NFL 2021 Week 13 Recap
Dallas Cowboys at New Orleans Saints was the Thursday night. The Cowboys started 7-1 and lost 3 straight. The Saints started 5-2 and lost 4 straight. Both teams suffered key injuries. Something had to give. Taysom Hill has been used as a multi-position threat, but on this night he was the starting quarterback in place of the ineffective Trevor Siemian. Meanwhile, the Cowboys got Amari Cooper and CeeDee Lamb back from injury but were without head coach Mike McCarthy, who was in Covid protocol. Defensive coordinator Dan Quinn took over the Cowboys head coaching reins for this one game. Early on Sean Payton gambled on a 56 yard field goal try that was no good. Quinn passed up a 52 yard try and gambled on 4th and 2 from the Saints 34. Dak Prescott threw incomplete. Late in the first quarter the Cowboys faced 3rd and 7 from their own 23. Prescott went deep to Cooper for 41 yards. Lamb got around the end for 33 down to the one. Prescott hit Michael Gallup for the touchdown to put the Cowboys up 7-0.
After a touchback, Hill went to Johnson for 27. On 3rd and 8 just shy of midfield to start the second quarter, Hill gained 9. Hill then hit Harris for 9 and Montgomery added 9. Hill then went to Jordan Humphrey for a 24 yard touchdown for a 7-7 ballgame. After a touchback, Prescott went to Lamb for 21, Turner for 10 and Schultz for 10. Offensive holding killed the drive but Greg “the Leg” Zuerlein drilled a 55 yard field goal to make it 10-7 Cowboys. The Saints moved from their own 34 to the Dallas 26. Hill then went deep and was intercepted at the 5 yard line with 2:19 left in the half. The Cowboys quickly moved 79 yards in 13 plays. On 1st and goal at the 7 with 16 seconds left, offensive holding killed the drive. Zuerlein hit from 34 as the Cowboys took a 13-7 lead to the locker rooms. In the third quarter the Saints moved from their own 21 to a 1st and 10 at the Dallas 24. Hill threw 3 straight incompletions. Brett Maher hit a 42 yard field goal to get the Saints within 13-10.
The Cowboys took over at their own 29 with 5 minutes left in the third quarter. Prescott hit Lamb for 13. Tony Pollard then broke off a 58 yard touchdown run for a 20-10 Cowboys lead. Midway through the fourth quarter, Prescott was intercepted to give the Saints 1st and 10 at the Dallas 46. Yet after 3 1/2 quarters of relatively stable play, Hill had a meltdown late. He threw 3 interceptions on 3 straight possessions. The 4th and last of Hill’s interceptions on the night was returned 29 yards for a defensive touchdown by Carlos Watkins to make it 27-10 Cowboys with 3 minutes left. 2 plays and 30 seconds later, Hill did connect with Deonte Harris for a 70 yard touchdown, but it was too little, too late. The Saints lost their 5th straight while the Cowboys righted the ship and remained on top in the NFC Least. 27-17 Cowboys
New York Giants at Miami Dolphins — These teams came in both 5-7 but that was misleading. The Giants had won 3 of their last 4 and the Dolphins had won 4 straight. Mike Glennon started for the injured Daniel Jones. Graham Gano hit a 39 yard field goal for the Giants early in the second quarter, and Jason Sanders answered from 48 for a 3-3 game. With 4:18 left in the half, the Dolphins took over at their own 11. Tua Tagovailoa hit Mike Gesicki for 8, Wilson for 4, Jalen Waddle for 8, Wilson for 5, and Gesicki for 9. Tagovailoa then hit Gesicki for 9 and Parker for 17. On 3rd and 6 from the Giants 12, Tagovailoa hit Waddle for 6. Tagovailoa hit Mack Hollins for a 5 yard touchdown with 26 seconds left in the half to cap the 14 play, 89 yard drive for a 10-3 Dolphins lead. In the third quarter the Giants moved from their own 15 to a 2nd and 9 at the Miami 16. Glennon threw incomplete twice. Gano hit from 34 as the Giants trailed 10-6. The fourth quarter began with the Dolphins at their own 39. Tagovailoa went to Waddle for 25, Parker for 11, and Wilson for 13. On 3rd and goal at the 2, Tagovailoa hit Isaiah Ford for the touchdown to make it 17-6 Dolphins. Both teams made one field goal and missed one field goal to cap the scoring as the Dolphins won their 5th straight game. 20-9 Dolphins
Indianapolis Colts at Houston Texans — Sometimes a bad team can shock a good team in an upset for the ages. This was not that game. On the first play from scrimmage, Tyrod Taylor was intercepted to give the Colts the ball at the Houston 23. Jonathan Taylor ran for a one yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Colts. The Texans then fumbled the ball away but the Colts missed a 35 yard field goal try. Midway through the second quarter the Colts took over at their own 46. Taylor ran for 8 and 2. Frank Reich gambled on 4th and 1 from the Houston 31. Wentz kept it and gained 2. On 3rd and 11 from the Houston 30, Wentz hit Jaxob Doyle for 13. Taylor ran for 15. Wentz hit Ashton Dulin for a 2 yard touchdown with 43 seconds left in the half for a 14-0 Colts lead. After a third quarter touchback, Wentz hit TY Hilton for 8. Taylor ran for 11. Wentz hit Pittman for 17 and Nyheim Hines for 24. Taylor ran for 4, 9, and the 3 yard touchdown to make it 21-0 Colts. Tyrod Taylor was benched for Davis Mills. The fourth quarter was a formality. Badgley hit a 23 yard field goal to make it 24-0 Colts. Deon Jackson ran for a 3 yard touchdown to complete the scoring as the Colts got to 8-6 on the year. 31-0 Colts
Minnesota Vikings at Detroit Lions — The Lions were winless but they had the Vikings beaten until the final play in a 19-17 Vikings win in Minnesota. The rematch was also competitive. EARLY ON dan Campbell gambled on 4th and 1 at his own 41 and Jared Goff got stuffed for no gain. Greg Joseph hit field goals of 41 and 31 for a 6-0 Vikings lead. The Lions exploded int he second quarter. From their own 31, Goff hit Williams for 9. Justin Jefferson ran for 8. The second quarter began with Goff going deep to TJ Hockensen for 25, with defensive unnecessary roughness adding 14 more. Goff hit Patterson for a 9 yard touchdown to make it 7-6 Lions. The Vikings then fumbled and the Lions recovered at their own 44. Goff went to Reynolds for 28 and to Brock Wright for a 23 yard touchdown to make it 14-6 Lions. The Lions got it back at their own 10 and moved 77 yards in 13 plays and 5 1/2 minutes. On 2nd and 7 from the Minnesota 13, a run went nowhere and Goff threw incomplete. Riley Patterson hit the 31 yard field goal to make it 17-6 Lions with 90 seconds left in the half. With 35 seconds left Mike Zimmer gambled on 4th and 10 from the Detroit 42. After 3 straight incompletions, Kirk Cousins was sacked. Goff then hit St. Brown for 6 and Raymond for 24. Patterson hit from 41 to end the half with the Lions up 20-6.
The Vikings began the third quarter at their own 28 and moved 60 yards in 11 plays and nearly 5 minutes. Yet on 3rd and 10 from the Detroit 12, Cousins threw incomplete. Joseph hit a 31 yard field goal to get the Vikings within 20-9. The Vikings got it back at their own 33 and Cousins went deep to Jefferson for 48. On 3rd and 6 from the Detroit 15, Cousins hit Conklin for 7. Alexander Mattison ran for an 8 yard touchdown. Mike Zimmer went for 2. The try failed but the Vikings were within 20-15. After a touchback, the Lions moved to a 3rd and 10 at the Minnesota 36. Dan Campbell called a run that gained 5 yards. Patterson hit his 3rd field goal from 49 as the Lions led 23-15 after three quarters. After a touchback, Cousins hit Jefferson for 16. On 3rd and 11 from their own 40, Cousins hit KJ Osborn for 21 and 14 and Mattison for 16. On 3rd and goal from the 5, Cousins hit Osborn for the touchdown. With 12 minutes left in regulation Zimmer went for 2 and again the try failed. Had the Vikings not gone for 2 the first time they would not needed to have gone for 2 the second time. This classic mistake of chasing points early had the Vikings down 23-21 rather than tied.
The Lions moved from their 25 to a 3rd and 4 at the Minnesota 38. Goff was intercepted. The Lions got it back at their own 19. On 3rd and 1 from their own 28, Williams got stopped short. With 4 minutes remaining, the obvious decision is to punt. It’s not even a question. Yet Dan Campbell summoned his inner Barry Switzer and made a mind-numbingly dumb decision. On 4th and 1, he went for it and Goff was sacked for a 7 yard loss. The Vikings took over at the Detroit 19. On 3rd and goal at the 3 with 1:50 left, Cousins hit Jefferson for the touchdown. For the 3rd time on the day, the Vikings tried a 2 point conversion and failed. Rather than lead 30-23, they were up 27-23. Yet it didn’t matter. The Lions had blown a 14 point lead and lost another one. After a touchback, the only thing left for the Lions to do was fail. Goff hit Hockensen for 5 and Reynolds for 6 and spiked the ball with 1:18 left. On 3rd and 10 from their own 36, Goff hit Igwebuike for 13, Hodge for 9, and Amon-Ra St. Brown for a pair of 9 yard gains. On 3rd and 1 from the Minnesota 24 with 23 seconds left, the Lions suffered a delay of game. On 3rd and 6, Goff hit Hockensen for 10 and spiked the ba ll with 12 seconds left. The Vikings took timeouts on defense. With 4 seconds left, everything came down to one play, It was 4th and 2 from the Minnesota 11. Goff fired to St. Brown for the touchdown. The Lions will not be winless, witless and worthless. This is not 2008. They will not go 0-16. After several heartbreaking losses on the final play of regulation, they got a win. 29-27 Lions
Philadelphia Eagles at New York Jets — The Jets got a spark when the opening kickoff was returned 80 yards by Braxton Berrios to the Philadelphia 21. On 3rd and 2 from the Philadelphia 3, Zach Wilson hit Elijah Moore for the touchdown. The extra point was no good but the Jets led 6-0. Gardner Minshew’s mustache is now on the Eagles and in place of an injured Jalen Hurts. Minshew went to Dallas Goedert for 16, 9, and for a 36 yard touchdown to make it 7-6 Eagles. The Jets soon faced 3rd and 7 at their own 35. Wilson hit Davis for 10. Coleman ran for 17. Moore gained 9. Wilson hit Crowder for 10. Wilson got the last yard himself. Again the extra point was no good as the Jets led 12-7 after the 11 play, 68 yard, 6 minute drive. The Eagles took over at their own 31. Minshew hit Goedert for 12. On 3rd and 6 from their own 47, Minshew hit Watkins for 10 and Sanders for 12. The second quarter began with the Eagles facing 3rd and 4 at the Jets 25. Minshew went to Goedert again for the touchdown as the Eagles led 14-12.
The second quarter began with the Jets at their own 25. Coleman gained 15 and Wilson went to Moore for 29. On 3rd and 4 from the Philly 25, Wilson went to Crowder for 19. On 3rd and goal at the one, Wilson threw incomplete. Robert Saleh went for it. On 4th and goal, Wilson hit Griffin for the touchdown. Rookie kicker Alex Kesselman had already missed 2 extra points in his first NFL game, so Saleh went for 2. The conversion try failed as the Jets led 18-14. The Jets scored touchdowns on their first 3 possessions, but after that they went to sleep. The Eagles took over at their own 6. Minshew hit Smith for 13 and Kenneth Gainwell for 16. A sack of Minshew was nullified by a defensive facemask. Minshew ran for 9, Sanders added 7, and Gainwell ran for an 18 yard touchdown to make it 21-18 Eagles. The 3 failed extra point tries had the Jets trailing instead of tied. The Eagles also scored touchdowns on their first 3 possessions as well. Neither team reached the end zone again, but the Eagles had a field goal kicker to put the game away. Jake Elliott hit from 31 near the end of the half, from 32 in the third quarter, from 43 to start the fourth quarter, and from 46 to cap the scoring. The Jets now officially have another losing season. 33-18 Eagles
Arizona Cardinals at Chicago Bears — The Cardinals had the best record in football, but could this warm weather team win in the cold? Hard rain came down along with sleet. Red Rifle Andy Dalton was in for the injured Justin Fields. On the 3rd play from scrimmage on 3rd and 6 from their own 29, Dalton was intercepted by Thompson as the Cardinals took over at the Chicago 28. Kliff Kingsbury gambled on 4th and 2. Murray went deep to Deandre Hopkins for a 20 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Cardinals. After a touchback the Bears moved 55 yards in 10 plays and 7 minutes. On 3rd and 6 from the Arizona 20, a short pass to Cole Kmet should have been caught but instead bounced off of Ket and into the arms of Buddha Baker. Baker returned the interception 77 yards to the Chicago 15. On 3rd and goal at the 9, Murray scrambled for the touchdown himself for a 14-0 Cardinals.
The Bears took over at their own 12. Montgomery ran for 13 as the Bears began the second quarter facing 3rd and 5 from their own 41. The Cardinals took over at their own 26 and James Conner ran for 8 and 21. Murray hit Benjamin for 12 and Moore for 7. Murray hit Conner for a 23 yard touchdown to make it 21-7 Cardinals. In the third quarter the Cardinals moved from their own 34 to a 1st and 10 at the Chicago 18. A pair of runs lost yards to kill the drive, but Matt Prater hit a 33 yard field goal to make it 24-7 Cardinals.
The Bears took over at their own 27. Dalton hit Montgomery for 10. On 3rd and 12 form their own 35, a completion gained only 8 yards, but defensive illegal use of hands meant an automatic first down. Montgomery then took a direct snap and lateraled it to Dalton, who went deep to Grant for 34 yards. After getting stopped on 3rd and 1 from the Arizona 17 and needing 3 scores, Matt Nagy went for it. Montgomery gained 2. On 3rd and goal from the one, Dalton hit Jimmy Graham for the touchdown to cap the 13 play, 73 yard, 7 minute drive and get the Bears within 24-14.
After that, the Bears self-destructed. An interception of Dalton gave the Cardinals a short field at the Chicago 28. Prater hit a 25 yard field goal to make it 27-14 Cardinals. Another interception of Dalton was returned 25 yards to the Chicago 12. Murray ran for 9 and then the 3 yard touchdown and a 33-14 Cardinals lead. The Bears managed one garbage touchdown but no more. The Cardinals got to 10-2 on the year to maintain the best record in the NFL. As for the Bears, if only the late Dennis Green was still alive. He would tell us what he told us 15 years ago. “The Bears are who we thought they were!” As for the Cardinals, don’t “crown their @ss” just yet. 33-22 Cardinals
Los Angeles Chargers at Cincinnati Bengals — The 6-5 Chargers took on the 7-4 Bengals but only one team showed up to start the game. Roberts took the opening kickoff 48 yards to set up the Chargers at their own 45. Justin Herbert hit Keenan Allen for 10. Herbert went deep to Mike Williams for 41. After Herbert threw incomplete on 3rd and goal at the 4, super gambler Brandon Staley went for it. On 4th and goal at the 4, Herbert hit Allen for the touchdown to make it 6-0 Chargers. The extra point try was no good. Joe Burrow was then strip sacked and the Chargers recovered at the Cincinnati 29. Offensive holding killed the drive but Dustin Hopkins hit from 43 to make it 9-0 Chargers. The Bengals took over at their own 12. From their own 29, Burrow went deep to Jamarr Chase, but the ball bounced right off of Chase and was intercepted. From their own 27, Herbert went deep to Mike Williams for 47. Herbert hit Allen for a 7 yard touchdown to make it 16-0 Chargers. In the second quarter the Chargers took over at their own 44. From the Cincy 44, Herbert went deep to Guyton for the touchdown. Staley went for 2 and brought out the Philly special. A lateral to Allen saw him then throw to Herbert for the conversion and the 24-0 Chargers lead.
The Bengals soon faced 3rd and 4 from their own 31. Burrow went to Tyler Boyd for 32 and again for 16. Burrow then went deep to Tee Higgins for a 29 yard touchdown. Brandon Staley went for 2 but a false start on the try had him instead go for the extra point. That was no good anyway as the Bengals trailed 24-6. The Chargers moved from their own 21 to a 3rd and 8 at the Cincy 43. Herbert went to Austin Ekeler near the sticks, but Ekeler had the ball ripped out of his hands. Jeremy Bates returned the fumble 46 yards to the Chargers 19. Burrow ran for a 6 yard touchdown to get the Bengals within 24-13. The Chargers moved from their own 27 to a 1st and 10 just past midfield. Consecutive sacks of Herbert meant 3rd and 25. Herbert then went deep and was intercepted.
In the third quarter after a touchback the Bengals moved to a 1st and 10 at the Chargers 32. Offensive holding killed the drive but Evan McPherson hit a 48 yard field goal to get the Bengals within 24-16. The Chargers soon faced 2nd and 13 from their own 22. Herbert hit Ekeler for 9 but Ekeler fumbled again as the Bengals took over at the Chargers 32-. Burrow hit Chase for gains of 6 and 9. Joe Mixon ran for a 7 yard touchdown to get the Bengals within 24-22. Brandon Staley went for 2 to tie the game and Mixon got stuffed short. The Chargers have blown 24-0 leads before in their history, and were on the verge of doing so again.
The Bengals began the fourth quarter at their own 43 with a golden opportunity to take the lead. On 2nd and 2 from the Chargers 34 in long field goal range, the key play of the game one minute into t he fourth quarter shifted momentum again. The Bengals fumbled, and Tevaughn Campbell returned it 61 yards for a defensive touchdown and a 31-22 Chargers lead. The Chargers got it back at their own 47. Herbert went to Mike Williams for 18 and Guyton down to the one. Ekeler got in for a 38-22 Chargers lead. Burrow was intercepted on his next series and then turned it over on downs on their last chance. Hopkins hit a 43 yard field goal with just over one minute left to complete the scoring. Both teams are 7-5 and in the thick of the AFC playoff race. 41-22 Chargers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Atlanta Falcons — Did anyone expect Matt Ryan to beat Tom Brady? After an opening touchback, Brady hit Leonard Fournette for 15. On 3rd and 5 from his own 45, Brady hit Chris Godwin for 11. Bruce Arians gambled on 4th and 4 from the Atlanta 44. Brady hit Godwin for 6, Evans for 3 and 15, Godwin for 7 and 4, and Fournette for the 3 yard touchdown. The 13 play, 75 yard, 5 minute drive made it 7-0 Buccaneers. The Falcons soon faced 3rd and 3 from their own 32. Ryan hit Zaccheaus for 6. Cordarelle Patterson caught a pass for 6 and then ran for 39. Davis ran for a 17 yard touchdown and a 7-7 ballgame.
After a touchback, Brady hit Godwin for 25 and Evans for 36. Brady hit Brate for a 3 yard touchdown. The extra point try doinked off the upright no good as the Buccaneers led 13-7. In the second quarter the Falcons moved from their own 25 on a 15 play, 74 yard drive that took 7 minutes off the clock. On 1st and goal at the one, Ryan threw incomplete but roughing the passer again meant 1st and goal at the one. Ryan threw incomplete again. Then Ryan fumbled the snap but recovered for a 2 yard loss. On 3rd and goal at the 3, Ryan threw incomplete again. Younghoe Koo hit the 21 yard field goal but the Falcons trailed 13-10.
The Buccaneers soon faced 3rd and 8 from their own 27. Brady hit Evans for 15. On 2nd and 14 from their own 38, Brady hit Godwin for 17 and Fournette for 12. On 3rd and 4 from the Atlanta 27, Brady hit Rob Gronkowski for the touchdown as the Buccaneers led 20-10. With 22 seconds left in the half, the Buccaneers had the ball at their own 8 yard line. Rather than take a knee, the Buccaneers decided to get aggressive at the wrong time. Brady faded back and was intercepted by Davidson, who walked into the end zone for a 3 yard gift interception touchdown. The Falcons only trailed 20-17 at halftime.
It didn’t matter. The Buccaneers defense clamped down in the second half. With 6 minutes left in the third quarter, the Buccaneers used almost all of it. From their own 13, Brady hit Godwin for 9 and 7 and Fournette for 11 to midfield. Brady hit Perriman for 5 and Bernard for 7. On 3rd and 7 from the Atlanta 35, Brady hit Evans for 18. On 3rd and 4 from the Atlanta 11, Brady went to Gronk for the touchdown. The 14 play, 87 yard drive had the Buccaneers up 27-17 after three quarters. In the fourth quarter the Buccaneers embarked on another 13 play, 78 yard 5 1/2 minute drive. Ryan Succop hit a 31 yard field goal with 1:49 left to complete the scoring. Again, Ryan had a miserable second half in a game against Brady. The Buccaneers at 9-3 are in strong position in the NFC playoff picture. 30-17 Falcons
Jacksonville Jaguars at Los Angeles Rams — The once 7-1 Rams had lost 3 straight. The Jaguars were a total mess. Sometimes a bad team can go on the road and shock a good team in an upset for the ages. This was not that game. Goliath beat up David and took his lunch money in a game that was never competitive. Powell returned the opening kickoff 65 yards to have the Rams starting at the Jacksonville 34. Matt Gay hit a 40 yard field goal for a 3-0 Rams lead. 2 plays later the Jaguars fumbled and the Rams had another short field at the Jacksonville 27. After moving back 5 yards, Stafford went to O’Dell Beckham for 27. Sony Michel ran for a 5 yard touchdown to make it 10-0 Rams. In the second quarter the Jaguars moved 73 yards in 13 plays and 6 1/2 minutes. Carlos Hyde ran for a one yard touchdown to get the Jaguars within 10-7. After that the Rams turned out the lights.
The Rams moved 57 yards in 10 plays and 6 minutes, leading to a 44 yard Gay field goal and a 13-7 Rams lead. In the 2 minute drill, the Rams moved 70 yards in 10 plays. Gay hit from 37 to make it 16-7 Rams. The Rams took over at their own 15 in the third quarter and made it look easy. Stafford went deep to Cooper Kupp for 43 and back to Kupp for a 29 yard touchdown to make it 23-7 Rams. The Jaguars moved from their own 25 to a 2nd and 1 at the Rams 37. A run lost a yard and a 3rd and 2 run got the one yard back. Urban Meyer went for it and on 4th and 1 Lawrence threw incomplete. The Rams then moved 62 yards in 10 plays and 5 minutes. On 3rd and 7 from their own 41, Stafford hit Kupp for 8. On 3rd and 1 from the Jags 42, Stafford hit Kupp for 19 and Higbee for 22 down to the one. On 3rd and goal at the 2, Stafford hit Van Jefferson for the score to make it 30-7 Rams. The Jaguars added one more fumble, leading to a one yard touchdown pass from Stafford to Beckham to complete the scoring. The Rams at 8-4 are very much alive in the playoff picture. 37-7 Rams
Washington Omicron Variant at Las Vegas Raiders — The Washington No-Names started 2-6 but then won 3 straight. The Raiders started 5-2 and finally snapped a 3 game losing streak in a thrilling overtime win at Dallas on Thanksgiving. The Raiders had 10 days to prepare for this game at home. This game represented everything the Raiders have come to symbolize over the last 19 years. Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. Again, the Raiders talked about having a fast start rather than a slow start. Again, they opted to defer rather than just let their offense have the ball first. Coaches used to always demand the ball first. Then Bill Belichick began deferring and so every other coach started copying him. The logic behind it is getting the ball last to end the first half and first to begin the second half. If your offense is reasonably good and your defense is not, start with your offense. The Raiders keep failing to grasp this.
After a touchback, the No-Names on their first 2 plays saw Gibson run for 22 and Taylor Heinicke hit Bates for 23. On 3rd and 10 from the Raiders 30, Heinicke hit Terry McLaurin for 13. On 3rd and 1 from the Raiders 8, , Gibson got the yard. Heinicke hit Logan Thomas for a 7 yard touchdown. The No-Names led 7-0. After that came 24 minutes of punts as the Raiders were lifeless on offense. With 1:41 left in the half the Raiders took over at their own 20. Then Derek Carr was sacked. On 2nd and 18 form his own 12, Carr found Bryan Edwards for exactly 18. Carr hit Josh Jacobs for 10. Another sack meant 2nd and 15, but Carr scrambled for 17. With 13 seconds left in the half the Raiders had 2nd and 10 at the Washington 36. Carr completed a 2 yard pass. Daniel Carlson drilled the 52 yard field goal as the Raiders trailed 7-3 at halftime. As for the first drive of the second half, the Raiders wasted it and punted it. However, they got the ball back at their ow 9 and moved 71 yards. Yet on 2nd and 3 from the Washington 20, Carr threw incomplete twice. Carlson hit the 38 yard field goal but the inability of the offense to reach the end zone had the Raiders still trailing 7-6.
After a touchback, Heinicke Gibson for 10. Offensive holding had the No-Names facing 1st and 20 and a completion gained nothing. Yet a defensive penalty for a low block gave the No-Names 15 yards and a first down. On 2nd and 10 from their own 40, Heinicke threw incomplete but defensive holding meant another automatic first down. Just when it was a close game, the defense went stupid. On the next play Heinicke went deep to Thomas for 35 yards. On 3rd and 6 from the Raiders 16, Heinicke gained 7. The fourth quarter began with the No-Names facing 1st and goal at the 9. On 3rd and goal at the 4, Heinicke hit Gibson for the touchdown and the 14-6 No-Names lead.
After a touchback, Carr finally went deep and hit Hunter Renfrow for 28. Defensive holding added 5 more. Carr then connected with Desean Jackson for 14 with roughing the passer adding 13 more. Then defensive pass interference on an incompletion meant 9 yards down to the one. Jacobs got in. With 11 minutes left in regulation, the Raiders were within 14-2. The 2 point try to tie the game naturally failed. The No-Names moved from their own 20 to a 3rd and 4 at the Raiders 47. Heinicke went for it all and was intercepted by Nate Hobbs, who returned it 30 yards to the Raiders 39 with 6:49 to play. Carr led a drive that took the clock down. With 2 1/2 minutes left, the Raiders faced 3rd and 7 at the Washington 18. A first down would really help bring the clock down. Yet Carr threw incomplete. Carlson hit the 37 yard field goal. The Raiders led 15-14. Yet there was still 2:22 to play. Despite ineptness on offense in the red zone, the defense had kept the Raiders in the game. Could the defense avoid the meltdown and get to 7-5?
Of course not. After a touchback, Heinicke hit Bates for 9 and Humphries for 10 and 12. With one minute left, the No-Names had 1st and 10 at the Raiders 40. Heinicke threw a pass right to a defender that should have been returned for an interception touchdown to ice the game. Instead, the defender dropped the ball for an incompletion. The ending was inevitable. The Raiders had all 3 timeouts and began taking them on defense. On 3rd and 4 from the Raiders 34, Samuel only gained 3 yards. The Raiders took their final timeout with 42 seconds left. Brian Johnson came in for a 48 yard field goal try to give the No-Names the 2 point lead. Naturally, the kick was good. The Raiders had 37 seconds left and 0 timeouts. That was what they had when they won in their season opener. They only needed to get in field goal range. This time there would be no miracles. With 30 seconds left from their own 25, Carr’s bomb only saw one receiver and one defender in sight. Zee Jones had beaten the defender. There was obvious defensive pass interference, but it was not called. Jones should have caught it anyway, He dropped it. Carr’s Hail Mary from his own 43 with 2 seconds left also fell incomplete. The No-Names have won 4 straight while the Raiders have lost 4 of 5. Both teams are 6-6. The 2019 Raiders started 6-4 and went 1-5 to finish 7-9. The 2020 Raiders started 6-3 and went 1-5 before winning their meaningless finale to end up 8-8. The 2021 Raiders started 5-2 before going 1-4. Now they go to Kansas City, who blew them out by 27 points in Las Vegas. In Arrowhead, expect 1-4 to become 1-5 and 6-6 to become 6-7. This is why this team is known as the Faders. 17-15 Omicron Variant
Baltimore Ravens at Pittsburgh Steelers — The 8-3 Ravens were atop the division and the Steelers were fighting for their playoff lives. Yet when these 2 teams play, it is a head-knocker that often goes down to the final play. This was a classic AFC North barefisted slobberknocker with teams that are mirror images of each other. The first quarter was scoreless. The Ravens began by moving 65 yards in 11 plays and 6 1/2 minutes. On 3rd and 6 from the Pittsburgh 10, Lamar Jackson went to the end zone and was intercepted for a touchback. The Ravens got it back and embarked on a staggering 16 play drive that consumed 10 1/2 minutes off of the clock. From his own one yard line, Jackson came out throwing and hit Ricard for 9. On 3rd and 7 from his own 16, Jackson hit Mark Andrews for 9. On 2nd and 15 from their own 31, Jackson hit Freeman for 8, but a defensive unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on TJ Watt added 15 more yards. On 3rd and 10 from the Pittsburgh 46, Jackson hit Andrews for just enough. On 3rd and 1 from the Pittsburgh 27, a false start meant 3rd and 6. Jackson went deep to Andrews for 29. Devonta Freeman then ran for the 3 yard touchdown. The 99 yard drive had the Ravens up 7-0 in the second quarter. The Steelers missed a chance to tie the game when a deep bomb by Ben Roethlisberger was dropped in the end zone. The defenses dominated. Chris Boswell nailed a 53 yard field goal to end the half for the Steelers. Justin Tucker hit a 35 yard field goal midway through the third quarter as the Ravens led 10-3 after three quarters.
The Steelers began the fourth quarter facing 3rd and 1 at their own 31. Roethlisberger hit Chase Claypool for a 40 yard gain. On the next play Roethlisberger went to Diontae Johnson for a 29 yard touchdown. Just like that, the Steelers were an extra point from tying the game. Boswell’s attempt was wide by a mile as the Steelers trailed 10-9. The Ravens moved from their own 38 to a 3rd and 4 at the Pittsburgh 12. Jackson only gained one yard. Tucker hit from 28 as the Ravens led 13-9. After a touchback, Big Ben hit Johnson for 25. Najee Harris ran for 8 and 3 and caught a pass for 9. Yet on 3rd and 8 from the Baltimore 26, Roethlisberger threw incomplete. Boswell hit from 43 but the Steelers trialed 13-12 midway through the fourth quarter. The Steelers got it back and soon faced 3rd and 2 from their own 39. Roethlisberger hit Gentry for 5 and Johnson for 9. Harris ran for 13. With 3 minutes left on 3rd and 2 from the Baltimore 26, Roethlisberger had a pass batted in the air and intercepted. Yet defensive pass interference meant 5 yards. With 1:48 to play, on 3rd and goal at the 5, Roethlisberger found Johnson for the touchdown. Mike Tomlin went for 2 and Roethlisberger found Pat Freiermuth in the front corner of the end zone for a successful conversion. The Steelers had the 20-13 lead, but this game was not over.
Boswell’s bad day continued when he kicked the ensuing kickoff out of bounds to set up the Ravens at their own 40. On 3rd and 14, Jackson went over the middle to Hollywood Brown for 22. Jackson then found Devin Duvernay for 18 and Sammy Watkins for 13. With 20 seconds left, the Ravens had 3rd and 5 at the Pittsburgh 6. Under heavy pressure, Jackson fired high over the middle and Watkins came down with it for the touchdown with 12 seconds remaining. The Ravens were an extra point away from tying the game and going to overtime. They had the best kicker in the game in Tucker. Yet Tucker was kept on the sideline. John Harbaugh decided to go for 2 on the road for the win. This seemed like an insane decision. Take the tie and play for overtime. Jackson faked the handoff and had a wide open Andrews in the flat. Jackson also had TJ Watt in his face. Jackson’s throw was off the mark and Andrews could not haul it in. Harbaugh explained after the game that injuries had left him without cornerbacks. Roethlisberger was carving up his defense in the fourth quarter. Jackson showed his typical leadership by taking all the blame himself. He said he agreed with the call and wanted to win. The Ravens at 8-4 are still tied for the conference lead while the 6-5-1 Steelers are in the hunt. 20-19 Steelers
San Francisco 49ers at Seattle Seahawks — The 49ers rebounded after a slow start to the season to get to 6-5 while the Seahawks were 3-8. Yet in this nasty NFC West showdown, records are often irrelevant. The 49ers always struggle in Seattle. Since Russell Wilson was drafted in 2012, the Seahawks are 17-4 against the 49ers. Less than 2 minutes into the game, the Seahawks went 3 and out and were punting from their own 27. Pete Carroll called a fake punt, a ridiculous decision in that part of the field. It worked perfectly as Travis Homer sprinted untouched for a 73 yard touchdown and a 7-0 Seahawks lead. On the next Seahawks series, they fumbled and the 49ers took over at the Seattle 24. One play and 7 seconds later, Jimmy Garoppolo hit George Kittle for the touchdown and a 7-7 game.
The 49ers got it back at their own 23 and Garoppolo was immediately intercepted. Despite 1st and 10 at the San Francisco 28, the Seahawks self-destructed. Offensive holding, a sack and a fumble had the Seahawks facing 2nd and 43…yes, 2nd and 43…at their own 39. On 3rd and 32, Wilson gained 12. That was just enough for Pete Carroll to gamble on a 55 yard field goal that was no good. The 49ers soon faced 3rd and 1 at the Seattle 45. Mitchell got stopped and Kyle Shanahan went for it. This time Garoppolo got the yard. On 3rd and 2 from the Seattle 36, Garoppolo hit Kittle for 28. Mitchell ran for 6 and then for the 2 yard touchdown to make it 14-7 49ers. The 49ers got it back at their own 37 to start the second quarter. They reached 1st and 10 at the Seattle 28. In the exact same spot as their opponents earlier, the 49ers self-destructed. Yet they only fell back as far as 3rd and 21. Garoppolo hit Sherfield for 7 to get back into long field goal range. Robbie Gould hit from 50 and the 49ers led 17-7.
The Seahawks took over at their own 37. Wilson hit Swain for 7 and DK Metcalf for 12.. On 3rd and 3 from the San Francisco 37, Adrian Peterson…yes, that Adrian Peterson…took the handoff. Cut by Tennessee a couple weeks ago, he was added to the Seahawks practice squad a few days ago and activated for this game. Peterson gained 4. On 3rd and 14 from the San Francisco 37, Wilson went deep to Metcalf for 33. Peterson ran for a one yard touchdown to get the Seahawks within 17-14. After a touchback, the 49ers soon faced 3rd and 7 from their own 39. Garoppolo hit Sherfield for 9. Garoppolo then connected with Kittle on a 48 yard touchdown. The 49ers led 23-14 with 1:48 left in the half.
The Seahawks took over at their own 35. Wilson hit Everett for 5 and Metcalf for 9. Roughing the passer on the next play added 15. On 3rd and 2 from the Frisco 26, Wilson hit Dee Eskridge for 11. Roughing the passer on another incompletion meant 8 yards and 1st and goal at the 7 with 20 seconds left. Wilson hit Eskridge for the touchdown as the Seahawks trailed 23-21 at the half. The first half was all offense. The second half belonged to the defense. The 49ers fumbled the second half kickoff and the Seahawks took over at the Frisco 26. Yet on 3rd and 4 from the Frisco 5, Wilson went to the end zone and was intercepted. Rather than take the touchback, Williams tried to run it out and got tackled at his own 3 yard line. On 3rd and 8 from his 5, Garoppolo was sacked in the end zone for a safety as the game was tied 23-23.
The Seahawks wasted the free kick but Garoppolo was soon intercepted to give the Seahawks another short field at the San Francisco 28. On 3rd and 6 from the Frisco 12, Wilson hit Tyler Lockett for the touchdown. The Seahawks led by 7 with 2 1/2 minutes left in the third quarter. Neither offense could move for awhile. With 11 minutes left, the Seahawks began a 13 play, 71 yard drive that took 7 minutes off the clock. On 4th and 1 from the Seattle 4, Pete Carroll decided to go for it rather than kick the safe field goal and go up by 2 scores with 6:19 left. Homer gained 3. On 3rd and goal at the 2, only 4:15 remained. Again, a field goal would all but ice the game. No, Pete Carroll did not call a pass play and lose a game. He played it safe. Everett got the carry and fumbled. The 49ers took over at their own 2 with 4 minutes left. Marshawn Lynch is still retired and had no comment. The 49ers moved the ball 95 yards, but they needed 98. On 3rd and goal at the 3, Garoppolo threw incomplete with 22 seconds left as the 49ers took their final timeout. On 4th and goal, Garoppolo threw incomplete again. The 6-6 49ers are still in the playoff picture but this was a tough loss. 30-23 Seahawks
Denver Broncos at Kansas City Chiefs was the Sunday night game. Patrick Mahomes came in having never lost to the Broncos. His 7-0 mark against them was part of 11 straight Chiefs wins over the Broncos. The 6-5 Broncos with a win over the 7-4 Chiefs would move into a tie atop the AFC West. The Chiefs came in winners of 4 straight overall thanks to a much improved defense. The Chiefs dominated from the start. From their own 28, Carl Edwards-Helaire gained 10. Mahomes hit Robinson and Travis Kelce for a pair of 9 yard gains. On 3rd and 1 from the Denver 42, Burton gained 3. On 1st and 20 just past midfield, Mahomes hit Robinson for 12 and Tyreek Hill for 13. On 3rd and 5 from the Denver 19, Mahomes hit Hill for 9. Mahomes ran for a 10 yard touchdown The 12 play, 72 yard, 6 minute drive had the Chiefs up 7-0. After that the defenses dominated. Harrison Butker nailed a 56 yard field goal in the first quarter for a 10-0 Chiefs lead. The Broncos after a touchback began the second quarter with 1st and 10 at the Chiefs 14. Soon, they faced 3rd and 30 and gained 10. Brandon McManus hit from 42 to get the Broncos on the board.
The Broncos got it back at their own 3 yard line and had the drive of the year that was as exhausting as it was frustrating. 20…yes, 20…plays. 11…yes, 11…minutes off the clock. 88 yards. After all of that, on 3rd and 2 from the Chiefs 8 yard line, Teddy Bridgewater threw incomplete. Vic fang decided to go for it rather than take the easy field goal. After the game he said he needed more points, but the game was becoming a defensive slugfest. On 4th and 2, Williams got the carry and got blown up for a one yard loss. Mahomes was intercepted early in the third quarter but the Broncos could not capitalize. Butker added a 45 yard field goal to give the Chiefs a 13-3 lead. Bridgewater was intercepted but the Chiefs could not capitalize. Yet the Broncos fumbled the punt, setting the Chiefs up at the Denver 16. The defense held and Walrus Andy Reid did not gamble on 4th and 2. Butker hit from 26 to make it 16-3 Chiefs. The Broncos defense played very well but their own offense killed them. On 4th and 2 from the Denver 27 with 10 minutes left in regulation, Bridgewater was intercepted bu Daniel Sorensen, who returned it 75 yards for the dagger touchdown. The Chiefs led 22-3. They gave up one garbage touchdown but nothing else. The Broncos fell to 6-6, two games back of the Chiefs. Mahoes is 8-0 against the Broncos. The Chiefs have won 12 straight over the Broncos. The Chiefs at 3-4 were in last place in the AFC West. 5 straight wins have them 8-4 and in the division lead, making Andy Reid a most happy walrus indeed. 22-9 Chiefs
New England Patriots at Buffalo Bills was the Monday night game. After winning the AFC East for about 8 billion straight years, last year the Patriots took the year off as the Bills won the division. This year the 8-4 Patriots took on the 7-4 Bills in a major division showdown. The Patriots came in on a 6 game win streak. The game featured light snow flurries and swirling winds. Mac Jones threw 3…yes, 3…passes the entire game. He completed 2 of them for 19 yards. Yet the Patriots ran the ball 46…yes, 46…times for 222 yards. In the first quarter on 3rd and 5 from their own 36, Damien Harris ran for a 64 yard touchdown. For some bizarre reason Bill Belichick opted for a 2 point conversion. Bolden ran it in to make it 8-0 Patriots. Later in the first quarter the Patriots fumbled a punt and the Bills recovered at the New England 14. One play and 5 seconds later, Josh Allen hit Davis for the touchdown. The Bills trailed 8-7. Neither team reached the end zone in the final 50 minutes. Nick Folk hit a 41 yard field goal for the Patriots in the second quarter. Tyler Bass hit from 35 in the third quarter to get the Bills within 11-10. Folk hit from 34 early in the fourth quarter. Midway through the fourth quarter from 33 yards out, Bass was no good. The Bills got it back at their own 20 with 6 minutes left. The Bills moved to the red zone but a false start and a pair of incompletions had the Bills facing 4th and 14 at the New England 18 at the 2 minute warning. Allen threw incomplete and the Patriots escaped with their 7th straight win and a 1 1/2 game AFC East lead over the Bills. 14-10 Patriots