NFL 2020 Week 8 Recap
Atlanta Falcons at Carolina Panthers was the Thursday night game. The Falcons have blown a ton of fourth quarter leads. After a touchback, Matt Ryan threw a 24 and 28 yard deep passes to Julio Jones to start the game. On 3rd and 2 from the Carolina 4, Todd Gurley only gained one. Raheem Morris decided not to go for it. Younghoe Koo hit the 20 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Falcons. The Panthers soon faced 3rd and 5 from their own 30. Teddy Bridgewater threw incomplete but defensive pass interference meant 8 yards. On the next play defensive unnecessary roughness meant 15 more yards. Davis ran for gains of 7 and 17 and curtis Samuel ran for a 12 yards touchdown to make it 7-3 Panthers. After a touchback, the Falcons marched 57 yards in 12 plays and 5 1/2 minutes. On 3rd and 15 from the Carolina 41, Ryan hit Calvin Ridley for 16. Yet on 1st and 10 from the Carolina 13, Ryan threw incomplete twice and was then sacked. Koo hit from 37 but the Falcons trailed 7-6. In the second quarter the Falcons took over at their own 17 and Ryan was immediately intercepted. The Panthers took over with a short field at the Atlanta 40. On 3rd and 2 from the Atlanta 32. Bridgewater hit Samuel for 3. On the next play Bridgewater went back to Samuel for a 29 yard touchdown to make it 14-6 Panthers.
After a touchback, Hill ran for 8 and 4. Ryan went deep to Hurst for 18 and again for 8. On 3rd and 2 from the Carolina 37, Ollison took the snap out of the shotgun and gained 3. Ryan went to Ridley for 19 and scrambled for a 13 yard touchdown himself. The 10 play, 75 yard drive got the Falcons within 14-13. The Panthers after a touchback moved to a 4th and 1 at the Atlanta 34. Rather than try a 53 yard field goal, Matt Rhule opted to go for it. Out of the shotgun, Bridgewater got stopped for no gain. From the Atlanta 35, Ryan hit Gage for 19 and Blake for 7. With 1:23 left in the half, the Falcons had 3rd and 3 at the Carolina 23. Ryan only gained 2 but defensive holding meant a 5 yard gain. A sack of Ryan killed the drive but Kool hit his third field goal from 36 yards out to put the Falcons up 16-14 at the break. In the third quarter the Panthers moved from their own 25 to a 4th and 1 at the Atlanta 42. Again Matt Rule went for it. Davis got blown up for a one yard loss. Koo would hit his fourth field goal from 29 to make it 19-14 Falcons.
With 5 1/2 minutes left in the third quarter, the Panthers punted on 4th and 9 from their own 37. Matt Rhule called a fake punt, and Chinn got around the end for a 28 yard gain. On 3rd and 7 from the Atlanta 37, Bridgewater was sacked. However, a defensive personal foul resulting in a disqualification gave the Panthers 15 more yards. Bridgewater briefly left the game injured and Walker came in. On 3rd and 7 from the Atlanta 21, Walker threw incomplete. Slye hit from 39 as the Panthers were within 19-17. The Falcons faced 3rd and 7 from their own 28. Ryan ran for 10 and Hill added 14. Ryan hit Hurst for 12 and Jones for 9. From the Carolina 17, Gurley did the rest. He ran for 6, 8 and the 3 yard touchdown. The extra point failed but the Falcons led by 8 with 11 minutes left in regulation. With 3 minutes left the Panthers began their last chance to tie the game pinned at their own 5 yard line. With 1:47 left the Panthers faced 3rd and 18 from their own 24. Bridgewater went deep to Moore for a 42 yard gain. Yet on 1st and 10 from the Atlanta 34, Bridgewater threw incomplete twice. On 3rd and 10 Bridgewater ran for only 4 yards. With one minute left, on 4th and 6 from the Carolina 30, Bridgewater was intercepted by Wreh-Wilson. This time the Falcons took a lead and held it to close out a win. 25-17 Falcons
Pittsburgh Steelers at Baltimore Ravens — This was another AFC North masterpiece between the 6-0 Steelers and the 5-1 Ravens. On the 3rd play from scrimmage, the Ravens faced 3rd and 6 at their own 29. Lamar Jackson was intercepted by Robert Spillane, who returned it 33 yards for a touchdown. One minute into the game, the Steelers led 7-0. After a touchback, Jackson hit Miles Boykin for 14. On 3rd and 7 from his own 42, Jackson only gained one yard. Yet unnecessary roughness on the defense meant 15 yards and a first down. On 2nd and 11 from the Pittsburgh 43, Jackson hit Will Snead for 34 yards. On 3rd and goal at the 6, Jackson hit Boykin for the touchdown for a 7-7 game. In the second quarter the Ravens got it back at their own 20. Edwards ran for 25 and 6 and Dobbins added 12. Jackson ran for 14. Gus Edwards ran for a one yard touchdown. The 80 yard drive did not feature a single pass as the Ravens led 14-7. The Ravens got it back at their own 8 yard line with 3:44 left in the half. With 30 seconds left in the half the Ravens were still at their own 45. Jackson went to Snead for just enough. Justin Tucker drilled a 51 yard field goal as the Ravens led 17-7 at the intermission.
The Ravens took over in the third quarter at their own 17 and Jackson was immediately intercepted again. The Steelers took over at the Baltimore 21. Two plays later Ben Roethlisberger hit Eric Ebron for an 18 yard touchdown to get the Steelers within 17-14. The Steelers got it back at their own 23. Roethlisberger hit Ebron for 14 and Chase Claypool for 9 and 8. On 3rd and 4 from the Baltimore 19, Big Ben hit Juju Smith-Schuster for 7 and again for a 14 yard touchdown to put the Steelers up 21-17 with 6 1/2 minutes left in the third quarter. A 15 yard punt return had the Ravens taking over at their own 47. They began the fourth quarter facing 3rd and 14 at their own 43. Jackson went deep to Duvernay for a 39 yard gain. On 2nd and 22 from the Pittsburgh 30, Jackson hit Snead for 24. On 3rd and goal at the 3, Jackson hit Marquise Brown for the touchdown. With 12 minutes left the Ravens led 24-21.
The Steelers soon faced 3rd and 1 from their own 29. Roethlisberger hit McCloud for 6 with 15 more tacked on for a face mask. On 3rd and 1 from the Baltimore 41, Roethlisberger hit Smith-Schuster for 2. Defensive pass interference added 20 more yards. Roethlisberger went to Smith-Schuster for 11 and to Claypool for the 8 yard touchdown. Midway through the fourth quarter, the fourth lead change had the Steelers up by 4. After a touchback, the Ravens moved 69 yards in 10 plays and 5 1/2 minutes. At the 2 minute warning, the Ravens faced 4th and 3 from the Pittsburgh 8. Jackson only gained 2 and fumbled. The Steelers took over at their own 6. On 3rd and 1 from their own 15, James Conner got stopped for no gain. The Ravens got it back at their own 37 with 52 seconds left and no timeouts. On 4th and 2 from his own 45, Jackson found Snead for 32 yards. Jackson spiked the ball to stop the clock with 5 seconds left. From the Pittsburgh 23, it all came down to one play. Jackson went to the end zone incomplete. The Steelers remained the NFL’s lone unbeaten team. Mike Tomlin and John Harbaugh gave us another classic in one of the NFL’s best rivalries. The rematch cannot come soon enough. 28-24 Steelers
Los Angeles Rams at Miami Dolphins — Ryan Fitzpatrick’s beard has been playing well, but it was time to begin the Tua Tagovailoa era. For 20 years, the Dolphins have tried to find a successor to Dan Marino. Tagovailoa has been touted as that prospect. On Tagovailoa’s second play from scrimmage from his own 23, he was sacked and fumbled. The Rams took over at the Miami 15. Darrell Henderson ran for 4 and 7 and Robert Woods ran for a 4 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Rams. Then The Dolphins exploded and never looked back.
An interception of Jared Goff had the Dolphins at the Rams 33. Tagovalioa hit Smythe for 8 and Grant for 15. On 3rd and goal at the 3, Tagovailoa DeVante Parker for the touchdown on the last play of the first quarter to make it 7-7. The game got bizarre in the second quarter. The Dolphins took over at their own 3 yard line. Myles Gaskin ran for 6 and fumbled as the Rams had a golden chance for the lead at the Miami 7. On 2nd and goal from the 9, the Rams offense was blown up by a fumble. Andrew Van Ginkel returned the fumble 78 yards for a touchdown to make it 14-7 Dolphins. On the next Rams series Goff was intercepted, but the Dolphins did not capitalize. The Rams got it back and faced 3rd and 8 at their own 31. Goff was sacked and fumbled. Van Noy recovered for the Dolphins and returned the fumble 28 yards to the Rams one yard line. Gaskin got in as the Dolphins were winning a shocker 28-7. The Rams did manage a field goal at the end of the half and a touchdown with 10 minutes left in regulation. With 3:42 to play, Kai Forbath came in for a 48 yard field goal try to get the Rams within 8 points. The kick was no good. Goff threw 61 passes, completing 35 of them for 355 yards, one touchdown and 2 interceptions. Tagovailoa certainly did not have Dan Marino’s numbers. Marino threw 5 touchdown passes in his first NFL start. Tagovailoa was 12 of 22 for only 93 yards, one touchdown and 0 interceptions. The Dolphins had 145 yards of total offense. Yet Tagovailoa beat Marino in what matters most, winning his first start. 28-17 Dolphins
New York Jets at Kansas City Chiefs — Sometimes the worst team in the league can go on the road and shock the best team in the league in an upset for the ages. This was not that game. The Chiefs were favored by 20 1/2 points. The Chiefs began at their own 10.Patrick Mahomes hit Tyreek Hill for 13, Mecole Hartman for 9, Robinson for 15, Leveon Bell for 18 and Hardman for a 30 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Chiefs. The Jets after a touchback moved 54 yards on 12 plays and 6 1/2 minutes. Yet despite 1st and 10 from the Chiefs 20, the drive stalled. Sergio Castillo hit a 39 yard field goal to get the Jets within 7-3. The Chiefs got it back at their own 27. Mahomes hit Yelder for 5, Travis and Kelce for 13. On 4th and 4 just past midfield, Andy Reid called a fake punt. Pringle hit Townsend for 13. On the next play Mahomes went to Hill for a 36 yard touchdown as the Chiefs led 14-3 after the first quarter. In the second quarter Castillo hit a 55 yard field goal. The Jets got it back and moved 51 yards in 13 plays and 7 minutes. Castillo hit from 48 and the Jets only trailed 14-9 with 3 minutes left in the half. Would the Jets pull off their biggest upset since Super Bowl III?
No. From their own 24, the Chiefs stopped being bored and put the game away. Mahomes went to Kelce for 15 with 15 more tacked on for roughing the passer. On 3rd and 13 from the Jets 26, Mahomes went to Kelce for 18 and back to Kelce for a 3 yard touchdown to make it 21-9 Chiefs. On the last play of the half, the final Jets ray of hope was extinguished when a 47 yard field goal try by Castillo was blocked. The second half was a formality. In the third quarter the Chiefs moved 83 yards. Mahomes found Demarcus Robinson for a 26 yard touchdown to make it 28-9 Chiefs. In the fourth quarter the Chiefs moved 65 yards. On 3rd and 5 from the Jets 41, Mahomes went to Hill for the final touchdown to complete the blowout. The Jets remain winless, witless and worthless. Just End The Season is still real. Adam Gase is somehow still employed. This is not why they play the games. Meanwhile, the Chiefs have almost locked up the AFC West even though the season is only half over. This makes Andy Reid a most happy walrus indeed. 35-9 Chiefs
Minnesota Vikings at Green Bay Packers — The 1-5 Vikings with no defense went on the road and were expected to get destroyed by the 5-1 Packers. To quote ESPN uber-announcer Chris Berman: “THAT’s why they PLAY the GAMES.” after a touchback the Packers went right to work. Aaron Rodgers hit Tonyan for 8 and Williams ran for 6, 10 and 9. On 4th and 1 from the Minnesota 24, Matt LaFleur decided to go for it. Rodgers went to Sternberger for 13. On 3rd and 4 from the Minnesota 5, Rodgers went to Davante Adams for the touchdown and the 7-0 Packers lead. Ho hum. Yet the Vikings from their own 27 pounded the ball. Calvin Cook ran for 2 and 12. On 3rd and 1 from midfield, Cook gained 2. Kirk Cousins went to Kyle Rudolph for 12. On 3rd and 8 from the Green Bay 34, Cousins went to Cook for 13. Cook then ran for a 21 yard touchdown to cap the 10 play, 73 yard, 6 minute drive and make it 7-7.
The Packers soon faced 3rd and 1 at their own 37 to start the second quarter. Dillon gained 3, 8 and caught a pass for 16. Rodgers hit Adams for 14. On 3rd and 2 from the Minnesota 23, Williams gained 6. On 4th and 1 from the Minnesota 8, Matt LaFleur again decided to go for it. Williams got the yard. On the next play defensive pass interference added 6 yards down to the one. Rodgers hit Adams for the touchdown. The 15 play, 72 yard drive consumed 9 minutes off the clock and put the Packers up 14-7. The Vikings soon faced 2nd and 7 at their own 36. Cousins hit Smith for 16 and Jefferson for 7. On 3rd and 7 from the Packers 29, Cousins went to Adam Thielen for 6. On 4th and 1 from the Green Bay 23, this time it was Mike Zimmer’s turn to go for it. Cook gained 3, 9, 7, 3, and the one yard touchdown. The 12 play, 67 yard, 6 1/2 minute drive had the game tied 14-14. Both teams had the ball twice in the first half and each team had 2 touchdowns. Yet the game changed in the third quarter.
The Vikings began the third quarter at their own 15. Cook ran for a 37 yard gain. On 3rd and 8 from their own 46, Beebe gained 16. On 3rd and 6 from the Green Bay 26, Cousins threw incomplete but defensive pass interference meant a 20 yard gain. On 3rd and goal from the 6, Cousins threw incomplete again and defensive pass interference again meant 5 yards and the ball on the one. Cook got the touchdown as the Vikings led 21-14. The Packers after a touchback soon faced 2nd and 17 at their own 18. Rodgers went deep to Tonyan for a 45 yard gain. Yet from the Minnesota 37, Rodgers threw 3 straight incompletions. Matt Lafleur passed up a 55 yard field goal try and again went for it. On 4th and 10 Rodgers threw his 4th straight incompletion. For the first time all game, a drive did not produce a touchdown. The Vikings kept rolling. Cousins went to Thielen for 12. On 3rd and 9 from midfield, a short swing pass from Cousins to Cook saw cook evade tacklers all over the field for a 50 yard touchdown. 4 drives meant 4 touchdowns as the Vikings led 28-14 with 6 minutes left in the third quarter.
The Packers after a touchback moved to a 4th and 3 at the Minnesota 44. Matt LaFleur again went for it and Rodgers hit St. Brown for 12. Yet on 1st and 10 from the Minnesota 32, consecutive offensive holding penalties killed the drive. After three quarters without a punt, the fourth quarter began wit the Packers facing 4th and 22 at the Minnesota 44. The game finally saw the first of several punts. With 11 minutes left in regulation the Packers moved from their own 36 to a 4th and 9 at the Minnesota 32. With 8 1/2 minutes left, Matt LaFleur went for it and Rodgers threw incomplete. The Packers got it back with 6 minutes left at their own 26. On 3rd and 3 from their own 45, Rodgers was sacked and fumbled. Yet Minnesota had too many men on the field, giving the Packers 5 yards and a key first down. Mike Zimmer unsuccessfully challenged the call. On 3rd and 10 from midfield, Rodgers went to Taylor for 26. On 1st and 20 from the Minnesota 34, Rodgers went to Sternberger for 27 and Adams for the 7 yard touchdown. With 2:42 to play, Matt LaFleur inexplicably went for a 2 point conversion. Williams got the carry and was ruled short. Yet on further review it was reversed to crossing the plane of the goal. The Packers were within 6. With 47 seconds left the Packers took over at their own 28. With 12 seconds left the Packers were at the Minnesota 41. Rodgers had time to pull off another miracle. The Hail Mary never happened as Rodgers got belted just before releasing the ball and fumbled. Mike Zimmer’s much maligned defense had a game that his teams have been known for before this season. 28-22 Vikings
Indianapolis Colts at Detroit Lions — Each quarter of this game was different. In the first quarter the Lions blocked a punt and took over at the Colts 32. Two plays later Matthew Stafford hit Marvin Jones for a 25 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Lions. Yet the second quarter was a Colts romp. From their own 39, Philip Rivers hit Alie-Cox for 15, Johnson for 21, and Nyheim Hines for a 22 yard touchdown to make it 7-7. The Colts got it back at their own 27. Wilkins ran for 3 and 16. Rivers hit Alie-Cox for 14. On 3rd and 4 at the Detroit 34, Rivers was sacked but defensive unnecessary roughness meant 15 yards. Rivers hit Zach Pascal for 16 and Jack Doyle for a 7 yard touchdown to make it 14-7 Colts. The Lions punted on 4th and 21 at their own 14. A 15 yard interference with the kick had the Colts with a short field at the Detroit 48. On 4th and 1 from the Detroit 39, Frank Reich decided to go for it. Taylor gained 2. Rivers went to Burton for 8 and to Hines for a 29 yard touchdown. The extra point failed but the Colts led 20-7. On the last play of the half, a 48 yard field goal try by Matt Prater for the Lions was no good.
The third quarter saw the Lions get back in it. On 3rd and 8 from their own 34, Stafford went to TJ Hockensen for 15 and Adrian Peterson for 5. On 3rd and 5 from the Indy 46, Stafford went to Danny Amendola for 14, James for 23 and Kerryon Johnson for a 9 yard touchdown. The Lions were right back in it down 20-14. The Lions got it back and moved from their own 36 to a 3rd and 9 from the Indy 25. Looking to take the lead, Stafford was sacked and fumbled. The Colts took over at their own 40. On 3rd and 9 from their own 41, Rivers hit johnson for 18. On 3rd and 14 from the Detroit 45, Rivers went deep incomplete but defensive pass interference meant a 41 yard gain. On 3rd and goal at the one, Wilkins got in. Wilkins ran in the 2 point conversion to make it 28-14 Colts 90 seconds into the fourth quarter. One play after a touchback, Stafford was intercepted by Kenny Moore, who returned the pick 29 yards for another touchdown and a 35-14 Colts lead. The Lions did get one more touchdown, but Rivers led a 12 play, 73 yard, 5 minute drive to complete the blowout. Trey Burton ran for a 2 yard touchdown as Matt Patricia remained mystified as to why he was still coaching the Lions. 41-21 Colts
Las Vegas Raiders at Cleveland Browns — The 1980 season became famous for a Raiders game in Cleveland with snow, brutal cold, and a Red Right 88 call. Mike Davis intercepted Brian Sipe as the Browns suffered heartbreak and the Raiders won the Super Bowl. This game featured some snow and cold but was less significant. Nevertheless, both the Raiders and Browns are both slowly improving. The 1980 game had crazy winds that bedeviled Browns kicker Don Cockroft. In this game it was Raiders kicker Daniel Carlson who came in for a 41 yard first quarter field goal that looked dead center before the wind took it all the way to the upright where it bounced off it no good. The Browns moved 60 yards in 14 plays and 8 minutes. Early in the second quarter Cody Parkey hit a 41 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Browns. The Raiders responded with a staggering 16 play, 8 1/2 minute drive that moved 58 yards. Yet on 3rd and 9 from the Browns 10, controversy ensued. Carr threw a fade to the end zone to Henry Ruggs, who clearly got both feet inbounds. The officials ruled Ruggs out of bounds, and Jon Gruden unsuccessfully challenged the call. The Raiders were clearly robbed, but Carlson hit from 29 to make it 3-3 with 5:17 left in the half.
The Raiders got it back at their own 34 and moved to the Cleveland 15. Carlson hit from 33 as the Raiders took a 6-3 lead to the locker rooms. The Browns in the third quarter moved 55 yards in 11 plays and 6 minutes. Yet on 3rd and 6 from the Raiders 20, this time controversy went in the other direction. Baker Mayfield went to Jarvis Landry for the touchdown. On further review, the play was reversed incomplete. Replay showed that the ball hit the ground, but it was the Browns who felt they were robbed. Parkey hit from 38 for a 6-6 game in the third quarter.
Then came the drive of the game. After a touchback, Josh Jacobs gained 8 and 3. On 3rd and 8 from their own 38, Derek Carr scrambled for 11 yards. Carr then went to Hunter Renfrow for 9, Darren Waller for 6, and Renfrow again for 11. On 3rd and 3 from the Cleveland 15, Carr hit Waller for 6. The fourth quarter began with a 6-6 tie and the Raiders facing 3rd and goal from the 4. Carr fired a bullet over the middle to Renfrow for the touchdown. Officials were concerned that the ball hit the ground, but on further review the touchdown stood. Either way, the defense jumped offside as the Raiders led 13-6. After the 15 play, 75 yard, 9 minute drive, The Raiders got it back and mounted another 13 play, 74 yard, 9 minute drive. From their own 20, the Raiders methodically ate up clock as Jacobs rushed for 3, 14 and 6. Yet the Raiders still struggle to close out games. On 1st and goal at the 2, Jacobs gained one. Then Jacobs was stopped twice. On 4th and goal at the one, Jon Gruden decided to go for it. Then came the killer delay of game penalty. With 4 1/2 minutes left, Carlson hit the 24 yard field goal to hit make it a 10 point Raiders lead. Needing 2 scores, Parkey came in for a 37 yard field goal for the Browns at the 2 minute warning. The kick looked dead center, but the wind grabbed it and pulled it wide. 40 years after Red Right 88, the elements brought another crazy game. 16-6 Raiders
Tennessee Titans at Cincinnati Bengals — The Titans are a very good team. The Bengals are a bad team with hope for the future. This should have been a simple Titans win by playing smashmouth football. Again, cue ESPN uber-announcer Chris Berman: “THAT’s why they PLAY the GAMES!” In the first quarter the Bengals moved from their own 28 to a 1st and 10 at the Titans 17. On 3rd and 8 from the 15, Joe Burrow threw incomplete. Randy Bullock hit the 33 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Bengals. The Titans got off to a rough start, with Ryan Tannehill being intercepted and on the next series the Titans missing a tying field goal. The Bengals began the second quarter at their own 43. On 3rd and 8 from the Titans 42, Burrow hit Tate for just enough. On 3rd and 1 from the Titans 25, Burrow hit Carter for 2. Defensive pass interference meant a 22 yard gain down to the one. Samaje Perine got the yard as the Bengals led 10-0.
The Titans finally got going as Derrick Henry barreled ahead for gains of 9, 13 and 8 with 15 more added for a horsecollar tackle. Foreman added 11 and 3. Henry then 6, 4 and 3. Finally, Tannehill threw the only pass on the drive, an incompletion. On 3rd and goal at the 3, Henry ran it in. The 10 play, 75 yard drive had the Titans within 10-7. Yet from their own 27, the Bengals responded. Bernard gained 12 and Burrow hit Higgins for 13. With 2 1/2 minutes left in the half, the Bengals faced 4th and 5 at the Titans 43. Zac Parsons decided to go for it and Burrow went deep to Higgins for 22 yards. On 3rd and 1 from the Titans 12, Bernard ran for the touchdown with 30 seconds left in the half to make it 17-7 Bengals.
Late in the third quarter the Bengals took over at their own 14. Burrow hit Tate for gains of 8 and 12 and to AJ Green for 13. On 3rd and 3 from the Titans 40, Burrow hit Boyd for 9 with 15 more added for unnecessary roughness. The fourth quarter began with the Bengals facing 3rd and 1 from the Titans 7. Burrow hit Boyd for the touchdown to make it 24-7 Bengals. Down by 3 scores, the Titans quickly moved 75 yards. Tannehill went to Brown for a 9 yard touchdown to get the Titans within 24-14 with 11 1/2 minutes left. Wilson returned the ensuing kickoff 49 yards to the Titans 44. Perine ran for 16. On 3rd and 9 from the Titans 23, Burrow hit Boyd for 18 and Bernard for the 6 yard touchdown to make it 31-14 Bengals. The Titans got one more touchdown, but the Bengals mounted an 11 play drive that consumed over 5 1/2 minutes. It was the Bengals who played smashmouth in a major upset. 31-20 Bengals
New England Patriots at Buffalo Bills — The Patriots were 2-4 and the Bills were 5-2. Every time someone has a chance to put a dagger in the Patriots, Evil Hoodie Bill Belichick extends his deal with the devil and the Patriots win. In the first quarter the Bills faced 3rd and 1 from their own 31. Singletary gained 3. On 3rd and 4 from their own 40, Josh Allen hit Cole Beasley for 12. and ran for 19 himself. Zach Moss ran for 21 and then for the 8 yard touchdown. The 10 play, 78 yard, 5 minute drive had the Bills up 7-0. The Patriots in the second quarter managed 2 field goals of 43 and 33 yards by Nick Folk. The Patriots only trailed 7-6 at halftime. The Patriots were still hanging around.
After a touchback to start the third quarter, Singletary ran for 6, Moss added 6 more, and Singletary added another 18. Allen connected with Stefan Diggs on a short pass that went for 41 yards. On the next play Moss ran for the 4 yard touchdown to make it 14-6 Bills. Yet later on the Bills had to punt from their own 12. A 15 yard punt return gave the Patriots a short field at the Buffalo 37. On 3rd and 10 Burkhead ran for 10 and Damien Harris ran for 5 and then for the 22 yard touchdown. Cam Newton hit Meyers for the 2 point conversion. After three quarters the game was tied 14-14. The Patriots were still hanging around.
The key play in the game came with 3 minutes left in the third quarter. Bill Belichick called a surprise onside kick that didn’t work. The Bills had a short field at the New England 45. Singletary gashed the Patriots defense for gains of 5, 9 and 17. Miss added 2, 12, and on 3rd and 1 from the Buffalo 5, a critical 3 yards. On 3rd and goal at the 2, Allen got in. With 13 minutes left in regulation, the Bills led 21-14. The Patriots took over at their own 28. Newton went to Byrd for gains of 22 and 9. Harris blistered the Buffalo defense for gains of 13, 18, 7 and one. On 3rd and goal at the 2, Newton ran it in. With 9 1/2 minutes left, it was a 21-21 game. The Patriots were still hanging around.
The Bills took over at their own 27. Allen ran for 3 and Singletary added 8. Allen hit Kroft for 11 and moss gained 14. Allen hit Brown for 21. On 3rd and 5 from the Patriots 10, Allen threw incomplete. Tyler Bass hit the 28 yard field goal. Yet the Patriots had 4 minutes left to again confound the naysayers. The Patriots began at their own 21. They moved 65 yards in 12 plays. With 37 seconds left in the game, the Patriots had 2nd and 10 at the Buffalo 19. They still had 2 timeouts. Then came the unthinkable. Well in easy field goal range and a chance for a touchdown and the win, Newton ran for 5 and then got hit and fumbled. The Bills recovered at their own 13. This was a big win for Sean McDermott and the entire Bills organization. While the season is only half over, this could finally be the end of the Patriots billion year reign over the AFC East. 24-21 Bills
Los Angeles Chargers at Denver Broncos — Nobody blows games like the Chargers. They soon faced 3rd and 12 at their own 28. Justin Herbert was intercepted by Simmons, who returned it 46 yards to the Chargers 16. The defense held Denver to a 35 yard Brandon McManus field goal and a 3-0 Broncos lead. With 6 minutes left in the half, the Chargers got it back at their own 20. On 3rd and 3 from their own 27, Herbert went to Keenan Allen for just enough. Herbert then went to Jackson for 34 and to Allen for 22. After 28 minutes, the Broncos were winning a hideous 3-0 slog. Just past the 2 minute warning, the Chargers faced 3rd and 3 at the Denver 9. Herbert went to Allen for the touchdown to make it 7-3 Chargers. The Chargers got it back at their own 20 with 1:11 left in the half. Herbert was sacked but illegal contact meant a 5 yard gain. Jackson ran for 22 yards. Herbert went deep to Williams for a 36 yard gain down to the Denver 2. Herbert hit Nabers for the touchdown as 2 scores in the final 2 minutes had the Chargers up 14-3 at the half.
After a touchback to start the third quarter, the Chargers kept rolling. Jackson ran for gains of 4, 6 and 4. Pope ran for 14 and 5. Herbert threw a 24 yard touchdown pass to Williams to make it 21-3 Chargers. The Chargers got it back and faced 3rd and 4 from their own 32. Pope ran for 8 and then 26 more. On 1st and 10 from the Denver 34, Herbert threw 3 straight incompletions. Mike Badgley hit a 52 yard field goal. Midway through the third quarter, the Chargers were winning a laugher up 24-3. Remember, these are the Chargers.
The Broncos soon faced 3rd and 8 from their own 27. Drew Lock hit Hamilton for 18. Philip Lindsey raced for a 55 yard touchdown to get the Broncos within 24-10. The Broncos got it back and Lock was quickly intercepted. Jenkins returned it 23 yards to the Denver 24. Even a field goal would make it a 3 score game again. On 3rd and 5 from the Denver 19, Herbert went to the end zone and was intercepted for a touchback. Lock then hit Jerry Jeudy for 15. Denver began the fourth quarter facing 3rd and 16 from the Denver 29. Lock went deep to Jeudy for 43 yards. Lock hit Albert Okwuegbunam for a 9 yard touchdown. With 11:42 left in regulation, the Broncos were within 24-17.
After a touchback, Herbert hit Williams for 16. On 3rd and 1 from the Denver 47, Herbert got stopped for no gain. Yet a defensive facemask penalty gave the Chargers 15 yards. On 3rd and 7 from the Denver 29, Herbert threw incomplete. Badgley hit the 47 yard field goal. Midway through the fourth quarter, the Chargers were back up by 2 scores 27-17. Remember, these are the Chargers.
30 seconds later the Broncos were in the end zone again. After a touchback, Lindsay ran for 20 yards and a defensive unnecessary roughness penalty added 15. Lock then went to DaeSean Hamilton for a 40 yard touchdown. Just like that the Broncos were within 27-24. After a touchback the Chargers mounted a 12 play, 60 yard, 5 minute drive. With 3 1/2 minutes left the Chargers had 1st and 10 at the Denver 17. A touchdown would ice the game. Instead an illegal crackajack penalty on the Chargers killed the drive. Badgley hit the 33 yard field goal. With 2 1/2 minutes remaining, the Chargers still led 30-24. Yet the door was not closed. Remember, these are the Chargers.
The Broncos began at their own 19. At the 2 minute warning the Broncos faced 3rd and 1 from their own 28. Melvin Gordon gained 10 against his former team. On 3rd and 8 from their own 40, Lock threw incomplete but defensive pass interference meant 5 yards and an automatic first down. On 3rd and 5 from the Chargers 29, a completion from Lock to Gordon only gained 4. Yet after further review it was reversed to a 5 yard gain and a 1st down. With 7 seconds left, it all came down to 4th and 4 from the Chargers 18. Lock threw incomplete. Yet remember, these are the Chargers. Defensive pass interference meant one untimed down from the one yard line. One play. One yard. Lock went KJ Hamler for the touchdown. Naturally, McManus hit the extra point for the win. Vic Fangio’s team is resilient while Anthony Lynn has seen his team blow three 17+ point leads in the same season. For 31 teams that would be a shocker. Remember, these are the Chargers. 31-30 Broncos
San Francisco 49ers at Seattle Seahawks — The Seahawks lost a stunner last week at home in overtime against Arizona. No longer unbeaten, they were determined to take their anger out on an injured 49ers team, and they did. In the first quarter a short field had the 49ers at the Seattle 49. On 3rd and 5 from the Seattle 20, Jimmy Garoppolo was intercepted. The Seahawks soon faced 3rd and 8 from their own 16. Russell Wilson went to Bellore for 9 and Tyler Lockett for 12. Moore ran for 13. Wilson went to DK Metcalf for a 46 yard touchdown. The extra point was no good but the 86 yard drive had the Seahawks up 6-0. A touchback and a roughing the passer penalty had the 49ers at their own 40. Garoppolo hit Kendrick Bourne for 9 and Kyle Juszczyk for 13. On 4th and 1 from the Seattle 27, Kyle Shanahan decided to go for it. JaMycal Hasty gained 4. On 3rd and 9 from the Seattle 15, Garoppolo hit Bourne for 10. On 3rd and goal from the one, Hasty ran for the touchdown. The 49ers led 7-6 midway through the second quarter, but after that reality set in.
From their own 19, Wilson hit Lockett for 11 and Metcalf for gains of 15 and 35. Wilson threw a 2 yard touchdown to Metcalf with 3 minutes left in the half to make it 13-7 Seahawks. The Seahawks in the third quarter moved from their own 37. Wilson ran for 21 with defensive holding adding 5. On 3rd and 3 from the 49ers 12, Wilson hit Metcalf for 7. On 3rd and goal from the 2, Wilson hit DeeJay Dallas for the touchdown as the Seahawks led 20-7. The 49ers fumbled the ensuing kickoff, and the Seahawks took over at the 49ers 21. On 3rd and 1 from the 12, Dallas ran for 6. On 3rd and goal at the 6, Wilson hit David Moore for the touchdown. The Seahawks got it back at their own 24. Moore ran for 15 and Wilson hit Metcalf for 14. Jason Myers hit a 48 yard field goal one minute into the fourth quarter. 24 unanswered points had the Seahawks up 30-7. Kyle Shanahan benched Garoppolo, who has still not recovered from his ankle injury early in the year. Nick Mullens did lead a pair of touchdown drives, but Dallas ran for a one yard touchdown on a short field to put the Seahawks up 37-20 with 3 1/2 minutes left. Mullens even led a 3rd touchdown drive, but all that did was make the score look respectable. This game was a blowout. 37-27 Seahawks
New Orleans Saints at Chicago Bears — Both teams came in well over .500 as the Saints brought the offense and the Bears had the defense. Yet the anemic Chicago offense had few people taking the team seriously. In the first quarter, the Saints moved 55 yards in 12 plays and 7 minutes. They settled for a 38 yes Wil Lutz field goal. The Bears moved 49 yards in 12 plays and 7 minutes. They settled for a 44 yard Cairo Santos 44 yard field goal for a 3-3 game. In the second quarter the Saints moved 79 yards but Lutz doinked a 27 yard field goal try off the upright no good. After 20 minutes of incredibly dull football, the game actually turned interesting.
On 2d and 5 from their own 25, Nick Foles went deep to Mooney for 50 yards. Foles then went to Allen Robinson for a 24 yard touchdown to make it 10-3 Bears. The Bears got it back and faced 3rd and 1 from their own 48. Montgomery ran for a 38 yard gain. On 3rd and 7 from the Saints 11, Foles threw incomplete. Santos hit the 29 yard field goal. The Bears led 13-3 with 1:40 left in the half, but they could not keep the pinball wizard down.
From his own 32, Brees hit Jared Cook for 11. On 3rd and 13 from his own 40, Brees hit Alvin Kamara for 12. With 34 seconds left in the half, Sean Payton decided to go for it on 4th and 1 from his own 48. The man who kicked an onside kick to start the second half of the Super Bowl still has cojones of steel. Kamara gained 7. With 18 seconds left, the Saints were at the Chicago 29. Brees threw incomplete but defensive pass interference meant a 13 yard gain. 12 seconds remained after an incompletion. Brees then went to Cook for the 16 yard touchdown with 3 seconds left as the Saints only trailed 13-10. In the third quarter the Bears punted on 4th and 23 from their own 13. Harris returned the punt 42 yards to the Chicago 16. Yet the Saints wasted the golden opportunity and settled for a 27 yard Lutz field goal and a 13-13 tie. The Bears quickly faced 2nd and 20 from their own 31. Foles was intercepted and the Saints had another short field at the Chicago 39. Again the Saints settled for a 39 yard Lutz field goal to lead 16-13. After both teams turned it over on downs, the Saints took over at their own 36. Brees went to Cook for 11 and Kamara for 13. Brees went to Smith for 9 and to Taysom Hill for 20 yard touchdown. 20 straight points had the Saints up 23-13 with 10 minutes left in regulation.
After a touchback, momentum shifted again. Foles hit Montgomery for 7 and 9, Rob Vinson for 28, and Graham for 11. On 3rd and 12 from the Saints 14, Foles threw incomplete. However, defensive pass interference meant a 13 yard gain and the ball on the one. On 3rd and goal from the 3, Foles hit Darnell Mooney for the touchdown. With 3 1/2 minutes left the Bears were within 23-20. The Bears held on defense and got the ball back at their own 32 with 1:51 left and 2 timeouts. With 1:38 left it came down to 4th and 8 at their own 34. Foles hit Anthony Miller for 11. With 38 seconds left the Bears faced 4th and 2 from the Saints 47. Foles found Robinson again for 7. With 13 seconds left Santos came in for a 51 yard field goal try to tie the game. The kick was good, and this roller coaster game was going to overtime tied 23-23. Both teams punted in overtime and the Saints took over at their own 32 with 3:48 left in the extra session. Brees hit Harris for 6 and Hill ran for 10. Brees went to Smith for 14. Kamara ran for 20. After a delay of game, on 1st and 15 from the Chicago 16, Sean Payton took no chances. Lutz came in for a 35 yard field goal try with 1:36 left. The kick was good and the Saints escaped with the tough road win. 26-23 Saints, OT
Dallas Cowboys at Philadelphia Eagles was the Sunday night game. Both of these awful teams had a chance to be atop the NFC Least with a losing record. Sometimes a pair of bad teams can come together and produce a thrilling game for the ages. This was not that game. In the first quarter Greg “The Leg” Zuerlein hit a 49 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Cowboys. The teams exchanged fumbles. The Eagles took over at their own 17. Scott gained 9, Wentz added 7, Jalen Reagor gained 6 and Scott ran for 7 more. On 3rd and 2 from the Dallas 36, the Cowboys jumped into the neutral zone. On 2nd and 14 from the Dallas 35, Wentz went deep to Fulgham for 32 yards. Wentz went to Reagor for a 3 yard touchdown as the Eagles led 7-3 after the first quarter. In the second quarter the Eagles had a fumble, an interception and turned it over on downs. Zuerlein hit another 49 yard field goal and ended the half by leveling a 59 yard field goal as the Cowboys led 9-7 at halftime. Inspired by Zuerlein, the Cowboys took the second half off. The third quarter was even uglier. The Eagles suffered an interception. The Cowboys missed a field goal. Wentz capped a 58 yard drive with a 9 yard touchdown pass on 3rd and 3 to Fulgham. Wentz hit Reagor for the 2 point conversion to make it 15-9 Eagles. In the fourth quarter the Cowboys turned it over on downs. Dallas got it back and moved from their 25 to a 3rd and 6 at the Philly 21 with 5:18 to play. Third string rookie quarterback DiNucci was hit and fumbled. Rodney McLeod returned the fumble 53 yards for the clinching touchdown. The Eagles defense added a safety for good measure. The tape of this game should be burned, never to see the light of day. 23-9 Eagles
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at New York Giants was the Monday night game. The 5-2 Buccaneers were expected to roll over a Giants team with one 1-point win preventing them from being the Jets. Again, cue ESPN uber-announcer Chris Berman: “THAT’s why they PLAY the GAMES!” The Buccaneers moved from their own 25 on an 11 play, 57 yard, 5 1/2 minute drive. Yet on 3rd and 5 from the Giants 18, Tom Brady threw incomplete. Ryan Succop hit a 37 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Buccaneers. The Buccaneers got it back and faced 2nd and 8 from their own 12. A short completion was fumbled and the Giants recovered at that spot. On 3rd and 5 from the 7, Daniel Jones hit Dion Lewis for the touchdown as the Giants led 7-3. The Giants defense played inspired and with 5 minutes left in the half the Giants took over at their own 23. Jones hit Slayton for 14. Wayne Gallman gained 17. Jones hit Slayton and Shepard for a pair of 11 yard gains. Jones hit Evan Engram for 12 down to the 2. Gallman got in. With 1:46 left in the half the Giants were winning a stunner 14-3.
Bruce Arians is known for a high-flying offense but his weapons on this night were struggling. With 20 seconds left in the half on 3rd and 2 from the Giants 23, a completion gained only one yard. Succop hit from 40 as the Buccaneers trailed 14-6 at halftime. In the third quarter Jones was quickly intercepted to give the ball to the Buccaneers at their own 42. Yet on 3rd and 3 from the Giants 24, Brady threw incomplete. Succop hit from 43 as the Buccaneers were within 14-9. The Buccaneers got it back again at their own 33. Leonard Fournette ran for a pair of 7 yard gains. Brady went to Rob Gronkowski for 16 and Mike Evans for 20Defensive pass interference on the next pass added 14 down to the 3. Brady hit Gronk for the touchdown. The 2 point try failed but the Buccaneers led 15-14 with 6 minutes left in the third quarter.
The Giants soon faced 2nd and 16 fro their own 23. Jones hit Shepard for 15. Pn 3rd and 1 Jones hit Engram for 4. Jones went to Slayton for 11 and deep to Engram for 30. Offensive holding killed the drive. Graham Gano hit the 33 yard field goal as the Giants led 17-15 after three quarters in search of a monumental upset. A short 33 yard punt gave the Giants the ball at their own 43. With 12 minutes left the Giants had 2nd and 5 at their own 34. Jones was intercepted at that spot. On 3rd and 4 from his own 40, Brady hit Mickens for 8. On 1st and 20 from his own 38, Brady hit Johnson for exactly that. Brady then went to Cameron Brate for 25 and then to Mike Evans for the 8 yard touchdown. With 9 minutes left, the Buccaneers led 22-17.
The Buccaneers got it back at their own 33 and moved to a 3rd and 1 at the Giants 20. A touchdown would put the game away. Fournette got stopped. On 4th and 1, a clearly visibly upset Brady had to accept that Bruce Arians opted for the field goal. He trusted his defense, and nobody thought Jones would lead a comeback. Succop hit from 38 as the Buccaneers led by 8 with 3:40 left. On 4th and 5 from his own 35 with 2:50 left, Jones scrambled for his life and threw an off target ball that was somehow caught by Slayton for a 12 yard gain. With 1:25 left the Giants had 4th and 16 just past midfield. Jones found Shepard for 20. On 2nd and 10 from the Tampa Bay 19, Jones threw to the end zone and Tate made a leaping catch for the touchdown. Brady looked on in disgust. The Giants were a 2 point conversion away from a miracle. Jones threw incomplete. Defensive pass interference was called, but after a lengthy officials meeting, they ruled there was no penalty. Then the onside kick failed. The Giants were game, but lost again to fall to 1-7. The Buccaneers certainly did not play their best football, but they are 6-2 without apologies. 25-23 Buccaneers