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