THE TYGRRRR EXPRESS

NFL 2018 Week 8 Recap

Miami Dolphins at Houston Texans was the Thursday night game. Brock Osweiler again got the start for the injured Ryan Tannehill. The Dolphins started 3-0 and faded. The Texans started 0-3 and have not lost since. The Dolphins moved from their own 30 to a 4th and 1 at the Houston 28. Adam Gase decided to go for it. Rather than run the ball, the Dolphins went with a pass and Osweiler threw incomplete. Miami got it back and moved from their 42 to a 4th and 1 at the Houston 24. This time Adam tase decided on a 42 yard field goal. The kick was good, but unnecessary roughness on the defense caused Gase to take the points off the board. On the next play Kenyan Drake ran for a 12 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Dolphins. After a touchback the Texans answered. On 3rd and 1 from the Houston 44, DeShain Watson ent to Fuller for 34 yards. On 3rd and goal at the 2, Lamar Miller got in for a 7-7 ballgame after the first quarter.

On the first play of the second quarter, Osweiler was intercepted by Reid, who returned it 21 yards to the Miami 16. Watson went to Jordan Thomas for a 13 yard touchdown to make it 14-7 Texans. The Dolphins moved from their 20 to a 3rd and 5 at the Houston 19 with 3 minutes left in the half. Osweiler threw incomplete. Jason Sanders hit a 37 yard field goal to get the Dolphins within 14-10.

In the third quarter after a touchback, Miller ran for 8 yards and then broke free for a 58 yard gain. On 4th and goal at the 2, Bill O’Brien decided to go for it. Watson hit Thomas for the touchdown to make it 21-10 Texans. An exchange of punts had the Dolphins taking over just shy of midfield. Adam Gase went to the bag of tricks. It was Danny Amendola throwing the option pass to Drake for a 28 yard touchdown to get the Dolphins within 21-17. After a touchback the Texans struck quickly. Watson went deep to Will Fuller for a 73 yard touchdown and a 28-17 Texans lead.

The problem for the Dolphins is that they were kicking field goals while the Texans were scoring touchdowns. On 3rd and 11 from the Miami 24, Osweiler threw a pass that resembled the Immaculate Reception but was far less consequential. One receiver briefly caught it, got blasted, saw it doing off another defender’s helmet forward, and land into the arms of Parker for a 46 yard gain. Yet on 3rd and 3 from the Houston 23, Osweiler threw incomplete. Sanders hit the 41 yard field goal as the Dolphins trailed 28-20 after three quarters.

Adam Gase tried a surprise onside kick, but it failed as the Texans took over just past midfield. On the first play of the fourth quarter, Watson went deep to DeAndre Hopkins for a 49 yard touchdown to make it 35-20 Texans. The Dolphins moved from their 26 to a 3rd and 4 at the Houston 28. Osweiler threw incomplete. Needing 2 touchdowns, Adam Gase opted for a field goal with 11 1/2 minutes remaining. Sanders hit the 46 yarder to get the Dolphins within 35-23, but their defense could not get a stop. After a touchback, Watson went to Hopkins for 19 yards. Defensive pass interference added 38 yards. On 3rd and goal at the 2, Watson hit Hopkins for the touchdown to ice the game. Houston has won 5 straight games to get to 5-3. Watson only threw 20 passes, completing 16 of them for 239 yards. More importantly, he had 5 touchdown passes with 0 interceptions. 42-23 Texans

Philadelphia Eagles at Jacksonville Jaguars was the Sunday early morning game from London. Forget 2017. These teams came in both 3-4 and desperate. The eagles moved from their 25 to the Jacksonville 37. Carson Wentz was sacked and fumbled. The Jaguars moved from their 28 to a 3rd and 1 at the Philly 32. Carlos Hyde got the carry and lost a yard. Josh Lambo hit the 50 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Jaguars. The Eagles moved from their 14 to the Jacksonville 23. Wentz went to the end zone and was intercepted for a touchback. The Eagles got it back and moved from their 23 to a 1st and goal at the 6. A run went nowhere and then Wentz was sacked. Jake Elliott did hit a 31 yard field goal for a 3-3 game midway through the second quarterback.

The Jaguars reclaimed the lead with 2 1/2 minutes left in the half when Lambo nailed a 57 yard field goal. Philly went 3 and out and the Jaguars got it back at their own 42 with 1:40 left in the half. Blake Bortles hit Cole for 15 yards, but Cole fumbled and Malcolm Jenkins recovered for the defense. The Eagles took over at the Jacksonville 44. For 29 minutes Jacksonville’s defense was solid. The last minute they were not. On 3rd and 11 from the Jags 45, Wentz scrambled for 13 yards. On the next play Wentz went to Dallas Goedert for a 32 yard touchdown and a 10-6 Eagles lead at the break.

In the third quarter a great punt had the Eagles at their own 5, soon facing 3rd and 9 at their own 6. Wentz found Alshon Jeffery for 12 yards. Adams then ran for 21 yards. On 3rd and 2 just past midfield, Wentz hit Matthews for 13 yards. Wentz then found Wendell Smallwood for a 36 yard touchdown as the 5 minute, 95 yard drive had the Eagles up 17-6. After a touchback, Bortles hit Moncrief for 19 and Grinnage for 8. On 3rd and 2 from the Philly 48, Bortles found Grinnage for a 24 yard gain. On 3rd and 7 from the Philly 11, Bortles hit Dede Westbrook for the score. The 2 point try failed as the Jaguars were within 17-12 after three quarters.

The Jaguars got it back at their own 48 and moved to a 1st and 10 at the Philly 15 as the fourth quarter began. Bortles then threw 3 straight incompletions. Lambo hit from 33, but the Jaguars still trailed 17-15. After a touchback, Wentz went deep to Matthews for a 36 yard gain. Adams ran for 17 yards and Wentz hit Zach Ertz for a 5 yard touchdown. With 10 minutes left the Eagles led 24-15. After a touchback, the Jaguars moved to a 2nd and goal at the 6. Bortles threw incomplete twice. Needing 2 scores, Doug Marrone opted for the field goal. Lambo hit from 24, but too many field goals instead of touchdowns had the Jaguars down by 6 midway through the fourth quarter. Jacksonville got it back at their own 27 with 5 minutes left. On 2nd and 2 from the Jags 48, Bortles threw 3 straight incompletions as Doug Peterson won the battle of nondescript white guys named Doug. The Eagles are 4-4 while the Jaguars have fallen to 3-5 with the loss. 24-18 Eagles

Baltimore Ravens at Carolina Panthers — A pair of good teams met, but only one of them showed up. The Ravens made it easy at first, going 75 yards in 11 plays and 7 minutes. Alex Collins ran for a 14 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Ravens. After that it was all Carolina. From their own 46, Cam Newton hit Moore for gains of 7 and 18 and Devon Funchess for 18 more. Christian McCaffrey ran for an 11 yard touchdown to make it 7-7. On the first play of the second quarter from the Baltimore 31, Collins got blasted and the Panthers recovered at the Baltimore 12 yard line. On 3rd and 9 Newton hit Greg Olsen for the 11 yard touchdown to make it 14-7 Panthers.

The Panthers got it back after a great punt on their own one yard line. Newton hooked up with Moore for a 33 yard gain. On 3rd and 7 from the Carolina 38, Newton hit McCaffrey for 8 yards. Then things got bizarre. On 3rd and 1 from the Baltimore 45, Newton lost 9 yards and fumbled. Yet Moore picked it up and raced 37 yards to the Baltimore 17, just like Newton drew it up in the sandlot. Newton threw a 6 yard touchdown pass to McCaffrey to make it 21-7 Panthers with 4 minutes left in the half. A 99 yard drive against one of the best defenses in the NFL proved to be a back breaker. What happened before the half was even more stunning.

After a touchback, John Harbaugh decided to go for it on 4th and 1 from his own 34. Flacco got the yard. On 3rd and 7 from midfield, a 9 yard completion was wiped out by offensive pass interference. On 3rd and 17, Flacco was intercepted. The Panthers moved from their 29, but with 11 seconds left on 3RD and 2 at the Baltimore 44, Newton threw incomplete. 5 seconds remained. Graham Gano won a game a few weeks ago with a 63 yard field goal, and this kick would have been from 62. Riverboat Ron Rivera decided to become conservative Ron Rivera as he opted to punt. Yet Ron Rivera was Riverboat Ron after all. A fake punt saw Heinicke hit Greg Olsen for a 13 yard gain. Olsen quickly got out of bounds with 2 seconds left. Now it was field goal time. Gano nailed the 54 yarder as the Panthers took a 24-7 lead to the locker room. The second half was a formality.

In the third quarter an interception of Flacco set up the Panthers just past midfield. Gano hit a 44 yarder to make it 27-7 Panthers. Flacco did throw a 9 yard touchdown pass to Javorious Allen to get the Ravens within 27-14, but they would get no closer. The Panthers moved 85 yards and Newton ran for a 12 yard touchdown to make it 33-14 Panthers with 10 minutes left in regulation. The 2 point try failed but it didn’t matter. Gano tacked on a 30 yarder with 3 minutes left to make it 36-14 Ravens. Baltimore got a garbage touchdown but fell to 4-4. Carolina is 5-2 in the very competitive NFC South. 36-21 Panthers

New York Jets at Chicago Bears — Sometimes a pair of uninspiring teams can play a thrilling game for the ages. This was not that game. Cody Parkey missed a 40 yard field goal for the Bears. Chicago got it back at their own 12 and Mitchell Trubisky went deep to Tariq Cohen for a 70 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 bears after the first quarter. In the second quarter the Jets held the ball for 14 plays and 8 1/2 minutes. The Jets managed 51 yards but settled for a 42 yard Josh Myers field goal to trail 7-3 at halftime. In the third quarter the Bears faced 3rd and 10 at their own 45. Cohen ran for 21 yards. 1st and goal at the 9 followed by a pair of incompletions was followed by the Jets jumping into the neutral zone. On 3rd and goal at the 4, Trubisky hit Anthony Miller for the touchdown as the Bears led 14-3 after three quarters.

Chicago got it back at midfield. On 4th and 1 from the Jets 23, Matt Nagy decided to go for it. Trubisky got the yard. Yet on 3rd and 1 from the Jets 13, Howard lost a yard. Parkey hit the 32 yard field goal on the first play of the fourth quarter to make it 17-3 Jets. After a touchback, the Jets soon faced 3rd and 13 at their own 35. Sam Darnold threw incomplete, but unnecessary roughness on the defense kept the drive going. Darnold went to Burnett for 29 yards and hit Chris Herndon for a 16 yard touchdown. The Jets were within 17-10 with 11 minutes left in regulation. There would be no comeback. From the Chicago 21, Trubisky hit Miller for 23 yards and then ran for 12 yards himself. From the Jets 40, Trubisky hit Miller for 10 and Howard did the rest. He ran for 24, 4, and then the final 2 to salt the game away. 24-10 Bears

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Cincinnati Bengals — This was a wild one. The Bengals moved from their 25 to a 4th and 1 at the Tampa 20. Marvin Lewis decided to go for it and Joe Mixon got stopped cold. The Buccaneers moved 61 yards in 10 plays and 5 1/2 minutes. Yet from the Cincy 18, James Winston went to the end zone and was intercepted. This would be a common theme throughout the day. With 4 1/2 minutes left in the first quarter, the Bengals took over at their own 37. Red Rifle Andy Dalton went to Franks for a 32 yard gain and Boyd for a 28 yard gain down to the one. This time Mixon got the yard to make it 7-0 Bengals. In the second quarter the Bengals blew the game wide open.

The Buccaneers moved from their 25 to the Cincy 27. On the last play of the first quarter, Winston was intercepted again by Brown, who returned it 18 yards to the Cincy 42. An interception of Dalton was wiped away when the defense jumped offside. On 4th and 3 from the Tampa 36, Marvin Lewis decided to go for it. Dalton hit AJ Green for 10 yards. On 3rd and 6 from the Tampa 9, Dalton hit Tyler Boyd for the score to make it 14-0 Bengals. The Bengals got it back at their own 32. Dalton went to Boyd for 19 yards. Mixon ran for 15 more. Dalton hit Boyd for 26 yards and Mixon ran for the 8 yard touchdown. The Bengals were cruising 21-0.

After a touchback, Winston was sacked. Yet unnecessary roughness on the defense advanced the ball to the Tampa 40. On the next play Winston went to DeSean Jackson for a 60 yard touchdown as the Buccaneers were on the board down 21-6 after the failed extra point. The Bengals soon faced 3rd and 10 at their own 25. Dalton threw incomplete but the defense jumped offside. On 3rd and 5 Dalton hit Erickson for just enough. From the Cincy 40, Nixon ran for a 43 yard gain. Dalton then went to Green for a 17 yard touchdown and a 27-6 Bengals lead after the missed extra point. Only 2 1/2 minutes remained in the half. After a touchback the Buccaneers moved to a 1st and goal at the 7. Winston threw 3 straight incompletions. Chandler Catanzaro hit the 25 yard field goal to end the half with the Buccaneers trailing 27-9.

In the third quarter the Bucs quickly faced 3rd and 6 at their own 29. Winston hit Brate for 13 yards. On 2nd and 20 from the Tampa 32, defensive pass interference meant 16 yards and a first down. On 3rd and 13 from the Tampa 45, Winston hit Humphries for 15 yards and Howard for 20 more. Winston went back to Humphries for 16 yards down to the one. Peyton Barber got the last yard as the Buccaneers trailed 27-16. On the next series Winston was intercepted for the third time. The defense held and the Buccaneers soon faced 3rd and 10 at their own 10. Winston was intercepted for the fourth time, and this one was a killer. Jessie Bates returned 21 yards for a touchdown. The Bengals were cruising 34-16 after three quarters. However, the Buccaneers found hope in a disheveled homeless guy sitting on the bench. Winston was benched and Ryan Fitzpatrick and his magic beard entered the game. It was Fitzmagic time.

After a touchback, Fitzpatrick fumbled the ball but somehow recovered it and hit Mike Evans for 12 yards. Pierre Barber then ran for 16 yards. Fitzpatrick then hit Godwin for 20 yards.The fourth quarter began with the Bucs facing 3rd and 21 at the Cincy 38. Fitzpatrick scrambled for 18 yards. Needing a ton of points, Dirk Koetter opted for the field goal. Catanzaro hit the 38 yard field goal and the Buccaneers trailed 34-19 with 13 minutes left in regulation. The Bengals went 3 and out and the Buccaneers soon faced 3rd and 14 at their own 28. Fitzpatrick went deep to Evans for a 72 yard touchdown. Just like that, with 10 minutes left, the Buccaneers were within 34-26.

With 3:16 to play the Buccaneers took o ver at their own 12. On 3rd and 1 from their 21, Fitzpatrick went to Evans for 27 yards and Humphries for 17 more. With 1:05 left, it all came down to 4th and 3 from the Cincy 18. Fitzpatrick went to Howard for the touchdown. With one minute left it was time for the critical 2 point conversion. Fitzpatrick hit Godwin. 18 unanswered points had the game tied 34-34.

With 36 seconds left and the Bengals facing 3rd and 1 at their own 33, Walton gained 3 yards as the Bengals took their second timeout. Dalton then went to Green for 23 yards. As the clock ticked down, a killer delay of game penalty on the defense moved the ball to the Tampa 25. Rather than a 49 yard try, it was a 44 yarder that Randy Bullock was attempting with 5 seconds left. Bullock was good as the Bengals got to 5-3 in what may have been Jameis Winston’s final game starting for the Buccaneers. With the trade deadline on Tuesday, it was questionable whether anyone would take him. Fitzpatrick was 11 of 15 for 194 yards, 2 touchdowns and 0 interceptions in less than one half of football. 37-34 Bengals

Seattle Seahawks at Detroit Lions — The Lions began their first drive at their own 9 yard line. Runs and short passes followed by a pair of incompletions set up 3rd and 10 at the Seattle 39. Matthew Stafford went to Marvin Jones Jr for the touchdown to make it 7-0 Lions. In the second quarter Seattle exploded. On 3rd and 3 from their own 32, Wilson hit Vannett for 16 and ran for 11 more himself. The second quarter began with Wilson hitting Tyler Lockett for a 24 yard touchdown to make it 7-7. The Lions fumbled the ensuing kickoff and the Seahawks took over at the Detroit 34. Wilson hit David Moore for a 15 yard touchdown to make it 14-7 Seahawks. Seattle got it back and moved 80 yards in 12 plays and 7 1/2 minutes. On 3rd and 7 from the Seattle 23, Wilson went deep to Moore for 27 yards. On 3rd and 4 from the Detroit 12, Wilson hit Ed Dickson for the score to make it 21-7 at halftime. After a scoreless third quarter, the Seahawks began the fourth quarter facing 3rd and 5 at their own 43. Wilson hit Vannett for 11 and Moore for 45 yards. Chris Carson ran for a 7 yard touchdown to make it 28-7 Seahawks. Detroit got a garbage touchdown but no more. 28-14 Seahawks

Denver Broncos at Kansas City Chiefs — The Broncos actually struck first on a drive starting at their own 19. From their 37, Case Keenum went deep to Emanuel Sanders for a 49 yard gain. On 3rd and goal at the one, Philip Lindsay got in to make it 7-0 Broncos. The Chiefs moved from their 37 to a 1st and goal at the 3. A false start hurt the Chiefs. On 4th and goal at the one Walrus Lite Andy Reid decided to go for it. Another false start was a killer. Harrison Butker hit the 24 yard field goal. The Chiefs trailed 7-3. In the second quarter Vance Joseph gambled on a 55 yard field goal and Brandon McManus was no good. Taking over at their own 45, the Chiefs immediately took advantage. Patrick Mahomes went to Tyreek Hill for a 40 yard gain and to Travis Kelce for a 9 yard touchdown to make it 10-7 Chiefs.

The Chiefs got it back at their own 8 yard line. From the 13, Mahomes hit Kelce for 18 yards, Sammy Watkins for 24 more, and Kelce for 11 more. Mahomes hit Sammy Watkins for a 13 yard touchdown to make it 16-7 Chiefs after the failed extra point. The Chiefs were on their way to a blowout after a touchback as Denver only had 54 seconds to work with. Yet things changed when Keenum scrambled for 9 and then hit Sutton for a 42 yard gain. With 10 seconds left in the half the Broncos faced 3rd and 10 at the Chiefs 24. Keenum went deep to Patrick Crane for the touchdown as the Broncos only trailed 16-14 at halftime.

In the third quarter the Chiefs again tried to put the game away. They began at their own 17. On 3rd and 8 from their own 24, Mahomes hit Hill for just enough. Mahomes then went to Watkins for 24 yards. On 3rd and 10 from the Denver 39, Mahomes hit Kelce for 18 yards with 10 more tacked on for roughing the passer. On the next play Mahomes hit Watkins for the 10 yard touchdown to make it 23-14 Chiefs. The Broncos punted on 4th and 19 at their own 10, and disaster struck when a shanked punt of 22 yards had the Chiefs taking over at the Denver 32. On 4th and 1 from the 23, Andy Reid decided to go for it. Pass-happy Andy Reid does not run the ball. However, he now has Mahomes, who hit Hunt for it all as the touchdown had the Chiefs up 30-14 after three quarters. Hunt hurdled a defender and dragged tacklers to the end zone.

Denver tried to make a game of it after a touchback. On 1st and 18 from their own 17, Keenum hit Lindsey for 13 and Lindsey ran for 8 more. Keenum hit Sanders for 16 and Sutton for 21 more. The fourth quarter began with the Broncos facing 4th and goal at the 4. Keenum hit Jeff Heuerman for the touchdown. The 2 point try failed but the Broncos were within 30-20. Mahomes was quickly intercepted, and the Broncos moved from their 39 to a 3rd and 9 at the Chiefs 39. Keenum was sacked and fumbled the ball away. The Broncos got it back and Keenum was intercepted. Needing 2 scores, the Broncos moved to a 2nd and 8 at the Chiefs 18 with 2 minutes left. Keenum threw incomplete twice. McManus hit the 36 yard field goal to get the Broncos within 7 with 1:45 to play. The onside kick failed but by the time the Broncos got the ball back at their own 20, only 4 seconds remained. The hook and lateral lost 4 yards. The Chiefs are 7-1, making Andy Reid a most happy Walrus Lite indeed. 30-23 Chiefs

Washington Redskins at New York Giants — Jay Gruden quietly has the Redskins at 4-2 atop the NFC Least while the Giants are a 1—6 mess. An awful game saw the Redskins facing 3rd and 1 at their own 47 with 6 1/2 minutes left in the first quarter. Alex smith hit Harris for 16 yards. From the Giants 25, Adrian Peterson did the rest. He ran for 11, with 5 tacked on for defensive holding, then 2 more, and then for the 7 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Redskins. In the second quarter after the Redskins missed a field goal, Aldrick Rosas hit a 37 yarder for the Giants. In the third quarter Dustin Hopkins hit from 53 to make it 10-3 Redskins after three quarters. The fourth quarter began with the Giants facing 4th and 3 at the Washington 32. Pat Shurmur went for it and Eli Manning threw incomplete. The good field position led to Hopkins hitting from 39 to make it 13-3 Redskins with 10 minutes left. The Giants moved from their 14 to 1st and goal at the 4. A run gained one yard and Manning threw incomplete twice. Rosas hit from 21 to get the Giants within 13-6 with 4 minutes left. After a touchback, Peterson put the game away with a 64 yard touchdown to make it 20-6 Redskins. The Giants got a garbage touchdown with 17 seconds left and the onside kick failed. 20-13 Redskins

Cleveland Browns at Pittsburgh Steelers — Emotions ran high in Pittsburgh with the Saturday murder of 11 Jews at the Tree of Life Synagogue. Several Steelers past and present took to social media to show solidarity with the Jews. The Steelers even changed their logo to show a yellow Star of David. Yet once the game started, this was a typical Steelers game against the Browns. The Steelers played down to the level of their competition before finally waking up. Joseph hit field goals of 34 and 45 yards to have the Browns up 6-0 after the first quarter. In the second quarter Joseph missed a 41 yarder that would have put the Browns up 9-0. At that moment reality set in.

The Steelers soon faced 3rd and 11 at their own 30 in a game the Browns defense was winning. Yet Ben Roethlisberger hit Antonio Brown for 15 yards and then went back to Brown for a 43 yard touchdown. Just like the Steelers led 7-6. The Browns faced 3rd and 8 at their own 44.Baker Mayfield went deep and was intercepted by Joe Haden at the Pittsburgh 13. The Steelers mounted a staggering 16 play, 87 yard drive that took over 7 minutes off the clock. At the 2 minute warning the Steelers were at the Cleveland 42. Ben Roethlisberger hit Juju Smith-Schuster for 19 yards and James Conner added 10 more. With 15 seconds left in the half the Steelers faced 4th and 1 at the Cleveland 4 yard line. Mike Tomlin decided to go for it. Roethlisberger hit Smith-Schuster for 3 yards and Antonio Brown for the one yard touchdown as the Steelers took a 14-6 lead to the locker rooms.

Things got strange in the third quarter. A good punt pinned the Browns at their own 4 yard line. From the 5, holding on Harrison in the end zone meant a safety and a 16-6 Steelers lead. Nobody fielded the free kick, treating it like a punt rather than a live ball. Rice recovered for the Browns at the Pittsburgh 24. On the next play roughing the passer moved the ball to the Pittsburgh 12. On 3rd and 4 from the 6, Mayfield threw incomplete. Yet defensive pass interference meant 1st and goal at the one. Mayfield got sacked, but defensive holding meant 1st and goal at the one again. Mayfield hit Antonio Callaway for the touchdown. The extra poi t was not good as the Browns trailed 16-12.

Yet the Browns defense was exhausted and finally broke. After a touchback, Conner ran for 30 and then 16 more. From the Cleveland 27, Roethlisberger hit Brown for 15. Conner then ran for the 12 yard touchdown to make it 23-12 Steelers. The Browns punted in the fourth quarter and the Steelers had excellent field position at their own 45. Big Ben hit Conner for gains of 14 and 13. 90 seconds into the fourth quarter, Chris Boswell hit from 42 to make it 26-12 Steelers. Pittsburgh put the game away with a 10 play, 65 yard, 5 1/2 minute drive. On 3rd and 3 from the Cleveland 22, Conner ran all the way for the touchdown to make it 33-12 Steelers at the 2 minute warning. Cleveland got a garbage touchdown but no more. 33-18 Steelers.

Indianapolis Colts at Oakland Raiders — The 2-5 Colts faced off against the 1-5 Raiders in a battle of dreadful teams. Amari Cooper was traded to Dallas and Marshawn Lynch was injured. The first quarter was all Colts. After a touchback, the Colts faced 3rd and 9 at their own 36. Andrew Luck hit Marlin Mack for 11 yards. Luck hit Mo Alie-Cox for a 26 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Colts. The Raiders went 3 and out and the Colts moved 70 yards in 13 plays and 7 1/2 minutes. On 3rd and 2 from the Oakland 8, Luck threw incomplete. Adam Vinatieri hit the 26 yard field goal to make it 10-0 Colts after the first quarter.

In the second quarter the game drastically changed. On 3rd and 8 from the Oakland 27, Derek Carr hit Jared Cook for 9 yards and Brandon LaFell for 15 more. Harris ran for 13 and Carr went to Seth Roberts for a 31 yard touchdown. The Raiders were within 10-7. The Raiders got it back and soon faced 3rd and 2 at their own 29. Carr hit Jordy Nelson for 14 yards. From the Indy 39, Doug Martin ran for 13 yards. Carr went to Cook for a 25 yard touchdown. With 6 minutes left in the half the Raiders led 14-10. The Colts mounted a staggering 16 play, 68 yard drive that took nearly 6 minutes. On 3rd and 12 from the Indy 23, Luck hit Pascal for 11 but illegal contact added 5 more. On 3rd and 7 at the Indy 47, Luck hit Inman for 9 yards. Despite 2nd and 4 from the Oakland 7, Luck threw incomplete twice. Vinatieri hit from 25 and entered the record books. That field goal put him ahead of Morton Anderson as the all time NFL leading scorer. Despite holding the ball for over 20 minutes in the first half, the Colts trailed 14-13.

The third quarter began with an illegal shift that had the Raiders facing 1st and 15 at their own 20. Carr hit LaFell for 18 yards and Roberts for 11 more. Martin ran for a 29 yard gain and Jalen Richard added 13 more. On 2nd and goal at the one, Martin got stopped. On 3rd and goal at the one Martin got stopped again. Jon Gruden decided to go for it, and this time he had the right call. Derek Carr had never had a rushing touchdown. He took the quarterback sneak, leapt over the top, and broke the plane of the goal. Initially he was ruled stopped, but Gruden challenged the call successfully. Carr’s first rushing touchdown made it 21-13 Raiders. The offense had shown some life, but they needed their much maligned defense to finally close out a game.

They could not, folding quickly. After a touchback, Mack ran for a 49 yard gain. On 3rd and 4 from the Oakland 20, Luck went to Eric Hebron for the touchdown. Luck hit carlos rogers for the 2 point conversion to tie the game 21-21. after another touchback, the Raiders moved 75 yards in 11 plays and 6 1/2 minutes. Martin ran for 10. Carr hit Richard for 9 more. Richard then ran for 10. Carr went deep to Cook for a 30 yard gain. Martin ran for 11 and 4 more. On 3rd and 5 from the Indy 6, Carr hit Lafell for the touchdown. After three quarters the Raiders led 28-21. Yet they were among the worst fourth quarter teams in the league. Could they finally close out a game at home against another bad team?

No. The Colts moved 75 yards in 12 plays and over 5 minutes. On 2nd and 20 from their own 22, Luck hit Inman for 16 yards. On 3rd and 4 Luck hit Doyle for 9 yards. Hines ran for 14 and 4 more, and Luck went deep to TY Hilton for 34 yards. On 3rd and goal at the 4, needing one stop, the Oakland defense could not get it. Mack ran it in and the game was tied 28-28 with 10 1/2 minutes left. As expected, the Raiders went 3 and out. A shanked 25 yard punt had the Colts at their own 43. So the offense and special teams did their part. Now the defense needed to collapse and make it a trifecta. Mack ran for 6. Luck hit Doyle for gains of 14 and 11. On 2nd and 16 at the Oakland 32, Luck hit Doyle for 17. Luck hit Doyle again for a 10 yard touchdown to make it 35-28 Colts with 5 1/2 minutes left.

One play after a touchback, the meltdown was complete. Martin fumbled and the Colts recovered at the Oakland 27. Mack did the rest, running for 2, 7 with a horse collar tackle adding 9, 6, 2, and on 3rd and goal at the one, the last yard. Luck and Carr had almost identical numbers. Luck was 22 of 31 for 239 yards. Carr was 21 of 28 for 244 yards. They both had 3 touchdown passes and 0 interceptions. Carr also had the rushing touchdown. Yet the Colts gashed the Raiders for 222 yards on the ground, 132 by Mack and 78 more by Hines. The only turnover the game late was a killer. The Raiders have a short week before traveling across the Bay to face an equally dreadful San Francisco team. Gruden has a 10 year, 100 million dollar contract. The trade deadline is Tuesday. At this point he may wish to trade 44 players and rebuild around Carr since nobody else on the team can play. A 21-0 fourth quarter collapse had the Raiders acting like themselves again. 42-28 Colts.

San Francisco 49ers at Arizona Cardinals — Both teams are 1-6 and NFL rules banned this game from being canceled. After 11 minutes of scoreless football, On 3rd and 7 from their own 8, the Cardinals got nailed for a safety. The 49ers led 2-0. I don’t do baseball jokes. Baseball is boring. In the second quarter Phil Dawson hit a 31 yard field goal for the Cardinals. After an interception of Rosen, Robbie Gould responded from 27 as the 49ers led 5-3 at halftime. In the third quarter on 3rd and 6 from their own 45, CJ Beathard hit Marquise Goodwin for a 55 yard touchdown to make it 12-3 49ers after three quarters. In the fourth quarter the 49ers mounted an 11 play, 73 yard, 6 1/2 minute drive. Yet despite 1st and goal at the 4, three straight runs netted only 2 total yards. On 4th and goal at the 2, Kyle Shanahan played it safe. Gould hit from 20. The 49ers led 15-3 only 90 seconds into the fourth quarter.

Arizona faced 3rd and 4 at their own 31. Josh Rosen hit Gresham for 6 yards. Rosen then went deep to Larry Fitzgerald for 37 yards. Rosen went back to Fitzgerald for the 13 yard touchdown. With 11 minutes left in regulation the Cardinals were within 15-10. The Cardinals got it back at their own 17 with 7 minutes left and moved to their pwn 40 with 5 minutes left. Rosen hit Gresham for 13 yards, but Gresham fumbled and the 49ers recovered. The Cardinals got it back and with 2:07 to play faced 3rd and 10 at their own 27. Rosen hit Fitzgerald for 11 and again for 20. Rosen then hit Kirk for 19 yards. On 2nd and 15 from the Frisco 28, Rosen hit Seals-Jones for 13. On 3rd and 2, Rosen hit Williams for 7. With 34 seconds left, the Cardinals faced 3rd and goal at the 9. The 2 most frustrated groups in history, the Jews and the Arizona Cardinals, were headed for more defeat. Then it happened. Rosen fired over the middle to Christian Kirk for the touchdown. Rosen fired to Fitzgerald for the 2 point conversion, and Fitzgerald emphatically spiked the ball. Josh Rosen got it done. The Jews and Cardinals finally got a win. 18-15 Cardinals

Green Bay Packers at Los Angeles Rams — The unbeaten Rams faced their toughest test of the year as Aaron Rodgers led the Packers in an instant classic. In the first quarter the Packers faced 3rd and 5 at their own 30. Rodgers went deep to Devontae Adams for 48 yards and Jimmy Graham for 21 yards down to the one. Jamaal Williams got in to make it 7-0 Packers. Green Bay got it back and moved from their 32 to a 4th and 3 at the Rams 23. The second quarter opened with Mason Crosby hitting a 41 yard field goal to make it 10-0 Packers. The Packers were in total control until a great punt pinned the Packers at their own one yard line with 2:47 left in the half. Jones got the carry and got tackled in the end zone for a safety. The Rams took the free kick at their own 28. From their own 40, Jared Goff went to Brandon Cooks for 25 yards and Todd Gurley for 32 yards down to the 3. On 3rd and goal at the one, Goff hit Josh Reynolds for the touchdown with 17 seconds left in the half. The 2 point try failed as the Rams trailed 10-8. The second half was a wild affair.

The Packers took over in the third quarter at their own 27. They moved to a 2nd and 2 at the Rams 26. Rodgers threw incomplete and was then sacked for a 9 yard loss. Mike McCarthy gambled on a 53 yard field goal, and Crosby delivered to make it 13-8 Packers. After a touchback, Gurley ran for 11. On 3rd and 10 from their own 36, Goff hit Everett for 22 yards. Goff went to Gurley for a 30 yard touchdown. Goff hit Gurley for the 2 point try as the Rams had their first lead up 16-13 midway through the third quarter. The Rams got it back at their own 34 and Goff hit Cooks for 17 yards. On 3rd and 3 from the Green Bay 42, Goff hit Woods for 12 yards. On 2nd and 19 from the Green Bay 39, Goff hit Woods for the exact amount. Goff hit Reynolds for the 19 yard touchdown as the Rams led 23-13 with only 1:50 left in the third quarter. Yet the pendulum swing back.

On 3rd and 9 from their own 26, Rodgers went deep to adams for a 41 yard gain. Aaron jones then broke off a 33 yard touchdown run as the Packers only trailed 23-20 after three quarters. After a touchback, the Rams soon faced 1st and 10 at their own 38. Goff hit Cooks for a 32 yard gain. On 3rd and 7 from the Green Bay 27, a short pass gained only 2 yards. Greg Zuerlein hit a 43 yard field goal as the Rams led 26-20 with 11 1/2 minutes left in regulation. After a touchback the Packers struck quickly. Rodgers hit Adams for 15 yards and again for 20. Rodgers then went bombs away to Marquez Valdes-Scantling for a 40 yard touchdown. With 8 1/2 minutes left in regulation, the Packers led 27-26. The 1972 Dolphins were preparing to pop the champagne corks that they pop every year when the last unbeaten NFL team loses.

An exchange of punts benefitted the Rams when a shanked Green Bay punt netted only 25 yards and set up the Rams with a short field at the Green Bay 40. On 3rd and 6 form the 36, Gurley ran for 23 yards. Offensive holding killed the drive. Zuerlein came in at the 2 minute warning to try a 34 yard field goal. With everything on the line, Zuerlein delivered. The Rams led by 2, but they had not closed the door. The Packers needed only a field goal to win. Yet Rodgers never got his chance. The Packers fumbled the ensuing kickoff and the Rams fell on it at the Green Bay 21 with 1:56 left. On 3rd and 10, with 1:05 left, Gurley showed what it means to be an unselfish team player. The Packers needed a stop. Gurley sliced through and was headed toward the end zone. Yet a touchdown would give the Packers the ball back. Gurley refused to score, purposely falling down after a 17 yard gain at the 4 yard line. Goff took a knee to end it. Rodgers was 18 of 30 for 286 yards and 1 touchdown. Goff was 19 of 35 for 295 yards and 3 touchdowns. Nether quarterback was intercepted. Gurley finished with 114 yards on 25 carries. A playoff rematch would be fantastic. For now, the 1972 Dolphins will have to delay their celebration as the Rams are 8-0 and winning big games the hard way. 29-27 Rams

New Orleans Saints at Minnesota Vikings was the Sunday night game. Last year in the playoffs the Vikings led 17-0, fell behind 24-23, and needed a miracle with 10 seconds left. Hoping just to get into field goal range, a deep ball to Stefan Diggs turned into the 61 yard Minneapolis Miracle 29-24 Vikings victory. Now came the long anticipated rematch. The Saints truck first, going 81 yards. On 3rd and 2 from their own 27, Drew Brees hit Thomas for 20 yards. Sean Payton brought in backup quarterback Hill, and Hill went deep to Thomas for a 40 yard gain. On 3rd and goal at the 3, Brees hit Alvin Kamara for the score and the 7-0 Saints lead.

The Vikings came back 91 yards in 13 plays and 7 1/2 minutes. From their own 9, Kirk Cousins hit Adam Thielen for 14 yards. On 1st and 20 from their own 24, Latavius Murray ran for gains of 12 and 10. On 3rd and 5 just past midfield, Cousins hit Thielen for 14 yards. Cousins then went deep to Diggs for a 31 yard gain down to the one. Ham got stopped and Cousins threw incomplete twice. Mike Zimmer decided to go for it on 4th and goal at the one. Cousins hit Diggs for the touchdown and the 7-7 tie after the first quarter. The Vikings got it back at their own 35 to start the second quarter. Cousins hit Diggs for 19 and Thielen for 28 more. On 3rd and 7 from the Saints 14, Cousins threw incomplete but defensive pass interference meant 1st and goal at the one. murray got in. dan Bailey missed the extra point. With 12 minutes left in the half the Vikings led 13-7. Yet from then on, the Saints dominated.

The Saints moved from their own 33 to a 3rd and 3 at the Minnesota 34. Brees threw incomplete, but Wil Lutz hit the 52 yard field goal to get the Saints within 13-10. On the next series Brees was intercepted, and the Vikings moved from their 33 to a 1st and 10 at the Saints 18. Cousins hit Thielen for 4 yards, but Thielen fumbled and the saints recovered. Lattimore returned the fumble 54 yards to the Minnesota 33, with 15 more yards tacked on for unsportsmanlike conduct. With one minute left in the half, Brees hit Kamara for 17 and Kamara then got the last yard on the ground. Rather than a 20-10 Vikings lead, the 14 point swing had the Saints taking the 17-13 lead to the locker rooms.

In the third quarter the Vikings moved from their 25 to a 4th and 1 at their own 45. Mike Zimmer decided to go for it, and Cousins threw incomplete. With the short field, the Saints moved to a 1st and goal at the 9. On 3rd and goal at the 10, Brees was called for intentional grounding. Lutz hit the 42 yarder to make it 20-13 Saints. The Vikings after a touchback moved to their own 44. Cousins was then intercepted by PJ Williams, who took it 45 yards the other way for a defensive touchdown and a 27-13 Saints lead. The Saints then mounted a 15 play, 60 yard drive that took 8:15 off the clock. With 9 1/2 minutes left in regulation, Lutz hit the critical 42 yard field goal to make it 30-13 Saints. 23 unanswered points had the Saints firmly in command. Minnesota on 4th and goal at the one did get in the end zone when Cousins hit Thielen, but less than 4 1/2 minutes remained. Minnesota got it back at their own 9 with 1:10 to play. They reached midfield but never got the Hail Mary chance or the onside kick. The Saints got their revenge to get to 6-1 as the Vikings fell to 4-3. A rematch would still be worth it, but even though it was not November 1, it was still All Saints Day. 30-20 Saints

New England Patriots at Buffalo Bills was the Monday night game. Thurman Thomas had his number returned by the Bills at halftime. 93-year-old Marv Levy and cancer survivor Jim Kelly attended what was a classy display all around. The game was brutal, as the Bills defense gave it everything they had. Stephen Gostkowski hit a 25 yard field goal in the first quarter and field goals of 40 and 38 in the second quarter for a 9-0 Patriots lead. Stephen Hauschka hit from 47 for the Bills and Gostkowski missed from 50 to end the half. In the third quarter Hauschka hit from 51 as the Bills only trailed 9-6. Gostkowski hit again from 25 as the Patriots led 12-6 after three quarters. 90 seconds into the fourth quarter, with the Patriots facing 3rd and 6 at their own 19, Tom Brady hit julian Edelman for 26 yards. On 3rd and 8 at their own 47, Brady hit White for 9 yards. Cordarelle Patterson ran for 22 yards and Brady hit Chris Hogan for 20 yards down to the one. White got the last yard with 10 minutes left in regulation to make it 18-6 after the failed 2 point try. Derek Anderson thought he had a 25 yard touchdown pass to Croom and an 18-13 game with 6 minutes left, but on further review the ball hit the ground. On 3rd and 15 from the Pats 30, Anderson was intercepted by Devon McCourty, who returned it 85 yards for the final dagger. The Bills were game, but their offense did not help their defense. Meanwhile, in a rare switch, New England’s defense carried their offense as well in a game much closer than the final score. 25-6 Patriots

NFL 2018 Week 8 Prequel

https://www.commdiginews.com/sports/trading-places-nfl-2018-week-8-108002/

NFL 2018 Week 7 Recap

Denver Broncos at Arizona Cardinals was the Thursday night game. Sometimes a pair of bad teams can come together and produce a game for the ages. This was not that game. On the second play of the game, Josh Rosen had a pass intercepted and returned 20 yards for a touchdown. The Broncos led 7-0 less than one minute into the game. The Broncos then moved 77 yards with Case Keenum at quarterback. Yet it was Courtland Sutton and not Keenum who threw a 28 yard touchdown pass to Emanuel Sanders to make it 14-0 Broncos. Phil Dawson would get a 43 yard field goal from Phil Dawson to get the Cardinals on the board, but this game was all Denver. On 3rd and 1 from the Arizona 46, Rosen was intercepted again. This time it was Chris Harris returning the interception 53 yards for another touchdown. Two defensive touchdowns had the Broncos up 21-3 after the first quarter.

In the second quarter Denver got it back and needed only one play. Keenum went to Sanders for a 64 yard touchdown to make it 28-3 Broncos. Midway through the second quarter the Broncos moved 70 yards in 15 plays and 6 1/2 minutes. Royce Freeman ran for a one yard touchdown with 17 seconds left in the half as the Broncos led 35-3. The second half was a formality. The Cardinals would reach the end zone in the third quarter, but so did the Broncos as Lindsay ran for a 28 yard field goal. Brandon McManus tacked on a 41 yard fourth quarter field goal to complete the blowout. It was a much needed win for Vance Joseph as Denver stopped its 4 game skid. Arizona fell to 1-5 and rookie coach fired offensive coordinator Mike McCoy after the game. 45-10 Broncos

Tennessee Titans at Los Angeles Chargers was the early morning London game. London has been given some terrible games, but not this one. While it was not terribly exciting, it was competitive. The Titans moved from their 36 to a 2nd and 4 to the Chargers 8. A run lost a yard and Marcus Mariota threw incomplete on 3rd and 5. Ryan succor hit a 28 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Titans. 9 seconds later the Chargers had the 7-3 lead as Philip Rivers went to Tyrell Williams for a 75 yard touchdown. The Chargers then moved 67 yards in 11 plays and 5 minutes. Yet despite 2nd and 7 at the Tennessee 11, Rivers threw incomplete twice. Mike Badgley is now the Chargers kicker, and he hit the 29 yarder to make it 10-3 Charger after the first quarter. The Titans then moved to a 3rd and 2 at the Chargers 15 when Mariota threw incomplete. Early in the second quarter Succop hit from 33 as the Titans trailed 10-6. The Titans got the ball back at their own 5 yard line with nearly 10 minutes left in the half. They took nearly all 10 minutes off the clock. Yet on 1st and goal at the 10 with 30 seconds left on the clock, Mariota was intercepted. The 16 play, 85 yard drive yielded nothing.

In the third quarter after a touchback Rivers made it look easy. He hit Benjamin for 13 yards, Ekeleer for 7 more, and Mike Williams for a 55 yard touchdown to make it 17-6 Chargers. A 37 yard kickoff return with 15 more tacked on for unnecessary roughness.With a short field from the Chargers 42, the Titans soon faced 2nd and 17 at the Chargers 33. Mariota hit Lewis for 21 yards. Derrick Henry got in from the one to get the Titans within 17-13 after three quarters. In the fourth quarter the Chargers continued the trend of both teams of bogging down in the red zone. Moving from their own 34 to 2nd and 6 at the Titans 10, Rivers threw incomplete twice. Badgley hit the 28 yard field goal to make it 20-13 with 12 1/2 minutes left in regulation. The Titans moved from their 33 to a 3rd and 7 at the Chargers 33. Mariota threw incomplete. With 8 1/2 minutes left, a 51 yard field goal try by succor was no good.

The Titans got it back at their own 11 with 5 minutes left. On 3rd and 1, Henry gained 3 yards. From the Tennessee 23, Mariota scrambled for 11 yards. Lewis then ran for a 36 yard gain. Mariota then hit Sharpe for a 16 yard gain. With 1:22 to play, on 3rd and 4 from the Chargers 8, Mariota hit Sharpe for 6 yards. With 35 seconds left, a touchdown pass on 3rd and goal at the 3 was reversed to short of the goal line. On 4th and goal at the one, Mariota hit Luke Stocker for the touchdown. Mike Vrabel then decided to go for 2 rather than kick the tying extra point. 2 years ago Jack Del Rio won the balls of steel award for the week when a successful 2 point try gave his team a win. Vrabel gambled and lost as Mariota’s pass was deflected incomplete. It took a lot of guts for Vrabel to make that call, and he should not be pilloried for boldness. Tennessee fell to 3-4 while Anthony Lynn has a 4-2 Chargers team. 20-19 Chargers

New England Patriots at Chicago Bears — This game was ridiculous. The Patriots offense came out putting on an offensive clinic to start the game. After a touchback, Michel ran for 18 yards. Tom Brady then hit Michel for 13 and white for 14 more. On 3rd and 1 at the Chicago 9, Brady hit Julian Edelman for the touchdown to make it 7-0 Patriots. Midway through the opening quarter the Bears moved from their 37 to a 3rd and 7 at the New England 28. Mitchell Trubisky threw incomplete, but Cody Parkey hit the 46 yard field goal to get the Bears on the board. Cordarelle Patterson fumbled the ensuing kickoff and the Bears took over at the New England 24. On 3rd and 5 from the 8, Trubisky ran it in to put the Bears up 10-7 after the first quarter. The Patriots fumbled the ball again on the first play of the second quarter, giving the Bears another short field at the New England 36. On 4th and 4 from the New England 30, Matt Nagy decided to go for it. Trubisky hit Burton for 17 yards. On 3rd and goal at the 5, Trubisky threw incomplete. Yet illegal use of hands on the defense meant 1st and goal at the 2. Jordan Howard got in. with 11 minutes left in the half, the Bears had a 17-7 lead.

17 seconds later, the Patriots were back within 17-14. Patterson atoned for his earlier fumble by taking the ensuing kickoff 95 yards for a score. New England got it back and moved 64 yards in 12 plays and 6 minutes. On 4th and 1 from the Chicago 42, Bill Bellichick decided to go for it, and Brady went to Josh Gordon for a 19 yard gain. On 3rd and goal at the 5, Brady hit White for the touchdown to put the Patriots up 21-17. In the third quarter, momentum swing again when Cunningham returned the second half kickoff 31 yards with 15 more tacked on for a facemark. Starting at their own 42, the Bears quickly moved to the New England 40. Trubisky then got loose and scrambled for a 39 yard gain. On 3rd and goal at the 6, Trubisky hit Tariq Cohen for the score as the Bears retook the lead 24-21.

Momentum then swing back again. The Patriots moved after a touchback to a 3rd and 1 at the Chicago 7. Brady was sacked for a 4 yard loss. Gostkowski hit the 29 yard field goal to tie the game 24-24. The Bears moved after a touchback tp a 2nd and 8 at their own 45. Trubisky threw incomplete twice. With 6 minutes left in the third quarter the Bears had to punt. It was blocked, and Kyle Van Not picked it up and raced 29 yards for a score. New England’s second touchdown on special teams had the Patriots up 31-24. The Bears after a touchback moved to a 1st and 10 at the New England 41. Trubisky threw incomplete twice and on 3rd and 10 was intercepted. The Bears got it back at their own 9 and moved to a 1st and 10 at the New England 35. Trubisky went deep and was intercepted at the New England 4 yard line. On 3rd and 2 from their 12, Brady hit White for 10 yards. From the New England 25, Brady hit Chris Hogan for 19 yards and then went deep to Gordon for a 55 yard gain down to the one. On 2nd and goal Brady threw a 2 yard touchdown pass to White. With 8:40 left in regulation the Patriots led 38-24. They had outscored the Bears 31-7 since trailing early, but this game was not over.

The Bears went backward and punted on 4th and 20 from their own 6. The Patriots took over at the Chicago 43 looking to ice the game. On 3rd and 2 from the Chicago 35, where a field goal would end it, Brady had a pass stolen from a receiver and intercepted. From the Chicago 37, Trubisky hit Gabriel for 11 yards. From the New England 47, Trubisky hit Burton for 21, White for 10, and Burton again for the 11 yard touchdown. With 4 minutes to go the Bears were within 7 again. The Bears got it back at their own 20 with 24 seconds left. They needed a miracle. Trubisky hit Miller for 14. With 2 seconds left, the Bears were still at their own 45 yard line. Trubisky hurled it deep and everyone jumped for it. The ending was surreal. White came down with it for the Bears, but he was not in the end zone. The throw only reached the one yard line. All of New England jumped on White and the Bears offense tried to help push him forward. The defense won the battle. The Hail Mary was complete but the Bears came up one yard short. A somber Bill Belichick remarked that the Patriots made a tackle. After starting 1-2, the Patriots have won 4 straight and are now in sole possession of first place in the AFC East for the 8 billionth year. 38-31 Patriots.                                                                                                                                                    

Buffalo Bills at Indianapolis Colts — Sometimes a pair of bad teams can come together and play a great game for the ages. This was not that game, as the Bills went with 3rd string quarterback Derek Anderson. After a scoreless first quarter, the Colts exploded in the second quarter. A 15 play, 75 yard, 7 minute drive saw the Colts face 4th and 1 at their own 47. Frank Reich decided to go for it. Mack gained 10 yards. Andrew Luck hit Erik Swoope for a 17 yard touchdown to make it 6-0 Colts after the missed extra point. The Bill reached the Colts 22. Anderson hit Clay for 9 yards but Clay fumbled and the Colts took over at their own 26. Defensive pass interference moved the ball to the Indy 40. Luck went to Rogers for 29 yards and Marlon Mack for a 29 yard touchdown. Mck got the 2 point try to make it 14-0 Bills. The Colts got it back at their own 18 and Mack ran for 23 yards. From the Buffalo 44, Mack gained 18 more. On 3rd and 4 from the Buffalo 5, Luck scrambled and finally found TY Hilton for the touchdown to make it 21-0 Colts with 1:41 left in the half. With 13 seconds left in the half the Bills faced 1st and 5 from the Indy 43. A few more yards meant long field goal range. Instead Anderson was intercepted by Mitchell, who returned it 47 yards to the Buffalo 32. It was Adam Vinatieri hitting a 36 yard field goal to end the half with the Colts up 24-0.

The second half was a formality. In the third quarter the Bills managed a field goal and a safety, but no more. In the fourth quarter facing 3rd and 8 at his own 31, Anderson was sacked and fumbled. Wilson returned it 38 yards to the Buffalo 2. On 3rd and goal at the one. Luck hit Hilton for the touchdown. Anderson was then intercepted, and Moore returned it 4 yards to the Buffalo 20. On the next play Mack ran it in. Anderson threw in one more interception for good measure. As a Bills quarterback in 1992, Frank Reich led a 32 point comeback for the largest comeback win in NFL history. 26 years later, Reich’s team won by 32 points in a game where the comeback never happened. 37-5 Colts

Houston Texans at Jacksonville Jaguars — A pair of 3-3 AFC South rivals went at it. Blake Bortles had a miserable game. A Bortles fumble had the Texans taking over at the Jacksonville 36. Fairbairn hit a 44 yard field goal and then hit from 48 for a 6-0 Texans lead. In the second quarter the Texans took over at their own 40. Watson hit Deandre Hopkins for 9 and Lamar Miller added 11 more. Miller ran for a 5 yard touchdown to make it 13-0 Texans. In the third quarter a punt pinned the Jaguars at their own one yard line. From their 4, Bortles fumbled again and the Texans took over at the Jags 12. Watson hit Hopkins for a 10 yard touchdown to make it 20-0 Texans. Doug Marrone benched Bortles for Cody Kessler. The Jaguars reached the end zone to avoid the shutout but a scoreless fourth quarter completed the dominating defensive effort by Houston. 20-7 Texans

Detroit Lions at Miami Dolphins — Miami started out 3-0 and the entire football world knew it was not real. In the first quarter of this game, the Lions took over at their 36. Johnson ran for 24 yards. On 1st and 25 from the Miami 45, Matthew Stafford went deep to Jones for 26 yards. Stafford hit Michael Roberts for a 15 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Lions. In the second quarter, the Lions began at their own 9. Johnson ran for a 71 yard gain. On 3rd and 1 from the Miami 11, LaGuerrette Blount got stopped. Matt Patricia opted for the field goal. Matt prater hit from 29 to make it 10-0 Lions. Miami got it back at their own 23. Brock Osweiler hit Drake for 5 yards and Wilson for 25 more. On 3rd and 1 at the detroit 38, Osweiler found Gesicki for 27 yards. On 3rd and 10 from the Detroit 11, Osweiler only gained 2 yards but illegal use of hands kept the drive going. On 3rd and goal at the 5, Osweiler hit Kenny Stills for the touchdown to get the Dolphins within 10-7. After a touchback the Lions moved 75 yards in 12 plays and 6 1/2 minutes. Stafford hit Johnson for 15. On 2nd and 18 from the Miami 31, Stafford hit Roberts for 29 yards. Blount got the final 2 yards as the Lions led 17-7 at halftime.

The Lions continued in the third quarter, moving 65 yards in 12 plays and 6 1/2 minutes. Despite 1st and goal at the 9 after a successful fourth down conversion, a run lost a yard and Stafford threw incomplete twice. Prater hit from 28 to make it 20-7 Lions. The Dolphins quickly faced 3rd and 7 at their own 28. Osweiler hit Gesicki for 18 yards and then went deep to Kenyan Drake for a 54 yard touchdown to get the Dolphins within 20-14. The Lions came back and faced 3rd and 1 at their own 34. Johnson ran for 18 yards and defensive pass interference added 25 more. On 3rd and goal at the 4, Stafford hit Michael Roberts for the touchdown. The 2 point try failed but the Lions led 26-14 after three quarters.

In the fourth quarter the Lions moved 65 yards but bogged down in the red zone. Prater hit from 35 to make it 29-14 Lions. After a touchback, Osweiler hit Grant for 19. On 3rd and 11 from the Miami 43, Osweiler threw incomplete but defensive pass interference kept the drive going. On 3rd and 4 from the detroit 24, Osweiler hit Danny Amendola for the touchdown. With 6 minutes left the Dolphins were within 29-21. Adam Gabe’s defense needed a stop and they could not get it. From the Detroit 26, Stafford hit Golden Tate for 22 yards. On 3rd and 7 from just past midfield, Stafford threw incomplete but defensive pass interference kept the drive going. With 1:55 left, Prater came in for a 50 yard field goal try. The kick was good, and the Lions were up by 11. The Dolphins quickly moved after a touchback to a 2nd and 10 at the Detroit 28 with 53 seconds left. Needing 2 scores, Gase brought in Sanders for a 46 yard field goal try before an onside kick. There would be no onside kick as Sanders missed the field goal. 32-21 Lions

Minnesota Vikings at New York Jets — Less than 2 minutes into the game, and the Vikings had a 7-0 lead. From the Minnesota 32, a short completion followed by a 15 yard penalty for lowering the head put the ball on the Jets 46. Boone gained 9 and Kirk Cousins fired to Adam Thielen for a 34 yard touchdown. Late in the first quarter the Jets took over at their own 14. Powell ran for 11 and Sam Darnold hit Cannon for 35 yards. From the Minnesota 37, Darnold hit Anderson for 25 and Chris Herndon for the 12 yard touchdown and a 7-7 ballgame after the first quarter. In the second quarter the Vikings reached the Jets 3 yard line but a false start killed the drive. Dan Bailey hit the 26 yard field goal. The Vikings took a 10-7 lead to the locker rooms. Mike Zimmer and Todd Bowles both know defense. While the first half was a slugfest, the second half was a blowout.

In the third quarter the Vikings took over at their own 36. On 2nd and 16 from their own 42, Cousins hit Thielen for 8 and again for 13 on 3rd and 8. From the Jets 34, Cousins hit Zylstra for 23. Latavius Murray ran for an 11 yard touchdown to make it 17-7 Vikings. One play later from the Jets 33, Darnold was intercepted. Smith returned it 52 yards to the Jets 9. The defense held but Bailey hit from 22 to make it 20-7 Vikings. Roberts ran the ensuing kickoff 53 yards to the Minnesota 46, but the Jets had to settle for a 55 yard field goal as the Jets trailed 20-10 after three quarters. The Jets began the fourth quarter punting on 4th and 11 from their own 7. Sherels returned it 13 yards to just shy of midfield. Murray ran for a 38 yard touchdown to make it 27-10 Vikings.

The Jets tried to make a game of it. Darnold got in from now yard out to get the Jets within 27-17 with 10 1/2 minutes left in regulation. The Jets got hit back but Darnold was quickly intercepted to set up the Vikings at their own 39. On 3rd and 6, Cousins went to Thielen for 21 yards and again for a 34 yard touchdown to make it 34-17 Vikings with only 5 minutes left. Darnold was intercepted again and Bailey tacked on a 52 yard field goal to complete the scoring. 37-17 Vikings

Carolina Panthers at Philadelphia Eagles — This one was a stunner. The Eagles defense dominated for three quarters. In the second quarter a 74 yard drive was capped off by an 11 yard touchdown pass from Carson Wentz to Alshon Jeffery to make it 7-0 Eagles. Jake Elliott tacked on a 46 yard field goal for the Eagles. In the third quarter the Eagles mounted a blistering 17 play, 94 yard drive that took nearly 9 1/2 minutes off the clock. On 4th and 1 from the Carolina 3, Doug Pederson decided to go for it. Wentz got 2 yards and then threw a one yard touchdown pass to Dallas Goedert. The Eagles led 17-0 after three quarters. Their suffocating defense looked like defending Super Bowl champions should look. Then came the fourth quarter that might be talked about all season.

The Panthers began the fourth quarter facing 3rd and 1 at their own 29. Cam Newton got the yard. On 3rd and 3 from the Philly 30, Newton hit Moore for 16 yards. Curtis Samuel ran for a 14 yard touchdown. The extra point was no good as the Panthers trailed 17-6 19th 10 1/2 minutes left in regulation. The Panthers got it back at their own 13 with less than 7 minutes to play. From the 17, Newton hit Smith for 14. Newton then scrambled for 8. Newton then went to Byrd for 8 and to Wright for 28 more. Newton found Devon Funchess for an 18 yard touchdown. Newton hit Wright for the 2 point conversion. With 4 minutes left, the Panthers were within 17-14. Pass-Happy Doug Pederson kept passing, and on 3rd and 10 Wentz threw incomplete. With 2 1/2 minutes left, the Panthers got it back at their own 31.

Newton threw 3 straight incompletions. With 2:06 to play, it was 4th and 10. One defensive stop would end the game. Newton under blistering pressure unloaded a prayer before getting belted. Smith caught it, escaped a tackle and got to the sideline for a 35 yard gain. On 3rd and 2 at the Philly 26, Newton found Christian McCaffrey for 22 yards. On 3rd and goal at the one, Newton hit Greg Olsen for the touchdown. With 1:17 to play, the Eagles started at their own 30 down by 4 points. Wentz went deep and drew a 48 yard defensive pass interference penalty. With 30 seconds to play, everything came down to 4th and 2 at the Carolina 14. Wentz got blown up in the backfield by veteran Julius Peppers. The Panthers recovered the fumble as ron Rivera saw his team pull out a gutty win with 21 unanswered points in as hostile a situation as it gets. The defending champs are 3-4 and left behind a shellshocked home crowd. 21-17 Panthers

Cleveland Browns at Tampa Bay Buccaneers — Baker Mayfield is up and coming while Jameis Winston may be on his last legs far too soon. For a pair of not very good teams, they put on a very exciting game. An early punt pinned the Buccaneers at their own one yard line. Pierre Barber was tackled in the end zone by Trevon Coley for a safety and a 2-0 Browns lead. The rest of the half was all Tampa Bay. Chandler Catanzaro hit a 38 yard field goal to make it 3-2 Buccaneers after the first quarter. A 13 yard punt return had the Buccaneer at their own 45. Winston hit Chris Godwin for gains of 15, 12 and 4. On 3rd and 6 from the Cleveland 24, Winston hit Humphries for 10. DeSean Jackson ran for a 14 yard touchdown on the first play of the second quarter. The extra point was no good as the Buccaneers led 9-2. The Bucs got it back and moved 75 yards in 10 plays and 5 1/2 minutes. From the Tampa 25, Winston ran for 14 and hit Mike Evans for 14 more. From the Cleveland 47, Winston hit Howard for gains of 10 and 18. On 3rd and 10 from the Cleveland 19, Winston was sacked but illegal contact kept the drive going. Winston ran for a 14 yard touchdown to have the Buccaneers up 16-2 at the break. The Buccaneers turned it over on their next 2 possession, missing a chance to extend the lead. A boring first half gave way to an exciting second half.

On the second play of the third quarter, the Bucs turned it over again as Winston was sacked and fumbled. The Browns took over at the Tampa 26. Mayfield hit Njoku for a 13 yard touchdown to get the Browns within 16-9. After an exchange of punts the Buccaneers moved 73 yards in 13 plays and 6 1/2 minutes. On 3rd and 4 from their own 33, Winston hit Evans for 9 yards. On 4th and 1 just past midfield, Dirk Koetter decided to go for it. Winston hit Cross for 6 yards. On 3rd and 2 at the Cleveland 35, Winston ran for 9 and hit Howard for 24 more. Ronald Jones ran for the 2 yard touchdown as the Buccaneers seemed completely in command up 23-9 after three quarters.

After a touchback, the Browns from their own 35 saw Chubb run for 21 yards. On 3rd and 9 from the Tampa 43, Mayfield found Jarvis Landry for 18 yards. On the next play defensive pass interference put the ball on the one. Chubb got in and the Browns were within 23-16 with 12 minutes left in regulation. The Browns got it back at their own 20 with 9 1/2 minutes left. On 2nd and 26 from their own 24, Mayfield scrambled for 35 yards. Yet on 3rd and goal at the 2, Chubb got stopped short. On 4th and goal at the one, Hue Jackson decided to go for it. Mayfield got stopped. The defense gave the Buccaneers an inspired goal line stand. The offense gave it right back. They went 3 and out and a short punt was returned by Gabriel Peppers 32 yards to the Tampa Bay 16 yard line. One play later Mayfield fired over the middle to Jarvis Landry. Landry caught it at the one, and stretched the ball over the pylon while on the ground. with 2 1/2 minutes left in regulation, the new version of the Cardiac Browns tied the game 23-23.

The Browns are no longer the joke of the NFL, but they have suffered heartbreaking losses this year. The Bucs moved to the Cleveland 22. With 4 seconds left, Catanzaro came in for a 40 yard field goal try to win it. The kick was no good. The NFL record for overtime games in one season is five. The Browns were headed to their fourth overtime game in only seven total games. In the extra session the Browns went 3 and out. Winston was then intercepted to set up the Browns at the Tampa Bay 45. With 5 minutes left in overtime, the Browns faced 3rd and 3 at the Tampa 38. It would be a 56 yard field goal try. There would be no attempt as Mayfield took a killer sack. The Browns defense held, and again the Bucs punted. This time Peppers went from hero to goat. He fumbled it and the Buccaneers took over at the Cleveland 48 with 3 1/2 minutes left in overtime. On 3rd and 3 from the Cleveland 41, the Browns invaded the neutral zone. Consecutive sacks of Winston had the Buccaneers facing 3rd and 29 at their own 45. One more stop was all the Browns needed. Winston hit Jackson for 14 yards. Dirk Koetter then brought in Catanzaro, who had missed an extra point and a 40 yarder. This was a 59 yard try. Catanzaro snuck it over the crossbar and inside the upright. Mayfield’s jaw dropped. Hue Jackson got angry. The New Sombrero rocked. 26-23 Buccaneers

New Orleans at Baltimore Ravens — The top scoring offense led by all time NFL passing leader Drew Brees faced off against the top scoring defense that last week registered 11 sacks. The first quarter was scoreless, and the first three quarters were mostly a victory for the Baltimore defense. The first quarter saw the Saints hold the ball for a ridiculous 10 minute drive only to come up with nothing. On 1st and goal at the 4, the Saints fumbled and the Ravens recovered. In the second quarter it was the Ravens with a mind-numbing 17 play, 63 yard 7 1/2 minute drive that did not reach the end zone. Justin Tucker hit a 31 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Ravens. After a touchback, Brees hit Arnold for 10 and Thomas for 32 more. Brees hit Watson for a one yard touchdown. With 1:50 left in the half the Saints led 7-3. With that touchdown, Brees became the fourth quarterback in NFL history along with Peyton Manning, Brett Favre and Tom Brady to have 500 touchdown passes.

Yet after a touchback, the Saints defense that played well for 28 minutes folded during the 2 minute drill. How Flacco hit Snead for gains of 8 and 9. From the Baltimore 42, and short pass to Brown went for a 56 yard gain. With 4 seconds left, it was 2nd and goal from the one. John Harbaugh decided to go for it knowing the Ravens still had one timeout. Lamar Jackson got in and the Ravens led 10-7 at the intermission. In the third quarter the Ravens moved 61 yards in 10 plays. On 3rd and 2 from the Baltimore 47, Jackson again came in at quarterback. Out of the shotgun he gained 4 yards. On 3rd and 4 from the Saint 43, Flacco hit Michael Crabtree for 18 yards. Flacco hit Mark Andrews for an 8 yard touchdown as the Ravens led 17-7 after three quarters. Yet the virtual stranglehold their defense had evaporated in the fourth quarter.

The Saints moved 75 yards in 12 plays and 6 minutes. After a touchback, the Saints soon faced 3rd and 8 at their own 38. Brees hit Thomas for 9 yards. Brees then went to Smith for a 26 yard gain and again for 11 more. On 3rd and goal at the 2, Alvin Kamara got in. The Saints were within 17-14 with 12 1/2 minutes left in regulation. The Saints got it back at their own 44 and Brees was sacked. On 2nd and 17 from their own 37, Brees hit Watson for 9 and on 3rd and 8 hit Watson again for 10 more. Midway through the fourth quarter the Saints faced 4th and 1 at the Baltimore 18. A field goal would tie the game. Sean Payton decided to go for it and Brees got the yard. Brees threw a 5 yard touchdown pass to Michael Thomas to make it 21-17 Saints with 5 minutes to play. The Ravens moved from their 14 to a 2nd and 6 at the Saints 36. Flacco threw incomplete twice. With 3 1/2 minutes left, John Harbaugh passed up a 54 yard field goal and decided to go for it. Flacco threw incomplete again.

With 3:19 left from the Saints 36, rather than run it, Sean Payton stayed aggressive. Brees went deep to Arnold for a 25 yard gain. On 3rd and 3 from the Baltimore 21 with 2:07 left, Brees threw incomplete. Wil Lutz hit the 39 yard field goal to make it 24-17 Saints with 2:03 to play. The Ravens took over at their own 19. A facemark penalty moved the Ravens to their own 34. Flacco hit Snead for 6, Crabtree for 18 and again for 10, Allen for 17 and John Brown for the 14 yard touchdown with only 20 seconds left. The Ravens had tied the game, or so they thought. In his entire career, Justin Tucker had made 222 extra points while never missing one. Now he has. In front of a disbelieving home crowd, the automatic one saw his kick look perfect and out of nowhere veer wide at the last moment. Tucker is one of the best kickers in the game, and he took full blame without excuses in the postgame press conference. Meanwhile, the Saints are 5-1 and Brees is as great as ever. 24-23 Saints

Dallas Cowboys at Washington Redskins — Forget the records when the teams play. In the first quarter the Redskins began a drive at their own 48. Alex Smith hit Kapri Bibbs for a 23 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Redskins. With 3:46 left in the half the Cowboys took over at their own 17. Dak Prescott went deep to Hurns for 20 yards and then threw a 49 yard touchdown pass to Michael Gallup for a 7-7 deadlock at the half. In the third quarter after a touchback the Redskins moved to a 3rd and goal at the one. Adrian Peterson got carried and lost 2 yards. Dustin Hopkins hit the 21 yard field goal as the Redskins led 10-7 after three quarters. The fourth quarter was anything but quiet. Late in the third quarter the Cowboys punted on 4th and 12 from their own 9 and the Redskins took over just shy of midfield. Prescott threw incomplete on 3rd and goal from the 7 but Hopkins hit the 25 yard field goal to make it 13-7 Redskins with 12 1/2 minutes left in regulation. The Cowboys after a touchback moved to a 3rd and 3 at the Washington 29. Prescott threw incomplete. Brett Maher hit the 47 yarder as the Cowboys trailed 13-10 with 9:45 to play.

With 5 minutes left, the Cowboys faced 3rd and 14 at their own 10. Prescott got sacked at the goal line and fumbled. Smith picked it up at the one and walked in for the defensive touchdown and the 20-10 Redskins lead. Prescott quickly led the Cowboys 74 yards in 12 plays. With 3:15 to play, the Cowboys faced 4th and 13 at their own 40. One defensive stop would end it. Prescott found Jarwin for a 16 yard gain. On 3rd and goal at the one, Prescott got in. With 90 seconds to play the Cowboys were within 3 points. Jason Garrett decided to kick it deep and play defense rather than go onside. With 1:26 left on 3rd and 9 from their own 26, Smith tried to scramble for the first down. He came up 3 yards short, but even worse, he was taken out of bounds. The Cowboys got the ball back at their own 36 with 1:09 left. On 3rd and 10, Prescott hit Cole Beasley for 18 yards. With 3 seconds left, Maher came in for a 47 yard field goal to tie the game. There was movement on the line and the Cowboys celebrated, thinking they now had a 42 yard field goal try. Yet officials ruled a false start on the snapper. Now it was a 52 yard field goal try. It looked good most of the way but then doinked off the upright no good. Jay Gruden quietly has a 4-2 team atop the division as the Cowboys fell to 3-4 in the NFC Least. 20-17 Redskins

Los Angeles Rams at San Francisco 49ers — The Rams came in the NFL’s lone unbeaten team, but they were facing a desperate 1-5 49ers team that 6 days earlier took Green Bay to the final play of the game. The Dodgers are in the World Series and the Lakers have LeBron James. Yet even in Los Angeles, the world’s entertainment capital, great football attracts attention. The Rams are playing great football. They dispatched their archival in a game that was never competitive. The 49ers fumbled, and the Rams took over at the San Francisco 44. Greg Zuerlein hit a 35 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Rams. In the second quarter the Rams blew the game open. The 49ers fumbled and the Rams took over at the San Francisco 21. Todd Gurley ran for a 7 yard touchdown to make it 10-0 Rams. The 49ers punted from their own 16 and it was blocked out of the end zone for a safety to make it 12-0 Rams. The Rams took the free kick and Zeurlein hit from 37 to make it 15-0 Rams. CJ Beathard was then intercepted, giving the Rams the ball at their own 40. Jared Goff hit Brandon Cooks for a 10 yard touchdown pass as the Rams were cruising up 22-0.

The 49ers would get a touchdown before the half, but this game was over. In the third quarter Zuerlein hit from 33 to make it 25-7 Rams. Beathard was then intercepted again to set the Rams up at the Frisco 27. Goff hit Reynolds for 19 and Gurley got the last yard to make it 32-7 Rams. The 49ers managed one more field goal but in the fourth quarter the 49ers had to punt on 4th and 16 from their own 3. This time it was not blocked but Natson returned it 36 yards to the Frisco 13. Goff hit Gurley for a 12 yard touchdown to complete the blowout. Sean McVay has the Rams at 7-0. His offense combined with Michelin Man Wade Phillips running the defense still makes them Super Bowl favorites as the hallmark approaches. Great teams win games they should win easily. The Rams are doing this. 39-10 Rams

Cincinnati Bengals at Kansas City Chiefs was the Sunday night game. After losing to New England 43-40 on the final play, the previously unbeaten Chiefs were out for blood. The Bengals are a good team, but the Chiefs are a great team. At home and angry, this game was over from the start. 90 seconds into the game, the Chiefs took over at their own 5 yard line. Patrick Mahomes immediately began the aerial assault by hitting Tyreek Hill for a 27 yard gain. Mahomes went to Robinson for 9 and Kareem Hunt for 13 more. On 3rd and 2 from the Cincy 36, Mahomes ran for 9 and Hunt ran for 21 more. Mahomes hit Hunt for a 6 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Chiefs. The Chiefs would miss a field goal, but in the second quarter kept their foot on the gas pedal. The Bengals fumbled a snap on a punt, letting the Chiefs take over at the Cincy 32. On 3rd and 9, Mahomes hit Hill for 16 and Hunt for the 15 yard touchdown to make it 14-0 Chiefs.

The Bengals tried to slow the game down, going 77 yards in 11 plays and 6 minutes. On 3rd and goal at the 4, Red Rifle Andy Dalton hit Uzomah for the score. The Bengals were within 14-7, but then the Chiefs offense took the field and kept rolling. They went 77 yards in 10 plays and 5 1/2 minutes. On 3rd and 6 from their 40, Mahomes found Ware for 10 yards. On 3rd and 11 from the Cincy 22, a neutral zone infraction meant 3rd and 6. Mahomes hit Demetrius Harris for the 17 yard touchdown to make it 21-7 Chiefs. The Chiefs got it back at their own 20 with 1:13 left in the half. Mahomes hit Travis Kelce for a pair of 13 yard gains. Mahomes then ran for 23 yards and hit Ware for 22 more. Despite 1st and goal at the 9 with 27 seconds left, Mahomes threw incomplete twice and then completed a pass for one yard. Harrison Butker hit a 26 yard field goal as the Chiefs led 24-7 at halftime. The second half was a Chiefs coronation.

In the third quarter the Chiefs scored on offense when a 75 yard drive was capped by a 2 yard Hunt touchdown run. On the very next play from scrimmage the Chiefs scored on defense when Ron Parker intercepted Dalton and returned it 33 yards to pay dirt. The Bengals kicked a field goal, while the Chiefs juggernaut added another touchdown in the fourth quarter to complete the annihilation. The Chiefs are 6-1, making Andy Reid a most happy Walrus Lite indeed. 45-10 Chiefs

New York Giants at Atlanta Falcons was the Monday night game. Sometimes a pair of bad teams can come together and play a thrilling game for the ages. This was not that game. After a scoreless 24 minutes, the Falcons took over at their own 14 with less than 6 minutes left in the half. Matt Ryan hit Hooper for 36 yards and then Hall for a 47 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Falcons. This concludes anything remotely resembling a highlight. Aldrick Rosas hit a 31 yard field goal for the Giants with 50 seconds left in the half. Georgio Tavecchio answered from 40 at the gun to make it 10-3 Falcons. Rosas hit from 36 in the third quarter as the Giants trailed 10-6 after three quarters. On the first play of the fourth quarter, Tavecchio hit from 50 to make it 13-6 Falcons. Midway through the fourth quarter, Tevin Coleman raced for a 30 yard touchdown to make it 20-6 Falcons. The Giants managed to score a touchdown with 5 minutes left, but for some inexplicable reason Pat Shurmur decided to go for a 2 point conversion. O’Dell Beckham dropped it. At the 2 minute warning, Dan Quinn brought in Tavecchio trying a 56 yard field goal knowing a miss would give the hapless Giants a chance. Tavecchio nailed it to make it 23-12 Falcons. Needing two scores, the Giants moved to 1st and goal at the one with one minute left. Yet twice Eli Manning tried to sneak it in and twice he got stopped. without a timeout, the terrible offense killed the Giants. On 3rd and goal Manning fired to Beckham for the score and Barkley ran in the 2 point try. Yet by this time only 5 seconds remained. Like everything else the Giants have tried this year, the onside kick failed. Matt Ryan finished with 379 yards passing and completed his last 18 passes. The Falcons are now at 3-4 while the Giants are a 1-6 mess. 23-20 Falcons

NFL 2018 Week 7 Prequel

https://www.commdiginews.com/sports/remember-to-run-the-damn-ball-nfl-week-7-preview-and-bettors-guide-107698/

NFL 2018 Week 6 Recap

Philadelphia Eagles at New York Giants was the Thursday night game. Both teams are struggling, but the Eagles still have far more talent than the woeful Giants. This was expected to be a mismatch from the start, and it was. On the second play from scrimmage, Eli Manning was intercepted, and it was returned 24 yards to the Giants 16 yard line. On 3rd and 7, Carson Wentz hit Alshon Jeffery and the Eagles quickly led 7-0. The Giants did move after a touchback to a 2nd and 7 at the Philly 15, but Manning threw incomplete twice. Aldrick Rosas hit the 33 yard field goal. The Giants trailed 7-3, but the Eagles got going again. A 23 yard punt return had the Eagles taking over at the Giants 44. Wentz hit Jeffery for 17 and Clement gained 14. Clement got the last yard to make it 14-3 Eagles after the first quarter.

In the second quarter the Giants moved from their 32 to a 1st and goal at the 4. A run gained one yard and Manning threw incomplete twice. Rosas hit from 21 to get the Giants within 14-6. The Eagles quickly faced 3rd and 3 at their own 32. Wentz went deep to Nelson Agholor for a 58 yard gain and then to Zacc Ertz for a 10 yard touchdown to make it 21-6 Eagles. The Giants were kicking field goals but the eagles were scoring touchdowns. Josh Elliott tacked on a 33 yard field goal with 90 seconds left in the half to make it 24-6 Eagles. Rosas missed from 52 with less than 30 seconds left in the half, and Elliott missed from 54 to end the half.

In the third quarter the Eagles moved to put the game away. A 12 play, 75 yard, 6 1/2 minute drive led to 3rd and goal at the one. Wentz hit Jeffery for the score as the Eagles were cruising 31-6. Saquon Barkley did race for a 50 yard touchdown, but the fourth quarter began with Elliott hitting a 30 yard field goal to close out the scoring. With just over 5 minutes left, the Giants faced 4th and 4 from the Philly 5. Manning threw incomplete. O’Dell Beckham screamed at the female official for pass interference that never came. Don’t blame sexism. Beckham screams at everybody. 34-13 Eagles

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Atlanta Falcons — The Bucs added after a 2-0 start and Jameis Winston is now starting again instead of Ryan Fitzpatrick. The Falcons are a head-scratching 1-4 and in desperation mode. Both quarterbacks threw 41 passes, with Matt Ryan completing 31 and Jameis Winston completing 30. Winston threw for 395 yards, 4 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. Ryan threw for 354 yards, 3 touchdowns and 0 touchdowns. This game went down to the final bizarre play. After a touchback, Winston put on a clinic to start the game. From the Tampa 41, Pierre Barber ran for 28 yards. Winston then hit Chris Godwin for 14. On 3rd and 8 from Atlanta 15, Winston hit Cameron Brate for the touchdown. The extra point failed but the Buccaneers led 6-0. After a touchback the Falcons responded. From the Atlanta 35, Ryan hit Ridley for 15, Julio Jones for 10, and Mohammed Sanu for a 35 yard touchdown to make it 7-6 Falcons.

In the second quarter the Falcons moved 86 yards in 14 plays and 7 1/2 minutes. From the Atlanta 14, Ryan it Ridley for 22. On 3rd and 10 from the Atlanta 36, Ryan hit Hooper for 14. On 3rd and 9 from the Tampa Bay 39, Ryan hit Jones for 10. On 3rd and 11 from the Tampa 19, Ryan threw incomplete but defensive illegal use of hands kept the drive going. Ito Smith ran for a 14 yard touchdown to make it 14-6 Falcons. A 14 yard punt return gave the Falcons the ball back at their own 42. On 3rd and 7 from the Tampa 37, Ryan went deep to Jones for 28 yards and then to Austin Hooper for a 9 yard touchdown as the Falcons were cruising 21-6. They would not be cruising for long.

With 3 minutes left in the half the Buccaneers took over at their own 48. Winston hit OJ Howard for a 10 yard touchdown to get the Buccaneers within 21-13. Only 19 seconds remained in the half after a touchback, but Matty Ice made the most of them. Ryan hit Hooper for for 14, Hardy for 17, and Jones for 16. Matt Bryant hit a 45 yard field goal to have the Falcons up 24-13 at halftime. The third quarter was fairly quiet. The Buccaneers moved from their 40 to a 3rd and 5 at the Atlanta 11. Winston was sacked and the Bucs settled for a 35 yard Chandler Catanzaro field goal to trail 24-16. The fourth quarter was a wild affair.

The Buccaneers took over at their own 15 to start the fourth quarter. Winston hit Humphries for 12 and DeSean Jackson for 21. On 3rd and 1 from the Atlanta 9, Winston hit Godwin for the touchdown. The 2 point try failed as the Buccaneers trailed 24-22. After a touchback, Ryan went deep to Jones for a 32 yard gain. On 3rd and 9 at the Tampa 42, Ryan scrambled for 13 yards. Ryan hit Tevin Coleman for a 6 yard touchdown to make it 31-22 Falcons with 6 1/2 minutes left in regulation. Needing 2 scores after a touchback, Winston hit Jackson for 19 yards. On 3rd and 7 from the Tampa 47, Winston threw incomplete but defensive holding kept the drive going. On 3rd and 3 from the Atlanta 41, Winston hit Godwin for 7 and again for 14 and then hit Howard for 15. Winston went to Peyton Barber for the 5 yard touchdown. With 3 1/2 minutes left, the Buccaneers were within 31-29. They needed a defensive stop.

After a touchback, Ryan went to Jones for 18 yards. On 3rd and 8 from the Atlanta 45, Ryan went to Hooper for just enough. On 3rd and 2 from the Tampa 39 with 1:53 to play with the Buccaneers out of timeouts, Coleman got the carry. A first down would end it. Coleman got stopped cold. With 1:10 left, Dan Quinn had a big decision to make. A field goal would win the game for the Bucs and send the Falcons to 1-5. Rather than punt or go for it, Quinn had his kicker try a 57 yard field goal. While it is quarterback Ryan who carries the Matty Ice moniker, his kicker Bryant deserves it as well. Bryant leveled the field goal to put the Falcons up by 5.

With one minute left, the Bucs took over at their own 24. The missed extra point early in the game was the difference in the Buccaneers needing a field goal to tie things and instead needing to score a touchdown. Winston hit Jackson for 19, Evans fr 18 more, and Humphries for 19. Winston spiked the ball to stop the clock with 7 seconds left. From the Atlanta 21 without a timeout, Winston would have one or two plays at most. Then came the bizarre decision. Whether it was Winston or Dirk Koetter who made the decision, somebody needs to fess up. A pass to the end zone was the only rational decision. Winston decided to run with the ball. He ran up the middle for 13 yards, threw a wild lateral that was picked up at the Atlanta 5 yard line. Another lateral to a wide open Tampa player could have been the craziest finish since the Stanford marching band. Yet this lateral was fumbled out of bounds and the Buccaneers were done. It’s one thing to try the hook and laterals from your own 20, but from the opposing 20 a simple pass to the end zone is the way to go. 34-29 Falcons

Pittsburgh Steelers at Cincinnati Bengals — The Steelers always win and the Bengals always lose. Every time it seems times have changed, they have not. The Steelers are the big brother with 6 Super Bowl rings. The Bengals are the sad sack little brother with none. The Steelers came in having beaten the Bengals 6 straight times, including 5 straight times in Cincinnati. Mike Tomlin always outcoaches Marvin Lewis. The Bengals came in 4-1 while the Steelers were only 2-2-1. The Bengals had a chance to make a statement. A field position game and a 36 yard punt had the Bengals taking over at their own 46. On 3rd and 7 from the Pittsburgh 38, Red Rifle Andy Dalton hit Uzomah for 10 yards. On 3rd and 10 from the Pittsburgh 28, Dalton hit AJ Green for 19 yards. On 3rd and goal at the 2, Dalton hit Tyler Boyd for the touchdown as the Bengals led 7-0 after the first quarter. The Steelers came back 75 yards in 10 plays and 5 minutes. On the last play of the first quarter, the Steelers faced 2nd and 21 from the Cincy 30. Ben Roethlisberger went to Juju Smith-Schuster for 22 yards. The second quarter began with James Conner running for 7 yards and then the final yard for the score and a 7-7 ballgame.

With 5 1/2 minutes left after a touchback, Roethlisberg connected with Vince McDonald for 26 yards. On 3rd and 6 from the Cincy 45, Roethlisberger hit McDonald for 11 yards. On 3rd and 6 from the Cincy 30, Roethlisberger went to Smith-Schuster for 29 yards. Conner again got the last yard to make it 14-7 Steelers with one minute left in the half. That was plenty of time for the Bengals when Erickson returned the kickoff 47 yards to just past midfield, with 5 more yards tacked on for an illegal formation on the kicking team. With 19 seconds left in the half, the Bengals were at the Pittsburgh 14. Dalton fired to the end zone to Boyd for the touchdown as the teams went to the locker room tied 14-14.

In the third quarter the Steelers moved 85 yards in 12 plays and 6 1/2 minutes. On 1st and goal at the one, Conner got stopped. Then Big Ben threw incomplete. On 3rd and goal from the one, Conner got rocked for a 2 yard loss. Chris Boswell hit the 21 yard field goal as the Steelers led 17-14 after three quarters. It was deja vu all over again in the fourth quarter as the Steelers moved 82 yards in 1 2plays and 6 minutes. On 3rd and 2 from the Cincinnati 6 yard line with 4 1/2 minutes left, a short pass from Roethlisberger to McDonald lost a yard and was fumbled. The Steelers were saved when Smith-Schuster fell on it. On 4th and 2 at the 6, Mike Tomlin again opted for the field goal. Boswell hit from 24 as the Steelers led 20-14 with 3 1/2 minutes remaining. Yet 2 defensive stands by the Bengals had them only down by 6 and gave the offense a chance to win it.

On 3rd and 4 from their own 31 with 3 minutes left, Dalton hit Uzomah for 5. A 14 yard defensive pass interference penalty moved the ball to midfield. Dalton hit Boyd for 16, Green for 23 and again for 7 more. Joe Mixon ran for the 4 yard touchdown The home crowd went crazy as the Bengals led 21-20 with only 1:18 to play. For those thinking the Bengals could close out the game, remember then history of these two franchises. Remember recent history. Remember the playoff game three years ago. The Bengals overcame a 15-0 deficit at home to lead 16-15 with one minute left. A defensive meltdown including 2 defensive personal fouls made Vontaze Burfect infamous as the Steelers by a score of 18-16 victorious.

This was a new year, right? From the Pittsburgh 23, we would soon know. On 3rd and 2 from the Pittsburgh 31, Roethlisberger hit Smith-Scuster for 10 yards with 36 seconds left. On 3rd and 10 from the Pittsburgh 41, Big Ben threw incomplete. Yet defensive holding kept the drive going with 22 seconds left. The Steelers were still at their own 46, not in field goal range. Big Ben hit Smith-Schuster for a 23 yard gain. The Steelers took their first timeout with 15 seconds left. Now they were at the Cincy 31. The winning field goal try would be 49 yards. Boswell never got the chance. Big Ben zipped a pass over the middle to Antonio Brown, who raced to the end zone for a touchdown in front of a shellshocked home crowd that should be used to this by now. With 10 seconds left, it happened again. The 2 point conversion was good. The responding Hail Mary was never close. New year. Same Steelers. Same Bengals. 28-21 Steelers

Los Angeles Chargers at Cleveland Browns — The Chargers are perpetual underachievers while the Browns are finally moving in the right direction. After going 1-15 with a win over the Chargers, the Browns went 0-16 by losing to them. This time the game was never close. A 32 yard punt return had the Chargers starting their first drive at their own 43. Melvin Gordon and Keenan Allen ran for a pair of 16 yard gains. Gordon ran for the 4 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Chargers. A field position game in the second quarter had the Browns starting a drive at the Chargers 33. Yet despite 2nd and 6 from the Chargers 15, Baker Mayfield threw incomplete twice. Greg Joseph hit the 33 yard field goal as the Browns trailed 7-3.

The Browns defense had been hanging tough, but Philip Rivers finally broke through midway through the second quarter. From the Chargers 11, Rivers needed only 2 plays to get the 89 yards. Sid Gillman and Don Coryell had to be smiling in different places as Rivers went deep to Williams for 44 yards and again to Williams for a 45 yard touchdown to make it 14-3 Chargers. With 2:13 left in the half, the Chargers got it back at their own 23. Gordon gained 14. Rivers then hit Allen for 16 and Gordon for 14 more. On 3rd and 6 from the Cleveland 29, Rivers went to Williams for the touchdown. With 45 seconds left in the half, the Chargers led 21-3.

The Brown would get a field goal before the half but the Chargers put the game away in the third quarter. An interception of Mayfield was returned 33 yards to the Cleveland 10. One play later Gordon ran it in to make it 28-6 Chargers. The Chargers got it back at their own 19. On 1st and 25 from their own 20, Rivers went to Allen for 20 yards. Gordon would run for an 11 yard touchdown on a drive that never reached third down. The Chargers led 35-6 after three quarters and the fourth quarter was a formality. Cleveland would get a garbage touchdown and 2 point conversion and the Chargers tacked on a field goal to complete the scoring. Anthony Lynn has the Chargers at 4-2 while the 2-3-1 Browns are still improved under Hue Jackson despite this setback. 38-14 Chargers

Buffalo Bills at Houston Texans — After a pair of tough overtime wins, this time the Texans had a game settled in regulation. The defenses controlled much of this game. DeShaun watson threw a 13 yard touchdown to DeAndre Hopkins in the first quarter. In the second quarter the Texans blocked a punt and took over at the Buffalo 21. The Texans settled for a 33 yard Kaimi Fairbairn field goal and took a 10-0 lead to the locker rooms. In the third quarter an interception of Watson set up the Bills at the Houston 30. Yet despite 2nd and goal at the 4, Allen threw incomplete twice. Stephen Hauschka hit the 23 yard field goal to get the Bills on the board. The Bills got it back and Allen completed a 39 yard pass. One play later Allen got knocked out of the game. World famous Nathan Peterman came in. Hauschka added a 52 yarder as the Bills trailed 10-6 after three quarters.

Late in the third quarter on 3rd and 1 from their own 34, Watson was sacked and fumbled. The Bills took over at the Houston 32. On 3rd and 11 from the Houston 16, Peterman went to Bay Jones for the touchdown. with 13 minutes left the Bills had the 13-10 lead. Buffalo got it back and held the ball for 6 1/2 minutes. Yet somehow they only moved 34 yards. With 4 minutes left the Texans took over at their own 8 yard line. Watson hit Fuller for 17 yards. On 2nd and 15 from the Houston 20, Watson found Hopkins for 24 and Alfred Blue for 14 more. From the Buffalo 42, defensive pass interference on a deep ball meant 1st and goal at the one at the 2 minute warning. A run lost a yard, a pass lost another yard, and a false start killed the drive. Fairbairn hit from 27 to tie the game 13-13 with 90 seconds to play.

Peterman is known as the guy who completes passes to the other team. Last year he threw 5 interceptions in only one half of football. He is not the worst quarterback to ever start a football game, but he made his case in this game. Peterman completed a pass to Jonathan Joseph, who plays defense for the Texans. The 28 yard interception return touchdown had the Texans up by 7. There was still 1:15 on the clock since Peterman only needed 18 seconds to turn a tie game into a losing one. With 35 seconds left, on 3rd and 6 at the Buffalo 30, Peterman was intercepted again. It is very important for those who care about this stuff to note that Nathan Peterman is absolutely not Jewish. 20-13 Texans

Chicago Bears at Miami Dolphins — Ryan Tannehill is inconsistent and frequently injured. Today he was injured. So the Dolphins started Brock Osweiler, who is inconsistent. A horrendous first half saw a first quarter field position game that had the Dolphins facing 3rd and 5 just past midfield. Osweiler went deep to Grant for 25 yards. Osweiler hit Nick O’Leary for a 5 yard touchdown. The defenses took over as the Dolphins led 7-0 at halftime. The second half was as wild as the first half was boring.

The Bears started the third quarter at their own 25 and immediately were a different team. Mitch Trubisky ran for a 28 yard gain. Defensive pass interference added 32 more yards. Trubisky hit Trey Burton for a 9 yard touchdown and a 7-7 game. On 3rd and 7 from the Miami 40, Osweiler was intercepted by Fuller, who returned it 35 yards to the Miami 12. One play later Trubisky hit Allen Robinson for the touchdown to make it 14-7 Bears. The Dolphins would move after a touchback to a 3rd and 6 at the Chicago 32. Osweiler threw incomplete but Sanders nailed the 50 yard field goal to get the Dolphins within 14-10. After a touchback the Bears struck quickly. Trubisky went deep to Gabriel for 54 yards. Tariq Cohen then ran for a 21 yard touchdown to make it 21-10 Bears. Then the game changed again.

The Dolphins embarked on an 11 play, 68 yard drive that consumed 6 1/2 minutes. On 3rd and 4 from the Chicago 7, Osweiler threw incomplete. Sanders hit the 25 yard field goal as the Dolphins trailed 21-13 after three quarters. On 2nd and 7 from the Chicago 28, Trubisky went to Cohen for a 50 yard gain and then to Robinson for 21 more to set up 1st and goal at the 3. Trubisky hit Cohen for the score and the Bears thought they had delivered the knockout blow. Yet offensive pass interference nullified the score. On the next play Trubisky was intercepted in the end zone for a touchback. It was a big momentum shift. On 3rd and 5 from the Miami 25, Osweiler went to Albert Wilson for 28 yards. On 3rd and 6 from the Chicago 43, Oswiler went to Wilson for the touchdown. Osweiler hit Kenny Stills for the 2 point try. With 9 minutes left in regulation, the game was tied 21-21. The action was barely getting started.

After a touchback the Bears moved 75 yards in 11 plays and 5 1/2 minutes. On 3rd and 2 from their own 33, Trubisky threw incomplete, but defensive pass interference meant 6 yards and the drive continued. On 3rd and 3 from the Chicago 46, Trubisky hit Cohen for 11 yards. On 3rd and 9 from the Miami 29, Trubisky went to Allen Miller for the touchdown. With a little over 3 minutes to play, the Bears led 28-21. Only 16 seconds later, the game was tied 28-28. Osweiler connected with Wilson for a 75 yard touchdown to know the game up. At the 2 minute warning the Bears faced 2nd and 14 at their own 32. Trubisky hit Cohen for 11 yards, but Cohen fumbled and the Dolphins recovered at the Chicago 45. One first down would mean long field goal range. Yet on 4th and 6 from the Chicago 41, Adam Tase was not going to risk it all. 34 seconds still remained, so a missed kick or going for it would give the Bears a golden opportunity. Gase punted and the game went to overtime.

In overtime, the Dolphins moved from their 25 to a 3rd and goal at the one halfway through overtime. The Dolphins were inches short of the goal line. A quarterback sneak over the plane would have ended it. Unfortunately, today’s coaches all seem to emphasize strategy and charts and graphs over power and brute force. For future reference, any coach that lines up in the shotgun from inside the opponent one yard line should be shot. Being too cute by half is frustrating. Sometimes basic, textbook football works. Vince Lombardi did not win the Ice Bowl with cuteness. Anyway, out of the shotgun, Kenny Drake got the carry and fumbled. The Bears recovered in the end zone for a touchback.

On 2nd and 25, Howard gashed the Miami defense for gains of 19 and 15. On 3rd and 4 from the Miami 35, Matt Nagy played it very safe. A run up the middle gained nothing. At the 2 minute warning, Cody Parkey came in for a 53 yard field goal to beat his old team. The kick was no good and the game continued. From the Miami 43, Drake redeemed himself by running for 4 yards, taking a pass 15 more yards, and running for 3 more. Osweiler took the clock down to 3 seconds and spiked the ball. On 4th and 1 from the Chicago 29, Sanders came in for a 47 yard field goal to win it. Since overtime was invented in 1974, no NFL season has had more than 2 tie games. There have already been 2 ties in the first 5 weeks. Anyway, Sanders was good, Drake was redeemed, and Parkey was not. Osweiler had his best game as a pro, throwing for 380 yards by completing 28 of 44 passes with 2 interceptions. Trubisky was 22 of 31 for 316 yards and one interception. Both quarterbacks threw 3 touchdown passes. The Bears are 3-2 nd the Dolphins are a surprising 4-2, including 3-0 at home. 31-28 Dolphins, OT

Arizona Cardinals at Minnesota Vikings — Josh Rosen got his first win in the NFL last week, but at Minnesota and Mike Zimmer’s defense was a tougher test. Early on Zimmer decided to go for it on 4th and 2 from the Arizona 42. Kirk Cousins threw a pass that lost a yard. The great field position allowed the Cardinals to reach 2nd and 7 at the Minnesota 8. Rosen threw incomplete twice. Phil Dawson hit the 26 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Cardinals. After a touchback Latavius Murray torched the Cardinals. He ran for a 26 yard gain and then ran for a 21 yard touchdown to make it 7-3 Vikings. On the next play from scrimmage David Johnson fumbled and the Vikings took over at the Arizona 32. The defense held but Dan Bailey hit a 37 yard field goal to make it 10-3 Vikings after the first quarter.

In the second quarter an interception of Cousins had the Cardinals taking over at the Minnesota 47. Rosen went deep to Seals-Jones for a 40 yard gain. On 3rd and goal at the one, Rosen threw incomplete. Steve Wilks decided to go for it. On 4th and goal at the one, Johnson got the carry and ran into a purple Minnesota brick wall. The Vikings defense was suffocating the Arizona offense. With 4 minutes left in the half, the Vikings faced 3rd and 9 at their own 36. Disaster struck the Vikings fumbled and Budda Baker returned it 36 yards for a touchdown for a 10-10 game. After an exchange of punts, the Vikings faced 3rd and 3 at their own 41 with 55 seconds left in the half. Cousins found Kyle Rudolph and Adam Thielen for a pair of 17 yard gains. Bailey hit the 48 yard field goal as the Vikings led 13-10 at the break.

The third quarter belonged to Minnesota’s defense as they put the game away. The offense took the second half kickoff and moved 75 yards in 10 plays and 5 minutes. On 3rd and 1 from the Arizona 13, Cousins hit hielen for the score to make it 20-10 Vikings. Sherels then returned a punt 20 yards to have the Vikings get back at the Arizona 43. Murray ran for a 34 yard gain and Cousins ran for the  7 yard touchdown to have the Vikings in command up 27-10 after three quarters. Arizona did get a touchdown midway through the fourth quarter, but went backward when they got the ball back again. With 3 1/2 minutes left on 4th and 25 from their own 42, Steve Wilks chose to punt. The Cardinals never got the ball back. 27-17 Vikings.

Indianapolis Colts at New York Jets — 50 years ago these teams played one of the most consequential games in NFL history. While this game was nowhere near as significant, it was still an exciting game worthy of the old AFL. On the second play of the game, Andrew Luck was intercepted by Morris Claiborne, who returned it 17 yards for a touchdown. 12 seconds into the game, the Jets led 7-0. The Colts soon faced 3rd and 8 at their own 27. Luck hit Eric Ebron for 15 yards, Alie-Cox for 34 more, and Marcus Johnson for a 34 yard touchdown. With one touchdown pass to each team, Luck had tied the game 7-7.

The Jets then moved 69 yards in 13 plays, taking nearly 8 minutes off the clock. On 3rd and 2 from the Indy 9, Isaiah Crowell got the carry and lost 3 yard. Jason Myers hit the 30 yard field goal as the Jets led 10-7. The Jets soon faced 3rd and 4 at their own 33. Darnold was intercepted by Hooker, who returned it 27 yards to the Jets 35. The second quarter began with the Colts reaching 1st and goal at the one. A pair of runs each lost a yard and Luck threw incomplete. Adam Vinatieri hit from 21 for a 10-10 deadlock. On the very next play from scrimmage, Quincy Enunwa fumbled and the Colts recovered at the Jets 41. On 3rd and 7 from the Jets 13, Luck threw incomplete. Vinatieri hit from 31 to make it 13-10 Colts, but after that momentum changed.

On the next Colts series on 3rd and 1 from their own 44, Robert Turbin got the carry and fumbled. The Jets took over at the Indy 43. On 3rd and 7 from the Indy 40, Darnold hit Kearse for 19 yards. On 3rd and 6 from the Indy 17, Darnold found Kearse again for 7 yards. Darnold went to Terrell Pryor for a 7 yard touchdown as the Jets led 17-13 with 2 1/2 minutes left in the half. 2 plays later Luck was intercepted by Williamson, setting the Jets up at the Colts 22 at the 2 minute warning. On 3rd and 10 Darnold hit Powell for 12, but an ineligible receiver downfield killed the drive. Myers hit from 48 to make it 20-13 Jets with 1:25 left in the half. The Colts went 3 and out and the Jets got it back at their own 28 with 42 seconds left and 2 timeouts. Darnold hit Pryor for gains of 5 and 22, Anderson for 9, and Kearse for 22 more. Darnold spiked the ball with 3 seconds left. Myers hit the 32 yard field goal as the Jets led 23-13 at halftime. The Jets took over in the third quarter and faced 3rd and 5 at their own 33. Darnold hit Pryor for 19. Powell ran for 16. Darnold then found Chris Herndon for a 32 yard touchdown as 20 unanswered points had the Jets up 30-13.

The Colts tried to make a game of it, moving 75 yards. Luck hit Ebron for an 18 yard touchdown to get the Colts within 30-20. Yet the Colts defense had no answers. After a touchback the Jets moved to a 1st and 10 at the Indy 24. on 3rd and 10, a completion only gained half. Myers hit the 37 yard field goal as the Jets led 33-20 with 4 minutes left in the third quarter. After a touchback, the Colts faced 1st and 19 at their own 36. Luck hit Carlos rogers for 21 yards. From the Indy 15, a pair of defensive penalties put the ball on the one yard line to start the fourth quarter. On 3rd and goal from the 2, Luck hit Erik Swoope for the touchdown. The Colts were now only down 33-27.

They got no closer. In the fourth quarter Myers hit from 45. After an interception of Luck, Myers hit from 37. After the Colts turned it over on downs, Myers hit his 5th field goal from 45 to make it 42-27 Jets. Luck did throw a 17 yard touchdown pass to Chester Rogers with 1:51 left, but the onside kick failed and Darnold took 3 knees to end it. Darnold finished 24 of 30 for 280 yards and 2 touchdowns with one interception. Luck finished 23 of 43 for 301 yards with 4 touchdowns but also 3 interceptions. The Colts are a 1-5 mess under rookie coach Frank Reich while the Jets have fought their way back to 3-3 for Todd Bowles. 42-34 Jets

Seattle Seahawks at Oakland Raiders in London. In the United States, the Raiders lose in heartbreaking fashion. Overseas, they just get blown out. Derek Carr completed 23 of 31 passes but for only 142 yards. He was also sacked 6 times. The Raiders had every chance to make it a game early on and never did. The Seahawks just made it look easy from the start, moving 82 yards in 14 plays and 7 1/2 minutes. On 3rd and 8 at the Oakland 25, Russell Wilson went to Swoopes for 23 yards. Wilson hit Jaron Brown for a 5 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Seahawks before Oakland ever saw the ball. As the first quarter was ending, the Raiders faced 3rd and 5 at their own 31. Carr was sacked and fumbled. The Seahawks soon aced 3rd and 5 at the Oakland 19. Wilson hit David Moore for the touchdown as the Seahawks started the second quarter by taking a 14-0 lead. The Raiders mounted a 14 play drive that consumed 8 minutes but only netted 45 yards. Matt McCrane missed a 48 yard field goal. With 43 seconds left in the half, the Raiders faced 4th and inches at the Seattle 41. Jon Gruden decided to go for it. The quarterback sneak was the right call, but it was badly executed. Carr got stopped. The resulting field position let Sebastian Janikowski put the dagger in against his old team. Seabass hit the 44 yard field goal to make it 17-0 Seahawks at halftime. For some reason, league rules and diplomatic relations involving Brexit forced the second half to be played.

The Raiders began the third quarter by facing 3rd and 16 at their own 19. Carr was sacked again and fumbled again. The Seahawks took over at the Oakland 11. The defense held but Seabass hit from 26 to make it 20-0 Seahawks. On the first play of the fourth quarter, facing 4th and 7 at the Oakland 10, Wilson hit Tyler Lockett for the touchdown to make it 27-0 Seahawks. The Raiders mounted a 12 play drive that consumed 7 minutes. Such ball control would be great if they were up by 3 rather than down by 27. After consecutive sacks of Carr, Jon Gruden decided just to avoid the shutout. McCrane hit a 43 yard field goal. Although 8 1/2 minutes remained, the Raiders never got the ball back as the Seahawks showed how to close out a game. The Raiders are a miserable 1-5, and every aspect of the team is fairly dreadful. The 3-3 Seahawks are still fighting hard for Pete Carroll, which is a lot more than the future Raiders of Las Vegas can say. 27-3 Seahawks

Carolina Panthers at Washington Redskins — The Panthers have been playing well while the Redskins have not. This was a reversal of fortune. West Coast Offense dink and dunk game manager Alex Smith had his typical dink and dunk game, completing 21 of 36 passes for 163 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 0 interceptions. Cam Newton was 27 of 40 for 275 yards, 2 touchdowns and one interception. Yet it was the Redskins jumping all over the Panthers from the start. The Panthers fumbled a punt, and the Redskins took over at the Carolina 22. One play later San Francisco castoff Smith found San Francisco castoff Vernon Davis for a touchdown to make it 7-0 Redskins. Washington got it back and moved 64 yards in 12 plays and 6 1/2 minutes. On 4th and 1 at the Washington 45, Jay Gruden decided to go for it in his own territory. Smith got 2 yards. On 3rd and 1 from the Carolina 44, San Francisco castoff Smith found San Francisco castoff Davis for 21 yards. On 3rd and goal at the 2, Smith found Paul Richardson for the touchdown and the 14-0 Redskins lead. Newton was intercepted on the next Carolina series. After that series, the Panthers fumbled the ball away. Dustin Hopkins hit a 49 yard field goal in the second quarter to make it 17-0 Redskins.

Carolina tried to rally. From their own 25, Newton hit Christian McCaffrey for 8 and again for 13. Newton ran for 13 and hit Moore for 18. Newton found Devon Funchess for a 23 yard touchdown. Last week Graham Gano was the hero who nailed a 63 yard field goal at the gun for a win. This week he missed an extra point as the Panthers trailed 17-6 at intermission. Gano would hit a third quarter field goal to get the Panthers within 17-9. With 12 1/2 minutes left in regulation, Jay Gruden again took a bold gamble to spark his team. He brought in Hopkins to try a 56 yard field goal knowing a miss could lead to a tie game. Hopkins delivered and the Redskins led 20-9. Newton brought the Panthers 75 yards and threw a 3 yard touchdown pass to Torrey Smith. Newton hit Smith for the 2 point conversion as the Panthers only trailed 20-17 with 8 1/2 minutes to play.

The Redskins moved 64 yards in 10 plays and 5 minutes. On 3rd and 6 at the Carolina 11, Smith threw incomplete. Hopkins hit the 29 yard field goal but the Redskins only led by 6 with over 3 minutes left. Newton had time to lead a stirring comeback. 12 plays and 68 yards later, the Panthers had moved from their own 16 to a 2nd and 5 at the Washington 16 with 47 seconds left. Newton threw 3 straight incompletions and the Redskins held on. Josh Norman got revenge against his old team. 23-17 Redskins

Los Angeles Rams at Denver Broncos — The unbeaten Rams took on a reeling Denver team in the first truly cold weather game of the season. Warm weather permeated much of the country, but it was 25 degrees in Denver with brief snow flurries. Nevertheless, the Rams offense remained red hot and Michelin Man Wade Phillips saw his new defense beat up his former team that he won a Super Bowl with. In the first quarter the Rams moved from their 29 to a 3rd and 6 at the Denver 8. Jared Goff threw incomplete. Cairo Santos hit the 26 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Rams. The Rams got it back and moved from their own 8 to a 3rd and 2 at the Denver 21. Goff threw incomplete and santos hit from 39. The Rams led 6-0, but Denver’s defense was keeping them in the game.

After a touchback, Denver moved to a 2nd and 5 at the Rams 44. Case Keenum went deep to Emanuel Sanders for the touchdown, but the celebration was short-lived. The Broncos were not in the lead. Sanders was ruled down at the one. Making matters worse a taunting penalty on Sanders moved the ball back to the 16. On 3rd and 4 from the 10, Keenum threw incomplete. Brandon McManus hit a 28 yard field goal on the final play of the opening quarter as the Broncos were within 6-3. The Rams finally got going from their own 34. Todd Gurley ran for gains of 29 and 5 and caught a pass for 13 more.On 4th and 1 from the Denver 10, Sean McVay made the decision of the game by deciding to go for it. Gurley got the carry, got the first down, and got the touchdown to make it 13-3 Rams at the half. In the third quarter the Rams faced 3rd and 10 at their own 42. Goff hit Robert Woods for 14 and Everett for 12. On 3rd and 1 from the Denver 23, Gurley ran for 21 yards and then for a one yard touchdown. With 6 minutes left in the third quarter, the Rams had a 20-3 stranglehold lead.

From the Rams 34, Keenum went deep and was intercepted. The Rams took over at their own 6. On 3rd and 6 from their 10, Goff had the ball intercepted right back. The Broncos took over at the Rams 12. From the 22 after offensive pass interference, Keenum went to Emanuel Sanders for the touchdown as the Broncos were within 20-10 after three quarters. The Rams missed a chance to extend the lead when Santos missed a 47 yard field goal try. Denver took over at their own 37 and Keenum went deep to Sutton for 41 yards. Yet despite 2nd and 5 from the Denver 6, Keenum threw incomplete twice. Needing 2 scores with 9 minutes left in regulation, Vance Joseph opted for the field goal. McManus hit from 24 as the Broncos were now only down 20-13.

The Rams went into pure power football mode, moving 72 yards in 13 plays and 5 1/2 minutes. Gurley ran for 9, 0, and then on 3rd and 1 got the yard. Woods gained 12. Gurley ran for 3 and then ripped off a 26 yard gain. Brown ran for 5. With the running game working perfectly, Sean McVay called a pass play. Goff was sacked for an 8 yard loss. McVay gets some latitude because the Rams are unbeaten, but too many coaches call high risk pass plays when running the ball is working. On 3rd and 13 at the Denver 27, McVay again went bold rather than run and kick a field goal. Goff hit Woods for a 19 yard gain. At this point from the 8 yard line, McVay kept it on the ground. Santos hit the 21 yard field goal as the Rams led 23-13 with only 3 minutes left. Keenum did lead the Broncos 77 yards and hit Demaryius Thomas for a one yard touchdown with 1:22 to play. The onside kick failed and the Rams remained unbeaten. They showed they can win flashy, but they can also play smash mouth when necessary. They are a complete team in every sense of the word. 23-20 Rams

Jacksonville Jaguars at Dallas Cowboys — The Jaguars are not that bad and the Cowboys are not that good. This was just one of those games. Brett Maher hit a 50 yard field goal for the Cowboys to start the deluge. Dallas got it back at the Jacksonville 48. On 3rd and 5 from the Jacksonville 43, Dak Prescott hit Cole Beasley for 15. Prescott ran for a 17 yard touchdown to make it 10-0 Cowboys. Dallas got it back to start the second quarter at their own 16 and just kept running. Ezekiel Elliott gained 7, Prescott added 7, and Elliott ran for 20 more. From the Jags 31, Prescott hit Gathers for 14 and Beasley for the 17 yard touchdown to make it 17-0 Cowboys. Dallas got it back and embarked on a staggering 16 play, 78 yard drive that consumed 7 1/2 minutes. The Cowboys were set up to punt on 4th and 1 just shy of midfield. Yet the Jaguars had too many men on the field so the Cowboys kept the ball. On 4th and 1 at the Jags 37, Jason Garrett this time decided to go for it. Elliott got 2 yards. On 3rd and 5 from the 30, Prescott hit Beasley for 18. On 3rd and 7 from the 9, Prescott hit Beasley for the touchdown and the 24-0 Cowboys lead at the half.

The second half was a formality. Blake Bortles did throw a 34 yard third quarter touchdown pass to Dede Westbrook to avoid the shutout, but this game was all Cowboys. Maher hit a 46 yard field goal in the third quarter. An interception of Bortles led to Maher hitting again from 32 in the fourth quarter. On the next play from scrimmage after a touchback, the Jaguars fumbled and the Cowboys took over at the Jags 31. Elliott ran for 21 and after a delay of game ran for a 15 yard touchdown to complete the blowout. Both teams are 3-3, but going in different directions. 40-7 Cowboys

Baltimore Ravens at Tennessee Titans — These teams have played brutal defensive head-knocker football games over the years. These slugfests were often close games. Not this time. Despite Ray Lewis and Ed Reed long being retired, John Harbaugh’s defense belted Mariota. He was sacked 11 times, while only completing 10 passes. The Titans had 7 first downs. Everybody hit Mariota except Tony Siragusa. In the first quarter Baltimore mounted a suffocating 17 play, 94 yard, 9 minute drive. On 3rd and goal from the 4, Joe Flacco hit Michael Crabtree for the touchdown. In the second quarter the Ravens took over at their own 48. Alex Collins ran for a 13 yard touchdown to make it 14-0 Ravens at halftime. The Ravens took the ball to start the third quarter and mounted a 12 play, 78 yard, 7 1/2 minute drive. Collins ran for the 2 yard touchdown. This was old-school Ravens football. Get a lead and unleash the defense. Steve McNair would not have survived this kind of beating. Mariota had no chance. 21-0 Ravens

Kansas City Chiefs at New England Patriots was the Sunday night game. The Chiefs came in 5-0 and having beaten the Patriots two straight times, including blasting them in New England in last year’s opener. Yet every time this century the Patriots are discounted, they respond with fury. After a touchback to start the game, the Patriots faced 3rd and 3 at the Chiefs 40. Tom Brady threw incomplete and Bill Belichick made the surprise decision to go for it only 2 1/2 minutes into the game. Brady threw incomplete again. The good field position allowed the Chiefs to score first when Harrison Butker hit a 42 yard field goal. After a touchback, the Patriots moved to the Chiefs 30. Stephen Gostkowski hit from 48 for a 3-3 game.

The Chiefs took over at their own 23 and the first big break in the game came. Patrick Mahomes was intercepted by Donta Hightower, who returned it 27 yards to the Chiefs 4 yard line. The Patriots scored the touchdown when Michel ran it in as New England led 10-3. A very short kickoff had the Chiefs taking over at their own 45. Mahomes went to Kareem Hunt for 25 yards. On 2nd and 4 from the Chiefs 24, rather than run the ball, pass-happy Walrus Lite Andy Reid kept passing. Mahomes threw incomplete twice. Butker hit from 42 to get the Chiefs within 10-6 after the first quarter.

The Patriots came back 75 yards in 10 plays and 5 1/2 minutes. On 3rd and 10 from the Chiefs 17, Brady went to Julian Edelman for the touchdown. Edelman missed the first 4 games with a suspension, and his return has been important. The Patriots led 17-6. The Chiefs moved 69 yards in 11 plays and 6 1/2 minutes. Yet on 2nd and goal from the 4, pass-happy Walrus Lite Andy Reid kept passing. One pass lost 2 yards and on 3rd and goal Mahomes threw incomplete. Butker hit from 24 as the Chiefs trailed 17-9. The Patriots moved 75 yards late in the half. At the 2 minute warning on 3rd and goal from the one, Michel got in the end zone. The Chiefs were kicking field goals while the Patriots were scoring touchdowns. After a touchback the Chiefs quickly moved to a 1st and 10 at the Patriots 15 yard line with 4 seconds left in the half. Rather than try a 33 yard field goal with a kicker who was 3 for 3, pass-happy Walrus Lite Andy Reid kept passing. Mahomes went to the end zone and was intercepted by Harmon for a touchback. The Patriots led 24-9 at halftime. The game completely changed in the third quarter.

On the 3rd play of the third quarter with the Chiefs facing 3rd and 2 at their own 33, Mahomes went deep to Kareem Hunt for a 67 yard touchdown. Just like that, the Chiefs were within 24-16. The Patriots mounted a 12 play, 65 yard drive that took 6 minutes. Despite 1st and goal at the 6, a run gained one yard and Brady threw incomplete twice. Gostkowski hit from 24 as the Patriots led 27-16. The Chiefs had their turn and moved from their own 37 to a 3rd and 2 at the New England 12. Mahomes threw incomplete. Butker hit the 30 yarder as the Chiefs were within 27-19. After a touchback, a pair of Brady incompletions had the Patriots facing 3rd and 10 at their own 36. Brady was sacked and fumbled. The Chiefs took over at the New England 29. Mahomes hit Sammy Watkins for 15 and Tyreeq Hill for the 14 yard touchdown. Walrus Lite Andy Reid is frequently criticized for his decision-making, but he made a very important decision that was the right one. Rather than go for the 2 point try to tie the game, he kicked the extra point. The Chiefs trailed 27-26 after three quarters, but chasing points in the middle of a game is the wrong course of action

After a touchback, Brady hit Edelman for 21 yards as the Patriots began the fourth quarter at their own 47. Yet on 3rd and 6 from the Chiefs 21, Brady threw incomplete. Gostkowski hit from 39 as the Patriots led 30-26. Then came the Chiefs special team. From the goal line, Smith returned the ensuing kickoff 97 yards. He was caught from behind at the last moment but the Chiefs had 1st and goal at the 3. On 3rd and goal at the one, the entire world knew that pass-happy Walrus Lite Andy Reid was going to pass. Mahomes threw a fade pass that appeared overthrown, but a sliding Tyreeq Hill made the catch and kept his feet from touching the white chalk. Hill may not have been the primary receiver on the play, but a 24-6 second half run had the Chiefs up 33-30 with 8 1/2 minutes left in regulation.

After a touchback, Brady hit White for 9 yards. On 3rd and 1 from the New England 34, Brady went deep to Chris Hogan for a 42 yard gain. Brady went back to Hogan on the next play for 19 more yards down to the 5. On 3rd and goal at the 4, Brady appeared to be sacked. Yet somehow he escaped, scrambled up the middle, and dove over the goal line for the touchdown. Now the Patriots had retaken the lead 37-33 with 5 1/2 minutes to play. Replay showed that rookie Braylon Speakes clearly had Brady dead to rights, but that he let go of Brady to avoid a penalty. Perhaps he thought Brady had thrown the ball already. It was another example of why trying to make the game safer is a delicate balance as fear of penalties leads to defensive errors.

On the next Chiefs series Mahomes threw a mom on third down off of his back foot. He was lucky his under thrown ball was not intercepted. The Chiefs had not punted all game, but with 4 minutes left in regulation they did. The Patriots took over at their own 21. Rather than run down the clock, now it was Bill Belichick and Josh McDaniels getting aggressive. Brady went to Rob Gronkowski, and Gronk stiff-armed a defender and threw him out of the way for a 42 yard gain. The Chiefs took their first timeout on defense with 3 1/2 minutes left. On 3rd and 5 from the Chiefs 33, Brady threw incomplete. Edelman had it in his hands but dropped it. Belichick had Gostkowski try a 50 yard field goal knowing a miss would have the Chiefs in position for a win. Gostkowski delivered and the Patriots led 40-33 with 3:15 to play.

12 seconds later, the game was tied again. Are? You? Kissing? Me???!!!!!! On 1st and 10 after a touchback, Mahomes went bombs away to Hill for a 75 yard touchdown. With 3 minutes left, the NFL had a 40-40 game. At the 2 minute warning, the Patriots faced 3rd and 1 at their own 34. A short un of 2 yards kept the drive going. With everything on the line, Brady went deep to Gronkowski for a 39 yard gain. The Chiefs only had one timeout left, so they were helpless on defense. With 3 seconds left, Gostkowski came in for a 28 yarder to win it. The kick was good and the game of the year had everything but overtime. The 41 year old Brady ran across the field to congratulate the 23 year old Mahomes, as the Chiefs were knocked from the rails of the unbeaten. Mahomes finished 23 of 36 for 352 yards, 4 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions. Brady went 24 of 35 for 340 yards, one touchdown, and 0 interceptions. After 2 straight losses to Andy Reid, Bill Belichick got the better of him this time. An AFC Title Game rematch would be well worth the price of admission. Brady is winding down but as good as ever. Mahomes is scary good and will be for quite some time. Last year the 5-0 Chiefs collapsed to 6-6. Don’t be fooled by this loss. The Chiefs even in defeat are for real. The Patriots barely survived them in New England. They would not want to face them in January in Kansas City. 43-40 Patriots

San Francisco 49ers at Green Bay Packers was the Monday night game. Both offenses shot out of the gate, with very little defense to be found. After a touchback, CJ Beathard found Goodwin for 17 yards, Juszczyk for 9, and Bourne for 22. Matt Breida ran for a 3 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 49ers only 4 minutes into the game. The Packers took over at their own 23 and on the first play from scrimmage, Aaron Rodgers went deep Valdes-Scantling for a 60 yard gain. Jones ran for 16 yards and Montgomery ran for a2 yard touchdown and a 7-7 ballgame. The 49ers fumbled the ensign kickoff and the Packers took over at the San Francisco 34. Despite 2nd and 9 from the 49ers 11, Rodgers threw incomplete twice. Mason Crosby shook off last week’s nightmarish performance to hit a 29 yard field goal to make it 10-7 Packers

The Packers took over at their own 21. From their 34, Rodgers went deep to Jimmy Graham for a 54 yard gain. Rodgers hit Devontae Adams for a 9 yard touchdown to male it 17-7 Packers. The 49ers took over at their 22 and came right back. From their 33, Beathard went bombs away to Goodwin for a 67 yard touchdown to get the 49ers within 17-14. All of this was still in the first quarter.

Green Bay returned the ensuing kickoff 66 yards to the San Francisco 28, but it was called back by a penalty. In the second quarter the 49ers took over at their 20. Beathard hit Juszczyk for 21 yards, but Juszczyk fumbled and the Packers recovered at the San Francisco 44. Despite 1st and 10 at the San Francisco 21, pass-happy Mike McCarthy kept passing. Rodgers threw 3 straight incompletions. Crosby hit the 39 yard field goal to make it 20-14 Packers. A 25 yard return on the kickoff had the 49ers at their own 35. Beathard hit Kittle for 9 yards. Mostert ran for a 26 yard gain. Beathard then went deep to a wide open Goodwin for a 30 yard touchdown. With 6 minutes left in the half, the 49ers had a 21-20 lead. The 49ers got it back at their own 40 and ended the half with Robbie Gould hitting a 46 yard field goal for a 24-20 49ers lead.

After a touchback to start the third quarter, the Packers soon faced 1st and 10 at their own 37. Rodgers rolled to his right, and with his feet off the ground found Valdes-Scantling for a 30 yard gain. The drive died there, but Crosby nailed a 51 yard field goal dead center to get the Packers within 24-23. The 49ers after a touchback moved to a 3rd and 2 at the Green Bay 26. Beathard threw incomplete. Gould hit from 44 to make it 27-23 49ers. The 49ers got it back at their own 18 and moved 58 yards in 10 plays in 5 minutes. On 3rd and 4 from the Green Bay 24, Beathard threw incomplete. With 13 minutes left in regulation, Gould hit from 42 to make it 30-23 49ers.

After a touchback, the Packers moved to a 3rd and 10 at the San Francisco 11. Rodgers could not find anybody and scrambled for 7 yards. Mike McCarthy decided to go for it and Rodgers threw incomplete midway through the fourth quarter. The 49ers went 3 and out and the Packers got it back in excellent field position at their own 48 with 5 1/2 minutes left. A pass lost 3 yards and a sack of Rodgers meant 3 and out. With 4 minutes left, Mike McCarthy opted to punt and trust his defense in a game with very little defense. The 49ers took over at their own 19. Kyle Shanahan learned nothing from his Super Bowl loss with Atlanta a couple of years ago. He kept trying to pass the ball from deep in his own territory rather than run it. A sack of Beathard meant another 3 and out and the Packers getting the ball back at their own 42 with 3 minutes left. What could possibly go wrong?

Rodgers went deep to Adams for a 42 yard gain. At the 2 minute warning, the Packers faced 3rd and 6 at the Frisco 16. Rodgers floated a perfect pass just over the outstretched fingers of the defender into the arms of Adams for the touchdown. The teams were tied 30-30 as the 49ers took over at their own 47 with 1:49 left thanks to a personal foul call on the Packers. On 3rd and 3 at the Green Bay 46 with 1:13 left, a short completion and one more first down could have meant long field goal range. Instead Kyle Shanahan got greedy. A deep ball was intercepted by King at the Green Bay 10 yard line with 1:07 left.

Montgomery ran for 14 yards, but with 49 seconds left the Packers faced 3rd and 15 at their own 19. Overtime seemed almost certain. Rodgers was sacked, but a questionable illegal contact penalty on Richard sherman kept the drive going. Rodgers then scrambled up the middle for 21 yards as the clock ticked. The Packers had no timeouts so Rodgers spiked it with 20 seconds left. Rodgers went to Adams for 8 yards. with 15 seconds left, the Packers faced 3rd and 2 at the Frisco 47. Rodgers went to Brown for 19 yards. With 10 seconds left, a field goal try would have been 46 yards. Yes, Crosby was awful last week, but he was fine this week. McCarthy wanted it closer. Rodgers had to go sideline, and he hit Adams for 19 yards. Now from the 9 yard line with 6 seconds left, it was only a 27 yard try. For some mindless reason, McCarthy called one more play. Rodgers quickly threw it out of bounds to leave 3 seconds. Crosby came in, and the kick was good. Last week’s goat was this week’s hero. Beathard finished 16 of 23 for 245 yards 2 touchdowns, and one interception. Rodgers was 25 of 46 for 425 yards and 2 touchdowns with 0 interceptions. 33-30 Packers

NFL 2018 Week 6 Prequel

https://www.commdiginews.com/sports/historic-matchups-nfl-2018-107394/

NFL 2018 Week 5 Recap

Indianapolis Colts at New England Patriots was the Thursday night game. This was expected to be the men against the boys, and it was. The Patriots drove 80 yards in 12 plays and 6 minutes. Tom Brady hit Cordarelle Patterson for a one yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Patriots. The Colts mounted a 14 play drive from their own 6 yard line but Adam Vinatieri missed a 48 yard field goal against his old team. Brady immediately led the Patriots 57 yards and got the final yard himself to make it 14-0 Patriots.

Vinatieri would hit a 54 yard field goal in the second quarter, but the Patriots would go 78 yards in 11 plays. Brady hit White for a 6 yard touchdown to have the Patriots rolling 21-3. The Colts could not even get to the locker room without more pain. Andrew Luck was intercepted, allowing Stephen Gostkowski to hit a 45 yard field goal to end the half with the Patriots up 24-3.

A pair of freak interceptions of Tom Brady in the third quarter both came off of deflected passes that should have been caught. The second one even came when Rob Gronkowski had the ball blasted out of his hands. Both times the Colts took advantage. Starting at the New England 35, Luck hit Eric Ebron for a 14 yard touchdown. Then from their own 20, the Colts moved 80 yards. Luck hit Swoope for a 13 yard touchdown. The Colts only trailed 24-17 after three quarters.

The fourth quarter brought the cold dose of reality. The Patriots moved 75 yards and Brady went deep to Josh Gordon for a 34 yard touchdown. An interception of Luck then put the Patriots at the Indy 34. One play later, Michel ran for the touchdown to have the Patriots cruising 38-17. The Colts did get a late garbage touchdown to make the score look more respectable. Those who buried the evil empire of football led by the Evil Hoodie Bill Belichick never learn. Frank Reich once led a 32 point comeback, but not against New England. 38-24 Patriots

Jacksonville Jaguars at Kansas City Chiefs — The top offense took on the top defense in a  game that started under a driving rain that soon settled down. The Chiefs moved 73 yards in 10 plays and 5 1/2 minutes. Patrick Mahomes scrambled for a 4 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Chiefs. The second quarter began with the Chiefs at the Jacksonville 43. Mahomes went deep to Sammy Watkins for a 33 yard gain. Harrison Butker hit a 22 yard field goal to make it 10-0 Chiefs.

In the second quarter Doug Marrone decided to go for it on 4th and 2 from the Chiefs 5. Blake Bortles fired to the end zone but the pass was well defended incomplete. Mahomes finally threw his first interception of the year to set up the Jaguars at the Chiefs 41. On the next play Bortles was hit and fumbled the ball back. Mahomes then connected with Travis Kelce for a 40 yard gain down to the Jacksonville 8 yard line. Butker hit from 42 to make it 13-0 Chiefs.

The end of the half was a nightmare that blew the game open. Bortles was intercepted by Chris Jones, who returned it for a 20 yard touchdown to make it 20-0 Chiefs. Bortles quickly rallied The Jaguars inside the Chiefs 5 yard line. Bortles fired a pass that bounced off the helmet of one of his own offensive lineman and was intercepted in the end zone for a touchback.

In the third quarter Butker hit from 38 as the Chiefs led 23-0. Bortles did throw a 14 yard touchdown pass to TJ Yeldon to get the Jaguars on the board down 23-7. The Chiefs moved 64 yards and Kareem Hunt ran for a 4 yard touchdown to have the Chiefs winning 30-7. The Jaguars got a garbage touchdown and nothing more as the Chiefs remained unbeaten at 5-0, making Andy Reid a most happy Walrus Lite. Bortles threw 61 passes, completing 33 for 430 yards and one touchdown. He also threw 4 interceptions. Last year the Chiefs collapsed from 5-0 to 6-6. This is not last year. 30-14 Chiefs. 

Tennessee Titans at Buffalo Bills — A fumble by the Titans gave the Bills a short field at the Tennessee 47. Sean McDermott called a flea flicker on the first play from scrimmage. It was overthrown incomplete, but after 11 plays and 5 1/2 minutes the Bills were in the end zone. Josh Allen scrambled for the 14 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Bills. The Titans got a break when Nick Williams returned a punt 38 yards to the Buffalo 19 yard line. After Marcus Mariota was nearly intercepted on 3rd and 3, the Titans escaped with a 25 yard Ryan Succop field goal to get within 7-3. In the second quarter the Bills missed a chance to extend the lead when a field goal try saw a fumbled snap and a kick that never happened. Succop hit from 54 as the Titans only trailed 7-6 at halftime.

In the third quarter the Titans fumbled in their own territory. A 40 yard field goal had the Bills up 10-6. As the third quarter was ending, the Titans moved into the red zone. Mariota on 3rd and 4 went to the end zone and had a wide open Williams for the lead. Williams dropped it. Succop hit from 39 to get the Titans within 10-9. Succop would hit again from 50 to put the Titans up 12-10 with 5 minutes left in regulation. Josh Allen used the clock and moved the Bills in position to win it as Steve Hauschka came in for a 46 yard try to win it with 4 seconds left. The kick was good, and there was no time left on the clock for a kick return miracle. This is not 1999. 13-12 Bills

Atlanta Falcons at Pittsburgh Steelers — LeVeon Bell is still sitting out, but James Conner has filled in effectively. The Steelers moved 78 yards as Conner caught a pass for 29 yards, ran for 30 more, and got the last yard to make it 6-0 Steelers. his Boswell missed the extra point. Pittsburgh got it back and moved 54 yards. On 3rd and 8 form the Atlanta 18, Ben Roetholisberger fired over the middle to Juju Smith-Schuster. Despite neither of them being Jewish, the Steelers led 13-0.

The Falcons finally got on the board when Matt Ryan connected with Mohammed Sanu for a 43 yard touchdown to  get the Falcons within 13-7. Atlanta got it back and mounted a 6 minute drive. A 47 yard Matt Bryant field goal had the Falcons only down 13-10.

In the third quarter the Steelers moved 85 yards in 12 plays and 7 minutes. Roethlisberger hit Antonio Brown for a 9 yard touchdown to make it 20-10 Steelers. Atlanta then had to punt and Bosher had his punt blocked. The Steelers took over at the Atlanta 18. Conner got the last 2 yards on the ground for a 27-10 Steelers lead.

The Falcons moved the ball 60 yards and Smith got the last 2 yards to get within 27-17. Yet the Steelers came right back in the fourth quarter to salt the game away. Big Ben went to Brown for a 47 yard touchdown to make it 34-17 Steelers. In 2002, the Steelers blew a 34-17 fourth quarter lead against the Falcons in what became the greatest 34-34 tie in NFL history. This is not 2002. From the Atlanta 2 yard line, Ryan got belted, fumbled, and the Steelers recovered for an exclamation point touchdown. 41-17 Steelers

Denver Broncos at New York Jets — The Jets began the game by fumbling the ball deep in their own territory. The Broncos took over at the Jets 20. Case Keenum fired to Sutton for an 8 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Broncos. The Jets wasted a 6 minute drive when a 30 yard field goal try was no good. In the second quarter the Jets tied the game 7-7 when Isaiah Crowell took a handoff 77 yards for a touchdown. Sam Darnold then went bombs away to Rodney Anderson for a 76 yard touchdown to make it 14-7 Jets. Brandon McManus hit a 30 yard field goal to get the Broncos within 14-10, but the Jets quickly moved 75 yards kate in the half. Darnold hit Anderson for a 35 yard touchdown as the Jets took a 21-10 lead to the locker rooms.

The second half belonged to the Jets defense. In the third quarter the Jets moved 64 yards in 13 plays and 6 1/2 minutes. A 49 yard Josh Myers field goal made it 24-10 Jets. In the fourth quarter the Broncos fumbled deep in their own territory. The defense held but Myers hit from 30 to make it 27-10 Jets. The Broncos moved to a 4th and 3 at the Jets 6 with 9 minutes left. Case Keenum threw incomplete. The Jets moved 93 yards and Darnold hit Terrell Pryor for a 20 yard touchdown to make it 34-10 Jets. Denver got a garbage touchdown as Vance Joseph remains on the hot seat and Todd Bowles saw his seat cool for one week. 34-16 Jets

Green Bay Packers at Detroit Lions — A fumbled punt had the Lions recovering at the Green Bay one yard line. It appeared that the ball touched a Detroit player first, but Mike McCarthy’s challenge was unsuccessful. LaGuerrette Blount ran it in to make it 7-0 Lions. Later on Matthew Stafford went deep to Kenny Golladay. who out-jumped the defender for a 60 yard gain down to the 5 yard line. Blount gained 4 and then got the last yard to make it 14-0 Lions. Aaron Rodgers then got belted and fumbled. The Lions took over at the Green Bay 22 and Matt Prater began the second quarter with a 39 yard field goal to make it 17-0 Lions.

Mason Crosby missed 3 field goals for the Packers in the first half, including a 42 yarder that doinked off the upright. Rodgers got belted again and fumbled again to give the Lions another short field. On 3rd and goal Stafford fired a laser over the middle where Marvin Jones got his feet down for the touchdown to make it 24-0 Lions.

In the third quarter Mike mcCarthy decided to go for it on 4th and 11 rather than rely on his shaky kicker. Rodgers got the conversion and then threw a 3 yard touchdown to Valdes-Scantling. The 2 point conversion had the Packers within 24-8. The Lions had a chance to extend their lead but Prater badly missed a 55 yard field goal. Green Bay then had 4th and 4 at the Detroit 30. Again McCarthy went for it and Rodgers on a designed draw up the middle gained 8 yards. Rodgers went to Lance Kendricks for a one yard touchdown, This time the 2 point try failed as the Packers trailed 24-14 late in the third quarter.

In past years, the Lions blew a 20-0 lead at home against the Packers and lost 27-23 on an Aaron Rodgers Hail Mary on the final play. This is not the past. Detroit stayed calm, got the ball back at their own 45, and gave themselves some well needed breathing room. Stafford hit Golladay for a 5 yard touchdown to make it 31-14 Lions after three quarters.

Rodgers tried to rally the Packers. A 75 yard drive saw him throw a 12 yard touchdown to Devontae Adams had the Packers within 31-20. Crosby, who had already missed 3 field goals, missed the extra point. Needing 2 scores, Crosby came in for yet another field goal attempt. He missed again. Crosby would actually make a field goal before the game ended, but the 13 points he threw away were the difference between a 5 point win and an 8 point loss. 31-23 Lions

Baltimore Ravens at Cleveland Browns — The Dawg Pound was fired up as both defense laid the lumber early on. An interception of Baker Mayfield set up the Ravens at the Cleveland 33. The Ravens settled for a 44 yard Justin Tucker field goal for a 3-0 Ravens lead. In the second quarter Baltimore moved inside the 5 yard line but Joe Flacco was intercepted. Late in the half the Browns moved 78 yards. Mayfield hit Rashard Higgins for a 19 yard touchdown to make it 6-3 Browns. The extra point was no good. Tucker came in at the end of the half to tie the game. The kick was blocked as the Dawg Pound erupted.

In the third quarter a 56 yard pass from Mayfield had the Browns facing 1st and goal. A sack of Mayfield had the Browns settling for a 35 yard field goal and a 9-3 lead. The Ravens again moved within the Baltimore 10 yard line but on 3rd and 3 Flacco threw incomplete. This time Tucker hit the 25 yarder as the Ravens trailed 9-6 after three quarters.

At the 2 minute warning, the Ravens were in tying field goal range at the Cleveland 30. On 3rd and 13, Flacco found Allen for a gain of 16 to the Cleveland 14. With one minute left, on 3rd and 10, Flacco fired to the end zone to Michael Crabtree, who dropped it. Tucker hit the 32 yarder and the game was tied 9-9. Mayfield worked the final 52 seconds well in getting the Browns from their 25 to the Baltimore 37. Joseph came in for a 55 yard try to win it. The kick was no good by a country mile. For the third time in 5 weeks, the Browns were headed to overtime.

The Browns won the toss but quickly went 3 and out. A good punt had the Ravens taking over at their own 6 yard line. With 4 1/2 minutes left in overtime the Ravens faced 3rd and 12 at their own 45 after Flacco somehow escaped an intentional grounding penalty. Flacco threw incomplete and the Browns got it back at their own 14. A short pass to Jarvis Landry went for a 27 yard gain with 15 more tacked on for roughing the passer.  On 3rd and 5, Mayfield threw incomplete. Hue Jackson decided to go for it rather than try a 57 yard field goal. Mayfield went deep incomplete as the crowd screamed for a defensive pass interference call that never came.

With 3 1/2 minutes left in the extra session, Flacco threw 3 straight incompletions. It was Baltimore who demanded a defensive penalty to no avail. The officials were consistently letting the players play. With 3 minutes left the Browns took over at their own 16. A reverse play was blown up in the backfield for an 11 yard loss. The Browns were facing 2nd and 21 at their own 5 yard line.

Mayfield scrambled for 13 yards to set up 3rd and 8 at the 2 minute warning. One stop and the Ravens would get the ball back and extend Cleveland’s misery. Not this time. A short pass from Mayfield to Willies went for a 39 yard gain. Johnson gained 15 yards, another 5, and 4 more. With 6 seconds left, Joseph came in for a 37 yard field to win it for the Browns.

A miss would make the Browns the first team since 1974 to have 2 ties. In 2015, the Browns lined up for the winning field goal on the final play of regulation. The Ravens returned it for a touchdown the other way. This is not 1974 or 2015. The kick was good. The Cleveland Browns are no longer the Charlie Browns. Baker Mayfield is the new Brian Sipe. This is not 1980, but these Browns are definitely their own version of Cardiac Kids. 12–9 Browns, OT

New York Giants at Carolina Panthers —The Panthers easily moved 75 yards thanks to miserable tackling by the Giants. Cam Newton found Samuel for a 25 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Panthers. Rosas would hit a 42 yard field goal to get the Giants on the board. The second quarter began with the Giants fumbling a punt. 3 or 4 different Giants players fumbled the ball backward into their own end zone. The Panthers fell on it for a gift touchdown and a 14-3 lead. Graham Gano would tack on a 47 yard field goal to make it 17-3 Panthers.

Pat Shurmur went to his bag of tricks to spark the Giants. Eli Manning fired a backward pass to O’Dell Beckham Jr. Beckham went deep to Saquon Barkley for a 57 yard touchdown to get the Giants within 17-10. Gano hit a 47 yard field goal to make it 20-10 Panthers. Aldrick Rosas nailed a 53 yarder as the Giants only trailed 20-13 at halftime. In the third quarter Manning went to the end zone to Beckham, who had it in his hands. At the last moment it was knocked away. Rosas hit a 36 yard field goal as the Giants trailed 20-16.

The second half was an ugly affair as Eli Manning and Cam Newton both took turns completing passes to the opposing defense. After an exchange of interceptions, the Panthers held the ball for 5 minutes and went 68 yards. The fourth quarter began with the Panthers facing 3rd and 8 at the Giants 18. Newton fired to Christian McCaffrey to make it 27-16 Panthers.

After another exchange of interceptions, the Giants took over at the Carolina 34. Manning went deep to Beckham for the touchdown. The 2 point try succeeded and now the Giants were within 27-24. The Panthers held the ball for 12 plays and 6 minutes after a touchback but could not put the game away. Gano hit the 39 yard field goal. The Panthers led 30-24, but this game was far from over.

75 yards came quickly and easily for the Giants. Manning hit Saquon Barkley for a 15 yard touchdown in front of a shellshocked home crowd. The Giants led 31-30 with barely more than one minute left as it appeared the Panthers had completely collapsed. After a touchback with barely more than one minute to work with, Newton tried to pull off a miracle. Yet Gano’s field goal try to win it was from 63 yards out. The NFL record is 64. Riverboat Ron Rivera got his miracle and the Giants got a stunning loss as Gano buried the kick. 33-31 Panthers

Miami Dolphins at Cincinnati Bengals — After a scoreless opening quarter, Miami held the ball for 6 minutes. Ryan Tannehill hit Drake for a 22 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Dolphins. The Bengals missed a field goal. Late in the half Jakeem Grant returned a punt 70 yards for a score to make it 14-0 Dolphins. In the third quarter Sanders hit a 42 yard field goal to make it 17-0 Dolphins. The Dolphins were in total control even as Randy Bullock answered from 51 to finally get the Bengals on the board. The fourth quarter showed the character of both teams.

The Bengals moved 71 yards. Red Rifle Andy Dalton threw an 18 yard touchdown to get the Bengals within 17-10. Miami got it back at their own 19. From their 33, under heavy pressure, Ryan Tannehill just tried to throw the ball into the ground. It bounced off a lineman’s helmet, went backward, and was intercepted by Michael Johnson. Johnson took the gift 22 yards for the tying touchdown for a 17-17 game. The Bengals got it back at their own 36. Mixon had gains of 11 and 31. Bullock hit a 20 yard field goal to put the Bengals up 20-17. On 3rd and 17 from their own 18, Tannehill got hit and fumbled. The ball was plucked out of the air by Hubbard, who returned it for the second Cincinnati defensive touchdown to ice the game. Tannehill threw in one more interception for good measure. 27-17 Bengals

Oakland Raiders at Los Angeles Chargers — This felt like a home game for the Oakland Raiders of Los Angeles and Las Vegas against the San Diego Chargers of Los Angeles. Both teams have high octane offenses, but 25 minutes of ugly football led to a 3-3 game. Caleb Sturgis hit from 49 in the first quarter and Mat McCrane answered from 24 in the second quarter. With less than 5 minutes left in the half, the Raiders went into collapse mode.

A swing pass from Philip Rivers to Ekeler went for a 44 yard touchdown to make it 10-3 Chargers. A field position game had the Chargers getting the ball back near midfield. From the one, Melvin Ingram came in on offense and carried the ball. He was stopped. Melvin Gordon does play offense, and on 3rd and goal he got in to make it 17-3 Chargers. McCrane attempted a 57 yard field goal to end the half. The kick was dead center but short.

In the third quarter Sturgis hit from 30 to have the Chargers cruising 20-3. One play summarized everything that is wrong with the 2018 Raiders. Defensive pass interference gave them 1st and goal at the one. Rather than hand the ball to Marshawn Lynch, Carr fired over the middle of the end zone and was intercepted by Ingram. For whatever reason, Jon Gruden’s refusal to just pound the rock is killing his team. On the next play, Anthony Lynn went for the kill shot. Rivers went deep for a 50 yard gain. For some reason, the fourth quarter was played since league rules banned canceling it.

The Chargers easily moved 96 yards against a Raiders defense lacking any semblance of heart, guts or scheme. The Chargers faced 2 offensive holding penalties and a false start yet still were able to gain big chunks on offense. The final dagger was a 3rd and 11 pass that gained 12 to the Oakland 19. By the time Rivers hit Green for a 13 yard touchdown, it looked like the defense had quit. Green practically walked into the end zone. The extra point was no good, but the Chargers led 26-3.

After a touchback with 9 1/2 minutes left, Carr connected with Martavius Bryant for a 47 yard gain. Bryant had fumbled the ball away earlier but held on this time. Yet with the offense showing as little urgency as the defense, the Raiders soon faced 4th and 4 at the Chargers 21. Carr fired over the middle to Seth Roberts for the first down but for some reason never went into hurry up mode. On 3rd and 1 from the 5, Richard got it inches short of the goal line. Carr fired to Jordy Nelson for the touchdown, but they were down by 16 with only 5 minutes left. With a pathetic defense, they were done. Of course the defense did not get a stop as the Chargers easily finished things to drop the Raiders to a 1-4 team that should be an 0-5 team. 26-10 Chargers

Arizona Cardinals at San Francisco 49ers — The 49ers moved 75 yards to start the game. CJ Beathard hit Breida for a 5 yard touchdown to make it 6-0 49ers after the missed extra point. After a touchback, Josh Rosen needed one play to give the Cardinals the lead. He hit kirk for a 75 yard touchdown bomb to make it 7-6 Cardinals. In the second quarter from the Arizona 40, the 49ers fumbled and the Cardinals made them pay. Patrick Peterson returned the fumble 51 yards to the 49ers 18 yard line. David Johnson got the 2 yard touchdown to make it 14-6 Cardinals at halftime.

The second half was mostly defense. After a scoreless third quarter, the 49ers in the fourth quarter finally got a drive going. 83 yards, 12 plays and 6 minutes came to a head when Beathard threw incomplete on 3rd and goal at the one. With less than 7 minutes left in the game, Kyle Shanahan decided to go for it. Beathard hit Taylor for the touchdown. The 2 point try was incomplete as the 49ers trailed 14-12. 

The Cardinals went 3 and out and the 49ers quickly got it back at their own 32. From their own 41, Beathard was sacked for an 18 yard loss and fumbled the ball. Bynes picked it up and raced 23 yards for a defensive touchdown. With 4 1/2 minutes left the Cardinals led 21-12. An interception of Beathard 30 seconds later sealed the deal. With the short field, a 6 yard touchdown run by Johnson made it 28-12 Cardinals. The 49ers did score a touchdown with 90 seconds left, but the 2 point try failed and so did the onside kick. Steve Walks got his first win as an NFL head coach. 28-18 Cardinals

Los Angeles Rams at Seattle Seahawks — The unbeaten Rams faced a serious test against an improving Seattle team. The Rams moved to the Seattle 2 yard line, but Jared Goff was intercepted at the goal line. Seattle took over at their own 26. From the Rams 48, Russell Wilson hit Vannett for a 32 yard gain. Davis ran for a 6 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Seahawks. A 35 yard kickoff return had the Rams starting at their own 42. Goff found Cooper Kupp for 27 yards, Todd Gurley did the rest. He caught a pass for 19, ran for 16, and ran for the 2 yard touchdown to make it a 7-7 ballgame.

In the second quarter, a ket decision by Sean McVay would have ramifications later on. The Rams moved from their 20 to a 3rd and goal at the one. Gurley got stopped, and on 4th and goal McVay opted for the field goal. Santos hit the 19 yarder and the Rams led 10-7. Tyler Lockett returned the kickoff 42 yards to midfield. Wilson then went deep to Lockett for a 39 yard touchdown and a 14-10 Seahawks lead.

The Rams took over at their own 30. Goff went to Gurley for 15 and Kupp and Higbee for a pair of 17 yard gains. Goff hit Kupp for a 6 yard touchdown to put the Rams back in front 17-14 with 6 minutes left in the half. The Seahawks took over at their own 39. On 3rd and 10 from their own 47, Wilson hit Lockett for 15. Sebastian Janikowski nailed a 52 yard field goal as the teams were deadlocked 17-17 at halftime.

The Seahawks began the third quarter facing 3rd and 3 at their own 32. Davis ran for a 37 yard gain. Wilson hit Moore for a 3 yard touchdown to make it 24-17 Seahawks. The Rams took over at their own 36. Goff hit Reynolds for gains of 22 and 17 and Reynolds ran for 10 more. On 3rd and goal from the 2, Gurley for in and the game was again tied 24-24.

The Seahawks got it back after a touchback and faced 3rd and 1 at their own 45. Carson gained 21 yards. Wilson went deep to Moore for a 30 yard touchdown to put the Seahawks up 31-24 after three quarters. The Rams took over at their own 26 and Robert Woods raced for a 56 yard gain. The fourth quarter began with the Rams facing 4th and 2 from the Seattle 10. This time Sean McVay decided to go for it. Goff threw incomplete, but defensive pass interference meant 1st and goal at the 5. Gurley got in for the score. The extra point was no good as the Rams trailed 31-30.

The Rams got it back at their own 18. Goff hit Hodge for 14 and Woods for gains of 20 and 17. Despite missing the extra point, Cairo Santos redeemed himself with a 39 yard field goal to put the Rams up by 2 with 6 minutes left in regulation. From the Seattle 24, Wilson went deep to Lockett for a 44 yard gain. From the Rams 32, the Seahawks were in the driver’s seat. They were well within Janikowski’s field goal range. They just had to take the clock down.

Seabass never got his chance. A false start and offensive holding pushed the Seahawks out of field goal range. A pair of incompletions meant 4th and 23 from the Rams 45. Seabass has made a 63 yard field goal, doinked a 64 yard try off the upright, and even once been invited to try a 76 yard field goal in a game. Pete Carroll decided not to put it all on the Polish Cannon. With 3 1/2 minutes left, he opted to punt and rely on his defense in a game that had very little defense.

With 1:52 to play, the Rams faced 3rd and 1 at their own 42. Gurley got the carry and got stopped inches short of the sticks. The inspired defensive stand meant the Seahawks offense would have one last chance. With 1:39 left, both teams were out of timeouts. In a stunningly bold display, Sean McVay kept the offense on the field rather than punt. This was insane. If they failed to convert, seattle would have a short field for the winning field goal. This was not a bluff. McVay was going all or nothing. If it fails, McVay is raked over the coals. Goff snuck for the first down and McVay now has the biggest brass set in the NFL. 33-31 Rams

Minnesota Vikings at Philadelphia Eagles — This NFC Title Game rematch was an ugly defensive affair. Dan Bailey doinked a 28 yard field goal off the upright no good. He then made a 37 yarder to make it 3-0 Vikings. Elliott hit from 30 in the second quarter for a 3-3 game. Bailey, one of the most accurate kickers of all time, missed again from 45. The Eagles moved from their 35 to the Minnesota 31 with 4 minutes left in the half. Then came a turning point.

Wentz was sacked and fumbled. Lee Roy Joseph plucked it out of the air. Big man with football rumbled 64 yards for a defensive touchdown for a 10-3 Vikings lead. Minnesota took over at their own 44. Kirk Cousins played pitch and catch with Adam Thielen for gains of 2, 3, 10, and eventually a 3 yard touchdown to make it 17-3 Vikings at halftime.

In the third quarter the Eagles moved from their own 27 to a 1st and goal at the 6. Jay Ajayi got the carry and fumbled and the Vikings recovered. The Vikings moved 91 yards from their own 5 to a 1st and goal at the 2. At that point Doug Pederson’s defense came up big. A run lost a yard and cousins threw incomplete twice. Bailey hit the 22 yarder to make it 20-3 Vikings.

The Eagles moved from their own 23 to a 4th and 5 at the Minnesota 10. Needing 3 scores, Doug Pederson opted for the field goal. Elliott hit from 28 to get the Eagles within 20-6. Yet after three quarters, Mike Zimmer’s defense was winning the battle. The fourth quarter brought some surprises.

The Eagles took over at their 34. From their 36, Wentz found Zac Ertz for a 23 yard gain. With 13 minutes left in regulation, on 4th and 1 from the Minnesota 20, the Eagles had to go for it. Wentz hit Alshon Jeffery for 8 yards. Wentz hit Smallwood for the 12 yard touchdown to cap the 10 play, 66 yard drive. For some surprising reason, Pederson decided to go for 2. Smallwood got in and the Eagles were down 20-14 with 12 minutes left.

After a touchback, the Vikings soon reached their own 42. A swing pass from Cousins was dropped. The Vikings thought it was an incomplete pass, but it was clearly backward and therefore a lateral. The alert Eagles defense fell on it at the Minnesota 30 with a chance to take the lead. An intentional grounding penalty killed the drive as the Eagles punted with 9 minutes left.

The Vikings held the ball for 6 1/2 minutes. The Eagles took their final timeout with 2:51 to play. Bailey came in for a 52 yard field goal try. The kick was dead center and the Vikings led 23-14. Needing two scores, Wentz rallied the Eagles to a touchdown with just over one minute left. A well executed onside kick was bobbled by Adam Thielen, but he hung onto it and the Vikings got the tough road win. Meanwhile, the defending champs are a 2-3 ballclub. 23-21 Vikings

Dallas Cowboys at Houston Texans was the Sunday night game. The battle for Texas supremacy was a good one. Early on after a touchback the Cowboys moved to a 3rd and 2 at the Houston 8 yard line. A short pass from Dak Prescott to Ezekiel Elliott lost a yard. The Cowboys settled for a 27 yard Brett Maher field goal to lead 3-0. The Texans failed to tie it when Fairbairn missed a 48 yard field goal. The Cowboys responded from their 38 when Prescott went deep to Gathers for a 32 yard gain. After that the drive died. Maher hit from 43 to make it 6-0 Cowboys after the first quarter.

Houston took over at their own 30. DeShaun Watson hit Coutee for 12 yards. On 3rd and 3 from their own 43, Deandre Hopkins for 34 yards. On 3rd and goal from the one, Watson hit Coutee for the touchdown to make it 7-6 Texans. Houston got it back at their own 19 and held the ball for 6 minutes. On 3rd and 4 from their own 37, Watson threw incomplete but unnecessary roughness on the defense kept the drive going. On 3rd and goal at the 2, Watson threw incomplete. Bill O’Brien opted for the field goal. Fairbairn hit from 20 and the Texans led 10-6 with 6 minutes left in the half.

The Cowboys moved from their 25 to the Houston 39. Prescott was then intercepted. The Texans moved from their 31 to a 4th and goal at the one with 10 seconds left in the half. Bill O’Brien went for it and Watson was tackled for a 2 yard loss. In the third quarter on 3rd and 4 from their own 31, a short pass from Watkins to Hopkins was fumbled. Lewis returned it for the Cowboys 14 yards to the Houston 16. Prescott hit Hurns for a 3 yard touchdown as the Cowboys now had the 13-10 lead.

Later in the third quarter the Cowboys faced 3rd and a8 at their own 22. Prescott was intercepted and the Texans took over at the Dallas 29. On 3rd and 9, Watson hit Griffin for 11 and 13. Despite 1st and goal at the 4, a pair of incompletions sandwiched around a completion for one yard had the Texans short of the end zone. Fairbairn hit from 21 to tie the game 13-13 after three quarters.

The Texans took over in the fourth quarter at their own 40. From the Dallas 28, a deep ball incomplete drew defensive pass interference. On 1st and goal at the one, Alfred Blue got stopped. Then Watson got stopped himself. On 3rd and goal Watson threw incomplete. On 4th and goal at the one, this time Bill O’Brien went for the field goal. Fairbairn hit from 19 as the Texans led 16-13 with 8 1/2 minutes left in regulation.

After a touchback, Prescott escaped a sack twice, rolled all the way to his right, and threw a deep ball into traffic just before getting decked.Tavon Austin came down with it for a 44 yard gain. The drive stalled after that but Maher hit the critical 48 yard field goal. Each kicker had made 3 field goals for a 16-16 ballgame with 5 1/2 minutes left in regulation. Both defenses dug in, both teams punted, and the Texans took over with 1:41 left at their own 10.

On 3rd and 6 from their own 33, Watson fired to Coutee for 19 yards with 20 seconds left. Coutee got out of bounds to preserve Houston’s final timeout. On the next play Watson was hit as he threw. Xavier Woods intercepted Watson and returned it to 15 yards to the Dallas 47 with 10 seconds left. The Cowboys also had one timeout left. Under heavy pressure, Prescott was nearly intercepted by Kareem Jackson, who would have had a clear path to the end zone the other way. The incompletion left 4 seconds as the Texans took their last timeout to prepare for the Hail Mary. Prescott reached the end zone, but it was well defended and batted down incomplete. This fine football game was headed to overtime.

The Cowboys won the toss and soon faced 3rd and 1 at their own 34. Elliott ran for a couple yards and a first down. A completion to Blake Jarwin saw him hurdle a defender for an 11 yard gain. On 3rd and 1 from the Houston 42, Elliott got the carry and got blown up in the backfield for a one yard loss. Jason Garrett was not taking any chances as the Cowboys punted. The Texans took over at their own 10 with 5 1/2 minutes left in overtime.

From the Houston 24, Bill O’Brien went to the bag of tricks. Watson faked a lateral and threw a deep ball to Hopkins, who literally spun around several defenders for a 49 yard gain. An 8 yard by Blue had the Texans facing 3rd and 1 at the Dallas 19 as the clock hit the 2 minute warning. The Texans were in the driver’s seat. All they had to do was hang on to the ball. O’Brien played it safe and Blue got the carry. He did not get the first down as the Cowboys called a timeout with 1:55 left. Fairbairn came on for the 36 yard try to win it. Fairbairn nailed it and the Battle of Texas went to the little brother over the big brother. Watson finished 33 of 44 for 375 yards, one touchdown and one interception. 19-16 Texans, OT

Washington Redskins at New Orleans Saints was the Monday night game. Drew Brees entered the game with the 3rd most passing yards in NFL history. He was about 100 yards behind Brett Favre and 200 behind Peyton Manning. The man who with Sean Payton helped save the Saints after Hurricane Katrina was about to make history in what may have been the most emotional Saints home game since Steve Gleason blocked the punt in 2006.

The Saints took over at their own 36. From their own 47, Brees hit Thomas for 20 yards and Mark Ingram for 28 more. Ingram ran for a 2 yard touchdown. Wil Lutz missed the extra point as the Saints led 6-0. The Redskins moved in 15 plays and took 8 minutes off the clock, but had to settle for a 37 yard Dustin Hopkins field goal to trail 6-3.

In the second quarter the Saints moved 75 yards in 13 plays and 7 minutes. On 3rd and 8 near midfield, Brees was sacked but unnecessary roughness on the defense kept the drive going. From the Washington 42, Brees went to Thomas for 31 yards. On 3rd and 4 from the 5, Brees only gained 2 yards. However, defensive holding meant 1st and goal at the one. Brees hit Hill for the touchdown to make it 13-3 Saints.

The Redskins did get a 53 yard field goal from Hopkins to get within 13-6, but their defense could not stop the Saints offense. Another 75 yards, 10 plays and 5 minutes came fairly easily. Brees hit Smith for 14 and Watson for 6 more. On 2nd and 17 from the Saints 46, Brees went deep to Meredith for a 46 yard gain. On 3rd and goal at the one, Ingram got in to make it 20-6 Saints.

With 2:46 left in the half, the Saints took over at their own 38. It took one play for NFL history to be made. Brees went deep to Smith, who caught the bomb and raced to the end zone for a 62 yard touchdown. The crowd cheered and cried, the tweets came pouring in across social media, and Brees hugged everyone in sight and told them he loved them. He hugged his sons and told them that you can accomplish anything you want in life with hard work. 18 yards of hard work and excellence made Brees the all time passing leader. The fact that it came on a touchdown in front of a raucous home crowd that had the Saints up 26-6 made it all the more sweeter.

In recent years people have complained about what is wrong with football. Brees is everything that is right about football. He was 17 of 20 for 250 yards, 2 touchdowns and 0 interceptions, and that was only in the first half. The 2 point conversion failed, but the Super Dome was rocking.

The Redskins did get a ray of hope when the Saints fumbled a reception late in the half. McPhee returned it 24 yards to the Saints 16. Alex Smith ran for a 4 yard touchdown to get the Redskins within 26-13 at halftime. The Saints began the second half at their own 26 and looked to immediately put the game away. Brees hit Hill for 23 yards and Watson for 8 more. From the Washington 35, Brees went deep to Smith for another touchdown. Only 2 1/2 minutes into the third quarter, the Saints led 33-13. Brees now had 499 NFL touchdown passes. One more would be number 500, tying him with Tom Brady for third place all time. Brett Favre has 508, and Peyton Manning has 539.

Midway through the third quarter, Jay Gruden decided to go for it with the Redskins facing 4th and 2 at the Saints 31. Smith was intercepted by Hardee,who returned it 77 yards to the Washington 4 yard line. On 1st and goal at the one, Brees lined up at wide receiver Out of the shotgun, it was Hill who took the snap and raced to the corner for the touchdown and the 40-13 Saints lead. Brees finished a white hot 26 of 29 for 363 yards, 3 touchdowns and 0 interceptions.

In the fourth quarter, the Saints tacked on a field goal to go up 43-13, the Redskins got a touchdown, and 10 1/2 minutes still remained. Brees stayed in the game as the crowd waited to see touchdown pass 500. They would have to wait at least another week. Brees led a drive that bled the entire clock. At the 2 minute warning, Sean Payton did not want to run up the score. Brees is about winning with class. Payton pulled Brees to a thunderous ovation. Teddy Bridgewater came in and took 3 knees to close out the game. For all the individual records, football is a team game. Brees has a 4-1 Saints team atop the NFC South. 43-19 Saints

NFL 2018 Week 5 Prequel

https://www.commdiginews.com/sports/show-me-nfl-2018-week-5-106962/