NFL 2020 Week 7 Recap
New York Giants at Philadelphia Eagles was the Thursday night game. Sometimes a pair of horrendously bad teams can come together and play a game for the ages. This was not that game, but it was a good enough game. After a touchback to start the game DeSean Jackson ran for 12 yards and caught a 10 yard pass from Carson Wentz. Scott ran for 5 and 8. On 3rd and 1 from the Giants 31, Wentz got stopped. Doug Pederson decided to go for it. On 4th and 1, Wentz gained 3. On 1st and 15 from the Giants 33, Wents hit Jackson for 9 and Rodgers for 18 down to the one. Wentz snuck for the yard to cap the 11 play, 75 yard, 6 minute drive to make it 7-0 Eagles. Later in the first quarter the Eagles punted on 4th and 17 from their own 4. Jabril Peppers returned it 14 yards to give the Giants a short field at the Philadelphia 39. One play and 7 seconds was enough for Daniel Jones to find Golden Tate for the touchdown and a 7-7 game.
The game slowed down considerably after the first quarter. In the second quarter the Eagles drove 57 yards in 13 plays. They began at their own 30 but an intentional grounding penalty had them facing 2nd and 26 from their own 30. Wentz hit Rodgers for 16. The second quarter began with the Eagles facing 3rd and 10 at the Giants 30. Wentz hit Ward for 14. On 2nd and 7 from the Giants 13, Wentz threw incomplete twice. Jake Elliott hit a 31 yard field goal to make it 10-7 Eagles. The teams traded interceptions, the Giants fumbled, and the Eagles moved from their own 42 to a 1st and 10 at the Giants 11 with 30 seconds left in the half. Went threw 3 incompletions and Elliott missed a 29 yard field goal.
In the third quitter the Giants took over at their own 12 yard line. Jones actually ran for an 80 yard gain. On 3rd and goal at the 3, Jones threw incomplete but defensive pass interference meant 1st and goal at the one. Wayne Gallman got in to make it 14-10 Giants. The Giants got it back early in the fourth quarter at their own 3 yard line. Jones hit Slayton for 11. On 3rd and 3 from their own 34, defensive pass interference meant a 22 yard gain. Jones hit Gallman for 12. On 3rd and 9 from the the Philly 12, Jones went to Sterling Shepard for just enough. On 3rd and goal at the 2, Jones went to Shepard for the touchdown. The 15 play, 97 yard, 8 minute drive had the Giants up 21-10 with 6:17 left in regulation.
The Eagles took over at their own 22. A sack of Wentz was negated by illegal contact. Wentz then went to Hightower for 59 yards. Wentz threw a 3 yard touchdown pass to Ward with 4 1/2 minutes remaining. The 2 point conversion try failed but the Eagles were within 21-16. The Eagles got it back at their own 29 at the 2 minute warning with 2 timeouts left. Wentz hit Rodgers for 11 and again for a 30 yard gain. Defensive pass interference added 9. Boston Scott added 12 and 4 as the Giants took their remaining timeouts on defense. With one minute left, the Eagles faced 3rd and goal at the 5. Wentz threw incomplete but defensive pass interference meant 1st and goal at the 3. A run went nowhere and an offensive facemask moved the Eagles all the way back to the 18 with 40 seconds left. It didn’t matter. Wentz went to Scott for the touchdown. The 2 point try failed but the Eagles had the one point lead. With 30 seconds left on 2nd and 12 form his own 23, Jones did what he does. He was sacked and fumbled. The Giants blew another double digit fourth quarter lead. 22-21 Eagles
Buffalo Bills at New York Jets — The Jets took over at their own 22 and Frank Gore ran for 8 and 11. Sam Darnold hit Brad Perriman for 19 and Perine for 7. On 3rd and 4 from the Buffalo 11, Darnold threw incomplete. Castillo hit the 29 yard field goal to cap the 11 play, 67 yard, 6 minute drive and make it 3-0 Jets. Tyler Bass missed a 45 yard field goal that would have tied the game, but he would more than redeem himself later on. The Bills would then fumble the ball away. In the second quarter the Jets took over at their own 20. Perine gained 20. Defensive pass interference added 15 more. Darnold hit Mims for 16 and 11. Defensive pass interference added 13. Perine ran for a 5 yard touchdown to make it 10-0 Jets. The rest of the game belonged to Tyler Bass and the Buffalo defense. Bass connected on 53 and 48 in the second quarter. He hit from 46 and 37 in the third quarter. He missed from 37 in the fourth quarter but then hit from 29 and again from 40 to give the Bills an 8 point lead with 1:56 to play. After a touchback the Jets soon faced 2nd and 22 at their own 20 with 1:16 left. Darnold was intercepted. The Jets fought hard, but remained winless. Adam Gase remained employed. Just End The Season. 18-10 Bills
Cleveland Browns at Cincinnati Bengals — The Bengals began at their own 28 and marched 70 yards in 10 plays and nearly 6 minutes. Yet on 1st and goal from the 2, Joe Burrow went to the end zone and was intercepted. The Browns took over on their own 4 yard line. 2 plays later Baker Mayfield went deep and was intercepted. Phillips returned the interception 21 yards to the Cleveland 24. Even worse, Browns wide receiver Odell Beckham and offensive tackle Tretter were both injured on the play. Burrow hit Boyd for 13. Defensive pass interference on the next play added 10 more down to the one. Burrow snuck up the middle for the touchdown to make it 7-0 Bengals.
The Bengals got it back and moved from their own 25 to the Cleveland 42. Burrow was sacked and fumbled and the Browns recovered all the way at the Cincinnati 33. The was enough for Cody Parkey to hit a 43 yard field goal for the Browns. The Bengals moved from their own 19 to a 2nd and 7 at the Browns 11. After an incompletion, Burrow was sacked. Randy Bullock hit a 37 yard field goal to make it 10-3 Bengals. After a touchback, Mayfield hit Jarvis Landry for 28. Karim Hunt ran for 15. On 3rd and 5 from the Cincy 30, the defense jumped into the neutral zone. On 3rd and 1 from the Cincy 16, Landry gained 5. On 3rd and 2 from the Cincy 3, Mayfield hit Bryant for the score. The 11 play, 75 yard, 7 1/2 minute drive had the game tied 10-10 with 3 1/2 minute left in the half.
After a touchback, Burrow hit Higgins for gains of 7 and 27. On 2nd and 5 from the Cleveland 31, Burrow hit AJ Green for 13 and Boyd for 9. With 15 seconds left in the half, Burrow hit Boyd for an 11 yard touchdown as the Bengals took a 17-10 lead to the locker rooms. After a touchback to start the third quarter, Mayfield hit Bryant for 35 yards. Mayfield hit Landry for 8 and Njoku for 4. On 3rd and 6 from the Cincy 25, Mayfield hit Bryant for 12. On 3rd and 3 from the Cincy 6, Mayfield hit Bryant for the score and a 17-17 deadlock.
The Bengals after a touchback went 71 yard in 12 plays and 6 1/2 minutes. On 3rd and goal at the 4, Burrow threw a fade to the end zone that was broken up at the last minute incomplete. Bullock hit the 23 yard field goal to make it 20-17 Bengals with 3 minutes left in the third quarter. The teams combined for 37 points in the first there quarters but this game was just beginning as they combined for 34 points in a crazy fourth quarter alone.The Browns faced 3rd and 3 at their own 28. Mayfield threw incomplete but the defense jumped offside. On 3rd and 4 from their own 39, Mayfield went Higgins for a pair of 21 yard gains. Mayfield hit Njoku for a 16 yard touchdown with 13 minutes in regulation to put the Browns up 24-20. It was their first lead of the game.
The Bengals took over at their own 20. Burrow hit Green for 6, Higgins for 9 and Sample for 14 and 16. Burrow ran for 12. Burrow went to Higgins for a 16 yard touchdown as the Bengals retook the lead 27-24 with 8:45 to play. After a touchback, Mayfield hit Higgins for 20. Karim Hunt ran for 11. Kevin Stefanski then went to the bag of tricks with a halfback option pass. Mayfield lateraled to Landry, who went deep to Peoples-Jones for a 19 yard gain. Mayfield then went to Hunt for 12 and back to Hunt for an 8 yard touchdown. The third lead change of the fourth quarter had the Browns up 31-27 with 5 minutes left. The action was not even close to being over.
After a touchback, Burrow hit Higgins for 12, Boyd for 15 and Thomas for 25. On 3rd and 11 from the Cleveland 24, Burrow gained 12. On 3rd and 3 from the Cleveland 5, Bernard gained 2. With 1:08 to play, the Bengals took their second timeout. It all came down to 4th and 1 at the 3. Burrow found Bernard for the touchdown. The fourth lead change of the fourth quarter had the Bengals up 34-31. After a touchback, Mayfield hit Peoples-Jones for 13, Higgins for 8, and Higgins again for a 30 yard gain. Mayfield spiked the ball to stop the clock as the Bengals took their final timeout on defense with 16 seconds remaining. Mayfield went to the end zone and Peoples-Jones somehow got both feet down inbounds for the touchdown. The fifth lead change of the fourth quarter had the Browns up by a field goal. The extra point was no good. Bernard returned the short kickoff 24 yards to the Cincinnati 42. With 4 seconds remaining, there was time for one Hail Mary. Burrow had all the time in the world and unleashed a good one. It was batted in the air but fell incomplete. In a division long dominated by Pittsburgh and Baltimore, this could finally be the game where the Bengals and Browns become relevant. Burrow was 35 of 47 for 406 yards and 3 touchdown passes. Mayfield was 22 of 28 for 297 yards and touchdown passes. Each quarterback was intercepted once. 37-34 Browns
Green Bay Packers at Houston Texans — The Packers started facing 3rd and 2 at their own 33. Aaron Rodgers was sacked but illegal use of hands kept the drive going. On 2nd and 5 from their own 43, Rodgers hit Williams for 17 with 15 more tacked on for lowering the head to initiate contact. On 3rd and 1 from the Houston 16, Rodgers hit Devontae Adams for 8. Rodgers hit Adams for a 3 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Packers. The Packers got it back at their own 12. On 3rd and 9 from their own 23, Rodgers hit Adams for 28 and again for 36. Rodgers hit Jace Sternberger for a 3 yard touchdown 90 seconds into the second quarter to make it 14-0 Packers. After Kaimi Fairbairn missed a 41 yard field goal for the Texans, the Packers took over at their own 31. Rodgers hit Adams for 15. On 3rd and 10 from their own 46, Rodgers hit Adams for 16. Williams caught a pass for 6, ran for 9, caught another pass for 15, and ran for 7 down to the one with 18 seconds left in the half. Rodgers went to Taylor for the touchdown as the Packers were dominating 21-0.
The Texans began the third quarter marching 75 yards in 11 plays and 6 minutes. Deshaun Watson went to David Johnson for the 3 yard touchdown to get the Texans within 21-7. Yet the Packers came right back 75 yards. On 3rd and 5 from their own 30, Rodgers hit Adams for 9. On 3rd and 4 from the houston 45, Rodgers went deep to Adams for the touchdown and a 28-7 Packers lead. The Texans moved from their own 33 to a 3rd and 3 a the Green Bay 8. Watson was sacked, and Romeo Crennel with his team down by 21 curiously opted for the field goal. It was good. The Texans then blocked a punt and took over at the Green Bay 22. On 1st and goal at the 8, Watson threw incomplete twice and then completed a pass for a 3 yard loss. Romeo Crennel opted for another field goal. it was good again but the Texans were still down by 28-13 with 10 minutes left in regulation. The Texans got it back and midway through the fourth quarter faced 4th and 1 at their own 47. Crennel this time opted to go for it. Watson faked the pitch, kept it, fooled nobody, and got blown up in the backfield for a 4 yard loss. With a short field, the Packers quickly put the game away. On 3rd and 7 from the Houston 30, Rodgers hit Adams for 16. Williams ran for 13 and then got the last yard himself as the Packers easily rebounded from their first loss on the season. The Texans got a garbage touchdown. 35-20 Packers
Dallas Cowboys at Washington Debate Moderators — After a touchback to start the game, the non-Redskins moved 74 yards 11 plays and 5 minutes. On 3rd and goal at the 2, a touchdown pass from Kyle Allen to Terry McLaurin was reversed to 4th and goal at the one. Riverboat Ron Rivera went for it and Allen got stopped. Despite the goal line stand, the Cowboys gave it right back. On 3rd and 8 from their own 16, Red Rifle Andy Dalton got sacked and fumbled. The Cowboys recovered in their own end zone for a safety and a 2-0 No-Names lead. The Identity Crisis took the free kick and began at their own 37. On 3rd and 6 from their own 41, Allen hit McKissic for 9 to midfield. Allen went to McLaurin for 5 and Thomas for 26. McKissic ran for 7 and Gibson ran for the 12 yard touchdown to make it 9-0 Deficits.
The Cowboys got a break when Pollard returned the ensuing kickoff 67 yards to the Washington 34. Yet on 3rd and 4 from the 28, an end around by Cee Dee Lamb gained only one yard. Greg Zuerlein hit a 45 yard field goal to get the Cowboys on the board. That concluded anything resembling a Cowboys highlight. The Cowboys began the second quarter moving from their own 14 to a 4th and 1 at the Washington 45. Mike McCarthy decided to go for it and Dalton threw incomplete. Two plays later Allen went deep to McLaurin for a 52 yard touchdown. The 2 point conversion failed but it was 15-3 No-Names. A short 32 yard punt gave the Deficits the ball back at their own 40. On 3rd and 5 from their own 45, Allen threw incomplete but defensive holding kept the drive going. On 3rd and 9 from the Dallas 49, Allen gained 13. On 3rd and 1 from the Dallas 15, Allen hit Logan Thomas for the touchdown to make it 22-3 No-Names. The second half was pointless. Dustin Hopkins hit a fourth quarter field goal and missed another one. Dalton was knocked out of the game. The Cowboys third string quarterback is a rookie named Ben DiNucci. Mike McCarthy’s offense is lifeless and he is running out of quarterbacks. 25-3 non-Redskins
Detroit Lions at Atlanta Falcons — The Lions began at their own 29. Matthew Stafford hit TJ Hockensen for 16. On 3rd and 9 from their own 46, Stafford hit Jones for 23. D’Andre Swift ran for 8, 13 and 3. On 3rd and goal at the 7, Stafford got belted and raced. Somehow, what seemed like a textbook legal hit was called roughing the passer and 1st and goal at the 3. Swift got in to make it 7-0 Lions. In the second quarter the Falcons took over at their own 11. Matt Ryan went to Hurst for 16 and Julio Jones for 8. Ryan then fired to Calvin Ridley, and the ball deflected off of his hands in the air and was caught by Hurst for a 7 yard gain. On 3rd and 1 from just past midfield, Ryan threw incomplete. Raheem Morris decided to go for it. Ryan hit Zaccheaus for 8 yards and then found Ridley for 19. On 2nd and 20 from he Detroit 27, Ryan found Todd Gurley for 11. On 3rd and 9, Ryan threw incomplete but defensive pass interference put the ball on the one. On 3rd and goal at the one, Gurley got in for a 7-7 ballgame.
The Lions moved from their own 21 to a 4th and 2 at the Atlanta 3. Matt Patricia decided to go for it and Adrian Peterson go stopped cold. On 3rd and 8 from their own 4, Ry went to Ridley for 27, Hill for 11, and Hurst for 17 at the 2 minute warning. On 3rd and 3 from the Detroit 31, Ryan went to Jones for a pair of 13 yard gains. On 3rd and goal at the 4, Ryan went to Ridley for the touchdown. With only 30 seconds left in the half, the Falcons led 14-7 after the 14 play, 98 yard, 6 minute drive. Yet they could not get to the half with that lead. After a touchback, Stafford hit Hockensen for 10, Kenny Golladay for 18 and Jones for 20. Matt Prater drilled a 50 yard field goal to end the half with the Lions only down 14-10. In the third quarter the Lions moved from their own 14 on an 11 play, 53 yard dive that took 7 1/2 minutes off the clock. Yet on 3rd and from the Atlanta 24, Stafford was sacked. Prater drilled a 51 yard field goal as the Lions were within 14-13 midway through the third quarter.
Late in the third quarter the Falcons took over at their own 6 yard line and embarked on a 13 play, 81 yard, 7 minute drive. With 12 minutes left in regulation the Falcons faced 4th and 5 at the Detroit 13. In a mind-numbing decision, Raheem Morris decided to go for it rather than kick a field goal and have a 4 point lead. Ryan threw incomplete. The Lions moved from their own 13 to a 4th and 1 at the Atlanta 27 midway through the fourth quarter. Matt Patricia decided o go for the field goal and the lead. From 45 yards out, Prater was no good. The Falcons took over at their own 36. On 3rd and 10 from their own 48, Ryan was sacked and fumbled. Trey Flowers recovered for the Lions at the Atlanta 32. With 3:16 to play, Prater came in again to try and give the Lions the lead. From 49 yards out, this time Prater was good as the Lions led 16-14 with 5 1/2 minutes left. While most of the second half was ugly, the end of the game was beautiful.
The Falcons took over at their own 24. Ryan hit Gage for 6 and 9, Gurley for 8 at the 2 minute warning, and Gage for a pair of 16 yard gains. Gurley ran for 8, one, and on 3rd and 1 from the 12, 2. Gurley then ran for a 10 yard touchdown. Ryan hit Ridley for the 2 point conversion. With 1:04 to play, the Falcons led 22-16. Yet 30 seconds was enough time for the Lions in the first half. In the second half they had 60 seconds. The Falcons have blown so many fourth quarter leads. After a touchback, Stafford hit Hockensen for 13 and spiked the ball to stop the clock with 34 seconds left. Stafford then hit Danny Amendola and spiked the ball again with 19 seconds left. Stafford found Golladay for 29 yards and spiked the ball again with 3 seconds remaining. It all came down to one play from the Atlanta 11. Stafford went to Hockensen for the touchdown as a penalty flag came out. It was unsportsmanlike conduct on the offense after the play. The touchdown stood but Prater would be attempting a 48 yard extra point. It was good but another flaw came out. Would it be a 53 yard extra point try? No. It was an illegal formation on the defense. The extra point was good and the game was over. 23-22 Lions
Carolina Panthers at New Orleans Saints — The Saints dominated at the outset. Drew Bees hit Carr for 6 and Callaway for 9. On 3rd and 1 from their own 44, Alvin Kamara got the yard. Kamara ran for 18 more and caught a pass for 7. On 3rd and 1 from the Carolin 19, Latavius Murray got the yard and then gained 7 more. On 3rd and 2 from the Carolina 10, Taysom Hill came in. Hill gained 6. Brees hit Jared Cook for a 4 yard touchdown. The 14 play, 75 yard, 8 1/2 minute drive made it 7-0 Saints. After a touchback, the panthers soon faced 3rd and 8 just shy of midfield. Teddy Bridgewater hit Samuel for 22. Joey Slye hit a 43 yard field goal to get the Panthers on the board. The Saints got it back at their own 22 and Brees hit Callway for gains of 15 and 8. Murray ran for a 25 yard gain as the Saints began the second quarter at the Carolina 30. Brees hit Callaway for 14 and 10. On 3rd and goal from the one, Brees leapt over the top. Replay showed that the ball did not break the plane of the goal, but the touchdown stood and the Saints led 14-3.
3 plays later after a touchback the Saints were right back in it. On 2nd and 14 from their own 26, Bridgewater went deep to Moore for a 74 yard touchdown to get the Panthers within 14-10. The Saints moved from their own 16 to the Carolina 25. Brees got sacked and fumbled and the Panthers recovered at their own 35. On 3rd and 3 from their own 42, Teddy Bridgewater hit Samuel for 11, Robbie Anderson for 19, found Davis for 8 and hit Zylstra for 4 at the 2 minute warning. Bridgewater then went to Davis for 8 and DJ Moore for the 7 yard touchdown. With 90 seconds left in the half the Panthers had the 17-14 lead.
That was plenty of time for the pinball wizard. After a touchback, Brees went to Kamara for 3 and Harris for gains of 18 and 7.Brees found Cook for 22 yards as the Saints took their last timeout with 24 seconds left. From the Carolina 21, Brees hit Kamara for 17 and spiked the ball to stop the clock with 5 seconds left. Brees hit Deonte Harris for the 4 yard touchdown as the Saints led 21-17 at the break. In the third quarter he Saints took over at their own 19. On 3rd and 4 at their own 25, Brees hi Kamara for 16. On 3rd and 14 from their own 37, Brees went to Kamara for just enough. On 3rd and 1 from the Carolina 40, Brees hit Smith for 23. On 3rd and 4 from the Carolina 11, Brees went to Callaway for the touchdown. Yet offensive pass interference nullified he score. Wil Lutz hit a 41 yard field goal as the Saints led 24-17 with 4 1/2 minutes left in the third quarter. After a touchback, Bridgewater went to Anderson for 26 with 15 more tacked on for defensive unnecessary roughness. On 3rd and 1 from the Saints 25, Armah got the yard. On third and 2 from the Saints 16, Bridgewater hit Thomas for 11. Samuel ran for the 5 yard touchdown on the last play of the third quarter. After three quarters, the game was tied 24-24.
The Saints began the fourth quarter facing 3rd and 5 at their own 30. Brees hit Callaway for 7. On 3rd and 8 from their own 39, Brees hit Smith for 20. On 3rd and 6 from the Carolina 37, Brees hit Kamara for 8. On 3rd and 13 from the Carolina 32, Brees hit Callaway for only 7. Lutz came in for a 43 yard field goal try to give the Saints the lead. The kick was good and the Saints led 27-24 midway through the fourth quarter. After a touchback, Bridgwater hit Davis for 7, Anderson for 6 and Moore for 8. On 3rd and 3 from the Saints 43, Bridgewater ran for 5. With 2:25 to play, the Panthers faced 3rd and 11 at the Saints 39. Bridgewater had played all day, but when it mattered most he made a horrendous mistake, taking a sack for an 8 yard loss. The clock hit the 2 minute warning. Matt Rhule is a rookie coach, and he made a decision for the ages. Rather than try a Hail Mary, Rhule brought in kicker Slye for a 65…yes, 65…yard field goal attempt. The NFL record is 64, held by Matt Prater. This was for NFL history and to send the game into overtime. Slye hit the ball dead center…and just barely short of the crossbar. It would have been good from 63 and maybe even from 64, but not from 65. A rematch would be well worth watching. 27-24 Saints
Pittsburgh Steelers at Tennessee Titans — The last 2 unbeaten teams in the AFC faced off. On 3rd and 3 from their own 32, Ben Roethlisberger moved the Steelers with a 14 yard completion to Johnson. Roethlisberger then hit Juju Smith-Schuster for 6 and McCloud for 9. On 3rd and 11 from the Titans 40, Big Ben hit Johnson for 14. On 3rd and 1 from the Titans 17, James Conner gained 6. On 3rd and 1 from the 2, Bennie Snell got the yard. On 2nd and goal from the 11, Roethlisberger hit Johnson for the touchdown. The staggering 16 play, 75 yard drive took nearly 9 1/2 minutes and had the Steelers up 7-0. The Steelers got it back and soon faced 3rd and 14 from their own 35. Roethliberger went to Eric Ebron for a 22 yard gain.On 3rd and 1 from the Titans 34, Conner gained 3. On 3rd and 12 from the Titans 33, Roethlisbger hit Smith-Schuster for 21. Conner ran for 9 and 2 and Snell got the last yard. The 13 play, 61 yard, 7 minute drive had the Steelers up 14-0 in the second quarter.
After a touchback, Derrick Henry ran for 14 and 6. Ryan Tannehill hit AJ Brown for 13. On 3rd and 9 from the Pittsburgh 41, Tannehill went deep to Humphries for 19 yards. On 3rd and 1 from the Pittsburgh 13, the defense jumped offside. On 3rd and goal at the 4, Tannehill hit Corey Davis for the touchdown to get the Titans within 14-7 with 5 1/2 minutes left in the half. After a touchback, Conner ran for 24 yards. Roethlisberger then hit Conner for 18 yards. Yet on 2nd and 5 from the Titans 20, Roethlisberger threw incomplete twice. Chris Boswell hit the 38 yard field goal to make it 17-7 Steelers with 2:50 left in the half. With 1:50 left in the half, the Titans punted on 4th and 5 from their own 15. McCloud returned the punt 57 yards to the Titans 17. On 3rd and 2, Roethlisberger went to Diontae Johnson for the touchdown as the Steelers led 24-7. With 21 seconds left in the half, the Titans had to punt on 4th and 3 from their own 32. The snap was fumbled and an attempted pass was incomplete. The Titans dodged any further pain when Roethlisberger ended the half with a deep interception rather than set up for a long field goal try. Yet in the third quarter the Steelers moved from their own 34 to a 2nd and 4 at the Titans 9. Conner lost 3 yards and Big Ben threw incomplete. Chris Boswell hit a 30 yard field goal as the Steelers were dominating 27-7.
Two plays later the Titans were right back in it. On 2nd and 8 from their own 27, Tannehill fired over the middle to Brown. Brown split the seam and outraced everyone for a 73 yard touchdown to get the Titans within 27-14. The Steelers took over at their own 16. From their own 30, Roethlisberger had a pass batted in the air and intercepted. Despite taking over at the Pittsburgh 30, the Titans lost 3 yards. Stephen Gostkowski hit a 51 yard field goal to have the Titans within 27-17 with 3 minutes left in the third quarter. The Titans began the fourth quarter with the ball at their own 30. Henry ran for 9 and 3. On 3rd and 1 just past midfield, Tannehill got the yard. Tannehill then hit Brown for 20. Henry ran for 17 and 6 to set up 2nd and goal at the one. Tannehill threw incomplete and Henry got stopped. The Steelers took a timeout on defense. Mike Vrabel went for it on 4th and goal at the one. Tannehill threw incomplete but defensive holding meant an entire new set of downs. This time Henry got in. With 10 minutes left in regulation, 17 unanswered points had the Titans within 27-24.
A penalty on the kickoff had the Steelers taking over at their own 9. Roethlisberger led a clock killing 16 play, 72 yard drive that took up 7 1/2 minutes. With 2:45 to play, the Steelers faced 3rd and 2 at the Titans 9 as the Titans took their 2nd timeout on defense. A short completion was nullified by offensive pass interference. Even a field goal would extend the lead, but Big Ben got greedy. On 3rd and 12 he went to the end zone and threw into triple coverage. The ball was deflected and intercepted for a touchback. Tannehill hit Brown for gains of 9 and 17. On 3rd and 2 just past midfield, Tannehill hit Davis for 7. On 3rd and 12 from the Pittsburgh 46, Tannehill hit Brown for 21. With one minute remaining, the Titans were at the Pittsburgh 25. Then Tannehill was called for intentional grounding. On 3rd and 13, Tannehill threw incomplete. Gostkowski came in with 24 seconds left for a 45 yard field goal try to tie the game and force overtime. Gostkowski’s kick was no good. He just missed it. Roethlisberger threw 3 interceptions, but the Steelers have nothing to apologize for. Mike Tomlin has a 6-0 football team as the Titans lost their first game. 27-24 Steelers
San Francisco 49ers at New England Patriots — This was a blowout from the start. The 49ers began facing 3rd and 3 from their own 32. Jimmy Garoppolo gained 4. Garoppolo then hit George Kittle for 7, Deebo Samuel for 23, back to Kittle for 15, and back to Samuel for 14. Wilson ran for a 3 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 49ers. Nick Folk did begin the second quarter with a 40 yard field goal for the Patriots, but after that the 49ers exploded. A 10 play, 56 yard, 6 minute drive led to a 41 yard Robbie Gould field goal to make it 10-3 49ers. Cam Newton was immediately intercepted, setting up the 49ers at the Patriots 38. Garoppolo hit Kittle for 8 and Wilson ran for 17 and 6. On 3rd and 1 from the 4, Kyle Juszczyk ran in the touchdown. The extra point was no good but the 49ers led 16-3. The 49ers got it back at their own 16. Garoppolo hit Aiyuk for 15. Hasty ran for 20. From the New England 38, Garoppolo hit Samuel for 9 and 13. Wilson ran for the 16 yard touchdown as the 49ers were winning 23-3 at halftime. The second half was pointless. Folk did manage another field goal for the Patriots, but the 49ers kept rolling. The 49ers moved from their own 21 to a 3rd and 4 at the Patriots 42. Garoppolo went to Aiyuk for 35 and Wilson ran for a 7 yard touchdown to make it 30-6 49ers. Another interception of Newton led to a 10 play, 56 yard, 6 1/2 minute drive. Gould hit a 32 yard field goal early in the fourth quarter to make it 33-6 49ers
Kansas City Chiefs at Denver Broncos — With snow coming down, the Chiefs began at their own 32. Mecole Hardman ran for 13. Patrick Mahomes hit Tyreek Hill for 11 and Travis Kelce for 8. From the Denver 20, Mahomes hit Hardman for 19 and Carl Edwards-Helaire ran for an 11 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Chiefs. The Chiefs got it back at their own 19. Mahomes went to Keizer for 14, but Keizer fumbled and the Broncos took over at the Chiefs 37. Drew Lock hit Patrick for 27. On 3rd and goal from the 2, Lock got in. The extra point was no good as the Broncos trailed 7-6. That concluded Broncos highlights. After a touchback, Leveon Bell ran for 16. Mahomes went deep to Hardman for a 38 yard gain. On 3rd and 4 from the Denver 14, Mahomes was sacked. Harrison Butker hit the 32 yard field goal to make it 10-6 Chiefs. The Broncos got it back at their own one yard line to start the second quarter and moved to a 1st and 10 just shy of midfield. Lock was sacked. On 2nd and 13, Lock was intercepted by Sorensen, who returned it 46 yards for a defensive touchdown to make it 17-6 Chiefs. Brandon McManus would hit a 43 yard field goal for the Broncos, but it didn’t matter. Pringle returned the ensuing kickoff 102 yards for a touchdown as the Chiefs led 24-9 at halftime.
The second half was pointless. The Broncos turned it over a couple times in the third quarter and Butker tacked on a pair of field goals to make it 30-9 Chiefs. Another interception of Lock in the fourth quarter led to Mahomes hitting Hill for a 10 yard touchdown to make it 37-9 Chiefs. The Broncos did get a garbage touchdown, but even the Chiefs backups can score. Mahomes came out and backup quarterback Chad Henne led a touchdown drive. Henne got the last yard himself. The Chiefs rebounded after their only loss of the season in a big way. The season is not yet halfway over, and the Chiefs have already almost wrapped up the AFC West again, making Andy Reid a most Happy Walrus indeed. 43-16 Chiefs
Jacksonville Jaguars at Los Angeles Chargers — Sometimes a pair of bad teams can come together and play an exciting game. This actually was that game. The Chargers began at their own 6 yard line. Justin Herbert hit Jackson for 7 and 14 and then ran for a 31 yard gain himself. Herbert then went to Keenan Allen for 27 yards. On 3rd and 7 from the Jacksonville 17, Herbert threw incomplete. Mike Badgley hit a 35 yard field goal for make it 3-0 Chargers. The Chargers got it back and faced 3rd and 8 from their own 31. Herbert hit Kelley for just enough. Herbert found Allen for another 10. On 2nd and 15 from the Jags 33, Herbert went to Allen for 26. Reed ran for a 7 yard touchdown. The extra point was no good as the Chargers led 9-0. In the second quarter the Chargers faced 3rd and 7 from their own 41. Herbert hit Allen for 9 and Henry for 11, with 15 more tacked on for lowering the head to initiate contact. Herbert then went to parham for a 22 yard touchdown to make it 16-0 Chargers.
The Jaguars took over at their own 22. Gardner Minshew hit DJ Chark for 26 and Shenault for 36 more. Robinson ran for 8 and then for the 4 yard touchdown. Robinson ran up the middle for the 2 point conversion to get the Jaguars within 16-8. The Jaguars got it back at their own 33. Robinson ran for 14, 13 and 3. On 3rd and 3 from the Chargers 33, Robinson ran for 10. On 3rd and 9 from the Chargers 22, Minshew hit Johnson for 13. On 3rd and goal from the 9, Minshew hit Robinson for the touchdown with 17 seconds left in the half. This time the 2 point try failed but the Jaguars were within 16-14. Early in the third quarter the Chargers had to punt on 4th and 1 from their own 34. The punt was blocked by Thomas, who recovered it and took it in for a 16 yard touchdown to make it 21-16 Jaguars. After a touchback the Chargers moved to a 1st and 10 at the Jaguars 29. A run lost a yard and Herbert threw incomplete. Badgley missed the 48 yard field goal. The Jaguars soon faced 3rd and 1 from their own 47. Robinson lost a yard. Doug Marrone went for it on 4th and 2. Minshew only gained one yard.
The game shifted again as the Chargers faced 3rd and 9 at the Jags 46. Herbert hit Allen for 11. On 3rd and 6 from the Jags 31, Herbert threw incomplete but defensive holding meant 1st and 10. On the next play Herbert went deep to Green for a 26 yard touchdown. The 2 point try failed but the Chargers led 22-21 with 5 1/2 minutes left in the third quarter. The Jaguars took over and soon faced 2nd and 15 from their own 21. Minshew hit Cole for 12 with 15 more added on for roughing the passer. Minshew hit O’Shaughnessy for 6 with another unnecessary roughness penalty adding 15 more. On 3rd and 7 from the Chargers 28, Minshew went deep to Conley for the touchdown. Minshew hit Ellefson for the 2 point conversion as the Jaguars led 29-22 with 3 minutes left in the this quarter.
This time the Chargers struck quickly from their own 20. Herbert went t Jackson for 10. Then Herbert went deep to Guyton for a 70 yard touchdown and a 29-29 game. The Jaguars fumbled the ensuing kickoff and the Chargers recovered at the Jacksonville 19. Herbert ran for a 5 yard touchdown as the Chargers regained the lead 36-29. The teams combined for 35 points in the third quarter, but the fourth quarter belonged to the defenses. With 11 minutes left in regulation, the Chargers took over at their own 10. On 3rd and 3 from their own 17, Herbert ran for 14. Herbert hit Allen for 14 and Kelley for 10 and 3 with another roughing the passer call adding 15 more. With 6 1/2 minutes remaining, Badgley hit a 35 yard field goal to lock up the win. The 11 play, 73 yard drive and 17 unanswered points were the difference. The Jaguars lost their 6th straight game after an opening day win. Herbert set a Chargers record with 67 yards rushing. The Chargers have had great passers in Dan Fouts and Philip Rivers, but they were pocket passers. They were not mobile. Herbert is. Herbert also threw in 347 yards passing in his first NFL victory. 39-29 Chargers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Las Vegas Raiders — With the The 2001 Tuck Rule and the 2002 Super Bowl in the background, the real story of this game was COVID. Raiders offensive tackle Trent Brown tested positive and was inactive. Safety Jonathan Abraham was also ruled out due to contract tracing even though he tested negative. He went shopping with Brown on Tuesday. The Raiders began strong, as the defense forced a 3 and out and the offense took over at its own 30. Derek Carr made it look easy, hitting Nelson Agholor for 28, Darren Waller for 14, and back to Agholor for a 20 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Raiders.
The Patriots came back from their own 23. On 3rd and 5, Tom Brady hit Rob Gronkowski for 28 yards. Jones ran for 13 and 9. On 3rd and goal at the one, Brady snuck in himself. The 10 play, 77 yard drive made it a 7-7 ballgame. The Raiders soon faced 3rd and 1 at their own 34. Carr threw incomplete and the Raiders had to punt. Jon Gruden called a fake punt and Heath got the yard. On 3rd and 4 from their own 41, Carr connected with Henry Ruggs for a 29 yard gain. The second quarter began with the Raiders facing 3rd and 4 at the Tampa 24. Carr got hit and fumbled and the Patriots recovered, but replay clearly showed Carr’s arm was going forward. The Raider Nation was having more Tuck Rule nightmares, but this time officials got the call right and reversed it to an incomplete pass. Daniel Carlson hit the 42 yard field goal to make it 10-7 Raiders.
With 9 minutes left in the half the Buccaneers took over at their own 15. Brady hit Leonard Fournette for 11 and Chris Godwin for 16. Fournette ran for 24 and 3. Brady went to Gronkowski for a 26 yard gain. Brady hit Gronkowski for a 5 yard touchdown as the Buccaneers led 14-10 with 4 1/2 minutes left in the half. The Patriots got the ball back at their own 12 with 2:19 left in the half. On 3rd and 4 from their own 18, Brady hit Godwin for 5 and again for 16. Brady went to Miler for 11 and Fournette for 7. With 43 seconds left in the half, the Patriots faced 3rd and 3 at the Raiders 41. Brady threw incomplete and it looked like Paul Guenther’s defense had held. Yet Bruce Arians decided to go for it on 4th and 3. Brady hit Godwin for 8. With 17 seconds left in the half, the Patriots faced 2nd and 10 from the Raiders 33. A field goal try would be 51 yards. Instead Brady went deep to Miller for the touchdown. It was a dagger that broke open a close game and had the Patriots up 21-10. The Patriots moved well in the third quarter from their own 20. On 2nd and 11 from their own 31, Brady threw incomplete but defensive pass interference meant a 6 yard gain and new downs. Brady then went deep to Miller for 35 yards. The 10 play, 70 yard, nearly 5 minuet drive led to a 29 yard Ryan Succop field goal. Midway through the third quarter the Patriots led 24-10.
The Raiders fought back. From their own 29, Carr hit Hunter Renfrow for 11. On 3rd and 7 from his own 43, Carr had a free play when the defense jumped offside. He was intercepted, but it didn’t matter. On 3rd and 2, Carr was sacked but defensive holding kept the drive going. Carr then went bombs away to Nelson Agholor for a 44 yard gain down to the 3. Carr hit Waller for a one yard touchdown. With 4 minutes left in the third quarter the Raiders were within 24-17. Unfortunately, a scrum after the touchdown and before the extra point led to Raiders standout guard Gabe Jackson being ejected. The defense again forced a 3 and out and the Raiders took over at their own 29. Carr hit Waller for 11. On 3rd and 7 from their own 45, Carr ran for 9. Carr hit Waller and Ruggs for 10 yards each and Jason Witten for 6 more. On 2nd and 4 from the Tampa 20, a pass to Agholor was dropped. Then on 3rd and 4 a completion to Waller gained only 3 yards. With 13 minutes left in regulation, Jon Gruden made a terrible decision. On 4th and 1 from the Tampa 17 with all the momentum, Gruden decided not to go for it. Carlson hit the 36 yard field goal. The Raiders were within 24-20, but it felt like a defeat.
The Buccaneers took over at their own 33. On 3rd and 13 from their own 30, one defensive stop would give the Raiders a chance at the lead. When it mattered most, Paul Guenther’s much maligned defense could not get a stop. Brady hit Fournette for just enough. On 3rd and 2 just past midfield, Brady threw incomplete. Yet defensive pass interference on Trayvon Mullen, who commits far too many defensive penalties, meant a 9 yard gain. Brady went to Mike Evans for 15 and to Gronk for 6. On 3rd and 4 from the Raiders 16, one stop would force a field goal and keep it a one score game. Brady hit Miller for 12 and Godwin for the 4 yard touchdown to make it 31-20 Buccaneers midway through the fourth quarter. One play after a touchback, a pass bounced off of Agholor’s hands and was intercepted. 2 plays later Brady went to Godwin for a 23 yard touchdown. 2 scores in less than one minute broke open a close game and had the Patriots up 38-20. The Raiders again faced 3rd and 1 at their own 34 and Carr threw incomplete. This time Gruden went for it and Carr lost 2 yards. On 3rd and 7 from the Raiders 29, Brady went to Evans for a 22 yard gain. On 3rd and goal at the one, Johnson got in to complete the blowout. There would be no Tuck Rule revenge. 45-20 Buccaneers
Seattle Seahawks at Arizona Cardinals was the Sunday night game. Both quarterbacks create video game highlights, and early on it was Russell Wilson doing that. On the first play from scrimmage after a touchback, Wilson went deep to Tyler Lockett for a 34 yard gain. Then Wilson went to Jacob Hollister for 17, Lockett for 4 and Chris Carson for 7. Carson ran for 10 and Wilson hit Lockett for a 3 yard touchdown to quickly make it 7-0 Seahawks. The Seahawks got it back and soon faced 3rd and 10 at their own 34. Wilson hit DK Metcalf for 17. Carson ran for 8. Wilson went to Moore for 18. Wilson went to Greg Olsen for a 23 yard touchdown, but it was reversed incomplete. Wilson threw 2 more incompletions. Jason Myers hit a 41 yard field goal to make it 10-0 Seahawks.
After a touchback, Kyler Murray got warmed up. On 3rd and 8 from his own 27, Murray ran for 9. On 2nd and 11 from their own 35, Murray threw incomplete but defensive pass interference meant 8 yards and a first down. From the Seattle 43, Murray ran for 8 and then went deep to Deandre Hopkins for a 35 yard touchdown to get the Cardinals within 10-7. After a touchback from their own 41, Wilson went to Lockett for 16 and Olsen for 13. On 3rd and 5 from the Arizona 26, Wilson threw incomplete. Myers hit from 44 to have the Seahawks up 13-7 early in the second quarter.
The game then got messy as the Cardinals took over from their own 17. After a penalty had the Cardinals facing 1st and 19 at their own 31, a short completion was fumbled. The Seahawks recovered at the Arizona 31. The Seahawks soon faced 1st and goal at the 3. Wilson went to the sideline and Budda Baker jumped the route. Baker intercepted the ball at his own 2 yard line and had a clear path 98 yards the other way. He ran out of steam and DK Metcalf somehow tracked him down. Nevertheless, the 90 yard interception return gave the cardinals 1st and goal at the 8. On 3rd and goal at the 2, Murray tried to get around the end and lost a yard. In a very curious decision, Kliff Kingsbury decided to go for it on 4th and goal at the 3 rather than kick the chip shot field goal. Murray ran backward for his life and scrambled all over the place before finally heaving a prayer incomplete. So while the Seahawks did not lead 20-7, they did not trail 14-13 or lead 13-10 either. After all of that, it was still 13-7.
From their own 3, the Seahawks struck quickly. From their 14, Wilson got around the end for a 34 yard gain. Wilson then hit Dissly for 28. Carlos Hyde got around the end for a 24 yard touchdown. Just like that the Seahawks did lead 20-7. After a touchback, Murray hit Hopkins for gains of 12 and 13. From the Seattle 48, Murray went deep to Arnold for a 41 yard gain and then hit Kirk for a 7 yard touchdown. With 1:14 left in the half the Cardinals were within 20-14. That was more than enough time for Wilson. After a touchback, he ran for 22 yards. Then he hit Lockett for 16 and ran for 10 more. Then he went deep to Lockett with a perfect bomb for a 47 yard touchdown. The Seahawks needed only 30 seconds to take a 27-14 lead.
Yet 45 seconds remained in the half, and that was enough for Murray. After a touchback he hit Larry Fitzgerald for gains of 9 and 12 and Edmonds for gains of 15 and 6. With 11 seconds left in the half the Cardinals faced 3rd and 2 at the Seattle 31. Murray went deep incomplete, leaving 4 seconds. Zane Gonzalez nailed the 49 yard field goal to get the Cardinals within 27-17 at the intermission. In the third quarter the Cardinals began a drive at their own 7 yard line. On 3rd and 5 from their 12, Murray threw incomplete but defensive unnecessary roughness meant 15 yards. Murray hit Drake for 7 and Drake ran for 7 more. Murray then went to Hopkins for 18. On 3rd and 5 from the Seattle 36, Murray hit Edmonds for 18 and 13. Murray ran for the 5 yard touchdown, just barely stretching the ball over the plane of the goal. The 12 play, 93 yard, 5 1/2 minute drive had the Cardinals within 27-24 with 3 minutes left in the third quarter. The Seahawks got it back at their own 10 and moved 60 yards in 10 plays and 5 1/2 minutes. On 3rd and 5 at the Arizona 30, Wilson went for it all and was intercepted in the end zone for a touchback by Patrick Peterson with 12 1/2 minutes left in regulation.
On the very next play, Murray went deep and was intercepted by Quandre Diggs at the Arizona 45. On 3rd and 2 from the Arizona 37, Hyde got the deuce. On 3rd and 2 from the Arizona 27, Moore gained 4. On 2nd and 6 from the Arizona 19, Hyde gained 3 but defensive holding added 5 more. On 3rd and 2 from the Arizona 3, Wilson threw incomplete. Now it was Pete Carroll who made the curious decision to pass up the field goal and go for it. Wilson threw a fade to the end zone to Lockett. While it initially appeared that Lockett did not get both feet down inbounds, it was initially called touchdown. Then another official came over and the call was changed to an incomplete pass. Pete Carroll challenged the incompletion and on further review, it was now a touchdown. Replay actually provided a better angle and it looked like Lockett did get both feet down inbounds. The 12 play, 5 1/2 minute drive had the Seahawks up 34-24 with 6:45 remaining.
In a very bizarre series of play calls, down by 2 scores, Kingsbury kept running the ball rather than throw it. Murray ran for 18. On 2nd and 1 from the Seattle 45, runs got stopped twice as the lock kept ticking. On 4th and 1, Drake appeared stopped but on a great second effort gained 2 yards before exiting the game injured. On 3rd and 1 from the Seattle 34, Edmonds gained 2. On 2nd and 12 from the Seattle 34, Murray threw incomplete twice. Needing 2 scored with 3 minutes left, Gonzalez came in for a 52 yard field goal try. The kick was good, but an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for leverage on the kick by Seattle meant 15 yards and an automatic first down at the Seattle 19. Murray hit Edmonds for 11 and Kirk for the 8 yard touchdown. Kirk broke a tackle at the 3 yard line, dove, and just barely broke the plane of the goal. With 2 1/2 minutes left the Cardinals were within 3 points after the 13 play, 75 yard drive. The Cardinals still had all 3 timeouts and the 2 minute warning.
The Seahawks took over at their own 14. Wilson scrambled for 9 yards as the clock hit the 2 minute warning. Hyde gained 3, one and 7 as the Cardinals took their last timeout with 1:42 to play. It all came down to 3rd and 2 from the Seattle 34. Hyde got the carry and got stopped for no gain. The clock ticked down and the Seahawks punted with 55 seconds left. A touchback had the Cardinals at their own 20 with 52 seconds left and no timeouts. A field goal would tie the game. Murray hit Fitzgerald for 11 and spiked the ball to stop the clock with 39 seconds left. Murray ran for 15 and spiked the ball again with 24 seconds left. Murray avoided pressure and found a wide open Kirk at the sideline for an 18 yard gain with 17 seconds left. Kliff Kingsbury is crazy. Insane. Without a timeout, he called a running play. Edmonds gained 12. After the play, Fitzgerald grabbed the ball and quickly ran it to the official as the Cardinals raced to the line of scrimmage. Murray spiked the ball with 2 seconds left. Gonzalez came in for a 44 yard field goal try to tie the game. The kick appeared no good but managed to just stay inside the upright good. This thrilling NFC West showdown was headed to overtime tied 34-34.
The Seahawks won the toss and took over after a touchback. A sack of Wilson had the Seahawks facing 3rd and 8 from their own 27. Wilson went to Moore for 18. A run was blown up for a 6 yard loss. On 3rd and 11 from their own 44, the Cardinals sent an all out blitz and Wilson was sacked for a 10 yard loss. The Cardinals took over at their own 28 with 5 1/2 minutes left in overtime. Edmonds took a delayed draw 32 yards to the Seattle 33. Edmonds took another handoff 9 yards as the Cardinals were well within field goal range. Murray faked a handoff and gained 6 more yards to the Seattle 18. On the next play Murray lost 5 yards. On 2nd and 15 from the 23, Kliff Kingsbury took no chances. Gonzalez came in for a 41 yard field goal try to win it. The kick was good, but the play clock appeared to reach zero. A delay of game would have been killer. However, Kliff Kingsbury called timeout at the last possible moment. Usually it’s the opposing coach that does this. A coach does not try to ice his own kicker. Nevertheless, that is exactly what happened. On his second try, Gonzalez was no good.
With 2:42 left, the Seahawks took over at their own 31. Wilson hit Lockett for 11. On 2nd and 14 from their own 38, Wilson Lockett for just enough. A pair of incompletions saw Wilson get drilled and set up 3rd and 10 with 1:13 left. Wilson threw a sideways pass to Metcalf, who escaped a tackle and raced all the way to the end zone for the winning touchdown. Pete Carroll had no time to celebrate. It was all for naught as offensive holding nullified the score. Now it was 3rd and 14 from the Seattle 48. Wilson went back to pass over the middle and was intercepted by Isaiah Simmons. With 54 seconds left, the Cardinals and another chance with one minute to go. Murray hit Hopkins for 9. Murray gained 3 for another first down as Murray spiked the ball with 33 seconds left. Murray hit Fitzgerald for 7 as the Cardinals took their last timeout of overtime with 25 seconds left. Rather than go for the first down, Murray went for it all and it was incomplete. With 20 seconds left Gonzalez came in again from 48 yards out.
4 years ago these teams played a 6-6 tie. This time there would be no tie. Gonzalez was good as the Seahawks were knocked from the unbeaten ranks. The Cardinals did not lead at any point in the game until the final winning play. Murray was 34 of 48 for 360 yards and Wilson was 33 of 50 for 388 yards. Both quarterbacks threw 3 touchdowns but Wilson threw 3 killer interceptions while Murray threw one. Murray also added 67 yards on 14 rushes. Wilson had 84 yards on 6 carries. The Cardinals had 159 yards rushing overall. The Seahawks had 200 yards on the ground. Lockett had 200 yards receiving on 15 carries. Each team had over 500 yards of offense with over 1,100 yards of offense combined. A rematch cannot come soon enough. For the Seahawks, they have lived on the edge too many times and this time they lost a game they thought they had won. Kliff Kingsbury may be crazy, but on this night he was a winning coach. 37-34 Cardinals, OT
Chicago Bears at Los Angeles Rams was the Monday night game. The 5-1 Bears have been winning ugly with defense, while the Rams have a pinball offense. This was a mismatch from the start. A 15 yard punt return had the Rams taking over at their own 48. Jared Goff went to Everett for 16 and Jefferson for 14. Goff hit Bundt for 6 and Reynolds for a 4 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Bears. The second quarter was a slog. Cairo Santos hit a 42 yard field goal for the Bears. Sam Sloman responded from 22 to as the Rams led 10-3 at the midpoint. In the third quarter a perfect punt had the Bears pinned at their own one. The Rams got it back at their own 45. On 3rd and 5 from midfield, Goff hit Reynolds for 21, Robert Woods for 6, and Cooper Kupp for 10. From the Chicago 13, Malcolm Brown appeared stopped, and somehow the pile kept moving forward without a whistle. By the time the scrum ended, Brown had a 12 yard gain down to the one. On the next play Brown bulldozed over a defender to get in to make it 17-3 Rams. The Bears moved from their own 20 to a 2nd and 4 at the Rams 9. Nick Foles went to the end zone and his pass was deflected and intercepted for a touchback. Goff went to Everett for 3 and Henderson for 11. Woods took an end around 25 yards. Goff hit Kupp for 8. Henderson ran for gains of 10 and 11. Goff hit Everett for a 12 yard touchdown as the Rams led 24-3 after three quarters.The Bears special teams in the fourth quarter did block a field goal and their defense returned a fumble for a touchdown, but their anemic offense mustered nothing. Rams punter Johnny Hekker had 5 punts that landed inside the Bears 10 yard line. 24-10 Rams