NFL 2017 Week 6 Recap
Philadelphia Eagles at Carolina Panthers was the Thursday night game. A pair of good football teams with good defenses played a game that started out every bit of the slugfest it was expected to be. Philadelphia reaches the Carolina 35 before Carson Wentz was hit and fumbled the ball away. On the second Philly drive they reached the Carolina 32, aided along by a 21 yard Wentz run. Elliott hit a 50 yard field goal for a 3-0 Eagles lead. However a 21 yard defensive pass interference call on the Philly defense led to a 39 yard Graham Gano field goal and a 3-3 ballgame.
The second quarter began with McCaffrey returning a punt 25 yards to give the Panthers a short field at the Philadelphia 43. Cam Newton ran for a 16 yard touchdown to make it 10-3 Panthers. Late in the half the Panthers faced 3rd and 5 at their own 14. Newton was intercepted to give the Eagles gift field position. On 4th and inches from the 3, Doug Pederson decided to go for it. Wentz gained 2 on the sneak and threw a 1 yard touchdown pass to Zac Ertz for a 10-10 deadlock. With 2 1/2 minutes left in the half. With 5 seconds left and the Panthers facing 4th and 12 at the Philly 40, Riverboat Ron Rivera opted against the 58 yard field goal try and the Hail Mary. A pass past the first down marker was incomplete.
The third quarter began disastrously for Carolina. A simple screen pass on 3rd and 4 was bobbled by Stewart and intercepted. The Eagles again took over inside the red zone at the 17. On the next play Wentz had a pass batted high in the air. Yet Wentz smartly batted the ball down incomplete. On the next play Wentz fired over the middle to Ertz for the touchdown and the 16-10 Eagles lead. A defensive penalty on the extra point is normally assessed on the kickoff. Doug Pederson decided to instead go for 2 points from the one. With star Carolina defender Luke Kuechly out injured since late in the first half, the Eagles rammed it in for the 18-10 lead.
Newton then went bombs away into double coverage and was intercepted for the third time. However, a 40 yard defensive pass interference penalty instead gave Carolina 1st and 10 at the Philly 25. Despite 1st at the 5, Carolina could not tie the game. On 3rd and goal a pass in the flat led to a perfect tackle. On 4th and goal at the 2, Ron Rivera played it safe. Gano hit from 20 to get the Panthers within 18-13.
After a touchback, the Eagles moved to a 4th and 1 at the Carolina 30. Pederson decided not to gamble this time. Elliott hit from 48 to make it 21-13 Eagles. Carolina moved the ball again. After Newton barely avoided his third interception again, Gano hit his third field goal from 46 as the Panthers trailed 21-16 after three quarters.
After a touchback, Wentz torched the Panthers. A 20 yard completion to Hollis was followed with a 37 yard deep rainbow to Alshon Jeffery. On the first play of the fourth quarter, Wentz fired a laser to Nelson Agholor, who split the seams and raced untouched for a 24 yard touchdown and a 28-16 Panthers lead.
Carolina kept coming back. On 3rd and 8 from the Philly 4, Newton scrambled up the middle for 9 yards. On 3rd and 10 from the 25, a delay of game penalty should have meant 3rd and 15. Yet long after the whistle blew, a couple defenders leveled Newton. The defensive personal foul put the ball on the 12. Newton scrambled again and at the 3 dove for the pylon. Officials ruled him out at the one, but replay clearly showed the ball broke the plane past the pylon before Newton landed out of bounds. Ron Rivera challenged the call unsuccessfully. Newton then fired to McCaffrey for the score to cap the 7 minute drive. The Panthers were within 28-23 midway through the fourth quarter, but Carolina burned a timeout on losing the challenge.
Carolina held on defense and got the ball back with 6 minutes left. On 4th and 2 at the Philly 45 with 3 1/2 minutes left, Rivera decided to go for it. Yet the Panthers burned a second timeout. Newton fired a sideline pass to McCaffrey for 3 yards. On the next play Newton went for it all. For the third time, he should have been intercepted for the third time. The defender dropped it. Another deep ball was incomplete. On 3rd and 10, another deep ball over the middle finally was intercepted. With 3 minutes left, the Eagles had the ball at their own 11 and the Panthers had only one timeout.
Despite 2nd and 3, another run was blown up in the backfield. On 3rd and 7, a pass to Ertz was dropped. The Eagles would have had the first down. The Panthers got it back at their 31 without a timeout. However, 2:03 remained when the Eagles downed the ball rather than let the clock hit the 2 minute warning.
Newton fired to Kelvin Benjamin for 12 yards. Newton’s 49th pass barely avoided his fourth interception. On 4th and 1 from the Philly 48 with 1:22 left, Newton threw a pass that was caught, but review showed it bounced. The incompletion ended it. The Eagles has 10 penalties for 126 yards. The Panthers had one penalty for one yard. Yet the Panthers fell to 4-2 while the Eagles are a 5-1 team. The only Eagles loss came to unbeaten Kansas City and Walrus Lite Andy Reid. Rivera and Pederson are Reid protégés, which explains the success. 28-23 Eagles
Cleveland Browns at Houston Texans — Both teams have a rookie quarterback, but only Houston gave their starter an ounce of help at other positions. Cleveland benched their rookie, as if that will help his development. Early on Fairbairn hit a 40 yard field goal for the Texans and Gonzalez connected from 41 for a 3-3 game. Then reality set in. The Texans moved 87 yards and DeShaun Watson threw a 39 yard touchdown pass to Will Fuller for a 10-3 Texans lead.
Hogan is now playing quarterback for Cleveland. He found Joseph in the second quarter, but Joseph plays defense for Houston. The 82 yard interception return for a touchdown made it 17-3 Texans and the route was on. Houston got it back and moved 71 yards. A one yard touchdown pass from Watson to Miller made it 24-3 Texans at halftime. For some reason the second half was played. Something about league rules.
In the third quarter Hogan was sacked for a safety. Watson then went to Dustin Hopkins for a 3 yard touchdown to cap a 13 play, 65 yard, 6 minute drive. The Texans led 33-3 after three quarters as Hue Jackson wondered what he had to do to win a game before December. The Browns did get a pair of fourth quarter garbage touchdowns, including one on an interception return for a score. It was Watson’s only mistake but did not overshadow his three touchdown passes. Flip the script for Hogan, who had three interceptions that far overshadowed his garbage touchdown. 33-17 Texans
New England Patriots at New York Jets — The Patriots have won 211 games since Tom Brady took over full-time in 2000. The Jets have won 211 games since 1989. The Patriots were supposed to go 16-0 this year and the Jets were supposed to go 0-16. Cue ESPN user-announcer Chris Berman: “THAT’s why they play the games.” Early on the Jets moved 88 yards in 13 plays and 6 minutes. On 3rd and 10 from their own 12, Josh McCown hit Anderson for 23 yards. On 3rd and 8 from the Jets 37, McCown scrambled for 16 yards. On 3rd and 6 from the New England 31, McCown went deep to Jeremy Kerley for a 30 yard gain. On 3rd and goal at the one, McCown found Sefarian-Jenkins for the touchdown. The Jets led 7-0, and were smelling upset.
The Patriots in the second quarter moved to a 1st and 10 at the Jets 27. Mike Gillislee gained 5 yards and then fumbled the ball away. The Jets moved from their own 22 to a 3rd and 5 at the New England 47. McCown went to Kearse for 16 yards and then threw a dart to Kerley, who split the seams and raced for a 31 yard touchdown. The Jets led 14-0. Then reality set in and order was restored.
The Patriots took over with 10 minutes left in the half at their own 7. Brady went deep to Gronkowski for 25 yards. On 3rd and 7 from their own 38, Brady went to Danny Amendola for 17 yards. From the Jets 25, defensive pass interference put the ball on the one. Dion Lewis got in to get the Patriots within 14-7. The Jets soon faced 3rd and 1 at their own 36. McGuire got the carry and lost a yard. The Patriots got it back at their own 21 with 3:17 left in the half. Brady went deep and was intercepted, but the Jets went 3 and out. The Patriots then saw Stephen Gostkowski miss a 47 yard field goal.
The Jets were getting every possible break. With 40 seconds left in the half, the Jets had 2nd and 12 just past midfield. McCown was then intercepted to set the Patriots up at their own 37 with 35 seconds left. With 22 seconds left in the half the Patriots were only at the Jets 44. Brady then went deep to Brandon Cooks for a 42 yard gain. Brady hit Rob Gronkowski for the 2 yard touchdown with 9 seconds left in the half. The game was tied 14-14, but it was a back-breaker for the Jets.
As expected, the Patriots took the second half kickoff after a touchback and marched 75 yards. Again, the way they did it was crippling. On 3rd and 13 just shy of midfield, Brady hit Cooks for 19 yards. On 3rd and 11 from the Jets 33, Brady went to Gronkowski, who took it all the way for the touchdown and the 21-14 Patriots lead. The Jets moved from their own 14 to a 3rd and 1 at the New England 34. Matt Forte got the carry and got stopped. Tod Bowles decided to go for it. On 4th and 1, McCown was intercepted. The Patriots moved from their own 28 to the Jets 6, but offensive pass interference killed the drive. Less than one minute into the fourth quarter, Gostkowski hit from 28 to make it 24-14 Patriots. 24 unanswered points appeared to put the game away, but the Jets were resilient.
The Jets moved from their 25 to the Patriots 4 yard line. With 8 1/2 minutes left in regulation they had a chance to get right back in it. McCown hit Sefarian Jenkins for the touchdown, and the home crowd celebrated. Yet on further review, the officials ruled that Sefarian-Jenkins lost the ball before it broke the plane of the goal. Instead of a touchdown, it was a fumble and a touchback. The Jets got it back at their own 35 with 6 1/2 minutes left. McCown quickly went deep to Kearse for a 44 yard gain. On 3rd and 6 from the 7, a pass to Forte lost 3 yards. Chandler Catanzaro hit the 28 yard field goal, but the Jets trailed by 7 with 3 1/2 minutes left.
The Jets held on defense and got it back at their own 27 with 1:53 to play and one timeout. A sack of McCown forced the Jets to take their last timeout. With 1:12 to play the Jets were facing 4th and 12 at their own 25. McCown went deep to Anderson for a 32 yard gain. With 44 seconds left, on 3rd and 10, McCown was sacked. This time on 4th and 16 his deep ball fell incomplete. Evil Hoodie got another win over the Jets to get the Patriots to 4-2 while the Jets saw their 3 game win streak snapped to drop to 3-3. Brady finished 20 of 38 for 257 yards while McCown was 31 of 47 for 354 yards. Both quarterbacks threw 2 touchdown passes but Brady was intercepted once while McCown was picked off twice. 24-17 Patriots.
Miami Dolphins at Atlanta Falcons — This one was a shocker. The Falcons were expected to easily dispatch Miami and its anemic offense. Early on Matt Bryant kicked a 50 yard field goal for the Falcons. Atlanta got it back at their own 10 and easily moved 90 yards. Matt Ryan threw a 40 yard touchdown pass to Hall as the Falcons led 10-0 after the first quarter. In the second quarter the Falcons quickly moved 61 yards. Trevor Coleman ran it in from 6 yards out as the Falcons were coasting 17-0 at halftime. Matt Bryant did miss a 59 yard field goal to end the half, but it was at the time not a concern. The second half left the home crowd as shellshocked as they were when the Falcons blew a 25 point lead in the Super Bowl.
The Dolphins marched 75 yards in the third quarter. They ran 15 plays and held the ball for nearly 9 minutes. Jay Cutler, as maligned a quarterback as any in the league, threw an 11 yard touchdown pass to Kenny Stills on 3rd and 7 to get the Dolphins on the board. Atlanta went 3 and out and a shanked punt had the Dolphins just shy of midfield On 3rd and 9, defensive pass interference meant 26 yards.An interception of Cutler was then nullified by a roughing the passer call. Cutler threw a 7 yard touchdown pass to Landry as the Dolphins only trailed 17-14 after three quarters.
With 12 minutes left in regulation the Falcons set up to punt on 4th and 19 at the Miami 42. The snap was fumbled, and the Dolphins recovered at their own 48. On 4th and 2 from the Atlanta 44, Adam Game decided to go for it. Cutler hit Landry for 9 yards. Cody Parker hit a 49 yard field goal to tie the game 17-17 with 8 1/2 minutes left in regulation. Atlanta went 3 and out. Miami took over at their own 34. Jay Ajayi ran for a pair of 18 yard gains. On 3rd and 9 from the Atlanta 29, Cutler found Landry for 10. With 2 1/2 minutes left in regulation, Parkey hit from 38 to give the Dolphins the 3 point lead. The Matty Ice moved the Falcons from their 13 to the Miami 26 with 47 seconds left. They were well within Bryant’s range. Matty Ice then went ice cold, throwing an interception at the 6 yard line. Dan Quinn’s defending NFC champions will face a hostile media after this unforgivable home loss. 20-17 Dolphins
Detroit Lions at New Orleans Saints was ridiculous from start to finish. Early on the Lions faced 3rd and 8 at their own 4 yard line. Matthew Stafford was sacked in his own end zone, fumbled, and Vaccaro recovered for a Saints touchdown and a 7-0 New Orleans lead. The Lions came back and soon faced 3rd and 4 at the Saints 45. Stafford found Golden Tate, who outraced everyone for the touchdown and a 7-7 game. After a touchback, Mark Ingram raced around the end for a 51 yard gain. On 3rd and 6 from the Detroit 20, Drew Brees hit Ted Ginn for the touchdown and a 14-7 Saints lead.
The Saints got it back at their own 8 and Brees did what he does. He found Ginn for 9, Hoomanawanui for 25 and Ginn for 24 more. The drive died at the Detroit 23, but Will Lutz hit a 41 yard field goal to make it 17-7 Saints after the first quarter. With the Lions just past midfield, Stafford was sacked and fumbled. The Saints took over at the Detroit 31. On 3rd and 4, Brees hit Snead for 11 and Ginn for 13. Ingram got in from the one to make it 24-7 with 11 minutes left in the half.
After a touchback the Lions moved to a 3rd and 1 at the Saints 22. Zac Zenner got the carry and got nothing. Jim Caldwell decided not to gamble on 4th and 1. Matt Prater hit the 41 yard field goal to get the Lions within 24-10. Yet the Saints offense kept rolling like it was the glory days of a few years ago. On 4th and 1 from the Detroit 41, Sean Payton decided to go for it. Kamara got around the end for a 6 yard gain. Brees went to Coleman for a 20 yard gain. With 1:48 left in the half, Ingram got in from 2 yards out as the Saints were winning a laugher 31-10.
Lutz hit the ensuing kickoff out of bounds to give the Lions the ball at their own 40. With 26 seconds left in the half the Lions had 1st and goal at the 5. After 3 incompletions left 16 seconds on the clock, Jim Caldwell decided to go for it rather than take the field goal. Stafford hit Darren Fells, who was stopped one yard short of the end zone as the Lions got nothing. In the third quarter Brees shook off an interception as the Saints got the ball back at their own 46. Brees hit Hoomanawanui for a 2 yard touchdown. The Saints led 38-10. Two plays later from the Detroit 27, Stafford was intercepted by Lattimore. He was not the defender in Varsity Blues, but he did return the interception 27 yards for a touchdown. The Saints led 45-10 with 8 1/2 minutes left in the third quarter. This game was far from over as the second half was even wilder than the first. Yes, a 45-10 game was not over.
After a touchback, Stafford went to Jones for 38 yards. On 3rd and 4 from the Saints 22, Stafford went deep to Jones for the touchdown as the Lions trailed 45-17. The onside kick failed, but on 3rd and 11 from the Detroit 45, a short completion from Brees to Ingram was fumbled. The Lions got it back at their own 39. On 3rd and 5, Stafford hit Jones for 14 yards. On 3rd and 10 from the saints 42, Stafford found Theo Riddick for 12 more. On 3rd and 17 from the Saints 22, Stafford went deep to Fells for the touchdown as the Lions were within 45-24.
With 11 minutes left in regulation, the Saints punted from their own 16. Agnew returned it 74 yards as the Lions were now within 45-31. With 6:47 to play, the Saints faced 2nd and 14 at their own 1 yard line. Brees had his short pass intercepted by Robinson for a 2 yard defensive touchdown. W28 straight points had the Lions within 45-38. The biggest comeback in NFL history was 32 points. The Lion were trying to come from 35 points down and were now within 7 points.
With 5 minutes left in regulation, a fumbled punt by the Lions had them pinned at their own one yard line. They were 99 yards away from a tie game. Stafford went back to pass in his own end zone, and had the ball intercepted by Jordan for the saints second defensive touchdown. Down by 14, 3 plays latter from the Saints 35, Stafford was intercepted again by Vaccaro. Stafford finished 25 of 52 for 312 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions. Brees finished 21 of 31 for 186 yards,2 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions. 52-38 Saints
Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings — With Aaron Rodgers, the Packers can beat anybody. Midway through the first quarter, Rodgers got drilled by Martellus Bennett. It was a clean hit, and Bennett landed on Rodgers’s throwing shoulder. Brett Hundley played the rest of the way as Case Keenum helmed Minnesota in place of the injured Sam Bradford. The first quarter ended with an interception of Hundley. On the first play of the second quarter, Keenum went to McKinnon for a 27 yard touchdown and a 7-0 Vikings lead.
A shanked 26 yard punt then had the Vikings starting at the Green Bay 22. McKinnon gained 20 yards, but on the next play he fumbled the ball away. Clay Matthews picked it up and rumbled 63 yards to the Minnesota 18. On 3rd and 6, Hundley hit Devontae Adams for the touchdown. Instead of a 14-0 Vikings lead, it was a 7-7 tie.
From the Minnesota 16, Keenum went deep and drew a 42 yard defensive pass interference call. Keenum then hit Adam Thielen for 11 and Kyle Rudolph for 16 more. McKinnon ran it in to make 14-7 Vikings. With 4 minutes left in the half, Keenum was intercepted to set the Packers up at the Minnesota 38. On 3rd and 6 HUndley found jordy Nelson for 26 yards to set up 1st and goal at the 8. On 3rd and goal, HUndley found Montgomery for the touchdown. Yet on further review the play was reversed to incomplete. Mason Crosby hit the 26 yard field goal with 1:50 left in the half to get the Packers within 14-10. After a touchback the Vikings moved to a 1st and 10 at the Green Bay 30 with 48 seconds left. Yet an offensive facemark followed by an offensive illegal blindside block had the Vikings facing 1st and 40. They would punt.
The second half was all defense. The Vikings moved after a touchback 57 yards in 12 plays and 5 1/2 minutes. Yet on 1st and 10 from the Green Bay 18, the drive just died. Kai Forbath hit the 36 yard field goal to make it 17-10 Vikings. The Packers soon faced 3rd and 1 at their own 46. Jones got the carry and got stopped. The Vikings got it back at their own 17. Keenum Found Treadwell for a 25 yard gain. On the first play of the fourth quarter with Minnesota facing 4th and 1 at the Packers 17, Mike Zimmer played it safe. Forbath hit from 34 to make it 20-10 Vikings. Another interception of Hundley led to Forbath hitting from 53 with 11 minutes left. On 3rd and 11 from the Minnesota 12 with 21 seconds left, Hundley was intercepted again. Mike McCarthy has more to worry about than a loss. He lost Rodgers for the season with a broken collarbone as all of Wisconsin wept. 23-10 Vikings
Chicago Bears at Baltimore Ravens — Mitchell Trubisky played well enough in his very first start last week, a loss on the final play. Baltimore appeared to right the ship last week. Early on Chicago moved the ball well. After a scoreless first quarter, 60 yards in 10 plays led to a 24 yard Connor Barth field goal for the Bears. The Ravens faced 3rd and 6 at the Chicago 26, when a completion to Williams was fumbled away. With the Ravens facing 3rd and 4 at their own 44, Joe Flacco was intercepted. Callahan returned it 52 yards. On 2nd and 11 from the Baltimore 21, John Fox went to the bag of trucks. A halfback option pass from Cohen to Zach Miller went for the touchdown and a 10-0 Bears lead.
With 1:40 left in the half, the Ravens moved from their own 36 to a 1st and goal at the 9 with 23 seconds left. Flacco threw 3 straight incompletions. Justin Tucker hit the 27 yard field goal as the Ravens trailed 10-3 at the break. In the third quarter the Bears moved from their 34 to a 3rd and 7 at the Baltimore 27. Trubisky calmly went deep to Sims for the touchdown as the bears had the surprising 17-3 lead. Yet 14 seconds later the Ravens were in the end zone as Rainey returned the ensuing kickoff 96 yards for a touchdown to get within 17-10.
With the third quarter ending, Cohen fumbled to set the Ravens up at the Chicago 39. despite 1st and goal at the 9, the Ravens again bogged down close. Tucker hit from 31 to get the Ravens within 17-13 with 11 1/2 minutes left in regulation. With 9 1/2 minutes left, the Bears faced 3rd and 8 from the Baltimore 43. Trubisky was sacked and fumbled and the Ravens took over at their own 43. Two plays after a fourth down conversion, from the Chicago 30, Flacco went deep and was intercepted by Amos. Amos raced 90 yards the other way for a defensive touchdown. Instead of a Baltimore lead, the Bears led 24-13 with 5 1/2 minutes to play.
The Ravens after a touchback desperately moved to a 4th and 4 at the Chicago 31. Needing 2 scores with 3 minutes left, John Harbaugh opted for the field goal. Tucker hit the clutch kick from 50 as the Ravens got within 24-16. John Fox likes to win by running the ball and playing defense. Howard gained 1 and then 8 more as the 2 minute warning came with the Bears facing 3rd and 1 at the Chicago 26. Howard got the carry and lost 2 yards. The Ravens called their final timeout with 1:55 left. Campanaro returned the punt 77 yards for a touchdown. The successful 2 point conversion had the Ravens tie the game 24-24.
The Bears nearly gave the game away in regulation when Campanaro returned another punt 16 yards to the Baltimore 44 with 12 seconds left. Flacco hit Wallace for 16 more yards to the Chicago 40, but the clock ran out before the Ravens could try a winning kick or Hail Mary. In overtime each team punted and the Bears took over at their own 7. Howard went off tackle for a 53 yard gain. On 3rd and 11 from the Baltimore 41, Trubisky found Wright for an 18 yard gain. With 2:11 left in overtime, Barth came in for the 40 yard field goal try to win it. The kick was good, as the Bears got another win against an AFC North squad and the first win for Trubisky. 27-24 Bears, OT
San Francisco 49ers at Washington Redskins — Nobody loses close games like the 49ers. The Redskins moved 75 yards and Kirk Cousins hit Doctson for an 11 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Redskins. In the second quarter the Redskins moved 64 yards in 10 plays and nearly 6 minutes. Cousins hit Perine for a 3 yard touchdown and a 14-0 Redskins lead. Bryan Hoyer was benched Washington got it back and moved 55 yards. Dustin Hopkins hit a 48 yard field goal as the Redskins led 17-0. They were on their way to a blowout win.
Late in the half the 49ers moved 75 yards in 11 plays. Carlos Hyde got the last yard to get the 49ers within 17-7 at the break. In the third quarter the 49ers held the ball for nearly 5 1/2 minutes and 12 plays. Robbie Gould hit a 52 yard field goal to get the 49ers within 17-10. The 49ers would miss a chance to get even closer when Gould missed from 47 yards out. With 3 1/2 minutes left in the third quarter from the Washington 37, a short pass by Cousins was fumbled by Vernon Davis. Jihad Ward returned it 44 yards for a defensive touchdown. On further review, Ward was ruled down at the one. Hyde got in on the next play and the 49ers had come all the way back for a 17-17 tie.
The Redskins regrouped and mounted a staggering 16 play, 72 yard drive that took 7 1/2 minutes off of the clock. On 2nd and goal at the 2, a run lost a yard and Cousins then threw incomplete. Hopkins hit from 21 as the Redskins reclaimed the lead 20-17 with 10 1/2 minutes left in regulation. Washington held on defense and got it back at their own 16 with 8 1/2 minutes left. From the Washington 27, Cousins went deep to Davis for a 51 yard gain. Cousins ran for a 7 yard touchdown. The extra point was no good, but with 3 1/2 minutes left the Redskins led 26-17.
On 3rd and 8 from the San Francisco 27, Beatherd found Taylor for 10. Beatherd then went deep to Robinson for a 45 yard touchdown at the 2 minute warning. The 49ers were down 2 and they still had 2 timeouts. The onside kick failed but the 49ers held on defense and got the ball back at their own 20 with 52 seconds left. Without a timeout, they needed only a field goal to win. With 28 seconds left the 49ers had 1st and 10 at the Washington 40. They were on the verge of field goal range. A critical offensive pass interference call killed the 49ers. On 4th and 20 with 9 seconds left, Beatherd went deep and was intercepted to drop the 49ers to an 0-6 mess. 26-24 Redskins
Los Angeles Rams at Jacksonville Jaguars — Both of these teams are up one week, down the next. The Rams lost a heartbreaker at home to Seattle last week while the Jaguars stunned Pittsburgh as their defense racked up 5 interceptions. This was a game of big plays. Pharrell Cooper returned the opening kickoff 103 yards for a touchdown and a 7-0 lead only 14 seconds into the game. After a touchback Leonard Fournette took a handoff 75 yards for a touchdown and a 7-7 game after only 25 seconds of play.
Later on a shanked 16 yard punt set up the Rams at the Jacksonville 45. Jared Goff threw incomplete on 3rd and 2, but Greg “The Leg” Zuerlein nailed a 56 yard field goal to make it 10-7 Rams. After a touchback, Blake Bortles hit Alex Hurns for an 18 yard gain. Marques Lee ran for 17 and Fournette gained 18 more. Bortles went to Chris Ivory for a 22 yard touchdown and a 14-10 Jaguars lead. With 3 1/2 minutes left in the half the Rams took over at their own 34. Goff went to Woods for 22 yards and sammy Watkins for 11 more. On 3rd and 5 from the Jacksonville 23, Goff hit Cooper Kupp for 13. With 22 seconds left in the first quarter, Goff hit Everett for a 4 yard touchdown and a 17-14 Rams lead. The opening quarter saw 31 points. The game drastically slowed over the final three quarters.
With 2 1/2 minutes left in the half, the Jaguars punted from their own 19. Littleton blocked it and Brown recovered it at the Jacksonville 8 yard line. Brown rumbled into the end zone with it for a 24-14 Rams lead . The Jaguars missed a chance to get closer when Myers missed a 54 yard field goal at the end of the half. In the third quarter a Rams fumble gave the Jaguars the ball at their own 48. Myers would hit a 41 yard field goal to get the Jaguars within 24-17 with 5 minutes left in the the third quarter.
The defenses controlled the final 45 minutes. From the Rams 32 midway through the fourth quarter, the Rams did just enough. On 3rd and 6 from the Rams 46, Goff hit Cupp for 22 yards. After 12 plays and 5 minutes, Zuerlein hit a 29 yarder to give the Rams a 27-17 cushion with only 2 1/2 minutes left. Needing 2 scores, Myers came in for another 54 yard field goal try with 1:12 left. Again he missed it and Jacksonville was done. 27-17 Rams
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Arizona Cardinals — A pair of wildly inconsistent teams played a wildly inconsistent game. Adrian Peterson played his first game for the Cardinals after being traded from New Orleans after only five games. Peterson was under-utilized in New Orleans, but early on in Arizona he was a bell cow. He ran for 8, 8 more, 11 more, and a 27 yard touchdown to cap a 75 yard drive and make it 7-0 Cardinals. The Cardinals got it back and easily moved 86 yards. Own 3rd and 5 from their own 19, Carson Palmer hit Larry Fitzgerald for 29 yards and John Brown for 15 more. After Peterson gained 6 and 17, Palmer hit Niklas for a 14 yard touchdown to make it 14-0 Cardinals.
On 4th and 4 from the Arizona 39, the Buccaneers decided to punt, pinning the Cardinals back at their own 5 as the first quarter ended. On 3rd and 7 from their own 28, Palmer threw incomplete but defensive offsides gave them another chance. On 3rd and 2, Palmer found Brown for 30 yards, to Fitzgerald for 26 more, and to Fitzgerald for the 11 yard touchdown to make it 21-0 Cardinals. The Cardinals got it back at their 30 and easily moved to 1st and goal at the one. Palmer then fumbled the snap for a 2 yard loss. Two more plays lost a few more yards. Phil Dawson hit the 28 yard field goal for a 24-0 Cardinals lead. with 5 1/2 minutes left in the half, Jameis Winston was pulled for Ryan Fitzpatrick. Fitzpatrick moved the Buccaneers from their 25 to a 1st and goal at the 7 with 29 seconds left in the half. On 4th and goal at the 5 Dirk Koetter decided to go for it and Fitzpatrick threw incomplete.
On the second play of the third quarter, Fitzpatrick was intercepted by Antoine Bethea to set up the Cardinals at the Tampa Bay 33. Palmer hit Brown for a 17 yard touchdown. Only 3 minutes into the third quarter, the Cardinals were winning a laugher 31-0. There was no way the Buccaneers could come back. Or could they? After a touchback Fitzpatrick hit DeSean Jackson for 27 yards. On 3rd and 12 from midfield, Fitzpatrick hit Mike Evans for 17 yards. Muscle Hamster Doug Martin gained 27. On 3rd and goal at the 4, Fitzpatrick hit Jackson for the score. The 2 point try failed but the Buccaneers were on the board. They trailed 31-6 after three quarters, but Fitzpatrick was just getting started.
On the last play of the third quarter, Fitzpatrick went deep to Evans for a 41 yard gain to the Arizona 10. On 3rd and goal Fitzpatrick hit Brate for the touchdown. Again the 2 point try failed as the Buccaneers were within 31-12. The Cardinals quickly faced 1st and 20 at their own 15. A short pass from Palmer to Fitzgerald was fumbled. David picked it up and raced 21 yards for a defensive touchdown. With 13 minutes left in regulation the Buccaneers were within 31-20.
The Cardinals reached the Tampa Bay 32 when offensive holding killed the drive. Midway through the fourth quarter, the Buccaneers were pinned at their own one yard line. Fitzpatrick was intercepted, giving the Cardinals the ball at the one. Peterson banged in to make it 38-20 Cardinals. Yet the game was still not over.
The Buccaneers moved from their 30 to a 4th and goal at the one. Martin got in but again the 2 point try failed. The Buccaneers were within 38-26, but only 3 minutes remained. The onside kick failed, but on 4th and 2 at the Tampa Bay 35, Bruce Arians decided to go for it rather than try the long field goal. Palmer threw incomplete. On 2nd and 9, Fitzpatrick hit Humphries for 27 yards and Evans for a 37 yard touchdown. With 2:02 to play the Buccaneers had cut a 31 point deficit to 5 points. However, the onside kick again failed and with the Bucs out of timeouts, Palmer took three knees and Arizona survived an epic scare. Both quarterbacks threw 3 touchdown passes. Fitzpatrick was 22 of 32 for 290 yards, but he was intercepted twice. Palmer was an efficient 18 of 22 for 283 yards, with one interception. Peterson was the difference, with 26 carries for 134 yards, 2 touchdowns, and one big statement to the rest of the league that he was back. 38-33 Cardinals
Pittsburgh Steelers at Kansas City Chiefs — Kansas City came in the long unbeaten team, while Pittsburgh got shellacked at home last week due to 5 Ben Roethlisberger interceptions. Last year the Steelers beat the Chiefs twice, including a playoff game in Kansas City where the Steelers hit the Chiefs in the mouth. The Chiefs wanted revenge, but Mike Tomlin again had the Steelers revert to their smash mouth form. Early in the game a shotgun snap sailed over Alex Smith’s head, resulting in a safety for the Steelers. Yet there was confusion on the free kick as the Steelers treated it like a punt rather than a kickoff. The Chiefs recovered the live ball. They ere unable to move, but Butker hit a 46 yard field goal to make it 3-2 Chiefs after the first quarter.
After that the Steelers defense took over. In the second quarter Pittsburgh moved 75 yards in 12 plays and 6 1/2 minutes. LeVeon Bell ran for a 3 yard touchdown and a 9-3 Steelers lead. The Steelers got it back at their own one yard line. They moved 93 yards in 12 plays and almost 7 more minutes. They settled for a 24 yard Chris Boswell field goal and a 12-3 halftime lead, but Pittsburgh was clearly winning in the trenches.
After a scoreless third quarter, the resilient Chiefs came back. They just find ways to win games. 82 yards came quickly as Alex Smith found Thomas for a 57 yard touchdown. Just like that, the Chiefs were only down 12-10. Yet the Steelers this time also struck quickly. 75 yards culminated in Roethlisberger throwing a 51 yard touchdown pass to Antonio Brown. With 3 1/2 minutes left, the Steelers were back up by 2 scores.
From the Chiefs 33, Smith went deep to Hunt for a 29 yard gain and Travis Kelce for 23 more. Yet despite 1st and 10 at the Pittsburgh 15, Smith threw 3 straight incompletions. Butker hit the 33 yard field goal. The Chiefs were down by 6 but they had all 3 timeouts. With 2:17 to play, Walrus Lite Andy Reid decided to kick it deep rather than go onsides kick. The gamble appeared to pay off, especially when Tyreeq Hill returned a punt 32 yards. With 1:42 left, the Chiefs were at their own 44 with one timeout left. On 3rd and 10 from the Pittsburgh 40, Smith was sacked. On 4th and 18 with one minute left, Smith threw deep incomplete. For the third straight time, the Steelers just out-physicaled the Chiefs. The 1972 unbeaten Miami squad popped their champagne corks much earlier than usual this year. 19-13 Steelers
Los Angeles Chargers at Oakland Raiders — The Chargers started 0-4 before finally being gifted a win over the 0-5 Giants. The Raiders after a 2-0 start had lost 3 straight. Derek Carr came back after missing one game due to an injured back. If there was ever a game the Raiders could win, this was it. After a Chargers punt, the Raiders took over at their own 10. The first play from scrimmage saw Marshawn Lynch go Beast Mode for a 15 yard gain. The second play saw Carr go deep and get intercepted. The offense has been out of sync for a month. The Chargers are just bad. Despite starting at the Oakland 30, a run went nowhere, Philip Rivers threw 2 incompletions, and Nick Novak missed a 48 yard field goal. This would truly be a battle of who wanted it least.
The Raiders took over at their own 38 and went straight to the ground. Lynch gained 4, 5 and 5 more on 3rd and 1. On 3rd and 6 from the Chargers 34, Carr hit Michael Crabtree for 7 yards. On 3rd and 6 from the Chargers 23, Carr went back to Crabtree, who got to the corner and beat the pylon for a touchdown and a 7-0 Raiders lead. After a touchback the Chargers moved to a 4th and 3 at the Oakland 34. Anthony Lynn decided to go for it, and Rivers threw incomplete.
The Raiders were playing terribly on offense, and the only thing saving them was that they were playing the Chargers. Even that luck runs out eventually. With the Chargers facing 3rd and 7 at their own 21, Rivers went deep to Keenan Allen for 28 yards. The Raiders have an awful secondary, and on 3rd and 8 just past midfield, Rivers hit Ekeler for just enough. On 3rd and 9 from the Oakland 22, Rivers hit Allen for 12. On 3rd and goal at the 6, Rivers hit Henry, who was tackled inches shy of the goal line. Anthony Lynn decided to go for it. On 4th and goal from inches away, Melvin Gordon leapt over the top like Marcus Allen used to do in Los Angeles for the Raiders. The 15 play, 82 yard, nearly 7 minute drive tied the game 7-7.
Cordarelle Patterson took the kickoff at the one and returned it 39 yards to the Oakland 40 with 1:34 left in the half. After offensive holding set up 1st and 20 at the Oakland 43, defensive pass interference gave the Raiders 12 yards and 1st and 10 at the Chargers 34. With 8 seconds left on 3rd and 2, Carr went to the end zone incomplete. Georgio Tavecchio hit the 44 yard field goal as the Raiders took a 10-7 lead into the locker rooms.
The Raiders had every chance to put the game away. In the third quarter the Raiders moved from their own 36 in 14 plays. They took nearly 7 minutes off the clock. On 2nd and 7 from the Chargers 15, disaster struck. A short pass from Carr to Lynch bounced off his hands and was intercepted by Pullard. Again, the Raiders had squandered a scoring chance. On their next offensive series on 3rd and 2 from their own 30, a short pass from Carr to Patterson gained only one yard. The Chargers faced 3rd and 9 at their own 31. Rivers hit Williams for 14 yards, but he was hit and fumbled. The Raiders took over just past midfield. On the last play of the third quarter, a 3rd and 5 pass from Carr to Crabtree gained only 3 yards. On the first play of the fourth quarter Jack Del Rio decided to go for it on 4th and 2 from the Chargers 41 rather than punt and play field position. Carr threw incomplete.
This time the Chargers took full advantage of the Raiders ineptitude on offense. Rivers hit Henry for 10 and Williams for 11. On 3rd and 6 from the Oakland 34, Rivers hit Williams for 15 yards. On 3rd and 5 from the 14, Rivers hit Melvin Gordon for 8 yards. Rivers threw a 6 yard touchdown pass to Gordon as the Chargers led 14-10 with 10 1/2 minutes left in regulation.
This time the Raiders came back quickly. On 3rd and 4 from their own 41, Carr went deep incomplete but the defense jumped offsides. An end around by Patterson saw him out-juke everyone for a 47 yard touchdown. With 8 minutes to play the Raiders retook the lead. Yet long snapper Condo delivered a very high snap and Tavecchio missed the extra point. Tavvecchio has been stellar in place of the injured Sebastian Janikowski, but that missed extra point was a killer. The Raiders led 16-14, but the end was inevitable.
The Raiders held on defense and got the ball back at their own 26 with 6 minutes left. Running down the clock would mean a win. On the first play Carr went to Amari Cooper for 19 yards, but an illegal formation penalty wiped out the gain. On 3rd and 12 the Raiders tried a hook and lateral, but it came up 2 yards short of the sticks. From their own 34, the Raiders punted. Marquette King had been averaging 57 yards per punt on the day, and he delivered a beauty. The Chargers were pinned at their own 8 yard line with 4 minutes left. The Raiders have an awful secondary, but the defense had been carrying the offense all day. Yet when the Raiders needed the defense most, the expected meltdown happened.
Rivers went deep to Henry for a 34 yard gain and back to Henry for 23 more yards. From the Oakland 33, a heavy dose of Gordon buried the helpless and heartless Raiders. He gained 7, 4, 3, and 4 more. The Raiders took their last timeout with 1:40 to play and the Chargers facing 3rd and 3 at the Oakland 15. One stop would at least give the Raiders the ball back with just under one minute to play. Instead, Gordon gained 5 and the Chargers took the clock down to 3 seconds left. From 32 yards out, Novak was perfect. Both teams are 2-4, but the Chargers have won 2 straight and the Raiders have lost 4 straight. The Raiders are a mess in every phase of the game. After going 12-4 last year, they are a shell of what they were. The play-calling is terrible on both sides of the ball. Carr is not getting any help from anyone, anywhere. The Raiders went from Super Bowl aspirations to the AFC West cellar. 17-16 Chargers
New York Giants at Denver Broncos was the Sunday night game. Last week the 0-4 Giants could not even beat the previously 0-4 Chargers at home. Now the 0-5 Giants had to go on the road and take on a very good Denver team. This should have been a blowout. There is no explanation for the early results. The Giants held the ball for 13 plays and 7 minutes, moving 69 yards. Although they settled for a 25 yard Rosas field goal, they established the tone early. In the second quarter the Giants moved 75 yards. Eli Manning hit Evan Engram for a 5 yard touchdown as the Giants led 10-0 in front of a stunned home crowd in the Mile High City. The normally reliable Brandon McManus missed a 35 yard field goal for the Broncos in the first quarter, and a second quarter drive into Giants territory saw Trevor Siemian get intercepted in the red zone.
Midway through the second quarter the Broncos took over at their own 20. Siemian went to Victor Green for 24 yards. Offensive holding had the Broncos facing 2nd and 20 at their own 39. Siemian hit Denarius Thomas for 11. On 3rd and 9 from midfield, Siemian went deep to Thomas in double coverage for a 40 yard gain. Yet 3 incompletions later and the Broncos settled for a 28 yard McManus field goal to trail 10-3. With one minute left in the half and the Broncos facing 3rd and 10 at their own 38, Siemian threw a sideline route. Jenoris Jenkins jumped the route and raced 43 yards for a defensive touchdown in front of a shocked home crowd. Not only did the Giants lead 17-3, but Siemian got hit on the play and walked to the locker room with a bum shoulder. Brock Osweiler finished the half.
The Giants defense continued to clamp down in the second half despite Siemian returning. From the Giants 39, Manning went to Engram for a 21 yard gain. Rosas hit a critical 51 yard field goal to make it 20-3 Giants. Denver moved to a 3rd and 8 at the Giants 35. After an incompletion, McManus came in for a 53 yard field goal try. He missed it wide by a mile. Rosas then had a 49 yard try partially blocked. On the first play of the fourth quarter, the Broncos decided to go for it on 4th and 5 from the Giants 45. Siemian hit Thomas for a 6 yard gain, but Thomas had the ball ripped out of his hands by Jenkins. Ei Apple recovered the fumble for the Giants. The Giants punted, Denver fumbled that, and were lucky to retain possession.
With 10 minutes left the Broncos were down to their last gasp, facing 4th and 15 from the Giants 45. Siemian went deep on a play that had no chance. Thomas deliberately drew a defensive pass interference call to give the Broncos 1st and goal at the 8. On 3rd and goal at the 5, a completion to a completion to Bennie Fowler at the goal line saw him wrapped up by 2 defenders. On 4th and goal at the one, Anderson got the carry and got stopped cold. A fired up Steve Spagnuolo praised his defense for the goal line stand with 8 1/2 minutes left. Vance Joseph challenged the call, but replays showed that there was no angle to even see the ball. The call stood.
The Broncos caught a break when the Giants fumbled the ball back to Denver at the Giants 20. However, officials reversed the call and ruled that the runner’s knee was down. Replay confirmed this. Denver got it back and again entered the red zone as the clock ticked down. From the Giants 13, Siemian fired a perfect pass through double coverage to Heuerman. A sure interception was somehow caught for the touchdown. The Broncos were still down by 10 and only 4 minutes remained.
The onside kick failed and Ben McAdoo played it very safe. On 3rd and 9 from the Denver 40, Darkwa got the carry, broke off the left tackle side, and gained 19 yards. On the next play the Giants fumbled the handoff but retained possession as the clock reached the 2 minute warning. Rosas tacked on one more field goal to complete the dominating win. When the dust settled, it was the winless Giants who were no longer winless in the biggest upset of the year. Without injured O’Dell Beckham and suspended Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, the Giants won with heart and guts. For Denver, this was just a head-scratcher. Siemian threw for 375 yards, but it was all in desperation mode. In 1986, the Giants blasted the Broncos in the Super Bowl. In 1998, the 13-0 Broncos saw their unbeaten season go up in flames at a 5-8 Giants team. Every decade or so the Giants just beat them up. 23-10 Giants
Indianapolis Colts at Tennessee Titans was the Monday night game. Sometimes a pair of bad teams can come together and play a thriller for the ages. This was not that game. Ryan Succopy hit a 48 yard field goal to get the Titans on the board first. Adam Vinatieri hit from 36 and Succop responded from 32 to give the Titans a 6-3 lead after the first quarter. In the second quarter the Colts moved 73 yards and Jacoby Brisett hit Doyle for an 8 yard touchdown and a 10-6 lead. Each team then mounted a 12 play drive as Succop hit from 40 and Vinatieri answered from 25 to give the Colts a 13-9 lead at the break.league rules required that the second half not be cancelled.
In the third quarter Marcus Mariota was intercepted by simon, who returned it 26 yards for a defensive touchdown. The extra point was no good but the Colts led 19-9. Succop hit from 48 to get the Titans within 19-12. A Colts fumble set the Titans up at the Colts 31. Mariota connected with Ryan Mathews for a 27 yard gain. Despite 1st and goal at the 4, the Titans again did nothing. Succop’s fifth field goal from 23 yards out got the Titans within 19-15. In the fourth quarter the Titans embarked on an 87 yard, 15 play drive that ate up 8 1/2 minutes. Finally they cracked the end zone as DeMarco Murray got in from 3 yards out for a 22-19 Titans lead. Despite returning the ensuing kickoff 60 yards to the Titans 40, the colts settled for a 52 yard Vinatieri field goal and a 22-22 tie midway through the fourth quarter.
After a touchback, Mariota hit Eric Decker for gains of 10 and 11. Mariota then went deep to Taylor for a 53 yard touchdown. With 5 1/2 minutes left, the Titans had a 29-22 lead. After a touchback the Colts moved to the Tennessee 22. On 2nd and 10, a fumble was recovered by the Titans. On further review, the call was reversed to an incomplete pass. With 2 1/2 minutes left, on 4th and 1 at the Titans 13, Chuck Pagano called a naked bootleg. Brissett rolled out. While he was tackled short of the marker, he shifted the ball and stretched it past the marker before going out of bounds. The officials ruled him short, Pagano challenged the call, and the call stood. At the 2 minute warning on 2nd and 8, Derrick Henry gained just enough. Everything came down to the Titans facing 3rd and 5 at their own 28 with one minute left and the Colts out of timeouts. Henry got the first down, tight-roped the sideline, stayed inbounds, and raced all the way for a 72 yard touchdown to put the game away. 36-22 Titans