NFL 2021 Week 5 Recap
Los Angeles Rams at Seattle Seahawks was the Thursday night game. One week after getting humbled at home by Arizona, the Rams traveled to Seattle. The first half was almost all defense. Late in the first quarter, the Seahawks faced 4th and 2 from the Rams 29. Pete Carroll went for it and Collins lost a yard. Matthew Stafford and Russell Wilson then traded interceptions. In the second quarter, the Seahawks took over at their own 17. Wilson hit Hart for 14. Defensive pass interference on a deep ball meant a 47 yard gain. Wilson then went to DK Metcalf for a 19 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Seahawks.
The Rams took over at their own 24 and moved 63 yards in 14 plays and 8 minutes. On 4th and 1 from the Seattle 23, Sean McVay went for it and Sony Michel gained 2. On 3rd and 1 from the Seattle 12, Michel lost a yard. With just over one minute left in the half, this time McVay settled for the field goal. Matt Gay hit from 31 to get the Rams within 7-3. Wilson worked the final minute perfectly, but Jason Myers missed a 35 yard field goal that would have extended the Seattle lead.
The Rams owned the third quarter despite taking over at their own 4 yard line. On 3rd and 3 from their 11, Stafford hit Robert Woods for 9. On 3rd and 10 from their own 20, Stafford went deep to Desean Jackson for 68 yards. Darrell Henderson ran for 7 and then the 5 yard touchdown. The extra point was no good but the Rams led 9-7. The Rams got it back at their own 18. Stafford hit Woods for a pair of 20 yard gains. Henderson ripped off a 29 yard gain. Stafford hit Tyler Higbee for a 13 yard touchdown to make it 16-7 Rams.
Stafford was playing the entire game with an injured finger. After Wilson collided hands with Aaron Donald, he too had an injured finger. Yet Stafford was able to play the whole game while Wilson had to sit out the fourth quarter. Geno Smith took his place and did quite well. The Seahawks began the fourth quarter at their own 2 yard line. A defensive pass interference call gave the Seahawks 13 yards. Smith then hit Metcalf for 17 and Dissly for 8. On 3rd and 1 from the Rams 47, Dallas gained 2. Smith went to Disney for 21 and then to Metcalf for a 23 yard touchdown. with over 9 minutes to play, the 10 play, 98 yard, 6 1/2 minute drive had the Seahawks within 16-14.
The Rams took over at their own 27 and stayed aggressive. Stafford went to Woods for 24 and to Cooper Kupp for 33 more. Stafford hit Kupp again for 13. Michel ran for the 2 yard touchdown to give the Rams breathing room up 23-14 with 6 minutes left. In addition to missing an extra point, Gay twice on the night kicked a kickoff out of bounds to set the Seahawks up at their own 40. With just over 3 minutes to play the Seahawks had 1st and 10 at the Rams 14. Smith threw 3 straight incompletions. Needing 2 scores, Myers hit the 32 yard field goal to get the Seahawks within 23-17. The Seahawks held on defense and got the ball back at their own 16 with 2:09 left and a chance to win it. Smith was immediately intercepted. The Rams took over at the Seattle 32. With 24 seconds left, Gay came in for a 47 yard field goal try to lock up the win. A miss would give the Seahawks a chance at a miracle. Gay atoned for his earlier misses and snuck this kick inside the upright good as the Rams got to 4-1 on the year. 26-17 Rams
New York Jets at Atlanta Falcons is the Sunday early morning London game. The NFL did not explain why it hates the British people so much that it delivered them such a terrible matchup. The Falcons were less awful than the Jets, jumping all over Gang Green from the start. The Falcons moved from their own 25 to a 4th and 1 at the Jets 40. Cordaderelle Patterson gained 12 yards. 14 plays, 62 yards and 6 minutes led to a 31 yard Younghoe Koo field goal to make it 3-0 Falcons. The Falcons got it back at their own 8 yard line. On 3rd and 1 from their own 25, Matt Ryan hit Sharpe for 14, Pitts for 18, Smith for 22, Patterson for 16, and Pitts for a 2 yard touchdown. The 10 play, 92 yard, 5 minute drive made it 10-0 Falcons. The second quarter had the Falcons starting at their own 23. Ryan hit Patterson for 13 and 5. On 3rd and 1 from their own 46, Ryan hit Pitts for 22 with roughing the passer adding 15. On 3rd and 10 from the Jets 17, Ryan went to Hurst for the touchdown to make it 17-0 Falcons.
The rest of the second quarter was pointless. Zach Wilson was intercepted but the Falcons fumbled the ball back. Ammendola hit a 31 yard field goal with 2:18 left in the half to finally get the Jets on the board. Koo hit a 52 yard field goal to end the half with the Falcons cruising 20-3. The Jets got a spark to start the third quarter when Trevor Coleman returned the second half kickoff 66 yards to the Atlanta 29. Carter gained 7 and 8. On 3rd and 4 from the Atlanta 8, Johnson gained 6, one, and then the one yard touchdown. The extra point doinked off the upright no good as the Jets trailed 29. The rest of the third quarter was also pointless. With 9 1/2 minutes left in regulation the Jets took over at their own 10. Wilson hit Crowder for 7 and Cole for 23. On 1st and 20 from their own 30, Wilson hit Mims for 27. Defensive pass interference on the next play meant a 41 yard gain down to the Atlanta 2. Carter got in for the score. Robert Saleh went for 2 and Wilson hit Crowder for the conversion. Midway through the fourth quarter, the Jets were within 20-17.
After a touchback, the Falcons finally began moving again. Ryan went deep to Pitts for 39 yards. On 3rd and 13 from the Jets 39, Ryan hit Zaccheaus for 15. On 3rd and 2 from the Jets 15, , Ryan hit Patterson for 7. Davis gained 6 and then got the 3 yard touchdown. With 2:19 to play, the Falcons led 27-17. The Jets quickly moved from their own 25 to a 1st and 10 at the Atlanta 14 with 30 seconds left. Wilson was sacked for a 17 yard loss. Needing 2 scores, Robert Saleh immediately went with the field goal try. Ammendola hit from 49 but the onside kick try failed. For some reason, the Jets are being allowed back to the United States despite our begging Britain to keep them. 27-20 Falcons
Detroit Lions at Minnesota Vikings — The winless Lions took on a Vikings team that won once. The Lions got on the board first with a 39 yard Austin Siebert field goal. Greg Joseph responded from 38 for a 3-3 game after the first quarter. A Lions fumble led to another 38 yard Joseph field goal and a 6-3 Vikings second quarter lead. The Vikings got it back at their own 12. Alexander Mattison ran for 11 and 3 Kirk Cousins hit Justin Jefferson for 14 and 22. Roughing the passer on the next play added 15 more. Cousins hit Mattison for a 15 yard touchdown to make it 13-3 Vikings with 2 1/2 minutes left in the half. After a touchback, the Lions soon faced 3rd and 8 from their own 37. Jared Goff hit Cephus for 21 and Seibert hit a 52 yard field goal as the Lions trailed 13-6 at halftime. The third quarter was scoreless as each quarterback was intercepted. The Vikings moved from their own 20 on a 10 play drive that took 5 minutes off the clock. With 4 1/2 minutes remaining, Joseph buried a 55 yard field goal to give the Vikings a 16-6 lead. The Lions moved from their own 25 to a 3rd and 3 at the Minnesota 45. An 18 yard gain was wiped out by offensive holding. On 4th and 15, Goff was sacked. With 3:43 left, this game seemed completely over.
The Vikings took over at the Detroit 34. All they had to do was run down the clock. On 3rd and 7, Cousins threw incomplete. With 3:22 left, Joseph came in for a 49 yard field goal try to extend the lead. The kick was no good. The Lions took over at their own 39. Goff hit Brown for 18 and Swift for 21. On 1st ant 10 from the Minnesota 22, Goff threw 3 straight incompletions. Needing 2 scores, Seibert came in for the 40 yard field goal try. The Lions trailed 16-9 with 2 1/2 minutes left. The Vikings took over on their own 18. The 2 minute warning came with the Vikings facing 3rd and 7 at their own 21. The Lions were out of timeouts One first down would end the game. Even a run that came up short would give the Lions the ball back with only one minute left. Mattison got the carry and fumbled. The Lions recovered at the Minnesota 20. They Lions had been given a miracle. This crazy game was about to get even crazier.
Goff hit St. Brown for 10. Then Swift ran for a 7 yard touchdown. Rather than tie the game, Dan Campbell went for the win on the road. The Lions were winless. They had literally nothing to lose. Goff hit Hodge for the 2 point conversion. The Lions led 17-16 with only 37 seconds remaining. Now from their own 18 with 2 timeouts left, the Vikings needed a miracle of their own. Cousins went to Adam Thielen for 21, Westbrook for 6 and Thielen for 19. Cousins spiked the ball with 3 seconds left. Joseph came in for a 54 yard field goal to try and win it for the Vikings. The Lions lost at home a couple weeks ago 19-17 when Justin Tucker made a 66 yard field goal for Baltimore. Yet Joseph had missed a 36 yard field goal that cost the Vikings a win early in the season. Something had to give. Joseph was good, and the lions remained winless after another heartbreaking loss. 64 years later, the curse of Bobby Layne continues to haunt the Lions. 19-17 Vikings
New Orleans Saints at Washington Debt Ceilings — An early interception of Jameis Winston set up the N-Names at the Saints 31. Dustin Hopkins hit a 45 yard field goal for a 3-0 lead for the No-Names. 3 plays later after a touchback the Saints faced 3rd and 7 from their own 28. Winston went deep to Harris for a 72 yard touchdown bomb and a 7-3 Saints lead. The No-Names came back 72 yards in 12 plays and nearly 6 1/2 minutes. From their own 23, the No-Names moved to a 2nd and goal at the 5. Taylor Heinicke threw incomplete twice. Hopkins hit from 23 as the No-Names only trailed 7-6.
Three plays later after a touchback, Winston was sacked and fumbled to give the No-Names a short field at the Saints 44. The No-Names punted on 4th and 15 but a roughing the kicker penalty gave the No-Names 1st and 10 at the Saints 34. Defensive pass interference on the next play gave the No-Names 16 more yards. A sack had the No-Names facing 2nd and 17 from the Saints 25. Henicki ran for 13. The second quarter began with the No-Names facing 3rd and 4 from the Saints 12. Heinickie hit Seals-Jones for 7. Gibson ran for the 5 yard touchdown put the N-Names up 13-7.
After a touchback, Winston went to Taysom Hill for 11 and Callaway for 10. Winston went deep incomplete to Hill, who suffered a helmet to helmet hit. The unnecessary roughness flag gave the Saints 15 yards, but Hill was taken to the locker room on the golf cart. Winston went to Alvin Kamara for 12 and Kamara then ran for a 23 yard touchdown. The extra point was no good as the game was tied 13-13. The No-Names had plenty of chances but squandered them. They moved from their own 25 to a 2nd and 7 at the Saints 16. Heinicke was intercepted at the 2 yard line. Washington got it back with a short field at the Saints 47. On 1st and 10 from the Saints 35, Heinicke threw 3 straight incompletions. Riverboat Ron Rivera went for it rather than try a 53 yard field goal. Henicke threw a 4th straight incompletion. With 19 seconds left in the half, the No-Names punted on 4th and 5 from their own 6. A 13 yard return by Kamara gave the Saints enough time for one play from just past midfield. Jameis Winston rolled to his right, through the Hail Mary to the end zone, and the prayer was answered by Marquez Callaway for the touchdown as the Saints took a 20-13 lead to the locker rooms.
In the third quarter the No-Names faced 3rd and 1 from their own 34. Gibson gained 6 and 16. Patterson had gains of 9 and 2. Carter gained 11. Yet on 2nd and goal at the 4, Gibson lost 2 and then Heinicke threw incomplete. Hopkins hit the 24 yard field goal as the No-Names trailed 20-16 after three quarters. Early in the fourth quarter the No-Names faced 3rd and 10 from their own 2 yard line. Heinicke went deep and was intercepted Williams. The Saints had a short field at the Washington 26. Winston hit Trautman for 11. On 3rd and 7 from the Washington 12, winston hit Callaway for the touchdown. With 12 minutes left in regulation the Saints led 27-16.
After a touchback and a 4 yard defensive pass interference e penalty, Heinicke went deep to Humphries for a 25 yard gain. On 4th and 14 just past midfield with 10 minutes left, ron Rivera again went for it. Heinicke went deep to Carter for 26 and then ran for 16 more. A 4 yard defensive pass interference call 2 plays later meant 1st and goal at the one. Gibson got in. The 2 point try failed but the No-Names were within 27-22 midway through the fourth quarter. The Saints soon faced 3rd and 1 from their own 34. Winston got stopped. Ron Rivera has the riverboat nickname but Sean Payton called an onside kick in the Super Bowl to start the second half. With 6:12 to play, Payton risked it all by going for it in his own territory. On 4th and 1, Winston gained 2. On the next play Winston went deep to Trautman for 32. Kamara gained 11. Winston went to Kamara for the 19 yard touchdown with 3 minutes left to ice the game. Cody Parkey, the king of the double doink, doinked the extra point off the upright no good. 33-22 Saints
New England Patriots at Houston Texans — The Patriots have struggled this year but 2 plays late were the difference in them being 1-3 rather than 3-1. All they had to do was beat the Texans, who were quarterbacked by the lowest rated quarterback in the league in Davis Mills. So naturally Mills came out looking like a Hall of Famer. He began by leading the drive of the year. 18 plays. 79 yards. 10 minutes off the clock. From their own 21, Mark Ingram ran for 8, one, and on 3rd and 1 from their own 30, one more. On 3rd and 8 from their own 33, Mills threw incomplete but defensive pass interference meant a 10 yard gain. On 3rd and 1 from the New England 48, Mills gained 2. On 3rd and 5 from the New England 41, Johnson gained 2. David Culley decided to go for it rather than try a 56 yard field goal. . On 4th and 2 from the Patriots 38, Mills hit Johnson for 8 and again for 10. On 3rd and 1 from the New England 11, Mills hit Auclair for the touchdown. The extra point was no good, which would be common in this game as the Texans had the 6-0 lead.
After missing the extra point, Kaimi Fairbairn hit the ensuing kickoff out of bounds to set up the Patriots up at their own 40. On 3rd and 2 from their own 48, Mac Jones hit Kendrick Bourne for 15. Bourne then ran for 12. On 3rd and 3 from the Houston 18, Jones hit Nelson Agholor for 11. The second quarter began with the Patriots facing 3rd and goal from the one. Diontae Harris took the direct snap and got in. Nick Folk missed the extra point as well for a 6-6 game. 3 plays after a touchback, the Texans faced 3rd and 2 from their own 33. Mills went deep to Moore for a 67 yard touchdown. Fairbairn again missed the extra point but the texans led 12-6. The Patriots fumbled and the Texans took over at their own 20. On 3rd and 17 from their own 25, Mills hit Johnson for 16. David Culley gambled on 4th and 1 from his own 42. Mills hit Brandon Cooks for 6. At the 2 minute warning the Texans had 1st and goal at the 2. Then came a false start and a pair of sacks by Judon. Fairbairn hit the 33 yard field goal, which coincidentally is as long as the 2 missed extra points. The 15 play, 65 yard, 7 minute drive had the Texans up 15-6.
The Patriots took over at their own 24 with 90 seconds left in the half. Jones hit Hunter Henry for 5, Bourne for 7, Henry again for 16, and Meyers for 9. Nick Folk buried a 52 yard field goal to end the half with the Patriots within 15-9. Yet on the second play of the third quarter on 2nd and 10 from their own 27, Jones was intercepted. The Texans had a short field from the New England 44. Two plays later Mills hit Chris Conley for a 37 yard touchdown as the Texans had the shocking 22-9 lead. With 10 1/2 minutes left in regulation and the Texans in total control, David Culley got too cute for his own good. On 4th and 2 from his own 36, he decided to punt. He then had his punter move up to the line and pretend like it was a fake punt. Then after all of that, Johnston was supposed to punt it anyway. The Texans outfoxed themselves as Johnston’s punt bounced off the helmet of a New England player. Technically it went in the books as a blocked punt for 0 yards.
Houston’s defense kept them in the game as Jones’s 3rd and 10 pass gained only 3 yards. Folk again hit from 52 to get the Patriots within 22-12. The Patriots got it back at their own 39. Jones went to Henry for 21 and Agholor for 20 more. On 3rd and 12 from the Houston 18, a completion only gained 4 yards. Folk hit again from 32 as the Patriots trailed 22-15 after three quarters. The Texans moved from their own 22 to a 3rd and 7 at the Pats 41. A completion only gained 3 yards. David Culley gambled on a 56 yard field goal to give the Texans some breathing room 90 seconds into the fourth quarter. Fairbairn had already missed 2 extra points, and this kick was no good as well. The Patriots took over at their own 46. Harris gained 7. Jones hit Henry for 10. Harris gained 5 and 15. On 3rd and 5 from the Houston 13, Jones hit Henry for the touchdown. With 9 1/2 minutes left in regulation, the game was tied 22-22.
The Patriots got it back midway through the fourth quarter at their own 13. Jones hit meyer for 24. On 3rd and 18 from their own 29, Jones threw deep incomplete but a killer roughing the passer penalty kept the drive going. On 3rd and 6 from their own 48, Jones hit Henry for 10. Bolden ran for 24. Stevenson added 9. Jones gained 3 to set up 1st and goal at the 6 at the 2 minute warning. Stevenson ran for 2 yards as the Texans took their final timeout. Stevenson ran for a 4 yard touchdown but it was nullified by an illegal shift. The Texans would have been better off had he scored. Helpless to stop the clock, New England fell forward
a couple times and took the clock down to 17 seconds. On 4th and goal from the 3, Folk came in to be the hero. Last week he had a 56 yard field goal to win it doink off the upright no good. This one was only from 21. Jones had led a 15 play, 84 yard drive that took 7 minutes off the clock. Folk was good, and the Texans collapse at home was complete. 25-22 Patriots
Miami Dolphins at Tampa Bay Buccaneers — A battle of Florida had the Dolphins move from their own 25 to a 2nd and goal at the 5. Myles Gaskin got stopped and Brissett threw incomplete. Jason Sanders hit the 23 yard field goal. to make it 3-0 Dolphins. The Buccaneers took over at their own 20. Tom Brady hit OH Howard for 9 and Mike Evans for 26. Leonard Fournette ran for 17. Brady hit Chris Godwin for 13. On 3rd and 6 from the Miami 10, Brady hit Giovanni Benard for the touchdown and the 7-3 Buccaneers lead. After a touchback, Brissett hit Gaskin for gains of 9 and 12 and Hollins for 10. Defensive pass interference 2 plays later added 12 more yards. Brissett hit Shaheen for 5 and Gaskin for a 24 yard touchdown. The Dolphins led 10-7 after the first quarter, but in the second quarter reality set in.
The Buccaneers moved from their own 25 to a 3rd and 6 at the Miami 14. Brady was sacked for a 10 yard loss. Ryan Succop hit a 42 yard field goal for a 10-10 game. The Buccaneers got it back at their own 30 and only needed 3 plays. On 3rd and 2 from their own 38, Brady connected with Antonio Brown, who split the seams for a 62 yard touchdown and a 17-10 Buccaneers lead. The Buccaneers got it back at their own 23. Brady hit Fournette for 6, Howard for 10 and Fournette for 10 and 11. On 3rd and 3 from the Miami 10 at the 2 minute warning, Brady threw incomplete but defensive pass interference meant a 7 yard gain. Brady hit Brown for a 4 yard touchdown to cap the 13 play, 77 yard, 6 1/2 minute drive to make it 24-10 Buccaneers.
The Dolphins after a touchback moved to a 2nd and 2 at the Tampa 30. Brissett was sacked and fumbled and the Buccaneers took over at their own 34 with 45 seconds left. Succop missed a 60 yard field goal to end the half. In the third quarter the Dolphins took over at their own 13. Gaskin ran for 13 Brissett went to Gesicki for 23. On 3rd and 1 from the Tampa 36, Brissett hit Gaskin for 2. On 3rd and 1 from the Tampa 17, Brissett threw incomplete but defensive pass interference meant 1st and goal at the one. Gaskin got in as the 11 play, 87 yard, 6 minute drive had the Dolphins within 24-17 midway through the third quarter.
The Buccaneers soon faced 3rd and 10 at their own 25. Brady hit Brown for 12. On 3rd and 1 from the Maimi 42, Brady hit Godwin for 12 and Fournette for 16. On 3rd and 2 from the Miami 5 to start the fourth quarter, Fournette got in to make it 31-17 Buccaneers. The Buccaneers got it back at their own 39 and moved quickly. Brady hit Jones for 15, Brown for 7, and Mike Evans for a 34 yard touchdown to make it 38-17 Buccaneers. Brissett was soon intercepted to give the Buccaneers a short field at the Fins 41. Brady hit Evans for a 22 yard touchdown to turn a close game into a blowout. Brady was phenomenal, finishing 30 of 41 for 411 yards, 5 touchdowns and 0 interceptions. 45-17 Buccaneers
Green Bay Packers at Cincinnati Bengals — This game will be talked about for a very long time. Announcer Paul Maguire once said, “I hate kickers. They should be paid $50 a game.” This game explained why. Both teams came in 3-1, as Joe Burrow hoped to outduel Aaron Rodgers. Early on Rodgers was intercepted, leading to nothing. With 6 minutes left in the opening quarter, the Bengals took over just shy of midfield. On 4th and 3 from the Green Bay 44, Zac Taylor went for it. Burrow hit Perine for 5. Joe Mixon gained 10. Burrow hit Sample for 6, Uzomah for 7, Mixon for 2, Perine for 10 and Perine again for a 4 yard touchdown. The 10 play, 51 yard, 5 minute drive had the Bengals up 7-0 after the first quarter.
After a touchback, Rodgers hit Davante Adams for 17. On 3rd and 12 from their own 40 to start the second quarter, Rodgers went deep to Adams for 34 and to Lewis for 14. Rodgers hit Dillon for a 12 yard touchdown. Mason Crosby doinked the extra point off the upright no good as the Packers trailed 7-6. The Packers got it back at their own 38. Rodgers hit Dillon for 13 and Adams for 24. The drive stalled but Crosby hit a 44 yard field goal to make it 9-7 Packers. The Packers got it back and soon aced 3rd and 6 from their own 23. Rodgers hit Adams for 15. and Dillon for 24. At the 2 minute warning from the Cincinnati 35, Rodgers hit Adams for 22. With one minute left in the half Rodgers hit Adams for a 5 yard touchdown and a 16-7 Packers lead.
Only 2 plays after a touchback, the Bengals were right back in it. On 2nd and 5 from their own 30, Burrow went deep to Jamarr Chase. The defender mistimed the jump, and Chase had the 70 yard touchdown as the Bengals got within 16-14. In the third quarter Burrow went deep and was intercepted at the Green Bay 18. The Packers moved to a 3rd and 9 from the Cincy 28. Rodgers hit Adams for a 2 yard gain. After 12 plays, 66 yards and 7 1/2 minutes, the Packers settled for a 44 yard Crosby field goal to lead 19-14 with 6 minutes left in the third quarter.
The Bengals moved from their own 25 to a 3rd and 2 at the Green Bay 30. Burrow threw incomplete and Zac Taylor decided to go for it. On 4th and 2, Burrow gained 5 but offensive holding killed the chance. The Bengals punted. The Packers began the fourth quarter at their own 15. From their own 35, Rodgers went deep to Adams for 59 yards. Yet on 3rd and goal from the Cincy 4, Rodgers threw incomplete. Crosby hit the 22 yard field goal to put the Packers up 22-14 with 11 1/2 minutes left in regulation.
After a touchback, Perine gained 11. On 3rd and 5 from their own 40, Burrow went to Higgins for 10. On 3rd and 1 from the Green Bay 41, Perine lost a yard. On 4th and 2 midway through the fourth quarter, Burrow got just enough. On 3rd and 5 from the Green Bay 36, Burrow went to Chase for 19. Perine gained 9 and Mixon ran for the 8 yard touchdown. Burrow went to Tee Higgins for the 2 point conversion. The game was tied 22-22 with 3 1/2 minutes left. The rest of this game was indescribable.
After a touchback, Jones ripped off a 57 yard gain. A run then gained nothing and Rodgers threw incomplete twice. With 2:14 left, Crosby came in for a 36 yard field goal to give the Packers the lead. Crosby had missed an extra point earlier. Crosby’s kick was no good. The Bengals took over at their own 26. Burrow led the Bengals to a 3rd and 5 at the Green Bay 42 with 30 seconds left. A completion gained only 3 yards. McPherson came in for a 57 yard field goal try to give the Bengals the lead. The kick doinked off the upright no good. This gave the Packers gift field position at their own 47 with 21 seconds left. Rodgers hit Adams for 20 and spiked the ball to stop the clock with 4 seconds left. Crosby had a chance at redemption from 51 yards out. Again, Crosby was no good. This game was headed to overtime.
The Bengals got the ball to start overtime. On the first play from scrimmage after a touchback, Burrow was intercepted. Campbell returned it 13 yards to the Cincy 17. This game was all but over. 2 runs lost 5 yards and Matt LaFleur had seen enough. Despite 2 missed field goals and an extra point, Crosby came in for a 40 yard try to win it. Crosby was no good. The Bengals soon faced 3rd and 2 from their own 38. Burrow went to Chase for 21. On 3rd and 2 from the Green Bay 33, Mixon only gained one. On 4th and 1 Zac Taylor decided not to gamble. MacPherson came in for a 49 yard field goal try for his second try to win it. The kick was up, and McPherson jumped into the arms of his holder in celebration. The Bengals celebrated. Yet this was odd, since McPherson was again no good. They thought he made it. They thought wrong. 5 missed field goals in 8 minutes kept the game going.
The Packers took over at their own 39. Rodgers hit Lewis for 20. On 3rd and 16 from the Cincy 47, Rodgers hit Randall Cobb for 15. With 1:55 left in overtime, Matt LaFleur had a big decision to make. Crosby had already missed 4 kicks, including 3 field goals and an extra point. This kick would be 49 yards. Going for it would possibly allow for a shorter kick or give the Bengals good field position. LeFleur went with his shaky kicker. Crosby was…good! It was less a celebration than a sigh of relief. Despite his miserable game, he helped his team win. 25-22 Packers, OT
Denver Broncos at Pittsburgh Steelers — The Steelers looked great in their opener and then lost 3 straight. The Broncos won 3 against teams that started 0-9 before losing badly at home last week. The Steelers soon faced 3rd and 1 from their own 24. Ben Roethlisberger has played poorly this season, but he hit Chase Claypool for 23. On 3rd and 7 from midfield, Big Ben went deep to Johnson for a 50 yard touchdown and a 7-0 Steelers. The Steelers got it back at their own 17 and held the ball for 6 minutes and 10 play. Yet on 2nd and 13 from just shy of midfield, Roethlisberger was sacked and fumbled. The Broncos took over at the Pittsburgh 29. Yet on 3rd and 12, a completion only gained 10. Vic Fangio decided not to gamble on 4th and 2. Brandon McManus hit from 39 to get the Broncos within 7-3. The Steelers responded from their own 25 by moving to a 1st and 10 at the Denver 27. Yet a run lost 3 yards and Roethlisberger threw incomplete twice. Early in the second quarter, Chris Boswell hit a 48 yard field goal to make it 10-3 Steelers.
In the second quarter the Broncos moved from their own 40 to a 2nd and goal at the 5. Bridgewater was sacked for a 12 yard loss. On 3rd and goal from the 17, a completion gained only 6 yards McManus hit from 29 to get the Broncos within 10-6 with 6 minutes left in the half. The Steelers soon faced 2nd and 7 from their own 28. Roethlisberger connected with Claypool who weaved past defenders for a 59 yard gain. On 3rd and 16 from the Denver 18, Roethlisberger threw incomplete but defensive pass interference in the end zone meant 1st and goal at the one. Harris got in for the touchdown as the Steelers led 17-6 with 2:12 left in the half.
In the third quarter the Steelers began at their own 14. Harris gained 5 and 18. On 2nd and 17 from their own 30, Big Ben hit Harris and Claypool for a pair of 14 yard gains. On 3rd and 2 from the Denver 34, Roethlisberger hit Freiermuth for 3. On 4th and 12 from the Denver 33, Chris Boswell made a 51 yard field goal. Yet the Denver defense was called for a leverage penalty. Mike Tomlin took the points off the board as the 15 yard penalty made it 1st and 10 from the Denver 18. On 3rd and 10, Roethlisberger went to Claypool for the touchdown. The 14 play, 86 yard, nearly 7 1/2 minute drive meant a 24-6 Steelers lead.
After a touchback, Teddy Bridgewater went to Patrick for 19. On 3rd and 15 from their own 39, Bridgewater hit Patrick for 10 as the third quarter ended. On 4th and 5 to start the fourth quarter, Bridgewater hit Patrick for just enough. Williams gained 10. On 3rd and 11 from the Pittsburgh 37, Bridgewater hit Noah Fast for 9. On 4th and 2, Bridgewater hit Sutton for 25. On 3rd and goal at the 2, Bridgewater threw incomplete. On 4th and goal, Bridgewater went to Kendall Hinton for the touchdown. With 10 minutes left the Broncos were within 24-13 after the 14 play, 75 yard, 7 1/2 minute drive. The Broncos got it back at their own 28. Bridgewater went to Patrick for 15 and Cortland Sutton for 9. Bridgwater then went to Sutton for a 39 yard touchdown. The 2 point try failed but the Broncos were within 24-19 with nearly 6 minutes to play.
After a touchback, Roethlisberger went to Johnson for 22 and Claypool for 16. On 3rd and 5 from the Denver 30, Bennie Snell only gained 4. On 4th and 1 from the Denver 26 with 2 1/2 minutes left, Mike Tomlin decided not to go for it. Boswell hit from 43 to put the Steelers up by 8. After a touchback, Bridgewater hit Patrick for 23, Fant for 6, Williams for 9 and Fant for 5. On 3rd and 5 from the Pittsburgh 32, Bridgewater went deep to Hinton for 23 yards. With one minute left the Broncos had 1st and goal at the 9. On 3rd and goal at the 3, Bridgewater threw incomplete. 22 seconds remained. The Broncos were down to their last chance. On 4th and goal, Bridgewater was intercepted in the end zone for a touchback. 27-19 Steelers
Philadelphia Eagles at Carolina Panthers — The Panthers were knocked from the unbeaten ranks last week, but the Eagles had lost 3 straight after an opening day win. Zane Gonzalez hit a 48 yard field goal to get the Panthers on the board first. On the Panthers next series, Sam Darnold was intercepted to give the Eagles golden field position with 1st and goal at the 10. On 4th and goal at the 2, Kevin Sirianni went for it. jalen Hurts hit Smith for the touchdown, but it was nullified by offensive pass interference. Jake Elliott hit the 30 yard field goal for a 3-3 game.
The Panthers got it back at their own 38. Darnold hit Thomas for 13. Hubbard ran for 26. On 3rd and 7 from the Philadelphia 20, Darnold hit DJ Moore for 14. On 3rd and goal at the 5, Darnold hit Tommy Tremble for the touchdown to make it 10-3 Panthers. The rest of the half was mostly defense. A shanked punt of only 16 yards had the Panthers taking over at the Philly 40 with 6 minutes left in the half. On 3rd and 10 from the Philly 18, Darnold was sacked. Gonzalez hit from 43 to make it 13-3 Panthers with 2 1/2 minutes left in the half. The Eagles took over at their own 11 and disaster immediately struck. A shotgun snap sailed past Teddy Bridgewater and out the back of the end zone for a safety and a 15-3 Panthers lead.
The Eagles got it back at their own 16 with 30 seconds left in the half. Hurts hit Reagor for 15 and Smith for 17. Elliott buried a 58 yard field goal to end the half with the Eagles down 15-6. A hideous third quarter saw the Eagles fumble the ball away and then throw an interception with the Panthers returning the favor with an interception of their own. Late in the third quarter the Eagles took over at their own 20. Hurts hit Smith for 13 and 5. On 3rd and 10 from their own 37, Hurts went deep to Watkins for a 53 yard gain. Defensive pass interference on the next play meant 1st and goal at the one. Hurts got in as the Eagles only trailed 15-13 after three quarters.
The fourth quarter began with the Panthers taking over after a touchback. On 3rd and 1 from their own 34, Hubbard gained 6 and 11. On 3rd and 2 from the Philly 30, Freeman lost a yard. Gonzalez hit a 50 yard field goal to give the Panthers an 18-13 lead with 8 1/2 minutes left in regulation. Yet 11 lays and 6 1/2 minutes did not close the door. The Eagles moved from their 25 to a 3rd and 4 at the Carolina 39. After Hurts threw incomplete, Kevin Sirianni decided to go for it with 5 1/2 minutes left. Hurts threw incomplete again. The Panthers went 3 and out and had to punt on 4th and 3 from their own 46. The punt was blocked, giving the Eagles golden field position at the Carolina 27. Hurts hit Dallas Goedert for 20 and ran for the 6 yard touchdown himself. Hurts hit Smith for the 2 point conversion to put the Eagles up by 3 with 2 1/2 minutes left. The Panthers soon faced 3rd and 15 at their own 20. Darnold hit Robby Anderson for 25. Yet the next play brought offensive holding. An interception of Darnold at the 2 minute warning sealed Carolina’s fate as special teams did them in. 21-18 Eagles
Tennessee Titans at Jacksonville Jaguars — The Jaguars are an 0-4 mess and Coach Urban Meyer is now under a cloud for an off the field incident that could cause him to be fired well before his rookie season ends. On the third play from scrimmage on 3rd and 10 from their own 25, Trevor Lawrence completed a short pass that was fumbled and returned by Byard for a 30 yard touchdown. One minute into the game, the Titans led 7-0. Yet the Jaguars fought hard in this game. After a touchback, Robinson ran for 5 and then broke off a 58 yard run Carlos Hyde ran for 7 and 4 and Robinson got the last yard. The extra point doinked off the upright no good as the Jaguars trailed 7-6.
The Titans later on faced 3rd and 6 from their own 25. Ryan Tannehill hit McNichols for 25 to midfield. On 3rd and 5 from the Jacksonville 46, Tannehill threw incomplete but defensive pass interference meant an 8 yard gain. On 3rd and 5 from the Jags 33, Tannehill hit Johnson for 10 and AJ Brown for 22 down to the one. On the first play of the second quarter, Derrick Henry got in to make it 14-6 Titans. The Jaguars soon faced 3rd and 3 from their own 37. Lawrence went deep to Jones for 25, to Agnew for 7, and to Austin for 22. On 3rd and goal at the one, Robinson got stopped. With absolutely nothing left to lose, Urban Meyer went for it. Lawrence hit Hollister for the touchdown as the Jaguars were within 14-13. After that the Titans took over.
After a touchback, Tannehill went to Johnson for 22 and Reynolds for 8. Rogers ran for 9. Henry added 5 and Batson gained 11. Tannehill hit Pruitt for the 14 yard touchdown to make it 21-13 Titans. The Jaguars moved from their own 24 to a 3rd and 8 at the Titans 34. Lawrence threw incomplete. Wright came in for a 53 yard field goal try. With 2 12 minutes left, his kick was no good. The miss allowed the Titans to take over at their own 4. Tannehill hit Rogers for 26. Despite 1st and 10 from the Jags 16, a pair of incompletions sandwiched around Tannehill being taken down for no gain meant a field goal try. Randy Bullock hit from 34 to make it 24-13 Titans. The Titans began the third quarter facing 3rd and 4 from their own 31. Tannehill hit Johnson for 20. On 3rd and 4 from the Jacksonville 43, Tannehill hit Brown for 6. On 3rd and 2 from the Jaguars 29, Tannehill gained 7. Henry gained 13 and then ran for the 9 yard touchdown to have the Titans up 31-13 only 5 minutes into the second half.
The Jaguars tried to make a game of it. From their own 20, Robinson gained 10, 8 and 9. Lawrence went to Arnold for 18. The Jaguars began the fourth quarter at the Tennessee 22. Defensive unnecessary roughness on the next play meant 1st and goal at the 10. Lawrence ran for the 4 yard touchdown. The 2 point try failed but the Jaguars were within 31-19 only one minute into the fourth quarter. The Jaguars got it back at their own 30. Lawrence went deep to Shenault for 58 yards. On 3rd and 7 from the Tennessee 9, Lawrence was intercepted. Yet defensive holding meant 1st and goal at the 5. On 3rd and goal after a pair of incompletions, Lawrence ran it in. Yet on further review, Lawrence was ruled down short of the end zone. On 4th and goal at the one, Hyde got the carry and got knocked on his hide for a 3 yard loss. With less than 2 minutes to play, Henry ran for a 10 yard touchdown after the Jaguars turned it over on downs. Lawrence threw in one more interception for good measure. The Jaguars are 12 losses from 0-17, with or without Urban Meyer. 37-19 Titans
Cleveland Browns at Los Angeles Chargers — This was the game of the year as the 2 teams combined for over 1,000 yards of offense. It was as if Paul Brown and Don “Air” Coryell were coaching. The Browns took over at their own 8 and moved 75 yards in 10 plays and 6 1/2 minutes. On 4th and 5 from the Chargers 12, Kevin stefanski decided to go for it. Yet a false start killed the chance. The Browns settled for a 35 yard Chase McLaughlin field goal and a 3-0 lead. The Chargers came back 85 yards in 10 plays and 5 minutes. From their own 15, Austin Ekeler ran for 2 and 8. Justin Herbert hit Ekeler for 18 and Mike Williams for 6 and 8. Herbert ran for 11. On 3rd and 8 from the Cleveland 30, Herbert threw incomplete. Yet illegal contact on the defense meant an automatic first down. Herbert hit Donald Parham for a 22 yard touchdown to make it 7-3 Chargers.
The Browns took over at their own 28. Baker Mayfield hit Njoku for 31 yards. Nick Chubb ran for 7 and 5. Mayfield went to Donovan Peoples-Jones for 12 as the Browns began the second quarter at the Chargers 17 yard line. On 3rd and 10, Mayfield threw incomplete but defensive pass interference meant a 9 yard gain and first down. Mayfield went to Rashard Higgins for a 7 yard touchdown to make it 10-7 Browns. From their own 18, the Chargers came back quickly. Herbert ran for 10. On 3rd and 10 from their own 28, Herbert went to Williams for a 72 yard touchdown. Just like that, the Chargers led 13-10. The extra point was no good. The Browns moved from their own 20 to a 3rd and 7 at the Chargers 22. A completion gained only 5 yards. Kevin Stefanski gambled on 4th and 2 from the Chargers 17 and Mayfield threw incomplete.
The Chargers punted on 4th and 20 from their own 7. The Browns took over at their own 47. Chubb gained 6, 2, and on 3rd and 2, 6 more. On 3rd and 4 from the Chargers 33, Kareem Hunt gained 5. Mayfield hit Higgins for 16. Chubb gained 8, one, and on 3rd and 1, nothing. On 4th and 1 from the Chargers 3, Kevin Stefanski again decided to go for it with one minute left in the half. Hunt got in for the touchdown to make it 17-13 Browns. This was the 4th lead chance of the first half. The Chargers took over at their own 15 and disaster immediately struck. Herbert went to Ekelr for 8, but Ekeler fumbled and the Browns recovered at the Chargers 22. With 9 seconds left in the half on 3rd and 1 from the Chargers 13, Mayfield threw incomplete. Kevin Stefanski this time decided not to gamble. McLaughlin hit the 31 yard field goal as the Browns led 20-13 at the intermission. The Browns struck quickly in the third quarter after a touchback. On 3rd and 1 from their own 34, Mayfield hit Peoples-Jones for 8. Chubb ran for 6 and then ripped off a 52 yard touchdown run. 17 unanswered points had the Browns up 27-13.
The Chargers soon faced 3rd and 9 from their own 17. Herbert hit Parham for 7. Brandon Staley is very aggressive, but he seemed to lose his mind going for it on 4th and 2 from his own 24. He ignored the ghost of Barry Switzer and Ekelr gained 9. Herbert hit Williams for 7 and Kelley gained 14. On 3rd and 3 from the Cleveland 34. Defensive pass interference added 9 more yards. On 2nd and 7 from the Cleveland 22, Herbert threw incomplete twice. Staley again gambled on 4th and 7 and Herbert hit Keenan Allen for 12. Herbert ran for the 9 yard touchdown. Staley for some reason went for a 2 point conversion and Herbert hit Parham successfully. With 6 1/2 minutes left in the third quarter, the 12 play, 84 yard, 5 1/2 minute drive had the Chargers within 27-21. For 3 quarters this was a fairly normal football game with 48 points total scores. The fourth quarter was a pinball machine as the teams combined for another 41 points.
The Chargers took over at their own 39 with 13 minutes left in regulation. On 3rd and 5, Herbert went to Guyton for 14 and then to Williams for a 42 yard touchdown. The 5th lead change had the Chargers up 28-27 with 11 1/2 minutes left. 2 plays later brought the 6th lead change. On 2nd and 3 from their own 29, Mayfield went to Njoku for a 71 yard touchdown. Kevin Stefanski went for 2 and mayfield hit Austin for the conversion. With 10 1/2 minutes left, the Browns led 35-28. The Chargers dodged a bullet when the Browns returned a fumble for what appeared to be a touchdown and a 42-28 lead. Yet it was ruled an incomplete pass. On 3rd and 10 from their own 25, Herbert hit Williams for just enough. On 3rd and 4 from their own 41, Herbert threw incomplete. Brandon Staley gambled yet again and on 4th and 4 Herbert threw incomplete. However, defensive pass interference meant a 33 yard gain. On 3rd and 8 from the Cleveland 24, Herbert threw incomplete. Yet for the 4th time, Staley gambled and for the 4th time, his gamble paid off. O 4th and 8, Herbert hit Allen for 20. Ekeler ran for the 2 point conversion as the game was tied 35-35 midway through the fourth quarter after the 11 play, 75 yard drive.
After a touchback, Mayfield went to Hunt for 13 with a facemask adding 15 more. Chubb an for 8 and 24. Hunt ran for 7 and then the 8 yard touchdown. With 4:45 to play the Browns led 42-35. The Chargers soon faced 3rd and 5 from their own 30. Herbert went deep to Allen for 37 and to Guyton for 21. On 2nd and 17 from the Cleveland 19, Herbert went to Ekeler for the touchdown. Yet Tristan Vizcaino missed the extra point. With 3:1 to play, the Chargers trailed 42-41. This time the Browns went 3 and out. A 12 yard punt return had the Chargers with a short field at the Cleveland 48 with 2:02 to play. Herbert went to Jared went to Cook for 29. On 3rd and 2 from the Cleveland 11, Ekeler ran for 8 and then the 3 yard touchdown. The 2 point try failed but the 7th lead change had the Chargers up by 5 with 90 seconds to play. The Browns faced 3rd and 1 from their own 34. Mayfield hit Hunt for 2 and Njoku for 10. After spiking the ball, Mayfield threw incomplete twice. With 18 seconds left, it came down to the Browns facing 4th and 10 from their own 46. Mayfield went to the end zone and the Hail Mary landed in the end zone incomplete without being touched. Everyone just missed it. Mayfield was 23 of 32 for 305 yards and 2 touchdowns. Herbert was 26 of 43 for 398 yards and 4 touchdowns. Neither quarterback was intercepted. The Browns rushed for 230 yards on 35 carries, yet somehow lost. A playoff rematch would be highly anticipated. 47-42 Chargers
Chicago Bears at Las Vegas Raiders — Despite falling from the unbeaten ranks, the Raiders had enough firepower to take down the lowly Bears, especially at home. The Bears had a good defense but no offense, and quarterback Justin Fields was starting his third game. Jon Gruden was dealing with fallout from comments he made a decade ago while working at ESPN. this overshadowed the 10 year anniversary of Al Davis’s death. Whether the Raiders were distracted or took the Bears too lightly, they played miserably all game. Early on the Bears inept offense did nothing as they punted twice and the Raiders did once. The Raiders began their second drive at their own 19. Derek Carr hit Bryan Edwards for 12. On 3rd and 9 from their own 32, Carr hit Darren Waller for 29. On 3rd and 7 from the Chicago 16, Kenyan Drake gained 8. Yet on 2nd and goal at the 2, a touchdown run by Josh Jacobs was nullified by offensive holding. Despite a 13 play, 69 yard, 6 minute drive, the Raiders settled for a 31 yard Daniel Carlson field goal.
The Bears were a mess, but the turning point of the game came late in the first quarter. The Bears faced 2nd and 22 from their own 16. Fields hit Robison for only 4 yards, but a mindless roughing the passer penalty on Yannick Ngakoue kept the drive going. Fields the got into a rhythm, hitting Williams for 18. Williams ran for 5 and Herbert added 11. Williams gained 14 as the second quarter began with the Bears facing 1st and goal at the 10. Then came another roughing the passer call to make it 1st and goal from the 5. Then came illegal use of hands to make it 1st and goal at the 2. Fields hit Horsted for the touchdown. The 10 play, 72 yard, 6 minute drive had the Bears up 7-3.
The Raiders took over at their own 18. Carr went deep to Henry Ruggs for 29. Defensive pass interference added 17 more. Yet on 3rd and 1 from the Chicago 27, Carr got stopped. Jon Gruden is obsessed with running the ball but it’s tough to do behind a patchwork offensive line. Gruden gambled on 4th and 1 an Jacobs got stopped cold for no gain. The Bears soon faced 3rd and 2 from their own 22. Williams gained 8. On 3rd and 1 from their own 39, Fields hit Mooney for 15. Fields was briefly knocked out of the game on the next play, and Red Rifle Andy Dalton came in. On 3rd and 7 from the Raiders 43, Dalton hit Goodwin for 8. Fields came back in. On 3rd and 7 from the Raiders 32, Fields hit Robinson for 12 as the Raiders could not stop either quarterback on 3rd down. Damien Williams ran for a 4 yard touchdown with 1:56 left in the half. The Bears led 14-3. They would not score a touchdown the rest of the game. They would not need to.
The Raiders offense never got going. On 3rd and 2 from their own 33 to start the third quarter, Carr went bombs away to Bryan Edwards for what would have been a 50 or 60 yard gain. Edwards just dropped it. There was nobody near him. He blew it. The Raiders got it back and faced 3rd and 4 from their own 27. A deep ball from Carr went threw Zee Jones’s hands and was intercepted. The Raiders got it back at their own 26. Carr hit Ruggs for 18. On 3rd and 5 from the Chicago 47, the Bears jumped into the neutral zone. Yet it was still ruled short.
The fourth quarter Began with the Raiders facing 3rd and inches from the Chicago 43. Carr snuck for 2 yards, but he got his bell rung and left the game. Nathan peterman briefly replaced him. On 3rd and 2 from the Chicago 33, Peterman only gained one. With a backup quarterback and a line that struggles to run block, Jon Gruden again gambled on 4th and inches. Peterman barely got the first down as Matt Nagy unsuccessfully challenged the spot. Carr came back in and defensive unnecessary roughness added 14 yards. On 3rd and 3 from the Chicago 5, Carr fired over the middle to Willie Snead for just enough. On 2nd and goal fro the 3, Carr threw incomplete but defensive unnecessary roughness meant 1st and goal at the one. Jacobs leapt over the top. The ball came out but replay showed the ball barely crossed the plane of the goal for the touchdown. With 9 minutes left Jon Gruden went for 2 and Carr was sacked. The Raiders were within 14-9. The defense had kept the Raiders in the game. The offense finally became functional. Yet the Raiders just could not keep it together long enough.
From their own 15, Fields threw incomplete but defensive pass interference meant a 14 yard gain. On 3rd and 12 from their own 27 midway through the fourth quarter, one stop would have given the Raiders a chance to win. Instead, Fields hit Mooney for 13 and Kmet for 14. On 3rd and 5 from the Raiders 29, Fields only gained one yard. The Raiders took their first timeout with 2:50 left. Cairo Santos hit a 46 yard field goal to make it 17-9 Bears. The Raiders had plenty of time for a comeback, but went backward due to a sack and a false start. On 3rd and 17 from their own 18, Carr hit Hunter Renfrow for 12 at the 2 minute warning. On 4th and 5 from their own 30, Carr had Edwards open and overthrew him. The Bears went nowhere but didn’t need to. Santos hit another field goal from 46 with one minute left to ice the game and send the Raiders to their 2nd straight loss. For 2 straight games, the raiders high octane offense has collapsed under their inability to run the football. Yet things got worse for the Silver and Black far beyond this game. By Monday night, in the wake of more private emails being published, Jon Gruden resigned as coach. Special teams coach Rich Bisacci was labeled the interim coach. Even in the crazy world of the Raiders, this was a gut punch. 20-9 Bears
San Francisco 49ers at Arizona Cardinals — The 4-0 Cardinals came in the NFL’s only unbeaten team. The 49ers gave them all they could handle. Yet despite Kyle Shanahan and Kliff Kingsbury being offensive gurus, this game was all defense. Trey Lance was intercepted early on by Buddha Baker, who returned it 17 yards to his own 34. On 3rd and 1 from their own 43, James Conner gained 4. From the San Francisco 40, Kyler Murray hit AJ Green for 13. Rondale Moore gained 26 yards down to the one. Conner got in to make it 7-0 Cardinals. The 49ers after a touchback moved to a 4th and 2 at the Arizona 34. Shanahan went for it and Trey Lance only gained one. The 49ers got it back at their own 6 and moved all the way to a 3rd and goal at the one. Lance threw incomplete. Shanahan went for it again and Lance rolled to his right, headed toward the pylon, and got rocked by 2 defenders just short of the goal line. 13 plays, 93 yards and 6 minutes led to nothing.
The Cardinals took over at their one and faced 3rd and 7 from their own 4. Murray went to Deandre Hopkins for 23. From his own 47, Murray hit Moore for 33. Yet the Cardinals managed to move 96 yards without scoring a touchdown. On 2nd and goal from the 3, Murray threw incomplete twice. Matt Prater hit the 21 yard field goal to make it 10-0 Cardinals with 5 1/2 minutes left in the half. The Cardinals got it back at their own 30 and moved to a 1st and 10 at the San Francisco 31 with 1:22 left in the half. Then came aa false start and a sack of Murray that lost 15 yards. Prater’s 61 yard field goal try at the gun was no good. With 5 minutes left in the third quarter, the 49ers took over at their own 41. On 2nd and 25 from their own 26 after a pair of penalties, the 49ers finally got a break. Lance hit Aiyuk for 28 with defensive unnecessary roughness adding 15 more. Lance gained 7, Mitchell added 12, and Deebo Samuel ran for a 13 yard touchdown. After three quarters, the 49ers were only down 10-7.
In the fourth quarter the 49ers moved from their own 20 to a 4th and 1 at the Arizona 48. Again Shanahan gambled and Kyle Juszczyk took the direct snap for no gain. Yet 2 plays later the Cardinals fumbled and the 49ers took over at their own 46. Yet on 3rd and 4 Lance threw incomplete. Again Shanahan gambled and for the fourth time came up empty as Lance threw incomplete again to turn it over on downs. Murray ran for 10. Murray then hit Hopkins for 30 and again for the 9 yard touchdown. With 5:13 to play, the Cardinals led 17-7. The 49ers quickly moved after a touchback to a 2nd and 3 at the Arizona 29. Lance threw incomplete twice. needing 2 scores and having failed 4 times on 4th down, Shanahan opted for the field goal. Joey Slye hit from 47 to get the 49ers within 7 with over 4 minutes to play. On 2nd and 8 from their own 27, Kliff Kingsbury stayed aggressive. Murray hit Hopkins for 11 and Conner gained 8 as the 49ers took their final timeout. On 2nd and 2, Conner gained 4 to midfield as the clock hit the 2 minute warning. With the 49ers out of timeouts, Murray took 3 knees. The Cardinals are 5-0 for the first time since 1974 when Don “Air” Coryell coached them. 17-10 Cardinals
New York Giants at Dallas Cowboys — The Cowboys are a good team and the Giants are terrible. Sometimes a bad team can go on the road and shock a good team in an upset for the ages. This was not that game. Dad Prescott did throw an early interception, which led to the Giants missing a field goal. The Cowboys moved from their 44 to a 3rd and 7 at the Giants 12. Prescott threw incomplete. Greg Zuerlein hit from 31 to make it 3-0 Cowboys. The Cowboys then fumbled but the Giants did not capitalize. In the second quarter the Cowboys took over at their own 35. Ezekiel Elliott gained 14. On 3rd and 8 just past midfield Prescott went deep to CeeDee Lamb for a 49 yard touchdown to make it 10-0 Cowboys.
The Giants on 3rd and 10 from their own 25 saw Daniel Jones go deep to Toney for 38 yards. Yet on 3rd and 6 from the Dallas 33, Jones threw incomplete. Graham Gano hit a 51 yard field goal to get the Giants within 10-3. The Giants got it back and faced 3rd and 4 at their own 18. Jones went to Toney for 9. Jones hit Evan engram for 18 to midfield. Booker ran for 14 and 2. On 3rd and 4 from the Dallas 20, Jones went to Toney for 28. On 3rd and goal at the one, Jones got stopped. He left the game with a concussion and did not return. Joe Judge went for it on 4th and goal at the one. Devontae Booker got in. With less than 3 minutes left in the half, the game was tied 10-10. Yet reality would soon set in for the Giants.
On 3rd and 1 from their own 34, Prescott went to Amari Cooper for 21. On 3rd and 4 from the Giants 39, Prescott hit Schultz for 15. Prescott then went to Amari Cooper for a 24 yard touchdown with 36 seconds left in the half for a 17-10 Cowboys lead. The Giants after a touchback to start the third quarter had Mike Glennon under center. He moved the Giants to a 3rd and 4 at the Dallas 24. Glennon could not handle the shotgun snap, resulting in a 9 yard loss. Gano hit a 51 yard field goal to get the Giants within 17-13, but they’d get no closer. After a touchback, Prescott hit Lamb for 11. O 3rd and 6 from their own 40, Prescott went deep to Schultz for 30 and Cooper for 15. On 3rd and 3 from the Giants 5, Prescott threw incomplete but defensive pass interference meant 1st and goal at the 2. Prescott hit Elliott for a 4 yard touchdown as the Cowboys led 24-13 midway through the third quarter.
One play after a touchback, Glennon was intercepted on a deep ball. Diggs returned it 18 yards to the Dallas 41. Zuerlein tacked on a 38 yard field goal to make it 27-13 Cowboys. The Giants after a touchback moved 73 yards in 10 plays. Yet on 4th and goal at the 2 early in the fourth quarter, Joe Judge decided to go for it. Glennon threw incomplete. The Cowboys took over at their own 2. Elliott ran for 10 and 2. Unnecessary roughness added 15 on the next play. Mike McCarthy then went to the bag of tricks. Prescott lateraled to Wilson, who threw the halfback option pass to Brown for 22 yards. On 3rd and 1 from their own 48, Prescott went to Wilson for 35. Elliott ran for a 13 yard touchdown to have the Cowboys winning a blowout 34-13 midway through the fourth quarter.
The Giants moved 75 yards in 11 plays and faced 4th and goal at the 3. Glennon hit Booer for the touchdown. The Giants were within 34-20, but only 3:17 remained. The onside kick failed and Zuerlein hit a 31 yard field goal with 1:53 left to put the Cowboys up 37-20 and lock up the win. Glennon threw another interception for good measure that was returned 45 yards by Anthony Brown for a defensive touchdown exclamation point. The Giants lost more than the game and Jones. Saquon Barkley also hurt his ankle and left the game. The Cowboys remain very good and the Giants remain awful. 44-20 Cowboys
Buffalo Bills at Kansas City Chiefs is the Sunday night game. The Chiefs knocked off the Bills in the AFC Title Game, and the Bills would have to go into Arrowhead if they wanted revenge. The Chiefs began with a mind-numbing 17 play drive that took 6 1/2 minutes off the clock. They only moved 56 yards. On 2nd and 7 from the Buffalo 14 after multiple 3rd down conversions, a false start was followed by a pair of Patrick Mahomes incompletions. Harrison Butker hit a 38 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Chiefs. The Bills soon faced 3rd and 2 from their own 33. Josh Allen ran for 22 yards. Allen then went to Dawson Knox for 23 yards. Allen ran for another 11 yards and then for the 9 yard touchdown to make it 7-3 Bills. Byron Pringle fumbled away the ensuing kickoff, but the Bills did not capitalize. The Chiefs took over at their own 20. From their 30, Mahomes hit Travis Kelce for 15. On 3rd and 5 from midfield, Mahomes threw incomplete but defensive holding kept the drive going. Mahomes hit newly reinstated Josh Gordon for 11, McKinnon for 9, Tyreek Hill for 7 and Mecole Hardman for 8. Mahomes hit Pringle for a 5 yard touchdown as the 12 play, 80 yard, 8 minute drive had the Chiefs up 10-7 with 10 minutes left in the half.
The Bills took soon faced 3rd and 2 from their own 33. Allen hit Stefan Diggs for 8, Zack Moss for 24, and Emanuel Sanders for a 35 yard touchdown to make it 14-10 Bills midway through the second quarter. The Bills got it back and faced 3rd and 8 at their own 28. Allen went deep to Diggs for a 61 yard gain. Yet on 1st and 10 from the Chiefs 11, a run lost one yard and Allen threw incomplete twice. Tyler Bass hit a 30 yard field goal to make it 17-10 Bills with 3:16 minutes left in the half. Bass kicked the ensuing kickoff out of bounds. The Chiefs moved from their own 40 to a 4th and 5 at the Buffalo 32. Walrus Andy Reid went for it and Mahomes threw deep incomplete. The Bills had 1:50 to work with from their own 32. They needed only 34 seconds and 2 plays. Allen hit Moss for 15 and went deep to Knox for a 53 yard touchdown. 17 unanswered points had the Bills up 24-10 in front of a stunned home crowd at Arrowhead.
After a touchback, Mahomes had 1:16 to work with. He hit Hardman for 6 and ran for 9 himself. Mahomes went to Hardman for 20. Butker nailed a 54 yard field goal to end the half with the Chiefs trailing 24-13. The rain began to come down hard and the second half was delayed more than an hour by a lightning storm. After an exchange of punts, the Chiefs took over at their own 8. On 3rd and 5 from their own 24, a short pass from Mahomes to Hill bounced off Hill’s fingertips right into the arms of Micah Hyde, who returned it 26 yards for a defensive touchdown. The Bills led 31-13 midway through the third quarter. The Chiefs were in desperation mode when Andy Reid decided to go for it on 4th and 3 from their own 32. Mahomes fired to Hardman, who just dropped it. Yet the Chiefs were bailed out by a roughing the passer penalty. The Chiefs moved to a 1st and goal at the 8 and were ready to get right back in the game. Mahomes had his pass batted in the air and intercepted by big defensive lineman Rousseau to kill the drive.
Yet the Bills did nothing with the turnover and went 3 and out. A short 35 yard punt had the Chiefs with excellent field position at their own 48. Mahomes hit Damien Williams for gains of 6 and 8 and Hardman for 5. Defensive pass interference on the next play added 15. a 5 yard completion to Hill had the Chiefs starting the fourth quarter facing 2nd and 5 from the Buffalo 10. On 3rd and inches from the Buffalo 5, Williams gained 4. Mahomes took the quick snap and threw a 2 handed shovel pass to Travis Kelce for the touchdown. With heavy rain coming down again, the Chiefs were within 31-20 barely more than one minute into the fourth quarter.
The Bills soon faced 3rd and 9 from their own 16. Allen somehow escaped the pressure and raced for a 10 yard gain. Yet offensive holding nullified it. On 3rd and 17 from their own 8, many coaches would just run the ball and punt Sean McDermott stayed aggressive. Allen threw a deep ball that was intercepted at the Chiefs 41. Yet this time it was a roughing the passer call that nullified the penalty and kept the Bills on the move. The Bills took their first timeout while facing 3rd and 4 from their own 40. Allen rolled out to his left and went for the sticks on a designed quarterback run. With a defender in the way, Allen hurdled the defender cleanly and got the 4 yards. A screen pass from Allen to Moss went for 16 yards. Allen then fired over the middle and had his pass slightly deflected but somehow still caught by Gabriel Davis for 16 more. Allen then took off on another deliberate quarterback draw up the middle for 12 more yards. Allen then fired to sanders for a 9 yard touchdown. The 12 play, 85 yard drive took 8 minutes off the clock and put the Bills up by 18 with only 6 minutes remaining.
The Chiefs moved quickly from their own 23to a 1st and 10 at the Buffalo 15. A shot gun snap was mishandled by Mahomes, who then bumped into his own offensive lineman trying to pick it up. The Bills eventually recovered the ball all the way at their own 35. With 3 1/2 minutes left, the Chiefs had finally turned the ball over one too many times. The Chiefs took their timeouts on defense and were out of timeouts with 3 minutes left. On 3rd and 2 from the Chiefs 45, Moss gained 3. Allen took 3 knees to end it. The Bills are 4-1. The 2 time defending AFC champion Chiefs are a surprising 2-3 at the bottom of the AFC West, making Andy Reid a most displeased Walrus indeed. 38-20 Bills
Indianapolis Colts at Baltimore Ravens was the Monday night game. The Ravens were expected at home to dispatch with the overmatched Colts without much difficulty. 2 minutes into the game, the Colts faced 3rd and 15 from their own 24. A perfectly executed screen pass from Carson Wentz to Jonathan Taylor
saw Taylor follow a couple of perfect blocks, split the seams, and outrace everyone for a 76 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Colts. The Colts got it back at their own 16 and embarked on an 11 play, 76 yard drive that ate up over 7 1/2 minutes off the clock. The Colts were in total control. On 2nd and 6 from the Baltimore 15, Wentz was sacked and fumbled. Brandon Williams recovered it for the Ravens at their own 19. The first half was all defense until late when the Ravens moved from their own 15 to a 3rd and 4 at the Indianapolis 5 with 1:45 left. Lamar Jackson threw incomplete and slammed his helmet to the ground on the sideline. Justin Tucker hit a 23 yard field goal to get the Ravens within 7-3. After a touchback,
Wentz used the last 96 seconds wisely. Rod Blankenship hit a 37 yard field goal as the Colts led 10-3 at the intermission. The Colts struck immediately in the third quarter. From his own 27, Wentz hit Zach Pascal for 31 yards and then went deep to Pittman for 42 yard touchdown. Blankenship missed the extra point but the Colts led 16-3. The Ravens took over at their own 9 and moved 88 yards in 13 plays and nearly 7 1/2 minutes. Yet on 1st and goal at the one, Jackson fumbled and the Colts recovered. From their own 19, the Colts moved again. Wentz hit Pittman for 21. Taylor ran for 15 and 13. Wentz hit Mo Alie-Cox for 24. Taylor ran for the 4 yard touchdown. Frank Reich went for 2. Wentz was intercepted but the Colts still led 22-3 with 3 minutes left in the third quarter. The Colts were on their way to a big upset in a big way.
After a touchback, Jackson came alive in a big way. He hit Mark Andrews for 15, Williams for 7, and Hollywood Brown for a 43 yard touchdown. John Harbaugh went for 2 and Jackson got stopped. Yet the Ravens were within 22-9 after three quarters. The Colts from their own 20 kept the pressure on. Marlon Mack had gains of 8 and 22 and Wentz hit Alie-Cox for 18. On 3rd and 6 from the Baltimore 25, Wentz threw incomplete. Blankenship hit the 43 yard field goal to put the Colts comfortably in front 25-9 with 12 minutes left in regulation. The Ravens got it back at their own 22. Jackson went to Andrews for 27, Andrews for 18, Brown for 7, Oliver for 6, Freeman for 15, and Andrews for the 5 yard touchdown. With 9 1/2 minutes left the Ravens had to go for 2. Jackson hit Andrews for the conversion to get the Ravens within 25-17.
The Colts kept the pressure on, moving from their own 20 to a 3rd and 8 at the Baltimore 15. Taylor got the carry and lost 4 yards. As the clock ticked down to 4 1/2 minutes, Blankenship came in for a 37 yard field goal that would all but lock up the win. The kick was blocked. The Ravens had life. From their own 25, Jackson hit Brown for 17 and Freeman for 10 and 5. Jackson hit Brown for 20 and Williams for 8 as the 2 minute warning came with the Ravens facing 2nd and 2 at the Colts 5. Jackson gained 4 to set up 1st and goal at the one and then lost 3. On 2nd and goal from the 4, Jackson went to Johnson for the touchdown. The ravens still needed the 2 point conversion to tie the game. Jackson hit Andrews and the game was knotted up 25-25 with 45 seconds left.
After a touchback, the Colts still had 39 seconds and 2 timeouts. Wentz went to Campbell for 23. On 2nd and 20 from his own 38, Wentz hit Zach Pascal for only 2 yards. Yet a mindless defensive unnecessary roughness penalty on Young added 15 more yards. Only 13 seconds remained. Wentz hit Pascal for 15 as the Colts took their second timeout with 6 seconds left. Wentz took a knee to center the ball as the Colts took their last timeout with 4 seconds left. Blankenship came in for a 47 yard try to win it. The kick was no good. The Ravens won the COIN toss in overtime and never looked back.
The Ravens began the extra session from their own 32. Jackson hit Andrews for 14, Proche for 4, Brown for 11 and Oliver for 6. Halfway through the extra session, Jackson hit Brown for a 5 yard touchdown. Frank Reich has the greatest comeback in NFL history, trailing by 32 points in the third quarter of a playoff game to come back and win in overtime. This time Reich was on the losing side of a spectacular comeback. Both quarterbacks were magnificent. Wentz was 25 of 35 for 402 yards and 2 touchdowns. Problems in the kicking game when it mattered were not on Wentz. Jackson was a ridiculous 37 of 43 for 442 yards and 4 touchdowns, with all of them coming after nearly thee quarters had been played. Neither quarterback was intercepted. It was bitter loss for the Colts, who at 1-4 need another miraculous Reich comeback to give us a playoff rematch. As for the Ravens, it was another heart-stopping game decided on the final play, this time in their favor. 31-25 Ravens