NFL 2021 Week 9 Recap
Shocking upsets were the norm at the midpoint as inferior road teams shocked better home teams. Pete Rozelle’s lifelong dream of competitive balance lives on. If ever there was a week that embodied ESPN uber-announcer Chris Berman’s maxim, this was it. “THAT’s why they PLAY the GAMES!”
New York Jets at Indianapolis Colts was the Thursday night game. The Jets shocked Cincinnati last week when Mike White threw for 405 yards in his very first NFL game in place of injured Zach Wilson. This week was the reality check. The Colts took over at their own 12 and Jonathan Taylor began his gashing of the Jets defense with runs of 9, 3 and 4. On 3rd and 6 from their own 30, Carson Wentz hit Michael Pittman for 9, Taylor for 8, Dulin for 6, and Nyheim Hines for 13. Hines then went over right tackle, bounced off of one of his own offensive linemen, veered through the middle all the way to his left, got to the sideline and the end zone for a 34 yard touchdown and a 7-0 Colts lead. The Jets soon faced 3rd and 10 from their own 25. White hit Cole for 12 and 15, Moore for 26, and Moore again for a 19 yard touchdown. The game was tied 7-7 after the first quarter, but after that reality set in.
The Colts soon faced 3rd and 5 at their own 29. Wentz hit Pittman for 13 and Hines for 9. On 3rd and 1 just past midfield, Taylor gained 12. The Colts began the second quarter at the Jets 37. Taylor did it all, running for 3, 13, and then the 21 yard touchdown to make it 14-7 Colts. Mike White had played well for 5 quarters, but he was injured in the first quarter with a bad hand. Now the Jets were down to third string quarterback Josh Johnson. Robert Saleh tried some trickery on 3rd and 15 from his own 20. Johnson lateraled to Crowder, who fired back across the field to Carter for 23 yards. Yet two plays later on 2nd and 5 from the Jets 43, Johnson ran for 3 yards and fumbled. The Colts recovered at the Jets 46 and made it look easy.
Taylor ran for 20. Wentz hit Pittman for 12. On 3rd and 1 from the Jets 4, Taylor got stopped. Frank Reich went for it on 4th and 1 and Wentz gained 2. Wentz hit Jacob Doyle for a one yard touchdown to make it 21-7 Colts with 5 minutes left in the half. After a touchback the Jets moved to a 2nd and 8 at the Indianapolis 15. Johnson threw incomplete twice. Matt Amendola hit a 33 yard field goal to get the Jets within 21-10. After a touchback the Colts still had 1:45 to work with. Wentz hit Hines for 10 and Dulin for 17. Wentz ran for 9 to set up 3rd and 1 at the Jets 37. Hines gained 11. Wentz hit Zach Pascal for 3 and 12. With 15 seconds left in the half, Wentz hit Pittman for what appeared to be a touchdown, but at the last moment Pittman had it knocked out of his hands incomplete. Yet officials took a second look, and ruled that Pittman had possession and took two steps plus a football move before the ball was knocked out. The Colts led 28-10 at the half.
The Colts in the third quarter moved from their own 28 to a 4th and goal at the 2. Frank Reich went for it and Taylor got stopped after a gain of one. Yet despite the goal line stand, the Jets were just delating the inevitable. The Jets went 3 and out and then committed an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on the punt return to set up the Colts at the Jets 40. Hines ran for 25 and Taylor added 10. Wentz hit Pinter for a 2 yard touchdown and a 35-10 Colts lead. The Colts got it back at their own 22 and Taylor broke free for a 78 yard touchdown. With 6 minutes left in the third quarter the Colts were winning a laugher up 42-10. The Jets tried to mount a rally and did end up scoring 3 touchdowns. This would have helped had they not been down by 5 touchdowns. The Colts also tacked on one more field goal. The Jets faced a 32 point deficit, but Frank Reich was coaching the other team rather than playing quarterback. The Jets got it down to 15 points and faced 1st and goal at the 7 with 45 seconds left. Johnson was intercepted. The Colts had 260 yards rushing, including 172 yards on 19 carries by Taylor. Wentz complete passes to 10 different receivers. 45-30 Colts
Atlanta Falcons at New Orleans Saints — With Drew Brees retired and Jameis Winston out for the season injured, it was up to Trevor Siemian and Taysom Hill to carry the load. The 5-2 Saints were coming off an emotional home win over Tampa Bay and faced a bad Atlanta team. The first half was all defense. Younghoe Koo managed a 32 yard first quarter field goal for the Falcons. With 5 1/2 minutes left in the half the Falcons took over at their own 8 yard line. Runs and short passes had the Falcons facing 3rd and 1 at their own 27. Out of the shotgun, Matt Ryan gained 4. On 3rd and 5 from their own 36, Ryan hit Pitts for 16. On 3rd and 2 from the Saints 40, Ryan hit Gage for 20, Pitts for 7 and Cordarelle Patterson for 6. Ryan hit Olamide Zaccheaus for a 3 yard touchdown with 6 seconds left in the half as the 15 play, 92 yard, 5 1/2 minute drive made it 10-0 Falcons.
The Saints began the third quarter at their own 23 and moved 60 yards in 12 plays and 5 1/2 minutes. Despite 2nd and 7 from the Atlanta 17, Siemian threw incomplete twice. Brian Johnson hit a 35 yard field goal to get the Saints on the board. The Falcons took over at their own 19, Ryan hit Sharpe for 12 and then went deep to Zaccheays for 49 yards. Ryan then hit Hurst for 16 down to the one. Ryan got the last yard himself as the Falcons led 17-3 after three quarters. The Saints took over at their own 21 and kept the ball for 11 plays and 5 1/2 minutes. On 4th and 1 from their own 44, Sean Payton gambled even though both teams had turned it over on downs earlier in the game. The defense encroached and the drive continued. Yet on 2nd and 8 from the Atlanta 34, Siemian threw incomplete twice. The fourth quarter began with Johnson hitting from 52 to get the Saints within 17-6. Yet with 11 minutes left in regulation on 1st and 15 from the Atlanta 47, Siemian was sacked and fumbled. Means returned it 32 yards all the way to the Saints 6 yard line. One play and 7 seconds later, Ryan hit Zaccheus for the touchdown. The Falcons were winning 24-6. The first nearly 50 minutes were boring. The last 10 1/2 minutes were ridiculous.
The Saints took over at their own 34. Siemian hit Alvin Kamara for 9, Austin Trautman for 7 and 6, Callaway for 5, and Trautman for 9. On 3rd and 1 from the Atlanta 30, Siemian hit Trautman for 25 and Callaway for the 5 yard touchdown to get the Saints within 24-13 midway through the fourth quarter. The Falcons went 3 and out and committed unnecessary roughness son the punt to set up the Saints at their own 46. Defensive pass interference added 27 more yards. On 3rd and 10, Siemian was sacked but roughing the passer meant 14 more yards and new downs. Kamara ran for a 2 yard touchdown. Sean Payton opted for a 2 point conversion that did not work. With 4 1/2 minutes left the Saints were within 24-19. The Falcons again could not close out the game and a 26 yard punt return had the Saints at the Atlanta 43. Siemian hit Kenny Stills for 22, Harris for 8, and Stills again for an 8 yard touchdown. Again the 2 point conversion failed but 3 touchdown passes in the fourth quarter turned a 17 point deficit into a 25-24 Saints lead with one minute to play in the game.
Yet those 2 point conversion tries were a big deal. Rather than lead by 3, the Saints only led by one. That came back to haunt them only one play after a touchback. Matt Ryan is nicknamed Matty Ice, and he calmly went deep to Patterson for a 58 yard gain. From the Saints 11, Davis got the carry and fumbled. Yet the Falcons managed to recover the ball at the 9. At this point Arthur Smith had seen enough. With the Saints out of timeouts, Ryan took a couple knees to take the clock down to 3 seconds. Koo came in for a 29 yard field goal try. Koo was good. Ryan and Siemian each threw 2 touchdown passes and neither signal caller was intercepted. Ryan was 23 of 30 for 343 yards. The Falcons blew a big lead, but their offense bailed them out when it mattered most. 27-25 Saints
Denver Broncos at Dallas Cowboys — The 7-1 Cowboys were riding high as they got a win with backup Cooper Rush. Now Dak Prescott was back in the saddle, as the Cowboys were expected to blow out an inferior Denver team. Twice Mike McCarthy gambled on 4th down in the first quarter in Denver territory and twice the Cowboys came up snake eyes. The Broncos then faced 2nd and 13 from their own 17. Williams gained 11 and on 3rd and 2 gained 20. Teddy Bridgwater then went to Jerry Jeudy for 26. Williams gained 7 and Melvin Gordon added 13. On 3rd and goal at the 9, Bridgewater threw incomplete but defensive pass interference meant an 8 yard gain. Gordon ran for a 3 yard touchdown. The extra point was no good but the Broncos led 6-0. The Broncos got it back at their own 20 and Williams gained 8 and 18. On 3rd and 10 from his pwn 45, Bridgewater hit Tim Patrick for 11 and then again for a 44 yard touchdown. In the second quarter, the Broncos led 13-0. A 7 minute drive led to a 53 yard McManus field goal. McManus hit again from 27 as the Broncos had the 19-0 lead midway through the third quarter.
The Broncos got it back and faced 2nd and 17 at their own 8. Gordon ran for 14. On 3rd and 3, Bridgewater hit Jeudy for 16. Gordon ran for 6, 7, 6, and 4. On 3rd and 14 from the Dallas 43, Bridgewater hit Kendall Hinton for 40. On 3rd and goal at the one, Bridgewater got in. Vic Fangio for some reason tried a 2 point conversion and Bridgewater hit Sutton successfully as the Broncos led 27-0. An interception of Prescott gave the Broncos a short field at the Dallas 39. McManus hit from 42 as the Broncos led 30-0 in front of a shellshocked home crowd. The Cowboys avoided the shutout with a pair of touchdown and 2 point conversions to make the score look respectable. Yet only one minute remained, and once the onside kick failed. the Cowboys were done. This one was a shocker that defies explanation. 30-16 Broncos
New England Patriots at Carolina Panthers — Both teams came in 4-4 but the Patriots started 1-3 while the Panthers 3-0 start is long gone. The last time these teams played, Steve Smith told Aqib Talib “Ice up, son!” The Patriots ended a scoreless first quarter by fumbling, allowing the Panthers to set up at the New England 33. Zane Gonzalez hit a 39 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Panthers. After a touchback, Mac Jones hit Kendrick Bourne for 9 and Stevenson for 41 more. On 3rd and 2 from the Carolina 16, Stevenson gained 13. Damien Harris ran for a 3 yard touchdown to make it 7-3 Patriots. An interception of Jones gave the Panthers another short field at the New England 34. Gonzalez hit again from 49 to get the Panthers within 7-6. Once the Patriots stopped giving free points to the Panthers, the Patriots took over the game.
With 3 minutes left in the half, the Patriots faced 3rd and 5 at their own 30. Jones hit Bolden for 28. On 3rd and 3 from the Carolina 35, Bolden ran for gains of 11 and 12. On 3rd and 5 from the Carolina 7, Jones hit Hunter Henry for the touchdown as the Patriots took a 14-6 lead to the locker rooms. The third quarter was all about Sam Darnold, who kept completing passes to the New England defense. With a chance to tie the game in the red zone, Darnold was intercepted by JC Jackson, who returned it 88 yards for a score to make it 21-6 Patriots. Another interception of Darnold led to a 37 yard Nick Folk field goal to complete the scoring. Darnold threw in another interception that led to a missed field goal as the Patriots got above .500 on the year. 24-6 Patriots
Minnesota Vikings at Baltimore Ravens — The Ravens came in 5-2 while the Vikings were under water with close losses. After touchback, Mike Zimmer gambled on 4th and 2 from his own 49. Lamar Jackson lost 3 yards, but a horse collar tackle meant 15 yards and a first down. Justin Tucker hit a 37 yard field goal for a 3-0 Ravens lead. The Vikings responded quickly from their own 21. Justin Jefferson gained 11 and Dalvin Cook added 15 more. On 3rd and 7 from midfield, Kirk Cousins went to Jefferson for the touchdown and a 7-3 Vikings lead. The Vikings got it back at their own 6 yard line. On 3rd and 1 from their own 15, Cook got around the end for a 66 yard gain. On 3rd and 6 from the Baltimore 15, Cousins hit Jefferson for 7. The second quarter began with the Vikings facing 3rd and goal at the 2. Cook got stopped for nothing. Mike Zimmer went for it. On 4th and goal Cousins threw incomplete but defensive pass interference meant 1st and goal at the one. Cousins got in for a 14-3 Vikings lead. An interception of Jackson was returned 27 yards by Bynum to the Baltimore 16. Yet a run lost a yard and Cousins threw incomplete twice. Greg Joseph did hit a 36 yard field goal as the Vikings were winning 17-3 in front of a stunned home crowd at the Big Crabcake in Baltimore.
The Ravens took over at their own 25 with 1:25 left in the half. With 35 seconds left, the Ravens faced 3rd and 3 at their own 42. Jackson gained 11 and the Ravens took their second timeout with 30 seconds left. Jackson went for it all and was intercepted, but defensive pass interference meant a 42 yard gain and 1st and goal at the 5 with 23 seconds left. Jackson hit Devonta Freeman for the touchdown to get the Ravens within 17-10. Only 13 seconds into the third quarter, the Vikings were up 24-10 when Kene Nwangwu returned the second half kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown.
The Ravens came storming back, but it took a very bold gamble by John Harbaugh. He went for it on 4th and 2 from his own 36. Freeman gained 8, with unsportsmanlike conduct on the defense adding 15 more. Jackson then hit Patrick Ricard for 22. On 3rd and goal at the 4, Jackson hit Hollywood Brown for only 3. Harbaugh any went for it on 4th and goal at the one. Jackson hit Ricard for the touchdown as the 10 play, 72 yard, 6 1/2 minute drive had the Ravens within 24-17. The Ravens got it back at their own 18 and mounted the drive of the year. A staggering 18 plays went 82 yards and took nearly 10 1/2 minutes off the clock. Harbaugh risked it all by going for it on 4th and 1 from his own 27. Jackson got the yard. Runs and short passes set up 3rd and 2 at the Minnesota 39. Jackson gained 6. On 3rd and 15 from the Minnesota 38, Jackson hit Brown for 18, Bateman for 11, and Devin Duvernay for a 5 yard touchdown. With 9 1/2 minutes left in regulation, the game was tied 24-24. The Ravens got it back at their own 39 and Jackson immediately connected with Brown for 22. Freeman gained 8 and Leveon Bell ran for 7, 8 and 5. Jackson ran for 10 and Bell got the last yard. 21 straight points had the Ravens up 31-24 with 3 1/2 minutes left in regulation.
The Vikings soon faced 3rd and 3 at their own 32. Cousins went deep to Ham for 27. Cook ran for 24 more. With 1:15 to play the Vikings were down to their last gasp facing 4th and 9 at the Baltimore 16. Cousins hit Jefferson for 12. Cousins hit Adam Thielen for a one yard touchdown. The game was tied 31-31, but one minute still remained. With 22 seconds left the Ravens took their last timeout on offense. They had moved after a touchback to a 3rd and 3 just past midfield. Yet offensive holding and a sack killed the chance and the game went into overtime. The Ravens got the ball first in overtime and moved from their own 25 to a 2nd and 6 at the Baltimore 33. In long field goal range, Jackson was intercepted. Yet the Vikings went 3 and out and the Ravens got it back at their own 10 midway through overtime. Jackson went to Brown for 20. On 3rd and 1 from their own 39, Jackson hit Tomlinson for 7. Freeman ran for 19. On 3rd and 2 from the Minnesota 31, Bell gained 12. The Ravens took the clock down to 16 seconds. Tucker came in for a 36 yard field goal try to win it. The most accurate kicker of all time was good. 34-31 Vikings
Cleveland Browns at Cincinnati Bengals — The battle of Ohio saw a pair of up and down teams duke it out. The Bengals began the game at their own 22 and moved 75 yards and 11 plays and 6 1/2 minutes. On 3rd and goal from the 3, Joe Burrow went to the sideline. Denzel Ward jumped the route and returned the interception 99 yards for a defensive touchdown and a 7-0 Browns lead. The 11 play, 75 yard, 6 1/2 minute drive did not go as planned. After a touchback, the Bengals marched down the field again. On 2nd and 5 from his own 30, Burrow hit Sample for 19 and Thomas for 16. On 3rd and 7 from the Cleveland 29, Burrow hit Sam Perine for 9 and Tee Higgins for 9 more. Joe Mixon ran for an 11 yard touchdown and a 7-7 game.
After 11 minutes, the Browns offense finally touched the ball. From their own 25, Nick Chubb ran for 11 and caught passes from Baker Mayfield for 3 and 23. Mayfield then hit Hooper for 22. The second quarter began with the Browns facing 3rd and 4 at the Cincinnati 7. Mayfield through incomplete but defensive pass interference meant 6 yards and first and goal at the one. Chub got in as the Browns led 14-7. The Bengals moved from their own 26 to a 3rd and 3 at the Cleveland 40. Burrow through incomplete and Zac Taylor went for it. Burrow threw incomplete again. One play and 8 seconds later the Browns were in the end zone again as Mayfield hit Donovan Peoples-Jones for a touchdown and a 21-7 Browns lead. The Bengals then moved from their own 18 to their own 39 but fumbled the ball away. A 16 yard return had the Browns at the Cincinnati 40. On 3rd and 1 from the Cincy 4, Jarvis Landry fumbled. The Browns retained possession but lost 6 yards. Chase McLaughlin hit a 28 yard field goal but a close game had been blown wide open for a 24-7 Browns lead.
The Bengals took over at their own 23 with 4 minutes left in the half. they continued to move the ball well, going 68 yards in 10 plays. Yet they got no further than 4th and 3 at the Cleveland 9 with 5 seconds left. This time Zac Taylor settled for the field goal. Evan McPherson hit from 27 to get the Bengals within 24-10. They would get no closer a the Browns turned out the lights in the third quarter. The Browns took over at their own 30 midway through the third quarter and Chubb destroyed the defense for a 70 yard touchdown run and a 31-10 Browns lead. Another interception of Burrow was returned by Johnson 31 yards to the Cincy 6. A false start on 3rd and goal at the one prevented another touchdown, but McLaughlin’s 24 yard field goal made it 34-10 Browns. The Bengals did manage a fourth quarter touchdown but the 2 point conversion try failed. The Browns would miss a field goal but get another touchdown of their own to complete the blowout. 41-16 Browns
Buffalo Bills at Jacksonville Jaguars — The 5-2 Bills were expected to stomp all over the pathetic 1-6 Jaguars. This was a shocker. In the first quarter Matthew Wright hit a 39 yard field goal for the Jaguars. Tyler Bass responded from 24 for the Bills for a 3-3 game. In the second quarter Bass hit from 41 and Wright drilled a 55 yarder for a 6-6 halftime tie. The game was tied after the first, second and scoreless third quarters. With 6 minutes left in the third quarter, an interception of Josh Allen gave Wright a 42 yard field goal try to give the Jaguars the lead. No good. Another interception of Allen gave Wright a chance at redemption from 21. This time he was good. With 5:40 to play on 3rd and 2 from the Jacksonville 37, Allen fumbled the ball away. With 1:17 left on 3rd and 7 from the Jags 39, Allen was sacked for a 9 yard loss. On 4th and 16 he threw incomplete. This was an absolute stunner. In an ironic twist. Josh Allen was sacked, fumbled, and saw a fumble recovery and an interception by a Jaguars player also named Josh Allen. 9-6 Jaguars
Houston Texans at Miami Dolphins — The Stupor Bowl featured a pair of 1-7 teams. Sometimes a pair of awful teams can come together and play a thrilling game for the ages. This was not that game. The Texans moved from their own 28 to a 3rd and 1 at the Miami 16. Davis Mills went to the end zone for an interception and a touchback. The Dolphins soon faced 3rd and 1 from their own 29. Myles Gaskin gained 2 as Jacoby Brissett started in place of the injured Tua Tagovailoa. Brissett then hit Jalen Waddle for 17, Mike Gesicki for 18, and Waddle for 12. On 3rd and 2 from the Houston 9, Brissett Gaskin for 3. Gaskin ran for a 6 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Dolphins. The next 2 Miami drives led to an interception and a lost fumble. The latter set up the Texans at the Miami 33, leading ro a 31 yard Kaimi field goal in the second quarter. The Dolphins then fumbled a punt, setting up the Texans at the Miami 23. Fairbairn hit again from 40 to get the Texans within 7-6. Jason Sanders countered with a 42 yarder to make it 10-6 Dolphins with 1:08 left in the half. That was enough time for Mills to throw an interception as the Dolphins got the ball at the Houston 26. On 3rd and goal at the 5, Brissett hit Mack Hollins for a touchdown an a 17-6 Dolphins lead. An even more hideous second half saw more interceptions by each team and the Texans mount a 14 play, 92 yard, 6 minute drive that led to 4th and goal at the one. David Culley inspired everyone by going with the field goal. With 11 1/2 minutes left, Fairbairn hit from 20 as the Texans trailed by 8. Each team fumbled again, as the Texans gave it away with 2 1/2 minutes left. This game featured a combined 9 turnovers. League officials burned the tape. This is NOT why they play the games. 17-9 Dolphins
Las Vegas Raiders at New York Giants — The 5-2 Raiders had 2 weeks to prepare for the 2-6 Giants. Yet only one month after the Jon Gruden Debacle, the Raiders were rocked by the news of Henry Ruggs. He was driving drunk at 156 miles per hour and struck and killed a woman named Tina Tinton as well as her dog. This accident at 3:40am Tuesday morning led to Ruggs immediately being cut from the tea that night. Ruggs in a flash of blinding speed similar to what he displayed on the field ended one life and destroyed his own. He will most likely do several years in prison. The Raiders kept talking about being heartsick for the victim, maintaining their love for Ruggs, and compartmentalizing everything to focus on football. Easier said than done. Whatever the reason, the Raiders were awful when it mattered. They moved the ball at will all game and collapsed in the red zone.
After a touchback to start the game, the normally inept Giants offense made it look easy. On 3rd and 1 just shy of midfield, Booker gained 16. Two plays later Daniel Jones went to Evan Engram for a 30 yard touchdown and a 7-0 lead. From their own 27, the Raiders responded. Josh Jacobs ran for 11. Derek Carr then hit Jacobs for 6 and Waller for 6 more. From midfield, Jacobs ran for 6. On 3rd and 4 from the Giants 44, Carr went to Hunter Renfrow for 20 and Alec Ingold for 6. Jacobs ran for 13 and 3. Carr hit Renfrow for the 2 yard touchdown. The game was tied 7-7 as each team scored a touchdown on their opening possession. Yet over the final 50 minutes, neither offense would reach the end zone again in a battle of who wanted it least.
Late in the first quarter from his own 34, Jones did what he does. He was hit and fumbled. The Raiders took over at the Giants 30 and their red zone nightmares began. The second quarter began with the Raiders facing 2nd and goal at the 6. Carr threw incomplete twice. Daniel Carlson hit a 25 yard field goal for a 10-7 lead. A field position game had the Giants later on taking over at their own 40. Graham Gano hit a 35 yard field goal for a 10-10 with 3 1/2 minutes left in the half. The Raiders took over at their own 30 and moved 55 yards in 10 plays. Yet on 2nd and 3 from the Giants 14, Carr again threw incomplete twice. Again the Raiders settled for a 32 yard Carlson field goal to end the half leading 13-10.
Carr has played brilliantly all season. Yet the second half of this game was a nightmare for him. The team leader who does virtually everything right got almost nothing right when it mattered. On the third play of the third quarter with the Raiders facing 3rd and 7 at their own 35, Carr threw a short sideline route and Xavier McKinney jumped the route for a 41 yard defensive touchdown and a 17-13 Giants lead. The Raiders moved from their own 8 yard line on a 15 play, 85 yard, 8 minute drive. Yet on 3rd and 3 from the Giants 7, Carr threw incomplete. For the third time in the red zone, the Raiders settled for a 25 yard Carlson field goal to trail 17-16.
The Giants after a touchback moved 62 yards and 13 plays in 6 minutes. The fourth quarter began with the Giants facing 3rd and 3 at the Raiders 13. This time it was the Giants offense that bogged down as Jones threw incomplete. Gano hit from 32 to make it 20-16 Giants. The Raiders from their own 23 and moved to a 3rd and 6 at the Giants 10. This time Carr completed his pass, but ir only gained 3 yards. For the fourth time in the red zone, it was time for Carlson to kick a 25 yard field goal. with 9 1/2 minutes left in regulation. This time he missed it. It was a shocking miss and the shortest miss of his career. The Raiders got it back at their own 12. Yet from their own 24 with 5 minutes left, Carr went deep and was intercepted by McKinney again at midfield. The Raiders defense held the Giants to a 38 yard Gano field goal for a 7 point Giants lead with 3:20 to play. After a touchback Carr led the Raiders down the field again. With 50 seconds left, the Raiders had 1st and 10 at the Giants 13. After an incompletion, Carr went back to pass and was sacked and fumbled. The Giants recovered as the dazed Raiders blew a golden chance to lead the AFC West. 6 red zone trips produced one touchdown, 3 field goals, one missed field goal, and one of Carr’s three turnovers. It was Rich Bisaccia’s first loss as interim head coach. 23-16 Giants.
Los Angeles Chargers at Philadelphia Eagles — A pair of average teams played a competitive game. In the first quarter the Chargers managed a 98 yard drive that did not produce a score. 15 plays and 7 minutes saw them go from their own one to 1st and goal at the 2. Justin Herbert threw incomplete twice sandwiched around a run that went nowhere. Brandon Staley gambled on 4th and goal at the 2 and Herbert hit Keenan Allen for only one yard. Yet the Chargers held on defense and got the ball back at the Philly 38. Herbert hit Jared Cook for 9 and again for 23. This time Herbert hit Stephen Anderson for a 2 yard touchdown at the end of the first quarter for a 7-0 Chargers lead. After a touchback, Jordan Howard ran for 8, 18 and 4. Jalen Hurts then hit Smith for 27. On 3rd and 3 from the Chargers 11, Hurts gained 4. On 3rd and goal at the 4, Howard ran it in for a 7-7 game.
The Chargers moved from their own 24 to a 4th and 2 at the Philly 27. Brandon Staley gambled again and lost again as Kelley only gained one. The Eagles from their own 26 went on a staggering 16 play, 68 yard, 7 minute drive. Yet on 3rd and goal at the 6, Hurts threw incomplete. Jake Elliott hit a 24 yard field goal to end the half with the Eagles on top 10-7. The Chargers began the third quarter by moving from their own 31 to a 1st and 10 at the Philly 13. Ekelr gained nothing, Herbert threw incomplete, and on 3rd and 10 Herbert gained one yard. Dustin Hopkins hit the 30 yard field goal for a 10-10 game.
The Chargers got it back at their own 34. Herbert hit Williams deep for 49 and Keenan Allen for 8. On 3rd and 1 from the Philadelphia 8, Herbert hit Donald Parham for the touchdown to make it 16-10 Chargers. The extra point was no good. The Eagles came back from their own 15. Hurts hit Smith for 23 and 19 and Dallas Goedert for 21. On 3rd and 8 from the Chargers 15, Hurts ran for 12. Kenneth Gainwell ran for 2 and then for the one yard touchdown as the Eagles led 17-16 after the 10 play, 85 yard drive.
The Chargers soon faced 3rd and 5 at their own 44. Herbert threw incomplete but defensive holding kept the drive going. The fourth quarter began with the Chargers facing 3rd and 9 at midfield. Herbert hit Allen for 18. On 3rd and 6 from the Philly 28, the defense jumped into the neutral zone. On 3rd and 1, Herbert got the yard. Austin Ekeler ran for 14 and Herbert ran for the 8 yard touchdown. Brandon Staley went for 2 and Herbert hit Cook successfully. The Chargers led 24-17 with 11 1/2 minutes left in regulation after the 10 play, 61 yard, 6 1/2 minute drive. Both offenses were moving at will as the Eagles took over at their own 22. On 2nd and 16 from their own 16, Hurts hit Smith for 19. Boston Scott ran for 10. On 3rd and 4 just past midfield, Hurts got just enough. On 3rd and 4 from the Chargers 39, Hurts gained 11. Hurts then went to Devonta Smith for a 28 yard touchdown. For the third time on the day, the game was tied 24-24.
6 minutes remained in the game after a touchback, and the Chargers used it all. Ekeler gained 14. With 2:48 left the Chargers faced 4th and 1 at the Philly 39. A field goal try would be 57 yards. Brandon Staley gambled again and Ekelr gained 2 yards. With 1:45 to play the Eagles took their last timeout on defense as the Chargers faced 4th and 1 at the Philly 28. This time a field goal would only be 46 yards. Again Staley went for it. This seemed crazy, but he apparently had no faith in his defense. Herbert got the yard. The Eagles were helpless to stop the clock and get the ball back. Both teams were out of timeouts, and the Chargers almost got too cute by half. Ekeler ripped off a 16 yard run, but the clock was ticking. Herbert got everyone to the line and spiked the ball to stop the clock with 5 seconds left. Hopkins came in for a field goal try to win it, and instead of 57 or 46, it was only from 29 yards out. Hopkins was good as the Chargers at 5-3 got back into a first place tie in the AFC West. 27-24 Eagles.
Green Bay Packers at Kansas City Chiefs —The Packers had won 7 straight after their opening day humiliation to look like a 7-1 powerhouse while the Chiefs were uncharacteristically struggling after eking out a home win against the lowly Giants to get to .500. Yet the big news was Aaron Rodgers catching Covid and being put in protocol for at least 10 days. Rodgers was unvaccinated, leading to mass analysis that has nothing to do with football. From a football perspective, it meant Jordan Love got his very first NFL start. It was brutal, as was the entire game. The Chiefs faced 4th and 1 at their own 45 and Walrus Andy Reid decided to go for it. Damien Williams gained 11, 7 and 7 again. On 3rd and 8 from the Green Bay 18, Patrick Mahomes hit Tyreek Hill for 8. On 3rd and 4 from the Green Bay 7, Williams gained 6. On 3rd and goal at the one, Mahomes hit Travis Kelce for the touchdown. The 15 play, 64 yard, 8 minute drive had the Chiefs up 7-0 in a game that featured virtually no offense the final 51 minutes.
The first quarter ended with Mason Crosby missing a 40 yard field goal. Then in the second quarter Crosby’s 37 yard try was blocked. The Packers then fumbled a punt to give the Chiefs 1st and goal at the 10. Andy Reid tried to go for it on 4th and goal at the one, but a false start killed the chance. Harrison Butker hit a 24 yard field goal to make it 10-0 Chiefs with 1:51 left in the half. The Packersquickly moved from their own 22 to a 4th and 5 at the Chiefs 38 with 30 seconds left. Rather than try a 56 yard field goal, Matt LaFleur went for it. Love threw incomplete. 27 seconds was enough for Mahomes from his own 38. He went deep to Kelce for 25. Butker drilled a 55 yard field goal as the Chiefs led 13-0 at the break.The difference was the Chiefs made their field goals and the Packers did not.
The defenses dominated the second half as the third quarter was scoreless. In the fourth quarter the Packers moved from their own 8 yard line on a 14 play, 68 yard, 7 minute drive. With 9 minutes left on 3rd and 10 from the Chiefs 24, Love went deep and was intercepted. The Packers finally got on the scoreboard when Love hit Allen Lazard for a 20 yard touchdown with 5 minutes remaining. Down by 6, the Packers needed a defensive stop against a Chiefs offense that had done virtually nothing. At the 2 minute warning with the Packers out of timeouts, everything came down to the Chiefs facing 3rd and 10 at the Green Bay 48. You run the ball in this situation and punt. Every. Single. Time. Yet Andy Reid did not go from Walrus Lite to full Walrus status by playing it safe or conventional. He trusted the best player in the game to make a play knowing an incompletion would stop the clock. Mahomes rolled out to his right and other heavy pressure somehow fired a laser to Hill for 13 yards and a first down. Mahomes took a couple knees. In a season where nothing has come easy, the Chiefs got to 5-4 the hardest of the hard ways, making Andy Reid a most relieved walrus indeed. The Packers at 7-2 will wait to see if Rodgers, who might be eligible to return to the team Saturday, actually does. 13-7 Chiefs
Arizona Cardinals at San Francisco 49ers — The 1972 Dolphins popped champagne corks as the Cardinals last week became the last unbeaten team to lose. Yet at 7-1 they would have to play this game without Kyler Murray or Deandre Hopkins. For those wondering who Murray’s backup is, another question was finding out whatever happened to Colt McCoy. Connect the dots, as McCoy faced off against a struggling San Francisco team that took Arizona to the limit in the desert earlier this year. The rematch was no contest. An early 49ers fumble gave the Cardinals the ball at they own 43. On 3rd and 1 from the San Francisco 48, James Conner gained 4. McCoy hit Zac Ertz for 9, Kirk for 9, and Moore for 8. On 3rd and 1 from the San Francisco 17, Conner gained 4 and then ran for the 13 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Cardinals. The Cardinals got it back and faced 3rd and 18 at their own 12. McCoy went to Conner for 21 and Kirk for 17. On 3rd and 9 just past midfield, McCoy was sacked but a defensive facemask meant 15 yards and a first down. Kliff Kingsbury then went to the bag of tricks. Kirk took the lateral and threw the halfback option pass to Wesley for a 33 yard gain down to the one. Conner got in as the Cardinals led 14-0 after the first quarter.
The 49ers moved down the field but fumbled the ball away at the Arizona 7. In the second quarter the Cardinals moved 85 yards in 14 plays and 8 1/2 minutes. The Cardinals settled for a 26 yard Matt Prater field goal but still led 17-0. After a touchback, Jimmy Garoppolo hit Mitchell for 11 and Kyle Juszczyk for 10. Defensive pass interference on the next play added 19. Mitchell ran for 14 and 6. On 3rd and 11 from the Arizona 24, Garoppolo hit Brandon Aiyuk for 16. With 16 seconds left in the half, Garoppolo hit George Kittle for a 6 yard touchdown to get the 49ers within 17-7. Three plays into the third quarter, the Cardinals turned out the lights. From their own 28, McCoy hit Wesley for 25 and Conner for a 45 yard touchdown and a 24-7 Cardinals lead. The Cardinals got it back at their own 29. Conner ran for a 35 yard gain. On 4th and 1 at the Frisco 27, Kliff Kingsbury went or the kill shot. McCoy got the yard. Eno Benjamin ran for a 21 yard touchdown to make it 31-7 Cardinals midway through the third quarter. The 49ers did manage a third quarter touchdown and a fourth quarter field goal to get within 14, but no closer. with 3 minutes left on 3rd and 5 from his own 25, Garoppolo was intercepted by Buddha Baker for the final dagger. They are not unbeaten, but the 8-1 Cardinals again reclaimed the NFL’s best record with a sweep of the 49ers. 31-17 Cardinals
Tennessee Titans at Los Angeles Rams was the Sunday night game. In 1999, these two best NFL teams met in a regular season classic won by the Titans. The rematch in the Super Bowl saw “the tackle” at the one yard line for a Rams triumph. 22 years later, the 6-2 Titans took on the 7-1 Rams in a legitimate Super Bowl preview. Yet the Titans were without derrick Henry for the year, as Adrian Peterson joined the roster in time for this game. The Rams already looked dominant before acquiring Von Miller before the trade deadline. Miller was inactive for this game due to injury, but this seemed like a case of a good Titans team taking on a great Rams team. An early interception of Ryan Tannehill had the Rams at their own 35. The 10 play, nearly 5 minutes drive led to a 3rd and 4 at the Tennessee 16. Matthew Stafford threw incomplete. Matt Gay hit the 34 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Rams.
The game changed drastically in the second quarter when a punt pinned the Rams at their own 4 yard line. On 3rd and 4 from their 10 under heavy pressure, Stafford made a bad mistake. He thought he was about to be sacked for a safety, although forward progress would have allowed the Rams to punt from inside their own one yard line. There is no way in that situation to expect a quarterback to know that in the moment. To avoid the supposed safety, Stafford threw a duck that was intercepted by Long, who returned it 6 yards to the Rams 2 yard line. On the next play Tannehill hit Geoff Swaim for the score to make it 7-3 Titans. On the very next play from scrimmage from his own 21, Stafford’s pass to the sideline was intercepted by Kevin Byard, who returned it 24 yards for another defensive touchdown. 2 touchdowns in 15 seconds had the Titans up 14-3 without any offense.
The Titans got it back at their own 36. Tannehill went to Julio Jones for 10. On 3rd and 9 from their own 47, the defense jumped into the neutral zone. On 3rd and 4, Tannehill hit Westbrook for 14. A defensive facemask added 15 more. On 3rd and 9 from the Rams 17, Tannehill hit Jones for 8. Mike Vrabel went for it on 4th and 1 from the 9. Tannehill gained 2. On 3rd and goal from the one, Tannehill threw incomplete. Vrabel went for it again. On 4th and goal, Tannehill got the yard for a 21-3 Titans lead just before the 2 minute warning.
The Rams tried to fight their way back in it but did not succeed. In the third quarter they moved from their own 12 to a 2nd and goal at the 4. Stafford threw incomplete. On 3rd and goal he hit Higbee for the touchdown. On further review, Higbee was ruled to have stepped out of bounds, resulting in an incompletion. Sean McVay settled for a 22 yard Gay field goal. The Rams moved from their own 29 to a 3rd and 6 at the Titans 30. Stafford was sacked. On the first play of the fourth quarter, Gay drilled a 54 yard field goal but the Rams still trailed 21-9. The Rams got it back at their own 17 and moved to a 4th and 1 at the Titans 40 with 6 1/2 minutes left. Stafford threw incomplete. The Titans faced 3rd and 3 from their own 48 and Tannehill threw incomplete. Yet roughing the passer was a dagger. Another roughing the passer call was followed by a 16 yard completion from Tannehill to AJ Brown. On 3rd and goal at the one, Peterson got in to make it 28-9 with 3 minutes left. The Rams finally got their only touchdown of the game with 24 seconds left. Both teams are 7-2, but this was a statement win. The Titans played pure smashmouth and just belted the Rams in the mouth. 28-16 Titans
Chicago Bears at Pittsburgh Steelers was the Monday night game. The Steelers were 1-3 but then won 3 straight. Mike Tomlin teams are resilient and hard hitting, and Rocky Bleier and Pittsburgh native Bret Michaels had the terrible towels waving at kickoff. A field position game early had the Steelers starting at their own 41. On 3rd and 7 just shy of midfield, Ben Roethlisberger went to Chase Claypool for 26. Washington ran for 12 and Najee Harris ran for the 10 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Steelers. An interception of Justin Fields had the Steelers with a short field at the Chicago 36. On 3rd and 1 from the Chicago 27, Harris got stopped. Tomlin set the tone and the attitude, went for it, and fed Harris again on 4th and 1. This time Harris gained 2 as the first quarter ended. Roethlisberger hit Johnson for 11. On 3rd and goal at the 4, Big Ben hit Freiermuth for the touchdown. 90 seconds into the second quarter, the Steelers had the 14-0 lead.
With 3 minutes left in the half Matt Nagy decided to go for it on 4th and 1 from his own 45. The Steelers encroached and the drive continued. With 30 seconds left in the half the Bears had 2nd and goal at the 7. An incompletion came when Jimmy Graham had the ball knocked out of his hands at the last moment. This was followed by a false start and another incompletion. Cairo Santos hit the 30 yard field goal as the Bears trailed 14-3. In the third quarter the Bears took over at their own 7. They moved to a 2nd and goal at the one. Fields hit Graham for the touchdown. Yet a low block on the offense nullified the score and killed the drive. Santos hit a 22 yard field goal to cap the 10 play, 89 yard, 5 minute drive and get the Bears within 14-6 midway through the third quarter. After a touchback, Roethlisberger went deep to Washington for 42. On 3rd and 1 from the Chicago 24, Harris got stopped. Mike Tomlin went for it again and fed Harris again. Harris on 4th and 1 got the yard. Chase Claypool gained 11. On 3rd and 8 from the Chicago 10, Roethlisberger fired high over the middle Freiermuth, who came down with it for the touchdown. The extra point was no good but the Steelers led 20-6 after three quarters.
The Bears took over at their own 18. Montgomery gained 12. Fields gained 5 and then hit Mooney for 20. The fourth quarter began with the Bears facing 2nd and 8 at the Pittsburgh 43. Fields went deep to Graham for 28. Montgomery then took the direct snap and ran for a 15 yard touchdown. Despite being dominated all game, the Bears were only down 20-13. After a touchback, Big Ben went deep incomplete and drew a 30 yard defensive pass interference call. On 2nd and 1 from the Chicago 36, Johnson got stopped. On 3rd and 1, Harris got stopped. This was another 4th and 1 and Mike Tomlin surprised a lot of people by bringing in Chris Boswell for a 54 yard field goal. Heinz Field is not the easiest place to kick, but Boswell delivered to give the Steelers some breathing room up 23-13 with 12 minutes left in regulation.
Things got worse for the Bears when Grant returned the kickoff 32 yards but coughed it up. Boswell of all people recovered it for the Steelers at the Chicago 42. Things got worse for the Bears when Grant returned the kickoff 32 yards but coughed it up. Boswell of all people recovered it for the Steelers at the Chicago 42. Yet the Chicago defense held. With 6 1/2 minutes left and down by 10, Matt Nagy chose to punt on 4th and 7 from his own 23. The Steelers would win this game easily unless they gave it away. McCloud then got hit on the punt return and fumbled the ball. Houston-Carson picked it up and strolled 25 yards for a touchdown. Just like that, the Bears were right back in it down 23-20.
The Steelers after a touchback moved to a 2nd and 8 at their own 47. Roethlisberger fumbled again and it was returned for a touchdown in front of a stunned home crowd. Yet on further review it was an incomplete pass. Big Ben’s arm was clearly going forward. The call was completely correct, but on the next play officials blew it in the worst possible way at the worst possible time. On 3rd and 8 Roethlisberger was belted for a sack by Cassius Marsh to set up 4th and 15. Yet after the play, Marsh was called for taunting. This was a horrendous call. Marsh did not taunt anyone. He did not even say anything. Rather than get the ball back with 3 1/2 minutes left down by 3, the Steelers kept the ball. The Chicago defense kept coming even without Khalil Mack and other stars in the lineup. On 2nd and 7 from the Chicago 36, Roethlisberger was belted for a 9 yard loss. On 3rd and 16 from the Chicago 45, a completion to Johnson gained 11. Boswell drilled a 52 yard field goal. Despite being dominated all game, the Bears after a touchback got the ball back down by 6 with a full 2:52 to play.
Fields hit Allen Robinson for 9 although forward progress should have given Robinson the first down. On 2nd and 1 Fields went for the bomb and just barely overthrew the receiver’s outstretched fingertips. On 3rd and 1, Fields faked the handoff, kept it himself, and gained and got out of bounds with 2:14 to play. At the 2 minute warning, the Bears faced 3rd and 2 at their own 45. They still had one timeout left. Time was not a factor. Every Mike Tomlin critic on earth was calling him out for the billionth time for being too conservative. The critics are wrong. Meanwhile, Matt Nagy has faced equally harsh criticism for the same reason. His critics are usually right, but this time his patience and trust in his defense paid off. Now it was up to his anemic offense. Fields went deep again and hit Robinson for a 39 yard gain. Fields then then rolled to his left and fired to the end zone. Somehow with a man draped all over him, Fields hit Mooney in the end zone. Mooney somehow got both feet down for the touchdown. The Bears had trailed all game but had their first lead 27-26 with 1:46 left.
The Steelers took over at their own 25 with one timeout left. In the history of the franchise, the Steelers had never kiosk a home game after leading by 14 points at home. They were 214-0 with 2 ties. One of those ties came when their opponent completed multiple Hail Marys. Roethlisberger hit Harris for 4 and McCloud for 12. Then the defense jumped into the neutral zone for 5 more. Big Ben then hit Johnson for 22 to get the Steelers in long field goal range. On 3rd and 2 from the Chicago 24, Roethlisberger kept it and came up inches short. A first down would have let the Steelers take the clock down to 3 seconds and then kick it. Instead on 4th and inches there was no debate. Boswell came in for a field goal try for the lead from 40 yards out. Matt Nagy made a horrendous decision to take his last timeout on defense to try and ice the kicker, which virtually never works. Boswell was good and the Steelers led by 2. The Bears got it back at their own 25 without a timeout and only 25 seconds left. With 2 seconds left from the Pittsburgh 47, Matt Nagy decided against a Hail Mary or hook and lateral. Santos came in for a 65 yard field goal try. The kick was down the middle but a few yards short. The Steelers barely survived to get their fourth straight win and get to 5-3 on the year. 29-27 Steelers