NFL 2021 Week 8 Recap
Green Bay Packers at Arizona Cardinals was the Thursday night game. The game of the year featured the NFL’s lone unbeaten Cardinals against a Packers team that had won 6 straight. The Cardinals were without JJ Watt, who is now out for the year with an injured shoulder. Midway through the first quarter the Cardinals faced 3rd and 8 at their own 39. Kyler Murray went deep to Deandre Hopkins for a 58 yard gain down to the Arizona 3, but an offensive facemask penalty on Hopkins moved the ball back to the Green bAY 21. On 3rd and and 1 from the Green Bay 12, Murray got the yard. On the next play Edmonds ran for an 11 yard touchdown and a 7-0 Cardinals lead.
After a touchback, Aaron Jones ran for 7, Dillon added 4, 12 and 6. On 3rd and 4 from the Arizona 39, the Cardinals jumped into the neutral zone, gifting Green Bay a first down. Rodgers then hit Winfree for 12. On 3rd and 5 from the Arizona 17, Rodgers hit Winfree for 4. The second quarter began with the Packers facing 4th and 1 at the Arizona 13. Matt LaFleur decided to go for it and Dillon gained 2 and 8 more. On 3rd and 1 from the Arizona 2, Jones got the first down and the touchdown. The 14 play, 75 yard, 8 1/2 minute drive tied the game 7-7.
Midway through the second quarter the Cardinals fumbled a punt and the Packers had 1st and goal at the 3. Yet Rodgers threw 3 straight incompletions. Mason Crosby hit a 21 yard field goal to make it 10-7 Packers, but failing to score the touchdown would loom larger later. One minute into the third quarter, the Cardinals faced 3rd and 16 at their own 9. Murray was intercepted, giving the Packers gift field position at the Arizona 14. This time the Packers capitalized. On 3rd and 3 from the Arizona 7, Dillon got stopped. Matt LaFleur gambled again on 4th and 3 and Rodgers hit St. Brown for 5. Rodgers then hit Randall Cobb for the 2 yard touchdown. 2 turnovers were the 10 points that had the Packers up 17-7.
The Cardinals took over at their own 19. Murray hit AJ Green for 9 and Kirk for 8 and 3. On 3rd and 4 from their own 47, Murray threw incomplete. Kliff Kingsbury gambled on 4th and 4 in his own territory. Murray hit Wesley for 7. Murray hit Edmonds for 8, Hopkins for 11, and Zach Ertz for 20. James Conner ran for the 2 yard touchdown. The 12 play, 81 yard, 5 minute drive had theCardinals within 17-14. The Packers took over at their own 9 yard line. Dillon ran for 9 and on 3rd and 1 from their own 18, added 4 more. Rodgers hit Jones for 19, Robert Tonyan for 33, and Deguars for 8. The fourth quarter began with the Packers facing 3rd and 5 from the Arizona 6. Rodgers hit Cobb for the touchdown. The 12 play, 91 yard, 6 1/2 minute drive had the Packers up 24-14.
A touchback and an 11 yard defensive pass interference call had the Cardinals soon facing 3rd and 1 at their own 45. Edmonds ran for 6. On 3rd and 10 just past midfield, Murray hit Edmonds for 9. On 4th and 1 from the Green Bay 40, Kliff Kingsbury went for it. Murray hit Ertz for 9, Rondale Moore for 9 more, Green for 4 and Ertz for 9. Conner then ran for a 9 yard touchdown. With 10:45 left in regulation, the Cardinals were within a field goal. The rest of the game was a stunning roller coaster.
After a touchback, the Packers moved 74 yards in 13 plays and 7 1/2 minutes. With 4:46 to play, the Packers had 1st and goal at the one with a chance to ice the game. Jones got in and the Packers celebrated. Yet on further review, officials ruled Jones was short of the plane of the goal. Jones got the carry again and got stopped again. On 3rd and goal at the one, a killer delay of game penalty moved the ball back to the 5. Rodgers then scrambled and headed for the goal line. He was met by 3 defenders and was inches short. The ball was back where it started 3 plays ago. Now it was 4th and goal from the one. The Cardinals took a timeout on defense with 3 1/2 minutes to play. Matt LaFleur decided to go for it. The Packers were inches shy of putting the game away. Rather than run, LeFleur called a pass play. Rodgers rolled out and had his pass batted down by Kennard. Another goal line stand by the Arizona defense completely changed the game. Not only were the Cardinals alive, but they only needed a field goal to tie the game.
On 3rd and 1 from his own one after barely avoiding a safety, Murray found Green for 23, Kirk for 29, Moore for 9 and Kirk for 6. On 1st and 10 from the Green Bay 32, a high shotgun snap went over Murray’s head but he recovered it for an 8 yard loss. On 2nd and 18 from the Green Bay 40, Murray went to Edmonds for 22.. Murray ran for 9 and one more. With 1:15 to play, the Cardinals had 1st and goal at the 8. Edmonds ran for 3 and the Cardinals let the clock run down. The Packers were out of timeouts and could not take them on defense. Rodgers was not getting the ball back. With 15 seconds left, the Cardinals took their 2nd timeout. They had 2nd and goal at the 5. They could take 2 more shots at the end zone. At worst, a chip shot field goal would send the game into overtime. Murray went to Green in the flat, but a miscommunication had Green going inside instead of outside. Rather than a contested shot at a catch, Rousal Douglas made a one-handed bobbling interception in the end zone for a touchback. It was a shocking end to a thrilling game. The 1972 Dolphins popped their champagne corks as the last unbeaten team of 2021 went down to defeat. Both the Packers and Cardinals are 7-1. An NFC Title Game rematch would be eagerly anticipated. 24-21 Packers
Cincinnati Bengals at New York Jets — The Bengals were 5-2 and coming off a big road win over the Ravens. All they had to do was steamroll over the pathetic Jets. Zach Wilson was out injured, so some guy named Mike White who had never started an NFL game would lead the Jets to their next defeat. If ever there was a game to quote ESPN uber-announcer Chris Berman’s maxim, this was it. “THAT’s why they PLAY the GAMES!” Surely Robert Saleh would run the ball and not ask White to do too much. Whoever Mike White is, he exploded out of the gate. After a touchback, White hit Michael Carter for 9, Mims for 30, Crowder for 8, Kroft for 7and Carter for 6 more. 6 plays. 6 passes. 6 completions. On 3rd and 4 from the Cincinnati 38, Carter gained 6. White hit Johnson for 15. Defensive pass interference added 11 more yards. Carter ran for an 8 yard touchdown. The 10 play, 75 yard, 6 1/2 minute drive had the Jets up 7-0.
The Jets got it back at their own 19 and moved to a 1st and 10 at the Cincinnati 45. White was then intercepted by Bates, who took the interception back 65 yards to set up 1st and goal at the one. Yet a pair of runs lost yards. On 3rd and goal at the 3, Joe Burrow threw incomplete. Zac Taylor decided to go for it. On 4th and goal, Burrow was sacked. Yet 2 plays later White was intercepted again. The Bengals had gift field position at the Jets 15. Burrow hit Perine for 13. On the first play of the second quarter, McPherson ran for a one yard touchdown and a 7-7 game. The Jets after a touchback moved to a 3rd and 5 at the Cincinnati 36. White threw incomplete. Robert Saleh this time opted for a 54 yard field goal try. Matt Ammendola was no good.
Midway through the first quarter, the Bengals took over at their own 30. Burrow hit Jamar Chase for 9, Trevor Boyd for 16, Joe Mixon for 4, and Tee Higgins down to the 2. From there Burrow hit Chase for the score to make it 14-7 Bengals. 2 plays later on 2nd and 8 from their own 27, White hit Crowder for 26, but Crowder fumbled and the Bengals will 2:40 left in the half. The Bengals took over at their own 47 and Boyd hit Mixon for 46 yards. Burrow threw incomplete. The defense encroached to set up 2nd and goal at the 3. Burrow threw 2 more incompletions. This time Zac Taylor opted for the field goal. McPherson hit from 21. With 1:51 left in the half, the Bengals led 17-7. This game was most likely over.
Except it wasn’t. Braxton Berrios returned the ensuing kickoff 35 yards to his own 33. White hit Cole for 11, Carter for 12, Johnson for 8 and Crowder for 9. With 19 seconds left in the half and the Jets out of timeouts, they faced 3rd and 6 from the Cincy 8. White hit Berrios for the touchdown as the Jets only trailed 17-14. In the third quarter the Jets took over at their own 12 and moved 82 yards in 13 plays and 7 minutes. White was injured on the drive and Josh Johnson took over at the Cincy 25. On 3rd and 2 from the Cincy 6, Johnson threw incomplete. Robert Saleh decided not to gamble with his 3rd string quarterback who was even less known than the backup nobody had heard of. Ammendola hit the 24 yard field goal and the game was tied 17-17 with 5 1/2 minutes left in the third quarter.
After a touchback, Mixon ran for 6 and 7. Burrow then went deep to Higgins for a 54 yard gain. On the next play Burrow hit Mixon for an 8 yard touchdown. The Bengals were back on top 24-17. After a touchback, White reentered the game.The Jets moved 69 yards in 10 plays and 6 minutes. Yet on 2nd and goal at the 2, a run lost a yard. On 3rd and goal White was sacked. Amendola hit a 24 yard field goal as the Jets trailed 24-20 with 12 1/2 minutes left in regulation. After a touchback, a pair of incompletions had the Bengals facing 3rd and 10. Burrow then hit CJ Uzomah for just enough. Burrow then hit Uzomah for 11 more. On 3rd and 4 from the Jets 35, Burrow hit Boyd for 21. On 3rd and 6 from the Jets 10, Burrow hit Boyd for the touchdown. The 12 play, 75 yard, 5 minute drive had the Bengals up 31-20 midway through the fourth quarter. The Jets were game but had finally been put away.
Except they hadn’t. After a touchback, White hit Moore for 14 and Carter for 23. On 3rd and 2 from the Cincinnati 30, White hit Cole for 8 and Ty Johnson for 8 more. White then went to Johnson for a 19 yard touchdown. With 4 1/2 minutes left in regulation, Robert Saleh went for 2 and the conversion try failed. The Jets were within 31-26. One play after a touchback, rather than try grinding down clock, Burrow went straight to the air and was intercepted. The Jets took over at the Cincinnati 14. Two plays later White hit Tyler Kroft for a 13 yard touchdown. White hit Crowder for the 2 paint conversion. With 3:45 left, the Jets had the 3 point lead.
With 2:19 to play, the Bengals faced 4th and 19 at their own 40. Zac Taylor opted to punt and trust his defense. At the 2 minute warning the Jets faced 3rd and 11 at their own 20. A completion lost a yard, and it appeared that Taylor’s strategy had worked. Yet a horrendous unnecessary roughness penalty on the defense was a killer. Given a new set of downs, the game soon came down to the Jets facing 3rd and 1 at their own 44. With everything on the line, White kept the ball and got the yard. He then took 3 knees. White was lights out, going 37 of 45 for 405 yards, 3 touchdowns, and the 2 early interceptions. No matter what happens from here, Jets fans will always remember Mike White. In an absolute shocker, Gang Green got the upset. 34-31 Jets
Tennessee Titans at Indianapolis Colts — Although the Colts had a losing record, they were expected to put up a fight against the 5-2 Titans. The Colts began the game at their own 18. On their first play from scrimmage, Carson Wentz hit Jonathan Taylor for 37 yards. On 3rd and 3 from the Tennessee 38, Wentz threw incomplete. Frank Reich went aggressive very early on. On 4th and 3, Wentz hit Pittman for 8. On 3rd and 7 from the Tennessee 14, Taylor gained 12 down to the 2. Wentz threw a pair of incompletions sandwiched around a completion that gained nothing. Reich again went bold and gambled. On 4th and goal, Wentz hit Pittman for the touchdown. The 14 play, 82 yard, 6 1/2 minute drive had the Colts up 7-0. Two plays after a touchback, Ryan Tannehill was intercepted. Moore returned it 32 yards to set up the Colts at the Titans 7 yard line. One play and 5 seconds later, Wentz hit Pittman for the touchdown as the Colts led 14-0.
The Colts got it back at their own 32 and moved to a 4th and 3 at the Titans 40 after a Wentz incompletion. This time Frank Reich gambled once too often. Wentz threw incomplete and the Titans had good field position. Tannehill hit Geoff Swaim for 7 and Anthony Firkser for 8 as the first quarter ended. The Titans began the second quarter facing 1st and 10 at the Indianapolis 35. Tannehill hit Pruitt for 8 and ran for 13 more himself. On 3rd and 3 from the Indy 6, Tannehill hit Swaim for the touchdown to get the Titans within 14-7. The Titans got it back at their own 8 and moved to a 3rd and 11 from their own 45. Tannehill was intercepted by Lewis, but rather than go down, Lewis ended up fumbling the ball back to the Titans at their own 43. It was a killer mistake. On the very next play, Tannehill went to AJ Brown for a 57 yard touchdown. The game was tied 14-14.
The Colts after a touchback would move 59 yards in 13 plays. Yet on 3rd and 4 from the Tennessee 17, a completion gained only one yard. The Colts let the clock go down to 3 seconds. Mike Badgley hit the 34 yard field goal as the Colts took a 17-14 lead to the locker rooms. The Titans began the third quarter facing 3rd and 3 at their own 32. Tannehill hit Brown for 13. On 3rd and 2 from the Indy 47, Tannehill threw incomplete. Mike Vrabel went for it and Tannehill ran for a 13 yard gain. On 3rd and 6 from the Indy 32, Tannehill hit Brown for gains of 10, 11 and 7. On 3rd and 4 from the Indy 5, Tannehill hit Nick Westbrook-Ikhine for the touchdown. The 14 play, 75 yard, 7 12 minute drive had the Titans leading for the first time up 21-17 midway through the third quarter.
An exchange of punts had the Colts facing 3rd and 2 just past midfield. Taylor gained 3. Defensive pass interference on the next play meant a 41 yard gain. One play later Wentz hit Jack Doyle for a 5 yard touchdown as the Colts led 24-21 after three quarters. After a touchback the Titans mounted another 10 play, 5 minute drive. Yet on 3rd and 7 from the Indy 32, a 10 yard gain was wiped out by offensive holding. Randy Bullock hit a 46 yard field goal to tie the game 24-24 with 11 minutes left in regulation.
With 1:26 left in the game, the Colts took over at their own 8 yard line. Disaster immediately struck. Wentz was about to be sacked for a safety, so he threw a prayer that was intercepted by Molden, who glided 2 yards into the end zone for a defensive touchdown. The Titans led 31-24, but Wentz showed a ton of grit following his mistake. With 51 seconds left the Colts faced 3rd and 16 from their own 19. Wentz went deep to Pittman for 38 yards as the Colts took their 2nd timeout with 32 seconds left. Wentz then went deep again and drew a 42 yard defensive pass interference call down to the one. Taylor got in as the game was knotted up again 31-31. Both teams went 3 and out in overtime and the Colts got it back at their own 15. From their own 27, Wentz went deep and was intercepted again. Byard returned the interception 14 yards to the Indy 32. With 4 minutes left in regulation, Bullock came in for a 44 yard try to win it. The kick was good as 2 late interceptions doomed the Colts. Meanwhile, it was a very costly victory for the Titans. Derrick Henry suffered an injury that will cause him to miss 6 to 10 weeks. Adrian Peterson was added to the roster. 34-31 Titans
Los Angeles Rams at Houston Texans — The Rams came in 6-1 and thinking Super Bowl. The Texans are in the toilet bowl. Sometimes the NFL produces shocking upsets for the ages. This was not that game. After a touchback, the Rams immediately went to work producing a blowout. Darrell Henderson ran for 15. Matthew Stafford hit Tyler Higbee for 10. On 3rd and 5 from the Houston 45, Stafford hit Jefferson for just enough. On 3rd and 2 from the Houston 32, Stafford hit Cooper Kupp for gains of 8, 15 and 14. Stafford threw a 3 yard touchdown to Henderson to cap the 11 play, 75 yard, 5 1/2 minute drive to make it 7-0 Rams. In the second quarter the Rams moved from their own 35 to a 2nd and 6 at the Houston 9. Stafford threw incomplete twice but Matt Gay hit a 27 yard field goal to make it 10-0 Rams.
On 3rd and 10 from his own 25, Davis Mills was intercepted and Jones returned it 19 yards to the Houston 12. On 3rd and 1 from the Houston 3, Henderson lost 2 yards. Sean McVay gambled on 4th and 3. Stafford threw incomplete but a killer defensive holding penalty meant a new set of downs. Stafford hit Woods for the 2 yard touchdown and make it 17-0 Rams to remove any pretenses of a competitive game. The Rams got it back at their own 21. Stafford hit Higbee for 11 and Kupp for a 52 yard gain. Henderson ran for a one yard touchdown. With 30 seconds left in the half, the Rams were cruising 24-0. The Texans actually moved from their own 38 to the Rams 27 with 2 seconds left. A 45 yard field goal try by Kaimi Fairbairn was no good as the Texans misery continued.
The second half was pointless, and league rules prevented it from being canceled. In the third quarter the Rams from their own 21 saw Stafford go bombs away to Jefferson for a 68 yard gain. Stafford then hit Kupp for an 11 yard touchdown to make it 31-0 Rams. The Rams got it back at their own 23 and 77 yards came quickly and easily. Woods ran for a 16 yard touchdown on the last play of the third quarter as the Rams led 38-0. The Rams got bored in the fourth quarter and gave up 2 touchdowns, an onside kick, and even a third touchdown. with 2 1/2 minutes left the Texans had cut a 38 point deficit to 16 points. The Texans even got it back at their own 2 yard line with 1:51 left. Yet by the time they reached the Rams 25, there was only time for a Hail Mary that fell incomplete. Sean McVay will caution his team about letting a team back into a game, but this was an easy blowout win for his 7-1 squad. 38-22 Rams
Pittsburgh Steelers at Cleveland Browns — This was ahold-fashioned AFC North slobberknocker. Chase McLaughlin hit a 30 yard first quarter field goal for the Browns and Chris Boswell answered from 31 in the second quarter for a 3-3 defensive boneblack at the half. The Browns took over at their own 14 in the third quarter and Nick Chubb ran for 21. Baker Mayfield hit Jarvis Landry for 15, Bryant for 21, and Austin Hooper for 8. D’Ernest Johnson ran for a 10 yard touchdown as the Browns led 10-3. The Steelers soon faced 3rd and 5 from their own 27. Ben Roethlisberger hit Johnson for 12. Mike Tomlin gambled on 4th and 1 from his own 48 and Najee Harris got the yard. Roethlisberger then went to Chase Claypool for 16 and Pat Freiermuth for 22. Harris ran for an 8 yard touchdown. The Steelers were within 10-9 but Boswell had injured himself during the game and could not kick. Without a kicker, Mike Tomlin had to try a 2 point conversion. Roethlilsberger threw incomplete. Making matters worse, an attempt by someone else to kick the ensuing kickoff sent it out of bounds to set up the Browns at their own 40. Kevin Stefanski decided to go for it on 4th and 1 just shy of midfield, but a delay of game penalty killed the try and the Browns punted.
The Steelers took over at their own 17. Big Ben hit Gentry for 13 and Harris for 20. The fourth quarter began with the Steelers facing 3rd and 5 at the Cleveland 42. Harris got just enough. On 1st and 20 from the Cleveland 30 after offensive holding, Roethlisberger hit Gentry for 24 and Claypool for 14. A run went nowhere and Roethlisberger threw incomplete twice. With 11 minutes left, the Steelers needed only a field goal for the lead. Yet they had no healthy kicker. Again Mike Tomlin had to go for it. On 4th and goal, Roethlisberger hit Freiermuth for the touchdown. The 2 point try failed but the Steelers had the 5 point lead. The Browns moved from their own 20 to a 2nd and 8 at the Pittsburgh 32 with 6 1/2 minutes left in regulation. Mayfield found Landry for 11, but Landry fumbled and the Steelers recovered at their own 20. The Browns got it back at their own 39 with 4 1/2 minutes left and moved to a 1st and 10 at the Pittsburgh 24 with 3 minutes left. A run lost a yard and a false start meant 3rd and 16. A completion gained only 4 yards. On 4th and 12 from the Pittsburgh 26 at the 2 minute warning, Mayfield threw incomplete. This was a gutty road win. This was old-school power football. This was Mike Tomlin football. 15-10 Steelers
Philadelphia Eagles at Detroit Lions —The Lions came in the NFL’s only winless team, but they had competed hard, losing 2 games on the final play. The Eagles were a pretty weak team themselves, so the Lions came in with a shot for their first win. Early in the game Austin Siebert missed a 47 yard field goal that would have given the Lions the lead. After that the Eagles blasted them to pieces. They took over at their own 37. Jalen Reagor had gains of 11 and 10. Jalen Hurts hit Watkins for 16. On 3rd and goal at the one, Boston Scott got in to make it 7-0 Eagles. In the second quarter Jake Elliott tacked on a 43 yard field goal to make it 10-0 Eagles. The Eagles got it back at their own 19. Scott ran for 19 and Hurts added 12 more. Hurts hit Dallas Goedert for 12 and 13. Hurts ran for 14 more and Jordan Howard ran for a 4 yard touchdown to make it 17-0 Eagles. The Lions after a touchback moved to a 3rd and 1 at the Philadelphia 22 with 19 seconds left in the half. Swift got stopped. Dan Campbell gambled on 4th and 1 despite only 13 seconds remaining. Jared Goff was sacked. League rules prevented the second half from being canceled.
The Eagles exploded in the third quarter. On 3rd and 12 from their own 8, Hurts ran for 20. Hurts hit Goedert for 17 and Goedert for 19. Howard ran for 10 and Scott had the 3 yard touchdown to make it 24-0 Eagles. The Lions turned it over on downs and the Eagles had 3rd and 9 at their own 44. Hurts hit Smith for 15 and ran for 21 more. On 3rd and 3 from the Detroit 13, Howard gained 5. Howard ran for a 2 yard touchdown to make it 31-0 Eagles. On the next play from scrimmage after a touchback, Darius Slay returned a fumble 33 yards for another touchdown to make it 38-0 Eagles. The Lions did eventually reach the end zone in the fourth quarter to avoid the shutout, but the eagles sandwiched a pair of field goals around that score to keep the game a blowout. The Lions remain winless, witless and worthless. At 0-8, they are almost halfway to being the first NFL team to have a complete winless season twice. 44-6 Eagles
San Francisco 49ers at Chicago Bears — The 49ers saw Joey Slye miss a 48 yard field goal. Cairo Santos made a 39 yard field goal for the Bears. Slye had another chance from 48 and this time was good for a 3-3 game after the first quarter. A defensive game saw the Bears facing 3rd and 9 at their own 27. The 48ers jumped into the neutral zone. On 3rd and 4, Justin Fields hit Mooney for 11 and then hit Ket for 16.
The second quarter began with the Bears facing 3rd and 1 at the San Francisco 32. Fields ran for 9. Fields hit Jesse James for an 8 yard touchdown to put the bears up 10-3. Then it was back to long stretches of field goals as both kickers connected twice. Slye hit from 52 and Santos answered from 40. Slye hit from 22 to end the half and Santos answered from 25 midway through the third quarter as the Bears led 16-9. Both teams were moving the ball deep into the red zone but not into the end zone.
The 49ers then faced 3rd and 19 from their own 16. A short pass from Jimmy Garoppolo to Deebo Samuel went for an 84 yard touchdown. On further review it was reversed to an 83 yard gain down to the one. In a game where the end zone proved difficult, the 49ers then suffered a false start. However, on 3rd and goal at the 2, Garoppolo got in and this time it counted. Yet Slye missed the extra point and the 49ers still trailed 16-15. A 21 yard punt return had the 49ers getting the ball back at their own 48. Garoppolo hit Samuel for 15, Woerner for 7, and Kyle Juszczyk for 11 to end the third quarter. The 49ers began the fourth quarter at the Chicago 16. Elijah Mitchell did the rest, running for 11 and then the 5 yard touchdown. Kyle Shanahan went for the 2 point conversion and Garoppolo hit Aiyuk for the score as the 49ers led 23-16 one minute into the fourth quarter.
The Bears soon faced 3rd and 1 from their own 41. Fields ran for 14. Fields then hit Mooney for 20. On 3rd and 6 from the Frisco 27, Fields hit Allen Robinson for 5. With 9 1/2 minutes left in regulation, Matt Nagy went for it on 4th and 1. Justin Fields then became a human highlight reel not seen since Michael Vick or Steve Young. He bounced off tacklers, got the first down, and somehow ran all the way across the field for a 22 yard touchdown in traffic. Yet after al of that, now it was Santos’s turn to miss the extra point as the Bears trailed 23-22. After a touchback, Garoppolo hit Mohammed San for 19. Mitchell ran for 27. Garoppolo hit Hasty for 23. Garoppolo then ran for a 5 yard touchdown to put the 49ers up 30-22 with 6 1/2 minutes left in regulation.
With 5 minutes left the Bears faced 3rd and 10 at their own 40. Fields was sacked for a 14 yard loss. Matt Nagy decided to punt and trust his defense. The 49ers took over at their own 37 and Mitchell gashed the defense for gains of 39 and 12. That was enough for Slye to hit a 32 yard field goal with 1:56 to play to lock up the win. Fields threw another interception for good measure as the 49ers ended their 4 game losing streak. 33-22 49ers
Carolina Panthers at Atlanta Falcons — A pair of bad teams played badly. The Panthers fumbled on their first play from scrimmage.The Falcons took over at the Carolina 25, went backward, and settled for a 46 yard Younghoe Koo field goal to lead 3-0. After a touchback the Panthers had a 15 play drive that took nearly 7 1/2 minutes off the clock. Yet the drive died at the Atlanta 11. Zane Gonzalez hit a 29 yard field goal
for a 3-3 game after the first quarter. The Falcons took over at their own 39. Matt Ryan hit Zaccheaus for 12. Defensive pass interference 2 plays later added 13 more. On 3rd and 5 from the Carolina 30, Ryan hit Sharpe for 7. On 3rd and 2 from the Carolina 15, Ryan hit Cordarelle Patterson, who did what he does to get to the end zone. One minute into the second quarter, the Falcons led 10-3. That pretty much concluded their offense for the day.
The Panthers were not much better, but they did just enough. Gonzalez hit a 51 yard field goal and then ended the half with a 57 yard field goal. In the third quarter the Panthers had a mind-numbing 16 play, 79 yard, nearly 9 minute drive. Yet on 2nd and goal at the 5, Sam Darnold threw incomplete twice. Gonzales hit his 4th field goal from 23 yards out to put the Panthers up 12-10 with 3 1/2 minutes left in the third quarter. One minute into the fourth quarter, Koo had a 45 yard field goal try to give the Falcons the lead back. His kick was no good. The Panthers from their own 35 so Abdullah run 6, 6, and 5. Chuba Hubbard then ran for 6, 3, and on 3rd and 1 from the Atlanta 44, 5, followed by 5 more. On 3rd and 6 from the Atlanta 34, Darnold hit Abdullah for 11. On 3rd and 9 from the Atlanta 22, Darnold ran for 11. Hubbard ran for a 6 yard touchdown as the Panthers only end zone trip of the day was enough to put them up 19-10 with 6 1/2 minutes left. Another interception of Ryan doomed the Falcons. Needing 2 scores, Koo was able to deliver a 53 yard field goal with 16 seconds left but not the onside kick. The Panthers snapped their 4 game losing streak. 19-13 Panthers
Miami Dolphins at Buffalo Bills — The Dolphins eked out a one point road win in their opener and lost 6 straight. The Bills lost at home in their opener but then won 5 straight and came in 5-2. The Bills went into Miami early in the year and throttled the Dolphins 35-0. This was not as big a blowout, but it was more of the same. The first half was ugly but competitive. Jason Sanders missed a 36 yard field goal for the Dolphins. Tyler Bass rewarded Sean McDermott’s gamble by drilling a 57 yard field goal to give the Bills the lead. Sanders hit from 51 in the second quarter for a 3-3 bonelock at the half.
In the third quarter the Bills faced 3rd and 14 at their own 21. Josh Allen hit Cole Beasley for 15 and the Bills finally got going on offense. Allen went back to Beasley for gains of 10, 6 and 3. On 3rd and 1 from the Miami 41, Allen ran for 5. Moss ran for 7 and Singletary added 13. On 3rd and 5 from the Miami 11, Allen threw incomplete but a killer defensive pass interference penalty meant a new set of downs. On the next play Allen hit Gabriel Davis for an 8 yard touchdown to cap the 13 play 80 yard, 7 minute drive. The Bills only led 10-3 after three quarters, but in the fourth quarter they put the game away. The Bills took over at their own 31. After a defensive illegal use of hands, Allen hit beasley for 17. Allen then hit Diggs for 11. On 3rd and 13 from the Miami 33, Allen hit Beasley for 14. Allen then went to Stefan Diggs for a 19 yard touchdown as the Bills led 17-3 only 90 seconds into the fourth quarter.
After a touchback the Dolphins tried to show signs of life. Tua Tagovailoa hit Parker for 12. On 3rd and 5 from their own 42, Tagovailoa hit Jalen Waddle for 10. On 4th and 6 from the Buffalo 44, Tagovailoa hit Mike Gesicki for 40 yards. Tagovailoa ran for 3 and then for the one yard touchdown. Brian Flores inexplicably went for a 2 point conversion and Tagovailoa hit Gesicki successfully to get the Dolphins within 17-11 with 9 1/2 minutes left in regulation. The Dolphins needed one defensive stop to have a chance at a major upset win. They couldn’t get it. The Bills from their own 20 mounted an 14 play, 59 yard, 6 minute drive. Bass hit a 39 yard field goal with 3 1/2 minutes left to lock up the win. Tagovailoa threw in an interception late to set up the Bills at the Miami 11. On 3rd and 6 from the Miami 7, Allen ran for the touchdown with one minute left. The Dolphins lost their 7th straight as the Bills got the sweep. 26-11 Bills
New England Patriots at Los Angeles Chargers — The 4-2 Chargers needed a win to stay tied atop the AFC West. After a touchback to start the game, Justin Herbert went right to work, hitting Jared Cook for 12 and Keenan Allen for 41. On 3rd and 7 from the New England 13, Herbert hit Austin Ekeler for 6. Brandon Staley is a riverboat gambler, and he went for it on 4th and 1 from the New England 7. Ekeler gained 2 and then ran for the 5 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Chargers. The Patriots soon faced 3rd and 7 at their own 28. Mac Jones hit Kendrick Bourne for 14 and then went deep to Nelson agholor for 44. On 3rd and 11 from the Chargers 15, Jones ran for only 3 but defensive holding meant an automatic first down. On 3rd and goal at the one, Damien Harris got in for a 7-7 game.
The Chargers began the second quarter at their own 14. Jackson got around the end for a 75 yard gain. On 3rd and 4 from the New England 5, Herbert hit Allen for the touchdown to make it 14-7 Chargers. The Patriots after a touchback moved to a 3rd and goal at the one. Jones threw incomplete and Bill Belichick went for it. On 4th and goal at the one, Jones threw incomplete again. The Patriots held on defense and a 22 yard punt return gave them the ball back at the Chargers 36. They reached 2nd and goal at the 5 but Jones threw incomplete twice. This time Bill Belichick settled for a 24 yard Nick Folk Field goal to get within 14-10. An interception of Herbert with one minute left in the half gave the Patriots another short field at the Chargers 40. From the Chargers 30, Jones threw 3 incompletions. Folk hit from 48 to end the half with the Patriots within 14-13. Folk hit again from 48 in the third quarter to put the Patriots up 16-14. Yet Dustin Hopkins hit from 48 as well to have the Chargers leading 17-16 after three quarters.
The Chargers moved in the fourth quarter from their own 6 to a 3rd and 10 at their own 22. Herbert then found Adrian Phillips. Problem: Phillips plays defense for the Patriots. He took the interception return 26 yards for a defensive touchdown. Jones then hit Meyers for the 2 point conversion for a 24-17 Patriots lead with 10 minutes left in regulation. The Chargers went 3 and out and punted. The Patriots took over at their own 30 and moved 54 yards in 14 plays, taking 7 minutes off the clock. By the time Folk hit a 30 yard field goal to make it 27-17 Patriots, only 2:19 remained. In desperation mode and needing 2 scores, Herbert moved the Chargers 72 yards in 10 plays. Herbert hit Joshua Palmer for a 24 yard touchdown with 40 seconds remaining, but the onside kick failed. 27-24 Patriots
Jacksonville Jaguars at Seattle Seahawks — The Seahawks have been losing games with Geno Smith in for the injured Russell Wilson, who cannot come back soon enough. Yet even Geno Smith could not look bad at home against the dreadful 1-6 Jaguars. The Jaguars began at their own 25 and moved to a 3rd and 9 at the Seattle 38. Yet Trevor Lawrence was sacked to kill any chance of offensive output for the Jaguars. The Seahawks took over at their own 20. Smith hit Tyler Lockett for 9. Alex Collins ran for 12. Roughing the passer on the next play added 15. Collins added 9 and 2. Smith hit Lockett for 27. On 2nd and goal at the one, Penny got stopped. Collins was denied on 3rd and goal. Pete Carroll went for it on 4th and goal at the one and Smith finally got in. The 10 play, 80 yard, 5 minute drive made it 7-0 Seahawks.
An interception of Lawrence in the second quarter had the Seahawks at their own 27. Smith hit Lockett for 8 with defensive taunting on the next play adding 15. On 3rd and 5 at the Jacksonville 38, Smith hit Lockett for 9 and 5 and DK Metcalf for 8 and then the 16 yard touchdown to make it 14-0 Seahawks. Urban Meyer gambled on 4th and 6 at the Seattle 39. Lawrence threw incomplete. The Seahawks took over at their own 40 and moved 47 yards in 12 plays and 6 minutes. On 2nd and goal at the 5, Smith was sacked for a 13 yard loss. Jason Myers hit a 31 yard field goal to mark it 17-0 Seahawks. The second half was pointless, and league prevented its cancellation. The Seahawks moved 62 yards in the third quarter and Smith hit Metcalf for a 5 yard touchdown to lead 24-0. The Jaguars finally scored a touchdown with 6 1/2 minutes left, but Travis Homer fielded the onside kick and raced 44 yards for the final Seahawks touchdown. 31-7 Seahawks
Washington Anonymous at Denver Broncos — A pair of struggling teams met. The non-Redskins moved from their own 25 to a 4th and 1 at the Denver 19. Riverboat Ron Rivera went for it and Taylor Heinicke threw incomplete in a scoreless first quarter. The No-Names got it back at their own 17 and moved to a 3rd and 6 at the Denver 22. A false start followed by an incompletion led to a 45 yard field goal try by Blewitt. His kick was blocked as the game remained scoreless. The Broncos moved from their own 35 to a 2nd and 8 at the Washington 21. Teddy Bridgewater was sacked. Brandon McManus hit a 45 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Broncos. After a touchback the No-Nmaes moved 41 yards in 10 plays and 5 minutes. Ron Rivera went for it on 4th and 1 from his one 46. Patterson got the yard. On 3rd and 6 from the Denver 29, Heinicke was sacked. Blewitt hit a 52 yard field goal for a 3-3 game.
After a touchback, Bridgewater hit Okwuegbunam for 12. On 3rd and 1 from his own 46, Bridgewater got the yard. Bridgewater hit Okwuegbunam for 19 and Patrick for 19 more. Bridgewater then hit Melvin Gordon for a 15 yard touchdown with one minute left in the half to make it 10-3 Broncos. Midway through the third quarter, the No-Names took over at their own 6 yard line. Patterson ran for 4 and 7. Heinicke hit McKissic for 14. On 3rd and 2 from their own 39, Heinicke hit Humphries for 23. Patterson ran for 13. Heinicke hit DeAndre Carter for a 20 yard touchdown to cap the 10 play, 94 yard, 6 1/2 minute drive and make it a 10-10 deadlock after three quarters. The fourth quarter became a battle of who wanted it least.
With 11 minutes left in regulation, McManus came in for a 53 yard field goal try to give the Broncos the lead. His kick was no good. Blewitt came in for a 47 yard field goal try with 9 minutes left to give the non-Redskins the lead. For the second time on the day, Blewitt’s kick was no good. The Broncos took over at their own 37. Bridgewater hit Patrick for 14. On 3rd and 8 from the Washington 47, Bridgewater hit Jerry Jeudy for 18. Williams ran for 14. On 3rd and 2 from the Washington 7, Melvin Gordon ran it in. The Broncos led by 7 with 4 1/2 minutes left. The No-Names moved from their own 25 to a 3rd and 6 at the Denver 17. Heinicke was sacked and fumbled. The No-Names retained possession but it was 4th and 19 with only 50 seconds. Heinicke went to the end zone and was intercepted. The non-Redskins had all 3 timeouts but still needed a miracle. For some reason on 2nd and 9 from their own 23, the Broncos passed rather than run the ball. Bridgewater’s incompletion stopped the clock. Then on 3rd and 9, Gordon fumbled. The No-Names had 1st and 10 at the Denver 24 with 21 seconds left and 2 timeouts. A pair of incompletions sandwiched around a sack led to one final play on 4th and 16 from the Denver 30. Again, Heinicke threw incomplete as the Broncos ended their 4 game losing streak. Despite the win, the Broncos were rocked on Monday by the news that franchise cornerstone Von Miller was being traded to the Rams. 17-10 Broncos.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at New Orleans Saints — Drew Brees is retired, but this was still a matchup of two very good football teams as the 6-1 Buccaneers took on the 4-2 Saints. 4 minutes into the game Sean Payton gambled on 4th and 1 from his own 44. Alvin Kamara got the carry and got stuffed. The Buccaneers soon faced 3rd and 6 from the Saints 40. Tom Brady hit Chris Godwin for 25. On 3rd and 7 from the Saints 12, Brady hit Godwin again for the touchdown to make it 7-0 Buccaneers. After a touchback, Kamara gained 10. Jameis Winston hit Mark Ingram for 18 and 7. On 3rd and 2 from the Tampa 39, Winston gained 4. Winston gained 13. On 3rd and 7 from the Tampa 16, Winston went to Smith for the touchdown and a 7-7 ballgame after the first quarter. Early in the second quarter Jameis Winston scrambled from his own 9 yard line and went down awkwardly. He injured his knee, and the worst case scenario was realized. He is out for the season. with Taysom Hill out with a concussion until next week, it was up to 3rd string quarterback Trevor Siemian to play the rest of the way.
The Buccaneers got the ball back and moved from their own 13 to a 3rd and 6 at the Saints 31. Brady was sacked and fumbled and the Saints took over at their own 37. The Saints then moved 58 yards in 10 plays and 5 minutes. On 1st and 10 from the Tampa 14, Siemian was intercepted. Yet roughing the passer instead meant a new set of downs. On 3rd and goal at the 4, Siemian lost a yard. Brian Johnson hit a 23 yard field goal to make it 10-7 Saints. 2 plays after a touchback, Brady was intercepted. The Saints took over at the Tampa Bay 35. Ingram gained 11 and Siemian hit Smith for 15. On 3rd and goal at the one, Siemian hit Alex Armah for the touchdown with 30 seconds left in the half. The extra point was no good as the Saints led 16-7. The Saints kept rolling in the third quarter from their own 24. Siemian hit White for a 38 yard gain. Sean Payton gambled again on 4th and 4 from the Tampa Bay 32. Siemian hit Harris for 7. Kamara ran for 15. On 3rd and goal at the 3, Siemian hit Smith for only 2. Again Payton went for it all on 4th and goal at the one. Kamara got in and the Saints had a comfortable 23-7 lead.
Then Brady did what he does. On 3rd and 1 from his own 34, Brady gained 2. Brady then hit Leonard Fournette for 7 and Godwin for a 44 yard gain. On 3rd and 4 from the Saints 7, Brady hit Giovani Bernard for the touchdown. Bruce Arians opted against a 2 point conversion as the Buccaneers trailed 23-14. The Buccaneers got it back at their own 31. Brady hit Godwin for 16. On 3rd and 3 from the Saints 41, Brady went to Mike Evans for the touchdown. After three quarters, the Buccaneers were right back in it down 23-21. In the fourth quarter the Saints moved from their own 34 to a 3rd and 5 at the Bucs 16. Siemian threw incomplete. Johnson hit the 35 yard field goal, but the Saints only led 26-21. With 8 1/2 minutes left in regulation, they had failed to close the door. After a touchback, Brady hit Howard for 12 and Fournette for 8. On 1st and 10 from midfield, Brady went for it all and hit Cyril Grayson for the touchdown. The 2 point conversion failed but with 5:44 to play the Buccaneers had come all the way back to lead 27-26.
The Saints soon faced 3rd and 4 from their own 31. Siemian hit Callaway for 9. Harris got around the end for 22. On 3rd and 5 from the Tampa 33, Siemian threw incomplete but defensive holding meant an automatic first down. Siemian hit Callaway for 16. At the 2 minute warning, the Buccaneers had 1st and goal at the 9. Siemian threw incomplete twice. On 3rd and goal, Siemian hit Kamara for only 4 yards. Johnson hit the 23 yard field goal but the Saints only led 29-27. 1:41 still remained. Another Brady comeback victory was inevitable. Brady was not going to be outplayed by Siemian. Yet this time he was. On 2nd and 10 from his own 25, Brady was intercepted by PJ Williams, who straddled the sideline and tightroped past everybody for the defensive touchdown. The critical extra point was good, putting the game on ice. Brady was 28 of 40 for 375 yards and 4 touchdowns, but with 2 killer interceptions. Siemian was the epitome of a game manager, going 16 of 29 for 159 yards and one touchdown, but with 0 interceptions. Siemian got the win, and next we will see if he gets the start. Brees confirmed that he is not coming out of retirement. 36-27 Saints
Dallas Cowboys at Minnesota Vikings was the Sunday night game. The 5-1 Cowboys were without Dak Prescott, and would have to win with someone named Cooper Rush starting his first NFL game. The Vikings had the early momentum. On 3rd and 2 from their own 33, Kirk Cousins hit Conklin for 31 yards. On 3rd and 7 from the Dallas 33, Cousins threw incomplete but defensive pass interference meant a 14 yard gain. Cousins hit Adam Thielen for a 20 yard touchdown. The Vikings led 7-0 only 3 minutes into the game, but they would not reach the end zone again. Greg Zuerlein missed a 43 yard field goal for the Cowboys. Zuerlein did hit from 38 in the second quarter to get the Cowboys on the board. Greg Joseph hit from 45 late in the half as the Vikings led 10-3 at the intermission.
The Vikings defense was dominating, but one big play on the third play of the third quarter changed the game. On 3rd and 8 from their own 27, Rush went to Cedric Wilson for a 73 yard touchdown and a 10-10 ballgame. A field position game in the third quarter had the Vikings taking over at their own 45. Cousins hit Jefferson for 18. On 3rd and 12 from the Dallas 29, a completion only gained 7. Joseph hit from 40 to make it 13-10 Vikings. The Cowboys took over at their own 28 and defensive pass interference added 14. Mike McCarthy went to the bag of tricks. Rush lateraled to Wilson, who went deep to CeeDee Lamb for 35. Yet on 3rd and 8 from the Minnesota 21, Rush threw incomplete. Zuerlein hit from 39 to end the third quarter with a 13-13 tie.
Midway through the fourth quarter the Vikings took over at their own 26. Cook gained 8. Three defensive unnecessary roughness penalties on the drive had the Cowboys collapsing. The Vikings had 1st and goal at the 4 with 5 minutes left. Yet a run lost 4 yards and a pass lost 3 more. On 3rd and goal at the 11, a completion gained only 6. Joseph hit the 24 yard field goal to put the Vikings up 16-13, but 2:51 still remained. After a touchback, Rush hit Amari Cooper for 33 and again for 18. At the 2 minute warning the Vikings recovered a fumble but defensive illegal use of hands kept the ball with the Cowboys. On 3rd and 11 from the Minnesota 20, Rush hit Ezekiel Elliott for 15 and Elliott bowled over defenders with the game on the line. Rush hit Cooper for a 5 yard touchdown as the Cowboys took a 4 point lead with 51 seconds left. After a touchback, the Vikings faced 3rd and 9 from their own 39 with 20 seconds left and one timeout. Cousins inexplicably threw a 3 yard pass that left only 3 seconds. Then he threw a short incompletion rather than a Hail Mary. Cooper Rush got his first NFL win in gutty fashion on Sunday Night Football on the road. 20-16 Cowboys
New York Giants at Kansas City Chiefs was the Monday night game. As much as the Chiefs have uncharacteristically struggled this year, a home gam against the lowly Giants was just what the doctor ordered. The Chiefs began after a touchback by moving 70 yards in 13 plays and 7 minutes. on 2nd and goal at the 5, Walrus Andy Reid tried some trickery. Travis Kelce took the direct snap, lateraled to Patrick Mahomes, who after all of that threw incomplete. On 3rd and goal, Mahomes had a pass to Josh Gordon in the end zone that should have been a touchdown. Instead it bounced off of Gordon high in the air and was intercepted by Love for a touchback. The Giants defense came up big, but Daniel Jones then did what he does. On 2nd and 8 from his own 22, Jones was intercepted by Darrius Clayton, who returned it 13 yards to the Giants 13. On 3rd and goal at the 5, Mahomes hit Hill and this time it was a touchdown as the Chiefs had the 7-0 lead.
The only thing Daniel Jones knows how to do properly is throw the bomb. On 3rd and 11 from his own 14, he fired to John Ross, who out-jumped the defender for a 50 yard gain. Then came some Joe Judge trickery. jones lateraled to Toney, who threw a completion to Sterling Shepard for 18 yards. Booker ran for gains of 11 and 2. The second quarter began with the Giants facing 2nd and goal from the 4. An incompletion followed by a 3 yard completion to Shepard set up 4th and goal at the one. Joe Judge went for it and Jones fired to Kyle Rudolph for the touchdown and a 7-7 game.
The Chiefs took over in the second quarter at their own 32. Mahomes hit Williams for 7 and Hill for 11. On 3rd and 5 from the Giants 42, Mahomes hit Hill for 9. Derrick Gore did the rest, gashing the defense for gains of 9, 7, 5, 9, and the 3 yard touchdown. The 11 play, 68 yard, 6 minute drive had the Chiefs up 14-7. The Giants took over at their own 9. Jones hit Booker for 12 and again for a 41 yard gain with 15 more tacked on for roughing the passer. Yet on 3rd and 4 from the Chiefs 7, Jones threw a 2 yard pass. Joe Judge decided not to gamble on 4th and 2. Graham Gano hit the 23 yard field goal to get the Giants within 14-10 with 2:45 left in the half. The third quarter was scoreless as the defenses dug in.
Midway through the third quarter the Chiefs moved from their own 19 to a 1st and 10 at the Giants 28. Then came offensive holding. Then Mahomes hit Kelce for 8, but Kelce had the ball ripped out and the Giants recovered at their own 43. Runs, short passes and a pair of defensive penalties had the Giants at the Chiefs 32. Jones hit Toney for 11 and Booker ran for 10. The fourth quarter began with the Giants facing 3rd and 4 at the Chiefs 5. Jones fired to Evan Engram for the touchdown as the Giants had the shocking 17-14 lead.
The Chiefs soon faced 1st and 16 from their own 19. Mahomes hit Williams for 9, Hill for 10, and Williams for 10. The Chiefs moved all the way to a 2nd and 9 at the Giants 12. After an incompletion, Mahomes got hit and fumbled. The Chiefs were lucky to retain possession. Harrison Butker’s 36 yard field goal was dead center for a 17-17 game with 9 minutes left in regulation.
A short 34 yard punt with 5 yards against the kicking team for illegal touching had the Chiefs taking over at their own 29 with 5 minutes left. Offensive holding had the Chiefs facing 2nd and 20 from their own 19. Mahomes was intercepted, but the Giants jumped offsides. On 2nd and 15, Mahomes went to Kelce for 14 with 15 more tacked on for a defensive facemask. Williams ran for gains of 8 and 6. Mecole Hardman raced for a 24 yard gain to set up 1st and goal at the 9. The Giants took their last timeout with 1:54 left. Everything came down to 3rd and goal at the 7. A run would take the clock down. Walrus Andy Reid called a pass play, knowing an incompletion would stop the clock. Mahomes had a defender in his face and smartly took the sack so the clock would keep running. Butker’s 34 yard field goal was good to give the Chiefs the lead. The Giants took over after a touchback with 1:07 to play. A sack of Jones meant 4th and 15 from their own 20 with 35 seconds left. Jones was sacked again. The Giants were game, but fell short. The Chiefs got to 4-4, making Andy Reid a most relieved walrus indeed. 20-17 Chiefs