NFL 2018 Week 3 Recap
New York Jets at Cleveland Browns was the Thursday night game. Nobody loses football games like the Cleveland Browns. From 1-15 two years ago to 0-16 last year, the heartbreak continued to start this season. In 2 straight weeks, they lost because Zane Gonzalez could not make a field goal or an extra point. He was cut. Then problem child Josh Gordon was cut. Yet the Browns still had a chance because the Jets are known to lose these types of games. The Jets lost to the expansion Carolina Panthers for their first franchise win. They lost to the 1-15 New Orleans Saints in 1980. Something had to give.
The Jets had rookie Sam Darnold, who has shown potential in his first two games. The Browns decided to let their rookie Baker Mayfield hold a clipboard, starting Tyrod Taylor this season instead.
Cleveland has a defense, and a fired up Dawg Pound had the inspired defense playing a scoreless first quarter. However, late in the opening quarter, a fumbled punt gave the Jets the first scoring chance. On 3rd and 11 from the Cleveland 29, Darnold hit Enunwa for 16 yards. On the first play of the second quarter, Isaiah Crowell ran for a 7 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Jets. The Jets got it back at their own 37. Powell ran for 14, 8 and 8. Crowell added 8 more. On 3rd and 4 from the Cleveland 27, Darnold hit Enunwa for 16 again. On 3rd and 1 from the 2, Crowell got in to make it 14-0 Jets.
The Browns moved from their 26 to a 2nd and 2 at the Jets 25. However, intentional grounding on Taylor followed by a sack of him killed the drive. With 1:42 left in the half, the Browns offense got the ball back. Taylor was on the field. After going a miserable 4 for 14 for only 19 yards, Hue Jackson had seen enough. The Baker Mayfield era began from the Cleveland 34.
His first pass was a completion to Jarvis Landry for 14 yards. Then he went to Njoku for 17 yards. Then from the Jets 35 Mayfield was sacked and fumbled the ball. Despite an 8 yard loss, Cleveland retained possession. Mayfield hit Landry for 16 yards. Joseph is the new field goal kicker for Cleveland. He made the 45 yard field goal. The Brows trailed 14-3 at halftime, but there was a ray of hope.
With 6 1/2 minutes left in the third quarter, the Jets fumbled the ball and the Browns recovered at the Jets 8 yard line. A failed run and a pair of incompletions netted 0 yards. Joseph hit the 27 yard field goal but the Cleveland faithful had to be disgusted to still be trailing 14-6.
The Browns got it back and faced 3rd and 1 at their own 40. Mayfield hit Landry for 16 yards. From the Jets 30, Mayfield went deep to Landry for a 29 yard gain. Carlos Hyde got the last yard. Mayfield was sacked on the 2 point try, but defensive holding gave the Browns another shot. This time Landry and Mayfield connected as the game was tie 14-14 after three quarters.
After a touchback, the Jets held the ball from 12 plays, 7 minutes and 65 yards. Powell ran for gains of 9 and 21. On 3rd and 10 from the Cleveland 45, Darnold hit Kearse for 14 yards. Yet on 3rd and 12 from the Cleveland 19, a completion came up 3 yards short. Josh Myers hit the 28 yard field goal and the Jets led 17-14 with 9 minutes left in regulation. Could the Browns finally get a win?
After a touchback, Hyde ran for 10 yards. On 3rd and 5 from the Cleveland 40, Mayfield went to Johnson for 15 yards. Johnson fumbled but Cleveland retained possession. Higgins recovered the fumble and then caught a pass from Mayfield for 19 more yards. On 3rd and 10 from the Cleveland 26, Mayfield hit Callaway for just enough. A 16 yard touchdown run by Hyde was nullified due to an illegal block. With 2:07 to play, after 15 plays, and 7 minutes, on 3rd and goal at the one, Hyde got in. The 75 yard drive had the Browns up by 4 because their kicker made the extra point. The offense finally came through. Could the defense seal the deal?
After a touchback, with 1:48 left, the Jets faced 4th and 10 at their own 25. Darnold hit Kearse for 12 yards as the home crowd got a lump in its throat. Here they go again, the Charlie Browns.
Not this time. On the next play, Darnold was intercepted at the Jets 43. The Jets took their timeouts on defense. On 4th and 2 at the Jets 35, Hue Jackson opted against trying a 53 yard field goal. With Cleveland’s luck it would be blocked and returned the other way. Rather than go for it, Jackson opted to punt. Brandon Colquitt did his job well, pinning the Jets back at their own 6 yard line with one minute left.
Darnold went to Terrell Pryor for a 25 yard gain. Yet with 15 seconds left, Darnold went deep again and was intercepted again. Baker Mayfield got to do something no Browns quarterback has done in 2 years. He lined up in the victory formation, took a knee, and celebrated a Cleveland Browns win. Todd Bowles will come under fire from Gang Green’s fan base, but this day was about the Dawg Pound. Budweiser Cleveland honored its promise of free beer to their loyal fans. The Cleveland Browns are no longer losers. 1-1-1 is not spectacular, but the arrow is trending upward. The newspaper is already a collectible. Browns win! 21-17 Browns
Buffalo Bills at Minnesota Vikings — The Bills might be the worst team in the league. They are so awful that cornerback Vontae Davis pulled an NFL first and retired at halftime. The Vikings were one good kicker away from being 2-0. So they cut their kicker and got Dan Bailey, one of the best. Minnesota has perhaps the best defense in the NFL under Mike Zimmer. This had blowout written all over it. Cue ESPN uber-announcer Chris Berman. “THAT’s why they PLAY the games.”
Josh Allen is a rookie, but early on it was his Bills moving 75 yards in 5 minutes. Allen ran for a 10 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Bills. The Vikings soon faced 3rd and 7 at their own 10. Cousins was sacked and fumbled and the Bills took over at the Minnesota 15. The defense held but Steve Hauschka hit a 30 yard field goal to make it 10-0 Bills. Minnesota soon faced 3rd and 8 at their own 27. Cousins was sacked again and fumbled again. Buffalo recovered. Two plays later, Allen went deep to Room for a 26 yard touchdown to make it 17-0 Bills in front of a stunned home crowd.
The Bills moved 65 yards in 11 plays and 6 minutes on their next drive. On 4th and goal at the one, Sean McDermott chose to go for it. Allen snuck over the top and broke the plane of the goal for a 24-0 Bills lead. Hauschka tacked on a 50 yard field goal to put the Bills up 27-0 in an absolute shocker of a game where they were 17 point underdogs. Buffalo slept through the second half because they could. In misleading statistics, Kirk Cousins went 40 of 55 for 296 yards and one garbage time touchdown with one interception. Allen was an efficient 15 of 22 for 196 yards and one touchdown without an interception. There was no word on whether Vontae Davis chose to unretire. 27-6 Bills
Cincinnati Bengals at Carolina Panthers — Cincinnati started 2-0, but on the road at the Carolina defense would be a better measuring stick for the Bengals. After a touchback the Bengals faced 3rd and 3 at their own 45. Red Rifle Andy Dalton went to AJ Green for 9 yards. Giovanni Bernard eventually finished the 75 yard drive with a one yard touchdown run to make it 7-0 Bengals.
Carolina soon faced 3rd and 6 at their own 29. Cam Newton hit Wright for 7 yards. From just shy of midfield, McCaffrey took a handoff up the middle for 45 yards. On 3rd and goal at the 2, Newton got around the end for the touchdown to tie the game 7-7.
The Bengals got it back and faced 3rd and 17 just shy of midfield. Dalton was intercepted at the Carolina 33. From the Carolina 44 to start the second quarter, Newton hit Devon Funchess for 16 yards and again for 27 more. Newton went back to Funchess for a 4 yard touchdown and a 14-7 Panthers lead.
3rd and 5 at their own 43. Red Rifle Andy Dalton hit Eric Eifert for 8 yards. rom just past midfield, Dalton fumbled and Captain Munnerlyn recovered for the defense. On further review it was changed to an incomplete pass and 3rd and 10. Dalton went deep to Boyd for a 23 yard gain. On 3rd and 6 from the Carolina 10, Dalton found John Ross for 9 yards. Dalton hit Uzomah for the one yard touchdown to tie the game 14-14 midway through the second quarter.
Carolina soon faced 3rd and 2 at their own 33. Newton found Smith for 4 yards. Newton hit Thomas for 18. McCaffrey ran for 15. Anderson ran for 6 and then caught 24 yard touchdown pass from Newton to put the Panthers up 21-14 with 2:50 left in the half.
In the third quarter an interception of Dalton set up the Panthers at the Cincy 26. On 3rd and 6, Newton scrambled for 7. Newton ran for a 5 yard touchdown to make it 28-14 Panthers with 5 1/2 minutes left in the third quarter. This time after a touchback the Bengals came back quickly. Bernard ran for a 22 yard gain. Dalton went to Eifert for 20 yards. Dalton then went to Boyd for a 27 yard touchdown. With 3 minutes left in the third quarter, the Bengals were back within 28-21.
In the fourth quarter the Bengals moved from their 14 to the Carolina 25 with help of a 49 yard completion from Dalton to Boyd. Yet offensive holding killed the drive. Midway through the fourth quarter, a 53 yard field goal try by Bullock to close the gap to 4 points was no good. With 3:40 to play, on 2nd and 20 from their own 7, Dalton went deep and was intercepted at midfield. Graham Gano hit a 40 yard field goal to lock up the Carolina win. Both quarterbacks threw 2 touchdown passes, but Newton was not intercepted. Dalton was picked off 4 times. In the wake of misery after Hurricane Florence, the Panthers gave their fans something to temporarily take their mind off the pain. 31-21 Panthers
Denver Broncos at Baltimore Ravens — Denver was 2-0, but the Ravens provided a tougher test. Early on the Broncos blocked a punt, taking over at the Baltimore 6 yard line. Freeman got the carry and got in for the 7-0 Broncos lead less than 90 seconds into the game. An unnecessary roughness penalty on Denver had the Ravens taking over at their own 48. Joe Flacco went to Andrew for a 30 yard gain. Alex Collins ran for a 6 yard touchdown to make it 7-7.
Denver soon faced 3rd and 11 at their own 29. Case Keenum went to Chris Sutton for a 16 yard gain. On 3rd and 6 just shy of midfield, Keenum hit Booker for 7. Emanuel Sanders took a reverse 35 yards for a touchdown to make it 14-7 Broncos. Baltimore moved from their 26 to a 4th and 1 at the Denver 34. John Harbaugh trusted his kicker, and Justin Tucker nailed the 52 yarder to get the Ravens within 14-10 in a wild first quarter.
A short punt in the second quarter had the Ravens taking over at their own 48. On 3rd and 9 Flacco went deep to Michael Crabtree for a 19 yard gain. On 3rd and 2 from the Denver 12, Flacco found Allen for the touchdown as the Ravens retook the lead 17-14.
Baltimore got it back at their own 28 and Flacco hit Brown for 44 yards. With 4 1/2 minutes left in the half, Tucker came in for a 43 yard field goal to extend the lead. Simmons timed the snap perfectly, jumped over the offensive line cleanly, and blocked the kick. The ball bounced to Chris Harris, who returned it 58 yards for a Broncos touchdown. However, an illegal block on the return after the blocked kick negated the score. Denver faced 2nd and 1 at the Baltimore 25. Keenum was sacked and fumbled. A personal foul penalty on Denver led to a player disqualification as 2nd and 1 became 3rd and then 4th and 28.
With 26 seconds left in the half, a shanked 35 yard punt had the Ravens taking over at midfield. With 4 seconds left in the half, Tucker came in for a 52 yard field goal try. This time it was uneventful as he hit it to put the Ravens up 20-14 at halftime.
The second half belonged to the Baltimore defense. In the third quarter the Ravens took over at their own 18. Collins ran for 14 and 6. On 3rd and 4 from their own 38, Flacco threw incomplete but defensive offsides kept the drive going. On 3rd and 6 from the Denver 42, Flacco hit Snead for 7. On 3rd and 8 from the Denver 33, Flacco went deep to Andrews for 29 yards. On 3rd and goal at the one, Allen got in. The 14 play, 82 yard, 6 1/2 minute drive was the only score of the second half as Denver’s offense was stifled the rest of the way. 27-14 Ravens
Green Bay Packers at Washington Redskins — Washington looked dreadful in losing badly at home to woeful Indianapolis. What a difference a week makes. Washington easily moved 75 yards on their opening drive. Alex Smith connected with Richardson for a 46 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Redskins. Washington got it back and moved 79 yards in 10 plays and 6 minutes.Adrian Peterson ran for a 2 yard touchdown for a 14-0 Redskins lead.
The Packers did get a second quarter 41 yard field goal from Mason Crosby, but their defense had no answer for the Redskins. Washington got it back at their own 2. On 3rd and 6 from their 6, Alex Smith went deep to Reed for a 34 yard gain. Peterson then rumbled for a 41 yard gain. On 3rd and 7 from the Green Bay 16, Smith ran for 7 yards. Smith then hit Crowder for a 9 yard touchdown to make it 21-3 Redskins.
Green Bay got it back at their own 24. From their 36, Aaron Rodgers went deep to Greg Allison for a 64 yard touchdown to get the Packers within 21-10. With 2:10 left in the half the Redskins took over at their own 26. On 2nd and 7 at the 2 minute warning, Smith went deep to Vernon Davis for a 50 yard gain. Smith then hit Crowder for 18 yards. Peterson got the last 2 yards as the Redskins had a shocking 28-10 lead at halftime.
A fairly quiet second half saw the Packers move 75 yards in 15 plays and 7 minutes in the third quarter. Rodgers hit Devontae Adams for a 2 yard touchdown, but the Packers got nothing else. Dustin Hopkins hit a 35 yard field goal in the fourth quarter to complete the scoring as Washington confounded critics with a convincing win one week after their hideous loss. 31-17 Redskins
Indianapolis Colts at Philadelphia Eagles — Super Bowl MVP Nick Foles returned to the bench as Carson Wentz returned to the field. The Eagles moved 79 yards in 12 plays and 5 minutes. Wentz hit Goedert for a 13 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Eagles. The Eagles got it back and moved from their 29 to a 1st and 10 at the Indy 34. A run lost 3 yards followed by nothing more. Doug Pederson Josh Elliott for a 55 yard field goal try. Elliott missed it.
The Colts took over at their own 45. A defensive pass interference penalty moved the ball 33 yards. On 3rd and 8 from the Philly 13, Andrew Luck hit Grant for just enough. Luck hit Grant again for the 5 yard touchdown and a 7-7 ballgame.
In the second quarter the Eagles moved 75 yards in 11 plays and 6 1/2 minutes. From their own 10, they moved until they they had a 1st and 10 at the Indy 7. Wentz fumbled the snap out of the shotgun for a 7 yard loss. A run lost a yard and the Eagles settled for a 33 yard Elliott field goal to lead 10-7 with 3 minutes left in the half.
The third quarter belonged to the kickers. Adam Vinatieri hit from 35 to tie the game. An interception of Wentz had the Colts taking over at the Philly 17. The defense held and Vinatieri hit from 31 to make it 13-10 Colts. The Eagles had another long drive from their own 19 to a 1st and goal at the 8. Yet on 3rd and goal at the 6, Wentz through incomplete. Elliott hit from 24 for a 13-13 game with 3 minutes left in the third quarter.
The Eagles then faced 3rd and 10 at their own 19. Wentz was sacked and fumbled. The Colts recovered at the Philly 13. Again, the Eagles defense bailed out the offense as the Colts were held to a 28 yard field goal to start the fourth quarter. The Colts led 16-13 and were smelling upset.
The Eagles then mounted the drive of the year. On 3rd and 5 from their own 30, Went hit Nelson Agholor for 6 yards. On 2nd and 26 from their own 20, Wentz threw incomplete but defensive holding kept the drive going. With 6 1/2 minutes left, the Eagles faced 4th and 5 at the Indy 42. Doug Pederson decided to go for it. Wentz threw incomplete but defensive holding again kept the Eagles alive. On 3rd and 9 from the Indy 36, Wentz hit Agholor for 10 yards. Smallwood ran for a 4 yard touchdown. The staggering 17 play, 75 yard drive took nearly 11 1/2 minutes off the clock and gave the Eagles a 4 point lead.
With 3 minutes left, the Colts moved from their 25 to a 3rd and 3 at the Philly 4 yard line. After an incompletion, with 1:19 to play, Luck was sacked for a 16 yard loss. After the incredible Eagles defensive stand, it was the Colts who took their timeouts on defense. The Colts got it back at their own 11 with 39 seconds left. With 5 seconds left, the Colts were at their own 46. Frank reich brought in backup quarterback Jacob Brissett for the Hail Mary, since he has a stronger arm than Luck. The throw was solid, but was well defended as it fell incomplete. For the second time in three weeks, the defending champions survived at home with a hideously ugly win. 20-16 Eagles
New Orleans Saints at Atlanta Falcons — Drew Brees and Matt Ryan lead the high flying NFC South offenses. On the first play from scrimmage after a touchback, Brees went deep to Thomas for a 35 yard gain. Alvin Kamara ran for 17 and caught a pass for 11 more. On 3rd and 2 from the Atlanta 4, Brees hit Ted Ginn Jr. for the touchdown to make it 7-0 Saints.
The Falcons soon faced 3rd and 1 at their own 28. Ryan hit Julio Jones for 5 yards. On 3rd and 7 from the Atlanta 36, Ryan hit Ridley for 10 yards. Ridley ran for 9 and Ryan hit Smith for 12. On 3rd and 10 from the Saints 33, Ryan hit Ridley for 15 and then again for the 18 yard touchdown to make it 7-7.
In the second quarter the Saints took over at their own 38. Brees went to Carr for a 25 yard gain. Offensive holding killed the drive but Wil Lutz nailed 49 yard field goal to make it 10-7 Saints.The Saints got it back at their own 27. Brees hit Thomas for 17 yards and Watson for 27 more. On 2nd and goal at the 4, offensive holding killed another drive. Lutz hit from 21 and the Saints led 13-7 with 3 minutes left in the half.
Atlanta came back quickly as Ryan went deep to Ridley for a 75 yard touchdown and a 14-13 Falcons lead. With 40 seconds left in the half, the Saints got it back at their own 42. Brees hit Alvin Kamara for 12 yards and Watson for 19 more. Lutz hit the 45 yarder to put the Saints up 16-14 at the half.
After a touchback to start the third quarter, on 2nd and 12, Coleman ran for 15. Ryan then hit Mohammed San for 11 more. From midfield, a defensive pass interference penalty meant a 45 yard gain.Ryan hit Ridley for a 9 yard touchdown to make it 21-16 Falcons.
Atlanta went to punt from their own 44. Bosher’s punt was blocked by Okafor and recovered by Robertson, who returned it 12 yards down to the Atlanta 16. Brees hit Meredith for an 11 yard touchdown to make it 23-21 Saints.
Atlanta after an offensive holding penalty faced 1st and 19 at their own 9. Ryan hit Jones for 11. On 3rd and 6 from their 22, Ryan found Ridley for 8. Ryan hit Sanu for 13 and Smith for 11. From the Saints 44, Ryan hit Smith for 18. The fourth quarter began with the Falcons facing 3rd and 4 at the Saints 9. Ryan threw incomplete but defensive pass interference meant 1st and goal at the 5. Ryan then hit Coleman for the touchdown and Hooper for the 2 point conversion to make it 29-23 Falcons.
After a touchback, Kamara gained 12 yards. On 3rd and 2 from their own 45, Hill raced for a 35 yard gain with another 15 tacked on for a horse collar tackle. On 3rd and goal at the one, Kamara got stopped. With 10 minutes left in regulation, Sean Payton decided to go for it. Brees hit Line for the touchdown and the Saints led 30-29 in a game that was far from over.
After a touchback and a defensive illegal use of hands, Ryan went deep to Jones for a 58 yard gain. On 2nd and 1 from the Saints 3, Coleman lost 2 yards. On 3rd and 3 Ryan was sacked for a 6 yard loss. Matt Bryant hit the 29 yard field goal, but unnecessary roughness on the defense caused Dan Quinn to take the points off the board. On 1st and goal at the 5, Ryan hit Sanu for the touchdown and again for the 2 point conversion to make it 37-30 Falcons midway through the fourth quarter.
The Saints took over at their own 19. From their 22, Brees hit Thomas for 14 and Watson for 9. Ginn ran for a 20 yard gain. On 3rd and 2 from the Atlanta 10, Hill got just enough. Brees used almost all of the clock and scrambled for the 7 yard tying touchdown. This instant classic was tied 37-37 as the Falcons took over at their own 26 with 1:10 to play. The defense held and the game went to overtime, where the Saints won the toss and took over at their own 20.
Brees hit Watson for 8 and Thomas for 23 yards. On 3rd and 8 from the Atlanta 33, Brees hit Kamara for just enough. A field goal would still give the Falcons one chance with the ball. A touchdown would end it. On 3rd and 5 from the Atlanta 9, Brees hit Thomas for 6 yards. From the 3, Brees hit Kanara for what appeared to be the winning touchdown. On further review it was ruled Kamara’s knee was down inches short of the goal. On the next play Brees took the quarterback sneak and got over the goal line. The 15 play, 7 minute, 80 yard drive ended this thriller.
Both quarterbacks were sensational and neither one was intercepted. Ryan was 26 of 35 for 374 yards and 5 touchdown passes. 5 touchdown passes in a loss. Brees was 39 of 49 for 396 yards and 3 touchdown passes, in addition to the winning score on the ground. Brees also now holds the NFL record for pass completions in a career, breaking the old mark set by Brett Favre. The rematch of this game cannot come soon enough. 43-37 Saints, OT
New York Giants at Houston Texans — Houston moved 69 yards in 11 plays and 5 minutes. On 3rd and 8 from their own 29, Deshaun Watson hit Brad Ellington for 10 yards. From the Giants 44, Watson connected with Thomas for a 39 yard gain. The defense held and Fairbairn hit a 23 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Texans.
The Giants faced 3rd and 5 at their own 30. Eli Manning went to O’Dell Beckham for 9 yards. Saquon Barkley then ran for 13 yards. Manning then found Shepard for an 18 yard gain. On 3rd and 4 from the Houston 23, Manning hit Shepard for 8 yards. Barkley then raced up the middle for a 15 yard touchdown to make it 7-3 Giants.
In the second quarter the Giants twice drove down the field but twice did not finish the drive. Rosas hit field goals of 30 and 44 yards to make it 13-3 Giants. The next time the Giants got it back at their 29, and they finished. Manning found Shepard for 17. On 3rd and 3 at the Houston 46, Manning hit Beckham for 30 yards. Manning then went to Ellison for the 16 yard touchdown to make it 20-3 Giants with 1:20 left in the half.
The Texans would get a 28 yard Fairbairn field goal as the half ended and a 54 yarder from Fairbair in the third quarter, but the Giants still led 20-9 after three quarters. With 11 minutes left in regulation, The Texans took over at their own 33. Watson went deep to Fuller for 37 yards. On 3rd and 6 from the Giants 16, Watson scrambled for 10. Watson hit Fuller for the 6 yard touchdown. The 2 point try failed but the Texans were within 20-15 midway through the fourth quarter.
From the Giants 23, Manning hit Shepard for 23 yards and Ellison for 17 more. On 3rd and 2 from the Houston 27, Manning hit Barkley for 21. On 3rd and goal at the 7, Manning hit Shepard for the touchdown. With 2:08 to play, the Giants led 27-15. At the 2 minute warning, the Texans faced 3rd and 20 at their own 15. Watson hit Griffin for 12 and on 4th and 8 found Fuller for 16. With 10 seconds left, the Texans faced 4th and goal at the 4. Watson hit Miller for the touchdown. The onside kick failed and Big Blue got a win. 27-22 Giants
Oakland Raiders at Miami Dolphins — Kate Hudson starred in “How to lose a guy in 10 days.” Last week the Raiders taught how to lose a game in 10 plays. The Dolphins are not nearly as good as their 2-0 record. The Raiders deserve to be 0-2. On the first play from scrimmage after a touchback, Derek Carr got belted for an incompletion. On the second play he found Jordy Nelson on a perfect timing route. Nelson split the seam and got to the sideline for a 61 yard gain. Carr fired over the middle to Nelson for a 12 yard touchdown and a 7-0 Raiders lead less than 90 seconds into the game. In all 3 games, the Raiders looked strong on their opening possession. Time would tell if they could finish that strong.
The Dolphins went 3 and out and the Raiders got it back at their own 4 yard line. A penalty moved them back to the 2. On 3rd and 1 from their 13, Carr found Amari Cooper for 9 yards. From the Oakland 26, Carr went to Nelson for a 66 yard gain. On 3rd and goal at the 9, Carr went to Cook but came up one yard short. The Raiders faced 4th and goal at the one.
Last week the Raiders properly went for it on 4th and 1. Yet Jon Gruden tried to be too cute by half in calling a pass play instead of handing the ball to Marshawn Lynch. In this situation, you hand the ball to Lynch every single time. Those who do not believe this, watch the Super Bowl that ended the 2014 NFL season. In this game Gruden made the right decision to go for it. He made the right decision to run the ball. He made the wrong decision to hand it to fullback Kyle Smith rather than Lynch. Smith got stopped. This was play 1 of how to lose a game.
The Raiders got the ball back at their own 41. Carr decided to imitate Brett Favre, the fearless man who can make every throw. Carr threw deep into triple coverage and was intercepted. This was play 2 in the Kate Hudson story. The Miami offense did nothing in the opening quarter. The Raiders dominated statistically, yet they only led 7-0.
A punt pinned the Raiders back at their own 2. After Muscle Hamster Doug Martin gained 9 yards on first down, Martin lost 2 and Carr was sacked. A terrible 33 yard shanked punt to start the second quarter had the Dolphins starting at the Oakland 35. This will not be called play 3 because bad punts are part of life. Losing games is about bad decisions. On 3rd and 9, Ryan Tannehill threw incomplete. Offensive holding would have made matters even worse on the play for Miami, but a very questionable roughing the passer call meant offsetting penalties. Given another chance, Tannehill went deep to Kenny Stills for a 34 yard touchdown. Just like that, it was 7-7.
Oakland’s offense kept moving the ball well after a touchback. On 3rd and 6 from the Oakland 41, Carr was sacked but a defensive penalty meant a first down. Additionally, defender Spence was ejected from the game. On 3rd and 1 from the Miami 29, Lynch got the carry and showed how to get one yard Beast Mode style. It was a prime example of exactly what to do over and over when a yard is needed.
Then came play 3 of how to lose a game. On 2nd and goal at the 2, rather than run the ball, Gruden chose a pass play. Carr threw incomplete. It may seem inconsequential, but when the other team cannot stop the run, you keep running. On 3rd and goal, a false start killed the drive. Mike Nugent hit the 25 yard field goal. The staggering 16 play, drive covered 73 yards and took 8 1/2 minutes off the clock. Yet the Raiders only led 10-7 with 3 1/2 minutes left in the half.
Miami quickly moved from their 24 to a 1st and 10 at the Oakland 26 at the 2 minute warning. On 3rd and 9, Tannehill found frank Gore for 12 but offensive pass interference instead meant 3rd and 19. Tannehill was sacked to push the Dolphins out of field goal range. The Dolphins were trying to give the game away but the question would be if the Raiders were too stupid to take it. For the third straight week the Raiders led at the half. They were dominating everywhere but the scoreboard.
In the third quarter the Raiders had another lengthy drive that took time off the clock. 15 plays and 67 yards took nearly 10 minutes. Starting on their own 33, they soon faced 3rd and 9 at midfield. Carr went to Martavius Bryant for 11 yards. On 3rd and 2 from the Miami 20, Carr went to Jalen Richard for 12 yards. On 3rd and goal at the one, with 3 minutes left in the third quarter, Gruden decided to hand the ball to Lynch. Lynch went airborne into the end zone.
The Raiders led 17-7 with 18 minutes to play in the game. They had held the ball for about 28 of the of the first 42 minutes to only 14 minutes for Miami. The Miami defense, despite wearing the white uniforms in the heat, had to be exhausted. If the Oakland offense kept running the ball, they would win. The defense had played well for the most part, but the Raiders never win games easy.
From the Miami 30, Miami made it look very easy. Tannehill hit Danny Amendola for 15 yards and Parker for 36 more. Tannehill then went to Grant for the 8 yard touchdown. The Dolphins only trailed 17-14 after three quarters. Could the Raiders finally close out a game.
After a touchback, rather than run the ball, Gruden continued to stubbornly call pass plays. Carr hit Nelson for 6 yards to set up 2nd and 4. Yet play 4 in how to lose, rather than a run, was Carr throwing incomplete twice. The Raiders went 3 and out.
The defense held and the Raiders took over at their own 17 with 12 1/2 minutes in regulation. The offense moved well all game and was still doing so. On 3rd and 15 from the Oakland 23, Carr hit Bryant for 19 yards. With a little over 8 minutes left, the Raiders faced 3rd and 7 from their own 45. Carr lobbed a perfect fade to a wide open Amari Cooper. It went right through his hands. Rather than be in field goal range, play 5 on how to lose saw the Raiders punting.
Miami took over at their own 30. Tannehill scrambled for 18 yards. On the next play Adam Tase went to his bag of tricks. Tannehill pitched it, and then it was pitched to Wilson, who lobbed a perfect option pass to a wide open Grant, who shook off one pathetic attempt at a tackle for a 52 yard touchdown. Now midway through the fourth quarter the Dolphins led 21-17. This is not something to blame anyone over. It was a well executed trick play. After failing to close out the game, now the Oakland offense had to try and win the game.
Oakland took over at their own 10. On 3rd and 3 from their 17, Carr threw incomplete but defensive pass interference meant a 13 yard gain. Carr then hit Nelson for 16 yards and Lynch for 14 more. Martin then ran for 15 and 6 more. After a defensive illegal substitution, the Raiders had 1st and 10 at the Miami 13. They had the game in the palm of their hands. Miami was powerless to stop the run. All the Raiders had to do was run the ball. That means run the ball. That means RUN THE F*CKING BALL.
Gruden comes from the West Coast Offense, which is obsessed with the bullsh*t concept of a “balanced” offense. For the love of all things holy, when something is working, you keep doing it. If they can’t stop the pass, you throw all the time. Well in this game the Dolphins could not stop the run. The Raiders should have employed the run and run offense. They had Lynch. Just run baby.
Instead Gruden called the worst play call since Sam Rutigliano called Red Right 88 with Cleveland against the Raiders in 1980. That’s why the Raiders have Super Bowl wins and the Browns don’t. Well Gruden called for a fade pass to the corner of the end zone. Carr threw a jump ball, and it was intercepted by Howard in the end zone for a touchback. This was play 6 on how to lose a game. Carr was picked off twice in this game, but the pass in this case never should have been called. That is on Gruden.
Now the defense needed a stop. Miami had only 18 rushing yards through three quarters. On 2nd and 4 from their own 26, a swing pass from Tannehill to Wilson saw him outrace everyone for a 74 yard touchdown. At the 2 minute warning the Dolphins led 28-17.
Needing 2 scores, the Raiders let way too much time come off the clock as they moved from their 25 to the Miami 34. With 25 seconds left and needing 2 scores, Gruden made the right decision by bringing in Nugent for a 52 yard field goal try. Even if he misses it, you have to make that call. Nugent was good and the Raiders were within 8. His onside kick was far less successful and that was that.
Jon Gruden won a Super Bowl. He has always loved to “pound that rock.” The last 2 weeks he for whatever reason has decided not to pound the rock when it mattered most. Those decisions are why the Raiders are 0-3 rather than 2-1. He has not forgotten how to coach, but any coach in the league on 3rd and 1 or 1st and deep in the red zone should be pilloried for calling pass plays when they have Lynch. If the battering ram does not make the yard, fine. It’s still the only right call. Next week the Raiders face the Browns. Last year Cleveland was 0-16. This year they are 1-1-1 with a tough defense. The Dolphins are 3-0. Whether they deserve to be is debatable. The 0-3 team is the Raiders, and they deserve to be. 28-20 Dolphins
San Francisco 49ers at Kansas City Chiefs — These teams used to be linked together when the Chiefs would take in 49ers quarterbacks to dink and dunk the West Coast Offense. For the first time in forever, neither of these teams has a dink and dunker. The 49ers have glamour boy Jimmy Garoppollo, who started 5-0 at the end of last season but has been knocked around in splitting two games this year. Patrick Mahomes may have a Sideshow Bob hairstyle, but he set an NFL record with 10 touchdowns in the first 2 games to start a season.
The game was never close. In the first quarter the Chiefs easily moved down the field. 57 and 84 yard drives were both capped by Kareem Hunt running it in from one yard out to make it 14-0 Chiefs.
After a 49ers field goal, the Chiefs blew the game open. Mahomes lit up the stadium with touchdown passes of 4 yards to Conley, 13 yards to Harris, and 12 yards to Sammy Watkins. The drives of 75, 72 and 68 yards had the Chiefs up 35-3.
The 49ers tried to make a game of it to no available. Gould hit a 39 yarder before the half. In the third quarter Garoppollo threw a touchdown pass of 11 yards to Goodwin and Alfred Morris ran for a 3 yard score. The 49ers only trailed 35-20 after three quarters, but that was it.
Harrison Butker hit a 37 yard fourth quarter field goal for the Chiefs to put the game out of reach. Garoppollo was knocked out of the game and taken off the field on a cart. He hurt his knee, and we will learn how bad soon. Gould hit a 35 yard field goal but all of San Francisco now awaits word on Garoppollo, who finished 20 of 30 for 251 yards and 2 touchdowns. Mahones continued his torrid pace, going 24 of 38 for 314 yards and 3 touchdowns. Neither signal caller was intercepted as the Chiefs remained unbeaten. 38-27 Chiefs
Tennessee Titans at Jacksonville Jaguars — Last week Jacksonville throttled New England. All they had to do was beat a subpar Tennessee team. “THAT’s why the PLAY the games.” The Jaguars had to avoid a letdown. In this hideous game, 0 touchdowns were scored. Ryan Succop hit a 39 yard first quarter field goal for the Titans. Josh Lambo answered from 46 in the second quarter to tie the game. In the third quarter Succop hit from 36. In the fourth quarter Lambo hit from 38 to tie it again and Succop hit form 28 to give Tennessee the lead again with 4 minutes left in regulation. Jacksonville went 3 and out, got it back at their own 13 with 19 seconds left, and fumbled the ball away at their own 32 to complete the shocking loss. 9-6 Titans
L.A. Chargers at L.A. Rams — The battle of Los Angeles featured a legitimate Super Bowl contender against an underachieving, overrated unit that most people wish would just move back to San Diego. The contenders played the pretenders, and there were no surprises.
The Rams moved 80 yards in 11 plays and 6 minutes. Todd Gurley got in from the one to make it 7-0 Rams. The Chargers quickly came back 60 yards. Philip Rivers went to Williams for a 42 yard touchdown and a 7-6 game after the failed extra point. The Rams came back 75 yards. Jared Goff hit Woods for a 3 yard touchdown to make it 14-6 Rams. In the second quarter, the Rams blocked a punt and recovered it in the end zone to take a 21-6 lead.
The Chargers came back 75 yards in 10 plays. Melvin Gordon ran for an 11 yard touchdown as the Chargers only trailed 21-13 at halftime. The Rams took over in the third quarter at their own 45 and wasted no time. Goff went to Cooper Kupp for a 53 yard touchdown to make it 28-13 Rams. The Chargers kept coming back, moving 75 yards without much trouble. Rivers went to Williams for a 20 yard touchdown as the Chargers were within 28-20.
Yet the Rams offense kept rolling. Another 77 yards in 11 plays and 5 minutes saw Goff hit Woods for a 6 yard touchdown. After three quarters, the Rams had a comfortable 35-20 lead. The Chargers embarked on a 13 play, 58 yard drive that led to 2nd and goal at the 8. This time Rivers fired incomplete twice. With 12 minutes left in regulation, Anthony Lynn opted for the field goal. Caleb Sturgis hit from 26 but the Chargers still trailed by 12.
With 4 1/2 minutes left the Rams took over at their own 12. They did what great teams and legitimate Super Bowl contenders do. They closed out a game. Gurley ran for 7 and 4. Then after losing 2, Gurley ran for 14 as the Chargers took their final timeout with 3:19 to play. Gurley carried for 6 more and Brown added 3 to set up 3rd and 1 at the Rams 44 at the 2 minute warning.
Brown got the carry and gained 5 yards. Goff took a pair of knees to end the game. The Rams are 3-0 and clicking on all cylinders. The Chargers were without Joey Bosa due to an injured foot, but the Rams are steamrolling everything in their path anyway. Sean McVay did not get cute on the final drive or obsess over a balanced offense. He ran the ball on every play. 35-23 Rams
Chicago Bears at Arizona Cardinals — The Bears are improved. The Cardinals are awful. You just never know. While other rookie quarterbacks are starting, Rookie coach Steve Wilk has rookie quarterback Josh Rosen holding a clipboard. This is fine. The Cardinals easily moved 75 yards. On 3rd and 4 from their own 31, Sam Bradford went to Kirk for 30 yards. Bradford then went to Seals-Jones for a 35 yard touchdown.
After a touchback, the Bears moved from to a 2nd and 6 at the Chicago 13. After a run gained nothing, Trubisky was sacked for a 15 yard loss. Cody Parkey then missed the 46 yard field goal. Chicago got it back at their own 10. On 3rd and 7 from their own 27, Trubisky was sacked and fumbled. The Cardinals took over at the Chicago 21. One play later Bradford went to Johnson for the touchdown as the Cardinals led 14-0 after the first quarter.
Midway through the second quarter the Bears moved from their 27 to a 2nd and goal at the 2. An illegal shift followed by a completion got the yardage back. On 3rd and goal at the 2, Trubisky threw incomplete. Matt Nagy opted for the field goal. Parkey hit the 20 yarder at the 2 minute warning as the Bears trailed 14-3. In the third quarter the Bears finally reached the end zone. A 67 yard drive was capped off by Howard getting in from the one to get the Bears within 14-10. Parkey tacked on a 41 yard field goal as the Bears only trailed 14-13 after three quarters.
After a touchback to start the fourth quarter, the Cardinals moved to a 2nd and 8 at the Chicago 21. Well in field goal range, Bradford got hit and fumbled. Who made the hit? Who else? Khalil Mack. Danny Trevathan recovered at the Chicago 16 with 11 1/2 minutes left in regulation.
The Bears moved 59 yards in 13 plays and took nearly 7 minutes off the clock. Trubisky hit Burton for 12. Howard then gained 8 and 7. An unnecessary roughness penalty added 15 more. On 3rd and 1 from the Arizona 35, Howard got the yard. On 3rd and 7 from the Arizona 31, Trubisky hit Cohen but came up one yard short. With 4 1/2 minutes to play, Matt Nagy opted for the field goal rather than go for it. Parkey made the field goal and the Bears led 16-14 with 3 minutes left.
In a stunning turn of events after a touchback, Josh Rosen made his NFL debut in the most high pressure of situations. Welcome to the NFL, kid. Rosen hit Gresham for 9. He then hit Kirk for 50 to set up 1st and 10 at midfield with 2:19 to play. A very calm Rosen hit Williams for 8 to set up 3rd and 2 at the Chicago 42 at the 2 minute warning. One more first down would give the Cardinals a chance at a long field goal.
Steve Wilk went with a running play and it was blown up in the backfield for a 3 yard loss. On 4th and 5, Rosen went to the sideline and was intercepted by Callahan. Dennis Green is gone, but the Bears and Cardinals are still both who we thought they were. Don’t crown the Bears @sses just yet. As for Rosen, he will have better days after facing a brutal introduction. At least he is partially Jewish. Happy Sukkos, kid. 16-14 Bears
Dallas Cowboys at Seattle Seahawks — Both teams are struggling, and a scoreless first quarter continued that futility. In the second quarter, the Seahawks finally got going, driving 64 yards in 10 plays. Russell Wilson hit Brown for a 16 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Seahawks. Dallas thought they tied the game. On 3rd and 2 from the Seattle 31, Dak Prescott went to Ezekiel Elliott for the touchdown. Yet Elliott stepped out of bounds before catching the pass, making it an illegal touch and incomplete. Maher buried the 50 yard field goal to get the Cowboys within 7-3.
The Seahawks came back 75 yards. Wilson went to Tyler Lockett for a 52 yard touchdown to make it 14-3 Seahawks. Sebastian Janikowski nailed a 47 yard field goal as the Seahawks took a 17-3 lead to the locker rooms. In the third quarter Maher hit from 35 to get the Cowboys within 17-6. In the fourth quarter the Seahawks salted the game away. They moved 72 yards in 10 plays and 6 minutes to ice things. Carson ran it in from 5 yards out to make it 24-6 Seahawks.
Dallas tried to make a game of it. They moved from their 30 to a 1st and 10 at the Seattle 45. Elliott rumbled for a 26 yard gain but then had the ball chopped out of his hands. The Seahawks recovered at their own 13. Dallas got it back at their own 43. Elliott ran for 19 and prescott hit Gallup for 17 more. Prescott hit Tavon Austin for a 3 yard touchdown but the Cowboys still trailed by 11 midway through the fourth quarter. The Cowboys got it back at their own 20 with 5 1/2 minutes left and moved to a 1st and 10 at the Seattle 19 with 3:17 to play. Prescott was then intercepted by Earl Thomas. The Legion of Boom no longer exists, but Pete Carroll still knows how to draft and coach talent on defense. 24-13 Seahawks
New England Patriots at Detroit Lions was the Sunday night game. Matt Patricia went up against his former boss Bill Belichick. The Lions defense has been atrocious, giving up 78 points in 2 games including a 31 point loss at home. The Patriots were coming off a humbling revenge loss at Jacksonville. An angry New England team meant they would blow Detroit to Smithereens. THAT’s why they PLAY the games.
In the first quarter the Lions moved 65 yards in 12 plays and 7 1/2 minutes. Matt Prater hit a 38 yard field goal as the Lions led 3-0 after the first quarter. In the second quarter the Lions moved 60 yards in 5 1/2 minutes. Matthew Stafford hit Kenny Golladay for a 4 yard touchdown to make it 10-0 Lions. The Lions got it back and moved 71 yards in 14 plays and 7 1/2 minutes. Prater hit from 25 as the Lions held a 13-0 lead in front of an elated home crowd.
Surely the Patriots would come back. A 57 yard, 11 play drive allowed Stephen Gostkowski to hit a 36 yard field goal before the half. In the third quarter the Patriots moved 52 yards. Brady hit Jaleel White for a 10 yard touchdown as the Patriots were within 13-10. At any moment everyone knew New England would steamroll over Detroit.
It never happened. The Lions responded by going 75 yards in 10 plays and 6 1/2 minutes. Stafford hit Marvin Jones for a 33 yard touchdown as the Lions led 20-10 after three quarters. In the fourth quarter it was the Lions putting the game away as Prater hit field goals of 32 and 30. The latter kick was set up by New England being forced to go for it on fourth down from inside their own 20. Brady threw deep incomplete. Brady finished 14 of 26 for 133 yards with one touchdown and one interception. It was Stafford finishing 27 of 36 for 262 yards with 2 touchdowns and one interception. Every time it seems the Patriots are dead, they come back and make a deep playoff run. They are 1-2 this year, but they have had too many September losses in recent years to ignore that they play well in December. We shall see. For Matt Patricia, his first win as an NFL head coach was as enormous as it gets. 26-10 Lions
Pittsburgh Steelers at Tampa Bay Buccaneers was the Monday night game. The first 2 weeks of the season, the Bucs were the feel good story with Ryan Fitzpatrick and his magic beard. The Steelers were the surprise struggling team. Early on those trends continued as Ben Roethlisberger was intercepted and the Buccaneers took over at their own 47. Fitzpatrick hit Mike Evans for 14 yards, Howard and for 13 more. Pierre Barber ran for 18 and Fitzpatrick hit Chris Brate fir a 4 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Buccaneers. After that the trends totally reversed.
The Steelers came right back. On 3rd and 10 from their own 25, a short pass from Roethlisberger to Vince McDonald went for a 75 yard touchdown. The extra point doinked off the upright no good as the Steelers trailed 7-6 after the first quarter. In the second quarter the Steelers exploded and the Bucs melted.
First Chris Boswell hit a 38 yard field goal to make it 9-7 Steelers. Then a Tampa Bay fumble had the Steelers taking over at the Pittsburgh 33. Roethlisberger hit Antonio Brown for a 27 yard touchdown to make it 16-7 Steelers. The Buccaneers moved from their 30 to the Pittsburgh 12, but Fitzpatrick was then intercepted at the Pittsburgh 6 yard line. On the next series Fitzpatrick was intercepted again. The Buccaneers to it back at their own 2 yard line and Fitzpatrick was intercepted for the third straight series. This time it proved lethal as Dupree returned it for a 10 yard touchdown to make it 23-7 Buccaneers.
Tampa got it back and moved from their own 22 to a 2nd and goal at the 3 with 90 seconds left in the half. Fitzpatrick threw incomplete twice. Dirk Koetter opted for the field goal and Chandler Catanzaro hit from 21 to get the Buccaneers within 23-10. The Steelers only had 1:15 left to work with after a touchback but that was enough time. Roethlisberger hit Brown for 6, Connor for 18, Brown again for 9, Juju Smith-Schuster for 12, Washington for 13 and 12 and Ryan Swather for the one yard touchdown with 6 seconds left in the half. 24 points in the second quarter had the Steelers up 30-10 at halftime.
After halftime, the Steelers coasted and the Buccaneers tried to mount a spirited comeback. In the third quarter, the Bucs held the ball for 14 plays and 8 minutes, moving 65 yards. On 3rd and goal at the 10, Fitzpatrick threw incomplete. Catanzaro hit from 28 but the Buccaneers still trailed 30-13 after three quarters. The Steelers missed a chance to extend the lead when Boswell missed from 47 yards out.
In the fourth quarter the Buccaneers took over at their own 37 and held the ball for 12 plays and 5 minutes. On 4th and 6 from the Pittsburgh 42, Koetter decided to go for it. Fitzpatrick hit Brate for 9 yards. On 3rd and goal at the 4, Fitzpatrick hit Chris Godwin for the touchdown as the buccaneers were within 30-20 with 11 minutes left in regulation. The Buccaneers thought they were right back in it when DeSean Jackson returned a punt 83 yards for a touchdown with 9 minutes left. However, offensive holding nullified the score and the Bucs took over at their own 8 yard line.
Fitzpatrick hit Howard for 21 yards and Jackson for 12. Then Fitzpatrick scrambled for 17 yards. From the Pittsburgh 40, Fitzpatrick hit Howard for 16 and Evans for the 24 yard touchdown. With just under 6 minutes left, the Buccaneers were within a field goal and had all the momentum with 17 unanswered points.
Tampa Bay got it back at their own 20 with 3 minutes. Fitzpatrick threw 3 straight incompletions but only took 25 seconds off the clock. Dirk Koetter decided to punt and trust his defense. From the Pittsburgh 32, Mike Tomlin decided to trust his veteran quarterback rather than run the ball up the middle and punt. Big Ben hit Smith-Schuster for 18 yards to midfield as the Bucs took their last timeout. On the next play, Conner ran for a 17 yard gain as the clock hit the 2 minute warning. Big Ben took 3 knees and that was it.
Both quarterbacks completed 30 passes and had 3 touchdowns. However, Roethlisberger only threw 38 passes, while Fitzpatrick threw 50. Roethlisberger had 353 yards, but only one interception. Fitzpatrick had 411 yards, but 3 killer interceptions in the second quarter. Jameis Winston’s suspension is now over, and Koetter has to decide to give him another chance or stick with Fitzpatrick. 30-27 Steelers
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