the Ravens from their 12 to a 3rd and 4 at the Cincy 16 with just over one minute to play. Consecutive sacks of Flacco killed the drive and allowed the Bengals to hang on for the win. 23-16 Bengals

Buffalo Bills at Chicago Bears — Jay Cutler needed only 4 plays and less than 2 minutes to move the Bears 66 yards, with a 12 yard touchdown toss to Michael Bennett making it 7-0 Chicago.

With this expected to be an easy game for the Bears, Buffalo stormed back. EJ Manuel led the Bills 71 yards, running the final deuce himself to tie the game 7-7. In the second quarter with the Bears driving, a fumble by Brandon Marshall led to a 50 yard Dan Carpenter field goal to put Buffalo in front. With the Bears driving again, Cutler was intercepted by Graham, who returned it 43 yards. From the Chicago 7, Manuel hit CJ Spiller for the score to make it 17-7 Bills.

In the third quarter Robbie Gould hit a 41 yard field goal to get the Bears within 17-10. Cutler then found Marshall for an 11 yard touchdown to tie the game 17-17. Cutler would finish 34 of 49 for 349 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. Marc Trestman’s offense piles up yardage, but on this day did not convert those yards into many points.   

With 4 minutes left, Carpenter hit a 33 yard field goal to give the Bills the 20-17 lead. With 45 seconds left, the Bears faced 2nd and 1 from the Buffalo 19. Cutler threw incomplete twice as the Bears settled for a 37 yard Gould field goal to tie it again.

The Bears got the ball first in overtime but punted. Buffalo took over at their own 22 and the ground game got the job done. Spiller gained 13 and Manuel hit Williams for 20 more. Fred Jackson broke off a 38 yard run down to the one. Carpenter hit the 27 harder to win it as Buffalo had the upset. 23-20 Bears

Washington Redskins at Houston Texans — A field position game was scoreless after the first quarter. Midway through the second quarter Washington began a drive at the Houston 46. Al Fred Morris had gains of 16 and 21 as Young plunged in from the one. The extra point was blocked as the Redskins led 6-0.

With 4 1/2 minutes left in the half, one play changed the game as Ryan Fitzpatrick went deep to Hopkins for a 76 yard touchdown and a 7-6 Texans lead. More special teams problems for Washington meant a blocked punt. Way was the punter, and the ball went the wrong way. Alfred Blue got the block, the recovery and the touchdown as the Texans now led 14-6.

Suffocating defense meant a lifeless second half. After closing the season with 14 straight losses last year, the Texans locked up the win for rookie Bill O’Brien with a field goal at the 2 minute warning. 17-6 Texans

Tennessee Titans at Kansas City Chiefs — A defensive first half saw the Chiefs get on the board first in the second quarter with a 35 yard Santos field goal. Jake Locker then threw a 5 yard touchdown pass to Walker to make it 7-3 Titans. Ryan Succop was cut by the Chiefs this preseason in favor of Santos, and now Succop kicks for Tennessee. His 36 harder just before the half had the Titans up 10-3.

In the third quarter Locker threw a 6 yard touchdown pass to Wright to make it 17-3 Titans. An interception of Alex Smith led to a 31-yard Succop field goal and a 20-3 Titans lead. Succop added a 46 yarder to make it 23-3 Titans.

Smith did throw a 5 yard touchdown to Anthony Fasano with 10 minutes left in regulation, but it was too little, too late. Succop tacked on a 47 yarder and Smith was intercepted again. Last year Walrus Lite Andy Reid led the Chiefs to a 9-0 start before they stumbled. This year it was Ken Whisenhunt winning his first game as the Tennessee head coach. Jake Locker was 22 of 33 for 266 yards two touchdowns, and zero interceptions. Alex Smith was intercepted three times. 26-10 Titans

Miami Dolphins at New England Patriots — With the Patriots expected to role over the Dolphins for the billionth straight time, New England started 3 and out and then saw their punt blocked. From the Patriots 15, Ryan Tannehill put the Dolphins up 7-0 with a 4 yard touchdown pass. Robert Kraft did not fire Tom Brady and Bill Bellichick on the spot to replace them with Joe Philbin and Tannehill.

Kraft’s patience was rewarded as reality soon set in. Brady led the Patriots 80 yards in 13 plays over 6 1/2 minutes to tie the game. A 47 yard Stephen Gostkowski field goal gave the Patriots the lead. In the second quarter, Brady moved the Patriots 94 yards in 11 plays, with a 6 yard touchdown pass to Rob Gronkowski making it 17-7 Patriots.

Sturgis hit a 38 yard field goal for Miami, but Gostkowski nailed a 45 yarder to put the Patriots up 20-10 at intermission.

In the third quarter Sturgis hit from 24 to get the Dolphins within 20-13. Brady was then sacked and fumbled, setting up the Dolphins at the Patriots 34. Tannehill threw a 14 yard touchdown pass to Mike Wallace to tie the game 20-20 midway through the third quarter. Miami had all the momentum and again Tannehill led the Dolphins to the Patriots 3 yard line. Again Miami settled for a 22 yard field goal and a 23-20 Dolphins lead.

Brady would throw the ball 56 times in this game, completing only 29 of those passes. Tannehill was far more efficient, leading a 12 play, 6 minute drive that moved Miami 85 yards. Knowshon Moreno scored on 3rd and goal from the 4 to put the Dolphins up 30-20.

A sack of Brady meant another fumble and another field goal as 23 unanswered points led to the surprising upset. Despite the Patriots being much better than the Dolphins since 2001, Brady has had some of his worst games at Miami. 33-20 Dolphins

San Francisco 49ers at Dallas Cowboys — The 49ers set out to prove that off-field problems have not derailed them. The Cowboys set out to prove they were not as awful as the preseason suggested. Unless the triplets plan to come out of retirement, Dallas may very well be that bad. A 35-yard fumble return by Chris Culliver had the 49ers up 7-0 and they never looked back.

Tony Romo moved the Cowboys to a 2nd and 1 at the San Francisco 2. He was then sacked as the Cowboys settled for a field goal. Colin Kaepernick then found Vernon Davis for a 29-yard touchdown to make it 14-3 49ers. Romo was then intercepted at midfield by Reid, who returned it to the 2 yard line. Kaepernick hit Davis again to make it 21-3 49ers in the first quarter. In the second quarter Romo again moved the Cowboys to the 49ers 5 yard line before being intercepted in the end zone. Romo’s 3rd interception led to a 4-yard touchdown run as the 49ers led 28-3 at halftime. For some reason, the second half was played. The Cowboys turnovers on the field had Jerry Jones contemplating turnovers in his entire staff, except for himself. The Santa Clara Silicon Valley 49ers should change their name while the Cowboys should change everything. 28-17 49ers

Carolina Panthers at Tampa Bay Buccaneers — Carolina was supposed to regress. The Buccaneers were supposed to improve. Even with Cam Newton missing his first start, the script did not materialize. After a scoreless opening quarter, Derek Anderson led a nine-minute drive and threw a five-yard touchdown to Greg Olsen to make it 7-0 Panthers. Graham Gano tacked on a 28-yard field goal to make it 10-0 Panthers at halftime. Anderson threw a 26-yard fourth quarter touchdown to Benjamin on the first play of the fourth quarter to make it 17-0 Panthers.

The Buccaneers mounted a furious late rally. Josh McCown threw a pair of touchdown passes, the second one just before the two minute warning. Tampa Bay held on defense and got the ball back at their own 32 with 1:36 to play. The Buccaneers quickly fumbled the ball away. Carolina had to settle for a 33-yard Gano field goal. Gano had missed one earlier, so with 23 seconds left the Buccaneers still had life. Needing 79 yards with five seconds left, the Buccaneers came up 70 yards short as Carolina’s defense gave Lovie Smith no love in his Tampa Bay debut. 20-14 Panthers

Indianapolis Colts at Denver Broncos was the Sunday night game. Last year Peyton Manning failed to get revenge against the team that cast him aside. This year the game was in Peyton’s place. Two years ago Colts fans chanted “Suck for Luck.” On this night, even with Luck, the Colts just sucked. This game was the Suspension Bowl, with Broncos receiver Wes Welker, Broncos kicker Matt Prater, and Colts owner Jim Irsay all sitting out several weeks for violating the league’s drug policy.

As for the game, Manning moved the Colts on a staggering 16 play, 77 yard drive that consumed 6 1/2 minutes and led to a 1st and goal at the 3. Manning threw 3 straight incompletions, forcing Denver to settle for a field goal. It was the last time in the half they would settle. Manning began playing pitch and catch with Julius Thomas, hooking up for touchdowns of 3, 35 and 5 yards. Manning had nearly 200 yards passing in the first half. Trailing 24-0, Luck did work the 2 minute drill well. Luck scrambled for a 9 yard touchdown seconds before the half ended.

In the third quarter a questionable defensive pass interference call against Denver had the Colts knocking on the door again. A completion to the goal line looked like a touchdown until the receiver got stacked up by three defenders just short of the goal line. On 4th and goal from inches away, Luck went for the quarterback sneak and got belted backward by the entire Denver defense. Late in the third quarter the Colts again got inside the 10 yard line but settled for a field goal to trail 24-10.

With 10 minutes left in regulation, Monte Ball ran it in from 3 yards out to make it 31-10 Broncos. Luck mounted a furious rally. A 41-yard touchdown pass to Allen and a successful onside kick was followed by an interception of Luck off a deflected ball with 5 1/2 minutes remaining. The Broncos punted and Luck threw a 9-yard touchdown to Hakeem Nicks with 3 1/2 minutes left to get the Colts within 7. Indianapolis got it back again and at the two minute-warning the Colts faced 4th and six at the Denver 39. Luck’s pass was batted away incomplete. Luck had 370 yards passing, 100 more than Manning. The Broncos got the win. 31-24 Broncos

New York Giants at Detroit Lions was the first Monday night game. The Lions under Jim Caldwell were supposed to be improved, especially under Jim Caldwell. The Giants were supposed to be a mess, perhaps driving Captain Grumpy Tom Coughlin into retirement. Coughlin is as demonstrative as Caldwell is expressionless. Sometimes results deviate from the script. This was not that game. Caldwell likes to put pedal to the medal, just as he did when he coached Indianapolis. In this game Matthew Stafford followed up a 67 yard touchdown bomb to Calvin Johnson by going back to Megatron for a 16 yard touchdown as the Lions led 14-0 after the first quarter.

In the second quarter Eli Manning led a 13 play, 79 yard drive that ended up with a one yard touchdown pass to Donnell as the Giants only trailed 14-7 at the break. However, the Lions turned out the lights in the third quarter. Freese nailed field goals of 28 and 27 yards and Stafford ran it in from 5 yards out as the Lions led 27-7 after three quarters. Manning did lead a 14 play, 80 yard, 7 minute drive that finished with Rashad Jennings plunging in from one yard out. Yet Stafford responded with a 12 play, 80 yard, 7 minute drive that saw Bell run it in from 3 yards out to finish off the Giants for good. 35-14 Lions

San Diego Chargers at Arizona Cardinals was the second Monday night game. A scoreless first quarter became a game only kickers could love in the second quarter as Catanzaro connected from 22, Nick Novak responded from 36, and Catanzaro hit from 44 to put the Cardinals up 6-3 at halftime. In the third quarter the Chargers got going on offense as Phillip Rivers hit Malcolm Floyd from 6 yards out to give San Diego the lead. A sack of Carson Palmer forced a fumble that led to a short field and a 20 yard Ryan Mathews touchdown run to make it 17-6 Chargers.

Early in the fourth quarter Palmer found Taylor for a 5 yard touchdown. The 2 point conversion failed but the Cardinals were within 17-12. San Diego had a chance to put the game away midway through the fourth quarter when the Chargers faced 3rd and 8 at the Arizona 29. A snap out of the shotgun was fumbled, resulting in a 14 yard loss out of field goal range.

The Cardinals took over at their own 9 yard line and soon faced 3rd and 10. Palmer may be old, but he scrambled for 12 yards. He hit Floyd for 9 and Ellington added 18 more. Palmer then went deep to Larry Fitzgerald for 22 yards. On 3rd and 9 from the Chargers 29, Palmer found Floyd for 16 and Brown for the 13 yard touchdown. Despite the 2 point conversion, the 91 yard drive gave the Cardinals the one point lead with 2 1/2 minutes in regulation. However, this was one of those situations where had the Cardinals not tried the first two pointer they would not have needed the second one. So a field goal would win it for the Chargers rather than tie the game. San Diego took over at their own 20 and Rivers hit Allen for 12 and Antonio Gates for 8 more to the Chargers 40 at the 2 minute warning. A pair of incompletions led to the critical 4th and 2. Rivers threw incomplete again and the Cardinals hung on for the comeback win. 18-17 Cardinals

 

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