Archive for January, 2021

The utterly irrelevant Biden inauguration

Saturday, January 16th, 2021

Forget security: Joe Biden’s inauguration is as irrelevant as he is

NFL 2020-2021 Wildcard Recap

Sunday, January 10th, 2021

NFL 2020-2021 Wildcard Recap

Indianapolis Colts at Buffalo Bills was the Saturday morning game. The 11-5 Colts were a Wildcard taking on the 13-3 AFC East champion Bills. In the first quarter the Colts faced 3rd and 6 from their own 40. Philip Rivers hit TY Hilton for 23 and Pittman for 22. On 3rd and 7 from the Buffalo 12, a completion gained nothing. Rodrigo Blankenship hit a 30 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Colts. The Bills took over at their own 15. Josh Allen gained 12. Allen then went to Stefan Diggs for 36, Davis for 16, Devon Singletary for 5, Moss for 7, and Knox for the 3 yard touchdown to make it 7-3 Bills. In the second quarter the Colts took over at their own 35. Jonathan Taylor gained 10 and 8. On 3rd and 4 just past midfield, Rivers hit Taylor for 6, Pittman for 32, Jacob Doyle for 2, and Nyheim Hines for 8 down to the one. Jacoby Brissett came in at quarterback for one play and took the quarterback sneak for the touchdown and the 10-7 Colts lead. The turning point in the game came when the Colts moved from their own 41 to a 3rd and goal at the one at the 2 minute warning. Taylor got the carry and got blown up for a 3 yard loss. Frank Reich inexplicably went for it on 4th and goal at the 4 rather than kick the 22 yard field goal. Rivers went to the end zone and the ball was just barely overthrown, bouncing off of Pittman’s outstretched fingerprints incomplete. 

The Bills were at their own 4 yard line with 1:46 to play against a good defense that was smelling upset. Allen went deep to Davis for a 37 yard gain. Allen then went to Cole Beasley for 7 and back to Davis for 19. Sean McDermott decided to go for it on 4th and 3 from the Indianapolis 26 with 37 seconds left. Allen went to the end zone and was intercepted by Rodgers. Yet defensive offside nullified the turnover. From the 21, Allen went to the end zone again and was intercepted by Rodgers again. Although everyone thought Rodgers was down, no whistle blew. He got up and raced 104 yards for a defensive touchdown. Officials ruled that Rodgers was down by contact in his own end zone for a touchback. Then on further review, Rodgers dropped the ball. After all of that, it was only an incompletion. Allen then ran for 16 and again for the 5 yard touchdown. With 14 seconds left in the half, the 10 play, 96 yard drive had the Bills up 14-10. 

The Bills began the third quarter facing 3rd and 8 from their own 30. Allen went to Beasley for 10 and 13 and Diggs for 16. On 3rd and 2 from the Indy 23, Allen was sacked for a 5 yard loss. Tyler Bass hit the 46 yard field goal to make it 17-10 Bills. After a touchback the Colts moved 60 yards in 14 plays and 7 1/2 minutes. Yet on 2nd and 7 from the Buffalo 15, Rivers threw incomplete twice. Blankenship doinked the 33 yard field goal try off the upright no good. The Bills soon faced 3rd and 1 from their own 32. Allen hit Diggs for 3, Moss for 10, Beasley for 4, and Moss for 7. Allen then went to Diggs for a 35 yard touchdown as the Bills now led 24-10 only one minute into the fourth quarter.

After a touchback, Hines ran for 29 and Taylor gained 20. Rivers went to Zach Pascal for 11 and Mo Alie-Cox for 6. On 3rd and 4 from the Buffalo 9, Rivers went to Pascal for the touchdown. Frank Reich inexplicably went for a 2 point conversion. Taylor got stopped. With 11 1/2 minutes left in regulation, the Colts were within 24-16. After a touchback, Allen hit Diggs and Beasley for 16 each. On 3rd and 6 from the Indy 36, Allen threw incomplete. After pretending to go for it and failing to get the Colts to jump, Sean McDermott opted for a 54 yard field goal try. Bass delivered and the Bills had breathing room up 27-16 midway through the fourth quarter. Needing 2 scores, the Colts struck quickly. On 3rd and 7 from their own 27, Rivers hit Burton for 13. Hines ripped off a 33 yard gain. Rivers went deep to Doyle for a 27 yard touchdown. This time the 2 point conversion was good. With 6:13 to play, the Colts were right back in it down by a field goal. 

Rather than run the ball, the Bills stayed aggressive. They moved from their own 24 to a 1st and 10 at the Indy 34 with 4 minutes left. A touchdown would ice the game. Then disaster struck the Bills. Allen was about to be sacked. He somehow escaped but was then sacked again for an even bigger loss. Even worse, he fumbled. A mad scramble ensued as the ball was batted backward. The Colts were hoping to pick it up and return it for a touchdown. The Bills were saved when big offensive lineman Williams recovered it. Nevertheless, it was a 23 yard loss. The Bills punted and the Colts got the ball back at their own 14 without a timeout but with a full 2 1/2 minutes left. With 50 seconds left after 3 incompletions, the Colts faced 4th and 10 at their own 37. Then chaos ensued. Rivers hit Pascal for 17, but Pascal then got up without being touched and had the ball stripped away. The Bills recovered, but after a very lengthy review, Pascal was ruled down by contact. The officials blew the call. Pascal was not down. With 28 seconds remaining on 1st and 10 from the Buffalo 45, Rivers threw a completion that lost a yard followed by 2 more incompletions. With 4 seconds left, a 65 yard field goal try was too much to ask. The Hail Mary was knocked down incomplete and the Bills survived. 27-24 Bills

 

Los Angeles Rams at Seattle Seahawks was the Saturday afternoon game. 2 weeks ago these teams were playing a 6-6 third quarter slugfest in Seattle before the Seahawks eventually won 20-9. Jared Goff injured his thumb in that game and missed the regular season finale. Sean McVay went with backup John Wolford to start this game for the 10-6 Rams against the 12-4 NFC West champion Seahawks. The Rams moved from their own 20 to a 1st and 10 at the Seattle 20. Wolford gained 2 and was then hit in the head. He left the game injured. Goff had to play the rest of the game with an injured thumb in a gutty performance. On 3rd and 5 from the Seattle 15, Goff was sacked. Matt Gay hit a 40 yard field goal to cap the 12 play, 58 yard, 6 1/2 minute drive and make it 3-0 Rams. A field position game in the second quarter had the Seahawks taking over just shy of midfield. On 2nd and 6 from the Rams 37, an incompletion was followed by Russell Wilson gaining only 5. On 4th and 1 from the Rams 32, Pete Carroll decided not to gamble. Jason Myers hit the 50 yard field goal for a 3-3 game. After a touchback, Goff went deep to Cooper Kupp for a 44 yard gain. Yet on 3rd and 2 from the Seattle 20, a run lost a yard. Gay hit from 39 to make it 6-3 Rams midway through the second quarter.

After a touchback, the Seahawks soon faced 2nd and 7 from their own 47. Wilson threw a short swing pass, and Williams jumped the route. The cornerback intercepted the ball and strutted 42 yards for a defensive touchdown and a 13-3 Rams lead. From his own 26, Wilson quickly rebounded. From his own 36, Wilson gained 17. On 2nd and 14 just shy of midfield, Wilson rolled out and went bombs away to DK Metcalf for a 51 yard touchdown. With 3:43 left in the half the Seahawks were within 13-10. The Rams soon faced 3rd and 9 from their own 26. Goff connected with Akers, who escaped to the sideline, somehow stayed inbounds, and gained 44 yards. Akers then ran for 20 and again for the 5 yard touchdown. Just past the 2 minute warning, the Rams had the 20-10 lead.

The Seahawks got a jolt when they returned the second half kickoff 58 yards to the Rams 41. Yet on 3rd and 3, Wilson went deep incomplete. Myers drilled the 52 yard field goal to get the Seahawks within 20-13. The Rams returned the ensuing kickoff 37 yards to their own 41. Yet on 3rd and 6, Goff was sacked. The defenses dug in and the Rams took over late in the third quarter at their own 30. Goff hit Robert Woods for 20 to midfield. The Rams moved to a 3rd and 2 at the Seattle 19. A run gained the first down, but Sean McVay called a timeout before the play because the play clock was about to expire. The mistake was costly as Malcolm Brown got the carry on the do-over and only gained one yard. This time McVay took no chances on the road on 4th and 1. Gay drilled the 36 yard field goal to give the Rams breathing room up 23-13 with 11 1/2 minutes left in regulation. The Seahawks soon faced 3rd and 1 at their own 34. Chris Carson got stopped cold. Pete Carroll gambled on 4th and 1, but a false start killed the try. On 4th and 6 Carroll punted with 9 1/2 minutes left in regulation. 

The Rams faced 3rd and 1 from their own 29. Brown got stopped and Sean McVay immediately deep in his own territory opted to punt. Johnny Hekker had a short punt that kept rolling and bouncing and DJ Reed should have let it go. Instead Reed fielded it and had it stripped. The Rams fell on it at the Seattle 36 with a chance midway through the fourth quarter to deliver the knockout blow. Goff up to this point had only thrown 17 passes all game, completing 7 of them for far less than 100 yards. Rather than just grind down clock, McVay got aggressive. Goff hit Brown for 9. Brown ran for a pair of 6 yard gains. Goff then executed a perfect play action pass and found a wide open Woods for a 15 yard touchdown. With 4:46 left in regulation the Rams had a commanding 30-13 lead. 

Needing 3 scores from their own 24, Wilson quickly moved the Seahawks 76 yards Wilson hit DK Metcalf for a 12 yard touchdown to get the Seahawks within 10 with 2 1/2 minutes left. The Seahawks still had all 3 timeouts plus the 2 minute warning. The onside kick failed. On 3rd and 4 from the Seattle 43, Brown got the carry and appeared just short of the sticks. A very generous spot gave him a first down by the nose of the ball, effectively ending the game. A desperate Pete Carroll challenged the spot and won, making it 4th and inches. An attempt to draw the Seahawks offside failed and the clock hit the 2 minute warning to give the Rams time to think it over. McVay again gambled and Goff’s quarterback sneak appeared bottled up. The Seahawks were barely alive with 1:55 left. They still had one timeout left. From their own 40, Wilson was immediately sacked as the Seahawks took their last timeout. A throw past the marker was dropped. A deep ball was well defended incomplete. On 4th and 15 from their own 35, Wilson was sacked again. Goff was only 9 of 19 for 155 yards with one touchdown, but with zero interceptions in a gutty effort with an injured thumb. Wilson was an awful 11 of 27 for 174 yards, most of it with the game out of reach. Wilson had 2 touchdowns and one killer interception. Wilson was sacked 5 times. 30-20 Rams

 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Washington 7-9ers was the Saturday night game. With Dwayne Haskins cut and Alex Smith injured, Taylor Heinecke got the start. Tom Brady after 19 straight playoff trips with New England took the 11-5 Buccaneers to the playoffs in his first season with them. The Non-Redskins were 7-9, which was good enough to win the NFC Least. The Buccaneers easily moved from their own 19 to a 3rd and 3 at the Washington 11. Brady threw incomplete. Ryan Succop hit a 29 yard field goal for a 3-0 Buccaneers lead. The No-Names moved from their 14 to their 47. Heinecke was intercepted to give the Buccaneers the ball at their own 42. On 3rd and 10, Brady went to Miller for 15. On 3rd and 3 from the washington 36, Brady went deep to Antonio Brown for the touchdown. The extra point was blocked but the Buccaneers led 9-0.

After a touchback, the Non-Redskins tried to make a game of it. Heinecke hit Logan Thomas for 24 and Terry McLaurin for 18. Heinecke ran for 10. The No-Names faced 3rd and 8 at the Tampa 19 to start the second quarter. Heinecke went to Sims for 10. On 3rd and goal at the 2, McKissic got in to cap the 10 play, 75 yard, 5 minute drive and get the No-Names within 9-7 early in the second quarter. Riverboat Ron Rivera tried a surprise onside kick that was more of a squib kick. It was recovered by the Buccaneers at their own 39. Brown took an end around 22 yards. On 3rd and 3 from the Washington 27, Brady hit Leonard Fournette for 5 and then went to Chris Godwin for the 27 yard touchdown. The 2 point try failed but the Buccaneers led 15-7. The Buccaneers got it back at their own 13 and moved easily. Brady hit Fournette for 22 and Cameron Brate for 19 and 24. At the 2 minute warning, the Buccaneers had 2nd and goal at the 5. Brady threw incomplete twice. Succop hit from 23 to make it 18-7 Buccaneers.

The No-Names tried to make a game of it from their own 30 in the third quarter. Heinecke hit McLaurin for 12 and Thomas for 29. On 3rd and 4 from the Tampa 18, Heinecke threw incomplete. Dustin Hopkins hit the 36 yard field goal to get the Non-Redskins within 18-10. The Buccaneers moved from their own 20 to a 1st and 10 at the Washington 44. Vaughn gained 6 but had the ball punched out. The 7-9ers recovered at their own 39. Heinecke ran for 13. On the next play a defensive horse collar tackle added 15. On 2nd and 4 from the Tampa 7, a run lost a yard. On 3rd and 5, Heinecke scrambled, got around the end, and from the 4 yard line dove all the way in the air as the ball hit the pylon for the touchdown. The 2 point try failed but the 7-9ers were only down 18-16 late in the third quarter.

The Buccaneers soon faced 3rd and 3 from their own 32. Brady went to Brate for 23 and mike Evans for 17 as the Buccaneers began the fourth quarter facing 1st and 10 at the Washington 23. On 2nd and 2 from the Washington 15, Brady was sacked. On 3rd and 7 he threw incomplete. Succop hit from 38 to put the Buccaneers up 21-16 only 90 seconds into the fourth quarter. The Buccaneers quickly got it back at their own 31. Brady hit Evans for 20. Fournette ran for 7 and Miller added 8. Brady went to Evans for 19. Fournette ran for a 3 yard touchdown to make it 28-16 Buccaneers with 9 minutes remaining. After a touchback, Heinecke hit Sprinkle for 8 and Sims for 23. On 3rd and 3 from the Tampa 33, Heinecke hit Thomas for 5 and McLaurin for 16. On 3rd and 10 from the Tampa 11, Heinecke threw a perfect fade to Sims for the touchdown. With 5 minutes left in regulation, the No-Names were within 28-23. 

The Buccaneers took over at their own 23. Brady went deep to Evans for 35. Fournette gained 13. The No-Names took their timeouts on defense. On 2nd and 9 from the Washington 26, Brady was sacked for a 9 yard loss. On 3rd and 18, Brady hit Godwin for 16. Bruce Arians took no chances on 4th and 2. Succop hit the 37 yard field goal to put the Buccaneers up by 8 with 2:50 to play. The No-Names were very much alive. After a touchback, Heinecke went to McLaurin for 16 and Sims for 10. On both plays the Buccaneers committed defensive holding, which was declined. The penalties kept stopping the clock. On 2nd and 10, a pass was caught and fumbled out of bounds. Yet officials called it an incomplete pass. The No-Names were out of timeouts so Ron Rivera could not challenge the call. On 3rd and 10, the pocket collapsed and Hence was sacked for an 11 yard loss. At the 2 minute warning the No-Names faced 4th and 21 from their own 40. Heniecke escaped the pressure, backpedaled, and threw a Hail Mary that fell incomplete. The 4th string quarterback took the 6 time Super Bowl champion to the limit, but Brady won his first playoff game with the Buccaneers. 31-23 Buccaneers 

Baltimore Ravens at Tennessee Titans was the Sunday morning game. Both teams were 11-5 but the Ravens were a Wildcard and the Titans were the AFC South champions. Last year in the playoffs the 10-6 Titans shocked the 14-2 Ravens. This year the Titans beat the Ravens again. Ray Lewis, Ed Reed, Eddie George and Steve McNair brought America smashmouth playoff games, and now that tradition has returned. The first quarter belonged to the Titans. On 3rd and 3 from their own 37, Ryan Tannehill went deep to AJ Brown for 28. On 2nd and 11 from the Baltimore 36, Tannehill went to Brown for 14. On 3rd and 4 from the Baltimore 16, Tannehill hit Anthony Firkser for 9. Tannehill went to Brown for the 10 yard touchdown as the officials missed offensive pass interference. The 10 play, 70 yard, 6 minute drive made it 7-0 Titans. 3 plays later Lamar Jackson went deep and was intercepted. The Titans took over at their own 28. On 3rd and 1 from their own 37 and everyone expecting Derrick Henry, Tannehill connected with Firkser for a 35 yard gain. On 2nd and  9 from the Baltimore 27, a completion gained nothing followed by an incompletion. Stephen Gostkowski hit the 45 yard field goal to make it 10-0 Titans.

Then momentum shifted. The Ravens soon faced 3rd and 7 from their own 28. Jackson went deep to Andrews for 17 as the first quarter ended. The Ravens moved all the way to a 3rd and 6 at the Tennessee 10. Jackson was sacked. Justin Tucker hit the 33 yard field goal to cap the 12 play, 60 yard, 6 1/2 minute drive and get the Ravens within 10-3 with 10 minutes left in the half. The Ravens got it back at their own 18. Jackson hit Brown for 9 and Edwards ran for 8. Brown ran for 15. On 3rd and 9 from the Tennessee 48, Jackson scrambled through and around everyone. He dove for the pylon and got the touchdown for a 10-10 deadlock with 2 1/2 minutes left in the half. The Ravens began the third quarter at their own 23. Jackson hit Ricard for 11 and Andrews for 4. Jackson ran for 10 and JK Dobbins added 9. On 3rd and 2 from the Tennessee 44, Jackson ran for 23. On 3rd and 2 from the Titans 13, Jackson hit Ricard for 9. Dobbins ran for the 4 yard touchdown as the 10 play, 77 yard, 6 minute drive gave the Ravens their first lead up 17-10.

Late in the third quarter the Titans took over at their own 42. Tannehill hit Brown for 18 with 15 more added on for roughing the passer. Tannehill hit Westbrook for 12. On 3rd and goal at the 5, a pass from Tannehill to Henry lost 2 yards. On the first play of the fourth quarter, Gostkowski hit from 25 to get the Titans within 17-13. After a touchback the Raven moved to a 2nd and 7 at the Titans 34. Jackson threw incomplete twice. From 52 yards out, Tucker was no good. The Titans moved from their own 42 to a 2nd and 2 at the Baltimore 40. Tannehill threw incomplete twice. Mike Vrabel opted to punt. The Ravens took over at their own 15. Dobbins ran for 12. Jackson hit Brown for 9 and Andrews for 17. Jackson ran for 14. On 3rd and 6 from the Titans 31, Edwards only gained 4. John Harbaugh gambled on 4th and 2. Jackson hit Dobbins for 3 but offensive pass interference instead meant 4th and 12. This time Tucker hit from 51 as the Ravens led 20-13 with 4 1/2 minutes left. 

The Titans on 3rd and 1 from their own 30 gave it to Henry and he got stopped. On 4th and 1, Tannehill took the quarterback sneak for 2. At the 2 minute warning, the Titans had 2nd and 5 at their own 37. Tannehill then went deep over the middle and was intercepted. Marcus Peters returned it 13 yards to the Titans 47, but a taunting penalty on the Ravens after the play backed them up to their own 38. With 1:50 left, the Titans still had all 3 timeouts. Rather than run the ball, the Ravens inexplicably passed on 1st down, an incompletion that stopped the clock. On 2nd and 10, Jackson broke free, gained 33 yards, and smartly gave himself up inbounds to force the Titans to take their 1st timeout. The Titans took their final timeout with the Ravens facing 3rd and 1 at the Tennessee 20 with 1:25 left. Gus Edwards got the carry and bulldozed over the Tennessee defense for 5 yards. Jackson took a knee to end it. After losing 2 playoff games at home, Jackson silenced the critics by getting his first playoff win on the road. Jackson’s critics have been tough on him, but he left the field without shaking hands with anyone. Perhaps realizing his error, he returned to the field. This was a tough, physical win typical of a game between Baltimore and Tennessee. 20-13 Ravens

Chicago Bears at New Orleans Saints was the Sunday afternoon game. The 8-8 Bears staggered into the playoffs and took on the 12-4 NFC South champion Saints who had all their top talent back on the field from injury and COVID. In a bizarre new TV venture, the game was simulcast on Nickelodeon. The Saints took over at their own 45. Drew Brees hit Harris for 9. On 3rd and 8 from the Chicago 39, Brees hit Harris for 17. Brees hit Michael Thomas for an 11 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Saints. The Bears took over at their own 20. Mitchell Trubisky hit Kmet for 9. Trubisky then went deep to Sims for a 28 yard gain. On the next play Matt Nagy went to the bag of tricks. Trubisky lateraled to Montgomery, who lateraled it to Cordarelle Patterson, who pitched it back to Trubisky, who went bombs away to Wims for what should have been a 40 yard touchdown. Wims dropped it. It was right in his hands. He just dropped it. On 4th and 4 from the Saints 34, Matt Nagy went for it rather than try a 52 yard field goal. Trubisky scramble around the end but only gained 2 yards. The second quarter began with Wil Lutz missing a 50 yard field goal that would have extended the lead. 

The Saints got it back at their own 16. From his own 27, Brees went for the bomb and had the ball stripped just as he threw it. It was plucked out of the air by big man John Jenkins at the Saints 24. On 2nd and 6 from the Saints 10, a completion gained only one yard. Then a killer unsportsmanlike conduct penalty after the late had the Bears facing 3rd and 20. It was a bad call. Kmet flipped the ball to the referee, but since the defender was in the area, it was treated as throwing the ball at the defender. After a false start, Cairo Santos hit the 36 yard field goal to get within 7-3 midway through the second quarter. The defenses dug in. In the third quarter the Saints faced 3rd and 4 from their own 21. Brees went to Thomas for a 38 yard gain. Brees then went to Cook, who broke through tackles for a 10 yard gain. A false start had the Saints facing 3rd and 14 from the Chicago 24. Brees went to Cook for 12. Sean Payton gambled on 4th and 2 rather than try an easy 30 yard field goal. The Bears bit on the hard count and jumped into the neutral zone. It was a killer penalty as Brees hit Latavius Murray for a 6 yard touchdown. The 12 play, 85 yard, 7 1/2 minute drive had the Saints up 14-3 with 4 1/2 minutes left in the third quarter. 

The Saints got it back and soon faced 3rd and 6 from their own 40. Brees hit Kamara for 10. On 3rd and 4 from the Chicago 44, Brees hit Harris for 5. On 3rd and 11 from the Chicago 40, Brees hit Humphrey, who juked out defenders for a 14 yard gain. Brees then hit Cook for 12. On 2nd and goal at the 5, Brees was sacked for a 14 yard loss. Yet defensive holding meant 1st and goal at the 2. On 2nd and goal at the 2, Hill threw incomplete but defensive pass interference meant 1st and goal at the one. After a loss, Kamara ran for a 3 yard touchdown. The Bears defense hung tough for most of the game, but the Saints finally broke them with a 15 play, 64 yard drive that consumed nearly 9 minutes. With 9 minutes left in regulation the Saints finally broke the defense to lead 21-3. The Saints got it back at their own 32. and moved to a 4th and goal at the one. Brees did not get in, but the goal line stand came with only 2 1/2 minutes left. Chicago finally got a garbage touchdown on the final play of the game. The Saints will host Tampa in the divisional round. 21-9 Saints

Cleveland Browns at Pittsburgh Steelers was the Sunday night game. The 11-5 Wildcard Browns took on the 12-4 AFC North champion Steelers. The Browns last made the playoffs in 2002 and last won a playoff game in 1994. The Steelers started 11-0 before going 1-4 down the stretch, although their loss to Cleveland in the regular season finale came with backups. The Browns would have to win this game without a coach, as Kevin Stefanski was out with COVID. The Steelers were supposed to easily win. On the very first play of the game after a touchback, the Steelers lined up in the shotgun. Perennial Pro Bowler Maurice Pouncey snapped the ball high over Ben Roethlisberger’s head. A wild scramble ensued. The Browns recovered in the end zone for a 7-0 Browns lead only 14 seconds into the game. After a touchback the Steelers moved to a 1st and 10 at their own 48. Roethlisberger went back to pass and under heavy pressure threw a high pass over the middle that was intercepted by MJ Stewart. The Browns took over at the Pittsburgh 46. On 3rd and 4 Baker Mayfield fired over the middle to Jarvis Landry, who broke a couple bad attempts at tackles for a 40 yard touchdown as the Browns had the shocking 14-0 lead. 

The Steelers soon faced 3rd and 1 from their own 35. Derek Watt got the carry and got stopped cold. The Browns got it back at their own 35 and Nick Chubb gashed the Pittsburgh defense for gains of 17 and 20. On 3rd and 5 from the Pittsburgh 23, Mayfield hit Higgins for 12. Karim Hunt took it up the gut and smacked right into and over Pittsburgh defenders for an 11 yard touchdown and a 21-0 Browns lead. After a touchback and an offensive holding penalty, the Steelers faced 2nd and 20 from their own 26. Roethlisberger threw a high pass that was deflected and intercepted by Redwine. Redwine weaved through traffic and returned the interception 30 yards to the Pittsburgh 15. On 3rd and 3 from the Pittsburgh 8 out of the shotgun, Hunt went off tackle and found a seam and got in the end zone. In an absolute shocker, the Browns led 28-0 and there were still 2 minutes left in the first quarter. 

The 28 points were the most points in an NFL playoff game opening quarter by one team in league history. 

In the second quarter the Steelers got the ball back at their own 46. On 3rd and 2 from the Cleveland 46, Big Ben had a pass deflected high in the air. Gustin made a diving interception as the Browns took over at their own 47. On 2nd and 11 Mayfield somehow escaped a sack and hit Austin Hooper for 16. However, offensive holding nullified the play and instead meant 2nd and 21. A pass close to the sticks to Hooper was dropped. Hunt gained 13. On 4th and 8, a field goal try would be 53 yards. After failing to get the defense to jump offside, the Browns punted. 

The Steelers got it back at their own 11. On 3rd and 1 from their 20, Bennie Snell gained 2 the hard way. Roethlisberger hit Washington for big gains of 17, 10 and 27, James Conner for 7, Diontae Johnson for 6, Washington for 4 and Eric Ebron for 5 to set up 3rd and 1 at the Cleveland 2. Roethlisberger threw high and incomplete as the clock hit the 2 minute warning. On 4th and 1 from the 2 out of the shotgun, Conner got the carry up the middle and appeared stopped short. A very generous spot for some reason was not reviewed. On the next play Conner got in off-tackle as the Steelers trailed 28-7 with 1:44 left in the half. Johnson returned the ensuing kickoff 33 yards to his own 36. On 3rd and 6 from their own 40, Mayfield scrambled for just enough. Mayfield then went to Chubb for 21 and Hooper for 8. Chubb ran for 12. On 1st and 10 from the Pittsburgh 12, Mayfield hit Hooper for 5 as the Browns took their last timeout with 37 seconds left. Mayfield went again to a wide open Hooper for a 7 yard touchdown as the Browns had a 35-7 lead over the shellshocked Steelers fans watching at home. 

The Browns defense relaxed too early as the Steelers took over at their own 32 with 34 seconds left. Snell gained 11. Big Ben hit Johnson for 11 and 15. It appeared Claypool was tackled inbounds but the refs ruled he got to the sideline. Chris Boswell drilled a 49 yard field goal as the Steelers trailed 35-10 at the half. In the third quarter the Steelers took over at their own 16. Roethlisberger hit Chase Claypool for 7, Eric Ebron for 9, Juju Smith-Schuster for 10, Johnson for 12, Conner for 4, Ebron for 10, Johnson for 15, and Ebron for a 17 yard touchdown. The 2 point try failed but the Steelers were within 35-16 midway through the third quarter. Roethlisberger was 8 for 8 on the drive. Browns fans got a big collective lump in their throats after going 3 and out. The Steelers soon faced 3rd and 9 at their own 33. Roethlisberger hit Johnson for 15 and Smith-Schuster for 27. On 3rd and 10 from the Cleveland 20, Roethlisberger hit Smith-Schuster for 15. Big Ben then threw 3 straight incompletions. On 4th and goal at the 5, Mike Tomlin decided to go for it. Roethlisberger hit Smith-Schuster for the touchdown. The Steelers were within 35-23 with 3 minutes left in the third quarter.

The Browns went 3 and out again as the Steelers got it back at their own 37. On 3rd and 8 Roethlisberger hit Smith-Schuster for only 7 as the third quarter ended. The fourth quarter began with the Steelers facing 4th and 1 from their own 46. Lined up in punt formation and making motions for a fake punt, attempts to draw the defense offside failed. Despite having all the momentum, the Steelers took a delay of game penalty and then punted. The Browns faced 3rd and 2 at their own 28. Mayfield threw a short pass to Landry, who got around the edge for a 17 yard gain and a key first down to give their defense a rest. Mayfield went back to Landry for 15 more. On 2nd and 10 from the Pittsburgh 40, the Steelers blitzed and a perfectly executed screen pass beat it. Chubb broke tackles and raced to the end zone for a touchdown. The Browns now had breathing room up 42-23 with 12 1/2 minutes left in regulation. 

The Steelers struck back very quickly from their own 24. Roethlisberger hit Johnson for 7 and 15, Smith-Schuster for 25, and Claypool for a 29 yard touchdown. The 2 point try failed but the Steelers were within 42-29 with 11 minutes left in regulation. A 30 yard kickoff return by Johnson had the Browns starting at their own 35. Chubb ran for 9 and one. Rather than grind down clock, the Browns stayed aggressive. Mayfield hit Hunt for 13 and Landry for 17. On 3rd and goal at the 6, a pass to the end zone was dropped. Cody Parkey hit the 45 yard field goal to put the Browns up 45-29. Yet because of the incompletion, 4 1/2 minutes remained rather than 3:45. After a touchback, the Steelers soon faced 1st and 10 from their own 40. Roethlisberger was intercepted by Takitaki, who returned it 23 yards to the Pittsburgh 25 with 3:16 to play. It was Pittsburgh’s 5th turnover including 4 interceptions of Roethlisberger. Parkey hit a 37 yard field goal to ice the game and make it 48-29 Browns with 2:50 to play.

The Steelers took over at their own 23. On 4th and 10 from the Cleveland 40, Roethlisberger hit Smith-Schuster for 33 and Claypool for the 7 yard touchdown. The 2 point conversion got the Steelers within 11 with 1:09 to play. The onside kick failed and he Browns finally survived. Roethlisberger threw 68 passes, completing 47 of them for 501 yards. He had 4 touchdown passes to go with the 4 interceptions. Mayfield was 21 of 34 for 263 yards, 3 touchdowns and 0 interceptions. The Browns were missing more than head coach Kevin Stefanski. They were also without offensive line coach Bill Callahan. They had more than one offensive lineman go down during the game. For those wondering, special teams coach Mike Priefer was the interim head coach in this game. He was once interim coach for another team a few years ago, a loss. His first win was a sweet one as David stunned Goliath. After 26 years, the playoff drought is over. After 16 straight years losing in Pittsburgh, that drought is over as well. The Browns won a playoff game and will travel to Kansas City in the Divisional round. 48-37 Browns

My birthday: 49 Happy Memories upon turning 49

Saturday, January 9th, 2021

My birthday: 49 Happy Memories upon turning 49

I entered this world 48 years ago today on January 9, 1972. On my 49th birthday, here are 49 happy memories.

1.) Every moment I ever spent with my grandparents. They are gone now, but I had all four of them when I graduated college and three of them when I turned 30. I am blessed.

2.) January 9, 1977 — The Oakland Raiders won the Super Bowl on my fifth birthday. I saw the logo and became a Raider for life.

3.) August 15, 1980 — Smokey and the Bandit II came out. I saw the original and the sequel and became a lifelong fan of the Bandit and the Snowman.

4.) January 22, 1984 — The Raiders won their third Super Bowl. I still remember telling the kids at school the next day one simple message. “Just win baby!”

5.) January 21, 1985 — I had my Bar Mitzvah, the Jewish passage into manhood. My Orthodox Rabbi grandfather led the ceremony.

6.) July 13, 1990 — I watched Bill Murray in “Quick Change” for the first of over 100 times. This movie is true New York, and Murray remains a national hero.

7.) August 26, 1990 — I flew from New York to Los Angeles for college. I immediately fell in love with this city and never left.

8.) September 26, 1990 — I joined the campus radio station and developed my lifelong love of radio.

9.) May 10, 1992 — I wrote my first song. 70 more would follow.

10.) January 9, 1994 — The Raiders won a playoff game over arch rival Denver on my 22nd birthday. We all had a big party to celebrate afterward at 1950s Cafe Ed Debevic’s.

11.) June 14, 1994 — The New York Rangers won the NHL Stanley Cup and ended the 54 year curse.

12.) September 13, 1994 — I passed the Series 7 stockbroker’s exam. At that moment I was now a professional.

13.) June 1, 1997 — I saw my friend doing something on a computer that seemed different. He was in a chat room. It was my first time using the Internet.

14.) July 4, 1999 — My friends and I crashed an Independence Day party on the beach and escaped moments before police busted up the party.

15.) September 23, 1999 — I finally got my driver’s license. I never needed one before.

16.) December 31, 1999 — Ringing in the Millennium in Las Vegas.

17.) March 1, 2000 — I flew from Los Angeles to New Orleans for Mardi Gras 2000. I still have my Calvin and Hobbes t-shirt, “Life is short. Party naked. Mardi Gras 2000.”

18.) February 13, 2003 — I watched the movie “Old School.” I will forever thank Vince Vaughn, Will Ferrell and “The Godfather” Luke Wilson for inspiring me at age 31 to finally start going to Florida for Spring Break. Years of South Beach, Miami revelry ensued at the Clevelander and Ocean’s 10. 

19.) March 14, 2003 — I flew to Singapore and Thailand and got to experience five days of beauty in each country. I met the Jewish communities of both nations.

20.) November 4, 2003 — NFL Network was born. Finally, a television channel worth watching existed. 

21.) November 2, 2004 — Enjoying the 2004 election with my closest friends.

22.) February 12, 2006 — I flew from Los Angeles to Hawaii. I met the Jewish community of Honolulu and attended my first NFL Pro Bowl. I met ESPN’s Chris Berman.

23.) April 28, 2006 — I flew from Los Angeles to New York and went to Radio City Music Hall. For the first time, I got to attend the NFL Draft and meet a bunch of great football heroes. 

24.) August 4, 2006 — I flew from Los Angeles to Ohio and drove to Canton. I visited the Pro Football Hall of Fame, saw the induction ceremony featuring John Madden, and attended the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game.

25.) March 11, 2007 — I Started a blog called the Tygrrrr Express. That column somehow turned into five books and a national speaking career.

26.) September 11, 2007 — On the sixth anniversary of the attacks, I flew from Los Angeles to New York and then drove to Great Adventure in New Jersey. I attended Sean Hannity’s Feedom Concert and saw New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani light up the crowd.

27.) October 17, 2007 — I joined Facebook. Between that and Twitter, I have met many good people, increased book sales, and built my business.

28.) February 2, 2008 — I flew from Los Angeles to Phoenix and attended my first Super Bowl. The New York Giants shocked the previously unbeaten New England Patriots.

29.) March 30, 2008 — My friend adopted a child from Guatemala. On this day “the boy” turned one. Being “Unca Eric” is the best job in the world.

30.) May 13, 2008 — I flew from Los Angeles to Washington, DC. I attended the Republican Jewish Coalition Leadership Conference and met Dr. Charles Krauthammer.

31.) August 6, 2008 — I flew from Los Angeles to Israel and spent a week in the Holy Land.

32.) August 30, 2008 — I flew from Los Angeles to Minneapolis for my first Republican Convention. For a week, friends and I slept in a sports bar. It was like being Norm Peterson from “Cheers.”

33.) April 5, 2009 — My first book “Ideological Bigotry” was published.

34.) September 1, 2009 — I left Wall Street after 15 years and began my career as a full-time professional speaker.

35.) November 11, 2009 — I flew from Los Angeles to Galveston and spoke at the Texas Federation of Republican Women Convention. I made TFRW and other lifelong friends in the Lone Star State.

36.) March 11, 2010 — I flew from Los Angeles to Oklahoma City to speak at the National Federation of Republican Women Spring Conference. That launched me nationally since the NFRW run the world.

37.) May 1, 2011 — In Aiken, South Carolina, I saw the news that Osama bin Laden was killed. That night I told my very best political joke. “Osama bin Laden is now burning underground with 72 Helen Thomases.” It was the bookend to my very first political joke. “Never rely on a Palestinian GPS tracker. I took one wrong turn, ended up at a cemetery, and a sinister voice said, ‘You have reached your final destination!’ I got so angry I threw the thing out the window, which was good because 5 seconds later it exploded.”

38.) February 9, 2013 — I met Vice President Dick Cheney and spoke in front of him at a dinner.

39.) September 25, 2013 — I spoke to a Tea Party group in Hays, Kansas. At that moment, I had officially spoken in all 50 states.

40.) November 4, 2014 — I spoke at an election night party in New Jersey.

41.) March 20, 2015 — After writing four political comedy books, I finished my first religious comedy book “Jewish Lunacy.” This allowed me to move beyond political speaking into religious speaking.

42.) May 12, 2015 — I met President George W. Bush and shook his hand.

43.) November 8, 2016 — Enjoyed a raucous election night party in Raleigh, North Carolina.

44.) December 31, 2016 — New Year’s Eve with the friends who matter most to me.

45.) Any woman whoever let me play with her yummy bouncies or at least was nice enough to send me pictures of them.

46.) January 9, 2018 — On my 46th birthday, the return of Chucky as Jon Gruden returns to the Black Hole to rejoin the Raiders. Like me, Gruden has unfinished business.

47.) November 9, 2018 — I met Angela Lansbury in Beverly Hills and got my picture taken with her. She remains one of the most talented people in the history of entertainment. 

48.) 2019 was the year I branch out beyond books and into t-shirts. I started with 2 or 3 designs in 2017 and 2018. By the end of 2019 I had 49 mostly original t-shirt designs. My best seller remains “Stop judging women by their tops. #BackSidesMatter!”

49.) 2020 was a brutal year for so many people because of a global pandemic. Yet thank God I was healthy and in better financial condition than previous years. On January 9, 2021, I watched the NFL Wildcard playoffs with friends. Normally there would be 2 games as has been the case for the last 30 years. Yet for the first time, there were 3 games, with 3 more to occur on January 10th. I watched football all day and had a great day with people who matter to me. I was besieged with well-wishes from hundreds of people by text, phone call and social media. My birthday evening capped with a special someone. I am blessed as can be to have had such a great birthday. 

I would like to thank my parents for raising me right and Angela Lansbury’s JB Fletcher of “Murder, She Wrote” for catching murderers and making the world safer.

Anything I could possibly wish for has already been granted.

eric @ Tygrrrr Express

NFL 2020-2021 Wildcard Prequel

Friday, January 8th, 2021

Not just a young man’s field: NFL Wildcard Preview and Bettor’s Guide

NFL 2020 Week 17 Recap

Sunday, January 3rd, 2021

NFL 2020 Week 17 Recap

Atlanta Falcons at Tampa Bay Buccaneers — The Falcons were done for the year while the 10-5 Buccaneers had already clinched a Wildcard spot. Anything higher was out of reach. The Buccaneers went right to work from their own 32. Tom Brady went to Mike Evans for 12. On 3rd and 1 from the Atlanta 47, Brady gained 2. Brady hit Rob Gronkowski for 11 and Chris Godwin for a 29 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Buccaneers. The Falcons from their own 27 moved 70 yards in 13 plays and 7 1/2 minutes. Yet on 1st and goal the 4, two runs gained only one total yard and then Matt Ryan threw incomplete. Younghoe Koo hit a 22 yard field goal to get the Falcons within 7-3. The Buccaneers from their own 27 moved to a 1t and 10 at the Atlanta 11. Brady threw 3 incompletions. Ryan Succop hit a 29 yard field goal to make it 10-3 Buccaneers. The Buccaneers began the second quarter at their own 43. Ronald Jones ran for 16, 7 and 9. On 3rd and 10 from the Atlanta 25, Brady went to Antonio Brown for the touchdown to make it 17-3 Buccaneers. The Falcons then fumbled and the Buccaneers had a short field at the Altanta 39. Succop hit a 38 yard field goal as the Buccaneers were up big 20-3.

After a touchback the Falcons soon faced 2nd and 9 from midfield. Ryan hit Russell Gage for 7 with roughing the passer adding 15 more. On 4th and 4 from the Atlanta 10 after an incompletion, Raheem Morris decided to go for it. Ryan hit Hurst of 9. Ryan got the last yard to get the Falcons within 20-10. After a touchback, consecutive defensive pass interference calls gave the Buccaneers gains of 10 and 13. With 8 seconds left in the half the Buccaneers had 3rd and 4 at the Atlanta 7. Brady threw incomplete. Succop hit from 25 as the Buccaneers led 23-10. After a touchback to start the second half, Ryan went to Gage for gains of 7, 5 and 15. On 3rd and 2 from the Tampa 40, Ryan went to Gurley for 17 and Treadwell for 11. On 3rd and 17 from the Tampa 19, Ryan went to Gage for the touchdown. The 11 play, 75 yard, 6 minute drive had the Falcons within 23-17. After a touchback Brady went to Godwin for 46. Yet on 3rd and 10 from the Atlanta 29, Brady was intercepted. The Falcons took over at their own 18 and moved 79 yards in 15 plays and 7 minutes. Yet on 3rd and goal at the 3, Ryan threw incomplete. Again the Falcons settled for a 21 yard Koo field goal to trail 23-20 after three quarters, 

Jones began the fourth quarter after a touchback running for 4, 9 and 8. Brady went to Brown for 8 and 12. Defensive pass interference added 10 more. Brady hit Brown for 14. Jones ran for a 3 yard touchdown to make it 30-20 Buccaneers. After a touchback, Hill ran for 9 and then broke off a 62 yard run. On 4th and goal at the one midway through the fourth quarter, Raheem Morris went for it. Ryan hit Hurst for the touchdown as the Buccaneers were within 30-27.

After a touchback, Brady hit Gronk for 18. On 3rd and 12 from their own 46, Brady went deep to Godwin for 47. On 3rd and goal at the 4, Brady hit Godwin for the score. The Buccaneers were up 37-27 with 4 minutes left. The Falcons took over at their own 31. From their own 42, a short completion was fumbled and the Buccaneers took over at the Atlanta 38. On 3rd and 2 Brady went to Brown for the 30 yard touchdown to put the game away. Again, Matty Ice went ice cold against Tom Brady in the fourth quarter. The 11-5 Buccaneers will travel to play the NFC East champion in the Wildcard round. Brady finished this game with 399 yards passing and 4 touchdowns. 

 

Dallas Cowboys at New York Giants — Despite the Cowboys being 6-9 and the Giants 5-10, both teams were alive to make the playoffs as NFC Least champion. The loser of this game would be eliminated from the playoffs. The winner would get in if Washington also lost their game. The Cowboys came in riding a 3 game win streak. The Giants went right to work from their own 22. Daniel Jones hit Evan Engram for 14. Wayne Gallman ran for 8 and 10. Jones hit Smith for 16 and ran for 7. Sterling Sherpard ran for a 23 yard touchdown and the Giants had the 6-0 lead. The extra point was no good. 

The Giants got it back and Jones did what he does. He fumbled again and the Cowboys recovered at the Giants 27. Yet on 3rd and  8 from the Giants 14, Red Rifle Andy Dalton was sacked. Greg Zuerlein hit from 38 to get the Cowboys within 6-3. In the second quarter the Giants took over at their own 35 and defensive unnecessary roughness had the Giants at the Dallas 45. Jones hit Shepard for 21, Toilolo for 10 and Shepard for a 10 yard touchdown to make it 13-3 Giants. The Cowboys moved from their own 28 to a 1st and 10 at the Giants 32. A sack of Dalton killed the drive but Zuerlein hit the 46 yard field goal to get the Cowboys within 13-6 with 2:13 left in the half. After a touchback, the Giants faced 1st and 10 at their own 41 with 90 seconds left. Jones hit Shepard for 18. Defensive pass interference added 8. Jones went to Dante Pettis for a 33 yard touchdown. With 45 seconds left in the half the Giants were up big 20-6. 

The Cowboys took over at their own 27. Dalton hit CeeDee Lamb for 14, Schultz for 9, Lamb for 6 and Schultz for 11. Greg “The Leg” Zuerlein earned his nickname by leveling a 57 yard field goal to end the half and get the Cowboys within 20-9. The Cowboys began the third quarter at their own 38 after an interception of Jones. On 3rd and 1 from their own 47, Dalton gained 2. Dalton went to Lamb for 21, Elliott for 7 and Schultz for 10. On 2nd and 13 from the Giants 16, Dalton threw incomplete but defensive holding meant a first down. Ezekiel Elliott ran for a one yard touchdown to get the Cowboys within 20-16. The Cowboys got it back at their own 20 and moved 62 yards in 13 plays and 5 minutes. Yet on 1st and 10 from the Giants 11, a run lost 2 yards. On the first play of the fourth quarter on 3rd and 9, Dalton was sacked. Zuerlein hit his 4th field goal from 36 as the Cowboys were within 20-19. 

From their own 20, Jones hit Shepard for gains of 9, 21 and 13. On 2nd and 6 from the Dallas 32, Jones was sacked for a 10 yard loss. Gano nailed a 50 yard field goal to put the Giants up by 4 with 6 1/2 minutes left. The Cowboys mounted a staggering 17 play drive that took over 5 minutes and moved the Cowboys 58 yards. With 1:53 left, the Cowboys had 1st and goal at the 7. Dalton was sacked for a 10 yard loss. Then came an incompletion. On 3rd and goal from the 17, Dalton went to the end zone and was intercepted for a touchback. Gallman ran for 5 and 8 as Jones took 3 knees. Both teams were 6-10. The Cowboys were out. The Giants waited to find out of they would be the worst team to ever win their division. Either way, they began the season 1-7 under Joe Judge and then rallied to go 5-3 down the stretch. 23-19 Giants  

New York Jets at New England Patriots — The 6-9 Patriots have their first losing season in 20 years. The Jets began 0-13 before winning 2 straight. This was expected to be Adam Gase’s final game. The Patriots began facing 1st and 15 from their own 11. Cam Newton went to Sony Michel for 17 and Michel ran for 13 more. Newton then ran for a 49 yard gain, a franchise record. Newton hit James White for a 7 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Patriots. With 6 minutes left in an ugly first half, the Jets took over at their own 20. On 3rd and 1 from their own 29, Sam Darnold gained 3. On 3rd and 9 from their own 33, Darnold hit Brown for 18, Johnson for 15, Crownder for 12 and Herndon for a 21 yard touchdown. The game was tied 7-7 at the half. After a touchback to start the third quarter, Josh Adams ran for 10. Darnold went deep to Perriman for 53 and to Crowder for 10 down to the one. Adams got the yard as the Jets led 14-7. Could Gang Green pull off the upset? Could the Jets win 3 in a row? Is Adam Gase better than Bill Belichick? No, no, and good lord no.

Midway through the third quarter the Patriots faced 3rd and 3 just shy of midfield. Newton gained 4. On 3rd and 6 from the Jets 43, Newton hit Olszewski for 12. On 3rd and 3 from the Jets 24, Newton gained 5. Newton hit Jacob Meyers for a 19 yard touchdown and a 14-14 game. After a touchback the Jets faced 2nd and 5 from their 40. Darnold was intercepted by Jackson, who returned it 17 yards to the Jets 45. One minute into the fourth quarter, Newton hit Devin Asiasi for a 26 yard touchdown to make it 21-14 Patriots. The Patriots got it back at their own 43. Newton hit meyers for 11 with roughing the passer adding 15 more. Newton went to Michel for a 31 yard touchdown. The Jets embarked on a staggering 16 play, 65 yard, 8 minute drive, but ball control is not good when you’re losing. On 3rd and 7 from the Patriots 15, Darnold went to the end zone and was intercepted. Adam Gase did not have to wait until Black Monday to learn his fate. He was fired Sunday night. 28-14 Patriots

Minnesota Vikings at Detroit Lions — Sometimes a pair of bad teams with nothing to play for can play a very exciting game. This actually was that game. The Lions took over at their own 10. Matthew Stafford went to TJ Hockenson for 9 and Marvin Jones for 23. On 3rd and 1 from the Minnesota 46, Mohammed Sanu gained 3. Stafford went to Jones for a 43 yard touchdown to make it 6-0. The extra point was no good. The Vikings soon faced 3rd and 4 from their own 36. Kirk Cousins went to Justin Jefferson for 13 and Mattison for 15. On 3rd and 13 from the Detroit 39, Cousins went to Jefferson for 9. Jefferson fumbled but the Vikings retained possession after an 11 yard gain. Mike Zimmer gambled on 4th and 2 from the Detroit 28. Cousins went to Mattison for the touchdown and the 7-6 Vikings lead. 

In the second quarter after a touchback, Adrian Peterson went up the gut for a 38 yard gain. Stafford went to Hockensen for 15 and to Quintez Cephus for a 20 yard touchdown to make it 13-7 Lions. The Vikings took over at their own 21. Cousins went to Smith for 25, Conklin for 11 and 19, and Adam Thielen for 14. On 3rd and goal at the 4, Cousins hit Ameer Abdullah for the touchdown and the 14-13 Vikings lead. After a touchback, Stafford hit Jones for 38 yards. Then the drive died. Matt Prater nailed a 54 yard field goal to make it 16-14 Lions. Dan Bailey missed a 46 yard field goal try that would have given the Vikings the lead again. With 55 seconds left in the half the Vikings again took over at their own 21. Cousins went to Jefferson for 8, Chad Beebe for 4, Thielen for 14 and Conklin for 10. With 14 seconds left in the half, the Vikings had 1st and 10 at the Detroit 45. Cousins threw incomplete but the defense jumped offside. That left 4 seconds. Cousins threw the Hail Mary, and Beebe caught it for the 40 yard touchdown and the 21-16 Vikings halftime lead.

The second half was just as exciting and it started with a bang when Agnew returned the kickoff 70 yards to the Detroit 33. Two plays later Stafford went to Jones for a 26 yard touchdown. The 6th lead change of the game made it 23-21 Lions. The Vikings took over at their own 31. Cousins went to Jefferson for 15 and again for 38 with roughing the passer adding 7 more. On 3rd and goal at the 2, Mattison ran it in. The 7th led change had the Vikings up 28-23. Stafford was quickly intercepted to set up the Vikings at the Detroit 23. On 3rd and goal at the 4, Cousins threw incomplete. Bailey hit from 23 to make it 31-23 Vikings midway through the fourth quarter. 

The Lions soon faced 3rd and 5 at their own 30. Stafford hit Danny Amendola for 6. On 3rd and 6 from their own 40, Stafford went to Cephus for 31. Swift ran for 6 and caught a pass from Stafford for 18. Peterson ran for a 2 yard touchdown. The 2 point conversion try to tie the game was no good as Stafford threw incomplete and the Lions trailed 31-29. The Vikings soon faced 3rd and 2 from their own 33. Mattison gained 4. Defensive pass interference added 18. Cousins hit Conklin for 14. On 1st and 20 from the Detroit 30, Boone ran for 19, 5 and 4. On 3rd and goal at the one, Boone got stopped. With 11 1/2 minutes left in regulation, Mike Zimmer went for it. On 4th and goal at the one, Cousins was sacked. Yet a roughing the passer call killed the Lions and made it 1st and goal at the one again. Cousins got in. Bailey missed the extra point that would have made it a 2 score game. Instead the 14 play, 75 yard, 7 1/2 minute drive had the Vikings only up 37-29 with 10 1/2 minutes left.

The Lions also mounted a 14 play, 75 yard drive that took 6 minutes. On 1st and 20 from their own 15, Stafford hit Jones for 21. Swift ran for 13 and 8. On 4th and 1 from the Minnesota 42 midway through the fourth quarter, Darrel Bevell went for it. Peterson gained 4. On 3rd and 11 from the Minnesota 39, Stafford went to Jones for 16. Stafford hit Sanu for 6, ran for 5, and hit Jones for 10. Swift ran for a 2 yard touchdown. With 4 1/2 minutes left, the Lions again had a chance for a 2 point try to tie the game. Again, Stafford threw incomplete. After a touchback, the Vikings took the clock down to 2 1/2 minutes as the Lions took their final timeout on defense. Everything came down to the Vikings facing 4th and 1 at the Detroit 25. A 43 yard field goal would not put the game away, so Zimmer went for it. Mattison gained 16 yards and Cousins took 3 knees. 37-35 Vikings   

Pittsburgh Steelers at Cleveland Browns — The 12-3 Steelers had clinched the AFC North and Mike Tomlin rested Ben Roethlisberger. Mason Rudolph got the start against the 10-5 Browns, who would be in the playoffs with a win. A loss would require the Browns to get help. The Dawg Pound was ready. The Browns took over at their own 15. Nick Chubb ran for 11 and 3. Baker Mayfield hit Jarvis Landry for 14 and Austin Hooper for 10. Chubb ran for a 47 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Browns. The Browns began the second quarter facing 1st and 15 from their own 20. Chubb gained 13 and Mayfield went deep to Higgins for 42. Despite 1st and goal at the 4, a pair of incompletions were sandwiched around a run that lost a yard. Cody Parkey hit the 23 yard field goal to make it 10-0 Browns. 

The Steelers began moving the ball but could not reach the end zone. Matthew Wright hit field goals of 28 and 46 in the second quarter and again from 46 in the third quarter as the Steelers were right back in it down 10-9. The Browns got it back at their own 24. Mayfield hit Higgins for 13. On 3rd and 5 from their 42, Mayfield hit nook for 14 and then ran for a 28 yard gain himself. Mayfield hit Hodge for 10 and Austin Hooper for a 2 yard touchdown to make it 17-9 Browns. An interception of Rudolph gave the Browns great field position at the Pittsburgh 20. On 3rd and 8, Mayfield hit Hodge for 15. On the first play of the fourth quarter, Landry ran for a 3 yard touchdown to make it 24-9 Browns.

The Steelers after a touchback fought back. Rudolph hit McDonald for 14. James Conner gained 7 and 4. Rudolph went o Chase Claypool for 10. On 4th and 6 from the Cleveland 36, Rudolph hit Johnson for 8. On 4th and 10 from the Cleveland 28, Rudolph went to Claypool for the touchdown. Twice the Browns were one stop away from ending it. Instead, the Steelers were within 24-16 with 10 minutes left. The Browns from their own 27 went on a 10 play drive that took 6 1/2 minutes off the clock. On 3rd and 3 from the Pittsburgh 31, Mayfield was sacked for a 4 yard loss. A 53 yard field goal with 3 1/2 minutes left would ice the game, but Kevin Stefanski decided against trying it. He went for it and on 4th and 7 and Mayfield through incomplete.

The Steelers soon faced 3rd and 10 from their own 35. Rudolph hit Juju Smith-Schuster for 13 and then went deep to Diontae Johnson for 47. On 3rd and goal at the 2, Rudolph hit Smith-Schuster for the touchdown. With 1:23 left, a 2 point conversion would tie the game. Rudolph threw incomplete. The onside kick failed. The Steelers took their timeouts on defense. With 1:10 to play, it came down to the Browns facing 3rd and 2 at the Pittsburgh 42. Mayfield rolled out, saw an opening, ran for 3, purposely went down inbounds, and pumped his fists. For the first time since 2002, the Browns are going to the playoffs. These 2 teams will play again next week in the Wildcard round. Yet that game will be in Pittsburgh, and Roethlisberger will be back. 24-22 Browns 

Baltimore Ravens at Cincinnati Bengals — The Bengals were done for the year but had won 2 straight. The Ravens came in winning 4 straight and at 10-5 were guaranteed a Wildcard spot with a win. A loss would require the Ravens get help elsewhere. This game was over early. The Ravens pounded the Bengals for over 400 yards rushing. After a touchback the Ravens moved 59 yards in 12 plays and 7 minutes. The Ravens settled for a 34 yard Justin Tucker field goal to lead 3-0. The Ravens took over at their own 31. Lamar Jackson ran for 12 and threw a 43 yard touchdown pass to Miles Boykin to make it 10-0 Ravens. In the second quarter the Ravens mounted a mind-numbing 17 play, 93 yard drive that consumed over 8 1/2 minutes. Jackson threw an 18 yard touchdown pass to Marquise Brown for make it 17-0 Ravens. The Bengals avoided a shutout with a field goal late in the half, but this game was never close. In the third quarter the Ravens marched 70 yards and JK Dobbins ran for a 5 yard touchdown. The Ravens got it back at midfield and Jackson hit Brown for a 9 yard touchdown. An interception gave to back to the Ravens at their own 20. Dobbins ran for 8 and then raced for a 72 yard touchdown. Dobbins had 160 yards rushing and  the fourth quarter was scoreless. John Harbaugh has an 11-5 squad that can pound the rock. 38-3 Ravens

Miami Dolphins at Buffalo Bills — The 12-3 Bills clinched the AFC East for the first time in 25 years. The 10-5 Dolphins needed a miracle from Ryan Fitzpatrick’s beard last week, but he was out injured. Tua Tagovailoa has been benched a couple times, but it was up to him to go on the road and get the win. Sean McDermott played his starters despite the top seed being out of reach. With a win, the Dolphins were in the playoffs. They could still get in with a loss but would need help. An early interception of Josh Allen led to a field goal and a 3-0 Dolphins lead after the first quarter. The Bills exploded in the second quarter and put the game away.

The Bills began the second quarter at midfield. Allen hit Stefan Diggs for 5, Singletary for 6, and Diggs for 8 and 18. On 3rd and 4 from the Miami 7, Allen hit Isaiah McKenzie for the touchdown to make it 7-3 Bills. The Bills got it back at their own 12. Allen hit Diggs for 8, Knox for 10, Diggs for 16 and McKenzie for 19. On 3rd and 4 from the Miami 14. Allen went to McKenzie for the touchdown to make it 14-3 Bills. McKenzie then killed Miami on special teams by returning a punt 84 yards for a touchdown to make it 21-3 Bills. Miami got another field goal with 1:44 left in the half, but the Bills kept rolling. After a touchback, Allen went to Diggs for 16, to John Brown for 27, and to Brown again for a 32 yard touchdown. The Bills led 28-6 at halftime. 

The second half was a formality. The Dolphins did manage a third quarter touchdown, but Tagovailoa was then intercepted by Josh Norman for a 16 yard defensive touchdown to have the Bills up 35-13 after three quarters. In the fourth quarter the Bills carpet-bombed the Dolphins. Two more interceptions of Tagovailoa led to two more Bills touchdowns to put them up 49-13. After a Miami touchdown, Allen retired for the day and Matt Barkley came in. Barkley’s first pass was a deep ball to Davis for a 56 yard touchdown and a 56-19 Bills lead. The Dolphins added one more garbage touchdown. The Bills are 13-3 and will host a Wildcard game. The 10-6 Dolphins could still make the playoffs if any one of four other teams lost. All four of those teams won and the Dolphins were the odd team out of the playoffs. 56-26 Bills

Seattle Seahawks at San Francisco 49ers — The 49ers were done for the year but were expected to put up a fight against their hated NFC West rival. The 11-4 Seahawks clinched the division and had an outside shot at the top seed. The first three quarters was a brutal slog. Jason Myers hit field goals of 36 in the first quarter and 30 in the second quarter to make it 6-0 Seahawks. Tristan Vizcaino was in for an injured Robbie Gould. Vizcaino hit from 36 to end the half and from 47 and 36 in the third quarter to have the 49ers up 9-6 after three quarters. The 49ers took over with 5 minutes left in the third quarter and soon faced 3rd and 8 from their own 29. CJ Beathard hit Kendrick Bourne for 27. On 4th and 3 from the Seattle 37, Kyle Shanahan passed up a 55 yard field goal try and went for it. Beathard hit Bourne for 11 and Dwlley for 13. The fourth quarter began with the game’s first touchdown as Jeff Wilson ran it in from 7 yards out to make it 16-6 49ers.

After a touchback the Seahawks finally got going. Russell Wilson hit Chris Carson for 10 and Tyler Lockett for 9 with defensive unnecessary roughness adding 15. Wilson went to Disney for 20. On 3rd and goal from the 6, Wilson hit Lockett for the touchdown to get the Seahawks within 16-12. The extra point was no good. The Seahawks got it back at their own 15. Wilson hit DK Metcalf for 12. Carson gained 9 and 5. Wilson added 11 and then hit Lockett for 9. Wilson ran for 16. With 2:20 to play in the game, the Seahawks faced 4th and goal at the 4 after a pair of Wilson incompletions. The earlier missed extra point forced the Seahawks to go for it. Wilson hit Lockett for the touchdown to make it 19-16 Seahawks. Beathard was soon sacked and fumbled. The Seahawks recovered at the Frisco 17. Alex Collins ran for an 8 yard touchdown with 1:49 left as 20 straight points made it 26-16 Seahawks. By the time the 49ers reached the end zone, only 23 seconds remained. The onside kick failed and the Seahawks for the second straight week survived with defense. They were denied the top seed and will host a Wildcard playoff game. 26-23 Seahawks 

Arizona Cardinals at Los Angeles Rams — The 8-7 Cardinals were once 6-3. The 9-6 Rams were once 9-4. Both teams with a win would be in the playoffs. The Cardinals would be out with a loss. The Rams could get in with a loss but would need help. Jared Goff was out injured. With everything on the line, backup John Wolford would start. He had never won an NFL game. These teams both have high-flying offenses, yet this game was about defense. On the first Arizona series, Kyler Murray went out injured. His backup was Chris Streveler. Wolford was quickly intercepted to set up the Cardinals at the Rams 14. Streveler threw an 11 yard touchdown pass to Jonathan Ward. The Cardinals led 7-0 after the first quarter, but the Rams defense took over after that.

The Rams mounted a 16 play, 69 yard, 8 minute drive. Despite 1st and goal at the one, consecutive false starts killed the drive. The second quarter began with Matt Gay hitting a 28 yard field goal  for the Rams. The Rams in the second quarter took over at their 18 and moved 81 yards in 13 plays and 7 minutes. Again the Rams got down to the one. Again they did not punch it in as Cam Akers fumbled and the Cardinals recovered at the one. Yet 2 plays later the Cardinals were called for offensive holding in their own end zone. The safety got the Rams within 7-5. The Cardinals moved from their own 35 to a 2nd and 7 at the Rams 32 with 20 seconds left in the half. Then came the play of the game. Steveler was intercepted by Troy Hill, who weaved through traffic for an 84 yard defensive touchdown and a 12-7 Rams lead. The second half was all defense. Gay hit from 34 in the third quarter and from 27 in the fourth quarter. An Arizona field goal try was blocked. Murray tried to return, but it was too late. The 10-6 Rams will travel for a Wildcard game and hope to have Goff back. The 8-8 Cardinals are out. As for Wolford, his very first NFL win was a big one. 18-7 Rams

Jacksonville Jaguars at Indianapolis Colts — The Colts were one of five 10-5 teams, but they were the only one who would automatically miss the playoffs with a loss. They were the only one who could win and still miss out if 4 other teams all won. The Jaguars won their opener and then lost 14 straight to lock up the first pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. Yet that sole win came against the Colts. The Colts began at their own 22. Taylor ran for 11 and then for 56. On 3rd and 5 from the Jacksonville 6, Philip Rivers hit TY Hilton for the touchdown to make it 7-0 Colts. The Colts got it back at their own 16 and mounted a 13 play, 80 yard, 7 1/2 minute drive. Rivers threw incomplete on 3rd and goal at the 4. Rodrigo Blankenship hit the 22 yard field goal to make it 10-0 Colts. The Jaguars moved from their own 15 to a 3rd and 6 at their 45. Glennon was sacked and fumbled and TJ Carrie returned it 25 yards to the Jags 15. Taylor ran for one, 13, and the one yard touchdown in the second quarter to make it 17-0 Colts. The Jaguars faced 4th and 1 from their own 49. Doug Marrone gambled and Glennon threw incomplete. The short field led to a 24 yard Blankenship field goal and a 20-0 Colts lead with 2 1/2 minutes left in the half.

The Jaguars actually made a game of it after a touchback. Glennon hit Conley for 17 and 9, Cole for 8, Godwin for 5, 6 and 21, and Laviska Shenault for a 9 yard touchdown. With 27 seconds left in the half the Jaguars were within 20-7. On the last play of the half, Blankenship missed a 56 yard field goal try. Blankenship missed again from 49 early in the third quarter when his kick doinked off the upright. The Jaguars soon faced 3rd and 14 from their own 35. Glennon hit Conley for 15. Ogunbowale gained 11. On 3rd and 8 from the Indy 37, Glennon hit Cole for 12 and Saubert for 9. Glennon went to Shenault for an 8 yard touchdown as the Jaguars were within 20-14 with 6 1/2 minutes left in the third quarter. With 4 1/2 minutes left in the game, the Colts took over at midfield. Taylor ran for 5 and then broke the backs of the Jaguars with a 45 yard touchdown run. The 2 point conversion was good. The Jaguars put up a fight, but they are now on the clock as Doug Marrone awaits Black Monday. The 11-5 Colts did not win their division, and 3 of the 4 other teams also won to get to 11-5. However, one team, Miami, lost. The Colts are in the playoffs as a Wildcard. 28-14 Colts

 

Tennessee Titans at Houston Texans — The Titans were one of five 10-5 teams. A win would clinch them the AFC South while a loss would leave them depending on other results to make the playoffs. The Texans were done for the year but they put up a fight. The first quarter saw Sam Sloman hit a 47 yard field goal for the Titans and Kaimi Fairbairn respond from 24 for a 3-3 game after the first quarter. Then the offenses got going. On 2nd and 3 from their own 32, Derrick Henry gained 8 and then broke free for a 52 yard touchdown to make it 10-3 Titans. The Texans moved 51 yards in 11 plays and 6 1/2 minutes. On 4th and 2 from their own 46, Romeo Crennel called a fake punt. AJ McCarron hit Mitchell for 20. Yet the drive again stalled in the red zone. On 3rd and 10 from the Titans 18, Deshaun Watson was sacked. Fairbairn hit from 43 to get the Texans within 10-6. 

After a touchback, Ryan Tannehill ran for 10 and Henry added 16. Tannehill went to Davis for 19. Henry added 28. Tannehill hit AJ Brown for the touchdown to make it 17-6 Titans. The kickoff went out of bounds to set up the Texans at their own 40. For the 3rd time in the half, the Texans drove into the red zone. For the 3rd time they did not get in the end zone. On 3rd and 8 from the Titans 10, Watson threw incomplete. Fairbairn hit from 28 to end the half with the Texans within 17-9. In the third quarter Henry ran for 4 and 14. On 3rd and 8 from their own 45, Tannehill hit Brown for 29. On 3rd and 10 from the Houston 26, Tannehill hit Anthony Firkser for 12. Henry ran for a 6 yard touchdown to cap the 10 play, 75 yard, 5 minute drive and put the Titans up 24-9.

After a touchback, Watson hit Brandin Cooks for 11 and Brown for 14. Defensive pass interference added 11. Watson went to Cooks for a 38 yard touchdown. The extra point was no good as the Texans were within 24-15. The Texans took over at their own 23. Henry ran for 8, 9, 4, and then a 45 yard gain. Tannehill ran for a 5 yard touchdown as the Titans led 31-15 with 4 1/2 minutes left in the third quarter.  

The Texans began at their own 35. Johnson ran for 19 and 26. Watson hit Cooks for a 20 yard touchdown. The 2 point conversion was originally called good, but was reversed to short of the plane of the goal. The Titan were within 31-21. The Titans quickly fumbled after a touchback and the Texans took over at the Titans 28. Watson hit Cooks for 27 and Johnson got the last yard to get the Texans within 31-28. The Titans moved from their own 25 to a 4th and 11 at the Houston 37. Mike Vrabeld decided to go for it rather than try a 55 yard field goal. Tannehill was sacked for an 11 yard loss. The Texans took over at their own 48. Watson gained 7 with defensive unnecessary roughness added 15. On 3rd and 3 from the Titans 23, Watson hit Akins for 9, Cooks for 7 and pharaoh Brown for a 7 yard touchdown. With 10 minutes left in regulation, 20 straight points had the Texans up 35-31. They had 4 straight touchdown drives.

After a touchback the Titans had their drive of the year. 19 plays. 75 yards. 8 1/2 minutes. On 3rd and 6 from their own 29, Tannehill hit Brown for 11. On 3rd and 4 from the Houston 43, Tannehill hit Brown for 5. On 3rd and 8 from the Houston 21, Tannehill hit Davis for 9. On 3rd and 2 from the Houston 4, Tannehill gained 3. Tannehill ran for a 5 yard touchdown as the Titans led 38-35 with 1:40 to play. The Texnans began at their own 9 yard line. Watson went to Johnson for 32. A sack of Watson had the Texans facing 3rd and 13 from their own 38. Watson hit Keke Coutee for 29. After 3 straight incompletions, on 4th and 10 from the Titans 33, Fairbairn drilled a 51 yard field goal. With 18 seconds left the game was tied 38-38. Rather than play for overtime after a touchback, Tannehill went bombs away and found Brown for a 52 yard gain. Sloman came in for a 27 yard field goal try for the win. Sloman was good and the Titans at 11-5 won the AFC South the hard way. Henry became the 8th player in NFL history with at least 2,000 yards rushing as he bulldozed Houston for 250 yards. 41-38 Titans 

Las Vegas Raiders at Denver Broncos — Both teams were out of the playoffs, but this situation was exactly the same as last year. The Raiders were 7-8 and the Broncos were worse. Last year the Raiders went into Denver and lost 16-15 on the final play when a 2 point conversion try failed. This year’s game was a thriller. The Broncos moves from their own 28 to a 3rd and goal at the 4. Drew Lock threw incomplete. Brandon McManus hit a 22 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Broncos. The Raiders soon faced 4th and 1 at their own 34. Jon Gruden on the road decided to go for it. Derek Carr kept it and gained 2. Carr then went deep and found Nelson Agholor for a 57 yard gain. Had Carr led Agholor more, it would have been a touchdown. Agholor had to lay out for it, so instead it was 1st and goal at the 7. Again, the Raiders struggled down close. On the next play, a touchdown pass to Agholor was nullified by offensive pass interference on Zee Jones. The Raiders settled for a 33 yard Daniel Carlson field goal for a 3-3 game.

The Broncos faced 3rd and 10 from their own 25. Lock went to Cleveland for 17. Freeman ran for 20. Lock hit Patrick for 29. On 3rd and goal at the 3, Lock threw incomplete. Yet defensive holding instead meant 1st and goal at the one. Lock hit Troy Fumagalli for the touchdown and the 10-3 Broncos lead after the first quarter. After a touchback, the Raiders began the second quarter with a completion from Carr to standout Darren Waller. Yet this time Waller got hit and fumbled the ball. The Broncos took over at the Raiders 39. Three plays gained a total of 2 yards. Vic Fangio brought in McManus for a 56 yard field goal try. McManus was no good. 

The Raiders took over at their own 46. Carr hit Hunter Renfrow for 8. On 3rd and 2 from the Denver 28, Carr went deep to Waller for the touchdown and a 10-10 game. The Broncos after a touchback moved to a 4th and 1 at the Raiders 38. After missing from 56, Fangio did not want to have McManus try from 57. Fangio went for it and Lock threw incomplete. A 21 yard punt return by Renfrow had the Raiders taking over at their own 44 with 1:39 left in the half. Carr went to Theo Riddick for 5 and 15 and Henry Ruggs for 15. With 26 seconds left in the half, the Raiders faced 3rd and 15 from the Denver 26. Carr delivered a dime to Bryan Edwards in the end zone as Edwards beat the defender for the touchdown and the 17-10 Raiders lead. With 3 seconds left in the half, Vic Fangio decided to try and make NFL history. He brought in McManus for a 70 yard field goal try. The kick was blocked. 

In the third quarter the Broncos moved from their own 25 to a 2nd and 6 at the Denver 18. Lock threw incomplete twice. From 37 yards out, McManus was good and the Broncos were within 17-13. The Raiders could not handle prosperity. They spent the second half of the third quarter self-destructing. They moved from their own 5 to a 3rd and 3 at their own 30. Carr was intercepted and the Broncos took over at the Raiders 44. Yet on 3rd and 9 from the Raiders 14, Lock hit Hamilton for only 5. On 4th and 2 from the 9, Vic Fangio opted for the field goal. McManus hit from 27 and the Broncos were within 17-16. Two plays after a touchback, Ruggs fumbled and the Broncos took over at the Raiders 34. Lock hit Melvin Gordon for 13 and Noah Fant for 10. On 3rd and 1 from the Raiders 12, Lock gained 2. On the first play of the fourth quarter, Gordon ran for a 10 yard touchdown. Fangio went for 2 and Lock hit Jerry Jeudy for the conversion as the Broncos led 24-17. After a touchback the Raiders soon faced 1st and 20 from their own 31. Carr was intercepted by Jackson, who returned it 13 yards to the Raiders 31. The Silver and Black had 3 straight drives end in turnovers and 4 turnovers overall. 

A field goal would put the Broncos up 27-17. They were already in range. Yet on 3rd and 7 from the Raiders 28, Lock was sacked for an 11 yard loss. It was a tremendous mistake, and Fangio was not going to try a 57 yard field goal in that situation. The Broncos punted and the Raiders took over at their own 10. On 3rd and 1 from their own 19, Josh Jacobs gained 4. Carr went to Edwards for 25 and Waller for 6. On 3rd and 4 from the Denver 43, Carr went to Waller for 15. Jacobs banged through the line and raced for a 28 yard touchdown. Midway through the fourth quarter, the game was tied 24-24. The offense had finally calmed down and the defense had played reasonably well. So naturally it was time for the mother of all defensive breakdowns. The Broncos faced 3rd and 10 from their own 8. Lock fired over the middle to Jeudy, who outraced everybody for a 92 yard touchdown. Just like that, the Broncos were up 31-24 with 6 1/2 minutes left. After an exchange of punts, the Raiders were in desperation mode at their own 23 with 1:47 left.

Carr put on a clinic. He went deep to Jones for 37 and to Waller for gains of 10 and 21. With 53 seconds left in the game the Raiders had 1st and goal at the 9. Then came the red zone struggles. Carr threw incomplete twice. On 3rd and goal at the 9, Carr hit Riddick for 8 yards. With 27 seconds left, everything came down to 4th and goal at the one. angio took a timeout on defense, which actually gave the Raiders more time to try different ideas. Out of the shotgun, the handoff went to Jacobs. He banged into the line, saw a brick wall, and rammed through it into the end zone. Yet Jon Gruden was not done. For the second year in a row on the road at Denver, he was going for the win rather than the tie. There would be no overtime. Last year Carr’s pass was broken up. This year Carr fired over the middle through a microscopic window and delivered a laser to Waller. The Raiders led by a point. 

Yet this Raiders team was the defense that could not hold a lead against Miami for 19 seconds. After a touchback, Lock hit Jeudy for 25 to midfield. Then the Raiders were called for  delay of game on defense to give the Broncos 5 more yards. With 2 seconds left, McManus came in for a 63 yard field goal try. He has the leg. The Raiders were about to go down in flames 3 straight weeks on the final play. Not this time. The kick was blocked. The Raiders won. They were 8-8 the hard way. Jacobs and Waller set franchise records on offense for the season. Despite 4 turnovers and 14 penalties, the Raiders won. Lock was 25 of 41 for 339 yards and 2 touchdowns with 0 interceptions. Carr was 24 of 38 for 371 yards, 2 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. Most importantly, Carr got the final 2 point conversion and the win. The defense needs a lot of improvement, but the Raiders have improved under Jon Gruden from 4-12 to 7-9 to 8-8. The building blocks are there. A great defensive coordinator could finally get the Raiders to the next level in 2021. For now, this was an instant classic and a sweet win to end the season. Just win baby. 32-31 Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers at Kansas City Chiefs — The Chargers were out of contention while the 14-1 Chiefs clinched home field throughout the playoffs and rested their starters. Chad Henne started in place of Patrick Mahomes, who worked on his clipboard-holding skills. The Chiefs began the game facing 3rd and 9 at their own 45. Henne went to Thompson for a 37 yard gain. After a defensive facemask penalty, Henne hit Byron Pringle for a 3 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Chiefs. After a touchback Justin Herbert hit Austin Ekeler for 3 and 7, Parham for 7, Anderson for 17, Mike Williams for 11, and Parham for an 8 yard touchdown. The 12 play, 75 yard, 7 minute drive tied the game 7-7.  The Chiefs took over at their own 28. Henne hit Robinson for 11, Yelder and Robinson for 8 each, and Mecole Hardman for 18. On 3rd and 7 from the Chargers 13, Henne hit Pringle for 12. Henne got the last yard himself. The 12 play, 75 yard, 6 minute drive made it 14-7 Chiefs early in the second quarter. After that the Chargers took over.

The turning point came when the Chiefs fumbled a punt and the Chargers took over at the Kansas City 17. Herbert hit Ekeler for 9 and again for a 4 yard touchdown to make it 14-14. The Chargers got it back at their own 22 and embarked on a 15 play, 77 yard, 6 1/2 minute drive. On 2nd and goal at the 2, Herbert threw incomplete twice. Anthony Lynn went for it. On 4th and goal at the 2, Herbert initially was ruled getting a touchdown. On further review, Herbert was short and the Chiefs took over at their own one yard line. The defense had an inspired goal line stand and the offense wasted it by giving up a safety to make it 16-14 Chargers. The Chargers took the free kick at their own 41. Herbert hit Hill for 7, Williams for 6 and 12 and Ekeler for 4. A defensive penalty for lowering the head to initiate contact added 15 and defensive pass interference added 21 more down to the one. Kalen Ballage got in as the Chargers took a 24-14 lead to the locker rooms.

In the third quarter the Chiefs moved from their own 8 to a 4th and 1 at the Chicago 30. Andy Reid went for it and Thomson got stopped. Herbert hit Nabers for 5, Johnson for 8, and Williams for a 48 yard touchdown as 24 unanswered points made it 31-14 Chargers after three quarters. The Chiefs began the fourth quarter at their own 26. Henne hit Robinson for 8, Dieter for 10 and Thompson for 12. On 3rd and 8 from the Chargers 42, Henne hit Pringle for 31. On 3rd and 7 from the Chargers 8, Henne hit Thompson for the touchdown to get the Chiefs within 31-21 with 12 minutes left in regulation. The Chargers took over at their own 23. Ballage ran for 9, 3 and 3. Herbert went to Johnson for 27. Jackson ran for 34 yards down to the one. Ballage got the last yard to lock up the win. The Chargers began 3-9, but 4 straight wins to close out the season was not enough to save Anthony Lynn. The Chargers fired him on Monday after 4 seasons. At 14-2 the Chiefs will have next week off to get everybody healthy, making Andy Reid a most happy walrus indeed. 38-21 Chargers 

Green Bay Packers at Chicago Bears — The 12-3 Packers clinched the NFC North and with a win would lock up home field throughout the playoffs. The 8-7 Bears were in the playoffs with a win but would need help to get in if they lost. The Packers kicked the opening kickoff out of bounds, and wasted a challenge on that play. On Bears faced 3rd and 1 from their own 49. Montgomery gained 3. On 3rd and 1 from the Packers 41, Montgomery gained 3. On 3rd and 2 from the Packers 30, a run lost a yard. Matt Nagy went for it on 4th and 3 and Mitchell Trubisky hit Anthony Miller for 7. Montgomery ran for 8 and then for a 2 yard touchdown to cap the 14 play, 60 yard, 7 1/2 minute drive and make it 7-0 Bears. The Packers took over at their own 20. Aaron Rodgers hit Marques Valdes-Scantling for 15 and Devonta Adams for 9. Aaron Jones ran for 10. On 3rd and 8 from the Chicago 45, Rodgers hit Jones for 15. On 3rd and 5 from the Chicago 25, Jones gained 2. Matt Lafleur decided to go for it. On 4th and 3, Rodgers threw deep incomplete but defensive pass interference meant a 16 yard gain. Rodgers hit Robert Tonyan for a 3 yard touchdown on the first play of the second quarter. The 12 play, 80 yard, 7 1/2 minute drive made it 7-7 as each team had the ball once in the first quarter and scored a touchdown.

The Packers fumbled a punt early in the second quarter and he Bears recovered at the Green Bay 20. Yet on 3rd and 3 from the 13, a run gained only one yard. Matt Nagy played it safe and Cairo Santos hit the 30 yard field goal to make it 10-7 Bears. After that reality set in. The Packers soon faced 3rd and 4 from their own 28. Rodgers connected with Valdes-Scantling for a 72 yard touchdown to make it 14-10 Packers. The Bears quickly fumbled the ball and the Packers recovered at the Chicago 22. On 3rd and 4, Rodgers hit Adams for 9 and Dominique Daffney for a 13 yard touchdown to make it 21-10 Packers. The Bears mounted 2 very long drives but could not put the ball in the end zone With 11 seconds left in the half they had 1st and goal at the 9. Trubisky threw incomplete and left only 3 seconds. Santos hit from 27 to get the Bears within 21-13. In the third quarter the Bears moved from their own 11 to a 3rd and goal at the 7. Trubisky completed a pass for only 5 yards. On 4th and goal at the 2, Matt Nagy again decided not to go for the potential tie. Santos hit from 20 to get the Bears within 21-16. The Bears got it back and moved from their own 24 on a 15 play, 51 yard, 8 minute drive. They twice converted on 4th and 1. Yet a third 4th and 1 from the Green Bay 25 resulted in Trubisky throwing incomplete with 11 1/2 minutes remaining in regulation.

In the fourth quarter the Packers closed the door. From their own 24, Rodgers hit Adams for 6 and 7. On 3rd and 7 from their own 40, Rodgers hit Adams for 9 and Jones for 8. On 2nd and 6 from the Chicago 36, Rodgers hit Jones for 17 and Lazard for 14. Jones ran for a 4 yard touchdown to make it 28-16 Packers with 4 minutes left in regulation. Trubisky was then quickly intercepted at midfield by Amos, who returned it 24 yards to the Chicago 26. Williams ran for 6 and 14. Rodgers hit Adams for a 6 yard touchdown with 3 minutes left. The Bears showed who they are with 9 seconds left and 1st and goal at the 4. Trubisky threw a 3 yard pass and the clock ran out. Even a garbage touchdown was too much to ask. Despite the loss, the 8-8 Bears backed into the playoffs because Arizona also lost. The Packers are 13-3 for the second straight year, but last year they were the 2 seed and lost the NFC Title Game on the road. This year, the Packers are the top seed with home field throughout the playoffs and a first round bye. Rodgers finished the year with 48 touchdown passes and should be the NFL MVP. 35-16 Packers

New Orleans Saints at Carolina Panthers — The Panthers are done for the year. The 11-4 Saints clinched the NFC South and had an outside shot at the top seed and home field throughout the playoffs. The Panthers punted on 4th and 22 from their own 13. A 39 yard punt with a 10 yard return set up the Saints at the Carolina 42. Sean Payton gambled on 4th and 1 from the Carolina 21. Taysom Hill gained 3. Pinball Wizard Drew Brees hit Jared Cook for an 18 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Saints. The Panthers later on faced 3r and 3 from their own 43. Bridgewater threw incomplete but defensive pass interference meant a 6 yard gain. Bridgewater went to Moore for 14 and Samuel for 25. Bridgewater ran for 7 down to the one. Rodney Smith got in for a 7-7 game after the first quarter. 

The Panthers began the second quarter at their own 46. Yet on 1st and 10 from the Saints 18, Bridgwater went to the end zone and was intercepted by Malcolm Jenkins. Jenkins returned the interception 48 yards to the Saints 46. After that the Saints rolled. On 3rd and 3 from the Carolina 47, Montgomery ran for 36 and Brees hit Emmanuel Sanders for an 8 yard touchdown to make it 13-7 Saints. The extra point was no good. After a touchback the Panthers had another long drive including a 4th and 1 conversion. Yet on 4th and 1 from the Saints 21, Matt Rhule went for it again and a run lost a  yard. The Saints moved from their own 22 to a 2nd and 1 at the Carolina 15 with 13 seconds left in the half. Brees threw incomplete twice. Wil Lutz hit the 33 yard field goal to make it 16-7 Saints at the half.

The second half was a formality. Lutz hit a 48 yard field goal in the third quarter to make it 19-7. Bridgwater was intercepted on 2 consecutive possessions, the second of which set up the Saints at the Carolina 24. Hill ran for 6. Montgomery ran for 15 and then for the 3 yard touchdown to make it 26-7 Saints. Brees threw an 11 yard touchdown pass to Austin Carr on the first play of the fourth quarter. Bridgewater threw two more interceptions. The 12-4 Saints did not get the top seed, but they will be a force to be reckoned with. Rumors are swirling that Brees will retire at the end of the season. He has a legitimate shot to go out on top. 33-7 Saints

Washington Non-Haskinses at Philadelphia Eagles was the regular season finale Sunday night game. The Eagles were done for the year but had the chance to play spoiler. The Washington Miscellaneouses were 6-9 but had the tie-breaker advantage in the NFC Least. Even with a losing record, Washington would win the division with a win. A loss, and they were out. This game featured quarterback controversies before the game even started. Ron Rivera cut Dwayne Haskins earlier in the week. After nearly 2 seasons, the 2019 top round draft pick was turning into a bust. The last straw was when he was caught in a strip club without a mask in violation of NFL COVID rules. The Eagles deactivated Carson Wentz before the game. Jalen Hurts was playing well, but this game would be talked about long after it was over for all the wrong reasons.

The No-Names took over at their own 9. On 3rd and 1 from their own 18, Pierre Barber gained 3. On 3rd and 8 from their own 23, Alex Smith hit McKissic for 10. Sims gained 18 and Smith hit Thomas for 18 more. On 3rd and 10 from the Philadelphia 25, Smith hit Sims for 16. On 3rd and goal at the 5, Smith hit Terry McLaurin for a touchdown to make it 7-0 No-Names. Hurts was quickly intercepted to set up the Non-Redskins at the Philly 32.  On 3rd and 7, Smith hit McLaurin for only 5. Riverboat Ron Rivera decided not to gamble on 4th and 2. Dustin Hopkins hit a 42 yard field goal as the No-Names led 10-0 after the first quarter. 

The game changed in the second quarter. After a touchback and defensive holding, the Eagles faced 3rd and 10 at their own 30. Hurts threw incomplete but defensive pass interference added 21. Doug Pederson called a trick play and Ward hit Fulgham for 15. Hurts ran for 9 and one and hit Boston Scott for 9. On 3rd and 6 from the Washington 20, Hurts was sacked but defensive holding meant a new set of downs. O 3rd and 1 from the 6, Hurts ran it in to get the Eagles within 10-7. The Eagles got it back at their own 35. Hurts hit Zac Ertz for 7 and 4 and Reagor for 15. On 3rd and 7 from the Washington 36, Hurts went to Arcega-Whiteside for 30. Hurts ran for a 6 yard touchdown to put the Eagles up 14-10 with 4 minutes left in the half.

A 20 yard punt return had the No-Names taking over at their own 45 with 1:24 left in the half. On 3rd and 6 just shy of midfield, Smith hit Sims for 15. On 3rd and 4 from the Philly 30, the Eagles jumped into the neutral zone. Smith hit Sims and McKissic for 6 each. With 20 seconds left in the half, the Non-Redskins faced 2nd and 10 from the Philly 13. Smith went to Logan Thomas for the touchdown. The No-Names led 17-14 at halftime. The second half was all defense. The third quarter was scoreless. Then came a series of bizarre late decisions by Doug Pederson. 

An interception of Smith gave the Eagles gift field position at the Washington 15. On 2nd and goal from the 4, Hurts threw incomplete twice. With 2 minutes left in the third quarter, a 22 yard chip shot field goal would tie the game. Doug Pederson decided to go for it. Not from the one or even the two, but from the 4. He passed up an easy field goal. Hurts threw incomplete again and the Eagles still trailed. Then things got even crazier. The Eagles got it back at their own 11 with 12 1/2 minutes left in regulation. Yet Hurts was on the bench. Doug Pederson said before the game that Nate Sudfeld would get some playing time, but sitting Hurts down in a situation like this was insane. On 3rd and 5 from his own 16. Sudfeld began his quest to be the next Curtis Painter or Nathan Pederman. He was intercepted. Smith was intercepted as well, giving Sudfeld another chance. Sudfeld quickly fumbled and the No-Names took over at the Philly 25. Offensive holding killed the drive but Hopkins hit from 42 to put the No-Names up by 6. The entire Eagles season came down to 3rd and 10 from their own 26 with 6 seconds left. Forget the Hail Mary or the hook and laterals. Sudfeld completed a 6 yard pass. 

After the game, Doug Pederson was accused of tanking, the worst thing you could say about a guy in sports. The Eagles draft position moved up from 9 to 6 with the loss. Pederson vehemently denied the tanking charges. Hurts was stoic but his teammates were angry at his being removed. Wentz says his relationship with Pederson is broken beyond repair. As for Washington, at 7-9 they are tied for the worst division champion ever. However, the two previous division winners with losing records won their opening playoff game. This was a feel-good moment for Smith, who came back from a life-threatening injury. It was also a feel-good moment for Rivera, who coached his squad to a division title while battling cancer. This team may not have a name, but they have an identity, especially on defense. Rivera is building something. 20-14 Non-Redskins 

NFL 2020 Week 17 Prequel

Saturday, January 2nd, 2021

Despite COVID-19, it is the NFL Week 17 Preview and Bettor’s Guide

NFL 2020 Black Monday Coach Firing Predictions

Saturday, January 2nd, 2021

You’re Fired! – NFL 2020 Black Monday Coach Firing Predictions

2021: We…can…do…this

Friday, January 1st, 2021

2021: We…can…do…this

What the heck is that beeping sound?

(Knocks the phone off the hook, keeps banging the snooze alarm)

A voice tells me it’s my pager. My pager is black, so finding it in the dark is the needle in the haystack equivalent. A lucky smack knocks it against the wall, where it may or may not have shattered. The beeping continues. Why does anyone need a pager anymore anyway?

Who the heck is texting me at this ungodly hour of…(either 7 a.m., 1 p.m., or 1 a.m. …it looks blurry)?

Oh, no. It is 5 a.m., and my first radio interview of the New Year is with the morning man of an East Coast station. Time to pretend to sound coherent and go back to sleep. Oh no, wait, that radio interview was several years ago.

Great, happy wishes for the new year and the new decade. Thanks. Whoever you are, it is too early to talk to you.

One year the person on the telephone insisted it was 1 p.m. After explaining to them that they were on the East Coast, and that 1 p.m. EST is 10 a.m. in Los Angeles, they grew impatient. They knew how to tell time, and that it was 4 p.m. EST, hence 1 p.m. my time.

Sure, getting up and writing my column is an option. It’s a new year, and starting the year off with a flurry of brilliance might be helpful. Forget it. This column is recycled from years ago. It’s also hours late. That is what happens when people get no sleep because of stressful December football games followed by New Year’s Eve revelry.

Election 2020? The first person to talk politics gets blistered in my column … tomorrow.

Bowl games? There is DVR. Besides, does anybody care who wins the Poulan Weed Eater Bowl, the Lack of Insight.com Bowl, the Fishbowl, the RU486 Morning After Bowl, The California Metrosexual Pride Bowl, or any other game that may or may not be made up?

Speaking of the morning after, does anybody remember the David Byrne Talking Heads song from the movie “Less than Zero? (which the temperature feels like right now in rural Georgia and in some other parts of the country. No wonder I live in the insane city of LA)” The song is called “Once In A Lifetime.”

“This is not my beautiful house. This is not my beautiful wife. What have I done? How did I get here?”

It then occurs to me that the beeping sounds are the voices in my head telling me I am too old, even at 48, to stay out this late. Even without alcohol, exhaustion has set in.

Get out of bed? Work calls in (whenever) hours. Better rest up before my tyrant of a boss complains. Such is the life of the self-employed.

Get up now? Somehow stagger to the shower, get dressed, make it out of my condo to go … where?

The stores are closed. Maybe they are open. Too tired to find out.

My birthday is in just over a week. Time to pace myself.

Work on my website? All that takes is staggering to my couch. Oh, no. My IT guy has not finished it yet. Oh, wait, he did years ago. I clicked on the wrong site.

Go on Jdate and search for women? Not a bad idea, except it is too tiring to check their Adams Apples. This is not the year for a boyfriend, and am not sure that my eyes can tell the difference right now. Besides, Jdate is so 2014. Now it is Tinder, JSwipe and JCrush. No, wait. Those are so 2019.

Shop on eBay? No. bad idea. Buying stuff when not at full capacity is problematic. Who needs another mountain goat? Dang creature gets his horns in my hide. Not a comfy way to wake up. Calm down boy, you’ll get some straw to graze on upon my waking up.

Work on my record album? Although again, world, just because my hair is long, that does not mean my band exists. The best instrument is the triangle, because that tells me lunch is ready. Oh wait, my hair is not even that long anymore. I could work on that, although I didn’t do much. I sat. It grew.

Ahh, yes, lunch. Get up and eat something. My microwave is slow, and a five minute microwave dinner takes almost 15 minutes. Read the paper? It is cold outside my building where the stand is, and it only takes coins. Reading the paper online is tiring, and my printer is not working. At least the lifestyle section makes a great placemat for eating. Oh, wait. That stand does not exist anymore. Reading the paper online it is.

Staying in bed for only a couple more hours until (whatever the big and little hands say) would allow me to stay up all night and be totally exhausted for work tomorrow. Again, my boss is a tyrant.

Running errands … not gonna happen.

Every morning, a four word prayer starts my day. My elbows are used to try and leverage them against my bed to prop me up. Placing my alarm clock on the other side of the room failed, since ripping the cord out of the wall solved that problem.

As for the Jewish brunette who stole the covers, her voice was not a problem last night, although if she opens her trap today she will receive a more caustic reception than usual.

Oh wait, she already left. Here is a note. “Tried to wake you, but that was a losing battle. By the way, you have nothing but soda in your fridge. Talk to you soon.” oh, wait, I think that happened over a decade ago. This is 2021, not 2005.

She is a liar. There are potato chips in my fridge as well. Why they are there remains a mystery, but it saves having to remember which cabinet they are in. One-stop shopping  is the way to go.

Besides, combing my hair for her was enough. Not doing it this morning, proud “retrosexual” that is me.

At least having the decency to say some morning prayers would be appropriate.

“Hey God…those people I pray for every night…yeah those people, the same ones…look after them again.”

Back to sleep, despite every attempt to wake up. The home phone is turned off, the cell is off as well, and the pager is still shattered, in addition to being disconnected years ago.

There may have been a car crash outside my building followed by 911 calls and sirens, but telling everybody to “keep it down,” solved that problem. A brief nightmare of me being late for work was averted when I realized my location to me was known if necessary.

Four televisions in the living room, and none in the bedroom. Who thought that up? Oh yeah, a television in the bedroom would promote laziness. Besides, trying to figure out which remote to use would cause me to break them all as if they were my pager.

Ok, here it is. Come on, elbows, do your stuff. Rise, young lad, rise! Awaken thy exhausted tired eyes!

Why is God shouting? Oh wait, that is my over-dramatization of God.

Time to set the alarm now to avoid missing work tomorrow. Where was it thrown? Threw it? Oh, screw it.

Ok, time for my four word prayer. It has gotten me this incredibly terribly far. Time to contemplate getting out of bed.

“We…can…do…this.”

Happy 2021 all. Except for the person who woke me up earlier. Whoever you are, I still can’t stand you, even though you are doing me a favor.

Ten hours and 16 bowl games later, there is only one thing left to do.

Time for a nap. Good riddance to Pandemic 2020. Happy 2021.

Zzzzz.

eric