NFL 2018 Week 11 Recap
Green Bay Packers at Seattle Seahawks was the Thursday night game. From the Fail Mary to Matt Hasselbeck’s ill-fated prediction to the crazy onside kick in the NFC Title Game, these teams have produced some thrillers. They again produced a fine football game. Aaron Rodgers and Russell Wilson both completed 21 passes, with Rodgers throwing 30 passes for 332 yards and Wilson 225. Both signal callers threw 2 touchdowns and 0 interceptions.
On the first play from scrimmage, the Seahawks fumbled and the Packers took over at the Seattle 29. Aaron Jones ran for an 8 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Packers. The Packers missed a chance to extend the lead when Mason Crosby missed a 47 yard field goal. The momentum swing led to Sebastian Janikowski hitting a 39 yard field goal to get the Seahawks within 7-3. Packers struck again quickly after a touchback. Rodgers went to Robert Tonyan for a 54 yard touchdown as the Packers led 14-3 after the first quarter.
The second quarter began at their own 38. Wilson hit Doug Baldwin for 14 yards and Tyler Lockett for 13 more. On 3rd and goal at the 6, Wilson hit Baldwin for the score to get the Seahawks within 14-10. Seattle got it back at their own 30. Wilson went deep and drew a 48 yard defensive pass interference penalty. Wilson then hit Vannett for 17 yards down to the one. Chris Carson got the yard and the Seahawks led 17-14 with less than 3 1/2 minutes in the half.
After a touchback, Rodgers hit Jones for 15 yards and again for 22 more. Rodgers went to Devontae Adams for 11 yards. From the Seattle 24 with 44 seconds left in the half, Rodgers hit Jones with a perfect strike to put the Packers up 21-17. Seattle got it back at their own 17. With 2 seconds left in the half on 4th and 1 from their own 43, Wilson for some reason threw a 15 yard pass rather than a Hail Mary.
In a scoreless third quarter, the Seahawks moved from their own 3 yard line all the way to a 1st and 10 at the Green Bay 19. Wilson was sacked, and a false start had Seattle facing 3rd and 26. A give up run made the field goal try easier and Janikowski hit a 43 yarder to get the Seahawks within 21-20 with 12 minutes left in regulation.
The Packers soon faced 3rd and 9 at their own 26. Rodgers went deep to Adams for 57 yards. The key play of the game and the Packers facing 3rd and 5 at the Seattle 12. A touchdown would give the breathing room. Rodgers was sacked. Crosby hit the 36 yard field goal as the Packers led 24-20 with 8 1/2 minutes left in regulation.
Seattle soon faced 3rd and 3 at their own 32. Wilson hit Lockett for 18 yards and then went deep to him again for 34 more yards. It came down to 3rd and 9 at the Green Bay 15. Wilson hit Ed Dickson for the touchdown. With 5 minutes left, the Seahawks reclaimed the 3 point lead, with Crosby’s earlier miss being the difference.
On 3rd and 2 from their own 33, Rodgers threw incomplete. With 4:20 still to play, Mike McCarthy decided to punt and trust his defense. Wilson ran for 8 yards to gain a key first down. Davis ran up the middle to get the final first down as the Packers never got the ball back. Pete Carroll saw his squad get above .500 while McCarthy’s squad is below it. 27-24 Seahawks
Carolina Panthers at Detroit Lions — Carolina started out going 90 yards in 10 plays and 5 1/2 minutes. On 3rd and 5 from their own 15, Cam Newton hit Wright for 14 yards, Moore for 13 more, Devon Funchess for 23 more, and back to Moore for another 29 yards. On 3rd and goal at the one, Newton hit Greg Olsen for the score to make it 7-0 Panthers. The Lions came back 72 yards in 12 plays and 7 minutes. Matthew Stafford hit Kenny Golladay for 9 yards. On 3rd and 7 from the Carolina 34, Stafford went back to Golladay for 13 yards. From the Carolina 21, Johnson ran for one, 12 and then the 8 yard touchdown to tie the game 7-7.
With 4 minutes left in the half the Lions took over at their own 16. They moved to a 1st and 10 at the Carolina 36. Stafford threw 3 straight incompletions. Matt Prater drilled a 54 yard field goal to lead 10-7. In the third quarter Newton went to DJ Moore, who made an acrobatic catch at the sideline, evaded tacklers, got back to the middle of the field, and gained 82 yards inside the Detroit 10. Yet on 3rd and 2 from the 4, Newton was sacked for a 10 yard loss. Then Graham Gano, who had made 28 in a row, doinked a 34 yarder off the upright no good.
The Lions moved from their 24 to a 3rd and 7 at the Carolina 14. Stafford threw incomplete but Prater hit from 32 to make it 13-7 Lions. The Panthers began the fourth quarter facing 3rd and 9 at their own 9 yard line. Newton hit Funchess for 16, Samuel for 17, Olsen for 8, Moore for 10, McCaffrey for 9, Samuel for 13, and again to Samuel, who made an acrobatic catch for a 12 yard touchdown. With 9 1/2 minutes left the game was tied 13-13. Gano missed the extra point.
The Lions soon faced 3rd and 2 at their own 33. Stafford hit Theo Riddick for 17 yards to midfield. On 3rd and 15 from the Detroit 45, Stafford went deep to Golladay for 36 yards. On 3rd and 10 from the Carolina 19, Stafford went back to Golladay for the touchdown. With 5 minutes left in regulation, the Lions led 20-13.
With 2:44 left after an exchange of punts, the Panthers took over at their own 25. Newton immediately went deep to Christian McCaffrey for 34 yards and to Samuel for 12 more. Newton then hit Wright for 21 yards and Moore for the 8 yard touchdown. With 1:07 to play, the Panthers were about to tie the game. Then Riverboat Ron Rivera decided otherwise.
Yes, Gano, had missed a 28 yard field goal and an extra point. However, this seemed more a statement of boldness than a lack of confidence in the kicker. Rivera is bold, but this was big time. He went for the 2 point conversion with the game on the line. Newton dropped back, had all kinds of time, and misfired. He had the receiver, but the throw was off incomplete. The onside kick failed. As is his nature, Rivera took the heat for the call. 20-19 Lions
Cincinnati Bengals at Baltimore Ravens — Baltimore moved 75 yards in 11 plays and 5 1/2 minutes. With Joe Flacco out, Lamar Jackson got his first NFL start. Jackson ran for 12 yards to start. On 3rd and 4 from the Baltimore 45, Jackson ran for 21 more. Alex Collins ran for a 21 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Ravens. A field position game had the Bengals beginning the second quarter at their own 43. On 3rd and 7 from their own 46, Red Rifle Andy Dalton hit Boyd for 29 yards and Joe Mixon for 21 more. Mixon got in from the one to make it 7-7.
Justin Tucker hit a 28 yard field goal and then drilled a 56 yarder to end the half with the Ravens up 13-7. In the third quarter Jackson had a pass intercepted and returned 22 yards to the Baltimore 32. Dalton hit Mixon for 11 and Uzomah for 16 more. Dalton hit Lengel for the 4 yard touchdown to make it 14-13 Bengals.
Baltimore then faced 4th and 1 at their own 45. Jackson took it himself and hit a brick wall. The Bengals took over and soon faced 3rd and 4 at the Baltimore 39. Dalton hit Boyd for 5 and threw a jump ball to the end zone that appeared intercepted but was caught by John Ross for the 22 yard touchdown to make it 21-13 Bengals.
A sack of Jackson had the Ravens facing 2nd and 17 at their own 13. Jackson hit Willie Snead for just enough. On 3rd and 2 from the Baltimore 38, Edwards gained 17 yards. Jackson hit Moore for 14 yards and ran for 7 more himself. Edwards ran for an 11 yard touchdown and also for the 2 point conversion. The third quarter ended with the game tied 21-21.
The Ravens began the fourth quarter at their own 39. On 3rd and 7 from their 42, Jackson hit Andrews for 19 yards. On 3rd and 5 from the Cincy 34, Edwards gained 15 yards. Yet on 3rd and goal from the 4, Jackson lost 2 yards. Tucker hit the 24 yard field goal to give the Ravens the 3 point lead with 8 minutes left in regulation.
After a touchback, the Bengals faced 3rd and 12 at their own 33. Dalton went to Boyd for 32 yards. With 4 minutes left, Randy Bullock came in for a 52 yard field goal to tie the game. The kick was no good. The Bengals got back at their own 10 with 2:45 left. Dalton hit Uzomah for 20. With 1:46 left, on 4th and 3 from their own 47, Dalton threw incomplete as both teams are 5-5 in the standings. 24-21 Ravens
Dallas Cowboys at Atlanta Falcons — A pair of overrated underachievers met. In the first quarter the Cowboys moved 85 yards in 15 plays and 7 1/2 minutes. On 3rd and goal at the 3, Dan Prescott threw incomplete. Maher hit the 21 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Cowboys. Atlanta in the second quarter moved from their 25 to a 3rd and 4 at the Dallas 23. Matt Ryan threw incomplete. Matt Bryant hit the 41 yard field goal for a 3-3 game. Bryant hit again from 45 late in the half and Maher answered from 50 in the third quarter for a 6-6 ballgame. Yet a third field goal from Bryant from 53 yards had the Falcons up 9-6 after three quarters. After 45 minutes of field goals, the fourth quarter plenty of action.
On 3rd and 1 from the Dallas 34, Elliott got 2 yards. On 3rd and 1 from the Dallas 45, Elliott fumbled but Collins recovered for a 2 yard gain. From the Atlanta 41, Prescott hit Amari Cooper for 17 yards. On 3rd and 7 from the Atlanta 21, Prescott hit Cole Beasley for 17 more. Prescott took it himself for the 4 yard touchdown to cap the 14 play, 75 yard, 8 minute drive. The extra point was no good but the Cowboys led 12-9 only 40 seconds into the fourth quarter.
The Falcons moved from the quarter mark to the mid stripe when Ryan was intercepted by Vander Esch, who returned it 28 yards to the Atlanta 31. Elliott ran for 8 yards and then burst free for the 23 yard touchdown to make it 19-9 Cowboys with 12 1/2 minutes left.
After a touchback, the Falcons moved to a 3rd and 2 at the Dallas 3. Ryan threw incomplete. Bryant hit the 21 yard field goal to get the Falcons within 19-12 with 8 1/2 minutes left in regulation. Atlanta got it back at their 32 with 4 minutes left. Coleman gained 13. On 3rd and 9 from their own 46, Ryan hit Mohammed Sanu for 11 yards. Ryan then went deep to Julio Jones for a 34 yard touchdown and a 19-19 game with 1:52 to play.
After a touchback, the Cowboys faced 3rd and 5 from their 30. Prescott went to Gallup for 10 and Elliott for 11 more. Prescott then went to Cole Beasley for 19 yards to the Atlanta 30. With 3 seconds left, Maher came in for a 42 yard try to win it. Maher was good, Jerrah celebrated, the Cowboys got to 5-5, and the Falcons fell to 4-6 under Dan Quinn. 22-19 Cowboys
Houston Texans at Washington Redskins — Houston came in riding a 6 game win streak. The texans moved 68 yards in 10 plays, but on 3rd and 3 from the Washington 5, DeShaun Watson threw incomplete. Fairbairn hit the 23 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Texans. Houston got it back at their own 31. Watson hit Deandre Hopkins for 16 yards. Miller added 15 more on the ground. Watson hit Hopkins for the 16 yard touchdown to make it 10-0 Texans.
In the second quarter Washington took o er at their 25. Alex Smith went to Reed for 24 yards and Harris for 13 more. On 3rd and 10 from the Houston 34, Smith was sacked by JJ Watt and fumbled. However, defensive holding kept the drive going. The second quarter began with Adrian Peterson running for a 3 yard touchdown to get the Redskins within 10-7.
Alex Smith has been derided as a West Coast Offense dink and dunk game manager, but on the upside he does not make mistakes. On this day, one too many short passes bit him. Looking for a touchdown, he was intercepted at the goal line and saw it go 100 yards the other way. The Texans led 17-7 and would have led by more if not for a missed field goal. Things got worse for Smith. Midway through the third quarter, the Redskins faced 3rd and 9 from the Houston 24. Smith was sacked for a 13 yard loss and was injured on the play. He was carted off the field with a serious ankle injury.The sack pushed the Redskins out of field goal range.
The Texans got it back at their own 13 and disaster struck. Watson was intercepted to set up the Redskins at that spot. There was a Colt McCoy sighting. Apparently he is the redskins backup quarterback. He ran for 4 yards and threw a 9 yard touchdown pass to Hopkins to get the Redskins within 17-14. After a touchback, a short pass from Watson to Coutee went for a 40 yard gain. Despite 1st and goal at the 6, Watson was sacked and threw incomplete twice. Fairbairn hit the 33 yard field goal to put the Texans up 20-14 after three quarters.
Washington got it back at their own 33. McCoy hit Doctson for 12 yards and Reed for 7 more. The fourth quarter began with the Redskins facing 3rd and 1 at the Houston 46. McCoy threw incomplete. Despite the entire quarter to play, Jay Gruden decided to go for it. McCoy gained 5 yards. From the Houston 22, McCoy ran for 15 yards. Peterson ran for the 7 yard touchdown and the Redskins had the 21-20 lead with 12 minutes left in regulation.
The Texans took over at their own 27. Watson hit Coutee for 4 and Hopkins for 10 more. Alfred Blue ran for 6 and another 16. On 3rd and 20 from the Washington 47, Watson hit Thomas for 11 yards. Midway through the fourth quarter, Fairbairn came in for a 54 yard field goal try to give the Texans the lead. The kick was good and the Texans led 23-21.
A sack of McCoy had the Redskins punting, and a short 31 yard punt had the Texans starting at their own 42 with 4 1/2 minutes left. With 1:41 to play, the Texans faced a critical 3rd and 7 at the Washington 29. The Redskins were out of timeouts. A first down would end the game. Bill O’Brien played it safe rather than risk an incompletion to stop the clock. Miller gained 2 yards. With 56 seconds left, Fairbairn came in for a 45 yard field goal try to extend the lead. The kick was no good. Now the Redskins needed only a field goal to win.
With 52 seconds left from their own 35, McCoy scrambled for 9, spiked the ball to stop the clock, and on 3rd and 1 hit Quinn for 11 yards. After spiking the ball again, McCoy threw incomplete twice. With 8 seconds left and 0 timeouts, on 4th and 10 from the Houston 45, Jay Gruden had a major decision to make. He could try a sideline pass for the first down, throw a Hail Mary, or try a 63 yard field goal. He opted for the field goal and brought in Hopkins. Fairbairn looked on helplessly. Hopkins hit it dead center but well short as the Texans survived to win their 7th straight game after an 0-3 start. 23-21 Texans
Pittsburgh Steelers at Jacksonville Jaguars — Jacksonville throttled Pittsburgh twice last year, including in the playoffs. Yet this Jaguars team came in losers of 5 straight. The first half belonged to the defense. In the second quarter Josh Lambo hit field goals of 48, 38 and 43 for a 9-0 Jaguars lead. In the third quarter the Steelers moved from their 45 to a 1st and 10 at the Jags 11. Ben Roethlisberger went to the end zone and was intercepted for a touchback.
From their 20, Leonard Fournette ripped off a 26 yard gain. On 3rd and 7 just shy of midfield, Blake Bortles hit Chark for 10 yards. On 3rd and 3 from the Pittsburgh 34, Bortles scrambled for 10 yards and hit Fournette for 20 more. From the 4, Fournette got half and then the other half. With 2 minutes left in the third quarter, the Jaguars were dominating 16-0. For the third straight game they were going to thrash Pittsburgh. To paraphrase Chris Berman, “That’s why they play the ENTIRE game.”
The Steelers quickly faced 2nd and 9 from their own 22. Roethlisberger connected with Antonio Brown for a 78 yard touchdown. The 2 point try failed, but the Steelers were within 16-6 after three quarters. Jacksonville’s offense went into a shell in the fourth quarter, relying on the defense. Pittsburgh moved from their 29 to a 4th and 6 at the Jags 43 with less than 7 minutes left. Big Ben threw incomplete.
Pittsburgh got it back at their own 20 with 5 minutes left and needing 2 scores. On 2nd and 5, a short pass came up one yard short but a facemark penalty on Jalen Ramsey moved Pittsburgh to their own 44. While neither Roethlisberger or Juju Smith-Schuster are Jewish, they connected on 3 straight passes for gains of 9, 21, and 9 again. With 2 1/2 minutes to play, Roethlisberger hit Vance McDonald for an 11 yard touchdown. The Steelers were still alive down 16-13.
After a touchback, Doug Marrone played it very safe. He ran the ball 3 straight times. Bortles was in more than game manager mode. He was not even allowed to throw it at all. He threw the ball only 18 times all game, completing 10 for an anemic 104 yards without a touchdown or interception. On 3rd and 5, Marrone ran it in for only a one yard gain. A short 37 yard punt gave the Steelers the ball back at their own 32 with 1:50 to play and one timeout.
Big Ben hit James Conner for 6 yard and then connected again with Smith-Schuster for a 35 yard gain to the Jags 27. The Steelers were well within field goal range but wanted more. Roethlisberger went to Brown for a 25 yard gain. On 1st and goal at the 2, Roethlisberger spiked the ball to stop the clock with 22 seconds left. He then went to the end zone and was intercepted again. The Jaguars and their home crowd celebrated. They shouldn’t have. A facemask penalty nullified the interception and gave the Steelers 1st and goal at the one with 15 seconds left. Roethlisberger threw incomplete, but defensive holding meant first down again. Roethlisberger took matters into his own hands. He rolled out with a defender waiting. Roethlisberger made a move and dove for the end zone. Just before his knee came down, he stretched the ball barely over the plane of the goal.
With 5 seconds left, Roethlisberger pulled out a miracle with 20 unanswered points in front of a shellshocked home crowd. Last year at home Roethlisberger was intercepted by the Jaguars 5 times. Many football fans thought he was washed up. Today the Jaguars again intercepted him 5 times, although 2 of them were called back by penalty. Roethlisberger finished 27 of 47 for 314 yards, with 248 of those yards coming in the fourth quarter. He also threw the 2 touchdowns. The bitter 6th straight loss had the Jaguars at 3-7 while the Steelers are 7-2. This was a tough win. This was a Roethlisberger tough win. This was a Mike Tomlin tough win. This was a Pittsburgh tough win. 20-16 Steelers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at New York Giants — Sometimes a pair of bad teams can come together for an exciting game. This actually was that game. The Giants got their second win of the season with an inspiring Monday night win and hosted the reeling Buccaneers. The Giants began at their own 37. From their own 48, Eli Manning went deep to O’Dell Beckham for 41 yards. Manning hit Saquon Barkley for a 6 yard score to make it 7-0 Giants. The Giants got it back at their own 5 yard line. Barkley ran for gains of 9 and 10. Manning hit Ellison for 12 and Fowler for 10. Beckham took an end around 11 yards and Manning hit Gallman for 21 more. Early in the second quarter, Barkley ran for a 6 yard touchdown to cap a 12 play, 95 yard, 6 1/2 minute drive to make it 14-0 Giants.
The Buccaneers got it back at their own 36 and Ryan Fitzpatrick hit mike Evans for 24 yards. Pierre Barber gained 9 and Fitzpatrick hit OJ Howard for 20 more. On 3rd and goal at the 2, Barber only got half of it. Dirk Koetter decided to go for it. On 4th and goal at the one, Fitzpatrick rolled out and got in himself to get the Buccaneers within 14-7.
Fitzpatrick ended the half with an interception and began the third quarter with another one. The latter one proved costly as Alex Ogletree returned it 15 yards for a defensive touchdown to make it 21-7 Giants. From the Giants 32, Fitzpatrick went to the end zone and was intercepted again by Riley, who returned it 40 yards to the Giants 40. Aldrick Rosas hit a 52 yard field goal to make it 24-7 Giants.
A desperate Dirk Koetter benched Fitzpatrick and brought in Jameis Winston. To the surprise of everyone, he played well. It helped that from the Tampa 26, Peyton Barber ran for 9 and then broke off a 28 yard run. Winston hit Chris Godwin for 17 yards. On 3rd and 8 from the Giants 18, Winston went to Evans for 10 yards. Then came some dumb luck. From the 6, the Buccaneers fumbled. Yet Evans recovered in the end zone for a touchdown to get the Buccaneers within 24-14 just like they drew it up on the playground sandlot.
The Giants took over at their own 29. Manning went deep to Beckham for a 27 yard gain. Barkley had gains of 14 and 13 as the fourth quarter began. On 3rd and 5 from the 8, Manning went to Beckham for the touchdown. With 13 minutes left in regulation, the Giants had 31-14.
Winston led a furious comeback from the Tampa 23, hitting howard for 24 yards. Barber ran for 12 and Winston hit Godwin for 19 more. Unsportsmanlike conduct on the defense meant 1st and goal at the 5. Barber ran it in to get the Buccaneers within 31-21 with less than 10 minutes left to play. The Giants went 3 and out and the Bucs got it back at their own 30 midway through the fourth quarter. Winston hit Evans for 25 yards. On 3rd and 4 from the Giants 39, Winston hit Desean Jackson for 7 yards and Howard for 24 more. Winston then found Adam Humphries for an 8 yard touchdown. With 5 minutes left the Buccaneers were within 31-28.
Yet the problem with the Buccaneers is they have no defense. On 2nd and 8 from their own 35, Manning fired to Evan Engram, who split the middle seams for a 54 yard gain. On 3rd and 1 from the 2, Barkley got in. The Giants led 38-28 with 4 minutes left, but unsportsmanlike conduct on the Giants had the Buccaneers taking over at their own 34.
Winston hit Humphries for 13 yards. on 3rd and 1 from the Giants 44, Winston gained 3. Winston then went deep to Evans for a 41 yard touchdown. With 2:22 to play, the Bucs were back within a field goal. With both teams out of timeouts, Dirk Koetter had to try an onside kick. It failed and the Giants took over at their own 44. Tampa Bay got it back at their own 20 with 23 seconds left. Winston went deep and was intercepted. Fitzpatrick was 13 of 21 for 167 yards, 0 touchdowns and 3 interceptions. Winston was 12 of 16 for 199 yards, 2 touchdowns, and the interception at the end. Manning was sensational, throwing only 18 passes and completing 17 of them for 231 yards, 2 touchdowns and 0 interceptions. Manning was told he was washed up. He’s led the Giants to two straight wins in fine form. 38-35 Giants
Tennessee Titans at Indianapolis Colts — Both teams got off to slow starts and improved. Tennessee thrashed New England and Dallas in successive weeks. The 1-5 Colts won three straight entering this game. This game was all Colts. In the first quarter Carlos Rogers returned a punt 74 yards but it was nullified by an illegal block late. The Colts still took over at the Tennessee 33. On 3rd and 7 form the 30, Andrew Luck hit Doyle for 7 yards and Pascal for 11 more. On 3rd and 1 from the 3, the defense jumped offside. Marlin Mack got the last yard to make it 7-0 Colts.
The second quarter began with an interception of Marcus Mariota that set up the Colts at their own 6. They moved to a 2nd and goal at the 4, but Luck threw incomplete twice. Adam Vinatieri hit the 22 yard field goal to make its 10-0 Colts. The Colts got it back at their own 13 and soon faced 3rd and 3 from their 20. Luck hit Inman for 12 and then went bombs away to TY Hilton for a 68 yard touchdown to make it 17-0 Colts. Indy got it back at their own 15. Defensive pass interference moved the ball 35 yards to midfield. From the Titans 38, Luck hit Hines for 20 and Wilkins got around the end for an 18 yard touchdown to make it 24-0 Colts.
The Titans got a field goal before the half, but it did not stop the beating. Mariota was injured at the end of the half. With Blaine Gabbert playing the second half, this game was over. In the third quarter and interception of Gabbert had the Colts at theTitans 21. On 3rd and 3, Luck hit Hilton for a 14 yard touchdown to make it 31-3 Colts. In the fourth quarter Luck threw a 7 yard touchdown to Inman to cap a 13 play, 85 yard, 7 1/2 minute drive and make it 38-3 Colts. The Titans got a garbage touchdown but it was the Colts winning their 4th straight as both teams are 5-5 in the weak AFC South. 38-10 Colts
Denver Broncos at Los Angeles Chargers — The Broncos are a bad team at 3-6. The Chargers are a good team at 7-2 with 6 straight wins. In the first quarter the Chargers moved the ball well but could not crack the end zone. Badgley hit field goals of 46 and 45 yards to make it 6-0 Chargers.
An unnecessary roughness penalty on the ensuing kickoff moved the Broncos up to their own 30. To start the second quarter, on 4th and 5 from the Denver 47, Vance Joseph gambled on a fake punt. Wadman hit Janovich for a 12 yard gain. On the next play Lindsay raced for a 41 yard touchdown to put the Broncos up 7-6. Rivers was then intercepted to set up Denver at the Chargers 46. Yet on 4th and 1 from the Chargers 14, Vance Joseph decided to go for it. Lindsey got stopped.
From their own 16, Philip Rivers hit Keenan Allen for 10 yards. On 3rd and 7 from their 29, Rivers went to Melvin Gordon for a 32 yard gain. On 3rd and 4 from the Denver 33, Rivers went to Williams for 29 yards. Rivers hit Allen for the 4 yard touchdown as the Chargers took a 13-7 lead to the locker rooms. After a touchback to start the second half, Rivers went to Williams for 19 yards. From the Denver 45, Ekeler got around the end for a 17 yard gain. Rivers hit Antonio Gates for a 6 yard touchdown. The extra point was no good but the Chargers led 19-7
Denver hung tough. The Chargers moved from their 22 to a 3rd and 9 at the Denver 35. Rivers was intercepted by Von Miller, who returned it 42 yards to the Chargers 18. Lindsay ran for 8 and Freeman ran for 7 and then the 3 yard touchdown to get the Broncos within 19-14. In the fourth quarter the Broncos took over at their own 27. A facemark penalty on the defense tacked on 15 yards. From the Denver 46, Case Keenum hit Chris Sutton for a 39 yard gain. On 3rd and 3 from the 8, Keenum hit Lindsay for 6. On the next play a wildcat snap to Lindsay got the 2 yard touchdown. The point try failed but the Broncos led 20-19 with 12:20 to play in the game.
The Chargers came back from their own 28 and moved to a 3rd and 15 at the Denver 26. Rivers hit Gordon for 14 yards. With 6:47 to play, Anthony Lynn had a big decision to make. On 4th and 1 from the Denver 12, he played it safe and went with the field goal. Badgley hit from 30. The Chargers led 22-20, but Denver had life. Their offense went nowhere but at the 2 minute warning, the Chargers had a chance to put the game away. On 3rd and 7 from the Denver 48, Rivers threw incomplete. Denver still had life.
The Broncos took over with 1:51 to play at their own 8 yard line. Case keen hit Heuerman for 5 yards and then to Emanuel Sanders for a 38 yard gain. With 20 seconds to play, the Broncos faced 3rd and 7 at the Chargers 46. This was it. Keenum went deep to Chris Sutton for a 30 yard gain as the Broncos raced to beat the clock. It ticked down and Keenum spiked the ball with 2 seconds left. Brandon McManus only needed to make a 34 yard field goal for the shocking upset. He did. As Chris Berman says, “THAT’s why they PLAY the games.” 23-22 Broncos
Oakland Raiders at Arizona Cardinals — Both teams are horrible, but the Raiders are worse. They are bad at everything, and on the occasions they lead, they collapse when it matters most. On the second play of the game, Josh Rosen was intercepted by Gareon Conley, who returned it 28 yards to the Arizona 33. Muscle Hamster Doug Martin gained 9 yards. Derek Carr went deep to Jared Cook for a 23 yard touchdown. The Raider sled 7-0, but they frequently look good on their first drive before going downhill.
A 32 yard kickoff return had the Cardinals at their own 36. David Johnson gained 5, 4, 4, and 3. Edmonds ran for 8 and 6. On 3rd and 7 from the Oakland 18, Rosen went to Larry Fitzgerald for the touchdown to tie the game 7-7. As for the first quarter was ending, the Cardinals faced 3rd and 5 at their own 41. A short pass from Rosen to Kirk could have been stopped well short of the sticks. Yet a mistackle in this year of ineptitude meant a 59 yard touchdown and a 14-7 Cardinals lead.
The Cardinals got the ball back and quickly faced 2nd and 8 at their own 39. Rosen went deep and had a ball deflected into the air and intercepted by Karl Joseph. The secondary is the worst part of the Raiders, yet in this game Paul Guenther’s secondary had 2 interceptions in the first half. The Raiders took over at midfield. Jon Gruden used to win games by pounding the rock. This year he has just not run the ball enough. In this game he played power football.
Martin ran for 11, 7 and 10. Then Deandre Washington ran for 10. On 3rd and 3 from the Arizona 5, Carr hit Brandon LaFell in the front corner of the end zone for the touchdown for a 14-14 game.
In the third quarter the Raiders kept running the ball. After a touchback, Jalen Richard ripped off a 24 yard gain, then ran for 4 more yards, and caught a pass for 16 yards. Yet the Raiders lose games because of stupid mistakes. On 3rd and 1 from the Arizona 22, a false start was followed by a sack of Carr. Dan Carlson bailed the Raiders out with a 49 yard field goal for a 17-14 Raiders lead.
The Raiders got the ball back and soon faced 3rd and 4 at their own 41. Carr went to LaFell for a 24 yard gain. An unnecessary roughness penalty on the defense moved the ball to the Arizona 12. On 3rd and 1 from the 3, Washington got the yard. Rookie left tackle Kolton Miller was injured on the play. However, if the Raiders could just finish a drive, they’d be up 24-14. They couldn’t. On 1st and goal at the 2, they had a false start. On 3rd and goal at the one, Washington got the carry. Rather than leap over the top, he went straight into a brick wall and lost a yard. After 12 plays, 63 yards, and 7 1/2 minutes, Carlson hit the 21 yard field goal as the Raiders led 20-14. Arizona had only 13 total yards in the third quarter, yet the Raiders as they always do left the door open.
Then came the inevitable fourth quarter. From the Arizona 20, Johnson gained 10 yards. On the next play up the gut he ripped off a 53 yard gain. On 3rd and 10 from the Oakland 17, the Raiders needed one stop. They couldn’t get it. Rosen hit Kirk for 12 and Fitzgerald for the 5 yard touchdown. With 5 minutes left in regulation, the Cardinals led 21-20. The Raiders had blown it AGAIN.
Naturally, the Raiders malfunctioned on offense. Two runs gained a combined one yard, allowing the Raiders to help run out the clock while they ere losing. After a deep incompletion, the Raiders punted with 3:50 to go. All they needed to do now was collapse on defense and the game would be over. It didn’t happen. The Cardinals on 3rd and 9 from their own 41 saw Rosen throw incomplete, stopping the clock. 3:16 still remained. The Raiders had life. Then a perfect pinned the Raiders at their own 3 yard line.
Carr threw 3 straight incompletions, including a third down pass that should have been intercepted but was dropped. With 2:50 to play and 2 timeouts plus the 2 minute warning, Jon Gruden chose to punt and trust his beleaguered defense. Asking them to get stops on consecutive possessions was too much to ask. The Cardinals took over at the Oakland 44.
Yet if the Raiders re the dumbest team in the league in terms of ability to self-destruct, the Cardinals might be second. Johnson lost 2 yards. Then he gained 4 yards, but a mind-numbingly stupid unnecessary roughness penalty on the offense after the play was over had the Cardinals facing 3rd and 23. Also, it stopped the clock. On the next play, Johnson broke free for a 57 yard touchdown. The collapse was complete. The Raiders had blown it again.
Not this time. Offensive holding wiped away the score. Now it was 3rd and 26 again. A give up run gained only one yard and took the clock to the 2 minute warning. At least this time the Raiders took over at their own 20 with 1:53 left and 0 timeouts. There was no time to run the ball. Carr had to do what he did 2 years ago with regularity: win games with heroics.
Carr hit Atman for 9 yards and Jared Cook for 2 more. He then spiked the ball to stop the clock with 1:07 left. Dinking and dunking was not going to get it done. The Raiders needed what Jon Gruden calls chunk plays. Carr went deep to Atman for 32 yards to the Arizona 37. On 3rd and 10, it was now a 55 yard field goal try with a 4th string kicker. The Raiders needed more yards but a sack would kill them. With everything on the line, Carr found Seth Roberts for 20 yards as the clocked ticked down. Carr raced up to the line as the clock kept ticking. He spiked the ball with 2 seconds left. Carlson came in to try a 35 yard field goal.
The Raiders were 1-8. The Cardinals were 2-7. In 2006, the Raiders went 2-14 but beat the Cardinals. In 2010 the Raiders went 8-8 and missed 9-7 because they lost to the Cardinals went Sebastian Janikowski missed a 32 yard field goal on the final play.
Carr finished 19 of 31 for 192 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 0 interceptions. More importantly, the Raiders ran for 152 yards. Rosen was an awful 9 of 20 for 136 yards, but he had 3 touchdowns and 2 touchdowns. There is tanking in other sports. For a pair of bad teams, they certainly played all out for this win.
There is no tanking in football. Sure, the Raiders could purposely lose to guarantee the top draft pick. That dishonors everything about football. The Raiders are awful, but they had not quit. Jon Gruden and Derek Carr now needed this kicker to do his job, stop the bleeding, and avoid another gut punch. The kick was good. Carr and Gruden hugged. This was a long time coming. To the Raider Nation who never gave up and still watch every week, you are the true fans. This win was for you. There will be more wins in the future. Savor this one. 23-21 Raiders
Philadelphia Eagles at New Orleans Saints — The Eagles are the defending champions, but this year it’s the Saints looking like Super Bowl contenders. It was never a contest. The Saints moved from their 23 to a 3rd and 4 at the Philly 22. A short pass only gained 2 yards, but Wil Lutz hit the 38 yard field goal to start the deluge. The Saints got it back and moved 86 yards in 11 plays and 5 minutes. On 3rd and 9 from their own 15, Drew Brees hit Kirkwood for 10, Hill for 16, Thomas for 30, Kirkwood for 19, and Carr for a 3 yard touchdown to make it 10-0 Saints after the first quarter.
Carson went deep and was intercepted at the Saints 16 yard line. Alvin Kamara ran for 16 yards. Brees hit Arnold for 23 yards to midfield. On 3rd and 2 from the Philly 42, Brees hit Smith for 9 yards and again for 8 more. Mark Ingram ran for a 14 yard touchdown to make it 17-0 Saints. The Eagles did move 75 yards. Adams ran for a 28 yard touchdown to get the Eagles within 17-7. After that it was all Saints.
The Saints got it back at their own 16 again. From their 19, Brees went to Smith for 22 yards and Thomas for 30 more. On 3rd and 5 from the Philly 24, Brees hit Smith for 9 and again for the 15 yard touchdown to make it 24-7 Saints at halftime. In the third quarter the Saints moved 70 yards. Brees hit Thomas for a 23 yard touchdown to make it 31-7 Saints. Doug Peterson decided to go for it on 4th and 5 at the Philly 41. Wentz threw incomplete. On 3rd and goal at the 3, Brees threw incomplete but defensive holding kept the drive going. Ingram got the one yard touchdown as the Saints led 38-7 after three quarters.
In the fourth quarter the Saints took over at their own 13. Brees went deep to Smith for 38 yards. On 4th and 7 from the Philly 38, Sean Payton decided to go for it. Brees went deep to Kamara as the Saints were delivering a carpet-bombing up 45-7. They tacked on a field goal. For some reason went was still in the game. With 30 seconds left in the ultimate of garbage time, Wentz went to the end zone and was intercepted. The Eagles are 4-6 and will have to run the table just to have a shot at the playoffs. As for the Saints, Sean Payton and Drew Brees have done this before. They are 9-1 and looking scary. 48-7 Saints
Minnesota Vikings at Chicago Bears was the Sunday night game. This was old-time NFC North smash mouth football that would have made the Purple People Eaters and the Monsters of the Midway proud. It was also a battle for the NFC North lead. Early on the Bears moved from their own 21 to a 1st and 10 at the Minnesota 15. The drive stalled and Cody Parkey hit the 33 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Bears.The Vikings then fumbled, but the Bears gave it back with an interception.
In the second quarter the bears faced 2nd and 11 at their own 17. Mitchell Trubisky hit Allen Robinson for 12 yards, Taylor Gabriel for 8 more on 3rd and 5, and scrambled himself for 6 more. Trubisky threw an 18 yard touchdown pass to Anthony Miller. He then went to Jay Bellamy for the 2 point conversion to lead 11-0. With 5 minutes left in the half the Bears moved from their 36 to a 1st and 10 at the Minnesota 25. The drive against stalled. Parkey hit from 41 as the Bears led 14-0 at the half the hard way.
An interception of Trubisky set up the Vikings at the Chicago 31 in the third quarter, but all they could muster was a 36 yard Dan Bailey field goal. The fourth quarter began with the bears fumbling and the Vikings again receiving gift field position at the Chicago 29. Again, they were held to another 36 yard Bailey field goal as the Vikings trailed 14-6.
The Vikings got the ball back again with 8 1/2 minutes left in regulation, but this time they were at their own 11 yard line. Cousins was intercepted by Jackson, who returned it 27 yards for a touchdown. Again, Matt Nagy decided to go for the 2 point conversion. Trubisky hit Shaheen for the score as the Bears led 22-6. For those wondering why he kept going for 2, it could be because his kicker doinked 4…yes 4…kicks off the upright no good last week.
From the Minnesota 26, Cousins hit Sean Diggs for gains of 9, 6, 13, and 4. Cousins then hit Robinson for 11. On 3rd and 10 from the Chicago 30, Cousins threw incomplete but defensive pass interference meant a 10 yard gain. On 3rd and 3 from the Chicago 13, Cousins went to Robinson for the touchdown. The 2 point try failed, but roughing the passer gave the Vikings another try. This time Cousins went to Adam Thielen and the Vikings were within 22-14 with 5 minutes left. If the defense could get a stop, they had a chance.
With 4 minutes left, on 3rd and 8 from their own 27, Trubisky hit Robinson for 17 yards and a key first down. Unnecessary roughness on the defense on the next play was a killer. On 3rd and 4 from the Minnesota 30, rather than play it safe, Nagy got aggressive. A run would have forced the Vikings to use their last timeout. Trubisky threw incomplete. On 4th and 4 with 2:48 left, Nagy had to trust his shaky kicker. From 48 yards out, Parkey delivered to put the Bears up by 25-14.
Needing 2 scores, Cousins desperately moved the offense, going 75 yards in 11 plays. With 90 seconds left the Vikings had 1st and goal at the 10. They still had their last timeout. On 3rd and goal at the 5, Cousins fired to Diggs for the touchdown. The 2 point try failed as the Vikings trailed by 5. The onside kick failed as the Bears got to 7-3 while Mike Zimmer saw his Vikings fall to 5-4 with the loss. 25-20 Bears
Kansas City Chiefs at Los Angeles Rams was the Monday night game. The 1958 NFL Championship Game was dubbed “The Greatest Game Ever Played.” 60 years from now, that label might belong to this game. This is why we watch football. The NFC Title Game Preview saw the Rams lose to the Saints 45-35. The AFC Title Game Preview saw the Chiefs lose to the Patriots 43-40. This was a legitimate Super Bowl Preview. Both teams came in 9-1, and they gave NFL fans a game for the ages. Originally scheduled for Mexico City, this game had to be moved to Los Angeles due to problematic conditions with Azteca Field.
The statistics in this game were mind-boggling. 105 total points. Both teams scored over 50 points. Quarterbacks Jared Goff and Patrick Mahomes combined for 10 touchdown passes. Each of them had a passer rating over 117 and over 400 yards passing. The teams combined for 1001 yards. 35 points were scored in the fourth quarter alone. There were even 3 defensive touchdowns. Yes, at the very least, this deserves consideration as the greatest regular season ever played, or at least the most exciting. So let’s get to this full tilt pinball machine disguised as a football game.
The opening kickoff was a touchback, and it seemed like the only play where nobody scored. From the Rams 44, Goff hit Brandon Cooks for 30 yards. Goff hit Robert Woods for a 7 yard touchdown to make it 6-0 Rams after the missed extra point. The Rams got it back at their own 17. From the Rams 27, Goff hit Reynolds for 14, Higbee for 16, and Woods for 25. On 3rd and 11 from the Chiefs 19, the Chiefs jumped offsides. On 3rd and 6 Good hit Cooks for 8 yards and Josh Reynolds for a 4 yard touchdown to make it 13-0 Rams.
After a touchback the Chiefs came back Kareem Hunt ran for 27 yards. Mahomes went deep to Tyreek Hill for 20 yards and again for the 25 yard touchdown to get the Chiefs within 13-7. The Rams moved from their 16 to a 1st and goal at the 6. The second quarter began with the Rams facing 3rd and goal at the 5. Goff threw incomplete, but defensive pass interference meant 1st and goal at the one. Walrus Lite Andy Reid challenged the call. Penalties cannot be challenged, but what can be challenged is whether the pass was tipped. On further review, the pass was tipped, meaning pass interference does not occur. So instead, it was 4th and goal at the 5. Greg Zuerlein hit the 23 yard field goal to make it 16-7 Rams.
The Chiefs came back after a touchback and moved to a 3rd and goal at the one. Hunt went around the end but got stopped for a one yard loss. On 4th and goal at the 2, Andy Reid decided not to gamble. Harrison Butker kicked the 20 yard field goal to get the Chiefs within 16-10. 3 plays later the Rams faced 3rd and 13 from their own 22. Goff was sacked by Bailey, who got the trifecta. The sack forced a fumble and Bailey recovered it at the Rams 21. One play later, Mahomes hit Hunt for the touchdown as the Chiefs had their first lead of the game up 17-16. It was the first lead change of the game.
The Chiefs got it back at their own 3 yard line. From their 22, disaster struck. Mahomes got belted and fumbled. Samson Ebukam returned it 11 yards for a defensive touchdown. The second lead change of the game had the Rams up 23-17 as both quarterbacks gave up a fumble that led to a touchdown. 1:50 still remained in the half. From the Chiefs 31, Mahomes hit Kelce for gains of 5 and 8, Conley for 5, and Kelce deep for a 37 yard gain. With 13 seconds left, the Chiefs faced 3rd and 4 at the Rams 8. Mahomes hit Conley for the score. The extra point was no good. It was only fitting that this heavyweight bout was tied 23-23 at the break. The second half was even crazier. Normally the pace slows down in these games. In this one it accelerated.
The Chiefs in the third quarter quickly moved from their 29 to a 1st and 10 at the Rams 25. Mahomes was then sacked and fumbled again. By the time the Rams recovered the ball, it was 29 yards the other way as the Rams took over at the Chiefs 46. On 3rd and 10, a completion from Goff to Reynolds gained only 9 yards. Wade Phillips is a great defensive coordinator, but this was not a game for Sean McVay to rely on the defense. Both teams needed to keep scoring, so McVay decided to go for it. Goff hit Higbee for 7 yards, Higbee fumbled it, recovered it himself, and gained 5 more yards. Goff then hit Higbee again for 15 yards. On 3rd and goal at the 7, Goff ran for the touchdown to make it 30-23 Rams.
The Chiefs got it back at their own 36. A series of runs and short passes moved the Chiefs to the Rams 38. Mahomes then went deep to Kelce for 33 yards and again for the 4 yard touchdown. Midway through the third quarter, the game was tied 30-30. These teams were just getting warmed up. From the Rams 35, Goff hit Todd Gurley for gains of 19 and 13. On 3rd and 11 from the Chiefs 34, Goff hit Cooks for 13 yards. On 3rd and 9 from the Chiefs 20, Gurley only gained 5 yards. Zuerlein hit the 33 yard field goal as the Rams led 33-30 late in the third quarter. Immediately after a touchback, Mahomes was intercepted by Ebukam, who returned it 25 yards for a defensive touchdown as the Rams led 40-30 after three quarters.
Very late in the third quarter, with the Chiefs facing 2nd and 9 at their own 25, it appeared disaster struck the Chiefs again. Mahomes was sacked again, fumbled again, and Littleton returned it 17 yards for another defensive touchdown. The Rams were an extra point away from what may have been an insurmountable 47-30 lead. Luckily for the Chiefs, officials reversed the score and ruled that Mahomes’s arm was going forward. The Chiefs punted and the Rams did likewise. The Chiefs took over 90 seconds into the fourth quarter still down 40-30 at their own 9 yard line.
Mahomes went to Kelce for 7, Hill for 11, and then went bombs away to a wide open Hill for a 73 yard touchdown. The Chiefs were within 40-37 with 12 minutes left. The Rams soon faced 3rd and 11 at their own 14. Goff got hit, fumbled, and Bailey grabbed it for a 2 yard touchdown. The third lead change of the game with 11 minutes left made it 44-40 Chiefs.
After a touchback, Gurley gained 5. Goff went to Reynolds for 27 yard and Woods for 36 more. On 3rd and goal at the 7, Goff went to Gerald Everett in a game where the only one who didn’t score was Jim Everett. The fourth lead change of the game with 9 1/2 minutes left had the Rams back up 47-44. Each team then went 3 and out as the Chiefs took over with 6 1/2 minutes left.
On 3rd and 9 from their own 36, Mahomes scrambled for 7 yards. On 4th and 2 from their own 43 with 4 1/2 minutes left, Andy Reid came to the same conclusion as his counterpart on the other sideline. Relying on the defense, despite some great plays on both sides, was not in the cards in this game. Reid had to go for it. Mahomes hit Kelce for 18 yards and Robinson for 14 more. A defensive penalty for lowering the head to initiate contact meant 1st and goal at the 10. Mahomes went to Conley for the touchdown. The 5th lead change of the game had the Chiefs up 51-47. There was still 2:47 left on the clock.
The Rams soon faced 3rd and 9 at their own 26 with 2:09 left. Goff went to Cooks for 22 yards. From midfield, Goff went to Higbee for 10. On the next play Goff went deep to Everett for a 40 yard touchdown. The 6th lead change of the game had the Rams back up by a field goal. However, the Chiefs still had 1:49 to work with in a game where neither team tried to run down clock.
On 3rd and 10 from their own 26, Mahomes went to Hill for 26 yards. On the next play, Mahomes went deep and was intercepted by his former teammate Marcus Peters. The Rams had the ball at their own 35 with 90 seconds left. However, the Chiefs had all 3 timeouts. Had the Rams run the ball 3 times, the Chiefs would have used all 3 timeouts. Despite having a potential league MVP in Gurley (to be fair many of the players on these teams could be the MVP), Sean McVay turned into Mike Martz. He did not even try to run the ball even once. Yes, with 90 seconds left, he kept passing.
With help from a false start and an incompletion that stopped the clock, the Chiefs prevented a first down. Game like these rarely mention punters, but Rams punter Johnny Hekker boomed a 68 yard punt. For the second time in the fourth quarter, Hill tried to return it from deep inside his own 10 yard line rather than allow a touchback. Trying to make something happen, the Chiefs ended up starting at their own 12 yard line with 50 seconds left. The Chiefs took their last timeout with 25 seconds left at their own 26. Mahomes went deep, and for the second time in the last 2 minutes of the game, he was intercepted again. The game no viewer wanted to end finally did end. There would be no overtime.
Mahomes went 33 of 46 and Goff finished 31 of 49. Mahomes threw for 478 yards and Goff added 413 of his own. Mahomes threw 6 touchdown passes. Yes, 6 touchdown passes and his team lost. He also had 5 turnovers, 3 interceptions and 2 fumbles. Again, the last 2 interceptions were during desperation time. Goff had 4 touchdown passes and 0 interceptions, although he did also lose 2 fumbles. Mahomes was sacked 3 times, Goff 5 times. Mahomes had the slight edge in quarterback rating 117.6 to 117.1, which nobody understands. A Super Bowl rematch would be a ratings blockbuster. Again, THIS is why we watch football. Kurt Warner and Marshall Faulk led the Greatest Show on Turf, but even they had to marvel at this game in Los Angeles. 54-51 Rams