THE TYGRRRR EXPRESS

NFL 2016 Week 5 Recap

Arizona Cardinals at San Francisco 49ers was the Thursday night game. The Cardinals entered the season thinking Super Bowl and stumbled to a 1-3 start. To make matters worse, Carson Palmer was out injured for this game. The good news for the Cardinals was that backup quarterback Drew Stanton is solid, and they were playing the inept 49ers. Early on neither team could generate any offense. In the second quarter Blaine Gabbert capped an 87 yard drive by Hitting Kerley for a 9 yard touchdown and a 7-0 49ers lead. With 1:55 left in the half facing 3rd and 10 at their own 24, Gabbert was intercepted. One play later Stanton went deep to Larry Fitzgerald for the score as the teams went to the locker rooms deadlocked 7-7.

The 49ers fumbled the second half kickoff, setting up the Cardinals at the San Francisco 14. On 4th and 4 Chandler Catanzaro made the 26 yard field goal, but a running into the kicker penalty caused Bruce Arians to take the points off the board. On the next play David Johnson ran for the 4 yard touchdown to make it 14-7 Cardinals. The Cardinals got it back at their own 29. Johnson ran for a 23 yard gain and stanton went deep to Fitzgerald again for a 29 yard touchdown and a 21-7 Cardinals lead. This time the 49ers came back as an 11 play, 82 yard, 5 1/2 minute drive culminated in Carlos Hyde getting in from the one. The 49ers only trailed 21-14 after three quarters.

On the first play of the fourth quarter, Gabbert was intercepted again, giving the Cardinals the ball at the San Francisco 24. Catanzaro hit from 36 for a 24-14 Arizona lead. The 49ers went 3 and out and Arians shifted strategy. Rather than an aerial attack, he went smash mouth. A 12 play, 76 yard drive ate over 7 minutes of clock time. On 3rd and 1 from the 2 with 4 1/2 minutes left in regulation, Johnson got in to lock up the win. Chip Kelly has a mess on his hands, while the Cardinals may have saved their season. A garbage time touchdown made the score appear much closer than the reality. San Francisco even got the ball back at their own one, but there would be no comeback. A sack of Gabbert for a safety with 1:15 left ended things. 33-21 Cardinals

Houston Texans at Minnesota Vikings — The Vikings are a legitimate Super Bowl contender, and Mike Zimmer is doing one of the all time great coaching jobs. The Purple People Eaters are back, and Sam Bradford went 22 of 30 for 271 yards, 2 touchdown, and 0 interceptions. Early on Bradford hit Thielen for a 36 yard touchdown to cap an 84 yard drive. Asiaita got in from the one for a 14-0 Vikings lead after the first quarter. When the Vikings got to the one in the second quarter, they settled for a 19 yard Blair Walsh field goal. However, when Mark Sherels returned a punt 79 yards for a touchdown, the Vikings had a 24-0 second quarter lead and were never threatened. The Texans got a couple second quarter field goals, but a 9 yard touchdown pass from Bradford to Cordarelle Patterson in the fourth quarter made it 31-6 Vikings. A garbage time touchdown did not derail the 5-0 Vikings. 31-13 Vikings

Tennessee Titans at Miami Dolphins — Both of these teams are awful, but the Dolphins should have won the Stupor Bowl at home. Adam Gase’s offense remains dreadful. In the first quarter MARCU marmots ran for a 5 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Titans. In the second quarter Grant returned a punt 74 yards for a touchdown and a 7-7 game. Yet Mariota was unstoppable. A 12 play, 76 yard, 7 minute drive saw Mariota hit Andre Johnson from 5 yards out to make it 14-7 Titans. The Dolphins tae back 79 yards and Ajayi ran it in from 4 yards out to make it 14-14 at the 2 minute warning. Mariota quickly moved the Titans 75 yards. A 20 yard touchdown pass to Melanie Walker had the Titans up 21-14 at the halftime.

The third quarter was a slog, with Ryan Succop hitting from 40 yards out for the Titans and Franks countering from 24 to have the Dolphins within 24-17. in the fourth quarter the Titans put the game away. Mariota moved them 66 yards and hit Ryan Mathews for the 4 yard clinching touchdown. Ryan Tannehill finished 12 of 18 for 191 yards, 0 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions, including one late that killed any hope of a rally. Mariota went 20 of 29 for 163 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 0 interceptions, in addition to one rushing touchdown. 30-17 Titans

New England Patriots at Cleveland Browns — Tom Brady was back, and burning for revenge. The winless Cleveland Browns never had a chance. The Patriots went right to work, quickly moving 80 yards. Laguerrette Blount got in from the one to make it 7-0 Patriots. Cody Kessler did lead the Browns 75 yards and throw an 11 yard touchdown to Hawkins for a 7-7 game. After that, reality set in. Brady moved the Patriots 75 yards and threw a 7 yard touchdown pass to Marcellus Bennet for a 14-7 Patriots lead. Kessler then fumbled the ball out of the end zone for a safety as the Patriots led 16-7 after the first quarter. Brady threw touchdown passes to Bennett of 5 yards in the second quarter and 37 yards in the third quarter for a 30-7 Patriots lead. Brady finished 28 of 40 for 406 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 0 interceptions. Thanks to last week, the Patriots will not go 16-0. 15-1 is very realistic. 33-13 Patriots

New York Jets at Pittsburgh Steelers — Early on this was a competitive game. Nick Folk hit a 35 yard field goal for a 3-0 Jets lead. The Steelers quickly struck back as Ben Roethlisberger hit Coates for a 72 yard touchdown and a 7-3 Steelers lead. In the second quarter the Jets got within 7-6 when Folk hit from 48. The Jets got it back and went 69 yards as Ryan Fitzpatrick hit Brandon Marshall for a 15 yard touchdown and a 13-7 Jets lead. With only 2:06 left in the half the Steelers took over at their own 25. Big Ben worked the 2 minute drill to perfection and threw a one yard score to James for a 14-13 Steelers lead at the half. In the second half the Pittsburgh defense clamped down.

In the third quarter a 33 yard punt return led to a 47 yard Chris Boswell field goal for a 17-13 Steelers lead. An 80 yard drive led to Roethlisberger hitting Antonio Brown for a 5 yard touchdown on the first play of the fourth quarter for a 24-13 Steelers lead. Midway through the fourth quarter Roethlisberger led a 12 play, 6 minute, 79 yard drive that killed the clock and put the game on ice. A 5 yard touchdown to Coates with 1:46 left dropped Todd Bowles’s Jets to 1-4. Mike Tomlin has a 4-1 squad. Fitzpatrick was 25 of 38 for 255 yards and one touchdown, while Roethlisberger was a magnificent 34 of 47 for 380 yards and 4 touchdown passes. Neither signal caller was intercepted. 31-13 Steelers

Washington Redskins at Baltimore Ravens — This game was a head scratcher as both teams with decent offense played a defensive slog. Early on Joe Flacco moved the Ravens 75 yards and hit gill more for a 7 yard touchdown to get the Ravens on the board first. Crowder returned a punt 85 yards for a score to get the Redskins within 7-6 game after the first quarter. The extra point was no good. The end zone was ignored the final 45 minutes. Justin Tucker hit a 31 yard field goal for the Ravens in the second quarter for a 10-6 Baltimore lead at the half. In the third quarter after taking over at midfield, Kirk Cousins hit Pierre Garcon for a 21 yard touchdown to make it 13-10 Redskins. Dustin Hopkins added a 27 yard field goal for a 6 point Washington lead after three quarters. With 2 1/2 minutes left the Ravens moved from their 17 to a 3rd and 8 at the Washington 21 with 27 seconds to play. Flacco threw incomplete twice and Baltimore dropped their second straight home game after winning their first three games. 16-10 Redskins

Philadelphia Eagles at Detroit Lions — The unbeaten Eagles faced a Lions team on the ropes. As ESPN uber-announcer Chris Berman reminds us, “that’s why they play the games. Matthew Stafford led a pair of 5 minute drives that went 75 and 80 yards and culminated in touchdown passes of one and 17 yards to Theo Roddick for a 14-0 Lions lead after the first quarter. In the second quarter Carson Wentz moved the Eagles 75 yards and hit Ryan Mathews from one yard out to get Philadelphia within 14-7. Stafford brought the Lions back 75 yards and hit Marvin Jones from the one to cap the 7 minute drive and make it 21-7 Lions.

The Lions have blown some big leads, and they did so again. Caleb Sturgis hit from 50 to get the Eagles within 21-10 at halftime. In the third quarter Wentz moved the Eagles 75 yards and hit Huff for a one yard score to get the Eagles within 21-17. Midway through the third quarter the Lions faced 2nd and 24 from their own 12. Stafford was sacked and fumbled and the Eagles took over at the Detroit 16. The defense held and the Eagles settled for a 33 yard Sturgis field goal to get within 21-20. With 6 1/2 minutes left Sturgis hit from 40 as the Eagles led 23-21. The Detroit collapse appeared complete.

With 2:41 to play the Eagles faced 3rd and 2 at their own 45. A running play was blown up in the backfield as Mathews fumbled. The Lions took over at the Detroit 45. On 3rd and 4, Stafford hit Golden Tate for 27 yards with unnecessary roughness adding 6 more. With 90 seconds left, Matt Prater hit a 29 yard field goal to put the Lions back in front by a point. Wentz was then quickly intercepted as Doug Pederson lost his first game as an NFL head coach. Jim Caldwell was so pleased by the win that he almost made a facial expression. 24-23 Lions

Chicago Bears at Indianapolis Colts — Sometimes a pair of bad teams can come together and play a good game. This actually was that game. Early on Connor Barth hit a 35 yard field goal for the Bears. Adam Vinatieri countered from 54 for  3-3 game after the first quarter. In the second quarter Andrew Luck moved the Colts 80 yards in 12 plays and 6 minutes and hit Allen for a one yard touchdown to make it 10-3 Colts. Barth hit from 49 and vinatieri answered from 53 for a 13-6 Colts lead. Yet Bryan Hoyer led the bears 75 yards and threw a 14 yard touchdown pass to Meredith for a 13-13 game.

Vinatieri hit from 26 before the half ended and from 41 in the third quarter to make it 19-13 Colts. Yet this see-saw game then tilted again in the fourth quarter. Barth hit from 24 to get the Bears within 19-16. The Bears got it back at their own 4 and Hoyer led a 96 yard drive. A 21 yard touchdown pass to Howard had the Bears back in front 23-19 midway through the fourth quarter.

The pendulum swung again. Luck led an 82 yard drive and went deep to TY Hilton for a 35 yard touchdown for a 26-23 Colts lead with 3:43 to play. On the ensuing play from scrimmage from the Chicago 15, a 12 yard completion was fumbled. Despite taking over at the Chicago 29, the Colts offense could not put the game away. Vinatieri hit from 46 for a 6 point Colts lead with 2 1/2 minutes left. Chicago took over at their own 25 and moved to a critical 3rd and 5 at the Indy 25. A key offensive holding penalty led to 4th and 8 with one minute left. Hoyer threw incomplete and the Colts survived. Hoyer was a solid 33 of 43 for 397 yards and Luck was 28 of 39 for 322 yards. Each quarterback threw 2 touchdowns without an interception. 29-23 Colts

Atlanta Falcons at Denver Broncos — We keep hearing that defense wins championships, and last year Denver proved it. This game was the Falcons offense against the unbeaten Denver defense, with Paxton Lynch making his first NFL start in place of an injured Trevor Siemian. Early on the Falcons moved 75 yards and Devonta Freeman got in from the one. Matt Bryant tacked on a 46 yard field goal for a 10-0 Falcons lead. In the second quarter Brandon McManus kicked a 35 yard field goal for Denver, but after that Atlanta took over. A staggering 17 play, 77 yard drive consumed 7 minutes. The Falcons settled for a 33 yard Bryant field goal and a 13-3 halftime lead. In the third quarter with a short field, Matt Ryan hit Coleman for a 31 yard touchdown and a 20-3 Falcons lead.

In the fourth quarter McManus hit from 46 but Bryant countered from 25 for a 23-6 Falcons lead. Lynch tried to rally the Broncos. A 16 play, 78 yard, 5 1/2 minute drive was capped by Lynch hitting Denarius Thomas for a 3 yard touchdown. The Broncos were within 23-13, but only 2 1/2 minutes remained. The onside kick failed and the Falcons took over at the Denver 38. On 4th and 1 from the 29 at the 2 minute warning, Dan Quinn made the curious decision to go for it rather than tack on another field goal. Rather than run, a pass play was incomplete. With 14 seconds left and needing 2 scores, Gary Kubiak had McManus attempt a 45 yard field goal. It was good, but the onside kick failed. The Broncos were knocked from the ranks of the unbeaten. Kubiak was taken to the hospital after the game with flu like symptoms. Meanwhile, on this day offense won. 23-16 Falcons

Buffalo Bills at Los Angeles Rams — These teams started out awful with no offense, and in recent weeks have played solid football. The Bills had won 2 straight and the Rams 3 straight as Rex Ryan and Jeff Fisher went from the firing line to being praised. Early on Greg Zuerlein hit from 37 to make it 3-0 Rams. Tyron Taylor hit Hunter for a 4 yard touchdown to cap a 12 play, 76 yard, 7 minute drive to make it 7-3 Bills. In the second quarter Gillislee ran it in from 5 yards out. The extra point was blocked but the Bills led 13-3.

The Rams got back in it with a 32 yard Zuerlein field goal. They got the ball back and moved 64 yards. Todd Gurley got in from one yard out for a 13-13 game. Dan Carpenter hit a 23 yard field goal as the Bills took a 16-13 lead into the locker rooms. Zuerlein answered from 54 in the third quarter for a 16-16 game. The key play in the game came with 4 minutes left in the third quarter. On 2nd and 14 from the Rams 31, Case Keenum was intercepted. Robby Coleman returned it 41 yards for a touchdown as the Bills led 23-16 after three quarters.

In the fourth quarter Keenum led a 13 play, 89 yard drive that consumed over 8 minutes off the clock. Yet on 1st and goal from the 8, a run lost 5 yards. On 4th and goal from the 4, Jeff Fisher opted to kick the field goal with 6 minutes left and trust his defense as the Rams trailed 23-19. That strategy worked as Buffalo went 3 and out. Yet the Rams also failed to gain a first down. With 3:47 to play, facing 4th and 5 at their own 23, Jeff Fisher called a fake punt that did not work. The Bills took over at the Rams 25 and Tyrod Taylor hit Goodwin for a 6 yard touchdown with 2 1/2 minutes left to seal the win. Armchair quarterbacks will attack Fisher’s decision, but Rex Ryan’s special teams made a great play. Buffalo has won 3 straight after an 0-2 start, with consecutive road wins that stopped a pair of other three game wins streaks. 30-19 Bills

San Diego Chargers at Oakland Raiders — The game of the day saw the 1-3 Chargers at the 3-1 Raiders, but the Chargers have lost their 3 games by 13 total points with epic fourth quarter collapses. The Raiders won all 3 games by 9 total points. For some reason the Raiders do well in San Diego but always struggle against the Chargers at home in Oakland. Today was no exception. The Raiders were primed for another letdown that would have their fans saying that while they were improved, they were not at the next level yet.

On the 3rd play of the game, Derek Carr was intercepted to give the Chargers the ball at the Oakland 30. Yet on 3rd and 2 from the 22, a 9 yard completion from Philip Rivers to old reliable Antonio Gates saw Gates fumble the ball back to Oakland. Turnovers killed the Chargers in this game. The Raiders then had a staggering 16 play, 87 yard drive that consumed 8 minutes off the clock. Yet on 2nd and goal from the 2, Carr thew incomplete twice. Jack Del Rio has gambled a bunch this year, but not this time. Sebastian Janikowski hit the 20 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Raiders. On the next play from scrimmage Rivers was intercepted, setting up Oakland at the San Diego 32. Yet the Oakland offense went nowhere and Seabass missed from 50 as the Raiders kept wasting opportunities.

The Chargers soon faced 4th and 1 at their own 49 and Mike McCoy decided to punt. The Raiders entered the neutral zone and gave the Chargers an automatic first down. Early in the second quarter the Raiders paid for their mistake as Rivers hit Williams for a 29 yard touchdown to make it 7-3 Chargers. The Raiders moved 67 yards in 11 plays and 6 minutes. Yet on 1st and goal at the 8, a pair of Carr incompletions sandwiched around a failed run meant another field goal. Janikowski hit from 26 but the Raiders trailed 7-6.

With 4 1/2 minutes left in the half Josh Lambo hit a 36 yard field goal to make it 10-6 Chargers. Oakland went 3 and out, but the chargers soon faced 3rd and 16 at their own 18 just past the 2 minute warning. Rivers was intercepted again and the Raiders took over at the San Diego 44. Seabass levels a 56 yarder to end the half as the Raiders were only down 10-9. The first half was a slog. The third quarter was an aerial attack reminiscent of the old Al Davis, Sid Gilman and Don Coryell days. Jim Plunkett and Dan Fouts in the 1980s would have admired Carr and Rivers.

On the first play of the second half, Rivers was sacked and fumbled. However, the Chargers retained possession. On 2nd and 15 from their 20, Rivers found Henry, who raced for a 59 yard gain. Rivers then hit Melvin Gordon for an 18 yard touchdown to make it 17-9 Chargers. The Raiders soon faced 3rd and 10 at their own 25. Carr hit Michael Crabtree or an 11 yard gain and then went Darryl Lamonica Mad Bomber style for a 64 yard touchdown to Amari Cooper to get the Raiders within 17-16.

After a touchback, the Chargers moved easily. Rivers went bombs away to Williams for a 50 yard gain. Gordon ran for 24 yards down to the one and got in on the next play for a 24-16 Chargers lead. The Raiders moved from their own 25 to a critical 3rd and 3 at the San Diego 27. A critical false start killed the drive. Janikowski’s fourth field goal from 48 yards out got the Raiders within 24-19 with 4 1/2 minutes left in the third quarter.

The Chargers then self-destructed. Gordon fumbled and the Raiders recovered at the San Diego 38. On 3rd and 3 from the 21, Carr threw incomplete. Jack Del Rio this time decided to gamble. A field goal would have made it 24-22, but Rivers can throw touchdowns quickly. Rather than even call a conservative play, Del rio went for all the marbles. Carr threw the 21 yard touchdown pass to Crabtree and hit Cooper for the 2 point conversion. Cardiac Jack, Cardiac Carr and Cardiac Crabtree had the Raiders up 27-24.

On the last play of the third quarter, the Chargers punted on 4th and 13 from their own 16. Special teams killed the Chargers as Kaser shanked a 16 yard punt, letting the Raiders to start the fourth quarter at the San Diego 32. From the 7, a touchdown to Cooper was ruled incomplete. The referees said Cooper stepped out of bounds. Cooper said he was pushed, but the referees disagreed. However, defensive pass interference put the ball on the one. Olawale banged in for a 34-24 Raiders lead with 13 minutes remaining. However, the Raiders have not been strong in recent years at finishing games. Rivers was still not done slinging it.

After a touchback, the Chargers faced 3rd and 1 at the Oakland 42. Watt got 2 yards and Mike McCoy then went to the bag of tricks old AFL style. Rivers lateraled the ball to Gordon. Gordon lateraled the ball back to Rivers. Rivers took the flea flicker and found Benjamin for a 23 yard gain. Rivers hit Gates for a 4 yard touchdown as the Chargers were within 3 points with 6 1/2 minutes to play.

The Raiders went 3 and out and the Chargers took over at their own 33 with 4 minutes left. With 3 minutes left, on 3rd and 2 from the Oakland 19, Gordon only got one yard. On 4th and 1 from the 18 with 2:07 to play, Mike McCoy played for the tie and not the win. A 36 yard field goal would mean a 34-34 game. Rambo never got the chance. Kaser was the goat with the shanked punt, but this time he was an even bigger goat. He fumbled the snap, and the play lost 17 yards. The snap was clean. Kaner just mishandled it. The Chargers got it back at their own 21 with 11 seconds left, but the hook and laterals never got going.

The 1-4 Chargers are finding new creative ways to lose as Mike McCoy may not survive the season. As for the Raiders, they have won 4 games by only 12 total points. Yet they are winning games they used to lose, and are 4-1 for the first time since the 2002 season. Jack Del Rio is making a strong early case for coach of the year, with Carr as a possible MVP.  Rivers finished 21 of 30 for 359 yards, 4 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions. Carr was 25 of 40 for 317 yards, 2 touchdowns, and one interception. San Diego also had 5 fumbles, losing 2 of them for a total of 4 turnovers. The Raiders did not fumble the ball. 34-31 Raiders

Cincinnati Bengals at Dallas Cowboys — The Dak Prescott legend is growing as the Cowboys obliterated the Bengals from the start. Ezekiel Elliot ran for a 13 yard first quarter touchdown to cap a 64 yard drive. In the second quarter an 11 play, 89 yard, 6 1/2 minute drive saw Prescott run for a 5 yard touchdown. Prescott moved the Cowboys 80 yards again and hit Cole Beasley for a 14 yard score for a 21-0 Cowboys lead. One play and 9 seconds in the third quarter was enough for Elliott to run for a 68 yard touchdown as the Cowboys led 28-0 after three quarters. Prescott finished 18 of 24 yards for 227 yards, one touchdown and 0 interceptions as the Cowboys got to 4-1. Elliott finished with 134 yards on 15 carries and 2 touchdowns. The entire fourth quarter was garbage time, where the Bengals finally scored. 28-14 Cowboys

New York Giants at Green Bay Packers is the Sunday night game. While some Americans watched the presidential debate, there was no doubt which team won this football contest. Aaron Rodgers led a staggering 16 play, 75 yard drive that consumed nearly 9 minutes off the clock. A 2 yard touchdown pass to Jordy Nelson made it 7-0 Packers. In the second quarter Josh Brown hit a 47 yard field goal for the Giants. Rodgers brought the Packers back 80 yards as a 29 yard touchdown pass to Adams made it 14-3 Packers.

After that, the field goal kickers took over for long stretches. Brown hit from 41 and Crosby answered from 44 for a 17-6 Packers halftime lead. In the third quarter Brown hit from 30, but in the fourth quarter Crosby hit from 33 and 25 for a 23-9 Packers lead. The last one culminated a 13 play, 73 yard, 6 1/2 minute drive and left the Giants down by 14 with only 6 1/2 minutes left. With 3 minutes left, Eli Manning found Odell Beckham for an 8 yard touchdown. Big Blue needed a stop on defense. The Giants took their last timeout with 2 1/2 minutes left and the Packers facing 3rd and 10 at their own 35. Rodgers hit Randall Cobb for a 13 yard gain and then took three knees. It was not pretty but the Packers got to 3-1 as the Giants have lost 3 straight since their 2-0 start. 23-16 Packers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Carolina Panthers was the Monday night game. The Panthers and Buccaneers have both struggled in dropping to 1-3, but the Panthers had beaten the Bucs six straight times. With Cam Newton in concussion protocol, Derek Anderson got the start. Even by NFC South standards, this one was ugly. Roberto Aguayo had a pair of 35 yard field goals, one in each quarter, as the Buccaneers took a 6-0 lead into the locker rooms. In the third quarter Artis-Payne ran for one and twelve yard touchdowns as the Panthers led 14-6. Jameis Winston struggled all game but unleashed a 38 yard pass to Brate followed by a 26 yard touchdown to Mike Evans. Winston hit Humphries for the 2 point conversion for a 14-14 game after three quarters. The fourth quarter came down to who wanted it least.

At the beginning of the fourth quarter, on 3rd and 4 from the Tampa Bay 44, Anderson got the 4 yards but fumbled the ball away. The Panthers got it back and moved from their 18 to 1st and goal at the one. Rather than hand it off, Anderson was intercepted for a touchback. The Bucs moved from their 20 to the Carolina 38. With 3 1/2 minutes left, Aguayo came in for a 46 yard field goal try to give the Buccaneers the lead. It was no good. Carolina went 3 and out and the Buccaneers got it back at their own 14 with 1:49 to play. On 3rd and 7, Winston found Evans for 11. With 1:10 left and facing 3rd and 4 from their own 34, Winston hit Jacquez Rodgers for 8 and Vincent Jackson for 14 more to the Carolina 44. With 41 seconds left from the Carolina 32, a run gained nothing. However, a defensive facemark penalty was the difference between a 50 yard field goal try and a 38 yarder with 3 seconds left. This time Aguayo was good. Ron Rivera had a 15-1 team last year. This year he has a 1-4 squad. 17-14 Buccaneers

NFL 2016 Week 5 Prequel

http://www.commdiginews.com/sports/nfl-2016-week-5-preview-and-bettors-guide-72168/

NFL 2016 Week 4 Recap

Miami Dolphins at Cincinnati Bengals was the Thursday night game. A pair of boring teams can sometimes produce an incredibly exciting game. This was not that game. Mike Nugent hit a 42 yard field goal to open the scoring for the Bengals. Ryan Tannehill then hooked up with Kenny Stills for a 74 yard touchdown. It was the first, last, and only Dolphins highlight of the night as they led 7-3. Red Rifle Andy Dalton moved the Bengals 90 yards and hit AJ Green for a 7 yard touchdown as the Bengals led 10-7 after the first quarter. After that, everybody except Bengals kicker Nugent took the night off. Nugent hit from 22 and 43 in the second quarter, from 22 again in the third quarter, and from 47 in the fourth quarter of a game that deserves no more description than that. 22-7 Bengals

Jacksonville Jaguars at Indianapolis Colts — Live from London, a pair of bad teams actually did play a half-way good game. Andrew Luck was intercepted, setting the Jaguars up at the Oakland 24. Blake Bortles hit Alex Robinson for a 3 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Jaguars. Adam Vinatieri hit field goals of 53 in the first quarter and 49 in the second quarter to get the Colts within 7-6. Bortles responded with a 75 yard drive and got in the final yard himself to make it 14-6 Jaguars. Jacksonville got it back at their own 20 with 1:06 left in the half. Bortles moved the Jaguars to the Indy 8 with 7 seconds left. However, a pass to Lee only gained 3 yards. Josh Myers hit the 22 yard field goal to make it 17-6 Jaguars at halftime.

Myers added 46 and 49 yard field goals to make it 23-6 Jaguars. On the first play of the fourth quarter, the Colts faced 2nd and 14 at the Jacksonville 36. Andrew Luck went to the end zone and defensive pass interference put the ball on the one. Frank Gore got in to have the Colts within 23-13. The Colts got it back at their own 22 and moved to a critical 3rd and goal at the 2 midway through the third quarter. Luck hit TY Hilton for the touchdown as the Colts only trailed 23-20.

This time the Jaguars struck back quickly. Bortles connected with Alex Hurns for a 42 yard touchdown to make it 30-20 Jaguars with 5 minutes left. With 3 minutes left, the Colts faced 3rd and 10 at their own 36. Luck went bombs away to Dorsett for a 64 yard touchdown. A 17 point deficit was now only 3 points. Jacksonville went 3 and out and the Colts got it back with 2 1/2 minutes left and 2 timeouts. With 1:42 left, on 4th and 1 from just past midfield, Luck threw incomplete. The Colts got it back at their own 18 with 26 seconds left. Luck inexplicably threw a 2 yard pass as the clock ticked down to nothing. The Jaguars won overseas and will now try going forward to win in the United States. 30-27 Jaguars

Cleveland Browns at Washington Redskins — Kirk Cousins came out on fire. He led drives of 75 and 80 yards and threw touchdowns of 8 and 9 yards to Reed for a 14-0 Redskins lead. Yet Hue Jackson’s browns, despite being winless, have plenty of fight. In the second quarter, third string quarterback Cody Kessler moved the team 81 yards in 12 plays and 6 minutes. Isaiah Crowell got in from 2 yards out to get the Browns on the board. Kirk Cousins was intercepted by Taylor, who returned it 29 yards to the Washington 12. On 3rd and 7, Kessler found Terrell Pryor for the touchdown and a 14-14 game.

The Redskins took over at their own 37 and moved into the red zone. Yet a critical offensive holding penalty killed the drive. Dustin Hopkins hit a 49 yard field goal to put the Redskins back in front 17-14. Cody Parkey answered with a 51 yarder to end the half with the teams deadlocked 17-17. The defenses tightened in the second half. Parker hit from 45 in the third quarter to put the Browns in front 20-17. In the fourth quarter the Redskins moved 91 yards in 10 plays and 5 1/2 minutes. On 2nd and 16 from the Washington 44, an incompletion was nullified by defensive pass interference. Cousins hit Thompson for the 5 yard touchdown as the Redskins led 24-20 with 10 1/2 minutes left in regulation.

The Browns soon faced 2nd and 2 at midfield. Johnson gained 5 yards and then fumbled the ball away. The Browns got it back at their own 2 yard line. From the 10, Kessler was intercepted by Josh Norman, giving the Redskins a short field at the Cleveland 39. Cousins hit Pierre Garcon for 32 yards and Jones ran for 16 more down to the one. On the next play Jones got the yard as the Redskins salted the game away and left Cleveland winless. 31-20 Redskins

Buffalo Bills at New England Patriots — Third string quarterback Jacoby Brissett got the start despite having a bad thumb. Wide receiver Julian Edelman was the backup quarterback. Early on it was Tyrod Taylor leading a 12 play, 65 yard, 7 minute drive. Taylor hit LeSean McCoy for a 7 yard touchdown to get the Bills on the board first. Dan Carpenter tacked on 34 and 43 yard field goals in the second quarter and a 44 yarder in the third quarter as Rex Ryan’s defense clamped down. Whenever Rex Ryan beats Belichick, he acts like his team won the Super Bowl when 2 weeks ago he was about to be fired. Next week reality sets in as an angry you-know-who returns to quarterback the Patriots. 16-0 Bills

Seattle Seahawks at New York Jets — Both teams have solid defenses and offenses in need of much improvement. Last week Ryan Fitzpatrick was intercepted 6 times. Now he had to face the Legion of Boom. This time the Jets began by moving 62 yards in 14 plays, and taking 8 1/2 minutes to do it. Yet the drive died in the red zone and the Jets settled for a 34 yard Nick Folk field goal to lead 3-0. The Seahawks finally got going in the second quarter, A 92 yard drive was capped off by Russell Wilson hitting CJ Spiller for an 8 yard touchdown. Seattle got it back and easily moved 85 yards as a 42 yard touchdown to McEvoy made it 14-3 Seahawks.

The Jets moved 75 yards last in the half. Fitzpatrick threw a 17 yard touchdown to Brandon Marshall as the Jets only trailed 14-10 at halftime. Steve Hauschka hit a 33 yard field goal as the Seahawks clung to a 17-10 lead after three quarters. In the fourth quarter the Seahawks put the game away. After Fitzpatrick was intercepted, Wilson hit Michael for a 6 yard touchdown to make it 24-10 Seahawks. The Jets got it back at their own 9 and Fitzpatrick was quickly intercepted again. Hauschka hit a 53 yard field goal for a 27-10 Seahawks lead with 4 minutes left in regulation. The Jets scored on a bizarre return of one of their own fumbles, but it was too late. 27-17 Seahawks

Carolina Panthers at Atlanta Falcons — After torching New Orleans last week, Matty Ice stayed red hot early on in the dome. 71 yards came quickly as Matt Ryan hit Jacob Tame for a 4 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Falcons. A punt pinned the Falcons at their own 2 yard line. Ryan made 98 yards come quickly, as a 43 yard bomb to Julio Jones was followed by Devonta Freeman running for 19 yards and then a 13 yard touchdown to make it 14-0 Falcons. Another punt had the Falcons pinned back at their own 1. This time the Falcons got aggressive and paid for it. Ryan was intercepted by Coleman, who returned it 8 yards for a score to get the Panthers within 14-7.

The Falcons came back and moved to the red zone. They stalled there but Matt Bryant hit a 28 yard field goal to take a 17-7 lead. The Panthers managed to get a 54 yard Graham Gano field goal to trail 17-10 at the half. In the third quarter the Falcons poured it on. Again they were pinned at their one, and 99 yards came without much difficulty. A 42 yard touchdown pass to Hooper made it 24-10 Falcons. Deja vu all over again saw the Falcons pinned at their own 8. 92 more yards of offense came as Ryan hit Robinson for a 35 yard touchdown to make it 31-10 Falcons. In the fourth quarter Matt Bryant nailed a 53 yard field goal for a 34-10 Falcons lead. Last year Carolina went 15-1, and are 1-3 this year. This is no mirage. The Falcons are much better and the Panthers are much worse.

Yet the Panthers are still the defending NFC champs, and they launched a fourth quarter blitz. Newton found Kelvin Benjamin for a 6 yard touchdown and ran the 2 point try himself to get the Panthers within 34-18. Yet Newton was hurt on the play and exited the game. The Panthers got it back and backup Derek Anderson needed 5 1/2 minutes to move 94 yards. Anderson hit Greg Olsen for the 14 yard touchdown and the 2 point conversion as the Panthers were within 34-26 with 4 minutes left in regulation.

Rather than try and run out the clock, Atlanta stayed aggressive. On the first play from scrimmage, Ryan found Julio Jones, who outraced everyone for a 75 yard touchdown to make it 41-26 Falcons. Anderson brought the Panthers back. After a pair of incompletions, the Panthers faced 4th and 2 at the Atlanta 16 at the 2 minute warning. Anderson went to Brown for the touchdown as the Panthers were back within 41-33. Atlanta went 3 and out and the Panthers got it back at their own 24 with 1:25 to play and 0 timeouts. This time Carolina’s luck ran out. Anderson was intercepted by Alford, who returned it 30 yards for the clinching touchdown. Matt Ryan made an early case for league MVP, going a lights out 28 of 37 for 503 yards, four touchdowns, and one interception. 48-33 Falcons

Detroit Lions at Chicago Bears — The battle for the bottom of the NFC North saw Bryan Hoyer early on lead a 10 play, 83 yard, 5 minute drive. Hoyer hit Eddie Royal for a 4 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Bears. Matt Prater hit a 50 yard field goal in the second quarter and a 21 yard chip shot in the third quarter to get the Lions within 7-6. The inability to crack the end zone proved costly as Hoyer came back with a 75 yard drive. A 6 yard touchdown pass to Zach Miller had the Bears up 14-6. In the fourth quarter the Bears moved 73 yards in 11 plays and 6 minutes. With 10 minutes left in regulation, Connor Barth hit a 25 yard field goal for a 17-6 Bears lead. The Lions moved from their own 25 to the Chicago 23 in 6 minutes, but Stafford was intercepted with 4 minutes left. The Lions got a spark of life when Roberts returned a punt 85 yards for a touchdown. The 2 point conversion failed as both teams are 1-3 on the season. 17-14 Bears

Tennessee Titans at Houston Texans — Brock Osweiler came out firing. He hit Fiedorowicz for a 14 yard touchdown and then threw a 45 yard completion down to the Titans 5. Osweiler then hit Fuller for the score to make it 14-0 Texans early on. The anemic Tennessee offense finally got on the board with a 48 yard Ryan Succop field goal to trail 14-3. Nick Novak responded from 53 in the second quarter for a 17-3 Texans lead.

The Titans fought back in the second quarter by shifting to the ground game. DeMarco had touchdown runs of 2 and one yard to tie the game 17-17. The latter score was set up by an interception of Osweiler. With 46 seconds left in the half, a field position game had the Texans at the Titans 44. Nick Novak hit from 45 as the Texans took a 20-17 lead into the locker rooms.

The defenses slowed the game down drastically in the second half. The Titans held the ball for the first 8 minutes of the third quarter and moved 59 yards in 13 plays. However, they settled for a 26 yard Succop field goal to tie the game 20-20. After Osweiler was intercepted again, the key play of the game came with one minute left in the third quarter. The Titans punted, and Fuller returned it 67 yards for the touchdown. Despite having the whole fourth quarter, the Titans did nothing. With 2 minutes left and facing 2nd and 6 from the Houston 28, Marcus Mariota threw 3 straight incompletions. The Titans got it back with 4 seconds left at their own 25, and the hook and laterals failed. 27-20 Texans
Oakland Raiders at Baltimore Ravens — Both offenses self-destructed early on under a hail of penalties. Marquette King twice pinned Baltimore inside their own 10. A field position game led to Jalen Richard returning a punt 47yards to the Baltimore 6. One play later Derek Carr hit Seth Roberts for the touchdown to make it 7-0 Raiders. Devon Hester returned the ensuing kickoff 60 yards to the Oakland 47. Despite reaching 2nd and 4 from the 5, Joe Flacco threw incomplete twice and the Raiders held on defense. Justin Tucker hit a 24 yard field goal to get the Ravens within 7-3 early in the second quarter.

Midway through the second quarter the Raiders moved 80 yards. From the Baltimore 33, Washington ran for 28 yards. On the next play Carr hit Michael Crabtree for the touchdown and the 14-3 Raiders lead with 4 minutes left in the half. With 1:10 left in the half the Ravens were backed up to 3rd and 7 at their own 15. Flacco found Perriman for 15 yards and Steve Smith for 20 more. Tucker hit from 43 to end the half with the Ravens down 14-6. This was the year Raiders fans would find out if the team knew how to win games.

The Ravens moved late in the third quarter from their 28 to a 1st and goal at the 2. on 3rd and goal at the 2, a pass came up just short of the goal line. John Harbaugh decided to go for it. Flacco took the quarterback sneak and got in to cap the 13 play, 7 minute drive. The 2 point conversion try failed but the Ravens were within 14-12 after three quarters.

The fourth quarter began with the Ravens facing 3rd and 6 at their own 38. Flacco was sacked and fumbled, and Autry recovered for the Raiders at the Baltimore 29. On 3rd and 1, a pitchout to Latavius Murray lost 5 yards. Yet an offensive personal foul for unnecessary roughness left John Harbaugh with a decision. Rather than make it 4th and 6, he took the decision and made it 3rd and 16 in an attempt to push Sebastian Janikowski out of field goal range. The strategy backfired. On 3rd and 17, Carr found Amari Cooper inches short of the first down marker. Jack Del Rio went for it. Carr executed the hard count and the Ravens jumped offsides. On 3rd and 8 from the 13, Carr fired a laser to crabtree for the touchdown. With 11 minutes left in regulation, the Raiders led 21-12. The question would be if they could finish a game.

With 6 1/2 minutes left, Hester returned a punt 20 yards to the Baltimore 48. One play later Flacco threw a short pass to Steve Smith. The old man nicknamed Senior broke a terrible tackle attempt and outraced everyone for a 52 yard touchdown. Now the Ravens were within 21-19. Three plays later the Raiders faced 2nd and 18 at their 17. Washington fumbled the ball and Young recovered it for the Ravens at the Oakland 17 with 5 1/2 minutes left. West got in from 3 yards out and Flacco hit Mike Wallace for the 2 point conversion. With 3 1/2 minutes left the Ravens now led 27-21. It looked like the Raiders had blown another game.

These Raiders have Derek Carr. From the Oakland 34, Carr hit Crabtree for gains of 15 and 11, Clive Walford for 17, and Crabtree for a perfectly thrown 23 yard touchdown. With 2:12 to play, the Raiders had one the one point lead. The questions as whether the defense could get it right and not waste Carr’s heroics. Baltimore took over at their own 21. With 1:08 to play they faced 3rd and 4 at their own 45. Flacco found Smith for 5 at the midfield stripe. After that the Raiders defense did what they had not in past years. They clamped down. Flacco was harassed as defensive coordinator Ken Norton Jr. brought the house. Flacco threw 4 straight incompletions.

Jack Del Rio has the Raiders at 3-1 for the first time since 2002. All 3 wins have come on the road. The home loss to Atlanta all of a sudden does not look so bad. Baltimore fell from the unbeaten ranks. Flacco ws 35 of 52 for 298 yards, 1 touchdown, and 0 interceptions. Yet he could not get one more first down on the last drive. Carr was magnificent. He was 25 of 35 for only 199 yards, but he threw 4 touchdowns and 0 interceptions. 28-27 Raiders

Denver Broncos at Tampa Bay Buccaneers — On the third play of the game, Jameis Winston was intercepted to set up the Broncos at the Bucs 11. One play later Trevor Siemian hit Denarius Thomas for the 7-0 Broncos lead. Winston rebounded and led the Buccaneers 75 yards in 13 plays and 7 minutes. Winton ran for the last 7 yards himself as the game was deadlocked 7-7. Early in the second quarter facing 3rd and 10 at their own 28, Winston was intercepted again. After taking over at the Tampa Bay 27, defensive pass interference put the ball on the one. CJ Anderson got in for a 14-7 Broncos lead.

The Buccaneers took over at midfield in a field position game and moved to a 1st and 10 at the Denver 25. Sims got the carry and fumbled the ball away. The Broncos took over at their own 34. On the very next play Siemian was sacked and had to be carted off the field with an injured non-throwing shoulder. Denver fans sat in shock in front of their tv sets. Rookie Paxton Lynch came in for the first time. Denver got it back at their own 33. On 3rd and 10 from the Tampa 47, Lynch hit Emanuel Sanders for 18. Lynch threw incomplete on 3rd and 1 from t he 20, but brandon McManus hit the 38 yard field goal to end the half with the Broncos up 17-7.

In the third quarter the Broncos held the ball for 8 minutes and took 16 plays to move 79 yards. They settled for a 24 yard McManus field goal, but with their defense the 20-7 Broncos lead looked commanding. In the fourth quarter the Broncos moved 80 yards. From the 5 yard line, Lynch rolled out and found a wide open Sanders for the touchdown as the Broncos had a 27-7 stranglehold with 9 minutes left in regulation. For the second week in a row, a Buccaneers game was suspended for lightning in the fourth quarter. However, this time the delay was only of the inevitable. The Broncos remain unbeaten, and Wade Phillips’s defense will need to carry the team as it has the last 20 regular season games. 27-7 Broncos

Dallas Cowboys at San Francisco — Nobody would mistake these teams for the great ones of decades past. Early on, with Dallas expecting to be the better team, it was all San Francisco. Blaine Gabbert hit Kerley for a 33 yard touchdown in the first quarter. In the second quarter the 49ers moved 80 yards in 12 plays and 5 minutes. Carlos Hyde ran for a 3 yard score to make it 14-0 49ers. Dak Prescott hit Terrence Williams for a 20 yard touchdown to get the Cowboys within 14-7. The Cowboys got it back at their own 42 with 1:50 left in the half. With 15 seconds left, from the Frisco 4, Prescott hit Brice Butler for the touchdown and a 14-14 game at the intermission.

The 49ers began the third quarter after a touchback with Hyde running for a 32 yard gain and Blaine gabbers hitting Celek for 29 more down to the Dallas 14. The drive died but Phil Dawson hit a 36 yard field goal for a 17-14 49ers lead. The Cowboys moved 78 yards in 10 plays and 6 minutes. From the 49ers 18, Ezekiel Elliott ran 17 yards and then plunged in for the last yard as the Cowboys led 21-17 after three quarters. In the fourth quarter the Cowboys moved inside the Frisco 5 but a well thrown ball on 3rd and goal could not be hauled in. Dan Bailey, who missed from 47 earlier, hit the 21 yarder for a 24-17 Cowboys lead with 4 minutes left in the game. With 1:56 left, the 49ers faced 4th and 6 at the Dallas 35. In the great 49ers West Coast Offense dink and dunk tradition, Gabbert completed a pass short of marker and the 49ers turned it over on downs. With Dallas facing 2nd and 13 and the 49ers out of timeouts, Prescott hooked up with Cole Beasley for a 47 yard gain as the Cowboys ran out the clock. 24-17 Cowboys

New Orleans Saints at San Diego Chargers — Drew Brees and Philip Rivers can still sling it. Early on the saints moved 75 yards as Mark Ingram got the last yard to put the Rams up 7-0. The Chargers came back 62 yards and rivers hit Henry for a 20 yard touchdown for a 7-7 game. In the second quarter the saints moved 75 yards in 14 plays and 7 minutes. Brees hit John Kuhn for a 4 yard touchdown to make it 14-7 Saints. Philip Rivers came back with a 57 yard touchdown to Dontrelle Inman for a 14-14 game midway through the second quarter. Brees was quickly intercepted, giving the Chargers a short field at the Saints 41. Josh Lambo hit a 30 yard field goal to make it 17-14 Chargers with 5 minutes left in the half. A field position game had the chargers taking over at the Saints 47 with 2 1/2 minutes left in the half. On 3rd and 12 from the Saints 24, Rivers hit Mevin Gordon for just enough. On 3rd and 8 from the 10, the Saints jumped offsides. Then Gordon gained 4 and got the last yard with seconds on the clock for a 24-14 Chargers halftime lead.

A field position game early in the third quarter had the Saints taking over at the Chargers 48. Brees converted a pair of third downs and Kuhn got in from the one to have the Saints within 24-21. In the fourth quarter the Chargers then moved 74 yards in 14 plays and 6 1/2 minutes. Gordon got in from 1 yard out to make it 31-21 Chargers with 12 minutes left. Brees was quickly intercepted, giving the Chargers the ball at the Saints 26. On 3rd and goal at the 9, Rivers was sacked and fumbled. San Diego retained possession but an offensive personal foul pushed them back. Rambo hit the 47 yarder to make it 34-21 Chargers with 9 minutes left.

With 6:40 to play and the Chargers in total control, Melvin Ingram fumbled and the Saints recovered at the San Diego 13. On 4th and 2 from the 5, Brees found Michael Thomas for the touchdown as the Saints were within 34-28 with 4 1/2 minutes to play. On the first play from scrimmage after a touchback, a short completion to Benjamin was fumbled. The Saints had another short field at the San Diego 31 as the Chargers were literally giving the game away. On 3rd and 1 from the 4, Brees hit Kuhn for three yards and Kuhn got the last yard himself on the ground. at the 2 minute warning, the Saints now had a one point lead. There was plenty of time to drive for the winning field goal, but instead after a fumbled snap set up 4th and 22 at their own 13, Rivers went deep and was intercepted. 3 turnovers in the final 7 minutes allowed the saints to get their first win of the season. The Chargers have led in the fourth quarter of every game but are only 1-3. That is why Mike McCoy may not survive the season. 35-34 Saints

Los Angeles Rams at Arizona Cardinals — The Rams have Jeff Fisher’s defense and the Cardinals have Bruce Arians’s offense. The Rams play division opponents tough at home, but at Arizona was a tough test. Early on it was all defense as one play made the difference. Case Keenum found Quick for a 65 yard touchdown to cap a 90 yard drive for a 7-0 Rams lead. All the Cardinals could muster was a 25 yard Chandler Catanzaro field goal in the second quarter. Greg Zuerlein responded from 29 to make it 10-3 Rams. After doing nothing most of the whole half, the Cardinals took over at their 20 with 1:48 left. On 3rd and 4 from their 26, Carson Palmer hit John Brown for gains of 20, 15 and 18. Palmer threw a 5 yard touchdown pass to Michael Floyd with 24 seconds left in the half for a 10-10 game at the midpoint.

In the third quarter the Cardinals moved 72 yards in 12 plays and 5 minutes. After an earlier drive in the red zone was thwarted by a fumble, this one ran into a brick wall defense inside the 5. Catanzaro hit from 21 on the last play of the third quarter to make it 13-10 Cardinals. The Rams moved to a 4th and 5 at the Arizona 37 and Jeff Fisher decided to go for it. A well thrown ball by Case Keenum was equally well defended by Patrick Peterson for an incompletion.

With 5 1/2 minutes left the Cardinals faced 3rd and 6 at their own 39. Palmer was sacked, and although he walked off the field under his power, he was taken to the locker room for concussion protocol. Things got worse for the Cardinals as Tavon Austin returned the punt 51 yards, with a defensive facemark adding 15 more to the Arizona 19. On 3rd and 8 Keenum hit Todd Gurley, who will his way to just enough for a first down. Keenum hit Brian Quick for the 4 yard touchdown as the Rams led 17-13 with 2 1/2 minutes left in regulation. Drew Stanton came in for Palmer and was intercepted by Mark Barron with 90 seconds left and again with 0 seconds left in the end zone as the Rams got the big road win. The Rams at 3-1 are in first place in the NFC West. 17-13 Rams

Kansas City Chiefs at Pittsburgh Steelers was the Sunday night game. It was over by the end of the first quarter. After losing by 31 on the road last week, an angry Steelers team with Super Bowl aspirations returned to form. Alex Smith is the king of the dink and dunk West Coast Offense, which requires 4 yard passes all the time. Then when the game is out of reach, Smith is finally allowed to throw the ball beyond the marker when it no longer matters. Ben Roethlisberger threw three touchdown passes in the first quarter. All three came with a short field and combined took 6 plays and barely more than two minutes. A fumble by Ware set up the Steelers at the Chiefs 32. On 3rd and 9, Big Ben found Darrius Hayward-Bey for the 31 yard touchdown and Wheaton for the 2 point conversion. An interception of Smith was returned 20 yards by Jones to the Chiefs 4 yard line. Big Ben hit Antonio Brown for the touchdown. A 23 yard shanked punt had the Steelers at the Kansas City 40. Roethlisberger hit Antonio Brown for a 38 yard touchdown as the Steelers led 22-0 after the first quarter. Roethlisberger hit James for a 9 yard touchdown in the second quarter and Wheaton for a 30 yard touchdown in the third quarter as the Steelers led 36-0 after three quarters. The entire fourth quarter was garbage time, where Smith padded his stats with a pair of meaningless touchdown passes with one more Pittsburgh touchdown sandwiched between them. Big Ben was spectacular, going 22 of 27 for 300 yards, 5 touchdowns, and 0 interceptions. Despite this game being played on Rosh Hashanah, Roethlisberger is not Jewish. He was cleared to play. 43-14 Steelers

New York Giants at Minnesota Vikings was the Monday night game. Mike Zimmer’s squad is winning with hard-nosed defense and special teams. Sam Bradford has played well and the 2016 version of the Purple People Eaters have done the rest. The Giants fumbled a punt early on, setting up the Vikings at the Giants 41. Asiata got in from the one to have the Vikings up 7-0 after the first quarter. In the second quarter Sam Bradford moved Minnesota 65 yards. On 3rd and 4 from the Giants 7, Bradford hit Kyle Rudolph for the score to make it 14-0 Vikings. Josh Brown kicked a 40 yard field goal to end the half with the Giants down 14-3, but Minnesota’s defense carried the team. In the third quarter after Blair Walsh missed a 46 yard field goal, Eli Manning was intercepted. Given another chance from 44 yards out, Walsh was good for a 17-3 Vikings lead. On the first play of the fourth quarter, a short pass from Manning to Perkins went for 67 yards to the Minnesota 4. Darkwa got in from the one as the Giants only trailed 17-10. Bradford soon turned out the lights. After converting a pair of third down conversions, from the Giants 44, Bradford went deep to Johnson for a 40 yard gain. On the next play McKinnon ran it in to lock up the win and keep the Vikings the NFC’s only unbeaten team. 24-10 Vikings

NFL 2016 Week 4 Prequel

http://www.commdiginews.com/sports/nfl/nfl-2016-week-4-preview-and-bettors-guide-71730/