NFL 2020 Week 6 Recap
Denver Broncos at New England Patriots — With Cam Newton returning from COVID, the Patriots were expected to roll over the decimated Broncos. Cue ESPN uber-announcer Chris Berman: “THAT’s why they PLAY the GAMES.” The Broncos failed to reach the end zone but Brandon McManus hit a pair of field goals in each of the first three quarters. His 6 field goals of 45, 44, 27, 52, 20 and 54 had the Broncos up 18-3 after three quarters. 3 turnovers including 2 interceptions of Newton plagued the Patriots. A second quarter 41 yard Nick Folk field goal was all the Patriots could muster until the fourth quarter. Newton ran for a one yard touchdown with 8 1/2 minutes left in regulation to get the Patriots within 18-9. The 2 point try failed. Drew Lock threw 2 interceptions in the fourth quarter. The first one led to a 38 yard Folk field goal to get the Patriots within 6 points. The second one gave the Patriots the ball at their own 28 with 3:14 left and a chance to win. With one minute left, on 4th and 10 from the Denver 24, Newton threw incomplete. Vic Fangio’s defense rose to the occasion in the big upset win. 18-12 Broncos
Houston Texans at Tennessee Titans — The Texans won one game this year while the Titans were unbeaten. This should have been an easy Titans win. Again, cue ESPN uber-annnouner Chris Berman: “THAT’s why they PLAY the GAMES.” Early on it was all Titans. From their own 20, Derrick Henry gained 18. On 3rd and 7 from their own 41, Tannehill threw incomplete but defensive pass interference meant an 8 yard gain. Tannehill went to Brown for 18, Watson for 13 and Firkser for 10. Tannehill went to Firkser for a 7 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Titans. The Titans got it back at their own 29 and Henry Ripped off a 34 yard gain. On 3rd and 1 from the Houston 28, Henry gained 2. On 3rd and 10 from the Houston 26, Ryan Tannehill hit Henry for just enough. Tannehill hit Humphries for 8 and AJ Brown for a 6 yard touchdown as the Titans led 14-0 after the first quarter.
The Texans began the second quarter at their own 18. Deshaun Watson hit Randall Cobb for 7 and Darren Fells for 18. On 3rd and 2 from the Titans 45, Watson gained 6 and then hit Will Fuller for 17. On 3rd and goal at the one, David Johnson got stopped. Romeo Crennel decided to go for it. Watson hit Fells for the touchdown to cap the 13 play, 82 yard, 6 minute drive and get the Texans within 14-7. The Titans soon faced 3rd and 11 at their own 14. Tannehill went to Smith for 13. On 3rd and 5 from their own 32, Tannehill hit Firkser for just enough. Henry gained 14 and 5. Tannehill went to Raymond for 20 and to Humphries for the 22 yard touchdown. With 3 1/2 minutes left in the half the Titans had a 21-7 advantage.
Kaimi Fairbairn did manage a 38 yard field goal to end the half with the Texans trailing 21-10. In the third quarter Stephen Gostkowski came in for a 27 yard field goal try to extend the lead. Instead the kick was blocked and the Texans took over at their own 21. Watson hit Fells for 11 and then for 25 more. Defensive pass interference added another 28 down to the one. Johnson ran it in as the Texans were within 21-17. The Titans soon faced 3rd and 10 from their own 25. Tannehill was sacked and fumbled. The Texans recovered all the way at the Titans 4 yard line. On 3rd and goal from the 4, Watson hit Cobb for the touchdown. The extra point was no good but 16 straight points had the Texans up 23-21. The Titans embarked on a 10 play, 56 yard, 5 1/2 minute drive. Yet from 37 yards out to give the Titans the lead, Gostkowski was again no good.
Yet the excitement in this game was just getting started. With 9 1/2 minutes left in regulation, the Titans got the ball back at their own 6 yard line. Henry got the carry and gashed the Houston defense for a 94 yard touchdown run. Tannehill hit Westbrook for the 2 point conversion as the Titans 29-23. Only 2 plays after a touchback, the lead changed hands again. Watson hit Brown for a 22 yard gain and then went to Fuller for a 53 yard touchdown. With 8 1/2 minutes left the Texans led 30-29. One play after a touchback, Tannehill went deep and was intercepted. The Texans took over at their own 31. Watson hit Cooks for 15. On 3rd and 7 just shy of midfield, Watson hit Cooks for 7. On 3rd and 1 from the Titans 35, Watson threw incomplete. Romeo Crennell decided to go for it rather than try a 53 yard field goal. On 4th and 1, Johnson got the yard. Watson then hit Cooks for 9. Johnson ran for 11 and Watson added 8 more down to the one. On 3rd and goal at the one with 1:57 to play, Johnson got the carry and got stopped. Mike Vrabel called a second Titans timeout on defense. On 4th and goal at the one up by one, Romeo Crennel decided to go for it. Watson hit Cooks for the touchdown to make it 36-29 Texans. Crennel then made a very controversial decision. Rather than kick the extra point and make it an 8 point game, he went for 2 to put the game out of reach. Watson threw incomplete.
The Titans took over down by 7 with 1:45 left and one timeout. Tannehill hit Humphries for 11 and 5, Raymond for 6, Firkser for 23 and 7, Humphries for 8 and McNichols for 9. The Titans faced 2nd and 1 from the Houston 7. Only 4 seconds remained. The Texans took a timeout on defense. Everything came down to one play. Tannehill hit Brown for the touchdown. Mike Vrabel was not going for 2, and Gostkowski hit the extra point as this thriller went to overtime tied 36-36. The Titans got the ball first in overtime. On 2nd and 8 from their own 20, a short pass from Tannehill to Henry went for a 53 yard gain. Mcnichols then ran for 17 yards. On 3rd and goal at the 5, Henry ran it in. The Texans never saw the ball in overtime. Both quarterbacks were magnificent. Watson was 28 of 37 for 335 yards. Tannehill was 30 fo 41 for 364 yards. Both quarterbacks threw 4 touchdown passes. Watson was not intercepted, and Tannehill was picked off once. Yet the deciding factor was Henry, who rushed for 212 yards on 22 carries. The Texans fell to 1-5 while the Titans at 5-0 stayed unbeaten in a heart-stopper. 42-36 Titans, OT
Cleveland Browns at Pittsburgh Steelers — The Browns were 4-1 while the Steelers came in 4-0. This was the type of game that could finally make people believe in the Browns. Instead, this game went as expected. The Steelers moved from their 25 to a 2nd and 6 at the Pittsburgh 17. Ben Roethlisberger threw incomplete twice. Chris Boswell hit a 35 yard field goal to start the scoring. 3 plays later the Browns faced 3rd and 3 at their own 28. Baker Mayfield was intercepted by Minkah Fitzpatrick, who returned it 33 yards for a touchdown to make it 10-0 Steelers. In the second quarter the Steelers took over at their own 12. James Conner ran for 14. A facemask added 15 more. Roethlisberger hit Juju Smith-Schuster for 7, James Washington for 7 and Chase Claypool for 36. Conner ran for a 3 yard touchdown to make it 17-0 Steelers. Another interception of Mayfield had the Steelers at midfield. Big Ben hit Washington for a 28 yard touchdown to make it 24-0 Steelers. The Browns would finally reach the end zone before the half, but it didn’t matter. The Steelers added another touchdown in the third and fourth quarters and the defense did the rest. Mike Tomlin has a 5-0 squad. The Browns are not the losers of past seasons, but they are far from elite. 38-7 Steelers
Baltimore Ravens at Philadelphia Eagles — The Ravens were expected to roll over the Eagles, and for the first three quarters they did. A field position game in the first quarter had the Ravens taking over at the Philadelphia 47. On 3rd and 10 Lamar Jackson hit Boykin for 11. On 3rd and 11 from the Philly 37, Jackson hit Duvernay for 17. Mark Ingram ran for 9 and 4. Jackson hit Nick Boyle for a 7 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Ravens. Late in the first quarter Carson Wentz fumbled and the Ravens took over at the Philly 28. On 3rd and 1 from the 7, Gus Edwards ran it in to make it 14-0 Ravens. In the second quarter the Ravens took over at their own 38. Jackson went to Will Snead for a 32 yard gain. Justin Tucker hit a 46 yard field goal as the Ravens took a 17-0 lead to the locker rooms. The Eagles threw away 2 second quarter chances when on 4th and 1 from the Baltimore 20, Wentz got stopped. Elliott missed a 52 yard field goal to end the half. In the third quarter the Eagles scored in bizarre fashion. On 2nd and 5 from their own 19, Sanders ran for a 74 yard gain and then fumbled. Luckily for the Eagles, his teammate Arcega-Whiteside recovered in the end zone for a touchdown. The 2 point try failed as the Eagles trailed 17-6. Baltimore soon faced 2nd and 11 at their own 36. Jackson went to Brown for 20. Then On 3rd and 3 from the Philly 37, Jackson produced another video game highlight as he ran for the touchdown. After three quarters, the Ravens had a comfortable 24-6 lead.
The Eagles mounted a furious fourth quarter rally. On 3rd and 6 from their own 23, Wentz went deep to Hightower for 50 yards. Wentz hit Jason Croom for a 3 yard touchdown and Ward for a 2 point conversion. 90 seconds into the fourth quarter, the Eagles were within 24-14. Tucker hit field goals of 55 and 46 to give the Ravens breathing room up 30-14 midway through the fourth quarter. Yet Wentz moved the Eagles 75 yards in 11 plays. With 3:48 to play, the Eagles were down to their last gasp facing 4th and 9 at the Baltimore 18. Wentz hit Travis Fulgham for the touchdown and Arcega-Whiteside for the 2 point conversion. Now the Eagles were within 30-22. The Eagles took 2 timeouts on defense and saved their final one when Jackson threw incomplete on 3rd and 9 from his own 26. With 3:11 left the Eagles took over at their own 29. Wentz went deep incomplete but defensive pass interference meant a 49 yard gain. Wentz then hit Rodgers for 16. With 1:55 left, Wentz snuck in for a one yard touchdown. One more two point conversion would tie the game. The Eagles tried to run it in and got stuffed. The Eagles took their final timeout on defense with 1:48 left. On 2nd and 5 from the Philly 40, Jackson ran for 21 yards to seal the win. The Eagles did run for 194 yards, but it was not enough. The Ravens rushed for 182 yards, including 108 yards on 9 carries by Jackson. 30-28 Ravens
Washington No-Names at New York Giants — This was the Stupor Bowl, as the one-win non-Redskins took on the winless Giants. The non-Redskins began with a 12 play, 6 minute drive that ended in a missed field goal. The Giants got on the board first when Graham Gano made a 33 yard field goal. Kyle Allen was intercepted by Bradberry, who returned it 19 yards to the Washington 27. On 3rd and 6, Daniel Jones went to Darius Slayton for a 23 yard touchdown to make it 10-0 Giants. In the second quarter Dustin Hopkins did hit a 35 yard field goal, but Gano responded from 20 to make it 13-3 Giants.
The No-Names finally got going from their own 30. They actually had to punt on 4th and 9 from the Giants 45. Yet the Giants committed a running into the kicker penalty. On 4th and 4, Riverboat Ron Rivera decided to go for it. Allen hit Inman for 15 and McKissic for 8. On 3rd and 2 from the Giants 17, Allen hit McLaurin for 7. Allen hit Logan Thomas for a 5 yard touchdown with 13 seconds left in the half as the No-Names only trailed 13-10. The third quarter was scoreless. The Giants from their own 20 embarked on a 14 play, 73 yard drive that took 9:14 off the clock. Yet on 1st and goal at the 7, Jones went to the end zone and was intercepted for a touchback. Washington responded with a 14 play, 70 yard drive that took 7 minutes. On 3rd and 4 from the Giants 10, Allen threw incomplete. Hopkins hit from 28 as the battle of who wanted it least was tied 13-13 with 9 minutes left in regulation.
The non-Redskins moved from their own 25 to a 3rd and 9 at the Giants 45 with 3 1/2 minutes left. Allen was sacked and fumbled. Crowder recovered it and returned it 43 yards for a defensive touchdown. The Giants led 20-13. The No-Names soon faced 3rd and 5 at their own 30. Allen hit McLaurin for 18. On 3rd and 7 just past midfield, Allen hit McKissic for 13. With 36 seconds to play, Allen threw a 22 yard touchdown pass to Cam Sims. Rather than tie the game and go to overtime, Riverboat Ron Rivera went for the 2 point conversion and the win. Allen threw incomplete and the Giants avoided going 0-16 due to one failed 2 point try. 20-19 Giants
Atlanta Falcons at Minnesota Vikings — The winless Falcons have an interim coach as they take on the one-win Vikings in the battle of teams that blow fourth quarter leads. This game was a blowout from the start. Kirk Cousins was intercepted on the first play of the game, setting up the Falcons at the Minnesota 29. On 3rd and 11 from the Minnesota 20, Matt Ryan hit Julio Jones for the touchdown to make it 7-0 Falcons. The Falcons got it back at their own 14 and moved 54 yards in 13 plays and 7 minutes. Raheem Morris decided to go for it on 4th and 1 from the Minnesota 38. Todd Gurley gained 3. Younghoe Koo hit a 50 yard field goal to make it 10-0 Falcons. In the second quarter the Falcons fumbled and the Vikings took over at their own 24. The Vikings moved to a 1st and goal at the 2. On 3rd and goal at the one, Cousins threw incomplete. Mike Zimmer decided to go for it. On 4th and goal at the one, Boone got blasted for a one yard loss.
The Vikings got it back and on 3rd and 9 from their own 33, Cousins was intercepted again. The Falcons took over at the Minnesota 40. Ryan hit Ridley for 14 and 9. On 3rd and 3 from the Minnesota 17, Ryan hit Jones for 4 and then 5. With 1:54 left in the half, Ryan hit Ridley for a 5 yard touchdown to make it 17-0 Falcons. Cousins then threw his 3rd interception of the first half, giving the Falcons another short field at the Minnesota 48. With 12 seconds left in the half the Falcons had 1st and goal at the 4. Ryan threw incomplete and then a run only gained 2 yards. One second remained. On 3rd and goal at the 2, Raheem Morris played it safe. Koo hit a 21 yard field goal as the Falcons led 20-0 at halftime. Koo connected again from 47 in the third quarter to make it 23-0 Falcons.
The Vikings tried to make a game of it. After a touchback, Cousins went to Justin Jefferson for 35 yards. On 2nd and 24 just past midfield, Cousins hit Jefferson for 19 and again on 3rd and 5 for 8. On 4th and 4 from the 16, Mike Zimmer went for it. Cousins hit Smith for 5 and Jefferson for an 11 yard touchdown to get the Vikings within 23-7. The Falcons moved from their own 31 to a 3rd and 2 at the Minnesota 39. Gurley lost a yard. Raheem Morris went for it and Ryan went to Jones for a 40 yard touchdown. After three quarters, the Falcons were up 30-7. Koo tacked on another field goal from 43 yards out to make it 33-7 Falcons midway through the fourth quarter. Minnesota did manage a pair of fourth quarter garbage touchdowns sandwiched around one more Atlanta touchdown. Raheem Morris won his first game as interim Atlanta coach as the Falcons racked up 10 points in each of the four quarters. 40-23 Falcons
Detroit Lions at Jacksonville Jaguars — A pair of bad teams played an uneventful game. A shanked 29 yard punt had the Lions taking over at midfield. On 3rd and 5 Matthew Stafford was sacked but the defense jumped offside. On 3rd and 7 at the Jacksonville 37, Stafford ran for 17. On 4th and 1 from the Jags 11, Matt Patricia decided to go for it. Stafford gained 2. Defensive pass interference put the ball on the one. Adrian Peterson ran it in to make it 7-0 Lions. After a touchback the Lions moved 62 yards in 11 plays and 6 minutes. On 3rd and 7 from the Detroit 15, a completion gained only 2 yards. Jon Brown hit a 31 yard field goal to get the Jaguars within 7-3. After a touchback, D’Andre Swift ran for a 54 yard gain. Stafford hit TJ Hockensen for 16. On 3rd and goal at the one, Swift got in to make it 14-3 Lions early in the second quarter.
The game got ugly as Garner Minshew was quickly intercepted, leading to nothing as the Lions missed a field goal. The Jaguars then missed a field goal. The Lions moved 65 yards in 11 plays and 6 minutes. Matt Prater hit a 31 yard field goal to make it 17-3 Lions. The Jaguars then fumbled the ball away. In the third quarter Stafford was intercepted. The Jaguars got nothing out of it as they turned it over on downs. The Lions took over at their own 14. From their own 27, Stafford hit Danny Amendola for 19 and then went deep to Kenny Golladay for a 48 yard gain. On 2nd and goal at the one, Stafford threw incomplete twice. Matt Patricia went for it. On 4th and goal at the one, Stafford hit Hockensen for the touchdown to make it 24-3 Lions midway through the third quarter.
The Jaguars tried to make a game of it. On 3rd and 7 from their own 29, Minshew went deep to Cole for a 51 yard gain. On 3rd and 8 from the Detroit 18, Minshew threw incomplete but defensive pass interference meant 5 yards and a new set of downs. On 3rd and 3 from the Detroit 6, Minshew ran it in as the Jaguars trailed 24-10 after three quarters. They would get no closer. After a touchback, Stafford hit Hall for 6, Golladay for 16 and Agnew for 11. The fourth quarter began with the Lions facing 3rd and 7 from the Jags 25. Stafford threw incomplete but roughing the passer meant a 13 yard gain. Swift ran for a 6 yard touchdown to make it 31-10 Lions 90 seconds into the fourth quarter. Prater tacked on a 41 yard field goal to make it 34-10 Lions. The Jaguars managed a garbage touchdown in a garbage season that has them at 1-5 and Doug Marrone on the verge of walking the plank. 34-16 Lions
Cincinnati Bengals at Indianapolis Colts — This game got off to a surprising start when the Colts fumbled on the second play from scrimmage and the Bengals took over at the Colts 43. Joe Mixon ran for 6, 9 and 2. Joe Burrow hit Boyd for 22. On 3rd and goal at the 2, Giovani Bernard ran for the touchdown to make it 7-0 Bengals. The Bengals got it back at their own 22 and Burrow hit Higgins and AJ Green for a pair of 12 yard gains and to Green again for 17 more. On 3rd and 7 from the Indy 34, Burrow went to Boyd for 23. On 3rd and 1 from the indy 2, Burrow threw incomplete. Zac Parsons decided to go for it. Burrow ran it in himself to make it 14-0 Bengals. The Bengals got it back and soon faced 3rd and 9 at their own 31. Burrow went deep to Higgins for a 67 yard gain. The second quarter began with Mixon rushing for a 7 yard touchdown as the Bengals had the shocking 21-0 lead.
The Colts finally woke up and took over at their own 13. Philip Rivers went to Doyle for 17, Trey Burton for 15, and Johnson for a 55 yard gain down to the one. Burton got in to get the Colts within 21-7. After a touchback and a defensive penalty, Boyd raced for a 25 yard gain. On 2nd and 16 just past midfield, a short completion followed by defensive unnecessary roughness kept the drive going. The Bengals settled for a 47 yard Randy Bullock field goal, but they had a comfortable 24-7 lead midway through the second quarter.
The Colts soon faced 3rd and 10 from their own 25. Rivers went to Pascal for 22 and Taylor ran for a pair of 7 yard gains. Rivers went back to Taylor for 21 and to Burton for a 10 yard touchdown. With 4 1/2 minutes left in the half the Colts were within 24-14. The Colts got it back and with 1:55 left in the half faced 3rd and 7 from their own 31. Rivers went to Johnson for 20, Hines for 11, and back to Johnson for 20 more. With 20 seconds left in the half the Colts faced 3rd and 10 at the Cincy 17. Rivers went to Zach Pascal for the touchdown as the Colts only trailed 24-21 at the break.
The game slowed dramatically in the second half. A perfect punt pinned the Bengals at their own one yard line. On 3rd and 8 from their own 3, rather than play it safe, Burrow went deep to Green for 19. On 3rd and 3 from their own 29, Burrow went to Higgins for 13. On 3rd and 6 from their own 46, Burrow hit Green for 9. On 3rd and 9 from the Indy 44, Burrow went to Bernard for 7. Zac Parsons decided not to go for it on 4th and 2 from the Indy 37. Bullock drilled a 55 yard field goal as the 13 play, 62 yard, 6 minute drive had the Bengals up 27-21. After a touchback Rivers hit Burton for 13. Taylor ran for gains of 21 and 17. On 3rd and 2 from the Cincy 16, Taylor got just enough. On the first play of the fourth quarter, Rivers hit Jack Doyle for a 14 yard touchdown to make it 28-27 Colts.
The Bengals punted on 4th and 20 from their own 15. A shanked 28 yard punt had the Colts taking over at the Cincy 43. Yet Rivers went deep and was intercepted. The Bengals took over at their own 12. The Bengals moved 58 yards in 11 plays and nearly 5 minutes. On 3rd and 1 from the Indy 30, Perine got stopped. Needing only a field goal to take the lead, Zac Parsons decided not to go for it. Midway through the fourth quarter Bullock came in for a 48 yard try that was no good. The Colts soon faced 3rd and 8 from their own 40. Rivers went to TY Hilton for 11. On 3rd and 9 from the Cincy 48, Rivers went to Burton for 20. On 3rd and 4 from the Cincy 22, Rivers threw incomplete. Blankenship hit a 40 yard field goal to put the Colts up by 4 with 4 minutes left. The Bengals moved from their own 26 to a 4th and 9 just past midfield with 1:48 left. Burrow hit Green for 10. With 39 seconds left, the Bengals faced 3rd and 6 at the Indy 35. Burrow went deep and was intercepted by Blackmon at the Indy 19 yard line. The Bengals are getting sick of moral victories. Joe Burrow is tired of them. There will be better days ahead, but on this day experience won out. Burrow was 25 of 39 for 313 yards and 0 touchdowns. Rivers was 29 of 44 for 371 yards and 3 touchdowns. Each of them was intercepted once. 31-27 Colts
Chicago Bears at Carolina Panthers — The Bears were a surprising 4-1 after an upset win over Tampa Bay while the Panthers had won 3 straight. A sack of Bridgewater had the Panthers beginning the game facing 3rd and 19 from their own one yard line. On the third play from scrimmage, Bridgewater was intercepted to set up the Bears at the Carolina 7 yard line. On 3rd and goal, Nick Foles hit Cole Kmet for a 9 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Bears. The Panthers after a touchback embarked on a 14 play, 72 yard, 6 1/2 minute drive. Yet on 3rd and goal at the 6, Bridgewater only gained 3. Joey Slye hit the 21 yard field goal to get the Panthers within 7-3. The second quarter brought more field goals as Cairo Santos hit from 31 for the Bears to make it 10-3. The Panthers again mounted a 13 play, 73 yard, 6 minute drive and again could not close it out. On 3rd and goal from the 2, Bridgewater threw incomplete. Slye hit from 20 to get the Panthers within 10-6 at the 2 minute warning.
After a touchback, Foles hit Montgomery for 7, Graham for 10 and Montgomery for 13. On the last play of the half, Santos nailed a 55 yard field goal to make it 13-6 Bears. An ugly third quarter saw the Panthers fumble, the Bears give it right back with an interception, and the Panthers miss a 54 yard field goal. The Bears soon faced 3rd and 5 just shy of midfield. Foles went to Cordarelle Patterson for 8 yards. Foles then went to Graham for 8 and Mooney for 18. Montgomery ran for 11. On 3rd and goal from the one, Foles got in as the Bears led 20-6 after three quarters.
The Panthers mounted a comeback. On 4th and 1 from their own 34 late in the third quarter, Matt rule decided to go for it. The defense had too many men on the field. On 4th and 1 from the Chicago 37, Rhule again went for it. Davis gained 3. Defensive pass interference on the next play meant 33 yards and the ball on the one. Mike Davis got in as the Panthers were within 20-13 with a full 13 minutes left. The Bears moved 62 yards in 10 plays after a touchback to a 1st and 10 at the Carolina 13. A run went nowhere and Foles threw incomplete twice. Santos hit a 31 yard field goal as the bears had some breathing room up 23-13 with 9 1/2 minutes left. The Panthers got it back at their own 35 and Bridgewater went to Moore for 38 yards. On 3rd and 10 from the Chicago 27, Bridgewater was sacked. Slye hit the 48 yard field goal as the Panthers were back within 7 midway through the fourth quarter.
The Panthers took over with 5 minutes left and moved from their own 17 to a 4th and 2 at the Chicago 38 at the 2 minute warning. Bridgwater threw incomplete. The Panthers had all 3 timeouts and took the first 2 on defense. With the Bears facing 3rd and 2 at their own 46, a run would force the Panthers to take their last timeout. Instead Matt Nagy called a pass play. Foles threw incomplete. on 4th and 2 Nagy punted. The Panthers took over at their own 20 with 90 seconds left. 4 seconds left in was over as Bridgewater was intercepted. The Bears may be the ugliest 5-1 team in some time, but without apologies. They are winning with spotty quarterback play and a tough defense. This is Chicago. 23-16 Bears
New York Jets at Miami Dolphins — League rules prevented this game from being canceled. In the first quarter the Dolphins moved from their own 34 led by Ryan Fitzpatrick’s beard. Fitzpatrick hit Gaskin for 6, Grant for 8, and Gaskin for 6. Gaskin also ran for a pair of 11 yard gains. Fitzpatrick hit Adam Shaheen for a 4 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Dolphins. The Dolphins began the second quarter at their own 35. Fitzpatrick hit Matt Breida and Parker for a pair of 10 yard gains. Gaskin gained 9 with a defensive facemask adding 15. Fitzpatrick then hit Gaskin for 16 and Preston Williams for a 3 yard touchdown to make it 14-0 Dolphins. A 30 yard punt return and the Dolphins taking over at the Jets 48. Fitzpatrick went deep to Shaheen for 43 and to Durham Smythe for a 4 yard touchdown. The Dolphins led 21-0 at halftime. For some reason Adam Gase was not fired before, during, or even after the game. A totally useless second half saw the Dolphins facing 4th and 1 at the Jets 7. Brian Flores opted for the field goal perhaps out of sympathy. Sanders hit from 24 in the third quarter to complete the scoring. The scoreless fourth quarter saw rookie Tua Taigovailoa come in and give Fitzy a chance to rest his beard. The cancer that is the Jets truly is Gang Green, who is 10 losses from 0-16. Just End The Season. 24-0 Dolphins
Green Bay Packers at Tampa Bay Buccaneers — This was supposed to be a thriller between Aaron Rodgers and the unbeaten Packers against Tom Brady and his talented Buccaneers. Early on it was all Packers. On 3rd and 10 from their own 25, Rodgers hit Aaron Jones for 20, Devontae Adams for 8 and 12, and Valdes-Scantling for 12. On 3rd and 8 from the Tampa 21, Rodgers threw incomplete. Mason Crosby hit a 39 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Packers. The Packers got it back and faced 3rd and 7 at their own 23. Rodgers went to Tonyan for 11. Williams ran for 25. On 2nd and 20 from the Tampa 23, Rodgers went to Shepherd for 16. On 3rd and 4, Rodgers gained 6 down to the one. Jones got in as the Packers led 10-0 after the first quarter. By halftime, this game was over, but not in the way everyone expected.
In the second quarter the key play of the game came with the Packers facing 3rd and 10 from their own 22. Rodgers was intercepted by Jamel Dean, who returned it 32 yards for a defensive touchdown. The Buccaneers were right back in down 10-7. It was deja vu all over again for the Packers on 3rd and 3 from their own 32. Rodgers was intercepted by Edwards, who returned it 37 yards to the Green Bay 2. Ronald Jones was in the end zone 3 seconds later as the Buccaneers led 14-10 and never looked back. The Bucs got it back at their own 35. On 3rd and 6 from the Green Bay 45, Brady went to Chris Godwin for 6 with a defensive facemask adding 15. On 3rd and 2 from the Packers 16, Brady hit McCoy for 6. On 3rd and 2 from the Packers 7, Brady hit Tyler Johnson for the touchdown to make it 21-10 Buccaneers. The Bucs got it back at their own 38. Brady hit Godwin for 8 and 25. With one minute left in the half on 3rd and 6 from the Packers 12, Brady hit Rob Gronkowski for the touchdown. After exploding for 4 second quarter touchdowns and a 28-10 lead, the Patriots quickly iced the game in the third quarter. Ryan Succop hit a 50 yard field goal. Jones added one more touchdown from one yard out to cap an 85 yard drive. The fourth quarter was scoreless as the Packers were shut out after the first quarter. Neither quarterback had 200 yards passing, but Brady threw 2 touchdowns while Rodgers threw 2 killer interceptions. Brady was helped by 158 yards from the Tampa running game. 38-10 Buccaneers
Los Angeles Rams at San Francisco 49ers is the Sunday night game. The Rams have been quite good, while the 49ers were blown out last week at home. Yet throw out the records when division rivals meet. Last week the fans were ready to burn Jimmy Garoppolo in effigy. This week he began from the 49ers 24 and went right to work. He hit Deebo Samuel for 35, Brandon Aiyuk for 10, Greg Kittle for 18, and back to Samuel for a 6 yard touchdown to quickly make it 7-0 49ers. The 49ers soon faced 1st and 16 from their own 7. Mostert gained 15 and 3 and caught a pass for 7. The second quarter began with the 49ers facing 4th and 2 at the Rams 44. Kyle Shanahan decided to go for it. A short pass from Garoppolo to Kittle went for the touchdown and a 14-0 49ers lead.
The Rams soon faced 3rd and 9 at their own 37. Jared Goff scrambled for 10. Henderson ran for 18. Robert woods added 4 and 7. Henderson added 11 and 5. On 3rd and goal at the 10, Goff hit Woods for the score. The extra point was blocked as the Rams trailed 14-6. After a touchback, Mostert ran for 8, 5 and 2. On 2nd and 18 from their own 30, Garoppolo hit Kendrick Bourne for 19 and again for 25. On 3rd and 7 from the Rams 23, Garoppolo hit Taylor for 8. On 3rd and 1 from the Rams 6, the defense jumped into the neutral zone. On 3rd and goal at the 2, Garoppolo hit Aiyuk for the touchdown as the 49ers were cruising 21-6 at the intermission. The second half was about defense. Sam Sloman hit a 42 yard third quarter field goal for the Rams. Robbie Gould answered from 49 to make it 24-9 49ers with 5 1/2 minutes left. Goff did lead the Rams 75 yards in 10 plays. Goff hit Josh Reynolds for a 40 yard touchdown with 3 1/2 minutes left to get the Rams within 8 points. Sean McVay decried to kick it deep rather than go onside. The Rams took their final timeout with 2 1/2 minutes left. With 1:40 left, it all came down to the 49ers facing 3rd and 7 from their own 38. Garoppolo hit Samuel for 11 and the Rams never got the ball back. 24-16 49ers
Kansas City Chiefs at Buffalo Bills was an extra Monday night game delayed from Thursday night due to COVID. A pair of 4-1 teams played a good football game as both teams sought to bounce back from their first loss of the season. Walrus Andy Reid has been described accurately as pass-happy, but he now has a running back. Yes, after over 2 decades of throwing, Andy Reid even with Patrick mahomet at quarterback is running the football. Early on the Bills moved from their own 32 to a 3rd and 7 at the Chiefs 30. Josh Allen threw incomplete. Tyler Bass hit a 48 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Bills. After a touchback, Carl Edwards-Helaire ran for a 31 yard gain. Mahomes then went to Edwards-Helaire for 5, to Robinson for 6 and 22, and to Travis Kelce for an 11 yard touchdown to make it 7-3 Chiefs.
After a touchback, Singletary ran for 9, 4 and 2. On 3rd and 2 from his own 46, Allen ran for 3 and then 5 more. On 3rd and 1 from the Chiefs 42, Moss got the yard. Allen ran for 13. On 3rd and 10 from the Chiefs 28, Allen went deep incomplete. Yet defensive pass interference meant a 24 yard gain. On the next play Allen went to Stefan Diggs for the 4 yard touchdown. The 13 play, 75 yard, 7 minute drive put the Bills up 10-7 in the second quarter. The Chiefs soon faced 3rd and 6 at their own 29. Mahomes went to Darrell Williams for 15 and then for 5 more. Andy Reid went back to the ground game as Edwards-Helaire gained 5, Tyreek Hill added 5 more, and Edwards-Helaire ripped off gains of 12, 14 and 5. On 3rd and 1 from the Buffalo 6, Edwards-Helaire got around the end for the touchdown. The extra point was no good but the Chiefs led 13-10 with 5 minutes left in the half. With one minute left in the half the Chiefs took over at their own 10. With 16 seconds left from their own 32, Mahomes hit Kelce for 16 but Kelce fumbled. The Bills recovered just past midfield with 6 seconds left. Allen quickly hit Diggs for 15, leaving one second left. Bass came in for a 52 yard field goal try to tie the game. It was no good.
In the third quarter the Chiefs took over at their own 18. Mahomes hit Hill for 8. Edwards-Helaire ran for 17. On 3rd and 1 from their own 47, Edwards-Helaire gained 8. Thomas added 11 and 5. On 3rd and 4 from the Buffalo 28, Mahomes hit Kelce for 6. On 3rd and 5 from the Buffalo 17, Mahomes scrambled, appeared trapped near the sideline, and somehow dove for a 4 yard gain. Andy Reid decided to go for it on 4th and inches from the 13. Williams got the first down and the touchdown. The 13 play, 82 yard, 8 minute drive put the Chiefs up 20-10. The Chiefs got it back to start the fourth quarter at their own 6 yard line. They moved 75 yards in 10 plays and 5 1/2 minutes. On 3rd and 1 from the Buffalo 16, Williams lost 3 yards. Harrison Butker hit a 37 yard field goal to put the Chiefs up 23-10 with 9 1/2 minutes remaining in regulation.
After a touchback, Allen hit Davis for 7. Defensive pass interference on the next play added 8 yards. From the Chiefs 44, Allen hit Diggs for 14, Cole Beasley for 22, and Beasley again for an 8 yard touchdown. With 6 1/2 minutes left the Bills were back in it down 23-17. The Chiefs soon faced 2nd and 8 at their own 15. Mahomes hit Kelce for 20. On the next play Edwards-Helaire lost 4 yards and fumbled and the Bills recovered at the Chiefs 31. With 5 minutes left the Bills had a chance to take the lead. Yet on further review, officials reversed the play to down by contact. On 3rd and 12 from his own 33, Mahomes went deep to Pringle for a 37 yard gain. On 3rd and 7 from the Buffalo 27, Mahomes ran for 9 yards. On 3rd and 6 from the Buffalo 14, Mahomes only gained 2 yards. Yet the clock ticked down to the 2 minute warning. The Bills were out of timeouts. The 12 play, 75 yard drive culminated in a 30 yard field goal try for Butker to ice the game. The kick was good. Allen threw in a desperation interception for good measure. Mahomes was 21 of 26 for 225 yards, 2 touchdowns and 0 interceptions. Yet the real shocker was that the Chiefs ran the ball 46 times for 245 yards. Edwards-Helaire carried the ball 26 times for 161 yards. This is not your Andy Reid West Coast Offense dinking and dunking. This was smashmouth power football. It was also another Chiefs win, making Andy Reid a most happy Walrus indeed. 26-17 Chiefs
Arizona Cardinals at Dallas Cowboys was the Monday night game. With Dak Prescott out for the season, Red Rifle Andy Dalton got his first start for the Cowboys. Yet the real problem was that Ezekiel Elliott had his worst game as a pro. Late in the first quarter the Cowboys had moved from their own 26 to a 2nd and 9 just past midfield. Dalton hit Elliott for no gain, and Elliott fumbled. The Cardinals took over at their own 46. Buddha Baker forced the fumble on a night when he was a wild man on defense. On 3rd and 10, Murray ran for just enough. On 4th and 1 from the Dallas 18, Kliff Kingsbury decided to go for it. Murray ran for 11 and then threw a 6 yard touchdown pass to Christian Kirk to make it 7-0 Cardinals early in the second quarter. Two plays after a touchback, Elliott fumbled again and the Cardinals recovered at the Dallas 27. On 3rd and 11, Murray hit Larry Fitzgerald for 11 and ran for 16 himself. Kenyan Drake got the last yard to make it 14-0 Cardinals. The Cowboys after a touchback moved to a 3rd and 7 at the Arizona 35. An illegal block penalty killed the drive. The Cardinals took over at their own 20. Murray threw a bomb that appeared overthrown but Kirk somehow made a fingertips catch, kept his balance, and raced for an 80 yard touchdown to make it 21-0 Cardinals with 2:44 left in the half.
The rest of the game was pointless. The Cowboys did manage a field goal before the half, but it didn’t matter. The Cowboys in the third quarter moved from their 25 to a 3rd and 6 at the Arizona 42. Dalton went deep and was intercepted by Kirkpatrick. The Cardinals took over at their own 21. Drake ran for gains of 20 and 22. Edmonds added 9 and 5. Murray added 10. Defensive pass interference meant 6 yards and the ball on the one. Murray got in as the Cardinals were rolling up 28-3. A desperate Mike McCarthy had Greg Zuerlein try a 58 yard field goal that was no good. The Cowboys then moved 70 yards in 12 plays from their own 14 to a 1st and 10 at the Arizona 16. Dalton was intercepted by Baker. The Cardinals took over at their own 13. On 3rd and 2 from their own 29, Murray connected with Deandre Hopkins for a 60 yard gain. Zane Gonzalez hit a 26 yard field goal to make it 31-3 Cardinals with 9 minutes left in regulation. The Cowboys mounted a staggering 18 play, 75 yard, 6 minute drive which would have been more impressive had they not been down by 4 touchdowns. The Cowboys did score a garbage touchdown with 2:48 left, but the Cowboys are a mess. On 3rd and 4 from their own 31 at the 2 minute warning, Drake ran for a 69 yard exclamation point touchdown. Jerry Jones may wish to blow up his Jerryworld Metropolis for the insurance money. The Cowboys are a miserably bad team. 38-10 Cardinals