NFL 2021 Week 10 Recap
Baltimore Ravens at Miami Dolphins was the Thursday night game. The 6-2 Ravens were expected to steamroll over the 2-7 Dolphins. Then the game started. In the first quarter Justin Tucker hit a 46 yard field goal for the Ravens. Later in the quarter, the most accurate kicker in NFL history missed from 48. The Dolphins in the second quarter reached the Baltimore 5 yard line but a sack of Jacoby Brissett killed the drive. Jason Sanders hit a 31 yard field goal for a 3-3 game. With 51 seconds left in the half the Dolphins took over on their own 12. Brissett went to Ford for 19 and then went deep to Ford again for a 52 yard gain. Brissett hit Shaheen for 11 to set up 1st and goal at the 4 with 12 seconds left. A pair of incompletions left 3 seconds. Sanders hit the 22 yard field goal as the Dolphins had the stunning 6-3 halftime lead. On the third play of the third quarter, Brissett left the game injured and was replaced with Tua Tagovailoa, battling a ifinger injury himself. After a scoreless third quarter, the Dolphins moved from their own 36 to a 1st and goal at the one. Mike Gesicki got stopped, Tagovailoa threw incomplete and the on 3rd and goal came a false start and another incompletion. Sanders hit from 29. Early in the fourth quarter the Dolphins led 9-3.
After a touchback the Ravens faced 3rd and 10 at their own 42. The Ravens then fumbled and Xavier Howard returned it 49 yards for a defensive touchdown. The 2 point conversion try failed but the Dolphins led 15-3. Midway through the fourth quarter, a great punt pinned the Ravens at their own one yard line. Lamar Jackson hit Hollywood Brown for 7 with 15 more added on the next play for defensive facemasl. Jackson hit Devin Duvernay for 8, ran for 5 himself, hit Mark Andrews for 4, hit Bateman for 8, and benefitted from another 15 yard toughing the passer penalty. On 3rd and 3 from the Miami 30, Jackson through incomplete, but defensive holding kept the drive going. Jackson then hit Bateman for 20 and Andrews for the 5 yard touchdown. The 99 yard drive helped along by 35 penalty yards had the Ravens within 15-10 with 4:12 to play. Surely the Dolphins would blow this game. Except they didn’t. Rather than grind down clock, Brian Flores went aggressive and Tagovailoa hit Wilson deep for a 64 yard gain. On 3rd and 2 from the Baltimore 3, Gaskin gained the 2 yards as the Ravens took their last timeout with 2:24 left. On the next play Tagovailoa got the one yard touchdown to seal the shocking upset win. Cue ESPN uber-announcer Chris Berman: “THAT’s why they PLAY the GAMES!” 22-10 Dolphins
Atlanta Falcons at Dallas Cowboys — Last week during bizarro week, the Cowboys were embarrassed and blown out at home by Denver. Former Falcons coach Dan Quinn is now the defensive coordinator for the Cowboys. On the second play from scrimmage from their own 30, a short completion from Dak Prescott to CeeDee Lamb went for 37 yards. On 3rd and 5 from the Atlanta 28, Prescott hit Michael Gallup for 11. Prescott went to Lamb again On 3rd and 6 for a 13 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Cowboys. The Falcons drove deep but had to settle for a 35 yard Younghoe Koo field goal to trail 7-3. The Falcons got it back and moved from their own 32 to a 2nd and 7 from their own 32 to a 2nd and 7 at the Dallas 32. Matt Ryan threw incomplete twice. Arthur Hill gambled on 4th and 7 rather than try a 50 yard field goal. Matty Ice went ice cold incomplete again. After that the Cowboys romped.
Prescott hit Pollard for 9 and McKeon for 12. On 4th and 5 from the Atlanta 33, Mike McCarthy went for it rather than try a 51 yard field goal. Prescott hit Lamb for 21 to end the first quarter. In the second quarter on 3rd and 1 from the Atlanta 3, Ezekiel Elliott gained 2 and then banged up the gut on 2nd and goal at the one to make it 14-3 Cowboys. Deja vu all over again had the Cowboys again taking over at their own 32. Prescott hit Brown for 18. Elliott ran for 9 and Pollard added 9 and 2. On 4th and 3 from the Atlanta 25, McCarthy again gambled and Prescott hit Gallup for 23. Zeke banged in again up the gut from 2 yards out to have the Cowboys up 21-3. The Cowboys got it back at their own 41. On 3rd and 1 from midfield, Zeke got the yard. Prescott hit Elliott for 4, Lamb for 9, Gallup for 8, and Amari Cooper for 16. On 3rd and 7 from the Atlanta 9, Prescott hit Lamb for the touchdown to make it 28-3 Cowboys. With 37 seconds left in the half the Falcons tried to punt but the Cowboys blocked it and recovered it in the Atlanta end zone for a touchdown. The Falcons had 12 men on the field for the extra point so the Cowboys went for 2 and made it. A 29 point second quarter explosion had the Cowboys up 36-3 at halftime. Ryan threw 3 third quarter interceptions, one of which led to a 4 yard Prescott touchdown run on 4th and 2 to complete the annihilation. 43-3 Cowboys
New Orleans Saints at Tennessee Titans — The Saints lost a home heartbreaker last week to Atlanta while the Titans made a statement by going into Los Angeles and stomping the Rams to get to 7-2. In the first quarter the Titans moved from their own 20 to a 3rd and 5 at the Saints 10. Ryan Tannehill threw incomplete. A 28 yard Randy Bullock field goal had the Titans up 3-0. The Saints soon faced 3rd and 6 at their own 29. Trevor Siemian went deep to Harris for a 46 yard gain. Siemian hit Trequon Smith for an 11 yard touchdown early in the second quarter to make it 6-3 Saints. The extra point was no good. The Titans got it back at their own 23 and moved to a 3rd and 4 at the Saints 19. A completion only gained one yard. Another field goal by Bullock from 36 tied the game 6-6.
A field position game had the Titans taking over at their own 44 with 5 minutes left in the half. Tannehill hit Johnson and AJ Brown for a pair of 16 yard gains. On 3rd and 1 from the Saints 15, Brown got around the end for 7. Tannehill went to the end zone and was intercepted. Yet a horrendous roughing the passer penalty gave the Titans 1st and goal at the 5. On 3rd and goal Tannehill threw over the middle incomplete. Yet defensive pass interference meant 1st and goal at the one. Tannehill got in as the Titans took a 13-6 lead to the locker rooms. The Saints fumbled the second half kickoff and the Titans took over at the Giants 19. On 3rd and 2 from the Saints 11, Tannehill hit Johnson for 10 and Mycole Pruitt for a 2 yard touchdown to make it 20-6 Titans.
The Saints would eventually faced 3rd and 4 from their own 19. Siemian hit Smith for 21, Trautman for 8, Hill for 15, and Mark Ingram for 10, On 3rd and 4 from the Tennessee 13, Ingram ran for the touchdown. Down 20-12, Sean Payton decided to chase the points and go for 2 to make up for the earlier missed extra point. The try failed. The Titans moved from their own 27 on an 11 play, 55 yard, 6 1/2 minute drive. Despite 1st and goal at the 9, a sack and a delay of game killed the drive. With 10 minutes left in regulation Bullock hit from 36 to put the Titans up 23-12. The Saints moved from their own 32 to a 3rd and goal at the one. Siemian threw incomplete. Needing 2 scores with 5 1/2 minutes left, Sean Payton surprisingly opted for the 20 yard field goal rather than go for it. Brian Johnson got the Saints back within 23-15.
The Saints got it back at their own 29. Siemian hot Callaway for 22 with defensive unnecessary roughness adding 15 more. Siemian hit Ingram for 5 and Harris for 12 more. On 3rd and 13 from the Titans 15, Siemian hit Callaway for the touchdown. With 1:16 left, it came down to a 2 point conversion to tie the game. Siemian threw incomplete as the earlier decision to chase points proved fatal. The onside kick failed as the Titans survived to get to 8-2 on the year atop the conference. 23-21 Saints.
Buffalo Bills at New York Jets — Last week was bizarro week as the Bills lost at Jacksonville. Ironically, Josh Allen had a terrible game against a defender also named Josh Allen. In this game, Buffalo’s Josh Allen had the Bills taking over after a punt at their own 42. Allen hit Emanuel Sanders for 11 and Dawson Knox for 17. Singletary ran for 15 and Allen threw a 15 yard touchdown pass to Matt Breida to make it 7-0 Bills. An interception of Mike White had the Bills on the move again from the Jets 43. On 3rd and 7 from the Jets 10, a pass to the end zone was just beyond the receiver and bounced off the fingertips. A field goal made it 10-0 Bills. The Jets managed a second quarter field goal, but after that the Bills obliterated them. On 1st and 15 from their own 20, Allen went deep to Stfan Diggs for 57 yards. Moss ran for 11. Allen went back to Diggs for a 12 yard touchdown. The Bills only led 17-3 at the half, but they turned out the lights in the third quarter.
After a touchback tobstart the second half, Allen hit Diggs for 23. Singletary ran for 7 and 13. Sanders ran for 24. Isaiah McKenzie ran for the 8 yard touchdown to make it 24-3 Bills. One p[lay after a touchback, White was intercepted again to set up the Bills at their own 36. Allen went deep to Davis for 49 yards and Breida ran for a 15 yard touchdown to make it 31-3 Bills. Another interception of White meant another short field for the Bills at the Jets 45. On 3rd and 2 from the Jets 37, Allen went to Davis for 36 down to the one. Moss got in to have the Bills up 38-3 after three quarters. The entire fourth quarter was garbage time as the Jets finally managed two touchdowns sandwiched around the Bills scoring another one of their own as well. The Bills at 6-3 are still atop the AFC East while J-E-T-S already stands for Just End the Season for a team that gave up 45 for the second straight week. 45-17 Bills
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Washington Mystery Men — Both teams had last week off. Last year Taylor Heinicke gave Tom Brady a surprisingly competitive playoff game before the Buccaneers won en route to their championship. This year the Buccaneers were 6-2 and the N-Names were a woeful 2-6. 90 seconds into the game the Non-Redskins took over at their own 40. They moved to a 3rd and 4 at the Tampa 28. Heinicke threw incomplete. Joey Slye hit a 48 yard field goal to make it 3-0 No-Names. Two plays after a touchback an interception of Brady set the No-names up at the Tampa 28. On 2nd and 6 from the Tampa 12, a run lost 8 yards. Sly hit a 28 yard field goal to make it 6-0 No-Names. Brady was then intercepted again off of a batted pass up in the air. The Mystery Men had another short field at the Tampa 46. On 3rd and 7 from the Tampa 43, Heinicke hit Antonio Gibson for 8. On 3rd and 6 from the Tampa 20, Heinicke hit DeAndre Carter for the touchdown as the non-Redskins had a surprising 13-0 lad early in the second quarter
After a touchback, the Buccaneers moved 68 yards in 13 plays and 5 1/2 minutes. Yet on 2nd and goal at the 7, Brady threw incomplete twice. Ryan Succop hit from 25 to get the Buccaneers on the board. The No-Names after a touchback responded 64 yards in 11 plays and 6 minutes. Yet on 1st and 10 from the Tampa 14 at the 2 minute warning, a run lost 5 yards. Slye hit his third field goal from 29 as the No-Names led 16-3 with one minute left in the half. The Buccaneers took over at their own 30 and with 2 seconds left in the half faced 4th and 6 from the Washington 47. Rather than try the Hail Mary, Brady went to Evans for only 22 yards. Yet a completely unnecessary defensive facemask penalty added 15 yards and gave the Buccaneers one untimed down. That allowed Succop to hit a 31 yard field goal. The gift had the Buccaneers within 16-6 at the break. In the third quarter the No-Names punted on 4th and 16 from their own 2 yard line and the Buccaneers took over at the Washington 43. Brady hit Chris Godwin for 14, Leonard Fournette for 15, Godwin for 8 and Cameron Brate for a 6 yard touchdown. The Buccaneers were right back in it down 16-13.
Yet every time the Buccaneers came back, the No-Names answered. From their own 29, Heinicke hit Milne for 15. On 3rd and 4 from midfield, Heinicke hit Bates for 18. Gibson ran for 12 and 9. Defensive pass interference added 13 down to the one. Gibson got in as the No-Names led 23-13 with 4 minutes left in the third quarter. The No-Names got it back at their own 17 to start the fourth quarter and moved to a 3rd and 9 at their own 40. Hence hit Milne for 9 but Milne fumbled and the Buccaneers recovered at the Washington 47. Three plays later on 3rd and 3, Brady went deep to Mike Evans for a 40 yard touchdown to get the Buccaneers within 23-19 with 11 minutes left in regulation. The extra point was no good. The No-Names then mounted the drive of the year. 19 plays. 80 yards. 10 1/2 minutes off the clock. On 3rd and 2 from their own 28, Heinicke gained 3. Heinicke hit McLaurin for 16. On 3rd and 1 from the Tampa 33, Gibson gained 2. On 3rd and 4 from the Tampa 25, Heinicke hit Humphries for 5. On 3rd and 5 from the Tampa 15, Heinicke hit McLaurin for 6. On 3rd and goal at the 4, Gibson gained 3 as the clock ticked down to 30 seconds to play. On 4th and goal at the one, Riverboat Ron Rivera went for it figuring even Brady could not go 99 yards in 30 seconds without a timeout. Gibson crashed in and the No-Names had the shocking win. Cue ESPN uber-announcer Chris Berman: “THAT’s why they PLAY the GAMES!” 29-19 Mystery Men
Jacksonville Jaguars at Indianapolis Colts — The Jaguars won a shocker over Buffalo last week. Now it was back to reality, sort of. On the Colts first play from scrimmage from their own 32, Jonathan Taylor broke off a 34 yard run. On 3rd and 3 from the Jacksonville 5, Carson Wentz threw incomplete. A 24 yard Mike Badgley field goal made it 3-0 Colts. A blocked punt was then returned 12 yards for a touchdown by the appropriately named EJ Speed for a 10-0 Colts lead. The Colts then got it back at their own 47. Taylor ran for 20, 5, 8, 4, and the 4 yard touchdown and a 17-0 Colts lead. Yet the Jaguars did not fold. Quite the opposite. On 3rd and 10 from their own 22, Trevor Lawrence hit Jones for 12. Jamal Agnew then broke off a 66 yard touchdown run. The extra point was no good but the Jaguars trailed 17-6 after the first quarter. Both defenses then dug in. With 1:43 left in the half, Mike Badgley hit a 29 yard field goal to make it 20-6 Colts.
After an exchange of punts the Jaguars took over at their own 30 with 36 seconds left. Lawrence went to Arnold for 24. Wright nailed a 56 yard field goal to end the half with the Jaguars within 20-9. Wright missed from 51 early in the third quarter, which was scoreless. The Jaguars began the fourth quarter facing 3rd and 10 at their own 35. Lawrence went to Jones for 23. James Robinson ran for 18. On 3rd and 11 from the Indy 16, Lawrence hit Arnold for 14. Robinson ran for a one yard touchdown. Urban Meyer went for 2 and Lawrence hit Arnold successfully. With 10 1/2 minutes left in regulation, the Jaguar were only down 20-17. Midway through the fourth quarter after an exchange of punts, the Colts moved from their own 17 on an 11 play, 68 yard, 5 minute drive. The Colts settled for a 37 yard Badgley field goal. The Jaguars got the ball back at their own 25 with 2:17 left, 2 timeouts, and a chance at a major comeback win. With 50 seconds left, the Jaguars had 1st and 10 at the Indy 46. Lawrence was sacked and fumbled and the Colts recovered. The win got the Colts to 5-5 after a rough start to their season. 23-17 Colts
Detroit Lions at Pittsburgh Steelers — Ben Roethlisberger tested positive for Covid the day before the game and was out. Backup Mason Rudolph got the start against the winless Lions, who were coming off a bye week. The Steelers entered with a 4 game win streak including a heart-stopping Monday night win on the final play. Rain made the conditions difficult in this game, but at home the Steelers were still expected to handle an awful Lions team. Again, ESPN uber-announcer Chris Berman’s maxim applies. “THAT’s why they PLAY the GAMES!” The Steelers made it look easy on their opening drive. From their own 17, Mason Rudolph hit James Washington for 6 and McCloud for 11. On 3rd and 3 just shy of midfield, Rudolph threw incomplete but defensive pass interference meant a 29 yard gain. Harris gained 11 more. On 3rd and 8 from the Detroit 9, Rudolph hit Washington for the touchdown to cap the 10 play, 83 yard, 5 1/2 minute drive and make it 7-0 Steelers. The second quarter began Raymond returning a punt 48 yards to the Pittsburgh 39. Three plays later Jermar Jefferson ran for a 28 yard touchdown and a 7-7 tie.
Both teams then had long, time consuming drives that ate up the rest of the half. Both teams had 3rd and goal at the 8, Both teams ran a play that only gained 6 yards. Both Mike Tomlin and then Dan Campbell decided not to gamble on 4th and goal at the 2 in bad weather. Both Chris Boswell for the Steelers and then Santoso for the Lions to end the half hit their respective 20 yard field goals for a 10-10 deadlock. The Lions began the third quarter at their own 15. Less than 3 minutes later they had the lead. Swift gained 16. On 3rd and 9 from their own 32, Swift gained 12. Godwin Igwebuike gained 14 and then ran for a 42 yard touchdown. The extra point was no good but the Lions had the surprising 16-10 lead. The Steelers took over at their own 26 and marched 69 yards in 13 plays. Yet on 1st and goal at the 5, rather than run the ball in bad weather, Tomlin opted to pass. Rudolph threw 3 straight incompletions. Boswell hit a 23 yard field goal. The Steelers trailed 16-13 midway through the third quarter in worsening rain. The game became a slog.
A field position game had the Steelers beginning the fourth quarter at midfield. On 3rd and 5 from the Detroit 33, offensive pass interference moved the Steelers back. Yet Boswell came through again. Heinz Field is normally a tough place to kick in, and the rain made it even tougher. Yet Boswell hit from 31 for a tie game with 11 1/2 minutes left in regulation. The offenses did nothing else and the game went to overtime. The Steelers fumbled and the Lions took over at their own 45. On 3rd and 4 from the Pittsburgh 28, offensive holding was a killer. With 4 minutes left in overtime, Santoso came in for a 48 yard field try to give the Lions their first win of the year in shocking fashion. Santoso was no good. After an exchange of punts, the Steelers took over at their own 11 with 1:37 left in overtime. With 8 seconds left, the Steelers had 1st and 10 at the Detroit 39. A field goal from that distance would be 57 yards. Mike Tomlin ran one more play. Inexplicably, it was a completion for one yard. Making matters worse, Freiermuth fumbled the ball and the Lions recovered at their own 38. Now they had time for a miracle. Yet rather than try a Hail Mary, the hook and lateral gained only 14 yards. The Lions will not go 0-17. They did not win, but they tied. Ironically, 19 years ago a 5-3 Steelers team at home had a tie game that would leave them 1/2 game behind other playoff teams. This was the first tie game of the 2021 NFL season. 16-16 tie, OT
Cleveland Browns at New England Patriots — A pair of 5-4 teams faced off in the first game for the Brown since they traded away Odell Beckham Jr. Baker Mayfield had only 36 yards passing in the first half. The Browns from their own 16 marched 84 yards in 11 plays and 5 minutes. Mayfield hit Austin Hooper for 6 and Bryant for 13 to midfield and Johnson ran for 10, 24 and 19. On 3rd and goal at the 2, Mayfield threw incomplete. Kevin Stefanski gambled on 4th and goal at the 2. Mayfield hit Hooper for the touchdown to make it 7-0 Browns. That concluded Browns highlights. After that the Patriots took over.
The Patriots mounted a 15 play, 83 yard drive that took 9 1/2 minutes off of the clock. The Patriots soon faced 3rd and 8 at their own 19. Mac Jones hit Hunter Henry for 12. On 3rd and 6 from their own 35, Jones hit Meyers for 7. On 1st and 20 from their own 32, Kendrick Bourne ran for 15 and Stevenson added 9. Jones hit Nelson Agholor for 11 and Stevenson ran for 13 and 4. On 3rd and 13 from the Cleveland 23, Jones hit Bolden for 20 and Henry for a 3 yard touchdown. The game was tied 7-7 after the opening quarter.
The second quarter began with Baker Mayfield being intercepted by Kyle Duggar, who returned it 37 yards to the Cleveland 5 yard line. One play later Remondrae Stevenson ran it in. The Patriots led 14-7 and never looked back.
The Patriots got it back at their own one yard line. Stevenson ran for 5, 4, and on 3rd and 1 form their own 10, 18 yards. On 3rd and 5 from their own 33, Jones hit Bourne for 12. On 3rd and 9 from their own 46, Jones hit Meyers for 26 and Bourne for a 23 yard touchdown. The 11 play, 99 yard, 6 minute drive had the Patriots up 21-7. The Patriots then moved from their own 33 to a 1st and 10 at the Cleveland 16 with 42 seconds left in the half. An 11 yard run was nullified by illegal use of hands on the offense, but Nick Folk hit a 38 yard field goal to make it 24-7 Patriots at the intermission. In the third quarter the Patriots took over at their own 8 and blasted the Browns to pieces. Jones hit Agholor for 10 and Henry for 19. Bolden ran for 22 and caught a pass for 17. Bourne gained 17. Stevenson ran for the 2 yard touchdown to cap the 92 yard drive and make it 31-7 Patriots. In the fourth quarter the Browns turned it over on downs at their own 47. On 3rd and goal at the 3, Jones hit Henry for the touchdown to make it 38-7 Patriots. After drives of 99 and 92 yards, the Patriots capped the carpet-bombing with a 95 yard drive. Bryan Hoyer was now in the game and he threw an 11 yard touchdown to Meyers to complete the carpet-bombing. 45-7 Patriots
Minnesota Vikings at Los Angeles Chargers — 40 years ago these teams played a wild thriller where the Vikings trailed by 7, scored a touchdown late, missed the extra point, recovered a crazy onside kick, and kicked a field goal for a 33-31 win. This game was less insane but was still interesting. After a scoreless first quarter, the offenses gradually got going. The Vikings from their own 13 moved 59 yards in 10 plays and 6 minutes. The second quarter began with Greg Joseph hitting a 46 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Vikings. The Chargers after a touchback moved to a 3rd and 4 at the Minnesota 27. Justin Herbert threw incomplete. Dustin Hopkins hit from 46 for a 3-3 game. The Vikings took over at their own 39 and moved 50 yards in 11 plays and nearly 5 minutes. On 2nd and goal at the one, Kirk Cousins threw incomplete. On 3rd and goal Cousins hit Ham for the touchdown, but offensive holding nullified the score. Joseph hit a 30 yard field goal to make it 6-3 Vikings with 6 1/2 minutes left in the half.
The Chargers took over at their own 12 and Herbert was immediately intercepted to set up the Viking at the Chargers 31. On 2nd and 20, Cousins hit Justin Jefferson for 21. Cousins hit Tyler Conklin for a 5 yard touchdown as the Vikings had the 13-3 lead with 3 1/2 minutes left in the half. After a touchback, Herbert hit Mike Williams for 7 and ran for 17 himself. On the next play defensive pass interference meant a 28 yard gain. On 3rd and 1 from the Minnesota 6, Herbert hit Williams for 5. Larry Roundtree for the lat yard as the Chargers only trailed 13-10 at the half. After a touchback to start the third quarter, Herbert hit Keenan Allen for 22, Donald Parham for 17, and Williams for 11. On 3rd and 5 from the Minnesota 17, Herbert hit Cook for 10. On 3rd and goal at the 2, Herbert hit Austin Ekeler for the touchdown. The 10 play, 75 yard drive had the Chargers up 17-13.
The Vikings took over at their own 34 and Cousins went to Jefferson for 27. On 3rd and 10 from the Chargers 36, Cousins threw incomplete but defensive pass interference meant an 11 yard gain. Cousins then hit Adam Thielen for 19. On 3rd and goal at the one, Cook got stopped. Mike Zimmer gambled, and on 4th and goal Cousins hit Tyler Conklin for the touchdown as the Vikings led 20-17 after three quarters. The Vikings got it back and soon faced 3rd and 5 from their 37. Cousins hit Jefferson for 12 and Cook for 15. On 3rd and 9 from the Chargers 28, Cousins hit Thielen for 16. Cook then ran for 5, 2, and on 3rd and 3 from the Chargers 5, 4 more. Cook got the last yard to cap the 12 play, 68 yard, 7 minute drive and give the Vikings some breathing room up 27-17 with 9 1/2 minutes left in regulation.
After a touchback, the Chargers moved 69 yards in 12 plays and 5 minutes. On 3rd and 4 from the Minnesota 8, a completion only got half of it. On 4th and 2 from the 6 and needing 2 scores, the biggest gambler in the NFL Brandon Staley played it safe. Hopkins hit from 24 to get the Chargers back within 7 with 4 1/2 minutes left. With 3 minutes left the Viking faced 3rd and 6 at their own 29. One defensive stop would give the Chargers the ball back. Instead Cousins hit Jefferson for 27 yards. On 3rd and 20 from their own 48, Cousins hit Thielen for 18 as the Chargers took their last timeout on defense with 2 1/2 minutes left. On 4th and 2 from the Chargers 36, a 54 yard field goal would ice the game. Yet Mike Zimmer decided to go for it. With everything on the line, Cook gained 4. The Chargers never got the ball back as Cousins took 3 knees. 27-20 Vikings
Carolina Panthers at Arizona Cardinals — With Sam Darnold injured and playing badly, the prodigal son returned home. Cam Newton is back with the Panthers and was active in this game as a backup but saw plenty of action. For the second week in a row, Kyler Murray and Deandre Hopkins were out. Colt McCoy started again. Even without their stars, the Cardinals went on the road and throttled San Francisco last week. Surely the 8-1 Cardinals would roll over a Panthers team that had lost 5 of their last 6 games and was starting Walker. 90 seconds into the game on the third play from scrimmage on 3rd and 5 from his own 32, McCoy was sacked and fumbled. The Panthers took over at the Arizona 15. On 3rd and 9, Walker hit Christian McCaffrey for 13. From the 2, Newton came into the game. He ran for a 2 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Panthers. Kliff Kingsbury then decided to gamble on 4th and 1 from his own 42. McCoy got stopped cold for a one yard loss. Walker then hit Anderson for 17. McCaffrey gained 11 and 13 down to the 2. Newton came in again. This time he threw the touchdown pass to Robby Anderson to make it 14-0 Panthers. An interception of McCoy then led to a 44 yard Zane Gonzalez field goal to make it 17-0 Panthers. In the second quarter Gonzalez added field goals of 48 and 49 to end the half with the Panthers dominating 23-0. The game was never competitive. The Cardinals managed a third quarter field goal. The Panthers responded with a 5 yard Chuba Hubbard touchdown and a 2 point conversion to make it 31-3 Panthers. The Cardinals managed a garbage touchdown in the fourth quarter followed by one more Gonzalez field goal. It was a sweet homecoming for Newton. Again, remember ESPN uber-announcer Chris Berman’s maxim: “THAT’s why they PLAY the GAMES!” 34-10 Panthers
Seattle Seahawks at Green Bay Packers — Russell Wilson returned after missing several weeks with an injured finger. Aaron Rogers returned after missing one week due to Covid. Yet at the frozen Tundra of Lambeau Field, the first snow game of the season was a defensive boneblack. The first three quarters were brutal. Mason Crosby missed a 42 yard field goal try early. Crosby made a 27 yarder in the second quarter. In the third quarter both quarterbacks threw into the opposing team’s end zone for an interception and a touchback as the Packers clung to a 3-0 lead after three quarters. In the fourth quarter the Packers managed to get fro their own 38 to a 2nd and 5 at the Seattle 44. An unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on the defense gave the Packers a critical 15 yards. On 3rd and goal at the 3, AJ Dillon rushed for the first touchdown of the game to cap the 11 play, 62 yard, 5 1/2 minute drive as the Packers led 10-0 with 10 1/2 minutes left in regulation. Midway through the fourth quarter from the Green Bay 43, Wilson went for another bomb to the end zone and was intercepted again for another touchback. The Packers then turned out the lights with a 10 play, 80 yard, 6 minute drive. On 3rd and goal at the 2, Dillon got in again with 1:56 left. Wilson was shut out for the first time in his 10 year career. This was not Fail Mary or Hasselbeck’s failed guarantee, but it was a tough old-school snow football game. 17-0 Packers
Philadelphia Eagles at Denver Broncos — The Broncos went into Dallas last week and built a shocking 30-0 lead, winning 30-16. Now they only had to beat a much weaker Eagles team at home. The Eagles after a touchback marched to a 3rd and 6 at the Denver 12. Jalen Hurts threw incomplete but Jake Elliott hit a 30 yard field goal for a 3-0 Eagles lead. The Eagles got it back and faced 3rd and 2 at their own 28. Howard gained 3 yards. On 3rd and 12 from their own 29, Hurts went to Dallas Goedert for 24.Hurts then went to DeVonta Smith for a 36 yard touchdown to make it 10-0 Eagles. After a touchback, Williams gained 9, 11 and 2. On 3rd and 2 from their own 45, Teddy Bridgewater hit Patrick for 7 with a 15 yard penalty added on for defensive taunting. The second quarter began with the Broncos at the Philadelphia 23. Melvin Gordon did the rest, running for 15, 7, and the one yard touchdown to get the Broncos within 10-7. The Broncos got it back at their own 28 and a short pass from Bridgewater to Okwuegbunam went for a 64 yard gain. Yet on 3rd and goal at the 3, Bridgewater threw incomplete. Brandon McManus hit from 21 for a 10-10 deadlock. The Broncos were right back in it, but would soon be out of it again.
After a touchback, Howard ran for 11 and Hurts scrambled for a 31 yard gain. On 3rd and 2 from the Denver 35, Boston Scott gained 3. On 3rd and 3 from the Denver 15, Hurts hit Watkins for 6. On 3rd and goal at the 5, Hurts hit Smith for the touchdown to make it 17-10 Eagles with 3 minutes left in the half. The Broncos went 3 and out and the Eagles got it back at their own 15 with 1:49 left. They moved to a 1st and 10 at the Denver 34 with 25 seconds left. Hurts threw 3 straight incompletions. Elliott nailed a 52 yard field goal to end the half with the Eagles on top 20-10. In the third quarter the Broncos sought to get back in it with a 22 yard McManus field goal, but the chip shot was blocked. With 5 minutes left in the third quarter, McManus was good from 28 to get the Broncos within 20-13. An interception of Hurts gave the Broncos golden field position to tie the game at their own 47. On 4th and 1 from the Philly 23 on the last play of the third quarter, Vic Fangio went for it. The resulting fumble was returned 83 yards for a defensive touchdown by the appropriately named. Darrius Slay. Instead of a tie game, the Eagles led 27-13. Elliott tacked on a 23 yard field goal midway through the fourth quarter to put the game out of reach. 30-13 Eagles
Kansas City Chiefs at Las Vegas Raiders was the Sunday night game. Last year Derek Carr matched Patrick Mahomes blow for blow as these teams split the season series. This year the Raiders were much better and the Chiefs were worse. The Raiders had added DeSean Jackson to replace Henry Ruggs. Despite losing to the pitiful Giants last week, the Raiders were at home against a wounded Chiefs team that barely survived at home against Green Bay playing a backup quarterback in his very first start. The stars were finally aligned for the Raiders to take sole control of the AFC West. The Raiders defense even forced a punt on the first Kansas City series. The Raiders offense moved from their 30 to a 3rd and 2 at the Chiefs 48. Yet a completion from Derek Carr to Josh Jacobs gained only one yard. Rich Bisaccia was prepared to gamble on 4th and 1, but a false start by beleaguered rookie Alex Leatherwood killed the opportunity and the Raiders punted. After struggling at tackle, this was Leatherwood’s first game at guard.
The Chiefs took over at their own 11 and this time Mahomes got rolling. He hit Travis Kelce for 7, Damien Williams for 5. On 3rd and 5 from his own 28, Mahomes hit Kelce for 11, Darrell Williams for 22, Kelce for 19, and Tyreek Hill for 8. On 3rd and 1 from the Raiders 11, Bell took the direct snap for 3. Mahomes then hit Hill for an 8 yard touchdown to cap the 11 play, 89 yard, 6 minute drive and make it 7-0 Chiefs. The Raiders got a break when the Chiefs fumbled a punt and the Raiders recovered at midfield. Carr went deep to Bryan Edwards for 27. On 3rd and 6 from the Kansas City 19, Carr threw incomplete but defensive pass interference meant a 14 yard gain. Carr hit Hunter Renfrow for a 6 yard touchdown and a 7-7 tie early in the second quarter.
The Chiefs responded after a touchback by moving to a 1st and 10 at the Raiders 21. Mahomes threw a pair of incompletions sandwiched around a completion that lost a yard. Harrison Butker hit a 40 yard field goal to make it 10-7 Chiefs. The Raiders punted and an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on the Raiders for being chucked out of bounds and not returning to the field of play fast enough gave the Chiefs the ball at their own 42. On 3rd and 7, Mahomes hit Kelce for 16 and Mycole Hardman for 27. On 3rd and 5 from the Raiders 7, the defense jumped offsides. On 3rd and 1 from the 3, Williams got stopped at the 2 minute warning. Walrus Andy Reid went for it and Williams gained 2. Mahomes threw a one yard touchdown pass to Hill with 1:39 left in the half to make it 17-7 Chiefs. The Raiders went 3 and out and only took 30 seconds, allowing the Chiefs to move into field goal position at the end of the half. The Raiders dodged a bullet when Butker was no good from 46. The Raiders came out firing after a third quarter touchback. Carr ran for 9. Then he hit Renfrow for 5, Bay Jones for 22, and Edwards on a perfectly thrown deep strike for a 37 yard touchdown. Barely into the second half, the Raiders were right back in it down 17-14.
Then came the collapse. Mahomes torched the Raiders on third down. On 3rd and 4 from their own 24, Mahoems hit Robinson for 13. Williams then got tackled for a loss, but defensive unnecessary roughness on Maxx Crosby gave the Chiefs 15 more yards. Mahomes then found Williams for 17 and Hill for 5 and 10. On 3rd and goal at the 9, one defensive stop would give the Raiders a chance to take the lead. Instead Crosby jumped offsides. Crosby is a great player who had a miserable drive. On 3rd and goal at the 4, Hardman gained 3. Walrus Andy Reid went for it on 4th and goal at the one. Everyone kn new he would go for it and everyone knew the pass-happy fella would throw the ball. Everyone that is, except the Raiders defense. Mahomes hit Noah Gray for the touchdown as the 13 play, 82 yard, 5 minute drive had the Chiefs up 24-14. The Raiders got it back at their own 18 and Carr went deep to Jackson for a 40 yard gain. Yet instead of just going down, Jackson tried to out-juke 3 defenders for one more yard and ended up fumbling the ball away. Mathieu returned the fumble 14 yards as the Chiefs took over at their own 27. The Chiefs moved to a 3rd and 10 at the Raiders 17. Mahomes threw incomplete. Butker hit a 35 yard field goal for a 27-14 Chiefs lead.
Three plays later the Raiders faced 3rd and 7 from their own 28. A desperate Carr rolled out for his life and threw a deep ball into coverage that was intercepted. The Chiefs took over at their own 44. They quickly went 3 and out and the fourth quarter began with the Chiefs punting on 4th and 7 from their own 47. Despite offensive and defensive breakdowns, the Raiders were still alive. They had a chance. Then came the special teams breakdown that finished off their complete breakdown in all 3 phases of the game. Walrus Andy Reid called a fake punt, and punter Townsend hit Kemp for a 16 yard gain. Mahomes then delivered a 38 yard touchdown dagger to Williams for a 34-14 Chiefs lead. The Chiefs got it back at their own 20 and turned the game into a blowout. On 3rd and 2 from their own 45, Mahomes hit Kelce for 30 and Byron Pringle for a 22 yard touchdown to complete the scoring. In garbage time the Raiders moved 59 yards in 15 plays and 6 minutes, only to turn 1st and goal at the 8 into 4th and goal at the 25. Carr threw incomplete.
The Raiders have lost 2 straight to fall to 5-4. The offensive line is not giving Carr enough time to throw. Carr has not forgotten how to throw a football. He just is not getting the protection he needs. The Raiders lack a deep threat to stretch the field. Jackson cannot be expected to understand the offense fresh off the plane. Also, he is a 34 year old replacing a 23 year old burner. From Antonio Brown to Henry Ruggs, the Raiders have twice failed in getting the deep threat they need. The team that once had James Jett, Alexander Wright and Rocket Ismail on the same team have been reduced to dinking and dunking with Derek. The offensive line is also not creating enough holes for Josh Jacobs. The defense is better, but certainly not good. The turmoil of this season has been tremendous, but excuses only satisfy those giving them. The problem with the Raiders are football problems on the field. They are fixable. As for the Chiefs, they at 6-4 are somehow now leading the AFC West again where 5-5 is last place. This makes Andy Reid a most relieved Walrus indeed.
Los Angeles Rams at San Francisco 49ers is the Monday night game. Both of these teams got smacked in the mouth at home last week. Yet the rams came in 7-2 while the 49ers were 3-5. Even stranger, the Rams were 4-0 on the road while the 49ers were 0-4 at home. Yet this is not one of those times where you apply ESPN uber-announcer Chris Berman’s maxim “THAT’s why they PLAY the GAMES!” With these division rivals, throw out the records. Besides, the 49ers came in having beaten the Rams 5 straight times. Also, last week the rams lost receiver Robert Woods for the rest of the year with a torn ACL. After a touchback and 4 plays from scrimmage from their own 42, Matthew Stafford went bombs away and was intercepted at the San Francisco 7 yard line. The 49ers then mounted the drive of the year. 18 plays. 93 yards. A mind-blowing 11 minutes off the clock. On 3rd and 6 from thrown 22, Jimmy Garoppolo hit George Kittle for 18. On 3rd and 1 from the Rams 41, Garoppolo gained 2. On 3rd and 4 from the Rams 33, Garoppolo hit Kittle for 7. On 3rd and 6 from the Rams 8, Garoppolo hit Kittle for the touchdown to make it 7-0 49ers. 4 plays later after a touchback the Rams faced 3rd and 11 from their own 24. A short pass by Stafford bounced right off of the receiver’s hands into the arms of Ward, who stumbled 27 yards for a defensive touchdown and a 14-0 49ers lead.
After a touchback the Rams woke up. Stafford hit Van Jefferson for 16. The second quarter began with the Rams at their own 47. Stafford went deep to Cooper Kupp for 29 and to newly acquired Odell Beckham for 13. On 3rd and 9 from the San Francisco 10, Stafford went to Tyler Higbee for the touchdown to get the Rams within 14-7. Yet the 49ers gashed the Rams with another long drive from their own 9 yard line. On 3rd and 2 from their own 17, Mitchell lost 2 yards. However, the defense jumped offsides to keep the drive going. Garoppolo then hit Kittle for 10. On 3rd and 7 from their own 36, Garoppolo hit Deebo Samuel for 20. Mitchell ran for 13 and 2. Garoppolo hit Brandon Aiyuk for 21. Samuel got around the end for an 8 yard touchdown run to culminate the 11 play, 92 yard, 8 minute drive and make it 21-7 49ers. The Rams took over at their own 21 with 5 1/2 minutes left in t he half and used virtually all of it. Yet the drive stalled in the red zone. With 18 seconds left, it was time for a 35 yard field goal try. Sean McVay called a fake field goal, since punter Johnny Hekker was the holder and has quarterback experience. Yet the 49ers were not fooled and Hekker’s completion only gained 2 yards. The second half belonged to the 49ers defense. In the third quarter Robbie Gould capped a 10 play, 6 minute drive with a 50 yard field goal. In the fourth quarter Garoppolo connected with Samuel for a 40 yard touchdown to make it a blowout 31-7 49ers. With 4 minutes left on 4th and goal at the 19, Sean McVay inspired the football world with a 37 yard field goal. 31-10 49ers