NFL 2021 Week 4 Recap
Jacksonville Jaguars at Cincinnati Bengals was the Thursday night game. Last week the Bengals went into Pittsburgh and hit them in the mouth. There was a concern of a letdown after that emotional road win. The Jaguars may be the worst team in the league. This was supposed to be easy for the Bengals. As ESPN uber-announcer Chris Berman reminds us, “THAT’s why they PLAY the GAMES!” The Bengals moved from their own 9 to a 3rd and 8 at the Jacksonville 25. A 13 yard completion was nullified by offensive pass interference. A 43 yard field goal try was no good. The Jaguars took over at their own 33. Agnew gained 11Trevor Lawrence went to Austin for 8 and then ran for 11 himself. James Robinson ran for 12. Lawrence hit Arnold for 17. Robinson ran for a 6 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Jaguars.
In the second quarter from their own 20, Lawrence hit Arnold for 12. On 3rd and 2 from his own 40, Lawrence gained 5. Lawrence hit Jones for 10 and Robinson gained 20. On 3rd and 2 from the Cincinnati 17, Lawrence gained 3. On 3rd and 3 from the Cincy 7, Lawrence ran it in to cap the 12 play, 80 yard, 7 minute drive and make it 14-0 Jaguars. The Jaguars got it back at their own 38 with 2 1/2 minutes left in the half. lawrence went deep to Shenault for a 52 yard gain. On 3rd and goal from the 8, Lawrence hit Shenault for 7. With one minute left in the half, Urban Meyer decided to go for it on 4th and goal at the one. The Jaguars were one yard from a 21-0 lead. They didn’t get it as Lawrence got stopped. The Bengals were dominated the entire first half but were still alive.
The Bengals began the third quarter at their own 31 and quickly got back in the game. Joe Burrow went deep to Jamarr Chase for 44 yards. Burrow then went to CJ Uzomah for a 22 yard touchdown to get the Bengals within 14-7. The Bengals got it back at their own 14. Joe Nixon ran for 9 and 4. Burrow then hit Irwin for 25 and Boyd for 12. Mixon ran for 11 and 5. On 3rd and 4 from the Jacksonville 19, Burrow went to Boyd for 11. Mixon ran for 7. On 3rd and goal at the one, Mixon got in. The 12 play, 85 yard, 6 1/2 minute drive had the game tied 14-14 with 5 minutes left in the third quarter.
The Jaguars did not fold so quickly. On 2nd and 6 from their own 27, Lawrence went deep to Agnew for 27. on 3rd and 2 from the Cincinnati 38, Lawrence threw incomplete. Rather than try a 56 yard field goal, Urban Meyer decided to go for it. On 4th and 2, Lawrence hit Shenault for 5. On 3rd and 3 from the Cincy 26, Lawrence hit Shenault for 20. The fourth quarter began with the Jaguars facing 2nd and goal at the 8. Lawrence was sacked for a 10 yard loss but defensive holding instead meant 1st and goal at the 4. Robinson ran it in to put the Jaguars back on top 21-14 only 30 seconds into the fourth quarter to cap the 11 play, 77 yard, 5 1/2 minute drive.
After a touchback, the Bengals soon faced 3rd and 6 from their own 41. Burrow hit Boyd for 8 and Chase for 12 and 7. On 3rd and 3 from the Jags 31, Burrow went to Uzomah for the touchdown. The 10 play, 75 yard, 5 1/2 minute drive tied the game 21-21 with 9 minutes left in regulation. After a touchback, the Jaguars soon faced 3rd and 4 at midfield. With 6 minutes left, Lawrence threw incomplete and the Jaguars punted. The Bengals from their own 10 milked the entire 5 1/2 minutes off the clock. Burrow hit Boyd for 12. On 3rd and 1 from their own 31, Burrow was sacked but defensive holding kept the drive going. On 1st and 15 from his own 31, Burrow hit Perine for just enough. With 1:09 left on 2nd and 13 from the Jacksonville 46, Burrow hit Uzomah for 25. With 4 seconds left, McPherson came in 35 yard field goal try to win it. Atoning for his earlier miss, this time McPherson was good. The Jaguars were game, but did not finish off the Bengals when they had the chance. Good teams find ways to win and bad teams find ways to lose. 24-21 Bengals
Tennessee Titans at New York Jets — The Titans dominated the winless Jets early on but could not reach the end zone. Randy Bullock hit field goals of 44 in the first quarter and from 46 and 36 in the second quarter for a 9-0 Titans lead. The last field goal was set up by an interception of Zach Wilson. The Jets finally got going on 3rd and 10 from their own 25. Wilson hit Davis for 13 and again for 30. On 3rd and 4 from the Tennessee 26, Wilson hit Johnson for 6. McCarter ran for 6 and then for the 2 yard touchdown as the Jets only trailed 9-7 at the half. Late in the third quarter the jets moved from their own 13 to a 3rd and 5 at the Tennessee 9. Wilson threw incomplete but Matt Amendola hit a 27 yard field goal. After three quarters the Jets had the shocking 10-9 lead. After three quarters of smashmouth, the game heated up significantly in the fourth quarter.
After a touchback, Ryan Tannehill hit Pruitt for 14 to start the fourth quarter. Derrick Henry ripped off gains of 18 and 9. McNichols gained 11. Henry gained 22 and then got the one yard touchdown. Mike Vrabel went for the 2 point conversion and Tannehill hit Pruitt to make it 17-10 Titans. From their own 23, the Jets responded quickly. Defensive pass interference on a deep incompletion meant a 43 yard gain. Wilson then hit Crowder for 29 yards. Wilson hit Jamison Crowder for the touchdown to tie the game 17-17. The Jets got it back at their own 47 and needed only one play and 10 seconds to take the lead. Wilson went to Corey Davis for a 53 yard touchdown to make it 24-17 Jets with 9 minutes left in regulation. The Titans moved from their own 35 to a 4th and 4 at the Jets 20 after an incompletion. Mike Vrabel went for it with 3:45 left and Tannehill threw incomplete again. With 2:09 to play, the Titans got it back at their own 26.
With 1:49 to play after a pair of incompletions, the Titans were down to their last gasp facing 4th and 10 at their own 26. Tannehill threw incomplete again but defensive pass interference meant a 22 yard gain and new life. These are the Jets. Tannehill hit McNichols for 15 and Reynolds for 12 and 11 as the Jets took their last timeout on defense with 1:11 left. Tannehill hit Batson for a 2 yard touchdown with 16 seconds left in regulation to tie the game. These are the Jets. If ever a game did not deserve overtime, this was it. The Jets in overtime soon faced 3rd and 1 from their own 34. Coleman gained 2. On 3rd and 2 from their own 44, Wilson went to Keelan Cole for 29 yards. On 3rd and 3 from the Titans 20, Wilson hit Crowder for 11. Wilson then hit Coleman for 8. Halfway through overtime, the Jets faced 3rd and goal at the one. A touchdown would end the game. One yard would give the Jets their first win. Rather than play smashmouth, an end around by Wilson was blown up for a 4 yard loss. Ammendola hit the 22 yard field goal to give the Jets the lead, but the Titans would get the ball. These are the Jets.
The Titans soon faced 3rd and 21 from their own 14. Tannehill hit Rogers for 20. On 4th and 1 from their own 34, Henry gained 13. These are the Jets. On 3rd and 11 from their own 46, Tannehill hit Rogers for 9. On 4th and 2 from the Jets 45, Henry got banged before the marker but fell forward for the necessary 2 yards. These are the Jets. With less than 30 seconds remaining in overtime, the Titans after an incompletion faced 3rd and 5 from the Jets 26. A delay of game meant 3rd and 10. Then Tannehill threw incomplete. Bullock came in for a 49 yard field goal try. The Jets would not lose this game, and a made field goal would mean a tie. The kick was no good! Bullock hit it wide. Robert Saleh became the first Muslim to win an NFL game as a head coach. The Jets will not be 0-17. Put away those “Just End The Season” signs for now. They are a jersey juggernaut. 27-24 Jets
Kansas City Chiefs at Philadelphia Eagles — The Walrus Bowl commenced as Andy Reid took on the team dumb enough to fire him. Reid’s Chiefs were a surprising 1-2 but were expected to roll over the Eagles. After a touchback to start, Jalen Hurts hit Zac Ertz for 13, Smith for 22 and Dallas Goedert for 21. Yet on 3rd and 8 from the Kansas City 16, Hurts only gained 5. Jake Elliott hit the 29 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Eagles. The Chiefs soon faced 3rd and 1 from their own 32. The defense jumped offside. Patrick Mahomes then hit Carl Edwards-Helaire for 11. On 3rd and 1 from the Philadelphia 42, Burton gained 5. Mahomes then found Tyreek Hill, who turned on the afterburner and broke the plane of the goal for a 37 yard touchdown and a 7-3 Chiefs lead.
The Eagles got it back at their own1 6. Gainwell gained 11 and Reagor added 12. Hurts hit Watkins for 12 and Sanders for 10. On 3rd and 7 from the Chiefs 25, Hurts hit Ertz for only 5. Kevin Siriani went for it and Hurts hit Gainwell for 12. Offensive holding on the next play set up 1st and goal at the 18. Hurts hit Gainwell for 15 and Goedert for the 3 yard touchdown to put the Eagles back in front 10-7. The Chiefs took over at their own 17. A sack of Mahomes was nullified by illegal contact on the defense. Consecutive offensive penalties had the Chiefs facing 3rd and 12 from their own 24. Mahoems scrambled and got just enough. Mahomes went to Mecole Hardman for 9 and Byron Pringle for 19. On 1st and 20 from the Philly 42, Mahomes went deep to Hill for 32 yards. On 3rd and goal from the 6, Mahomes hit Hill for the touchdown to culminate the 12 play, 83 yard, 7 1/2 minute drive and make it 14-10 Chiefs in the second quarter.
The Eagles after a touchback moved 68 yards in 13 plays and 6 minutes. Yet despite 1st and goal at the 3, the Eagles could not finish. A pair of incompletions by Hurts were sandwiched around a run that lost 4 yards. Elliott hit the 25 yard field goal to get the Eagles within 14-13, but 3 1/2 minutes remained in the half. After a touchback, that was plenty of time for the Chiefs offense. Surprisingly, Andy Reid did it on the ground. Carl Edwards-Helaire ran for 15. Hardman gained 24. Edwards-Helaure ran for 17 more. On 2nd and 10 from the Philly 15, Mahomes hit Damien Williams for 9 and roughing the passer adding 3 more yards and a 1st and goal from the 3. Mahoems hit Fortson for a 2 yard touchdown to put the Chiefs up 21-13 at the intermission.
The Chiefs early in the third quarter saw Mahomes under heavy pressure throw an interception to give the Eagles a short field just past midfield. Yet after reaching 1st and goal at the 7, ineptitude took over. A delay of game penalty had the Eagles trying a 24 yard field goal. The kick was good, but the defense jumped offside. 4th and goal from the 6 was now 4th and goal at the 3. Ken Siriani decided to go for it. Hurts hit Ertz for the touchdown but offensive pass interference for a pick play nullified the score. Elliott was good again from 31 as the Eagles were within 21-16. Yet field goals were not going to beat Kansas City.
The Chiefs soon faced 3rd and 2 from their own 33. Mahomes hit travis Kelce for 3 and Hill for 14 to midfield. Williams ran for 9 and 3, caught a pass for 7, and ran for 10. Mahomes then hit Kelce for 10 and Edwards-Helaire added 10 more. Williams got the last yard as the Chiefs led 28-16 with less than one minute left in the third quarter. Reagor returned the ensuing kickoff 44 yards to his own 48. Hurts hit Goedert for 4 and 14 as the third quarter ended. The fourth quarter began with defensive unnecessary roughness. On 3rd and goal from the 7, Kenneth Gainwellran it in. With 12:42 to play, the Eagles were within 28-23.
The Chiefs soon faced 3rd and 1 fro their own 34, Williams gained 2. On 3rd and 6 from their own 40, the defense entered the neutral zone. On 3rd and 1, Mahomes hit Hill for 5. Mahomes ran for 12 and Edwards-Helaire added runs of 9 and 16. Mahomes then hit Hill for the 12 yard touchdown to make it 35-23 Chiefs with 6:44 to play. The Eagles after a touchback moved to a 1st and 10 at the Kansas City 34. Hurts went deep with 5 1/2 minutes left and Smith caught it for the touchdown. Unfortunately for the Eagles, Smith briefly stepped out of bounds before reentering the field and catching the ball. Instead of a score, it was an incompletion. On 3rd and 11, Hurts threw incomplete. With 4 1/2 minutes left on 4th and 11, Hurts threw incomplete again.
The Chiefs soon faced 3rd and 4 from their own 41. Mahomes hit Hill for 11. On 3rd and 6 from the Philly 44 and the Eagles out of timeouts, a defensive stop was necessary for the Eagles to have a chance. Instead. Mahomes went to Hill for the touchdown with 2 1/2 minutes left to put the game on ice. The Chiefs led 42-23. A garbage touchdown at the end of the game completed the scoring. Hurts was very good, going 32 of 48 for 387 yards, 2 touchdowns and 0 interceptions. Mahomes was ridiculous, going 24 of 30 for 278 yards, 5 touchdown passes and one interception. Andy Reid is 3-0 against the team that fired him. He is also the first NFL coach to win 100 games with two different franchises, making him a most happy Walrus indeed. 42-30 Chiefs
Carolina Panthers at Dallas Cowboys — The Cowboys took over at their own 30 on their second drive and Ezekiel Elliott gained 19. On 1st and 20 from their own 39 after offensive pass interference, Dak Prescott scrambled and got the 20 yards. Elliott had gains of 8 and 7 sandwiched around an 18 yard completion from Prescott to Schultz. On 3rd and goal at the one, Elliott got in to make it 7-0 Cowboys. After a touchback Hubbard gashed the Dallas defense for gains of 14 and 13. Sam Darnold hit DJ Moore for 9 and again for 29. On 3rd and goal at the one, Darnold got in for a 7-7 ballgame.
After a touchback, Prescott hit Schultz for 12. On 3rd and 1 from their own 46, Tony Pollard got stopped for no gain. Mike McCarthy opted to go for it. On 4th and 1, Prescott got around the end for a 21 yard gain. The second quarter began with the Cowboys at the Carolina 32. Prescott hit Amari Cooper for 14 and Brad Jarwin for the 18 yard touchdown. The extra point was no good but the Cowboys led 13-7. The Panthers soon faced 3rd and 12 at their own 23. Darnold threw incomplete but a defensive facemask penalty kept the drive going. On 3rd and 11 from their own 35, Darnold ran for 14. Darnold hit Robby Anderson for 6, Moore for 5 and Smith for 17. Darnold ran for an 11 yard touchdown to make it 14-13 Panthers midway through the second quarter.
Early in the third quarter zane Gonzalez came in for a 54 yard field goal try to extend the lead. The kick was no good and the Cowboys quickly moved from their own 44. Elliott gained 11, 5 and 5. Prescott then went deep to Amari Cooper for a 35 yard touchdown to make it 20-14 Cowboys. The Cowboys got the ball back at their own 34 and again moved quickly. Elliott broke free for a 47 yard gain. On the next play Prescott hit Schultz for a 6 yard touchdown. The 2 point try failed but the Cowboys led 26-14 midway through the third quarter. An interception of Darnold gave the Cowboys a short field at the Carolina 37. Prescott hit Cedric wilson for a 23 yard touchdown to make it 33-14 Cowboys. Another interception of Darnold meant another short field for the Cowboys at the Carolina 29. On 3rd and 1 from the 20, Elliott got stopped. The fourth quarter began with Mike McCarthy playing it safe. Greg Zuerlein hit the 37 yard field goal as 23 unanswered points had the Cowboys up 36-14.
The Panthers soon faced 4th and 1 from their own3 4 and had to go for it. A stop would end the game. Freeman gained 2 and the Panthers took their last timeout with 12 minutes left. Defensive unnecessary roughness on the next play added 15 yards. Darnold hit Hubbard for 11, Smith for 4 and 7, Anderson for 13, Zylstra for 8 and Moore for a 6 yard touchdown. With 9 minutes left the Panthers were within 36-21. The Panthers got it back at their own 20 and with 5 minutes left faced 4th and 8 from their own 32. A short completion from Darnold to Zylstra went for a 55 yard gain. Darnold went to Moore for an 8 yard touchdown. With 4 1/2 minutes left the Panthers were back within 8 points. The Cowboys took over at their own 19. Pollard ran for 18 and Elliott added 8. At the 2 minute warning, everything came down to 3rd and 1 at the Carolina 41. Pollard gained 5 and Prescott took a pair of knees to end it. The Panthers lost for the first time. Prescott was only 14 of 22 for 188 yards, but he had 4 touchdowns and 0 interceptions. The Cowboys gashed Carolina for 245 rushing yards, with Elliott leading the way with 143 yards on 20 carries. 36-28 Cowboys.
New York Giants at New Orleans Saints — The Saints had a difficult time with the winless Giants. The Saints turned it over on downs, the Giants missed a field goal, and the Saints missed a field goal. After 21 minutes of hideous football, one play got the Giants on the board. Daniel Jones throws a gorgeous deep ball and he found John Ross for a 52 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Giants. The Saints soon faced 3rd and 1 from their own 34. Alvin Kamara gained 3. On 3rd and 2 from their own 44, Jameis Winston hit Johnson for 5. On 3rd and 9 from the Giants 35, Winston went to Montgomery for 19. On 3rd and 6 from the Giants 15, Winston went to Johnson for the touchdown with 23 seconds left in the half and the game deadlocked 7-7.
On the first play of the third quarter after a touchback, Winston went deep to Callaway for a 58 yard gain. Two plays later Hill ran for an 8 yard touchdown to make it 14-7 Saints. The Giants came back 70 yards in 10 plays and nearly 5 minutes, but on 2nd and goal at the 2, a run by Evan Engram lost 3 yards. Jones then threw incomplete. Graham Gano hit the 23 yard field goal to get the Giants within 14-10. Winston was then intercepted, but the Giants could not capitalize. The Saints got it back at their own 37. Winston hit Hill for 15. Kamara had a pair of 9 yard gains as the Saints began the fourth quarter after a false start facing 2nd and 6 from the Giants 23. On 3rd and 2 from the 19, Taysom Hill came in and gained 3. On 3rd and 2 from the Giants 8, Sean Payton brought Hill in again, and Hill ran for the touchdown to make it 21-10 Saints with 12 minutes left in regulation.
A 26 yard punt return gave the Giants the ball at their own 46 midway through the fourth quarter. Jones went deep to Saquon Barkley for a 54 yard touchdown. Joe Judge went for the 2 point conversion and Jones ran it in to get the Giants within 21-18. The Giants got the ball back with 3 minutes left at their own 11 with 2 timeouts and the 2 minute warning. Jones hit Engram for 8 and Toney for 5. With one minute left on 3rd and 7 from their own 38, Jones hit Kenny Golladay for 28 as the Giants took their second timeout with 48 seconds left. On 3rd and 10, Barkley gained only 4. With 30 seconds left, Graham Gano came in for a 48 yard field goal to tie the game. The kick was good and the game was tied 21-21.
The Giants got the ball in overtime after a touchback. Jones went to Ross for 17 and 8. On 2nd and 14 from their wn 48, Jones hit Barkley for 18. On 3rd and 5 from the Saints 29, Jones hit Golladay for 23. Halfway through overtime, Barkley ran it in for the 6 yard touchdown. to end the game. The Saints would never see the ball in overtime. 17 unanswered points meant a shocking upset, ruining the first game back at the Louisiana Superdome since Hurricane Ida. The Giants won their first game of the year. 27-21 Giants, OT
Cleveland Browns at Minnesota Vikings — To start the game after a touchback, kirk Cousins hit Justin Jefferson for 9 and Dalvin Cook gained 11. On 3rd and 7 just shy of midfield, Cousins hit Jefferson for 11 and Adam Thielen for 22. On 3rd and 2 from the Cleveland 10, Cook only gained one. Mike Zimmer went for it and on 4th and 1, Ham got the yard. On 3rd and goal from the 12, Cousins hit Jefferson over the middle for the touchdown. The 14 play, 75 yard, 7 1/2 minute drive made it 7-0 Vikings. The Vikings would face 4th and 6 at the Cleveland 36. Mike Zimmer went for it but Cousins threw incomplete. The Browns were shut out for over 28 minutes. On 3rd and 1 from their own 45, Karim Hunt gained 2. Mayfield hit Felton for 9 and Hunt for 8. On 3rd and 8 from the Minnesota 29, Mayfield hit Hunt for 9. The final 2 minutes of the half were chaos.
On 3rd and goal at the 3, Nick Chubb only gained one. Kevin Stefanski went for it. On 4th and goal from the 2, Mayfield threw incomplete but defensive holding meant 1st and goal at the one. On 3rd and goal from the one, Hunt got in. The defense had 12 men on the field, so a 2 point conversion try put the ball on the one instead of the two. Stefanski went for it and Mayfield hit Janovich. With 1:15 left in the half, the Browns led 8-7. The mind-numbing 18 play, 64 yard drive took 8 1/2 minutes off the clock. The Vikings went 3 and out and the Browns took a pair of timeouts on defense. With 35 seconds left in the half the Browns faced 3rd and 20 from their own 26. A give up run by Hunt went for 33 yards. Chase McLaughlin hit a 48 yard field goal to end the half with the Browns up 11-7. The defenses dominated the second half. With 6 minutes left in regulation, McLaughlin hit a 53 yard field goal to put the Browns up by 7. One play after a touchback, Cousins was intercepted. The Vikings last chance came on 4th and 3 from their own 33 with 90 seconds left. Cousins was threw incomplete as the Dawg Pound reveled in the ugly defensive win. 14-7 Browns
Detroit Lions at Chicago Bears — Andy Dalton is out with a bad knee so Justin Fields gets to start again. The Lions are recovering from the shellshocked of losing last week on an NFL record 66 yard field goal. Early on after a touchback to start the game, Matt Nagy gambled on 4th and 1 from his own 47. David Montgomery gained 9. Fields then went deep to Mooney for 21. Williams gained 4 and 10 and Montgomery ran for a 4 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Bears and cap the 12 play, 75 yard, 6 minute drive. The Lions moved from their own 27 to a 1st and goal at the 8. Out of the shotgun, Jared Goff fumbled the snap and the Bears recovered. On 2nd and 11 from their own 10, Fields went deep to Mooney for a 64 yard gain. On 3rd and 4 from the Detroit 20, Fields ran for 11. On the first play of the second quarter, Montgomery ran for a 9 yard touchdown to make it 14-0 Bears.
The Lions after a touchback moved to a 4th and goal at the 5. Rookie head coach Dan Campbell went for it and Goff threw incomplete. This act of desperation would haunt the Lions later on. The Lions got it back at their own 45 and moved to a 3rd and goal at the 3. Goff was sacked by Robert Quinn and fumbled. Khalil Mack recovered it and ran another 12 yards. For the third time in the half the Lions drove down deep and came up empty. Fields was then intercepted but the Lions did not capitalize. Early in the third quarter the Bears moved 77 yards easily. Mooney gained 10. Fields hit Alan Robinson for 28 and Mooney for 32. Williams ran for the 4 yard touchdown to make it 21-0 Bears.
A penalty on a punt return had the Lions getting the ball back with a short field at the Chicago 44. On 3rd and goal at the 4, Goff hit Raymond for the touchdown to finally get the Lions on the board. After a touchback, Montgomery ran for 24 and Fields hit Robinson for 27 more. Cairo santos hit a 33 yard field gal to have the Bears comfortably ahead 24-7 after three quarters. The Lions did reach the end zone again with 11 minutes left in regulation, but nothing more. with 4:15 to play and facing 4th and 1 from the Chicago 8, Goff threw incomplete. 4 times the Lions drove deep and 4 times they came up empty to remain winless. Meanwhile, Matt Nagy will be allowed to kepis job for another week. 24-14 Bears
Houston Texans at Buffalo Bills — With heavy rain coming down, miscues began the game. Josh Allen was intercepted, but the Texans turned it over on downs. David Mills was then intercepted to give the Bills the ball at their own 31. Singletary ran for 4, caught pass from Allen for 7, and ran for 3 more. On 3rd and 2 from midfield, Gilliam only gained one. Sean McDermott decided to go for it and on 4th and 1, Allen got around the end and gained 16. On 3rd and 2 from the Houston 25, Allen went to Dawson Knox for the touchdown to make it 7-0 Bills. The Texans punted on 4th and 21 from their own 8, giving the Bills the ball back at midfield to start the second quarter.
Allen hit Stefan Diggs for 31. Yet on 3rd and 5 from the Houston 15, Allen threw incomplete. Early in the second quarter, Tyler bass hit a 33 yard field goal to make it 10-0 Bills. The Bills got it back with another short field just past midfield. Miss gained 17 and the Bills moved to a 3rd and 1 at the Houston 3. Moss tried the end around and lost 5 yards. Bass hit from 26 to make it 13-0 Bills. The Bills got it back and soon faced 4th and 3 at the Houston 40. Sean McDermott went for it but Allen threw incomplete. Yet the Texans self-destructed. On 1st and 25 from their own 25, Mills was intercepted. Despite yet another short field from the Houston 43, the drive died near the goal line. On 3rd and goal from the 2, Allen threw incomplete. McDermott again opted for the field goal and Bass hit from 21 to make it 16-0 Bills. The Texans were a mess, finishing with only 4 total rushing yards in the first half. The third quarter was more of the same. The Bills moved from their own 25 to a 1st and goal at the 10. Yet on 3rd and goal Allen threw incomplete. Bass hit his fourth field goal from 28 to make it 19-0 Bills.
The rain poured down and the Bills poured it on. An 11 play, 84 yard, 7 minute drive in the fourth quarter ended with Allen hitting Alie-Cox for a one yard touchdown to make it 26-0 Bills. A Texans fumble put Buffalo on the Houston 27. Zack Moss ran for a 4 yard touchdown and a 33-0 Bills lead. Mills was intercepted. Allen went to the bench and mitchell Trubisky was given some map up work in relief. Trubisky moved the Bills 53 yards and ran for a 4 yard touchdown to complete the blowout shutout. Mills ended the game by throwing his fourth interception. 40-0 Bills
Indianapolis Colts at Miami Dolphins — The Dolphins sought to forget about their heartbreaking overtime loss against the Raiders with a home stand against the winless Colts. Early on the Colts fumbled a punt and the Dolphins had a short field at the Colts 27. Jacoby Brissett got the start against his old team. Yet on 3rd and 3 from the Indy 20, Brissett threw incomplete. Sanders hit the 38 yard field goal to mark it 3-0 Dolphins. The defenses took over after that. Midway through the second quarter the Colts faced 3rd and 9 from their own 21. Carson Wentz hit Campbell for 12. The Colts punted on 4th and 3 from their own 40, but the defense jumped offside. The killer mistake was followed by Wentz going deep to Mo Alie-Cox for 28. Taylor then ran for a 23 yard touchdown to cap the 10 play, 80 yard, 5 minute drive and put the Colts up 7-3 with under 3 minutes left in the half.
The Colts went right to work in the third quarter from their own 16. Taylor got around the end for a 38 yard gain. Went hit Dulin for 17 more. On 3rd and 11 from the Miami 14, the defense entered the neutral zone. On 3rd and 6, Wentz hit Pittman for 8. On 3rd and goal from the 3, Wentz hit Alie-Cox for the score. The 11 play, 84 yard, 6 1/2 minute drive made it 14-3 Colts. The Indianapolis defense shut down the Miami offense for long stretches. Rodgrigo Blankenship hit a 34 yard field goal at the end of the third quarter and a 43 yarder set up by a Miami fumble early in the fourth quarter. The Colts led 20-3.
The Dolphins moved from their own 25 to a 2nd and goal at the one. Brissett got stopped and so did Brown. Needing 3 scores, Brian Flores went for it. On 4th and goal from the one, Brissett hit Mike Gesicki for the touchdown. With 10 1/2 minutes left in regulation, the Dolphins were within 20-10. The kickoff was kicked out of bounds to set up the Colts at their own 40. Wentz went deep to Zach Pascal for 41 yards. On 3rd and goal from the 13, Wentz was sacked but a defensive facemask meant 1st and goal at the 6. On 3rd and goal from the 11, Wentz hit Alie-Cox for the touchdown to make it 27-10 Colts with 6:15 to play. The Dolphins after a touchback faced 4th and 2 from the Miami 3 with 4 1/2 minutes left. Brissett hit DeVante Parker for the touchdown, but the Dolphins would not get the ball back. On 3rd and 4 from their own 46, Wentz went to Jacob Doyle for 24. On 3rd and 14 from the Miami 34, Wentz hit Pittman for 20 as the Colts ran out the clock to get their first win of the year. 27-17 Colts
Washington Confusion at Atlanta Falcons — The Falcons began with a 15 play, 68 yard, 8 minute drive. Yet despite 1st and goal at the 9, a run gained only 2 yards and Matt Ryan threw incomplete twice. Younghoe Koo hit the 25 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Falcons. Early in the second quarter, the No-Names faced 4th and 1 at the Atlanta 36. Riverboat Ron Rivera went for it and out of the shotgun, Gibson gained nothing. Willie Gallman gained 10 and on 1st and 15 from his own 46, Ryan hit Hurst for 12. On the next play Ryan went deep to Cordarelle Patterson for a 42 yard touchdown to make it 10-0 Falcons.
The No-Names soon faced 2nd and 7 from their own 26. Taylor Heinicke hit Brown for 19 and Terry McLaurin for 21. On 3rd and 8 from the Atlanta 33, Henicki went deep to McLaurin for a 33 yard touchdown to get the Confusion within 10-7. The No-Names got the ball back at their own 37. Heinicke ran for 8 and Antonio Gibson had a pair of 6 yard gains. Heinicke hit Seals-Jones for 16 and ran for 20. Gibson ran for the 2 yard touchdown. The extra point was no good but the No-Names led 13-10.
The Falcons soon faced 3rd and 8 from their own 27. Ryan threw incomplete but defensive pass interference meant a 28 yard gain. On 3rd and 5 from the Washington 40, Ryan went to Calvin Ridley for 8. On 3rd and 13 from the Washington 35 with 30 seconds left in the half, Ryan hit Ridley for 17. On 3rd and 4 from the Washington 12 with 19 seconds left in the half, Ryan went to Patterson for the touchdown as the Falcons took a 17-13 lead to the locker rooms. The No-Names were back on top 13 seconds into the third quarter when DeAndre Carter returned the second half kickoff 101 yards for a touchdown. Dustin Hopkins missed his 2nd extra point of the game as the Confusion led 19-17.
The Falcons took over at their own 32. Ryan hit Zaccheaus for 15. Defensive pass interference on the next play added 27 yards. On 3rd and 3 from the Washington 18, Ryan hit Hurst for 7. On 3rd and 13 from the Washington 14, Ryan hit Patterson for the touchdown. The 2 point conversion failed but the Falcons led 23-19. After a touchback the No-Names moved 73 yards in 14 plays and 5 1/2 minutes. On 4th and 5 from the Atlanta 39, Riverboat Ron Rivera went for it and Heinicke hit Samuel for 10. On 3rd and goal at the 2, Heinicke threw incomplete. With 5 1/2 minutes left in the third quarter, this time Rivera decided not to gamble. Hopkins hit the 21 yard field goal to get the Confusion within 23-22.
The Falcons soon faced 3rd and 7 from their own 20. Ryan went to Pitts for 14. On 3rd and 1 from their own 43. Ryan hit Ridley for 7 to midfield. On 3rd and 2 from the Washington 42, Ryan threw incomplete. Arthur Smith went for it and Ryan was sacked. Yet roughing the passer meant a 15 yard gain. Patterson gained 13 and 5. The fourth quarter began with the Falcons facing 3rd and 3 at the Washington 7. Ryan hit Mike Davis for the touchdown and the 30-22 Falcons lead.
The No-Names took over at their own 30 after an exchange of punts. On 2nd and 14, Heinicke threw incomplete but defensive illegal contact kept the drive going. Heinicke then hit Patterson for 11 and ran for 10 himself. On 2nd and 16 just shy of midfield, Heinicke hit Terry McLaurin for 28. On 3rd and 9 from the Atlanta 27, Heinicke hit JD McKissic for 10 and McLaurin for the 17 yard touchdown. The 2 point conversion try to tie the game failed but the No-Names were within 30-28 with 4 minutes left. The Falcons went 3 and out and the Confusion took over at their own 24 with 1:43 to play. Heinicke went deep to Carter for 24 and Humphries for 19. On 3rd and 7 from the Atlanta 30, the Atlanta defense had a complete breakdown as Heinicke went to McKissic for the touchdown. The 2 point try failed but the 5th lead change of the game had the No-Names of by 4 points with 33 seconds left. After a touchback, Ryan hit Ridley for 21 and ran for 17. With one second left, Ryan had one Hail Mary chance from the Washington 37. It was well defended and knocked incomplete. 34-30 Confusion
Seattle Seahawks at San Francisco 49ers — Early on the 49ers took over at their own 29. Jimmy Garoppolo hit Kyle Juszczyk for 9, George Kittle for 8, Deebo Samuel for 21, Mohammed San for 9, Kittle for 18, and Ross Dwelley for 21. Garoppolo’s passing clinic had the 49ers up 7-0. After that the Seattle defense clamped down. The 49ers faced 3rd and 3 from their own 36, and Garoppolo was intercepted. The 49ers got it back and moved from their own 9 to a 4th and 8 at the Seattle 23. Yet Robbie Gould was injured before the game started, so all kicking duties were handled by punter Wishnowsky. His first NFL field goal try from 41 yards out was no good.
In the second quarter the Seattle offense finally got going. From his own 20, Russell Wilson hit Alex Collins for 28. On 3rd and 1 from the San Francisco 43, Wilson hit DK Metcalf for another 28. Wilson went to Metcalf again for a 12 yard touchdown. Despite being blanked for 28 minutes, with 1:54 left in the half the Seahawks tied the game 7-7. In the third quarter after a few punts the Seahawks took over at their own 34. Wilson hit Tyler Lockett for 19. Chris Carson ran for 6 and 8. Wilson hit Metcalf for 9. Wilson ran for a 60 yard touchdown to put the Seahawks up 14-7 with 5 1/2 minutes left in the third quarter. The 49ers fumbled the ensuing kickoff and the Seahawks recovered at the Frisco 14. Two plays later Wilson threw a 13 yard touchdown pass to Freddie Swain to make it 21-7 Seahawks.
The 49ers took over at their own 11 without Garoppolo. He stayed in the locker room with an injured leg. Trey Lance played the second half. On 3rd and 1 from their own 20, Lance gained 4. On the next play Lance went to Samuel for a 76 yard touchdown. Wishnowsky missed the extra point as the 49ers trailed 21-13 after three quarters. The Seaahwks took over at their own 19. Wilson went to Metcalf for 16 and Collins for 6. Collins then ran for 6 and 4. On 3rd and 6 just past midfield to start the fourth quarter, the defense jumped offside. On 3rd and 1, Carson gained 3. On 3rd and 10 from the Frisco 41, defensive pass interference meant a 23 yard gain. Collins ran for 4 and then for the 14 yard touchdown. With 12 minutes left in regulation, the Seahawks had the 28-13 lead.
The 49ers got the ball 3 more times. The first time they punted. Then they moved from their own 20 to a 4th and 2 at their own 48. Kyle Shanahan went for it and Samuel got stopped after a one yard gain. With 4 1/2 minutes left and needing 2 scores, the 49ers took over at their own 20. They moved 80 yards in 13 plays. On 4th and 6 from the Seattle 28, Lance hit Sanu for 7. On 4th and 10 from the Seattle 21, Lance scrambled for 13 yards. Lance hit Samuel for an 8 yard touchdown to get the 49ers within 7 points. The Seattle defense failed to close out the game for Pete Carroll, but his good hands team on special teams did. The onside kick failed as Seattle got the tough road win. 28-21 Seahawks
Arizona Cardinals at Los Angeles Rams — Both teams came in 3-0, but it was the Rams who were seen as the Super Bowl contender and the Cardinals as second tier. The Rams moved from their own 25 to a 2nd and 5 at the Arizona 23. Matthew Stafford threw incomplete twice. Matt Gay hit the 42 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Rams. The Rams got it back but Stafford was intercepted on a deep ball. The Cardinals took over at their own 13. Edmonds ran for 19. Kyler Murray hit Williams for 8. On 2nd and 12 from their own 30, Murray went to Deandre Hopkins for 25. On 3rd and 6 from the Rams 41, Murray went to AJ Green for the touchdown and the 7-3 Cardinals lead. After a touchback, Darrell Henderson gained 15. On 3rd and 1 just shy of midfield, Stafford gained 2. Henderson gained 9 and 15 and Sony Michel added runs of 9 and 2. Stafford hit Van Jefferson for a 14 yard touchdown as the Rams led 10-7 after the first quarter.
The Cardinals began the second quarter facing 3rd and 4 at their own 31. James Conner gained 10. On 3rd and 2 from the Rams 37, Murray hit Edmonds for 7. On 2nd and 13 from the Rams 14, Murray hit Maxx Williams for the touchdown and the 14-10 Cardinals lead. One play after a touchback Michel fumbled and Buddha Baker recovered for the Cardinals at the Rams 21. On 3rd and 16 from the Rams 27, Murray scrambled for 18. Conner ran for 8 and then for the one yard touchdown as the Cardinals had the surprising 21-10 lead. The Rams did move from their own 48 to a 2nd and goal at the 4, but Stafford threw incomplete twice. With 3 1/2 minutes left in the half, Gay hit from 22 to get the Rams within 21-13. After that the Arizona defense turned out the lights.
A staggering 17 plays moved the Cardinals 70 yards. With 20 seconds left in the half the Cardinals had 1st and goal at the 5. Conner got stopped and Murray threw incomplete twice. Matt Prater hit the 23 yard field goal to put the Cardinals up 24-13 at the break. The Cardinals continued in the third quarter after a touchback, moving to a 1st and 10 at the Rams 35. On 3rd and 9, Murray was sacked for a 3 yard loss. Prater leveled a 55 yard field goal to put the Cardinals up 27-13. After a touchback the Rams moved to a 3rd and 4 at the Arizona 27. Stafford threw incomplete. Gay’s 46 yard field goal try was no good. The Cardinals took over at their own 36. On 3rd and 2 from the Rams 45, Murray hit AJ Green for 12 and Williams for 25. On 3rd and goal from the one, Conner got in to have the Cardinals winning a blowout 34-13.
In the fourth quarter in desperation mode, the Rams moved 73 yards to a 3rd and goal at the one. Stafford took the quarterback sneak and got stopped. On 4th and goal at the one, Stafford threw incomplete. The Cardinals then broke the back of the Rams defense with a 12 play, 94 yard, 8 1/2 minute drive. They settled for a field goal, but led 37-13. The Rams got a garbage touchdown but nothing else. Sean McVay’s squad was trounced because the Cardinals hit the Rams in the mouth. The Cardinals are 4-0. They are for real. 37-20 Cardinals
Pittsburgh Steelers at Green Bay Packers — 13 years ago, Aaron Rodgers bested Ben Roethlisberger in the Super Bowl. Big Ben had already won the big game twice, while neither quarterback has been back to the Super Bowl since. Mike Tomlin is still coaching the Steelers, in his 15th season. The Steelers started out hot in this game. After a touchback, Najee Harris ran for 10. On 3rd and 1 from their own 47, Harris gained 2. On 3rd and 4 from the Green Bay 45, Ben Roethlisberger went to Diontae Johnson for a 45 yard touchdown and a 7-0 Steelers lead. The Packers faced 3rd and 3 from their own 43 and Dillon gained just enough. Aaron Rodgers went to Dillon for 16 moreOn 3rd and 6 from the Pittsburgh 34, Rodgers hit Cobb for 8. The second quarter began with the Packers facing 3rd and 4 at the Pittsburgh 20. Rodgers hit Cobb for 12. Rodgers ran for the 4 yard touchdown to tie the game 7-7.
The Steelers soon faced 3rd and 6 from their own 29. Roethlisberger was sacked and fumbled, and the Packers took over at the Pittsburgh 23. On 3rd and 10, Rodgers went to Cobb for the touchdown to make it 14-7 Packers. The Steelers after a touchback held the ball for 5 minutes and 10 plays, but gained only 41 yards. Chris Boswell nailed a 52 yard field goal to get the Steelers within 14-10. The Packers from their own 16 answered with a 13 play, 76 yard, 5 1/2 minute drive. With 30 seconds left in the half, the Packers had 1st and 10 at the Pittsburgh 13. Rodgers threw 3 straight incompletions. Mason Crosby came in for a 31 yard field goal try. The kick was blocked my Minkah Fitzpatrick, who thought he had the trifecta when he picked the ball up and raced 75 yards for a special teams touchdown. Yet officials ruled that the Steelers did not perfectly time the snap. They were ruled offside. The call could have got either way, but Crosby got a second chance with 8 seconds left from 5 yards closer. From 26 yards out, Crosby was good. Rather than trailing 17-14, the Packers led 17-10 at the half.
The Packers took over in the third quarter. On 3rd and 7 from their own 28, Rodgers went to Cobb for 25. On 3rd and 1 from the Pittsburgh 38, Dillon got the yard. Yet 1st and goal at the 5 was followed by a pair fo 3 yard losses and an incompletion. Crosby hit from 29 to finish the 12 play, 64 yard, 5 1/2 yard drive and make it 20-10 Packers. A shanked 20 yard punt gave the Packers the ball back with a short field at the Pittsburgh 40. Rodgers hit Adams hit Adams for 11. Dillon ran for 25. Rodgers hit Cobb for the one yard touchdown to make it 27-10 Packers. The Steelers moved from their own 36 to a 3rd and 4 at the Green Bay 32. Roethlisberger threw incomplete. With 2 1/2 minutes left in the third quarter and down by 17, Mike Tomlin decided to go for it. On 4th and 4, a horrendous play call saw Big Ben throw a sideways pass that went for a one yard loss.
The Packers fumbled the ball back to give the Steelers the ball at their own 35. The Steelers moved to a 3rd and 4 at the Green Bay 37 to start the fourth quarter. Again Mike Tomlin went for it and another short pass went for no gain at all. On 4th and 4 Tomlin went for it rather than try a 56 yard field goal. Then came the false start. On 4th and 9, Tomlin opted to punt. The Steelers got it back and moved from their own 37 to a 3rd and 5 at the Green Bay 47. Big Ben threw incomplete. Again Tomlin went for it and again a head-scratching West Coast Offense dink and dunk pass went for only a 2 yard gain. Throwing the ball past the marker is a good idea. It’s called a forward pass. Walter Camp invented it 100 years ago. The Steelers would finally reach the end zone with 4 minutes left, but any hopes of a comeback were snuffed out when Roethlisberger was intercepted with 1:17 to play. The Steelers looked great in their opener but have lost 3 straight. The Packers looked dreadful in their opener but have won 3 straight. 27-17 Packers
Baltimore Ravens at Denver Broncos — The Broncos came in 3-0, but with wins against 3 teams that were a combined 0-9. A win over Baltimore would silence some of the critics. Early on both defense dominated. Late in the opening quarter the Broncos took over at their own 43. Defensive unnecessary roughness moved the broncos 15 yards. Williams broke off a 31 yard run. The second quarter began with the Broncos facing 3rd and goal at the 3. Teddy Bridgewater hit Noah Fant for the touchdown. The Broncos led 7-0, but after that Baltimore defense took over the game. After a touchback, Lamar Jackson hit Proche for 12. On 3rd and 5 from their own 46, Jackson gained 7. Jackson then went to Mark Andrews for big gains of 24 and 12. Latavius Murray ran for a 12 yard touchdown to make it 7-7. The Ravens got the ball back at their own 40. Jackson went to Sammy Watkins for 9 and then went deep to Hollywood Brown for a 49 yard touchdown to make it 14-7 Ravens midway through the second quarter. The Ravens knocked Bridgewater out of the game as Drew Lock played the second half and did nothing. Justin Tucker last week hit an NFL record 66 yard field goal. This week he hit from 40 to end the half and from 46 and 20 in the fourth quarter to ice the game. This was old school John Harbaugh Ravens football, with tough running and even tougher defense. 23-7 Ravens
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at New England Patriots was the Sunday night game. Emotions ran very high as Tom Brady and Evil Hoodie Bill Belichick squared off for the first time their divorce two years ago. Robert Kraft made sure Brady was given a classy welcome back, as the crowd cheered Brady before the game. Yet beyond the obvious main storyline, the game itself and important subplots. Pouring rain came down throughout the game, and the Buccaneers were without injured Rob Gronkowski. He would not get to face off against his old team. In the first quarter the Buccaneers moved from their own 18 to a 1st and 10 at the New England 42. To Brady went to Mike Evans for a 28 yard gain and with that pass entered the history books. Brady is now the all time NFL leader in passing yards, breaking the record set last year by Drew Brees. Yet on this drive, a pair of incompletions and the Buccaneers settling for a 29 yard Ryan Succop field goal to lead 3-0. An interception of Mac Jones gave Succop another chance from 36 to start the second quarter, but that kick was no good.
The Patriots soon faced 2nd and 19 from their own 17. Jones hit Kendrick Bourne for 16 and on 3rd and 3 hit Meyers for 15. On 3rd and 5 from the Tampa 47, Jones threw incomplete but defensive pass interference on newly acquired Richard Sherman meant a 10 yard gain. On 2nd and 20 from his own 47, Jones hit Bourne for 16 and on 3rd and 4 hit Bolden for 7. On 2nd and 10 from the Tampa 24, Jones threw incomplete but defensive pass interference meant another 10 yard gain. Jones hit Hunter Henry for an 11 yard touchdown. The 11 play,74 yard, 6 1/2 minute drive had the Patriots up 7-3. A well placed punt had the Patriots pinned at their own 5 yard line with 1:49 left in the half. Yet Bruce Arians stayed aggressive given his “no risk it, no biscuit” philosophy. Brady hit Antonio Brown for 4, Chris Godwin for big gains of 28 and 26, and Cameron Brate for 11. On 1st and 10 from the New England 26, Brady threw 3 straight incompletions. With 18 seconds left, Succop’s 44 yard field goal try was good as the Buccaneers trailed 7-6 at the midpoint.
A field position game had the Patriots punting on 4th and 27 from their own 6 and the Buccaneers taking over at their own 48 midway through the third quarter. Brady hit Leonard Fournette for 11. Fournette ran for a pair of 7 yard gains. On 3rd and 1 from the New England 11, Jones gained 3. Jones then ran for the 8a yard touchdown. Bruce Arians wisely opted against the 2 point conversion as the Buccaneers led 13-7 with 3 1/2 minutes left in the third quarter. The Patriots took over at their own 23. Jones hit Harris for 21, Nelson agholor for 13, Meyers for 5, Harry for 10, Smith for 12, and Bolden for 15 down to the one as the third quarter ended. On the first play of the fourth quarter, a perfectly executed play action pass by Jones went to Smith for the touchdown as the Patriots reclaimed the lead 14-13 only 3 seconds into the fourth quarter.
The Buccaneers soon faced 3rd and 3 from their own 31. Brady hit Antonio Brown for 7. on 3rd and 6 from his own 42, the 44 year old Brady escaped up the middle for just enough. A short pass from Brady to Fournette gained 23. On 3rd and 9 from the New England 24, Brady hit Brate over the middle for 18. On 3rd and goal from the 8, Brady threw high out the back of the end zone incomplete. Succop hit the 28 yard field goal to cap the 15 play, 68 yard, 7 minute drive and put the Buccaneers back on top 16-14 midway through the fourth quarter.
After a touchback, Jones hit Agholor for 12, Meyers for 3 and Meyers again for 21. At that point Jones had 19 straight completions, the longest stretch for a rookie in 30 years. It also tied Brady’s longest completion streak. On 1st and 10 from the Tampa 39, Bill Belichick went to the bag of tricks. Jones handed it off, and then it was lateraled to Meyers. Meyers then went deep to a wide open Agholor for a 30 yard gain and 1st and goal at the 9. Jones had been brilliant all game, but a pair of incompletions included a dropped pass by the defender that would have been an interception for a touchdown. Jones dodged a bullet. On 3rd and goal from the 9, a completion by Jones went for no gain. Folk hit the 27 yard field goal to put the Patriots back on top 17-16 with 4 1/2 minutes left in regulation.
After a touchback, Brady was going to try and use up the entire clock so that the Patriots would not get the ball back. Defensive pass interference on a deep ball meant a 31 yard gain. Two plays later, offensive pass interference on Evans had the Buccaneers facing 2nd and 17 from the New England 41. Brady went back to Evans for 11. On 3rd and 6 from the New England 40, Brady hit Brown for 8 and a key first down that moved the Buccaneers into field goal range. On 2nd and 8 from the New England 30, Brady went for it all and Brown lost in the night sky incomplete. On 3rd and 8 Brady again went to the end zone and Brown juggled it but could not haul it in as it fell incomplete again. Succop came in for a key 48 yard field goal to give the Buccaneers the 2 point lead again. The kick was good and the Buccaneers led with 1:57 to play.
Now it was time to see whether Brady or Belichick still had their deal with the devil intact. Jones would show as a rookie whether he could beat his legendary predecessor. The Patriots dynasty began in 2001 when Adam Vinatieri made a 45 yard field goal with 5 inches of snow coming down. Now Folk was being asked to try a 56 yard field goal in a rainstorm. It seemed like an insane decision. Folk had made 36 field goals in a row, but the conditions were miserable. There was plenty of time to throw a 3 yard completion. Belichick went with the veteran kicker over the rookie quarterback. Succop’s kick was long enough and started dead center but curved at the end. It doinked off the upright no good. As the entire media world watched afterward, Belichick gave Brady a very quick hug and then ran away without saying a word. Jones showed great poise, but Brady got the win. His critics can claim it was luck, and a successful field goal by Succop would have changed the outcome. Brady does not care. He won. He stayed around to hug many of his former teammates. Brady and Belichick have both often been classless in victory and defeat, but this time Brady did it the right way. Meanwhile, the Buccaneers are 3-1 and the Patriots are a 1-3 team. 19-17 Buccaneers
Las Vegas Raiders at Los Angeles Chargers is the Monday night game. The Raiders were 3-0 for the first time since their 2002 run to the super Bowl. The Chargers were technically the home team, but the Raider Nation traveled to the game en masse. Nothing ever comes easy for the Raiders, and the start of this game was delayed for over 30 minutes by a lightning storm. The Chargers got the ball first and shredded the Raiders defense. From their own 25, runs and short passes had the Chargers facing 2nd and 6 from their own 41. Justin Herbert then went to Cook for 22. Austin Ekeler ran for 18. On 3rd and 4 from the Raiders 14, Herbert hit Justin Jackson for 7. On 3rd and goal at the 4, Herbert fired over the middle to Donald Parham for the touchdown. The 12 play, 75 yard, 7 minute drive had the Chargers up 7-0.
The Raiders had literally zero offense in the first quarter, failing to gain a single yard. Late in the first quarter Brandon Staley gambled on a fake punt on 4th and 12 from the Raiders 41. The punter had a wide open receiver, but at the last moment Hunter Renfrow came up and blasted the ball out of the receiver’s hands for an incompletion. Yet the Raiders could not take advantage, again failing to gain a first down. Renfrow later returned a punt 17 yards, with 15 more tacked on for a facemask. The Raiders began the drive at the Chargers 44. Yet on 3rd and 2, Josh Jacobs lost a yard. The second quarter saw the Raiders face 3rd and 5 from their own 20. Derek Carr hit Darren Waller for 21 yards. Yet despite the Raiders finally getting a first down after 21 minutes, it was all for naught. A taunting penalty on Waller after the play moved the Raiders back 15 yards.
The Chargers took over at their own 20 midway through the second quarter. Herbert hit Williams for 11Herbert then went to Anderson for a 34 yard gain. On 3rd and 8 from the Raiders 10, Herbert hit Jared Cook for the touchdown. With less than 4 1/2 minutes left in the half, the Chargers led 14-0. Jon Gruden wanted to get to the half without any more damage, so he tried to run the ball to eat up the clock. Jacobs ran for 5 and 4 to set the Raiders up with 3rd and 1 at their own 17. Jacobs barely got the yard, but Brandon Staley challenged the spot. The spot was overturned and the Raiders had another 4th down and another punt. The Chargers took over at their own 31, and 2:44 was more than enough time. Herbert hit Keenan Allen for 2 and Ekeler for 9. Ekeler ran for 11. On 3rd and 6 from the Raiders 47, Herbert hit Allen for 7, Parham for 13, Guyton for 9, and Ekeler for a 14 yard touchdown. With 30 seconds left in the half, the Chargers were dominating 21-0. Herbert was 20 of 25 for 175 yards, 3 touchdowns and 0 interceptions, and that was only the first half.
The Raiders began the third quarter at their own 22. Carr threw a sideways pass to Jacobs, who got blasted for no gain. On the next play Carr somehow avoided a sack scrambled for his life, and found Willie Snead for a 15 yard gain with another 15 tacked on found defensive unnecessary roughness. Carr hit Waller for 8 and Jacobs banged up the middle for 10. On 3rd and 1 from the Chargers 14, Carr snuck through for 2 yards. On 3rd and 8 from the Chargers 10, Carr fired over the middle to Renfrow for the touchdown. The 11 play, 78 yard, 6 minute drive had the Raiders within 21-7.
The Raiders held on defense and took over at their own 19. Carr hit Jacobs sideways, who avoided a tackle for a loss and gained 9. Carr then went deep to Henry Ruggs and drew a 46 yard defensive pass interference penalty. Carr then went to Waller for 18. Jacobs ran for 6 up the gut. On 3rd and goal at the 3, Carr looked around, avoided the pressure, and threw a jump ball to Waller. Waller out jumped the defender for the touchdown as the Raiders were only down 21-14 with 2 minutes left in the third quarter. The Raiders got it back at their own 14. Carr went bombs away to rugs for a 51 yard gain. Yet on 3rd and 3 from the Chargers 28, Carr was sacked for a 6 yard loss. Daniel Carlson then missed the 52 yard field goal try as the Raiders wasted the opportunity.
Once the offense folded it was inevitable the Raiders defense would cave as well. The Chargers soon faced 3rd and 2 from midfield. Herbert threw incomplete. Brandon Staley is a very aggressive coach, and he made the key play of the game in going for it. Herbert hit Cook for 13. At this point the running game just ripped the Raiders apart. Ekeler gained 6 and Roundtree added 9. Herbert scrambled 6 and Ekelr ran for an 11 yard touchdown. The 10 play, 58 yard, 5 1/2 minute drive had the Chargers up 28-14 with 5 1/2 minutes left.
On 3rd and 5 from their own 30, Carr hit Edwards for only 4. On 4th and 1 from their own 34, Carr rolled out and hit Renfrow for 3. Carr rolled out again and went deep but overthrew Ruggs. Defensive unsportsmanlike conduct after the play had the Raiders facing 1st and 10 at the Chargers 48. Carr then fired to the sideline was intercepted. with 3:14 to play, the Raiders were knocked from the ranks of the unbeaten. 28-14 Chargers