NFL 2020 Week 5 Recap
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Chicago Bears was the Thursday night game. The Buccaneers were supposed to steamroll over the overmatched Bears. Yet the Bears brought their defense led by Khalil Mack. Early on the Buccaneers moved 54 yards in 11 plays and 5 minutes. They moved from their own 25 to a 3rd and 6 at the Chicago 21. Tom Brady threw incomplete. Ryan Succop hit a 39 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Buccaneers. An interception of Nick Foles was returned by Davis 34 yards to midfield. Brady hit Johnson for 35 yards. On3 rd and goal at the 2, Brady went to Mike Evans for the touchdown to make it 10-0 Buccaneers. The Buccaneers got it back and moved 73 yards in 13 plays and 7 minutes. Bruce Arians even went psychotic, gambling on 4th and 1 from his own 19. Brady got the yard. The Buccaneers moved from their own 10 to a 3rd and 7 at the Chicago 17. Yet Brady then threw incomplete. After all of that, the Buccaneers settled for a 35 yard Succop field goal and a lead of 13-0.
Midway through the second quarter after a touchback, the Bears finally woke up. Foles hit Anthony Miller for 7 and Harris for 9. On 3rd and 12 from their own 39, the Buccaneers entered the neutral zone. On 3rd and 7, Foles found Montgomery for 12, Robinson for 13 and Cordarelle Patterson for 25 yards down to the 3 yard line at the 2 minute warning. Montgomery ran it in from there to get the Bears within 13-7. The Buccaneers soon faced 3rd and 11 at their own 25. Brady went to Vaughn, who got blasted and fumbled. With 90 seconds left in the half, the Bears took over at the Tampa 27. On 3rd and 3 from the Tampa 20, Foles went to Patterson for 8 and Graham for the 12 yard touchdown. Despite being dominated the entire half, the Bears actually led 14-13.
The second half was a defensive bonelock. Succop hit a 46 yard field goal in the third quarter to put the Buccaneers back in front 16-14. The Bears moved from their own 12 to a 1st and 10 at the Tampa Bay 15. Foles was sacked for a 13 yard loss. The 12 play, 59 yard drive took over 7 minutes. The Bears settled for a 47 yard Cairo Santos field goal to lead 17-16 with 10 1/2 minutes left in regulation. From their own 27, the Patriots moved to a 1st and 10 at the Chicago 16. Brady was then sacked for a 7 yard loss. On 3rd and 17 from the Chicago 23, Brady went to Rob Gronkowski for 16. After 10 plays, 66 yards and nearly 6 minutes, Bruce Arians had a decision to make. Despite gambling on 4th and 1 from his own 19, he decided on 4th and 1 from the Chicago 7 to go for the field goal. Succop hit from 25 as the Buccaneers led 19-17 with 5 minutes left. With 2 1/2 minutes left the Buccaneers had to punt on 4th and 12 from their own 14. The Bears got it back with 2:21 to play at their own 48. On 3rd and 9, Foles hit Miller for 10. On 2nd and 11 from the Tampa 42, Foles hit Montgomery for 17. On 2nd and 9 Bruce Arians called a pass play rather than grind down the clock. It was incomplete. Santos came in for a 38 yard try to give the Bears the lead. The kick was good and the game’s 5th lead change had the Bears up by a point. After a touchback, Brady had 1:13 left needing only a field goal. With 33 seconds left on 4th and 6 from his own 41, Brady threw incomplete. A confused Brady thought it was 3rd down, not 4th down. Meanwhile, Foles beat Brady again as the Bears, and not the Buccaneers, are 4-1. Cue ESPN uber-annoucncer Chris Berman. “THAT’s why they PLAY the GAMES.” 20-19 Bears
Los Angeles Rams at Washington Identity Crisis — The Rams took over and soon faced 3rd and 5 at their own 29. Jared Goff hit Greg Everett for 17 yards. On 3rd and 7 from the Washington 34, Goff hit Everett for 23. Henderson ran for a one yard touchdown to make it 6-0 Rams. The extra point was no good. With Dwayne Haskins benched, Kyle Allen got the start for the non-Redskins. They soon faced 3rd and 7 from their own 30. Allen hit McLaurin for 12. Roughing the passer two plays later added 15. On 3rd and 2 from the Rams 30, McKissic gained 3. Allen hit Gibson for 18. Allen got around the end for a 7 yard touchdown and a 7-6 No-Names lead.
The Rams began the second quarter facing 3rd and 10 from their own 25. Goff threw incomplete but defensive pass interference meant a 15 yard gain. Goff went deep to Robert Woods for a 56 yard touchdown to make it 13-7 Rams. The Rams got it back at their own 17. Henderson ran for 7 and caught a pass for 12. On 3rd and 4 from their own 42, Goff hit Cooper Kupp for 8. Goff then went to Everett for a 40 yard gain. On 3rd and goal at the 2, Goff had a wide open lane and took it for the touchdown to make it 20-7 Rams. With 2:20 left in the half, the No-names faced 3rd and 1 at their own 20. Allen got tackled for no gain and was injured on the play. For the first time in 2 years, Alex Smith played a football game. Smith suffered a gruesome injury in 2018 that threatened not only his career, but his life. He had multiple surgeries and fought off an infection that occurred due to surgical complications. While Smith has been sometimes fairly (and sometimes unfairly, guilty as charged) derided as a West Coast Offense dink and sunk game manager, it was good to see him playing football again. While he could not turn this game around, even his playing is a cause for joy after everything he has endured.
Meanwhile, an interception of Goff in the final minute of the half set the No-Names up at their own 41. That was enough for Dustin Hopkins to hit a 48 yard field goal to get the No-Names within 20-10. In the third quarter the Rams moved from their own 20 to a 1st and goal at the 10. Two incompletions sandwiched around a failed run meant a 28 yard Sam Sloman field goal and a 23-10 Rams lead. In the fourth quarter the Rams put the game away. Just shy of midfield, Henderson ran for 6 and 4. Goff went to Reynolds for 29 and Henderson for the 11 yard touchdown to complete the blowout. 30-10 Rams
Philadelphia Eagles at Pittsburgh Steelers — Midway through the first quarter the Steelers faced 3rd and 4 at their own 44. Ben Roethlisberger hit Claypool for 7. On 3rd and 6 from the Philadelphia 45, Roethlisberger hit Washington for 12. On 3rd and 2 from the Philly 25, Claypool gained 3. On 2nd and 16 from the Philly 28, Big Ben threw incomplete but defensive pass interference meant a 21 yard gain. On 2nd and goal at the 7, James Conner gained 4 but defensive unnecessary roughness meant a new set of downs. Claypool ran for a 2 yard touchdown as the 14 play, 62 yard, 7 minute drive meant it 7-0 Steelers. The Eagles came back quickly. On 3rd and 9 from their own 26, Sanders took a handoff 74 yards for a touchdown and a 7-7 game.
The Steelers began the second quarter facing 3rd and 11 at their own 24. Roethlisberger hit Claypool for 15. Conner ran for 25. On 3rd and 6 from the Philly 32, Roethlisberger connected with Claypool for a 32 yard touchdown to make it 14-7 Steelers. The Eagles got it back at their own 24. Carson Wentz went to Fulgham for 13 and 7. On 3rd and 3 from their own 45, Wentz hit Fulgham for 9 with 15 more tacked on for roughing the passer. On 3rd and 4 from the Pittsburgh 7, Wentz hit Zach Ertz for 6. Sanders got the last yard for a 14-14 ballgame.
After a touchback the Steelers took over, with defensive pass interference putting them at their own 40. Roethlisbgerger hit Conner for 11 and Eric Hebron for 17. On 3rd and 10 from the Philly 29, a completion only gained 4 yards at the 2 minute warning. Chris Boswell hit a 41 yard field goal for a 17-14 Steelers lead. The Steelers began the third quarter facing 3rd and 5 at their own 30. Big Ben hit Ebron for 7. On the next play McCloud got around the end. for a 58 yard gain. Roethlisberger went to Claypool for a 5 yard touchdown to make it 24-14 Steelers. Wentz was quickly intercepted, setting up the Steelers at the Philly 23. Defensive pass interference put the ball on the one. Conner got the yard to make it 31-14 Steelers.
The Eagles soon faced 3rd and 12 at their own 23. Wentz went deep to Fulgham for 31. Defensive pass interference added 26 more. Wentz hit Sanders for 11and Ward for an 8 yard touchdown. Doug Pederson for some reason went for a 2 point conversion and Wentz hit Hightower to get the Eagles within 31-22 with 6 minutes left in the third quarter. The Eagles got it back late in the third quarter and faced 3rd and 8 at their own 22. Wentz hit Fulgham for 18 and 19, Rodgers for 18, Fulgham for 13, and Ward for 11. On 3rd and goal at the 4, Wentz out of the shotgun hit Fulgham for the touchdown. The Eagles were within 31029 with 11 1/2 minutes left in regulation.
The Steelers moved from their own 24 to a 1st and 10 at the Philly 40. Two offensive holding penalties killed the drive and nullified a 42 yard touchdown pass from Roethlisberger to Claypool. On 3rd and 21 just shy of midfield, Roethlisberger hit Ebron for 12, but Ebron fumbled and the Eagles recovered at their own 45 with 6 1/2 minutes left. On 3rd and 5 from the Pittsburgh 39, Wentz threw incomplete. With 3:18 to play, Elliott came in for a 57 yard field goal try to give the Eagles the lead. The kick was no good. Pittsburgh took over at their own 47 and a defensive facemask moved them to the Philly 37. On 3rd and 8 from the Philly 35, Roethlisberger went to Claypool for the touchdown to seal the win. Wentz threw in another interception for good measure. Meanwhile, the Steelers are a 4-0 football team for the first time in 40 years. 38-29 Steelers
Arizona Cardinals at New York Jets — Joe Flacco was in for Sam Darnold, keeping the Jets offense anemic. The Cardinals took over at their own 11. Kyler Murray hit Daniels for 6, Kirk for 8, ran for 16, hit Kirk for 21, and found Isabella for 6. Edmonds then ran for a 29 touchdown for a 7-0 Cardinals lead. An interception of Murray gave the Jets 1st and goal at the 10. Naturally they wasted the field position and settled for a 26 yard Sam Ficken field goal to trail 7-3. After a touchback, Murray ran for 10 and hit Larry Fitzgerald for 9. On 3rd and 15 rom their own 42, Murray went to Isabella for 24. Murray ran for a 2 yard touchdown to cap the 10 play, 75 yard drive and make it 14-3 Cardinals. With 53 seconds left in the half the Cardinals took over at their own 19. Murray hit Edmonds for 7, 5 and 30. Murray hit Hopkins for 10. With 8 seconds left, Zane Gonzalez hit a 47 yard field goal to put the Cardinals up 17-3. Adam Gase wondered how he would be allowed to coach the second half.
Midway through the third quarter the Jets took over at their own 26. Flacco went deep to Jermaine Crowder for a 52 yard gain. On 3rd and 4 from the Arizona 16, Flaccos crumbled for 5. Flacco hit Crowder for an 11 yard touchdown as Crowder just stretched the ball over the plane of the goal to get the Jets within 17-10. The Cardinals soon faced 3rd and 1 at their own 39. Edmonds got stopped and Kliff Kingsbury decided to go for it. A short pass from Murray to Daniels went for a 31 yard gain. After running for 8 to set up 3rd and 3 at the Jets 23, Edmonds caught a pass for 7 more. Kenyon Drake did the rest, running for 8, 7 and the one yard touchdown to make it 24-10 Cardinals The 10 play, 70 yard, 5 1/2 minute drive ended the third quarter. In the fourth quarter from their own 4 yard line, the Cardinals put the game away. An interception of Murray was nullified by defensive holding. From his 11, Murray went deep to Hopkins for a 45 yard gain. On 3rd and 8 from the Jets 42, Murray went to Kirk for 10. Murray then went to Hopkins for a 37 yard touchdown. An inexplicable 2 point conversion try failed, but the Cardinals are a 3-2 team while Just End The Season cries grow louder and louder. 30-10 Cardinals
Las Vegas Raiders at Kansas City Chiefs — On the first play of the game, the Raiders already porous secondary saw Joyner go down with an injury. Mahomes quickly threw a touchdown bomb that was nullified by offensive holding on former Raiders standout Koleche Osemele. A couple plays later Osemele went down awkwardly and had to be taken off on a cart. The defense actually got a stop but a penalty on the punt for an invalid fair catch had the Raiders starting at their own 5 yard line. Jon Gruden wanted to pound the rock and Josh Jacobs ran for 7, 3 and 6. On 3rd and 10 from their own 30, Carr went deep to rookie Henry Ruggs for a 46 yard gain. Ruggs had a defender in his face and somehow controlled it off the defender’s helmet. Ruggs was injured the last couple weeks, and his return opened up the offense. Yet a pair of false starts killed the drive. After 11 plays, 75 yards and 6 minutes, the Raiders settled for a 38 yard Daniel Carlson field goal to lead 3-0.
The Chiefs took over at their own 12. On 3rd and 4 from their 18, Patrick Mahomes went to Travis Kelce for 12. Tyreek Hill ran for 6 and caught a pass from Mahomes for 26. On 3rd and 7 from the Raiders 35, Mahomes and Kelce connected for a 32 yard gain. Mahomes got around the end for the 3 yard touchdown to make it 7-3 Chiefs. The Raiders moved from their own 9 to a 2ns and 5 at their own 33. Carr Hit Darren Waller for what appeared to be a first down, but it was called 3rd and 1 from their own 37. Rather than ram it up the gut, Carr went deep and was intercepted by Breeland. It was Carr’s first interception of the season and his first interception in over 300 pass attempts. Breeland returned the interception 28 yards to the Raiders 28. The second quarter began with Mahomes hitting Hardman for 13 and Kelce for 5. Hill got around the end for a 10 yard touchdown and a 14-3 Chiefs lead.
After a touchback the Raiders went back to the ground game. Booker came in and ran for 7, 2, and on 3rd and 1, a critical 2 after appearing stopped. On 2nd and 5 from their own 41, Carr went bombs away to Nelson Agholor for a 59 yard touchdown. The Raiders were right back in it down 14-10. After a touchback, Mahomes went to Sammy Watkins for 16 and deep to Hill for a 37 yard gain. Jon Gruden unsuccessfully challenged the catch. On 3rd and goal from the 8, Mahomes avoided a sack, rolled out, and fired to Watkins for the touchdown as the Chiefs led 21-10. After a touchback the Raiders came right back. Booker broke threw the line for a 3 yard gain. Carr hit Alec Ingold for 23 yards. Carr fired high over the middle to Waller for a 5 yard touchdown. With 6 1/2 minutes left in the half the Raiders were only down 21-17.
The Chiefs soon faced 3rd and 6 at their own 29, Mahomes found Kelce for 14. Yet offensive holding on the next play had the Chiefs facing 2nd and 20 from their own 33. Mahomes went for it all. The play was well defended by Jonathan Abram incomplete. The crowd erupted as pass interference was not called. On 3rd and 20, Mahomes scrambled, avoided a sack, went to run, decided not to run, and fired a laser over the middle that was dropped. The Raiders dodged a bullet. The Raiders got it back after a touchback and went back to the ground as Jalen Richard and Jacobs both gained 4. On 3rd and 2 from their own 28, it was Carr’s turn to go for all the marbles. He found Ruggs, who outraced everyone for a 72 yard touchdown. In front of a stunned crowd at Arrowhead, the Raiders had a 24-21 lead with 2 1/2 minutes left in the half.
The Chiefs soon faced 3rd and 15 at their own 23. One defensive stop and the Raiders would lead at the half. Mahomes again avoided pressure, rolled to his left, and fired across his body over the middle to Kelce for 23 yard gain at the 2 minute warning. Mahomes went to Hill for 15. On 3rd and 4 from the Raiders 29, Mahomes found Pringle for a 23 yard gain. Mahomes found a wide open Edwards-Helaire in the flat for a 4 yard touchdown, but offensive pass interference on Kelce nullified the score. From the 14, Mahomes found Robinson but he was out of the back of the end zone. On 3rd and goal from the 14, Mahomes again escaped the pocket, rolled to his right, and fired to the end zone. This time the defense was all over it as a ball that should have been intercepted was dropped incomplete. Harrison Butker hit the 32 yard field goal. With 30 seconds left in the half the game was tied 24-24. Both teams had over 300 yards of offense in the first half. Both quarterbacks had nearly 250 yards passing in the first half.
The teams combined for 38 points in the second quarter alone. In a shocking turn of events, the third quarter was scoreless. Each team punted twice. The Chiefs had 22 total yards in the third quarter. Midway through the third quarter the Raiders took over at their own 29. An incompletion on 2nd and 8 was nullified by defensive holding. On 3rd and 2 from their own 44, Carr hit Alec Ingold for just enough. On 3rd and 4 from the Chiefs 25, Carr hit Waller for 7. On 3rd and 1 from the Chiefs 16, Jacobs got stopped. On the last play o the third quarter, on 4th and 1 from the Chiefs 16 in a tie game, Jon Gruden decided to go for it. Carr almost never runs the quarterback sneak, but this time he did for 2 yards. Jacobs began the fourth quarter by bulldozing over the Chiefs defense for a 7 yard gain and another 7 yard run for the touchdown. Less than one minute into the fourth quarter, the Raiders led 30-24. Yet the Silver and Black faithful got lumps in their throat when Carlson missed the extra point. Nevertheless, the 13 play, 71 yard drive took 8 minutes off the clock and kept mahomet on the sideline.
After a touchback the Chiefs moved to a 3rd and 9 at their own 44. Mahomes scrambled out of the pocket like he did all game. Yet this time Maxx Crosby nailed him for a 7 yard loss. The Raiders got the ball back at their own 30. Jacobs ran for a 15 yard gain, but offensive holding wiped it out and put the Raiders in a hole. With 10 1/2 minutes left in regulation, the Raiders faced 3rd and 18 from their own 22. There would be no short pass followed by a punt. Jon Gruden was in full aggressive attack mode. Carr went deep to Hunter Renfrow for a 42 yard gain. On 3rd and 2 from the Chiefs 28, Carr hit Jason Witten for 4. On 3rd and 11 from the Chiefs 25, Carr found himself in a world of trouble with the pocket collapsing. He had a wide open Jalen Richard only 2 yards away from him. Yet Carr overthrew Richard incomplete. Richard had an easy touchdown, but it was not to be. Carlson nailed the 43 yard field goal as the Raiders led 33-24 with 6 1/2 minutes left in regulation. The Raiders were finally getting pressure on Mahomes. He was scrambling for his life but not finding open receivers. Needing 2 scores, Andy Reid decided to go for it on 4th and 7 from his own 28. Mahomes ran all over the place and threw a deep ball that was intercepted by Heath. Heath returned the interception 47 yards to the Chiefs 2 yard line. Jacobs banged it in one play later. With 5 1/2 minutes left, the Raiders led 40-24.
Yet this game was not over. With Mahomes, it never is. On 2nd and 11 from his own 24, Mahomes hit Edwards-Helaire for 20. On the next play Mahomes went to Robinson for 20 more, but offensive holding nullified that. On 3rd and 20, Mahomes found Williams for 15. With 4 1/2 minutes left, the Raiders were one defensive stop away from putting the game away. On 4th and 5 from just shy of midfield, Mahomes connected with Hardman for a 37 yard gain. On 2nd and 10 from the Raiders 14, Mahomes hit Robinson in the end zone but he could not get both feet down inbounds. A defensive facemask meant 1st and goal at the 7 anyway. Mahomes ran all over the place and found Kelce for the touchdown. On the 2 point conversion, Mahomes scrambled around forever and fired to the back of the end zone to Williams. It was good, and the Chiefs were within 8 points with 4 minutes left.
Paul Guenther’s defense could not put the game away. If the offense malfunctioned, the Raiders would be on their heels again. Mahomes could not be allowed to have the ball back. Jacobs carried 4 straight times for 4, 7, 2 and 5. The Chiefs were out of timeouts. The Raiders took their last timeout as well with 2:08 to play. The Raiders faced 3rd and 3 at the Chiefs 47. Carr hit Jones at the sticks for what appeared to be the clinching first down. Yet officials marked it short. Jon Gruden did not have a timeout to challenge the spot. On 4th and 1 from the Chiefs 45 at the 2 minute warning, the stakes were simple. If you punt, you pin the Chiefs back deep without a timeout. If you go for it and don’t make it. The Chiefs have only 55 yards to go. Mahomes is a superhuman. Jon Gruden was not punting this ball. With everything on the line, Carr again took the quarterback keeper and got the yard. Carr took three knees and it was over.
The Chiefs last week became the first team in NFL history to start 4-0 in 4 straight years. They had won 13 straight games dating back to last year. They had beaten the Raiders 7 straight times in Arrowhead. Carr had never won in Arrowhead. All of that was done. The Raiders showed that they are a different team with Henry Ruggs and Trent Brown in the lineup. They also were improved on defense with Nick Kwiatkowski. After the game Jon Gruden said that the defense is still a work in progress, but improving. Carr and Mahomes had nearly identical stats. Carr was 22 of 31 for 347 yards, 3 touchdowns and one interception. Mahomes was 22 of 43 for 340 yards, 2 touchdowns and one interception. The Raiders ran for 144 yards on 35 carries. This was Jon Gruden pounding the rock. Ruggs had 118 yards receiving on only 2 catches. Carr’s touchdown passes came on bombs as he became the first quarterback since Rich Gannon in 2002 to throw for more than 300 yards at Arrowhead. The Raiders scored 40 points at Arrowhead for the first time since 2000. This was an Al Davis win. 40-32 Raiders
Jacksonville Jaguars at Houston Texans — Bill O’Brien is out and Romeo Crennel is the interim coach. The Texans embarked from their own 9 on a 17 play, 73 yard drive that ate up 7 1/2 minutes of clock. Yet a sack of Deshaun Watson in the red zone on the last play of the first quarter ended the drive. Kaimi Fairbairn hit the 36 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Texans at the start of the second quarter. After a touchback Gardner Minshew hit Shenault for 15. On 3rd and 7 from their own 43, Minshew ran for 11. On 3rd and 1 from the Houston 37, Minshew hit Tyler Eifert for 13. On 3rd and 8 from the Houston 22, Minshew threw incomplete but defensive holding kept the drive going. On 3rd and 6 from the Houston 13, Minshew hit Cole for the score to make it 7-3 Jaguars. The Texans after a touchback struck quickly. Watson hit Randall Cobb for 17, Will Fuller for 11, and Darren Fells for a 44 yard touchdown to make it 10-7 Texans. After that the game got ugly.
The Jaguars moved from their own 25 to a 3rd and goal at the 3 at the end of the half. A short pass lost 3 yards. Then Steve Hauschka missed a 24 yard field goal. Watson then went deep and was intercepted, setting up the Jaguars at the Houston 36 with 34 seconds left. With 9 seconds left from the Houston 21, offensive holding pushed the Jaguars back. From 49 yards out, Hauschka missed again. In the third quarter the Texans moved from their 25 to a 2nd and 14 at Jags 15. A run went nowhere and on 3rd and 4 Watson threw incomplete. Fairbairn hit from 33 to make it 13-7 Texans. The Texans got it back but Watson was intercepted to set up the Jaguars at the Houston 27. On 3rd and 2 from the Houston 9, Minshew completed a pass for one yard. Doug Marrone decided to go for it. On 4th and 1 from the 8, the direct snap to Robinson led to him being sacked and fumbling. JJ Watt recovered for the Texans at their own 20. Houston settled down and David Johnson got around the end for 12. Watson ran for 14. Watson hit Cooks for 22, Cobb for 5 and Cooks for 9 as the third quarter ended. The fourth quarter began with Watson hitting Johnson for 11 and Fuller for the 19 yard touchdown to make it 20-7 Texans.
After a touchback Minshew hit DJ Chark for 11 and O’Shaughnessy for 8. On 3rd and 1 from their own 45, Minshew gained 2. Minshew then went deep to Conley for a 51 yard gain. On 1st and goal at the 4, Minshew threw 3 straight incompletions. With 10 1/2 minutes left on 4th and goal at the 4, Minshew hit Johnson for the touchdown to get the Jaguars within 20-14. After a touchback, Watson hit Cooks deep for a 36 yard gain. That was enough for Fairbairn to hit from 46 to make it 23-14 Texans midway through the fourth quarter. The Jaguars after a touchback faced 3rd and 15 from their own 42. Minshew was sacked and fumbled. The Texans took over at the Jags 34. On 4th and 4 from the 28, Romeo Crennel in his very first game as coach passed up a field goal and decided to go for it. A short pass from Watson to Cooks got the first down and the touchdown to lock up the win. The Texans got their first win of the season as the hot seat on Doug Marrone got hotter. 30-14 Texans
Cincinnati Bengals at Baltimore Ravens — on the 2nd play of the game, Duvernay ran for a 42 yard gain. That was enough for a 46 yard Justin Tucker field goal to make it 3-0 Ravens. Baltimore got it back and faced 3rd and 5 at their own 43. Lamar Jackson hit Brown for 16 and Duvernay for 9. On 3rd and 1 from the Cincinnati 32, Edwards got the yard. On 3rd and 7 from the Cincy 28, Jackson hit Andrews for 9. On 3rd and 14 from the Cincy 23, Jackson hit Andrews for just enough. On 3rd and goal from the 5, Jackson fired over the middle to Andrews for the touchdown to make it 10-0 Ravens. An interception of Joe Burrow had the Ravens at the Cincy 31. Unnecessary roughness moved the ball to the Cincy 16. Jackson hit Andrews for 14 and on the first play of the second quarter hit Brown for the 2 yard touchdown to make it 17-0 Ravens. The second half was pointless. Tucker hit a 39 yard field goal late in the third quarter. In the fourth quarter a short Bengals completion was fumbled and returned by Queen for a 53 yard touchdown to make it 27-0 Ravens. With 30 seconds left in the game, Zac Parsons called for a field goal to avoid the shutout. Randy Bullock delivered. These are not the same old Bengals, but the Ravens are as good as ever. 27-3 Ravens
Carolina Panthers at Atlanta Falcons — The Falcons took over at their own 8 yard line. On 3rd and 4 from their 14, Matt Ryan hit Zacceaus for 13. Todd Gurley ran for 11 and 8. On 3rd and 2 just past midfield, Hill ran for 7. On 3rd and 3 from the Carolina 35, Gurley ran for the touchdown to make it 7-0 Falcons and cap the 10 play, 92 yard drive. The Panthers took over at their own 16 and embarked on a 14 play, 64 yard, 7 1/2 minute drive. Yet on 2nd and 3 from the Atlanta 20, a run went nowhere and Teddy Bridgewater threw incomplete on 2rd and 3. Joey Slye hit the 38 yard field goal to get the Panthers on the board. The Panthers got it back and moved from their own 21 to a 2nd and 7 at the Atlanta 24. Yet Bridgewater completed a pass for one yard and on 3rd and 6 ran for only 2 yards. Slye hit the 39 yard field goal as the Panthers trailed 7-6 in the second quarter.
The Panthers got it back at their own 12 and moved easily. Bridgewater hit Cooper for 12. Davis ran for 13 and 6. On 3rd and 4 from their own 43, Bridgewater connected with Moore for a 57 yard touchdown to make it 13-7 Panthers. The Panthers got it back at their own 11 and unnecessary roughness gave them 15 yards. Bridgewater hit Robbie Anderson for 8, Moore for 12, Davis for 23 and Anderson for 22. With 23 seconds left in the half, Bridgewater went to Davis for a 3 yard touchdown to make it 20-7 Panthers.
The second half was a defensive slog. The Falcons in the third quarter moved from their 21 to a 2nd and 9 at the Carolina 28. Matt Ryan threw incomplete twice. Younghoe Koo hit from 46 to get the Falcons within 20-10. The Falcons got it back at their own 20 and mounted a 15 play, 67 yard, 5 1/2 minute drive. Yet on 2nd and 8 from the 13, Matty Ice again went ice cold with 2 incompletions. Koo hit from 31 to start the fourth quarter to get the Falcons within 20-13. The Falcons got it back at their own 24 and mounted a 10 play, 71 yard, 5 1/2 minute drive. On 3rd and 4 from the Carolina 5, Ryan went to the end zone and was intercepted for a touchback with 9 minutes left. Carolina mounted a statement drive of 14 plays, 76 yards and 7 1/2 minutes. Slye’s 22 yard field goal with 1:10 to play made it 23-13 Panthers. Needing 2 scores after a touchback, Koo hit a 54 yard field goal with 4 seconds remaining. The onside kick failed and the Falcons remained winless. Dan Quinn is still employed. Rookie Matt Rhule has seen his team win 3 straight after an 0-2 start. 23-16 Panthers
Miami Dolphins at San Francisco 49ers — The 49ers are not the same team from last year, but with Jimmy Garoppolo back from injury they were expected to roll over the witless Dolphins. Cue under-announcer Chris Berman: “THAT’s why they PLAY the GAMES.” 90 seconds into the game, the Dolphins took over at their own 21. On their first play from scrimmage, Ryan Fitzpatrick’s beard went deep to Williams for a 47 yard gain. On 3rd and 11 from the San Francisco 33, Fitzpatrick hit Ford for 15. On the next play a horsecollar tackle meant 1st and goal at the 9. Fitzpatrick hit Shaheen for a 3 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Dolphins. The 49ers after a touchback moved to a 4th and 1 at the Miami 44. Kyle Shanahan decided to go for it and McKinnon got stopped cold. Fitzpatrick went deep to Parker for 28 yards. On 3rd and 3 from the San Francisco 21, Fitzpatrick hit grant for 6 with roughing the passer adding 8 more. Gaskin ran for 6 and then for the one yard touchdown. The Dolphins had the surprising 14-0 lead.
In the second quarter with a short field just past midfield, Raheem Mostert ran for 37 and then 5 more. Kyle Juszczyk ran for the 7 yard touchdown to get the 49ers within 14-7. From their own 22, the Dolphins kept rolling. Fitzpatrick ran for 17 and hit Gesicki for 12 and Williams for 19. Defensive pass interference meant a 22 yard gain down to the 3 yard line. On 2nd and goal at the one, Gaskin got stopped, but a rare clipping penalty on the offensive followed by a sack meant 3rd and goal at the 22. Fitzpatrick calmly went to Parker for the touchdown as the Dolphins got to 21-7 the hard way. The Dolphins got it back and faced 2nd and 11 at their own 20. Fitzpatrick went deep to Gesicki for a 70 yard gain. On 2nd and goal at the 6, Fitzpatrick was sacked and then threw incomplete. Sanders hit a 26 yard field goal to make it 24-7 Dolphins at the 2 minute warning. The 49ers soon faced 3rd and 10 at their own 25. Garoppolo was intercepted by McCain, who returned it 19 yards to the Miami 37. Sanders hit another field goal from 50 to make it 27-7 Dolphins with 38 seconds left in the half. With 14 seconds left in the half it was deja vu all over again. On 3rd and 10 from his own 25, Garoppolo was intercepted by Xavier Howard, who returned it 29 yards to the Frisco 19. Sanders hit a 29 yard field goal to end the half. 3 field goals in the final 2 minutes and the Dolphins winning a shocker 30-7.
The second half was pointless. Kyle Shanahan benched Garoppolo and brought in CJ Beathard. boatyard did throw a 19 yard touchdown pass to Kendrick Bourne, but Fitzpatrick responded with a 32 yard touchdown pass to Williams to make it 37-14 Dolphins. Robbie Gould hit a field goal for the 49ers, but Sanders responded with fourth quarter field goals of 31 and 49 to make it 43-17 Dolphins. The stunning blowout win was the second in a row for the Dolphins as both teams are 2-3 on the year. 43-17 Dolphins
New York Giants at Dallas Cowboys — The Cowboys have been putting up tons of yards and losing games. However, a win over the winless and talentless Giants would be a start to righting the ship. The Cowboys began facing 3rd and 4 at their own 31. Dak Prescott hit Cee Dee Lamb for 18 with unnecessary roughness adding 15 more. Yet on 2nd and goal at the 4, Prescott lost two and then threw incomplete. Greg Zuerlein hit from 24 to make it 3-0 Cowboys. After a touchback, Freeman gained 9 and Jones hit Slayton for 12. On 1st and 20 from their own 36 following an offensive penalty, Jones threw incomplete but roughing the passer meant 15 yards and new downs. Jones hit Slayton for 17 and Freeman for 18. Evan Engram ran for the 3 yard touchdown to make it 7-3 Giants. After a touchback the Cowboys faced 2nd and 8 from their own 40. Prescott was intercepted by Fackrell, who returned it 46 yards for a defensive touchdown and a 14-3 Giants lead. The Giants got it back and faced 3rd and 1 from their own 34. Penny gained 3. On 3rd and 2 from their own 45, Freeman gained just enough. 90 seconds into the second quarter, Graham Gano belted a 55 yard field goal. The Giants were winning a shocker up 17-3.
The Cowboys after a touchback finally woke up and started playing football. Ezekiel Elliott ran for 9 and 5. On 3rd and 1 from their own 48, the Giants jumped offside. Elliott ran for 8 and Prescott hit Wilson for 10 and Michael Gallup for 8. On 3rd and 1 from the Giants 6, Prescott hit William for 5. Elliott got the last yard to cap the 14 play, 75 yard, 7 minute drive and get the Cowboys within 17-10. After a touchback the Giants faced 1st and 10 at their own 37. Daniel Jones was sacked and fumbled. Brown returned it 29 yards as each team now had a defensive touchdown. Carlson has fumbled 22 times in 18 career starts, leading to the 17-17 tie.
With 5 minutes left in the half, the Giants took over after a touchback. On 3rd and 7 from their own 28, Jones hit Golden Tate for 21and Slayton for 16 more. With one minute left in the half, the Giants faced 4th and 4 at the Dallas 27. Rookie coach Joe Judge fired up his team with a fake field goal. Dixon went deep to Engram for a 27 yard touchdown, Sadly, an illegal shift nullified the score. The Giants settled for a 50 yard Gano field goal to lead 20-17 with only 50 seconds left in the half. That was enough time for the Giants to melt down. After a touchback, Prescott went to Lamb for 26 and 6 more. On 3rd and 4 from the Giants 43, Prescott went to Lamb for 21 with unnecessary roughness adding 11 more. With 23 seconds left, Mike McCarthy went to the bag of tricks. Prescott lateraled to Elliott, who lateraled to Wilson. Wilson found a wide open Prescott in the end zone for the 11 yard touchdown as the Cowboys took the 24-20 lead to the locker rooms. After a touchback to start the third quarter, the Giants went on a 10 play, 5 1/2 minute drive. The Giants had to punt on 4th and 16 at the Dallas 41. The punt was uneventful, going for a touchback. Yet the Cowboys were penalized for having 12 men on the field. This moved the Giants close enough for a 54 yard field goal try. Gano delivered and the Giants were within 24-23.
The Cowboys moved from their own 21 to a 1st and 10 at the Giants 27. Prescott took off running and gained 9 yards. Yet at the end of the play his leg got caught awkwardly. Everybody in Dallas from Jerry Jones on down feared the worst. Prescott was down for several minutes and taken to the locker room on a cart as he cried his eyes out. The only question was whether Prescott would be out for a few weeks or the entire season. Red Rifle Andy Dalton is the backup, and on 2nd and 1 from the Giants 18, he was immediately sacked. Yet on 3rd and 6 from the 23, Dalton hit Lamb for 11 and Elliott for the 12 yard touchdown. The 10 play, 79 yard drive had the Cowboys up 31-23 with 5 minutes left in the third quarter.
The Giants got it back and a sack of Jones had the third quarter ending with the Giants facing 2nd and 16 from their own 18. Jones went to Slayton for 10. On the first play of the fourth quarter, on 3rd and 6 from his own 28, Jones went deep to Slayton for 39 yards. On 3rd and 6 from the Dallas 10, Jones threw incomplete. With over 11 minutes left in regulation, Gano hit the 28 yard field goal to get the Giants within 31-26. The Cowboys took over at their own 19 and disaster struck immediately. Dalton fumbled the snap and the Giants recovered at the Dallas 17. On 3rd and 6 from the Dallas 13, Jones hit Slayton for 9. On 2nd and goal at the 4, Freeman got the carry and drove the pile into the end zone. On the 2 point conversion try, Jones found a wide open Thomas in the flat. The try was good as the Giants led 34-31 with 8 1/2 minutes left in regulation. Jerry Jones was debating whether to blow up his Jerryworld stadium for the insurance money.
After a touchback and a defensive facemask, the Cowboys were at their own 40. The Cowboys moved to a 1st and 10 at the Giants 23 with 4 minutes left. An end around to Amari Cooper lost 2 yards and Dalton was then sacked. On 3rd and 19, Dalton hit Lamb for only 10. At the 2 minute warning, Zuerlein hit the 40 yard field goal cap the 12 play, 53 yard, 7 minute drive to tie the game 34-34. The Cowboys got it back at their own 12 with 52 seconds to play. Dalton hit Cooper for 19 and Michael Gallup for 19 more. Dalton then went deep to Gallup for a 38 yard gain. Although Gallup could have been ruled out of bounds on both plays, he got the benefit of the doubt twice. The Giants can complain all they want about officiating, but their defense had a meltdown. With 3 seconds left, Zuerlein came in for a 34 yard try. The kick barely stayed inside the upright good. The Cowboys at 2-3 are in first place in the horrendous NFC Least. They are a couple of dumb luck plays away from being 0-5. Meanwhile, the Giants are the 0-5 team. Meanwhile, football fans everywhere awaited the news about Prescott. 37-34 Cowboys
Indianapolis Colts at Cleveland Browns — A pair of 3-1 teams wanted to show that they were for real. The Browns moved at the start from their 25 to a 2nd and goal at the 6. Baker Mayfield threw incomplete twice. Cody Parker hit the 24 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Browns. From their own 28, Philip Rivers hit TY Hilton for 7 and Taylor for 13. On 3rd and 6 from the Cleveland 48, Rivers went deep to Johnson for 36. On 3rd and 13 from the Cleveland 15, Rivers went to Hilton for 11. On 4th and 2 from the Cleveland 4, Frank Reich decided to go for it. Taylor got around the end and got in for the touchdown to make it 7-3 Colts. The Browns took over at their own 19. Mayfield hit Karim Hunt for 6 and Jarvis Landry for 18. On 3rd and 10 from their own 43, Mayfield hit Austin Hooper for 11 and Landry for 30 more. On 3rd and 2 from the Indy 6, Mayfield only gained a yard. Kevin Stefanski decided to go for it on 4th and 1 from the 5. On the last play of the opening quarter, Mayfield hit O’Dell Beckham for 3. On 3rd and goal at the 2 to start the second quarter, Mayfield hit Hunt for the touchdown. The 14 play, 81 yard, 7 minute drive had the Browns up 10-7. After a touchback and defensive holding, Rivers hit Zach Pascal for 14 and Dulin for 34 more. Yet on 3rd and 3 at the Cleveland 14, Rivers threw incomplete. Blankenship hit the 32 yard field goal for a 10-10 deadlock.
The Browns soon faced 3rd and 1 at their own 34. Hunt gained 3. Mayfield went deep to Beckham for 26. On 3rd and 4 from the indy 31, Mayfield ran for 16 yards. Mayfield hit Higgins for a 15 yard touchdown as the Browns led 17-10 with 6 minutes left in the half. The Browns got it back at their own 18 and moved to a 1st and 10 at the Indy 26 with 30 seconds left in the half. Mayfield threw incomplete twice and on 3rd and 10 found Landry for only 8 yards. Parkey hit the 36 yard field goal to have the Browns up 20-10 at the midpoint. The Colts in the third quarter moving from their 26 to a 3rd and 4 at their own 47. Rivers threw a sideline pass that was intercepted by Harrison and returned 47 yards for a score. The defensive touchdown had the Browns up 27-10.
15 seconds later the Colts were back in the game. Isaiah Rogers took the kickoff one yard deep in the end zone, got to the right sideline, evaded tacklers and weaved his way all the way back to the left sideline for a 101 yard kickoff return touchdown. Just like that the Colts were within 27-17. An interception of Mayfield gave the Colts a short field at the Cleveland 48. On 3rd and 5 from the Cleveland 43, Taylor gained 9. On 3rd and 1 from the Cleveland 25, Taylor ran for 2. On 3rd and 6 from the Cleveland 19, Rivers threw incomplete. Blankenship hit the 37 yard field goal to get the Colts within 27-20 with 4 minutes left in the third quarter.
The Colts began the fourth quarter by getting the ball back at their own 4 yard line. Rivers went back to pass and threw the ball out of bounds with no receiver anywhere in sight. Rivers yelled at the official that the receiver ran the wrong route, but the call was intentional grounding and a safety to make it 29-20 Browns. With a chance after the free kick to put the game away, Mayfield was intercepted. The Colts moved from their 30 to a 1st and 10 at the Cleveland 11. Rivers threw incomplete twice. on 3rd and 10 Rivers bobbled the snap out of the shotgun and was able to only complete a 4 yard pass. Needing 2 scores, Frank Reich opted for the field goal. Blankenship hit from 25 to get the Colts within 29-23 with 2:50 to play. The Colts still had all 3 timeouts plus the 2 minute warning.
The Browns took over at their own 32. The Colts took 2 timeouts on defense. On 3rd and 9 from their own 43 with the Colts defense smelling pass, Johnson out of the shotgun took a handoff and broke free for a 28 yard gain. He made sure to stay inbounds as the clock ticked down to the 2 minute warning. The Browns ran the ball and took the clock down. With 25 seconds left, Parkey came in for a 46 yard field goal try to put the game on ice. Since these are the Browns, a blocked field goal returned for a touchdown would lose them the game. These are not the same Browns, but nothing comes easy for them. Parkey set a record for doinks off uprights in one game, including a double doink miss in a playoff game in Chicago. This time he doinked it off the upright but got the lucky bounce his way. The kick was good and the Browns became a 4-1 football team for the first time since the 1994 season. 32-23 Browns
Minnesota Vikings at Seattle Seahawks was the Sunday night game. Russell Wilson has been torching defenses. The Vikings have no defense. Seattle is undefeated. Minnesota was winless until barely surviving another winless team. This should have been a blowout. Again, cue ESPN uber-announcer Chris Berman: “THAT’s why they PLAY the GAMES!” The Vikings began at their own 23. Kirk Cousins went to Smith for 23 yards. On 3rd and 11 from their own 45, Cousins hit Beebe for just enough. On 4th and 2 from the Minnesota 36, Mike Zimmer decided to go for it rather than try a 54 yard field goal in the rain. Cousins hit Jefferson for 5 and Johnson for 13. Dalvin Cook ran for 10 and then for the 8 yard touchdown. The 12 play, 77 yard, 6 1/2 minute drive had the Vikings up 7-0. The Vikings got it back at their own 2 yard line and embarked on a staggering 17 play, 64 yard drive that consumed nearly 10 1/2 minutes off the clock. Zimmer gambled again on 4th and 1 from midfield. Cook gained 3. On 1st and 10 from the Seattle 36, offensive holding effectively ended the drive. Dan Bailey nailed a 52 yard field goal in the second quarter. With 1:47 left in the half, the Vikings took over at their own 15. They moved to a 2nd and 7 at the Seattle 28 with 24 seconds left. Cousins threw incomplete twice but Bailey hit a 46 yard field goal. The non-existent Minnesota defense did the rest as the Vikings led 13-0 at the half.
The third quarter was a totally different story. Seattle took over at their own 42. Wilson went to Chris Carson for 13, Greg Olsen for 20 and Dissly for a 19 yard touchdown to get the Seahawks within 13-7. After a touchback, the Vikings faced 3rd and 17 at their own 18. Cousins got hit as he threw and the officials ruled an incomplete pass. Pete Carroll successfully challenged the call and it was reversed to a fumble. The Seahawks took over at the Minnesota 15. Two plays later Wilson hit DK Metcalf for a 13 yard touchdown to give the Seahawks the 14-13 lead. One play after a touchback, Cousins went back to pass and KJ Wright made a leaping one-handed interception. The Seahawks took over at the Minnesota 29. One play was enough for Calrson to barrel over tacklers up the middle for the touchdown. 3 touchdowns in a 2 minute span including 2 touchdowns in 10 seconds had the Seahawks up 21-13.
The Vikings got it back and offensive holding immediately had them facing 1st and 17 at their own 16. on 2nd and 14, Cousins went deep to Smith for 25 with 15 more tacked on for unnecessary roughness. Cousins went to Adam Thielen for 9 and again for 10. On 3rd and 7 from the Seattle 17, Cousins hit Thielen for 14 and again for the 3 yard touchdown. Mike Zimmer went for 2 and Cousins kept it himself and got rocked trying to run up the middle. The 11 play, 77 yard drive had the Vikings within 21-19 with 3 1/2 minutes left in the third quarter.
The Seahawks moved from their own 25 to a 2nd and 7 at the Minnesota 40. Wilson went bombs away to Moore, who had it in his hands but lost it when he hit the ground. With 30 seconds left in the third quarter, that was Wilson’s first incompletion of the entire game after 15 completions. On 3rd and 7 Wilson got hit right after throwing another bomb, and this one was overthrown incomplete as well. A great punt pinned the Vikings back on their own 3 yard line as the third quarter ended. On 3rd and 5 from their 8, Cousins hit Thielen for 12. Mattison ran for 20 and Boone added 7. Cousins hit Jefferson for 11. On 3rd and 3 from the Seattle 35, the Seahawks jumped into the neutral zone. Mattison ran for 12 and Cousins hit Smith for 11. On 3rd and 1 from the Seattle 9, Cousins gained 2 up the middle. Cousins hit Thielen for the 6 yard touchdown. The 15 play, 97 yard, 8 minute drive had the Vikings up 26-21 midway through the fourth quarter.
After a touchback, the Seahawks soon faced 2nd and 9 at their own 38. Wilson went deep and was intercepted by his non-relative Eric Wilson. With 5:45 to play the Vikings took over at midfield. Mattison ran for gains of 25, 6, 4 and 4 more. Boone ran for 5 and 12. On 3rd and 4 from the Seattle 9, Thielen took an end around and was headed for the marker when he got rocked short. At the 2 minute warning, it was 4th and 1 at the 6. A field goal would make it an 8 point game, but Mike Zimmer went for the win. Mattison got the carry and got stopped cold. The Seahawks had 1:57 and one timeout to go 94 yards.
Wilson scrambled up the middle for 17 but then threw 3 straight incompletions. With 80 seconds to play on 4th and 10 from his own 23, Wilson threw a duck that was under thrown but somehow caught by Metcalf for a 39 yard gain. Wilson then scrambled in a circle and found Lockett for a 17 yard gain with one minute left. Wilson went to Metcalf for 15 yards to set up 1st and goal at the 6. Without even needing to spike the ball, Wilson threw incomplete with 30 seconds left. Wilson went to Metcalf in the end zone. Metcalf appeared to have both feet down in the end zone before the ball was punched out. One official called it a touchdown and another official overruled the call and called it incomplete. On 3rd and goal Wilson threw incomplete. 20 seconds remained as the Seahawks took their final timeout. On 4th and goal from the 6, Wilson fired over the middle to Metcalf, who had a defender draped all over him. A perfect throw and perfect defense somehow resulted in a perfect catch by Metcalf. With 15 seconds left, the Seahawks pulled out a miracle. The 2 point try failed.
after a touchback, the Vikings needed a miracle of their own. Cousins hit Kyle Rudolph for 10 as 10 seconds remained. Cousins then got hit as he threw. At first officials called it a fumble and an end to the game, but it looked like Cousins’s arm was going forward. What looked like an incomplete pass with 2 seconds remaining would never result in a Hail Mary. Officials upheld the fumble call and an end to the game. At 5-0 the Seahawks will take the win. At 1-4, Mike Zimmer will be second-guessed for a long time over his decision to go for it. Most of the people questioning him have never coached a winning NFL football game. 27-26 Seahawks
Los Angeles Chargers at New Orleans Saints was the Monday night game. Drew Brees took on the team that gave up on him 15 years ago. As he continues to win, the Chargers continue to find ways to lose. Although Saints receiver Michael Thomas was back from injury, the team suspended him from the game for punching a teammate during Saturday practice. The Chargers took over at their own 20. From their 31, Justin Herbert hit Keenan Allen for 12 and Jackson ran for a 36 yard gain. On 3rd and 7 from the Saints 17, Herbert hit Allen for the touchdown to make it 6-0 Chargers. The extra point was no good. Late in the first quarter the Chargers had to punt on 4th and 21 from their own 6. The Saints took over at the Chargers 48. That was enough for Wil Lutz to hit a 48 yard field goal to get the Saints on the board. The Chargers in the second quarter had to punt on 4th and 14 from their own 21. Yet roughing the kicker kept the drive going. From the Chargers 47, Herbert went deep to Guyton for a 49 yard gain. On the next play Herbert hit Mike Williams for the 4 yard touchdown to make it 13-3 Chargers. With 6 minutes left in the half the Saints faced 3rd and 4 from their own 33. Brees was intercepted by Addely, who returned it 39 yards down to the Saints one yard line. On 3rd and goal from the 3, it was the 4H Club asHerbert hit Hunter Henry. The touchdown had the Chargers rolling up 20-3 with 4 1/2 minutes left in the half.
The Chargers had to punt on 4th and 12 from their own 16 and the Saints got it back at the 2 minute warning just shy of midfield. Brees hit Alvin Kamara for 14 and Emanuel Sanders for 6 and 11. On 3rd and goal at the one, Brees snuck it in himself. With 14 seconds left in the half, the Saints were within 20-10. Midway through the third quarter the Saints moved from their 25 to a 1st and 10 at the Chargers 41. Brees threw incomplete and a run went nowhere. On 3rd and 10, a completion gained only 6 yards. Lutz drilled a 53 yard field goal to get the Saints within 20-13. The Saints got it back at their own 11. Latavius Murray gained 7 and Kamara added 4. Brees hit Sanders for 15 and 9. On 3rd and 14 from the Chargers 41, Brees went to Jared Cook for the touchdown. With 11 1/2 minutes left in regulation, the game was tied 20-20.
With 5 1/2 minutes left the Chargers took over at their own 22 and struck quickly. Herbert went to green for 14. On 3rd and 10 from their own 36, Herbert went to Williams for a 64 yard touchdown. With 3 1/2 to play, the Chargers again led 27-20. The Saints took over at their own 27. Brees hit Sanders and Kamara for a pair of 9 yard gains. Kamara ran for 10 more. Brees then went deep to Kamara for a 28 year gain. With 52 seconds to play, the Saints faced 3rd and 4 at the Chargers 9 yard line. Sean Payton has balls of steel, and with everything on the line he took Brees out for one play and brought in Taysom Hill. Hill ran for the 9 yard touchdown and the game was tied 27-27.
The Chargers took over at their own 20. With 15 seconds left, the Chargers faced 3rd and 1 from their own 39. Herbert went deep ti Williams for a 29 yard gain as the Chargers took their last timeout with 8 seconds left. After an incompletion, Badgley came in for a 50 yard field goal try to give the Chargers the win. The kick was no good and the game went to overtime. The Saints began overtime at their own 34. Brees hit Callaway and Cook for 11 each, Sanders for 5 and Murray for 13. On 3rd and 6 from the Chargers 18, Brees threw incomplete. Lutz hit the 36 yard field goal to give the Chargers the lead halfway through overtime. The Chargers would have a chance to tie the game. After a touchback, they soon faced 2nd and 6 at their own 44. Herbert threw incomplete twice. On 4th and 6, Herbert’c completion to Williams only gained 5 yards. One yard short, as the Chargers fell to 1-4 and continued their tradition of finding ways to lose games. Brees is still the pinball wizard. 30-27 Saints, OT
Buffalo Bills at Tennessee Titans was the Tuesday night game, delayed from Sunday due to COVID. Two undefeated teams came together under unusual circumstances. The Titans had their game last week postponed for several weeks when over 20 members of their organization tested positive for COVID. The theory was that this would have them totally out of rhythm. That theory was obliterated. On the 3rd play of the game the Bills faced 3rd and 4 at their own 26. Josh Allen was intercepted by Malcolm Butler, who returned the pick 29 yards to the Buffalo 16. Tannehill went to AJ Brown for the touchdown to make it 7-0 Titans. The Bills soon faced 3rd and 1 at their own 33. TJ Yeldon gained 3 and Allen hit Stefan Diggs for 19. On 3rd and 13 from the Titans 48, Allen went to Davis for 15. On 3rd and 7 from the Titans 30, Allen gained just enough. On 3rd and 15 from the Titans 28 after a Buffalo touchdown was nullified, Allen went to Roberts for 16, Davis for 9, and 3 yards to Isaiah McKenzie for the touchdown to make it 7-7.
Late in the first quarter the Bills punted on 4th and 6 from their own 13. Raymond returned the punt 40 yards to set up Tennessee at the Buffalo 30. On 3rd and 20 from the Buffalo 40, Tannehill went to Raymond for just enough as the first quarter ended. The second quarter began with Tannehill hitting Brown for 16 down to the 2. Derrick Henry ran for one and then for the one yard touchdown to make it 14-7 Titans. After a touchback the Bills moved to a 33rd and 3 at the Titans 25. Allen threw incomplete. Tyler Bass hit the 43 yard field goal. The Bills only trailed 14-10, but after that the roof caved in.
With 3 minutes left in the half the Titans took over at their own 10. Henry ran for 12. Tannehill ran for 6 and then hit Smith for 9, Brown for 12, and Raymond for 6. On 3rd and 4 from the Buffalo 35, Tannehill threw incomplete but defensive pass interference meant a 7 yard gain. On 3rd and 4 from the Buffalo 22, Tannehill went to Firkser for 12. With 16 seconds left in the half, Tannehill ran for the 10 yard touchdown. The 12 play, 90 yard drive made it 21-10 Titans at the half. In the third quarter the Bills took over at their own 3 yard line and embarked on a 14 play, 64 yard, 7 minute drive. Yet on 2nd and 4 from the Titans 33, Allen was intercepted again by Butler. Butler returned the interception 68 yards to the Buffalo 12. On 3rd and 6 from the 8, Tannehill threw incomplete, but roughing the passer meant 1st and goal at the 4. On the next play Tannehill hit Jonnu Smith for the touchdown. Instead of a 21-17 game, the Titans led 28-10 after three quarters.
In the fourth quarter the Bills moved 90 yards in 14 plays and 7 minutes. From their own 10 yard line to start, this time they finished the drive. Allen hit Yeldon for a 22 yard touchdown. The 2 point try failed but with 10 minutes left in regulation the Bills were within 28-16. They would get no closer. The Titans after a touchback put the game away with an 11 play, 75 yard, 6 minute drive. On 3rd and 4 from their 31, Tannehill hit Hollister for 12 and then ran for 23 himself. On 3rd and 7 from the Buffalo 29, the Bills jumped into the neutral zone. On 3rd and 2, McNichols gained 7. On 3rd and 2 from the Buffalo 9, Henry got the first down and the touchdown. With 4 minutes left the Titans were cruising 35-16. The Bills then fumbled the ensuing kickoff and the Titans recovered at the Buffalo 18. Tannehill hit Smith for a 7 yard touchdown to complete the blowout. The Titans remained unbeaten. The COVID experience caused the team to rally together rather than fall apart. 42-16 Titans
Denver Broncos at New England Patriots was postponed until next Sunday due to COVID.