NFL 2020 Week 11 Recap
Arizona Cardinals at Seattle Seahawks was the Thursday night game. These teams played a thriller in the Desert earlier this year won by Arizona 37-34 on the final play. Both teams came in 6-3 tied with the rams atop the NFC West. The Seahawks made it look easy on their first drive. On 3rd and 6 from their own 29, Russell Wilson hit Carlos Hyde for 9 yards. On 3rd and 3 from their own 45, Wilson hit Tyler Lockett for 4 and again for 10. On 3rd and 2 from the Arizona 28, Hyde gained 3. Wilson then went deep to DK Metcalf for a 25 yard touchdown. The 12 play, 75 yard, 6 minute drive meant a 7-0 Seahawks lead. A n unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on a punt against the Seahawks gave the Cardinals the ball at midfield. On 3rd and 1 from the Seattle 41, Kenyon drake gained 3. The second quarter began with the Cardinals facing 2nd and 10 from the Seattle 27. Murray went deep to Williams for 25 yards. Drake then got the carry and stretched the ball across the pylon for a touchdown and a 7-7 game.
After a touchback, Hyde gained 5 and 7 and Wilson added 5. On 3rd and 5 from their own 42, Wilson went to Dallas for 11. Scarbrough added 12. On 3rd and 3 from the Arizona 28, Hyde ran for 17. Wilson hit Lockett for an 11 yard touchdown. The extra point doinked off the upright no good as the Seahawks led 13-7. With 1:17 left in the half the Seahawks got it back at their own 13. Consecutive penalties had the Seahawks with 1st and 19 at their own 4. On 2nd and 16 from their 7, Wilson hit Lockett for 10. On 3rd and 6 from their own 17, Wilson ran for 7. Wilson ran for 8 and hit Dallas for 13. Only 20 seconds remained in the half and the Seahawks were out of timeouts. From their own 45, Wilson went deep and defensive pass interference on Patrick Peterson meant a 46 yard gain. 11 seconds remained. From the 9, Wilson threw incomplete. With 5 seconds left, Pete Carroll took no chances. Myers hit the 27 yard field goal as the Seahawks took the 16-7 lead to the club houses.
The Cardinals began the third quarter facing 3rd and 11 from their own 18. Murray threw incomplete but defensive unnecessary roughness meant 15 yards. Murray hit Kirk for 13 and 14. On 3rd and 6 from the Seattle 36, Murray hit Hopkins for 6. On the next play a run lost 8 yards, but a horsecollar tackle on Bobby Wagner instead meant a 15 yard gain. Murray then hit Drake for 3, Edmonds for 8 and Arnold for the 4 yard touchdown. The 11 play, 81 yard, 5 minute drive had the Cardinals within 16-14. The Seahawks took over at their own 28. Wilson went to Metcalf for 22 and to Greg Olsen for 10. On 3rd and 7 from the Arizona 37, Wilson hit Lockett for 5 and then a melee broke out. Instead of 4th and 2, a taunting penalty on Arizona meant 15 more yards. Hyde ran for 15 and then for the 2 yard touchdown for a 23-14 Seahawks lead.
The Cardinals got the ball back with terrible field position at their own 10. On 3rd and 1 from their 19, Drake gained 2. Murray went to Hopkins for 11. On 2nd and 21 from their own 21, Murray hit Edmonds for 19. On 3rd and 2 from their 40, Murray hit Hopkins for 4. Murray went to Hopkins for 23 and Larry Fitzgerald for 18. The fourth quarter began with Drake running for 12. On 3rd and goal at the 3, Seattle sent everyone after Murray. Murray off his back foot threw a fade to a wide open Drake for the score. With 13 minutes left in regulation, the Cardinals were within 23-21. With 9 1/2 minutes left in regulation, the Cardinals got the ball back and disaster struck. First Murray was called for intentional grounding. On 2nd and 22 from their own 2, holding in the end zone gave the Seahawks a safety and a 25-21 lead.
The Seahawks took the free kick at their own 40. Wilson hit Will Dissly for 10. On 3rd and 4 from the Arizona 40, Wilson hit Lockett for 7. On 3rd and 1 from the Arizona 24, Wilson hit Hollister for 9. On 2nd and 7 from the Arizona 12, a pitchout was fumbled. The Seahawks were lucky to escape with an 11 yard loss. With 2 1/2 minutes left in regulation, Kliff Kingsbury wasted a challenge on the play in the hopes that the Cardinals recovered the ball. Replay clearly showed Hyde fall on his own fumble for the Seahawks. The call stood and the Cardinals lost a timeout. On 3rd and 18, Wilson threw incomplete. The Cardinals were lucky that the officials missed a hit to Wilson’t head. Myers hit a 41 yard field goal. The Seahawks led by 7 but the Cardinals would have 2:19 to make a comeback.
The Cardinals took over at their own 21. Murray went to Fitzgerald for a pair of 6 yard gains as the clock hit the 2 minute warning. Murray hit Andy Isabella for 6 and Kirk for 12. Murray hit Fitzgerald for 11 and Edmonds ran up the gut for 11 more. After a pair of incompletions, Kliff Kingsbury with 45 seconds left had to waste a 2nd timeout to avoid a delay of game penalty. The Seahawks then burned their first timeout on defense. Another incompletion left 4th and 10 at the Seattle 27. With everything on the line, there would be no Hail Mary this time. Murray was sacked by Carlos Dunlap as the much-maligned Seattle defense got the team the win. 28-21 Seahawks
Cincinnati Bengals at Washington Swamp Rats — The Bengals moved 75 yards in 14 plays and 7 minutes. Yet Randy Bullock’s 34 yard field goal try doinked off the upright no good. The non-Redskins took over at their own 24. Mckissic gained 14. Alex Smith is supposed to throw 4 yard passes, but his first pass was a 42 yard bomb to Terry McLaurin. On 3rd and 2 from the Cincinnati 12, Thomas got the deuce. On 3rd and goal at the one, Gibson got in to make it 7-0 No-Names. The Bengals moved 72 yards in 10 plays. On 3rd and goal at the 3, Burrow threw incomplete. Zac Parsons decided to go for it. Burrow rolled all the way out, tried to find a seam and run for it, and got blasted by Chase Young. The No-Names recovered in the end zone for what should have been a touchback, but things got bizarre. The Bengals tried to run the fumble out of the end zone, but around the 2 yard line the return man got hit and fumbled the ball back into the end zone. The No-Names fell on it again, but because the ball went out of the end zone and then went backward, the Non-Redskins would be hit with a safety. After all of that, there was offensive holding on the Bengals. To avoid the safety, Ron River had to accept the penalty. This gave the ball back to the Bengals on 4th and goal at the 13. The officials then had another lengthy committee meeting. The defender never had possession of the ball, so the eventual recovery was not a safety. The non-Redskins did get the touchback after all. Games involving bad teams often have lengthy bouts of confusion on plays resulting in no points.
In the second quarter the Bengals took over at their own 32. Burrow went to Boyd for 9. Perine ran for 7. Burrow was sacked, but a defensive facemask meant 15 more yards. Burrow went deep to Higgins for 25 yards and to AJ Green for the 5 yard touchdown. Naturally the extra point was no good but the Bengals were within 7-6. The Bengals got it back at their own 24 and moved to a 1st and 10 at the Washington 32 at the 2 minute warning. A false start followed by incompletions killed the drive. randy Bullock hit a 53 yard field goal to make it 9-7 Bengals. Smith was intercepted, but Bullock missed a 58 yard field goal to end the half.
In the third quarter the Bengals Faced 3rd and 2 from their own 10. Burrow threw deep incomplete and was injured on the play. It was his knee, and Bengals fans were given the worst case scenario. Burrow would be out for the rest of the season. He Tweeted “see you next year.” The punt gave Washington the ball at their own 45. Gibson ran for 19 and 16 sandwiched around a 14 yard completion from Smith to McLaurin. Smith hit Sims for a 3 yard touchdown to make it 14-9 No-Names. Ryan Finley came in for Burrow, and Finley was a sitting duck. The defense suffocated him. Dustin Hopkins hit field goals of 32 in the third quarter and 50 in the fourth quarter for the No-Names to complete the scoring. 20-9 Swamp Rats
Atlanta Falcons at New Orleans Saints — Taysom Hill got the start for the injured Drew Brees. The Falcons began facing 2nd and 7 from their own 28, Matt Ryan went deep to Calvin Ridley for a 46 yard gain and to Zaccheaus for 10 more. On 3rd and 4 from the Saints 10, Ryan threw incomplete. Younghoe Koo hit the 28 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Falcons. The Saints moved from their own 30 to a 2nd and goal from the 4. Hill threw incomplete and then completed a pass for no gain. Wil Lutz hit the 22 yard field goal for a 3-3 game. After a touchback the Falcons moved to a 3rd and 7 at the Saints 33. Matty Ice threw incomplete but Koo hit from 51 to make it 6-3 Falcons. After a touchback the Saints moved to a 1st and 10 at the Atlanta 32. Yet a sack of Hill killed the drive. From 53 yards out to tie the game, Lutz was no good. The Falcons moved from their own 30 to a 3rd and 7 at the Saints 34. Ryan threw incomplete, but Koo nailed a 52 yarder. With 4 1/2 minutes left in the half, the Falcons led 9-3. Yet after that the Saints took over.
From their own 20, Hill hit Michael Thomas for 16 and Kamara ran for 7. Hill went deep to Sanders for a 44 yard gain. On 3rd and 6 from the 9, Hill went to Jared Cook for just enough. Kamara ran for a 3 yard touchdown as the Saints led 10-9 with 1:46 left in the half. The Saints began the third quarter facing 2nd and 4 from their own 26. Hill hit Thomas for 15 and 9 and went to Latavius Murray for 25. Murray then ran for 11. On 3rd and goal at the 7, Hill hit Thomas for 5. Sean Payton gambled on 4th and goal at the 2. Out of the shotgun, Hill found an opening and ran it in. The 10 play, 8- yard, 6 minute drive had the Saints up 17-9. A 14 yard punt return had the Saints taking over at their own 47. Defensive pass interference gave the Saints 18 more yards. On 3rd and 3 from the Atlanta 28, Hill gained 6. Hill then ran for a 10 yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter to complete the scoring. The Saints got to 8-2 as Hill got his first NFL starting victory. 24-9 Saints
Pittsburgh Steelers at Jacksonville Jaguars — The 9-0 Steelers took on the 1-8 Jaguars. Chase McLaughlin hit a 41 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Jaguars. Doug Marrone called a surprise onside kick that did not work. That concluded all Jaguars highlights. Pittsburgh had golden field position at the Jacksonville 46, but came up empty when Chris Boswell missed a 45 yard field goal. The Steelers began the second quarter at their own 24. They moved to a 3rd and 8 at the Jags 26. Ben Roethlisberger threw incomplete, but this time Boswell was good from 44 for a 3-3 game. The Steelers got it back at their own 29. A short completion was followed by a 15 yard defensive penalty for lowering the head to initiate contact. On 3rd and 5 from the Jags 46, Big Ben hit Washington for 12. Roethlisberger then went deep to Chase Claypool for a 31 yard touchdown. Midway through the second quarter, the Steelers had a 10-3 lead.
After a touchback the Jaguars moved all the way to a 2nd and 9 at the Pittsburgh 11. Luton was intercepted at the 2 yard line by Minkah Fitzpatrick, who returned it 37 yards to the Pittsburgh 39. James Conner ran for 17. On 3rd and 10 from the Jags 44, Roethlisberger went to Johnson for 20 and again for 23 down to the one. Bennie Snell crashed in for the score with 44 seconds left in the half. Instead of a 10-10 deadlock, the Steelers led 17-3. A pointless second half saw Boswell hit a 47 yard field goal early in the fourth quarter. Roethlisberger then hit Eric Ebron for a 20 yard touchdown to complete the blowout. 27-3 Steelers
New England Patriots at Houston Texans — The Patriots came in at 4-5 but winning 2 straight. They began at their own 16. Cam Newton went to James White for 34 yards and to Byrd for 17 more. Harris had gains of 4, 7 and 2. On 3rd and 1 from the Houston 10, Burkhead got the yard. Harris ran for a 9 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Patriots. The Texans took over at their own 27. Deshaun Watson hit Randall Cobb for 4 yards and then connected with Brandon Cooks for a 44 yard gain. On 3rd and 10 from the New England 25, Watson went to Akins for a 22 yard gain. Watson then went to Cobb for a 3 yard touchdown and a 7-7 game.
In the second quarter the Patriots took over at their own 29. Byrd took an end around 11 yards. On 3rd and 3 from their own 47, Newton gained 5. Newton then went to Meyers for 20. On 3rd and 17 from the Houston 35, a completion only gained 9. Nick Folk hit from 45 to make it 10-7 Patriots. A touchback and a defensive illegal use of hands had the Texans at their own 30. Watson ran for 8 and hit Akins for 6. On 3rd and 4 from midfield, Watson went deep o Akins for 25 and to Cooks for 21. Watson ran for the 4 yard touchdown to put the Texans up 14-10 with 4 minutes left in the half. The Texans got it back at their own 20 with 2:20 left. Watson ran for 11. Watson hit Brown for 18, Fuller for 9, Akins for 24, Johnson for 4, Cooks for 14, Keke Coutee for 4, and with 10 seconds left in the half, Coutee again for the 6 yard touchdown to make it 21-10 Texans.
In the third quarter the Patriots faced 3rd and 10 at their own 18. Newton went to Byrd for 30. On 3rd and 2 from the Houston 44, Newton hit White for just enough. Newton then went deep to Byrd for a 42 yard touchdown to get the Patriots within 21-17. The Texans soon faced 3rd and 10 from their own 25. Watson hit Fuller for gains of 13 and 22. Yet on 3rd and 3 from the New England 18, Watson threw incomplete. Kaimi Fairbairn hit from 36 to cap the 11 play, 57 yard 6 minute drive and make it 24-17 Texans late in the third quarter. The Patriots mounted a staggering 16 play, 65 yard drive that consumed 9 1/2 minutes. Yet on 1st and 10 from the Houston 15, Newton was sacked for a 9 yard loss. The Patriots had to settle for a 36 yard Folk field goal as they trailed 24-20 midway through the fourth quarter. Houston soon faced 3rd and 4 at their own 31. Watson hit Fuller for gains of 14 and 20. On 3rd and 3 from the Patriots 28, Watson threw incomplete. Fairbairn hit from 46. With Texans led by 7 with 4:14 to play, but they did not close the door.
The Patriots moved from their 20 to a 3rd and 4 at the Houston 24 with 1:20 to play. Newton threw incomplete. On 4th and 4 Newton scrambled for his life and trying to avoid a sack threw a desperation ball to nobody incomplete. The Patriots took their timeouts on defense and got the ball back at their own 29 with 9 seconds left. From his own 38 with 4 seconds left, Newton launched a desperation Hail Mary. Izzo caught it for a 50 yard gain, but he was quickly tackled at the Houston 12 yard line. The Patriots 20 year dynasty is now on the brink. 27-20 Texans
Philadelphia Eagles at Cleveland Browns — Miserable weather in Cleveland is a given. The Eagles moved 71 yards in 10 plays and 6 minutes. On 1st and goal at the 5, the Eagles fumbled and the Browns recovered. The Browns moved 95 yards in 13 plays and 7 minutes. On 1st and goal at the one, Hunt lost a yard. On 3rd and goal at the 2, Hunt gained the yard back. Kevin Stefanski went for it, and on 4th and goal at the one, Hunt barley got in. Yet on further review, his elbow came down just short and the touchdown was reversed to a goal line stand. In the second quarter the Eagles moved from their own one yard line to a 2nd and 7 at the Cleveland 46. Carson Wentz got hit as he threw and the ball popped up into the air. Takitaki returned the interception 50 yards for a touchdown and a 7-0 Browns lead. In the third quarter the Browns fumbled and the Eagles recovered at the Cleveland 19.Wentz went deep to Rodgers for the touchdown for a 7-7 game.
The Browns took over at their own 25 and Baker Mayfield went deep to Hodge for a 42 yard gain. On 3rd and 5 from Philadelphia 28, Mayfield got tackled for no gain. Cody Parkey hit a 46 yard field goal to make it 10-7 Browns. A punt had the Eagles pinned at their own 2 yard line. On 3rd and 8 from their 4, Wentz was sacked in the end zone for a safety. The Browns led 12-7 but wasted the free kick when Parkey missed from 47 one minute into the fourth quarter. The Eagles faced 3rd and 2 from their own 45 and Wentz hit Rodgers for 29. On 3rd and 9 from the Cleveland 25, Wentz tried to force a ball to the end zone between 3 defenders. It bounced off the receiver’s hands and appeared to be intercepted. Wentz was lucky that officials reversed the call to an incompletion. Elliott hit from 43 to get the Eagles within 12-10 with 11 1/2 minutes left in regulation.
This time the Brows struck quickly. From their own 21, Mayfield hit Hodge for 18. Nick Chubb barreled over tacklers for a 54 yard gain. Karim Hunt ran for a 5 yard touchdown as the Browns led 19-10 with 9 minutes left. The Browns got it back at their own 47 and marched 10 plays, taking 4 1/2 minutes off the clock. Parkey hit a 28 yard field goal with 4 minutes left to put the Browns up 22-10. After a touchback the Eagles quickly moved to a 1st and goal at the 10 with 2:13 to play. Wentz was then intercepted at the 3 yard line. The Eagles took their timeouts on defense and got the ball back at the Cleveland 47 with 1:39 left. Wentz hit Dallas Goedert for a 4 yard touchdown, but only 35 seconds remained. The onside kick failed. The Browns are 7-3 and winning ugly in conditions that are even uglier. The bad news is that even though they are finally winning, they have to live in Cleveland where it snows every football Sunday. Fans of the Mistake by the Lake will take it. 22-17 Browns
Detroit Lions at Carolina Panthers — PJ Walker got his first NFL start in place of an injured Teddy Bridgewater. The Panthers began their second drive at their own 5 yard line. On 3rd and 1 from their own 14, Mike Davis gained 2. Walker went to Moore for 14 and then went deep to Moore for a 52 yard gain. Walker then hit Curtis Samuel for 10. On 3rd and goal at the one, Davis banged it in up the gut for a touchdown to cap the 10 play, 95 yard, 6 minute drive and make it 7-0 Panthers. In the third quarter the Panthers faced 2nd and 6 from their own 38. Walker hit Robbie Anderson for 18 and Moore for 20. On 3rd and 3 from the Detroit 17, Walker hit Samuel for the touchdown to make it 14-0 Panthers. The rest of this unwatchable game saw Joey Slye drill a 56 yard field goal late in the third quarter. He missed a 42 yarder in the fourth quarter but the Lions ran into the kicker. So given second chance, he hit from 37. The tape of this game should be burned. 20-0 Panthers
Tennessee Titans at Baltimore Ravens — Brian Billick, Shannon Sharpe and Jeff Fisher are long since retired, but this rivalry still burns deep. Before the game, John Harbaugh exchanged some testy words with Mike Vrabel. The Titans began at their own 21 and a defensive pass interference on the first play meant a 39 yard gain. On 3rd and 11 from the Baltimore 41, Ryan Tannehill hit Batson for 14 yards. Tannehill hit Smith for the one yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Titans. The Ravens soon faced 3rd and 3 from their own 32. Lamar Jackson ran for 5. On 3rd and 10 from their own 37, Jackson hit Andrews for 14. Yet on 1st and 10 from the Titans 15, an incompletion was followed by a pair of runs that gained only 3 total yards. Justin Tucker hit the 30 yard field goal to get the Ravens within 7-3. The Titans moved from their own 16 to a 3rd and 4 at their own 38 to start the second quarter. Tannehill was intercepted by Bowser, who returned it 25 yards to the Titans 22. Yet on 1st and goal at the 7, Jackson lost 3 yards. On 3rd and goal at the 9, Jackson threw incomplete. Tucker hit from 27 but the Ravens still trailed 7-6.
The Ravens got it back at their own 40 and JK Dobbins ran for 11, 4 and 7. On 3rd and 13 from the Titans 41, Jackson went deep to Andrews for 30 yards. On 3rd and 1 from the Titans 2, Dobbins ran it in. Jackson hit Dobbins for the 2 point conversion as the Ravens led 14-7. After a touchback, Tannehill ran for 21. On 4th and 7 just shy of midfield, Mike Vrabel called a fake punt. Woodside the punter hit Westbrook-Ikhine at the marker. Officials called it a first down down. On 3rd and 7 from the Baltimore 41, Tannehill threw incomplete but roughing the passer meant 15 more yards. On 3rd and 1 from the Baltimore 17, Derrick Henry gained 3. Yet on 2nd and 10, a sack from Tannehill killed the drive. Stephen Gostkowski hit the 40 yard field goal with 52 seconds left in the half to get the Titans within 14-10. In the third quarter the Ravens took over at their own 26. On 3rd and 5 from their own 41, Jackson hit Dobbins for 6 with a defensive facemask adding 15 more. Jackson went to Mark Andrews for a 31 yard touchdown as the Ravens led 21-10.
The Titans soon faced 3rd and 4 from their own 41. Tannehill hit Brown for 12 and then went deep to Davis for a 50 yard gain. On 2nd and goal from the 7, a high snap sailed over Henry’s head. The Titans fell on it but suffered a 20 yard loss. Gostkowski hit from 40 as the Titans trailed 21-13. The Ravens took over at their own 17. From their own 44, Jackson went deep and was intercepted. The Titans took over at their own 15. On 3rd and 10, Tannehill hit Firkser for 12 and Davis for 16. Henry ran for 24. Yet on 3rd and 2 from the Baltimore 4, Tannehill threw incomplete. With 11 minutes left in regulation, Mike Vrabel opted for the field goal. Gostkowski hit from 22 and the Titans were within 21-16.
The Titans got it back at their own 10 midway through the fourth quarter. Tannehill ran for 12. Tannehill hit Firkser for 9, Davis for 22 and Brown for 25. On 2nd and 2 from the Baltimore 6, another bad snap out of the shotgun nearly killed the drive. The Titans were lucky to retain possession after an 8 yard loss. Yet on 3rd and 10, Tannehill went to Brown, who appeared stopped for no gain. Instead Brown broke hard tackles and barreled over defenders for the 14 yard touchdown. Tannehill ran for the 2 point conversion as the Titans led 24-21 with 2:18 to play. After a touchback Jackson hit Willie Snead for 8 and ran for 8 more. Jackson hit Andrews for 15 and ran for 14 himself. Jackson went to Bryant for 16. On 1st and 10 from the Titans 14, a false start led to a 10 seconds runoff penalty. Jackson hit Snead as the Ravens took their 2nd timeout with 32 seconds left. On 2nd and 6 from the Titans 10, Jackson threw incomplete twice. Tucker hit the 29 yard field goal as these teams went to overtime tied 24-24.
The Ravens won the toss and got the ball first in overtime. On 2nd and 8 from their own 27, Jackson was belted for a 9 yard loss. The Titans took over at their own 27. Tannehill went to Davis for 14 and 11 and to Brown for 11 more. Halfway through overtime, the Titans had 1st and 10 at the Baltimore 29. The Baltimore defense had hung tough all game but they finally broke. Henry ran for the 29 yard touchdown to end the game. Last year the Ravens were 14-2 but the Titans came into Baltimore in the playoffs and hit the Ravens in the mouth. This time the Titans did it again. The Titans are 7-3 while the once hot Ravens are now 6-4 and struggling. 30-24 Titans, OT
New York Jets at Los Angeles Chargers — The Chargers came in 2-7 while the Jets were 0-9. League rules prevented this game from being canceled. Early on the Chargers had to punt on 4th and 16 from the Jets 46. The punt was blocked and the Jets took over at the Chargers 29. Perine ran for a 5 yard touchdown. The extra point was no good but the Jets led 6-0. The Chargers moved after a touchback to a 2nd and 7 at the Jets 15. Justin Herbert went to Keenan Allen for 14 but Allen got blasted at the one yard line and fumbled. The Jets recovered at their own 4. The Jets had all the momentum, but needed only one play and 4 seconds to screw it up. Joe Flacco was intercepted by Campbell for an easy 6 yard defensive touchdown and a 7-6 Chargers. lead.
The Chargers got it back at their own 43. Herbert hit Ballage for 3 and Allen for 9. Ballage ran for 9. The second quarter began with the Chargers facing 3rd and 4 at the Jets 39. Herbert hit Williams for the touchdown and the 14-6 Chargers advantage. The Chargers quickly got it back at their own 28. Herbert went bombs away to Johnson for a 54 yard gain. On 3rd and goal from the 2, Herbert hit Hunter Henry for the touchdown to make it 21-6 Chargers. With 1:16 left in the half the Chargers took over again at their own 14. Herbert hit Allen for 5 and Henry for 22. A defensive pass interference call meant a 37 yard gain. With 37 seconds left the Chargers had 1st and 10 at the Jets 17. Herbert threw incomplete twice and was then sacked. Mike Badgley hit the 44 yard field goal as the Chargers were dominating 24-6 at the half. For some reason, the second half was played.
The Jets faced 3rd and 3 from their own 33. Flacco hit Smith for 5. On 3rd and 13 from their own 35, Flacco hit Crowder for 16 and then went deep to Perriman for a 49 yard touchdown. The Jets were only down 24-13. After a touchback, Herbert hit Allen for 9 and Guyton for 4. Ballage ran for 17 and 4. Herbert hit Allen and Kelley for a pair of 10 yard gains and to Ballage for 9. On 3rd and goal from the 13, Herbert fired a laser to Allen for the touchdown as the Chargers were comfortably ahead 31-13 with 5 1/2 minutes left in the third quarter.
The Jets soon faced 3rd and 5 at their own 30. Flacco threw incomplete but defensive illegal contact gave the Jets the 5 yards. On 2nd and 20 from their own 25, Flacco hit Johnson for 12 and on 3rd and 8 hit Mims for 27. On 3rd and 3 from the Chargers 29, Flacco threw incomplete but defensive pass interference meant a 19 yard gain. On 3rd and goal at the 2, Flacco threw incomplete again but another defensive pass interference call meant 1st and goal at the one. Flacco hit Perriman for the score as the Jets trailed 31-19 after three quarters after another missed extra point. After a toucback, the Chargers at up the fourth quarter clock. A staggering 16 play, 70 yard, 8 1/2 minute drive had the Jets reeling. A touchdown would put the game out of reach. Yet with 6:45 to play, on 4th and 1 at the Jets 5, Anthony Lynn decided to play it safe. Badgley hit the 23 yard field goal to make it 34-19 Chargers.
The Jets were down to their last gasp facing 4th and 5 at their own 30. Flacco went deep to Mims for 25 yards. On 3rd and 7 from the Chargers 42, Flacco hit Mims for 19 with roughing the passer on joey Bosa adding 11 more. Flacco hit Chris Herndon for a 6 yard touchdown. With 4 minutes left the Jets were still alive down 34-26. Rather than run the ball and grind down clock, the Chargers came out throwing and went nowhere. An incompletion even stopped the clock. The Jets got it back in excellent field position at their own 46 with 2:48 to play. On 3rd and 4 from the Chargers 48, Flacco was sacked but another roughing the passer penalty on Bosa meant 15 yards. At the 2 minute warning, the Jets had 2nd and 9 at the Chargers 32. Flacco threw 3 straight incompletions. The Chargers faced 4th and 14 at their own 28 with 8 seconds left. They already had one punt blocked, so Anthony Lynn took no chances. His punter stood at the back of the end zone and was pushed out for an intentional safety with one second left. The free kick was too deep for a fair catch, so the Jets had to run it back. There was not a single lateral as the return man was tackled to end it. The Chargers tried but failed to blow the game. The Jets at 0-10 remained winless, witless and worthless. Somehow Adam Gase is still employed. Just End The Season. 34-28 Chargers
Miami Dolphins at Denver Broncos — The Dolphins were 6-3 while the Broncos were 3-6. On the third play of the game on 3rd and 10 from his own 20, Drew Lock was intercepted. He threw 4 interceptions last week and picked up right where he left off. The Dolphins began at the Denver 22. Tua Tagovailoa threw it right back to Denver, but defensive holding nullified that interception. On 3rd and 1 from the Denver 4, Ahmed got the yard. Tagovailoa hit Parker for the 3 yard touchdown as the Dolphins led 7-0. Yet after that the Denver defense dug in.
The Broncos faced 3rd and 10 from their own 27, Lock went to Hunter for 15. Philip Lindsay ran for 20. The Broncos soon faced 2nd and 22 from the Miami 48. Lock went to Jerry Jeudy for 9. On 3rd and 13, Lock scrambled for 14. Melvin Gordon ran for 9 and Lock hit Vannett for 15 down to the one. Gordon got in for a 7-7 ballgame. The second quarter belonged to the field goal kickers. Brandon McManus hit from 29 for the Broncos. The Dolphins moved 52 yards in 14 plays and 7 1/2 minutes, but settled for a 41 yard field goal from Sanders to tie the game again. McManus hit from 47 to end the half with the Broncos up 13-10.
In the third quarter the Broncos moved 61 yards in 10 plays and 5 1/2 minutes. Yet on 4th and 1 from the Miami 14, Vic Fangio decided to go for it and Gordon got stuffed. The Broncos got it back at their own 19. On 3rd and 2 from their 27, Lock hit Hamler for 16. Gordon ran for 9. On 3rd and 8 from the Miami 42, Lock threw incomplete but roughing the passer kept the drive going. Gordon ran for a 20 yard touchdown as the Broncos led 20-10 after three quarters and were smelling upset. With 11 minutes left in regulation, Brian Flores benched Tagovailoa and brought in the best homeless man to ever play football. Ryan Fitzpatrick’s beard. On 3rd and 3 from his own 28, Fitzpatrick went to Gesicki for 25 and Ahmed for 11. On 1st and 10 from the Denver 36, Fitzpatrick threw incomplete twice and ran for only one yard. Sanders drilled a 53 yard field goal to get the Dolphins within 7.
After a touchback, the Broncos looked to put the game away. Lock went to Fant for 29. Lock ran for 9 and Lindsay added 20 more. With 6 minutes left in regulation, the Broncos had 1st and goal at the 9. Even a field goal would lock up the win. Gordon got the carry straight up the middle and was headed toward the end zone. At the last moment, he was stripped o the ball at the one yard line. The officials inexplicably called it a touchdown, but the call was reversed to a fumble recovered by the Dolphins at their own one yard line. Fitzpatrick and his magic beard needed to go 99 yards. Fitzpatrick hit Parker for 15 and ran for 5, with 15 more added on for defensive unnecessary roughness. On 3rd and 1 from the Miami 45, Fitzpatrick hit Gesicki for 6. On 2nd and 20 at their own 41, Fitzpatrick hit Hollins for 9. On 3rd and 11 from midfield, Fitzpatrick hit Parker for 21 and Perry for 12. With one minute left, the Dolphins faced 3rd and 8 at the Denver 15. Fitzpatrick went to the end zone and was intercepted for a touchback. After the game Brian Flores announced that Tagovailoa would start next week. 20-13 Broncos
Dallas Cowboys at Minnesota Vikings — Early in the game Kirk Cousins was sacked and fumbled and the Cowboys took over at the Minnesota 30. Red Rifle Andy Dalton was back from his concussion, and he hit CeeDee Lamb for 21 and Ezekiel Elliott for the 6 yard touchdown to make it 6-0 Vikings. After a touchback Cousins went to Adam Thielen for a 28 yard gain. Calvin Cook ran for 2, 11, 3 and 5, but the last run was nullified by an illegal chop block. On 2nd and 22 from the Dallas 41, Cousins hit Smith for 12 and on 3rd and 10 found Smith for 11. Cook ran for 5 and 3. On 3rd and 2 from the Dallas 10, Cousins hit Thielen for 8. On 3rd and goal at the one, Cook got in for a 7-6 Vikings lead after the 12 play, 75 yard, 7 minute drive.
In the second quarter a field position game saw the Cowboys take over at their own 48. Elliott ran for gains of 7, 4 and 5. On 3rd and 1 from the Minnesota 30, Elliott got stopped. Mike McCarthy decided to go for it. On 4th and 1, Lamb took an end around 6 yards. Dalton went to Michael Gallup for 19 and to Lamb for a 4 yard touchdown as the Cowboys led 13-7 with 5 minutes left in the half and moved to a 3rd and 1 at the Minnesota 38. Dalton threw incomplete and with 1:55 left Mike McCarthy went for it. Dalton threw incomplete again. Cousins quickly hit Cook for 26 yards, but on 2nd and 8 from the Dallas 34, a completion was fumbled and the Cowboys took over at the Minnesota 48. Dalton hit Amari Cooper for gains of 5, 10 and 32 down to the Minnesota one yard line with 8 seconds left. Dalton threw incomplete and the Cowboys took their last timeout with 5 seconds left. Mike McCarthy played it very safe on the road. Greg Zuerlein hit the 19 yard field goal as the Cowboys took the 16-7 lead to the locker rooms.
The Vikings went right to work in the third quarter. After a touchback, Cook ran for 9 and 2. Cousins went deep to Thielen for a 51 yard gain. On 3rd and 3 from the Dallas 6, Cousins ran for a 4 yard gain. On 3rd and goal at the 2, Cousins fired to the corner of the end zone and Thielen made a leaping one-handed juggling catch for the touchdown to get the Vikings within 16-14. The Vikings got it back at their own 19. Cook ran for 9 and 13. Cousins on 1st and 16 from his own 39 went to Jefferson for 20. Cook ran for 5, 8 and 7. On the first play of the fourth quarter, Cousins went to Thielen for a 3 yard touchdown. The 12 play, 81 yard, 7 minute drive had the Vikings up 21-16.
After a touchback, Dalton went to Schultz for 9. Elliott ran for 3, 15 and 6. Tony Pollard then broke free for a 42 yard touchdown. Lamb ran in the 2 point conversion. With 12 minutes left in regulation, the Cowboys led 24-21. This wild fourth quarter was just getting started. After a touchback, Cook ran for 16. Cousins hit Thielen for 13. Cousins went deep to Justin Jefferson for a 39 yard touchdown. With 9 1/2 minutes left, the Vikings were back on top 28-24. With 4 minutes left the Cowboys took over at their own 39. Dalton hit Gallup for 10 and Elliott ran for 18. On 3rd and 12 from the Minnesota 35, a surprise Pollard only gained 6. With 2:05 left the Cowboys faced 4th and 6 at the Minnesota 29. Dalton went to Cooper for 10. Dalton then hit Elliott for 5 and Schultz for 10. On 3rd and goal at the 2, Dalton went to Schultz for the touchdown and the 3 point lead. 13 seconds later after a touchback, on 4th and 6 from his own 29, Cousins threw his third straight incompletion. After 6 lead changes including 4 lead changes in the fourth quarter alone, the Cowboys ended the 3 game winning streak of the Vikings. 31-28 Cowboys
Green Bay Packers at Indianapolis Colts — The 7-2 Packers took on the 6-3 Colts and their top ranked defense. Both teams fumbled on their first possession and the Packers got it back just shy of midfield. On 3rd and 1 from the Indianapolis 42, Aaron Rodgers ran for 4. Rodgers hit Tonyan for 4, Lewis for 8 and Tonyan for a 25 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Packers. The Colts soon faced 3rd and 12 at their own 23. Philip Rivers went to TY Hilton for a 13 yard gain. Harris ran for 19. Rivers connected with Pittman for a 45 yard touchdown and a 7-7 game. On the last play of the first quarter the Packers face 1st and 20 from their own 15. Rodgers was intercepted and the Colts took over at the Packers 35. The Colts went nowhere and Rodrigo Blankenship missed a 50 yard field goal try. After that the Packers exploded.
The Packers took over at their own 40 and Rodgers hit Devantae Adams for 20 and Aaron Jones for 5. On 3rd and 1 from the Indy 31, Williams got the yard. Rodgers went to Brown for 23 down to the 2 yard line. Jones ran it in to make it 14-7 Packers. The Colts took over at their own 29 and Rivers was quickly intercepted at the same spot. Rodgers hit Sternberger for 8 and 12 and Adams for the 5 yard touchdown to make it 21-7 Packers. After a touchback, runs and short passes had the Colts facing 3rd and 2 at their own 43. Taylor got the 2 yards. On 3rd and 9 from their own 46, Rivers hit Zach Pascal for 20 and Pittman for 16. Rivers went to Burton for the 17 yard touchdown with 1:52 in the half to get the Colts within 21-14. The Packers faced 3rd and 1 at their own 34. Williams gained 2. On 3rd and 1 from their own 45, Rodgers went deep incomplete but drew a 51 yard defensive pass interference call with 16 seconds left in the half. On the next play Rodgers hit Williams for a 4 yard touchdown as the Packers led 28-14 at the midpoint.
The Colts scratched and clawed in the second half as the Packers went nowhere. The Colts in the third quarter embarked on a 14 play, 56 yard, 7 1/2 minute drive. Yet on 1st and goal at the 10, a run lost a yard and Rivers was sacked for an 8 yard loss. Blankenship hit from 37 to get the Colts within 28-17. The Colts got it back at their own 45. On 3rd and 10, Rivers hit Taylor for 9. Frank Reich decided to go for it on 4th and 1 at the Packers 46. Rives came out and Jacoby Brissett came in for one play. Brissett gained 4 yards. On 3rd and 1 from the Packers 33, Hines gained 4. Rivers went to Hilton for 23 and to Doyle for a 6 yard touchdown. The 2 point conversion succeeded and the Colts were within 28-25.
The Colts got the ball back at their own 36. Taylor ran for 14 as the Colts began the fourth quarter at midfield.Rivers went to Pascal for 20 and to Mo Alie-Cox for 8. On 3rd and 2 from the Green Bay 12, Taylor got tackled for a 2 yard loss. Blankenship hit from 32 as the game was tied 28-28 with 11 minutes left in regulation. The Packers fumbled the ensuing kickoff and the Colts recovered at the Green Bay 28. On 3rd and 2 from the Green Bay 20, Taylor ran for the touchdown, but offensive holding nullified the score and killed the drive. Blankenship hit from 43 as the Colts led 31-28 with 9 minutes left. The Packers from their own 23 took 6 minutes off the clock. Yet on 3rd and 8 from the Indy 41, Rodgers went t Tonyan for only 7 yards. Matt LaFleur opted against bringing in Mason Crosby for a 52 yard yard field goal try to tie the game. LaFleur was going for the win. Yet rather than try quarterback sneak, Rodgers threw incomplete.
From his own 34, Rivers hit Johnson for 14. With 2:17 left on 1st and 10 from the Green Bay 42, the Colts committed offensive holding on consecutive plays followed by an illegal motion. The Packers were able to preserve for their timeouts. On 3rd and 19 just shy of midfield, Rivers hit Wilkins for only 14. The clock hit the 2 minute warning as the Colts had to decide what to do on 4th and 4 from the Green Bay 36. A 54 yard field goal, even if good, would still only put the Colts up by 6. Frank Reich decided to go for it and Rivers hit Hines for 13 yards. The Colts celebrated, but then self destructed. Again 2 offensive holding calls on the next 3 plays had the Colts facing 2nd and 20 and allowed the Packers to preserve their final timeout.
Then things got crazy. On 3rd and 36 from the Green Bay 39, rather than just hand the ball off, Rivers went back to pass and got hit as he was throwing. No whistle blew, and Kirksey picked it up and raced 71 yards for a shocking defensive touchdown. Replay clearly showed that Rivers’s arm was going forward, and the touchdown was reversed to an incompletion. Yet again the Packers still had their last timeout. A great punt pinned the Packers at their own 6 yard line with 1:25 to play. This game should have been over but 5…yes 5…offensive holding calls on the Colts in the last 2 minutes prevented them from running out the clock.
On 3rd and 10 from his own 6, Rivers launched a bomb and Marques Valdes-Scantling answered it for a 47 yard gain. With 1:10 left the Packers took their last timeout. Rodgers hit Adams for gains of 14 and 18. With 42 seconds left on 2nd and 10 from the Indy 15, Rodgers hit Tonyan for only 7. Rodgers did not spike the ball because that would have made it 4th down. Rodgers let the clock run down so the Colts would not have another possession. On 3rd and 3 from the 8, Rodgers fired high and out the back of the end zone incomplete. With 3 seconds left, Crosby hit the 26 yard field goal. The game was going into overtime tied 31-31. The Packers won the toss and received, but disaster struck on the second play of overtime. On 2nd and 2 from their own 30, a short completion to Valdes-Scantling was fumbled. The hero of the fourth quarter was now the goat. The Colts took over at the Green Bay 29 and ran 3 straight times. They managed to avoid offensive holding. On 4th and 2 from the Packers 21, Blankenship came in for the 39 yard field goal to win it. The kick was good. Veterans Rodgers and Rivers had a lengthy friendly chat on the field after the game, two future first ballot Hall of Famers paying each other mutual respect. 34-31 Colts, OT
Kansas City Chiefs at Las Vegas Raiders is the Sunday night game. The Chiefs came in winners of 18 out of their last 19. Their only loss was in Kansas City in Week 5 when the Raiders came in and shocked the Chiefs 40-32. The Chiefs came in burning for revenge. With the Raiders 6-3 and the Chiefs 8-1, this was finally a rivalry again. The only way to beat Patrick Mahomes was to outscore him, which means Derek Carr needed to move the ball at will. Josh Jacobs had to pound the rock. Most of the Raiders defense did not practice all week due to COVID rules, but the players were all cleared to play Sunday. The Las Vegas Death Star saw action from the start. The Chiefs have never beaten the Las Vegas Raiders, but the Raiders only moved to Sin City this year.
Determined to run the ball, Jacobs started with gains of one and 4. On 3rd and 5 from his own 30, Carr went deep to Darren Waller for a 26 yard gain. Carr then went deep again to Nelson Agholor for 29 more. Jacobs banged ahead for 13 yards and then again for the 2 yard touchdown and the 7-0 Raiders lead. The Chiefs took over at their own 15. Mahomes hit Carl Ewards-Helaire for 8 and Pringle for 10. On 3rd and 1 from their own 42, Mahomes hit Tyreek Hill for 14. On 3rd and 1 from the Raiders 35, Mahomes threw incomplete. Walrus Andy Reid decided to go for it, and Mahomes hit Hill for 6 and again for 8. Mahomes hit Hill for a 3 yard touchdown. The 14 play, 85 yard drive ate up 7 1/2 minutes for a 7-7 ballgame.
The ensuing kickoff went out of bounds, setting up the Raiders at their own 40. Carr went to Hunter Renfrow for 16. On 3rd and 7 from the Chiefs 35, Carr hit Darren Waller for 7 and Alec Ingold for 11. With the first quarter winding down, Carr decided to get in one more play. He faked hurrying up, waited, got the Chiefs to bite on the hard count, and threw a perfect fade to Agholor for a 17 yard touchdown. The first quarter ended with the Raiders up 14-7, but the Chiefs came back again. From their own 27, Carl Edwards-Helaire ran for 10. Mahomes hit Robinson for 17 and Travis Kelce for 21. A very questionable defensive pass interference call meant an 18 yard gain down to the 3 yard line. Edwards-Helaire appeared stopped but bulldozed past the plane of the goal for a touchdown. 2 possession by each team meant 2 touchdowns by each team and a 14-14 game.
After a touchback, Carr hit Jones for 18. Davante Booker came in and ran for 6 and 5. Carr under heavy pressure found Carrier in the flat for a 14 yard gain. Carr found Waller, who stiff-armed and steamrolled over a tackler for 11 yards. On 3rd and goal at the one, Carr threw a fade that was well defended. Edwards had a shot at the touchdown, but when he landed the ball came out incomplete. Carr wanted to go for it, but the ball was actually loser to the 2 than the one. Gruden opted for the field goal as a penalty flag came down. Unsportsmanlike conduct on the Raiders bench moved the ball back to the 17 and simplified the decision. Daniel Carlson hit the 35 yard field goal as the Raiders led 17-14.
The Chiefs after a touchback committed an offensive facemask and a false start to create 2nd and 25 from their own 10. Bell ran for 11. On 3rd and 14 from his own 21, Mahomes scrambled and actually threw an incompletion. The Raiders defense finally got a stop. The Raiders took over at their own 32 with 2:07 left in the half. It was imperative that the offense not give Mahomes the ball back before the end of the half, especially since the Chiefs would get it to start the third quarter. Carr avoided a sack and hit Waller for 18. Carr avoided more pressure and ran for 5. Yet on 2nd and 5 from the Chiefs 44, a pass to Agholor past the marker was dropped. On 3rd and 5 scrambled but could not find anyone and threw it away. The Raiders punted, and the Chiefs took over at their own 13 with 1:24 left in the half and all 3 timeouts.
Mahomes hit Williams for 11 and 8, Pringle for 3 and Kelce for 19. All of that took only 20 seconds. On 3rd and 10 from the Raiders 46, Mahomes faked out 2 defenders and ran for an 11 yard gain with defensive holding adding 5 more. Another defensive holding penalty was followed by an 11 yard completion to Kelce. With 19 seconds left in the half the Chiefs had the Raiders defense on the ropes. On 1st and 10 from the Raiders 14, the Raiders needed a miracle and got one. Mahomes was intercepted by Trayvon Mullen at the 2 yard line. Mullen actually fell down on the play and was very lucky that Mahomes threw the ball inside rather than to the wide open receiver outside. The receiver went the wrong way and Mullen made a great grab. Last week the Raiders tried to get points deep in their own territory and it resulted in a turnover and points for Denver. This week Jon Gruden took a knee.
A penalty on the second half kickoff had the Chiefs beginning the third quarter at their own 7 yard line. It didn’t matter. On 3rd and 1 from their 16, Mahomes hit Robinson, who in trying to stretch the ball bobbled it when he hit the ground. At first officials ruled it incomplete, and then inexplicably reversed it to a catch. Jon Gruden challenged the call, and on further review the call stood. The Raiders lost a timeout and the Chiefs had a critical 3 yard gain and a first down. Mahomes hit Hill for 9, Edwards-Helaire for 9, Kelce for 8, Leveon Bell for 11, Kelce for 12 and Hill for 13. Edwards-Helaire ran for a 14 yard touchdown. The staggering 16 play, 93 yard drive ate up over 8 1/2 minutes and put the Chiefs up 21-17.
The Raiders soon faced 3rd and 6 from their own 29. A 3 and out would be devastating in that situation. Carr found Waller for 16, Agholor for 7 and Jacobs for 9. Jacobs ran for 11. On 3rd and 6 at the Chiefs 24, Carr hit Renfrow for a 21 yard gain. On the first play of the fourth quarter, Carr found a wide open Waller for a 3 yard touchdown. The 11 play, 75 yard drive ate up 6 1/2 minutes. Each team had the ball only once in the third quarter. Each team scored one touchdown as the Raiders led 24-21. The Raiders defense finally came alive after a touchback. A run was blown up in the backfield for a 4 yard loss. A false start set up 3rd and 16 for the Chiefs from their own 19. Mahomes rolled to his right and with a man about to bring him down had enough strength to throw across his body. At the last moment, Nick Morrow tipped the ball away for an incompletion. The Chiefs actually punted and the Raiders took over at their own 32. On 3rd and 4 from his own 38, Carr went bombs away to Agholor, who beat the defender. The ball hit him right in his hands and for the second time on the night, Agholor just dropped it. A penalty on the punt return backed the Chiefs up to their own 9 yard line.
On 3rd and 5 from their own 14, Mahomes found Hill for 15, with another 15 tacked on for a late hit out of bounds. Once again, the Raiders defense could not get off the field on a key third down. On the next play Hill was taken down in the backfield for a 5 yard loss. On 3rd and 9 from their own 45, Mahomes scrambled for a 7 yard gain. On 4th and 2 from the Raiders 48 with 8 1/2 minutes left, Andy Reid took a timeout. The football world knew he was going for it. The only question was the play. With a man in his face, Mahomes fires over the middle to Robinson for 9 yards. Mahomes went to Kelce for 19. The Raiders burned their 2nd timeout. Mahomes hit Hill for 9. Bell ran for a 6 yard touchdown. The 12 play, 91 yard, 5 1/2 minute drive put the Chiefs up 28-24. The Raiders defense had given up second half drives of 93 and 91 yards. It was up to Carr to make up for the defense again, as he has been doing for his entire career. 6 minutes remained.
On 2nd and 5 from their own 30, Carr went deep to Ingold. It would have been a difficult catch, but it was catchable and he dropped it. On 3rd and 5, Carr found Agholor for 20 to midfield. Henry Ruggs took an end around 12 yards. On 3rd and 1 from the Chiefs 29, the Raiders fumbled, but the Chiefs had jumped offsides, which was what disrupted the play to begin with. On 3rd and 10 from the Chiefs 23, Carr went deep incomplete but defensive pass interference meant 22 yards and 1st and goal at the one. Jacobs got stopped but defensive unsportsmanlike conduct again meant 1st and goal at the one. Then came a false start and a run that lost 3 yards at the 2 minute warning. Carr went to Waller for 7 yards to set up 3rd and goal at the one as the Chiefs took another timeout with 1:48 left. Carr faked the handoff to Jacobs and rolled out. He fired to Jason Witten, who had committed the false start a few plays earlier. Witten caught it before being knocked backward, but he was just over the plane of the goal for the touchdown. With 1:43 left the 112 play, 75 yard drive gave the Raiders and the lead again by a field goal. Now it was time for the defense to finally try and stop Mahomes.
After a touchback, Mahones hit Hill for 10 and again for 9. On 3rd and 1 from their own 44, Mahomes went to Mecole Hardman for 16, Kelce for 15 and Williams for 3. With 34 seconds left facing 2nd and 7 from the Raiders 22, the Chiefs took their final timeout. A field goal would tie the game but the entire football world knew Mahomes would go for the win. Paul Guenther’s defense used their one miracle at the end of the first half. They were not getting another one. Mahomes went to Kelce for the touchdown. After a touchback, Carr had only 28 seconds left. A desperation lob by Carr into double coverage was intercepted. One day this will go down as an instant NFL classic, but for now it was just a gut punch. The Raiders went toe to toe with the defending champs and were 30 seconds away from sweeping them. Yet instead the Chiefs are 9-1 and the Raiders are 6-4. The Raiders will have the entire week to question what could have been if Agholor and Ingold had not both dropped 2 key passes. More importantly, the pass defense remains awful. Then again, nobody else seems to be able to stop Mahomes either. 35-31 Chiefs
Los Angeles Rams at Tampa Bay Buccaneers was the Monday night game. These two teams both came in with legitimate Super Bowl aspirations. The Rams began their first drive facing 3rd and 1 at their own 29. Jared Goff hit Greg Everett for 6. On 3rd and 4 just past midfield, Goff connected with Cooper Kupp for a 37 yard gain. On 3rd and 2 from the Tampa 4, the Buccaneers jumped into the neutral zone. On 3rd and goal at the 4, Goff hit Robert Woods for the touchdown. The 13 play, 80 yard, 8 minute drive made it 7-0 Rams. The Buccaneers soon faced 3rd and 10 from their own 25. Tom Brady threw incomplete but a very questionable pass interference call on Jalen Ramsey gave the Buccaneers 20 yards. On 3rd and 2 from the Rams 47, Brady hit Chris Godwin for 7 and Rob Gronkowski for 16. The second quarter began with the Buccaneers facing 3rd and 1 from the Rams 9. Brady hit Mike Evans, who bulldozed over and dragged tacklers, stretching just past the pylon for the touchdown and a 7-7 game
The Buccaneers got it back and faced 3rd and 6 from their own 36. Brady hit Cameron Brate for 7. On 3rd and 9 from their own 44, Brady hit Brate for just enough. On 3rd and 8 from the Rams 45, Brady threw deep incomplete but another defensive pass interference call meant 25 yards. A third defensive pass interference call added 18 more yards down to the 2. Leonard Fournette ran it in to make it 14-7 Buccaneers. The Rams soon faced 3rd and 3 from their own 32. Goff went to Woods for 9, to Tyler Higbee for 7, and to Kupp for 24 and 6 more. On 3rd and 4 from the Tampa 12, the defense jumped offside. Goff then went to Jefferson for the touchdown and a 14-14 tie with 4 1/2 minutes left in the half.
The game slowed down considerably after that. The Rams got the ball back at their own 19 with one minute left in the half. Goff hit Higbee for 5, Kupp for 9, and Brown for 8. On 3rd and 2 from their own 41, Goff hit Everett for 4. Only 19 seconds remained as the Rams faced 1st and 10 from their own 45. Goff went to Woods for 35 yards and spiked the ball to stop the clock with one second left. Newly acquired Matt Gay hit a 38 yard field goal to put the Rams up 17-14 at the intermission. After a touchback to start the third quarter, the Rams soon faced 1st and 10 from their own 36. Goff was intercepted by Jason Pierre Paul, who returned it to the Rams 22. The Buccaneers offense went nowhere but Ryan Succup hit a 38 yard field goal for a 17-17 tie. The Rams after a touchback moved to a 3rd and 1 at the Tampa bay 25. Akers got the carry and lost a yard. Gay missed a 44 yard field goal and the game remained tied. The Bucs took over at their own 34 but disaster struck 2 plays later. From their own 44, Brady went deep and was intercepted by Fuller. Fuller returned the interception 37 yards to the Bucs 37.
On 2nd and 13 from the Buccaneers 40, Goff hit Everett and Reynolds for consecutive 18 yard gains. Goff went to Akers for a 4 yard touchdown. With 5 1/2 minutes left in the third quarter, the Rams led 24-17. At the end of the third quarter, the Buccaneers faced 3rd and 15 from their own 8. Brady got nailed in the end zone and appeared to fumble the ball. The Rams picked it up and ran it in for a touchdown as the officials blew the whistle very early. It was called an incomplete pass. 20 years later, the man behind the Tuck Rule still gets the calls. The ball appeared to come loose before Brady’s hand went forward, but Sean McVay lost his challenge and a timeout. The Rams began the fourth quarter at their own 42, but failed to take advantage of the field position. With 8 1/2 minutes left in regulation the Buccaneers faced 4th and 1 at the Rams 43. Bruce Arians decided to go for it and Brady threw incomplete. Yet on 2nd and 16 from their own 37, Goff was intercepted. The Buccaneers took over at the Rams 44.
Brady hit Godwin for 10. Fournett ran for 6, 3, and on 3rd and 1 from the Rams 25, a tough 2. Brady went to Evans for 10. Brady then found a wide open Godwin in the slot. Godwin leapt from the 5 yard line threw a tackler and stretched the ball just over the pylon before landing for an acrobatic 13 yard touchdown. With 4 minutes left in regulation, the game was tied for the fourth time at 24-24. After a touchback, Goff immediately hit Woods for a 23 yard gain and again for 9 more. On 3rd and 1 from the Bucs 43, Goff went to Kupp for 19. On 3rd and 8 from the Bucs 22, Sean McVay called a safe run that went nowhere. The Buccaneers took their 2nd timeout on defense with 2:40 left. Gay came in for a field goal try to give the Rams the lead. From 40 yards out, the kick was good and the Rams led 27-24. The Buccaneers took over at their own 19 with 2 1/2 minutes left and one timeout plus the 2 minute warning.
Brady hit Brate for 7 and Godwin for 12 as the clock hit the 2 minute warning. From his own 38, Brady went deep and was intercepted by Fuller. From their own 37, Malcolm Brown gained 6 and the Bucs took their final timeout with 1:43 to play. The Rams ran a couple more times and did not get the first down. They took the clock down to 9 seconds and took their final timeout. Sean McVay decided to punt, and Barner decided against a fair catch. He received it at his own 18. Needing 82 yards, he came up 75 yards short as he was tackled at the 25 without trying to lateral the ball. The Rams are 7-3 and the Buccaneers are 7-4 after a good football game that saw 99 passes. Brady was 26 of 48 for only 216 yards and 2 touchdowns. Goff was 39 of 51 for 376 yards and 3 touchdowns. Both signal callers were picked off twice. 27-24 Rams