NFL 2019 Week 10 Recap
Los Angeles Chargers at Oakland Raiders was the Thursday night game. For the final time since 1960, these old AFL rivals played in Oakland. It was the final night game in the history of the Oakland Alameda County Coliseum. Next year the Raiders move to their new palace in Las Vegas. For 60 minutes, the Raiders and Chargers played a game that honored the legacies of Sid Gilman, Al Davis, Don “Air” Coryell, Dan Fouts, Ken Stabler and Jim Plunkett. Derek Carr and Philip Rivers went blow for blow. Entering the game it was the Chargers with the good defense and the Raiders with the league’s worst pass defense. This game featured shocks from beginning to end.
The Chargers took over at their own 19. On the first play of the game, Rivers went to Austin Ekeler for a 23 yard gain. The fourth play of the game had the Chargers facing 3rd and 14 at their own 38. Rivers went deep and was intercepted by Karl Joseph. Yet defensive pass interference away from the play by Trayvon Mullin nullified the interception and gave the Chargers 17 more yards. From the Oakland 33, Rivers went deep and was intercepted again by Erik Harris at the Oakland 10 yard line. Harris weaved his way through traffic and returned the interception 59 yards to the Chargers 31 yard line. This time the interception stood. On 3rd and 8 from the Chargers 17, Carr was sacked by Melvin Ingram. Daniel Carlson hit the 40 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Raiders. The Chargers got it back at their own 20. From their own 46, Rivers was intercepted again by Harris. This time Harris evaded a tackler and made it down the sideline for a 56 yard touchdown. The much maligned Raiders defense staked them to a 10-0 lead, but their usually high octane offense was doing nothing. It was only a matter of time before the Chargers offense struck back.
The Chargers took over at their own 23 and Keenan Allen got around the end for 18 yards. The second quarter began with the Chargers facing 3rd and 1 at midfield. Melvin Gordon got the carry and got stopped. The Raiders celebrated, but Anthony Lynn decided to go for it. DJ Watt got the carry and got the yard. Rookie Clelin Ferrell jumped offsides twice on the drive. On 3rd and 2 from the Oakland 5, Rivers hit Allen for 3 yards. On 3rd and gal at the 2, Rivers went to Hunter Henry for the touchdown to get the Chargers within 10-7. The Raiders got it back at their own 11. On 3rd and 2 from their 19, Jalen Richard got stopped cold. The Chargers got it back with a short field just past midfield. Rivers went to Gordon for 25 and Henry for 13 more. On 1st and goal at the 7, Rivers was intercepted by Harris for the 3rd time in the first half. Yet for the 2nd time in the half, the interception was nullified. For the 3rd time in the half, the defense jumped offsides. This time it was Maxx Crosby who got the early jump. On 1st and goal at the 3, Gordon ran it in. With 4 minutes left in the half, the Chargers had a 14-10 lead.
The Raiders offense took over at their own 24 after having done nothing for 26 minutes. Carr went to Josh Jacobs for 17 yards. Defensive pass interference on the next play added 10 more yards. On 3rd and 11 from midfield, Carr went to Jones for 10 yards. At the 2 minute warning, Jon Gruden decided to go for it on 4th and 1 from the Chargers 40 yard line. Ingold banged ahead for 3 yards. Carr then went to Darren Waller for 6 yards, Richard for 13 more, and Deandre Washington for another 9 yards. With 21 seconds left, the Raiders faced 3rd and 1 from the Chargers 9 yard line. The Raiders still had a timeout left, so a running play was a reasonable assumption. Instead Carr rolled out and found Ingold in the flat. Ingold stretched and got the ball past the pylon for the touchdown to give the Raiders the 17-14 halftime lead.
The Raiders got the ball to start the third quarter and soon faced 3rd and 7 at their own 30. Carr went to Renfrow for 14 yards with a defensive facemask penalty adding 15 more yards. Carr then went deep to Waller for 27 yards. On 3rd and 2 from the 4, when a run would have been completely reasonable, Jon Gruden again went with the pass. Carr threw incomplete. With a chance to make it a 2 score game, the Raiders settled for a 22 yard Carlson field goal to lead 20-14. The Chargers punted on 4th and 12 from their own 7 and a short 36 yard punt had the Raiders with gift field position at the Chargers 43 yard line. On 3rd and 1 from the Chargers 34, a run would have been completely reasonable. Jon Gruden went with the run and Washington got stopped for no gain. Rather than go for it on 4th and 1, Gruden brought in Carlson for a 53 yard field goal try. It would still make it a 2 score game. Instead, the kick was no good.
The Chargers faced 3rd and 10 at their own 43. Rivers was sacked and fumbled. The Raiders had every chance to recover the fumble, but the Chargers retained possession after a 14 yard loss. The Raiders got the ball back at their own 32 rather than inside the Chargers 30. Jacobs ran for 14 yards, with defensive holding setting up 1st and 5 at the Chargers 47. Yet a sack of Carr killed the drive. A 30 yard punt gave the Chargers the ball at their own 17 yard line. The momentum swing was inevitable. Rivers went for the bomb and hit Williams for a 45 yard gain. Gordon then ripped off a 24 yard gain. On 2nd and 2 from the Oakland 6, the Chargers were ready to take the lead. Then Gordon got trapped for a 4 yard loss. Then came a delay of game penalty on the offense. The Chargers had to settle for a 27 yard Badgley field goal and a 2017 deficit after three quarters.
The Raiders began the fourth quarter facing 3rd and 6 at their own 34. Carr hit Tyrell Williams for 12 yards. Yet on 3rd and 4 from the Chargers 48, Carr was sacked to end the drive. The Chargers took over at their own 20 and Rivers was quickly sacked. Yet on 3rd and 4 from their own 26, Rivers hit Allen for just enough. On 2nd and 11 from their own 31, Rivers threw incomplete but defensive pass interference meant a 12 yard gain. On 2nd and 15 from their own 38, Rivers went to Allen for a 26 yard gain. Defensive pass interference on the next play added 8 more yards. Rivers threw a 6 yard touchdown pass to Ekeler. The Raiders had every chance to put the game away and didn’t do it. Instead the Chargers had a 24-20 lead with 4 minutes left. The 12 play, 80 yard drive took 8 minutes off the clock. The Raiders defense was exhausted. It would be up to the offense to try and bail them out. Carr worked the 4 minute drill to perfection in the first half. Now he had to do it again with the game on the line.
The Raiders took over at their own 25. Carr hit Richard for 11, Renfrow for 10, and Richard for 10 as the clock hit the 2 minute warning. On 2nd and 10 from the Chargers 40, Carr went to Renfrow for 13 yards and Richard for 9 more. With one minute left in the game, the Raiders faced 3rd and 1 at the Chargers 18 yard line. They took their first timeout to talk things over. For the billionth time, it would be perfectly reasonable to run the ball in this situation. It would be completely sane to give your bruiser running back the ball and let the battering ram get the yard. Jon Gruden did exactly that. Jacobs banged through the line, got the first down, and made it all the way to the end zone for an 18 yard touchdown. The Raider Nation erupted in celebration as they took a 2 point lead. Elation soon turned to deflation as Carlson missed the extra point. 2 years ago, the Raiders at home trailed the Chargers by 4 points in the fourth quarter. The Raiders got the go ahead touchdown but missed the extra point. On the final play of that game, the Chargers kicked a field goal for a 17-16 Chargers win. This game was setting up for another gut-wrenching Raiders loss in nearly identical fashion. One field goal would make it 27-26 Chargers. All Rivers had to do was take down the 32nd ranked pass defense.
After a touchback, Rivers threw 3 straight incompletions. One more defensive stop would end things. Rivers threw incomplete and the Raiders celebrated with 37 seconds left. The celebration was premature as defensive holding on Mullen meant an automatic 1st down. This was the same Mullin who’s penalty early in the game negated an interception. The defensive collapse was inevitable. Except it wasn’t. Rivers again threw 3 straight incompletions. With 20 seconds left, it again came down to 4th and 10. Rivers had already been intercepted 4 times, but only 2 of them stood. Rivers went deep and was intercepted for the 5th time. Joseph had an earlier interception negated, but this one stood. Rivers’s 3rd interception again had the Raiders celebrating with 16 seconds left. Yet the Chargers still had all 3 timeouts left. From their 35, Jacobs gained 5 yards and the Chargers took their first timeout. Jacobs is a battering ram, and on the next carry he gained 5 more yards and the clinching first down.
Another agonizing loss dropped the Chargers to 4-6 on the season. Meanwhile, the Raiders have willed their way to a 5-4 record. They have upcoming games against winless Cincinnati and a one-win Jets team that lost to previously winless Miami. If the Raiders can get to 7-4, the unthinkable could be an actual possibility. One year after going 12-4, the Raiders have a shot of making the playoffs. A loss to either Cincinnati or the Jets would quickly eliminate that thought. However, nobody except the team that participated in Hard Knocks thought the Raiders would be 5-4. This team is clearly built Jon Gruden tough, and the guy who likes to pound the rock has his bruiser to do it. Jacobs finished with 71 yards on 16 carries. Most importantly, Jacobs got the winning touchdown. While Carr was sacked 3 times, the Oakland defense sacked Rivers 5 times and intercepted him 3 times, with 2 more interceptions nullified.Harris had 2 of those interceptions. Jacobs and Harris are 2 of the biggest feel-good stories in football, and they gave it their best in the final night game at the Oakland Alameda County Coliseum. Anyone who thinks football is all about money needed to watch Jon Gruden hug everyone in the Black Hole within his reach. Chucky loves the Raider Nation, and they love him. 26-24 Raiders
Kansas City Chiefs at Tennessee Titans — Patrick Mahomes was back, and the Chiefs were expected to roll over the overmatched Titans. Cue ESPN uber-announcer Chris Berman. “THAT’s why they PLAY the games!” The Chiefs made it look easy early on. From the Chiefs 31, Mahomes went to Sammy Watkins for 10. On 3rd and 9 from their own 42, Mahomes went to Tyreek Hill for 19 yards. Damien Williams added 15 more. Despite 1st and 24 from the Titans 38, Mahomes went to Travis Kelce for 16 and Hill for 7. On 3rd and 1 from the Titans 15, Mahomes went to Hill for 2 more. Mahomes threw a 3 yard touchdown pass to Kelce to make it 7-0 Chiefs. The Titans fumbled and the Chiefs took over at the Tennessee 20. Yet the defense held the Chiefs to a 30 yard Harrison Butker field goal. The Chiefs led 10-0, but it was a key stand.
In the second quarter the Titans took over at their own 27. Ryan Tannehill went deep to Raymond for a 52 yard gain. Tannehill then hit Anthony Firkser for a 9 yard touchdown to get the Titans within 10-7. The Chiefs moved from their own 15 to a 1st and 10 at the Titans 44. The Chiefs fumbled and Rashaan Evans recovered for the defense. Evans returned the fumble 53 yards for a defensive touchdown. The extra point was no good but the Titans led 13-10. After a touchback, the Chiefs moved to a 3rd and 9 at the Titans 29. Mahomes hit Williams, but only for 6 yards. Butker hit from 41 for a 13-13 tie.
The Chiefs in the third quarter faced 3rd and 4 at their own 29. Mahomes hit Hill for 9 yards. On 3rd and 8 from the Titans 40, Mahomes threw incomplete but defensive holding kept the drive going. Mahomes hit Hill for an 11 yard touchdown. The extra point was no good as the Chiefs led 19-13. The Titans struck back immediately. On 2nd and 4 from their own 32, Derrick Henry broke free for a 68 yard touchdown run. Just like that, the Titans were back up 20-19.
After a touchback, the Chiefs moved to a 4th and 2 at the Titans 43. Walrus Lite Andy Reid went for it and Mahomes hit Williams for 10 yards. Yet on another 4th and 2 from the Titans 25, this time Andy Reid opted for the field goal. Butker hit from 43 as the Chiefs led 22-20 after three quarters. The Chiefs got it back at their own 21 and struck quickly. On 3rd and 9 from their 37, Mahomes went to Mecole Hardman for a 63 yard touchdown. With 12 minutes left in regulation, the Chiefs led 29-20.
Needing 2 scores after a touchback, the Titans faced 3rd and 10 at their own 34. Ryan Tannehill scrambled for 12 yards. Henry added gains of 12 and 3. On 2nd and 7 from the Chiefs 39, Tannehill hit Brown for 17 yards. Tannehill ran for 7 and Henry added 14 more down to the one. Henry got in as the Titans were within 29-27 with 6 1/2 minutes left. The Chiefs moved from their 26 looking to close the door. Williams ran for 10 and 2 and Mahomes went deep to Hill for 39 yards. On 3rd and 8 from the Titans 21, Mahomes went for it all and threw incomplete. Butker hit the 39 yard field goal. With 3:14 to play, the Chiefs led 32-27. The craziness of this game was just beginning in a very wild finale.
After a touchback, the Titans faced 4th and 17 at their own 32 with 1:55 to play. Tannehill threw incomplete and it appeared the Titans were dead. With 1:36 to play it came down to 3rd and 2 at the Tennessee 24. A first down would end it. The entire world knows you run the ball in this situation. Instead pass-happy Andy Reid went with the pass and Mahomes was sacked for a 5 yard loss. The Titans took their final timeout with 1:27 left. Butker came in for a 47 yard field goal try to make it an 8 point game. The snap was fumbled. Punter and holder Dustin Colquitt tried to throw the ball but it became an incompletion and intentional grounding. With 1:21 to play, the Titans were very much alive at their own 39 yard line.
Tannehill scrambled for 18 yard and hit Firkser for 20 more. With 23 seconds left in the game Tannehill went deep and hit Adam Humphris for the touchdown as the home crowd went crazy. Tannehill ran for the 2 point conversion. The Titans had the 3 point lead, but Mike Vrabel decided to go with a short kickoff rather than kick it deep. A 19 yard kickoff return had the Chiefs taking over at their own 38 with 17 seconds left. Mahomes went to Robinson for 23 yards as the Chiefs took their 2nd timeout with 10 seconds left. Mahomes hit Robinson for 5 more yards. With 6 seconds left the Chiefs tried to sneak in one more play. Mahomes quickly threw incomplete. With 3 seconds left, Butker came in for a 52 yard field goal try to tie the game. This time the Chiefs got the snap down. It didn’t matter. The kick was blocked as the Titans got the stunning home win. 446 yards passing by Mahomes was not enough. The previously superhuman Chiefs have fallen to 6-4, only 1/2 a game ahead of Oakland in the AFC West and rendering Andy Reid a most displeased Walrus Lite indeed. 35-32 Titans
Buffalo Bills at Cleveland Browns — The 6-2 Bills were supposed to ride their defense to a win over the fading Browns. Again, cue Chris Berman. “THAT’s why they PLAY the games!” The Brows after a touchback marched right down the field. Nick Chubb ran for 21 yards. Baker Mayfield hit Jarvis Landry for 12, Karim Hunt for 7, Landry for 18, and Landry once more for a 17 yard touchdown. The extra point was no good but the Browns led 6-0. The defense reigned supreme early on. The Bills moved from their 20 to a 4th and 4 at the Cleveland 39. Sean McDemott went for it and Josh Allen threw incomplete. Cleveland embarked on a 14 play, 58 yard drive that consumed nearly 7 1/2 minutes. On 4th and 2 from the Buffalo 41, Freddie Kitchens went for it and Mayfield hit Harris for 16 yards. Chubb ran for 24 yards to set up 1st and goal at the one. Mayfield threw incomplete but defensive pass interference again made it 1st and goal from the one. Chubb lost a yard and then gained the yard back. On 3rd and goal at the one, Mayfield threw incomplete but another defensive pass interference call again meant 1st and goal at the one. Again Chubb got stopped. Again Mayfield threw incomplete. On 3rd and goal from the one, again Chubb got stopped. On 4th and goal from the one, a determined Freddie Kitchens decided to go for it. On the 8th try from the one, Chubb got blown up in the backfield for a 2 yard loss. Sean McDermott celebrated the best defensive stand not involving a Buddy Ryan defense. Instead of being up 14-0, the Browns still only led 6-0.
The Bills in the second quarter took over at their own 24 and went straight to the ground. Singletary gained 9, Frank Gore added 3, Allen ran for 12, and Singletary added 8. On 3rd and 2 from the Cleveland 44, Allen went to Knox for 12 and Foster for 20 more. Allen ran for a 10 yard touchdown to put the Bills up 7-6. The Browns soon faced 3rd and 4 from their own 29. Mayfield hit O’Dell Beckham for 16 and Chubb ran for 16 more. Mayfield hit Landry for 10 and Chubb ran for another 12. The Browns were very good at getting down to the one but that last yard was a nightmare. On 2nd and goal Chubb again got blasted for a 2 yard loss. On 3rd and goal at the 3, Mayfield threw incomplete. Freddie Kitchens decided to go for it on 4th and goal from the 3, but a false start killed that. It was probably for the best. From the 8, even Kitchens was not crazy enough to go for it again. Austin Seibert hit the 27 yard field goal as the Browns led 9-7 with 3 1/2 minutes left in the half. From their own 26, the Bills moved to a 1st and 10 at the Cleveland 16 with 34 seconds left in the half and one timeout. Allen threw 3 straight incompletions. Steve Hauschka came in for a 34 yard field goal try with 20 seconds left to give the Bills the lead. It was no good, as both teams wasted opportunities in the first half. The second half was even more brutal.
In the third quarter, the Browns were pinned at their own 8 yard line. Tremain Edwards got nailed in the end zone for a safety and a 9-9 ballgame. The Bills could not take advantage of the free kick and the Browns took over at their own 15. On 3rd and 9 from the Buffalo 47, Mayfield hit Beckham for 14 yards. Despite 2nd and 6 from the Buffalo 29, Mayfield threw incomplete twice. This time Seibert hit the 47 yard field goal to put the Browns ahead again 12-9. The Bills moved from their 25 to a 4th and 4 at the Cleveland 36. Sean McDermott opted against trying the tying field goal from 54 yards out. He decided to go for it. On the last play of the third quarter, Allen threw incomplete.
The defenses dug in, and with 9 minutes left in regulation Roberts returned a punt 22 yards to the Cleveland 48. With a short field, Allen hit Knox for 21 yards. On 1st and 20 from the Cleveland 37 after a holding penalty, Allen went to Cole Beasley for 26 yards. On 3rd and 10 from the Cleveland 11, Allen fumbled but the Bills somehow recovered the ball and retained possession at the Cleveland one yard line. Allen got the last yard himself. With 5 1/2 minutes left, the Bills had the 16-12 lead. Now it was up to their stout defense to close it out. Cleveland took over at their 18. Mayfield hit Beckham for 13 yards. On 2nd and 7 from the Cleveland 35, Mayfield was hit and fumbled. The Bills returned it for what they thought was the 30 yard clinching touchdown. Instead the score was reversed to an incomplete pass. On 3rd and 7, Mayfield found Hunt for 9 yards. Chubb ran for 21 yards. At the 2 minute warning the Browns had 2nd and 6 at the Buffalo 31. Mayfield went to Landry for 24 yards and to Seibert for the 7 yard touchdown. With 1:44 left the Browns were up by a field goal. 10 seconds later t he Bills faced 3rd and 8 at their own 27. Allen went to Brown for 21, and McKenzie for 11. With 26 seconds left, the Bills had 3rd and 4 at the Cleveland 35. Allen went deep and threw incomplete. After taking their final timeout, the Bills brought in Hauschka for a 53 yard field goal try to send the game into overtime. In a game where both teams missed multiple chances, Hauschka was again no good as the Browns survived in cardiac fashion. 19-16 Browns
Arizona Cardinals at Tampa Bay Buccaneers — Sometimes a pair of bad teams can come together and play a great game. This actually was that game. Jameis Winston was immediately intercepted to set up the Cardinals at the Tampa Bay 37. Zane Gonzalez hit a 37 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Cardinals. Gonzalez hit the ensuing kickoff out of bounds to set up the Buccaneers at their own 40. On 3rd and 15 from their own 35, Winston hit Jones for Ronald 17 yards. On 3rd and 6 from the Arizona 44, Winston was sacked but defensive holding on Patrick Peterson kept the drive going. Winston was sacked again and fumbled but the Buccaneer retained possession. On 2nd and 15, Winston again went to Jones for 17 yards and to Mike Evans for 19 more. Jones ran for a 7 yard touchdown to make it 7-3 Buccaneers. In the second quarter each team drove the ball but settled for a field goal. Gonzalez hit from 54 for the Cardinals and Matt Gay answered from 30 for a 10-6 Buccaneers lead.
The Cardinals got it back at their own 4 yard line. Kyler Murray ran for a 32 yard gain and then went deep to Isabella for 17 more yards. At the 2 minute warning, the Cardinals faced 3rd and 2 at the Bucs 41. Murray was sacked for a 3 yard loss. The Buccaneers took a timeout on defense with 1:20 left. That move backfired when Cliff Kingsbury decided to go for it on 4th and 5 from the Bucs 44. Murray hit Larry Fitzgerald for 11 yards and then to Christian Kirk for the 33 yard touchdown. With one minute left in the half, the Cardinals led 13-10. That was enough time. After a touchback. Winston hit Evans for 17, Godwin for 6, Howard for 5, Ogunbowale for 11 and Howard for 26 to set up 1st and goal at the 10 with 12 seconds left in the half. Winston went to Howard for the touchdown as the Buccaneers took the 17-13 lead to the locker rooms.
The Cardinals began the third quarter moving from their 18 to a 4th and 1 at the Tampa Bay 23. Cliff Kingsbury went for it and Murray threw incomplete. The Bucs soon faced 3rd and 1 at their own 33. Jones gained 11 yards and Winston went to Evans for 27 yards. A sack of Winston stalled the drive, but Gay hit the 45 yard field goal to make it 20-13 Buccaneers. After a touchback, the Cardinals needed less than 30 seconds to tie the game. Murray went to Kirk for a 69 yard touchdown and a 20-20 game. Late in the third quarter the Buccaneers faced 3rd and 11 at their own 10. Winston was intercepted to give the Cardinals gift field position at the Tampa Bay 20. Murray went to Johnson for 8 yards and Johnson fumbled the ball back to the Buccaneers at their own 11 as the game remained tied after three quarters.
On the last play of the third quarter the Buccaneers faced 3rd and 12 from their own 9. Winston scrambled for a 26 yard gain. On 2nd and 15 from their own 30, Winston went to Miller for 28 yards. On 3rd and 8 from the Arizona 40, Winston went to Godwin for 10 yards. A sack and a penalty stalled the drive, but Gay hit a 41 yard field goal to put the Buccaneers up 23-20 with 9 1/2 minutes left. After a touchback, the Cardinals saw 3 straight incompletions by Murray mean punting on 4th and 10 from their own 36. Cliff kingsbury called a fake punt, and Lee found Cooper for a 26 yard gain. Defensive pass interference on the next play meant 25 more yards. Murray hit Kirk for a 15 yard touchdown as the Cardinals led 27-23 midway through the fourth quarter. An interception of Winston had the Cardinals set up at their own 44. They were in the driver’s seat with a 1st and 10 at the Bucs 15 with 4 1/2 minutes left. Then Murray was intercepted at the 8 yard line. The Buccaneers were 92 yards away and had 3:40 to work with. Winston immediately went deep to Godwin for a 49 yard gain. Defensive pass interference added 16 more. Barber ran for 14 yards. At the 2 minute warning on 2nd and 10 from the Arizona 13, Winston threw incomplete. Yet under the new rule, officials reversed the non-call to defensive pass interference, meaning 1st and goal at the one. On 3rd and goal at the one, Peyton Barber got in to put the Buccaneers up by a field goal. After a touchback, 1:43 remained. With 10 seconds left on 2nd and 20 from their own 38, Murray threw incomplete. The Cardinals had the game but blew it, as Bruce Arias beat his former team. 30-27 Buccaneers
New York Giants at New York Jets — Normally this game is for bragging rights, but this might be the first time in awhile where FDNY, NYPD, and New Yorkers everywhere declare these teams to be New Jersey’s problems. Next Yom Kippur, the Jets and Giants both need to atone for this horrendous season. Sometimes a pair of terrible teams can actually put on an exciting game. This actually was that game. The first quarter was all Jets. After a touchback, runs and short passes had the Jets facing 3rd and 11 at the Giants 46. Sam Darnold had previously hit Denarius Thomas for 16 yards, and ow he hit Jamison Crowder for 18. On 3rd and 1 from the 8, Montgomery got stopped but the defense jumped offsides. Darnold ran for a 2 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Jets. The Giants punted on 4th and 20 from their own 8 and a 17 yard return had the Jets at midfield. On 4th and 1 from the Giants 41, Adam Gase decided to go for it. Wesco gained 2 yards. On 3rd and 6 from the Giants 23, Darnold went to Crowder for the touchdown to make it 14-0 Jets.
The second quarter was all Giants. On 3rd and 9 from their own 26, Jones hit Fowler for 11 yards. On 3rd and 10 from the Giants 37, Daniel Jones threw incomplete but defensive pass interference meant a 15 yard gain. Jones then went to Ellison for 31 more yards. Jones threw a 5 yard touchdown to Darius Slayton to get the Giants within 14-7. The Giants got it back and soon faced 3rd and 7 at their own 42. Jones hit Slayton for 8 yards to midfield. Jones was sacked for a 10 yard loss, but defensive holding instead meant a 5 yard gain. On 4th and 4 from the Jets 39, Pat Shurmur decided to go for it. Jones went to Slayton for the touchdown. For some reason Shurmur opted to go for the 2 point conversion. The try failed as the Giants trailed 14-13 at halftime. The Giants got it back and at the 2 minute warning Shurmur for some bizarre reason gambled on 4th and 1 at his own 39. Jones got stopped. Yet the Jets only gained 3 yards and Sam Ficken missed a 54 yard field goal try.
The Giants in the third quarter quickly faced 3rd and 1 at their own 34. Again the Giants fumbled and Jamal Adams returned the fumble 25 yards for a defensive touchdown and a 21-13 Jets lead. After a touchback, the Giants soon faced 3rd and 9 at their own 39. This time Jones went to Golden Tate for a 61 yard touchdown. Pat Shurmur decided against chasing the points and again going for 2, but it id not matter as Aldrick Rosas missed the extra point. Instead of a tie game the Giants trailed 21-19. The Giants got it back and faced 3rd and 3 at their own 43. Jones went to Saquon Barkley for 22 yards. On 3rd and 11 from the Jets 36, Jones hit Slayton for 14. On 3rd and 3 from the Jets 15, Jones went to Tate for the touchdown. This time Shurmur went for 2 and Jones hit Fowler for the conversion. With 5 1/2 minutes left in the third quarter, the Giants led 27-21.
The Jets got it back at their own 19. On 2nd and 6, Powell ran for 13 yards. On 3rd and 7 from their own 39, Darnold ran for 24 yards. On 3rd and 8 from the Giants 35, Darnold went deep incomplete. Ficken nailed the 53 yard field goal as the Jets trailed 27-24 after three quarters. The Jets got it back at their own 30. Darnold went to Leveon Bell for 11 and Crowder for 25. On the first play of the fourth quarter, Darnold went deep incomplete but a 33 yard defensive pass interference penalty put the ball on the one. Bell got in as the Jets retook the lead 31-27 only seconds into the fourth quarter. The Giants offense kept going nowhere and the Jets got it back at their own 7. On 3rd and 1 from their 16, Darnold hot Wesco for 15 and Thomas deep for a 47 yard gain. The drive stalled but Ficken hit from 35 to put the Jets up by 7 midway through the fourth quarter. The Giants were a disaster, and with 2:40 left had to punt on 4th and 19 from their own 3. They got it back at their own 16 with only 18 seconds left. There were no miracles as both Gang Green and Big Blue have 2 wins on the year. 34-27 Jets
Atlanta Falcons at New Orleans Saints — The 1-7 dumpster fire Falcons had zero chance to go on the road and beat the 7-1 Saints who are in Super Bowl mode. If ever there was a time for Chris Berman devotees to say it, this game is exactly what it means when he says, “THAT’S why they PLAY the games!” Younghoe Kool hit a 37 yard field goal for the Falcons and the Saints moved to a 3rd and goal at the 2. Drew brees was sacked and the Saints settled for a 29 yard Wil Lutz field goal and a 3-3 game. The Falcons soon faced 3rd and 8 at their own 27. Matt Ryan hit Ridley for 10 and Gage for 9 more. On 4th and 4 from the Saints 44, with nothing left to lose in a season gone wrong, Dan Quinn decided to go for it. Ryan scrambled for 5 yards as the first quarter ended. The second quarter had the Falcons facing 3rd and 3 at the Saints 32. Hill only gained 2 yards, but illegal use of hands on the defense added 5 more. On 3rd and 5 from the Saints 14, Matty Ice threw incomplete but defensive holding kept the drive going. Ryan threw an 8 yard touchdown as the mind-numbing 17 play, 75 yard, 8 minute drive and the Falcons up 10-3. Koo added a 36 yard field goal to make it 13-3 Falcons with 90 seconds left in the half, but the Saints clawed back. Lutz hit from 47 on the last play of the half and from 28 in the third quarter to get the Saints within 13-9.
Yet in front of a shellshocked Superdome home crowd, it was the Falcons dominating the fourth quarter. After a touchback, Hill ran for 15, 4, and one. On 3rd and 5 from their own 45, Ryan threw incomplete but another defensive illegal use of hands penalty killed the Saints. From midfield, Ryan went to Ridley for 15 and Julio Jones for 13 more. On 3rd and 8 from the Saints 20, Ryan ran for just enough. On the first play of the fourth quarter and facing 3rd and 8 from the Saints 10, Ryan went to Gage for the touchdown and the 20-9 Falcons lead. Too tacked on field goals of 48 and 30 as the Saints turned it over on downs on their final 3 possessions. For offensive guru Sean Payton and pinball wizard Brees, this was a stunner. Any given Sunday. 26-9 Falcons
Baltimore Ravens at Cincinnati Bengals — The Ravens were coming off an emotional win over previously unbeaten New England. They had to guard against winless Cincinnati. This is NOT why they play the games. Goliath beat up David and took his lunch money in a game that was over by halftime. After a touchback, Lamar Jackson on the first play of the game went to Brown for a 49 yard gain and followed that up with a 19 yard completion to Mark Andrews. On 3rd and goal at the 2, Jackson went to Andrews for the touchdown to make it 7-0 Ravens. After a touchback, Jackson and Ingram ran for a pair of 9 yard gains. On 4th and 3 from the Cincy 44,John Harbaugh decided to go for it. Jackson hit Andrews for 4 yards. From the Cincy 36, Jackson went to Boyle for 35 yards down to the one. Ingram got the yard to cap the 12 play, 75 yard, 7 1/2 minute drive and make it 14-0 Ravens. The Bengals did manage a field goal in the second quarter, but the Ravens kept rolling. After a touchback, Jackson hit Hurst for 14 and Boyle for 25. Jackson found Andrews for a 17 yard touchdown to make it 21-3 Ravens. With Red Rifle Andy Dalton on the bench and Finley in his place, he moved the Bengals after a touchback to a 1st and 10 at the Baltimore 15. Finley then found Marcus Peters. Problem: Peters plays defense for the Ravens. His 89 yard interception return touchdown and the Ravens up 28-3. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said that league rules prevented the rest of the game from being canceled.
The Bengals did get a touchdown before the half, but it did not matter. The Bengals began the third quarter by fumbling the ball away. The Ravens began at their own 36. Jackson ran for a 47 yard touchdown that put the Ravens up 35-10. The Bengals then turned it over on downs for another short field for the Ravens at the Cincy 33. On 3rd and 8 from the Cincy 20, Jackson hit Marquise Brown for the touchdown and the 42-10 Ravens lead. The Bengals fumbled the ball away again and Tyus Bowser went Sha-na-na the other way for a 33 yard defensive touchdown to make it 49-10 Ravens after three quarters. The Bengals mounted a furious rally in the fourth quarter, kicking a field goal to cut a 39 point deficit to 36 points. The Ravens are 7-2 and looking super. The 0-9 Bengals are in a stupor. Jackson threw only 17 passes, completing 15 of them for 223 yards, 3 touchdowns and 0 interceptions. He was also the team’s leading rusher with 65 yards on 7 carries and one touchdown. He also had a perfect quarterback rating of 158.3, which would mean more if anyone knew what that meant. 49-13 Ravens
Carolina Panthers at Green Bay Packers — This was just a couple of good football teams playing a competitive game. A field position game had the Panthers taking over at their own 47. Kyle Allen went deep to Moore for 38 yards.. A 2 yard touchdown pass from Allen to Curtis Samuel to make it 7-0 Panthers. After a touchback, a 20 yard defensive pass interference penalty had the Packers on the move. Aaron Rodgers hit Kumerow for 11. On 3rd and 9 from the Carolina 39, Rodgers hit Lazard for 19 yards and Devontae Adams for 15 yards. Aaron Jones ran for a 5 yard touchdown for a 7-7 ballgame. After a touchback, Christian McCaffrey ran for 4 and Allen added 8 more. McCaffrey ran for 19 and Allen hit Greg Olsen for 16. On the first play of the second quarter, Joey Slye hit a 50 yard field goal for a 10-7 Panthers lead. The Panthers got the ball back in great field position but fumbled the ball away to set the Packers up at their own 48. Jones ran for 5 and Rodgers went deep too Adams for 37 yards. Rodgers ran for 7 yards down to the one and Jones got the last yard to make it 14-10 Packers. The Packers got it back and faced 3rd and 13 at their own 7. Rodgers threw incomplete but roughing the passer kept the drive going. On 3rd and 6 from their own 26, Rodgers went deep to Graham for a 48 yard gain. With 19 seconds left in the half the Packers had 1st and goal at the 2. Then came a false start. Then a touchdown pass to Graham was reversed to an incompletion. On 3rd and goal at the 7, Rodgers threw incomplete but defensive pass interference meant 1st and goal at the one. Only 2 seconds remained in the half. The 49ers went for it. Williams got the carry and got blown up in the backfield for a 3 yard loss.
The Packers opened up the game in the third quarter. On 2nd and 26 from their own 9, Rodgers went deep too Adams for 38 yards. Jones then ran for a 28 yard gain. Rodgers went to Kumerow for 12 yards. Jones ran for a 13 yard touchdown to make it 21-10 49ers. The Panthers moved from their own 8 to a 1st and 10 at the Packers 11. After an incompletion, Allen went to the end zone and was intercepted for a touchback as both teams drove down deep and came up snake eyes. The Packers marched all the way to a 1st and 10 at the Carolina 23. On 3rd and 10, a killer offensive holding penalty followed by a sack meant a 52 yard field goal try. A killer illegal formation penalty on the defense brought it down to 47 yards. Mason Crosby delivered as the Packers led 24-10 after three quarters. Carolina got it back at their own 18. McCaffrey gained 14. The fourth quarter began with the Panthers facing 3rd and 9 at their own 33. Allen hit Olsen for 15, Samuel for 15 more, and Wright for 21. McCaffrey ran for the 3 yard touchdown. Riverboat Ron Rivera inexplicably went for a needless 2 point conversion that failed as the Panthers trailed 24-16 with 12 minutes left. The Panthers got it back with 2:24 to play at their own 11 yard line as heavy snow came down in Green Bay. Allen hit Samuel for 15. On 3rd and 2 from their own 34 at the 2 minute warning, Allen hit Moore for 7. On 3rd and 5 from the Green Bay 34, Allen hit Olsen for 9. With 55 seconds left on 4th and 10 from the Packers 25, Allen hit Moore for 12 yards. With 13 seconds left on 4th and 1 from the Packers 4, Allen threw incomplete but defensive offsides meant 1st and goal at the 2 and 8 seconds left. Allen threw incomplete as 3 seconds remained. One final play for everything saw McCaffrey get the carry. 18 plays and 88 yards came the hard way. The Panthers celebrated, thinking McCaffrey had scored. Officials ruled him stopped short as the Packers survived this fine football game. Carolina fell to 5-4 while Green Bay is 8-2 and winning with defense. 24-16 Packers
Detroit Lions at Chicago Bears — The Black and Blue division gave us a typical old school NFC North slugfest. The Lions move from their own 20 to a 3rd and goal at the 4. Driskel played in place of an injured Matthew Stafford, and he threw incomplete. Matt Prater hit a 22 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Lions. In the second quarter a short field led to Prater hitting from 54 to make it 6-0 Lions. Then the Bears took over. Matt Nagy made the ballsiest call of the year that would have gotten him Barry Switzered had it failed. He gambled on 4th and 1 from his own 29. Montgomery gained 2 yards and it sparked the whole team. With 25 seconds left in the half, the Bears faced 2nd and 5 from the Detroit 18. Mitchell Trubisky hit Ben Braunecker for the touchdown. The Lions defense went from a shutout to trailing 7-6 at halftime. The Lions took over in the third quarter. After nearly fumbling the ball away, Trubisky found Robinson for 33 yards. On 3rd and 1 from the Detroit 31, defensive pass interference added 22 yards. Trubisky went to Tarik Cohen for a 9 yard touchdown. The extra point failed but the Bears led 13-6. An interception of Driskel gave the Bears golden field position. On 3rd and 9 from the Detroit 24, Trubisky found Taylor Gabriel for the touchdown to make it 20-6 Bears. Midway through the fourth quarter from their own 19, Driskel hit TJ Hockensen for gains of 17 and 11 and deep to Kenny Golladay for a 47 yard touchdown. With 6 minutes left the Lions were back within 7. Detroit got it back at their own 48 and with 2 1/2 minutes left faced 4th and 1 at the Chicago 36. Driskel hit McKissic for 7 yards but offensive pass interference meant 4th and 11. Driskel then threw incomplete. The Lions got it back at their own 10 with 1:41 left. With 7 seconds left it all came down to 4th and 7 from the Chicago 25. Driskel went to the end zone and threw it out the back of the end zone incomplete. 20-13 Bears
Miami Dolphins at Indianapolis Colts — Even with Jacoby Brissett out and Brian Hoyer in, the Colts were expected to roll over the Dolphins, who were just happy to win last week and avoid going 0-16. Again, “THAT’S why they PLAY the games!” A Miami fumble set up the Colts just past midfield. Yet on 2nd and goal from the 9, Hoyer was intercepted for a touchback. Ryan Fitzpatrick’s magic beard hit Hurns for 14, Parker for 20 and laird for 6. Sanders hit a 47 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Dolphins. Another interception of Hoyer was returned 32 yards to the Indy 12. On 3rd and 9, Fitzpatrick ran for the 11 yard touchdown as the Dolphins took the 10-0 lead to the locker rooms in front of a shocked Indy home crowd. In the third quarter the Colts drove to the red zone twice but settled for Adam Vinatieri field goals of 25 and 39 yards to trail 10-6. On the first play of the fourth quarter, an interception of Fitzpatrick set up the Colts at the Miami 34. Hoyer hit Johnson for 9 and Rogers for 11. On 3rd and 7 from the 8, Hoyer hit Hines for 7 and Jack Doyle for the one yard touchdown. Vinatieri missed the extra point but the Colts led 12-10 with 11 1/2 minutes left. Sanders hit a 48 yard field goal with 5:45 left to put the Dolphins up 13-12. An immediate interception of Hoyer led to another 48 yarder from Sanders for a 4 point Miami lead with 3 1/2 minutes left. The Colts faced 3rd and 8 at their own 27 and Hoyer hit Rogers for 20 yards. With one minute left, the Colts had 1st and 10 at the Miami 16. After 3 straight incompletions, everything came down to 4th and 10 with 38 seconds left. Hoyer completed a pass to Eric Ebron, but only for an 8 yard gain as the shocking upset gave the Dolphins their second straight win. 16-12 Dolphins
Los Angeles Rams at Pittsburgh Steelers — This was a brutal game dominated by the defenses. 15 seconds into the game, the Rams had a defensive touchdown and a 7-0 lead when a fumble was returned 26 yards to the house by Dante Fowler. Late in the first quarter the Steelers faced 3rd and 7 at their own 41. Mason Rudolph went deep to Johnson for 30 yards. On 2nd and 20 from the Rams 39, Rudolph was intercepted but defensive pass interference meant 19 yards. Rudolph hit James Washington for 13 and again for a 3 yard touchdown to make it 7-7. With 2 1/2 minutes left in the half, a Steelers fumble set up the Rams at their own 38. Yet with 1:44 left on 3rd and 7 from their own 41, a Rams fumble was returned 43 yards by Minkah Fitzpatrick for a score. Each team had a defensive touchdown as the Steelers led 14-7.
In the third quarter Greg “the leg” Zuerlein missed a 56 yard field goal for the Rams. Then Jared Goff on the next 2 series was intercepted. The Rams finally moved from their own 8 to a 2nd and 4 at the Pittsburgh 8. Yet Todd Gurley lost 4 yards and Goff threw incompelte. Zuerlein hit from 30 to get the Rams within 14-10. In the fourth quarter the Steelers were pinned at their own 5. Rudolph was buried in the end zone by Aaron Donald for a safety as the Rams trailed 14-12 with 12:40 to play. The Rams failed to take advantage of the free kick. Instead the Steelers from their own 25 led a 14 play, 60 yard drive that ate up 8 minutes. With Mike Tomlin brought out his steel balls. He gambled on 4th and 1 from his own 34 knowing he’d be crucified in the media if the Steelers lost. Rudolph hit Edmunds for 6 yards. Chris Boswell hit a 33 yard field goal to put the Steelers up by 5. The Rams got it back at their 34 with 2 1.2 minutes left and moved to a 1st and 10 at the Pittsburgh 30. Goff then threw 4 straight incompletions. The Rams took their timeouts on defense and got it back at their own 40 with one minute left. With 20 seconds left, on 1st and 15 from their own 42, a short pass by Goff was deflected and intercepted by Fitzpatrick. The Steelers started 1-4 but have won 4 straight. Nobody gets more out of less than Mike Tomlin. The defending NFC champions are also 5-4 and in serious trouble. 17-12 Steelers
Minnesota Vikings at Dallas Cowboys was the Sunday night game. 3 minutes into the game, Jason Garrett brought in Brett Maher to try a 57 yard field goal for the Cowboys. The kick was no good and the Vikings took control. On 2nd and 11 from their own 46, Kirk Cousins hit Dalvin Cook for 12 yards. On 1st and 15 from the Dallas 47, Cousins went to Cook for 27 yards with 10 more added on for a facemask. Mattison ran for 9 yards and Cousins hit Kyle Rudolph for a one yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Vikings. The Vikings got it back and faced 3rd and 5 at their own 15. Cousins went to Stefan Diggs for 11 yards. On 3rd and 4 from their own 32, Cousins hit Laquon Treadwell for 10 yards. On the next play Cousins went to Cook for 30 yards, with roughing the passer adding 14 more yards. On 3rd and 1 at the Dallas 5, Cook gained 2 yards. On 3rd and goal at the one, Cousins hit Rudolph for the touchdown to make it 14-0 Vikings.
In the second quarter momentum changed when a short 32 yard punt set the Cowboys up at the Minnesota 48. On 3rd and 12 at midfield, Dan Prescott went to Amari Cooper for 20 yards and to Michael Gallup for a 23 yard touchdown to get the Cowboys within 14-7. The Cowboys got it back at their own 17. Prescott hit Cooper for 12 yards. On 3rd and 12 fro their own 27, Prescott went to Gallup for 15 yards. On 3rd and 3 just shy of midfield, Prescott went to Jarwin for 26 yards. At the 2 minute warning on 3rd and 7 from the Minnesota 22, Prescott went to Randall Cobb for the touchdown to tie the game 14-14.
After a touchback Cousins went to Rudolph for 7, Cook for 8, and Smith for 7. On 3rd and 3 from the Minnesota 47, Cousisn went to Diggs. Initially ruled incomplete, it was reversed to a 27 yard completion. On the last play of the half, Dan Bailey hit a 26 yard field goal to make it 17-14 Vikings. After a touchback to start the third quarter, the Vikings faced 1st and 10 at their own 37. Cousins hit Johnson for 10 and Cook got around the end for a 23 yard gain. Despite 1st and goal at the 10, a run gained one yard and Cousins threw incomplete twice. Bailey hit a 27 yard field goal to make it 20-14 Vikings. After a touchback, Prescott went to Ezekiel Elliott for 12 and Jason Witten for 9 with unnecessary roughness adding on 15 more. Prescott hit Cooper for 13. On 3rd and 8 from the Minnesota 24, Prescott went to Cobb for 12 and Cooper for the 12 yard touchdown. Midway through the third quarter the Cowboys had the 21-20 lead.
The Vikings soon faced 3rd and 6 at their own 29. Cousins hit Johnson for 15 yards. From the Dallas 46, Cook got around the end for 14 and Mattison for around the end for 12. Mattison ran for 3 more and then for 16 down to the one. On 3rd and goal at the one, Ham lost a yard. With 2 seconds left in the third quarter, Mike Zimmer decided to go for it on 4th and goal at the 2. Cook ran for the touchdown to cap the 13 play, 75 yard, 7 minute drive. Cousins hit Rudolph for the 2 point conversion as the Vikings led 28-21 after three quarters. The Cowboys began the fourth quarter facing 3rd and 14 at their own 21. Prescott went to Cobb for 20 yards. On 3rd and 5 from the Minnesota 35, Prescott was sacked for a 15 yard loss. However, defensive holding kept the drive going. Prescott went to Cobb for 24 yards to set up 1st and goal at the 6. Yet a run gained one yard and Prescott threw incomplete twice. With 10 minutes left Maher hit from 23 to get the Cowboys within 4 points. The Cowboys got it back at their own 6 yard line with 4 1/2 minutes left. They moved to a 2nd and 2 at the Minnesota 11 with 1:33 to play. Elliott got stopped. On 3rd and 2, Elliott got blown up for a 3 yard loss. The Vikings took their 1st timeout on defense with 44 seconds left. On 4th and 5 from the 14, Prescott threw incomplete. The Vikings ran 3 straight times to force the Cowboys to take their timeouts on defense. With 24 seconds left, the Cowboys had one last shot from their own 46. With 3 seconds left, on 4th and 1 from the Minnesota 45, Prescott threw the Hail Mary to the end zone. Kearse intercepted it for a touchback as the Vikings got to 7-3 by being Mike Zimmer tough. The loss dropped the Cowboys to 5-4 and in trouble. 28-24 Vikings
Seattle Seahawks at San Francisco 49ers was the Monday night game. The NFC’s nastiest rivalry is back. This game was mostly a defensive head-knocker that ended up an instant classic and perhaps the game of the year. The 8-0 49ers and 7-2 Seattle Seahawks went blow for blow. The 49ers began facing 3rd and 10 at their own 25. Jimmy Garoppolo hit Kendrick Bourne for 16 yards. On 3rd and 5 from their own 46, Garoppolo was intercepted, but defensive holding nullified the pick. On 3rd and 6 from the Seattle 45, a completion only gained 5 yards but defensive pass interference meant an automatic first down. On 3rd and 5 from the Seattle 25, Chase McLaughlin hit a 43 yard field goal. Veteran Robbie Gould is injured, and mcLaughlin just joined the team. The Seahawks went 3 and out and the 49ers took over at their own 17. Garoppolo went to Samuel for 30 yards. Coleman ran for 22 more yards. On 3rd and 8 from the Seattle 10, Garoppolo went to Bourne for the touchdown. The 49ers led 10-0 after the first quarter and were dominating, but then this game of big defensive plays changed.
After 27 minutes, the 49ers still led 10-0. Seattle had no offense. The 49ers had 2nd and 7 at their own 23. Garoppolo got belted and fumbled. Jadavean Clowney picked it up and ran 10 yards for a defensive touchdown to get the Seahawks within 10-7. Tyler Lockett then returned a fumble 20 yards to the San Francisco 39. On 1st and 10 from the Frisco 27, Russell Wilson hit DK Metcalf for 26 yards. However, near the goal line, Metcalf had the ball ripped out of his hands by Tartt. Officials ruled it a fumble and recovery by the 49ers. The Seahawks fumbled again in the third quarter, setting up the 49ers at their own 44. On 4th and 2 from the Seattle 33, Kyle Shanahan decided to go for it rather than try a 51 yard field goal with a new kicker. Garoppolo threw incomplete. Midway through the third quarter the 49ers took over at their own 30. From their 41, Garoppolo went deep and was intercepted by Diggs, who returned it 44 yards to the Frisco 16. Under heavy pressure, Wilson somehow lobbed a 3 yard touchdown pass over the middle to Jacob Hollister to put the Seahawks up 14-10. After a touchback, the 49ers faced 2nd and 18 at their own 32. Garoppolo got nailed again and fumbled again. Clowney made the hit and Ford recovered at the Frisco 24 for the Seahawks. Chris Carson ran for a one yard touchdown. The Seahawks led 21-10 after three quarters. Now they had all the momentum. This thriller was far from over.
The Seahawks began the fourth quarter at their own 20 looking to put the game away. Instead from their own 35, Wilson got leveled and fumbled. Somehow the ball bounced in the air straight into the arms of one of Wilson’s own offensive linemen. However, big man with football was not prepared for it. Before the lineman could get to the ground, he had it knocked out of his hands. DeForest Buckner picked it up and ran 12 yards for a defensive touchdown. With 12 minutes left in regulation, Kyle Shanahan decided to go for he 2 point conversion. Garoppolo went to Bourne successfully. The 49ers were within 21-18 in a game where both teams had a defensive touchdown. The 49ers got it back at their own 31. From their 35, Garoppolo went to Samuel for 24 yards. On 3rd and 8 from the Seattle 21, Garoppolo threw incomplete. McLaughlin came in for the 39 yard field goal try to tie the game. The kick was good for a 24-24 battle with 6:17 left in regulation. Again, this thriller was still far from over.
The Seahawks faced 3rd and 1 at their own 34. Carson initially was stopped, but lunged forward for 2 yards. Wilson went to Hollister for 11. On 3rd and 6 just past midfield, Wilson went to Josh Gordon for 13 yards. With 1:55 left, the Seahawks faced 3rd and 1 at the Frisco 27. A first down would let the Seahawks take the clock all the way down and attempt the winning field goal. Yet rather than go smash mouth, Pete Carroll’s offensive coordinator decided to play out of the shotgun. Marshawn Lynch was retired, but the odd play calls remained. The Seahawks did hand it off, but out of the shotgun Carson was blown up in the backfield for a one yard loss. After initially flirting with going for it, temporary insanity gave way to reason. Jason Myers hit the 46 yard field goal with 1:45 left to put the Seahawks up 24-21. Yet they did not close the door. The 48ers still had 1:39 to work with at their own 26 with one timeout. On 3rd and 10, the Seahawks jumped into the neutral zone. On 3rd and 5, Garoppolo hit Dwelley for just enough. Garoppolo then went to Coleman for gains of 16, 6 and 5. A great tackle inbounds forced the 49ers take their last timeout with 18 seconds left. From the Seattle 37, a field goal try would be 55 yards. Kyle Shanahan decided to call one more play, and it was a dangerous move. Garoppolo fired over the middle to Samuel for 8 yards as the clock ticked down. Garoppolo spiked the ball with 7 seconds left. McLaughlin came in for a 47 yard try to tie the game. Again, this was his very first game with the 49ers. Again, the kick was good. At 24-24, if ever a game deserved overtime, this one was it. Did we mention this game was a thriller?
The Seahawks won the toss and soon faced 3rd and 3 at their own 32. Wilson hit Gordon for 14 yards. Wilson miraculously escaped a sack, but a horrendous in the grasp whistle had the Seahawks facing 3rd and 16 at their own 40. Wilson scrambled around and found Turner for a 28 yard gain. Wilson then went to Hollister for 13 yards. Carson gained 5 more. One week after winning in overtime with a touchdown, the Seahawks were on the verge of slamming the door shut again. On 2nd and 5 from the Frisco 14, the 49ers defense needed a miracle. They got one. Wilson threw into double coverage and was intercepted by GreenLaw at the 4 yard line. Greenlaw returned the interception 47 yards just past midfield. It was the first red zone interception for Wilson in his entire career. On 3rd and 6 from the Seattle 45, Garoppolo hit Mostert for 7. Now it was the Seahawks on the ropes needing a miracle as the 49ers were in field goal range. On 3rd and 2 from the Seattle 30, Mostert got the carry and came up inches short. Officials reviewed the spot and got it correct. On 4th and inches, Kyle Shanahan did not even think of going for it. He brought in McLaughlin for a 47 yard field goal try to win it and keep the 49ers undefeated. This time the kick was no good, not even close. McLaughlin hooked it by a mile.
With 3 minutes left in overtime the Seahawks took over at their own 37. At the 2 minute warning, the Seahawks faced 3rd and 2 at their own 45, Wilson threw incomplete. On 4th and 2, Pete Carroll did not even consider going for it. A punt had the 49ers taking over at their own 20. After a pair of incompletions set up 3rd and 10, Garoppolo went for it all and had Samuel deep for the bomb. At the last moment the play was spectacularly broken up by Griffin for an incompletion. The 49ers punted and the Seahawks took over at their own 36 with 1:25 left in overtime. On 3rd and 3 from their own 43, Wilson scrambled for 18 yards. Wilson found Metcalf for 8 and Carson ran for 7 more to the Frisco 24. Although 30 seconds still remained, Pete Carroll made the very questionable decision of not trying to gain any more yards. With 4 seconds left, Myers came in to try the winning field goal. 42 yards is not enormous, but it is not automatic either. After a timeout to ice him negated the first kick, Myers tried again. The kick barely snuck inside the upright. Good! The 1972 Miami Dolphins popped their champagne corks as the last NFL unbeaten team fell. These teams played an NFC Title Game for the ages 6 years ago. A rematch this year would be the best way to ring in 2020 football. 6 years ago Richard Sherman made the play for the Seahawks. This time he was on the losing end with the 49ers. The NFL’s 100th season gave us another reason why we love football. 27-24 Seahawks, OT