NFL 2021 Week 14 Recap
Pittsburgh Steelers at Minnesota Vikings was the Thursday night game. The Steelers won an emotional victory over archival Baltimore in the final seconds and were expected to come out flat only 4 days later. They did. The Vikings lost a stunner on the final play to previously winless Detroit and were expected to come out angry. They did. Yet by the time this game was over, nothing went as expected. Early on the Vikings missed a 53 yard field goal and the Steelers missed a 49 yard field goal. After that the Vikings exploded. From their own 39, Dalvin cook gained 30. Mattison ran for 14 and 3. Kirk Cousins hit Justin Jefferson for a 14 yard touchdown and a 6-0 Vikings lead. The extra point was no good. The Vikings got it back at their own 43 and moved to a 1st and 10 at the Pittsburgh 20. Cousins threw 3 incompletions. Greg Joseph hit the 38 yard field goal to make it 9-0 Vikings in the second quarter. The Vikings got it back at their own 22. Cousins went to Jefferson for 22 and Cook ran for 15. On 1st and 20 just shy of midfield after offensive holding, Cousins hit Conklin for 19. Cook ran for a 29 yard touchdown to make it 16-0 Vikings.
The Vikings got it back at their own 40. On 3rd and 1 from their own 49, Cousins threw incomplete. Mike Zimmer went for it on his own side of the field. Cousins gained 3. Cousins went to Herndon for 17. On 3rd and 10 from the Pittsburgh 28, Cousins hit KJ Osborn for 13. On 3rd and 2 from the Pittsburgh 7, Cook ran for the touchdown. Scores on 4 straight possessions had the Vikings up 23-0 at the half. Things got worse for the Steelers when they punted in the third quarter on 4th and 14 from their own 8. a 15 yard return had the Vikings taking over at the Pittsburgh 34. The Vikings settled for a 42 yard Joseph field goal to lead 26-0. Three plays later Ben Roethlisberger was intercepted by Breeland, who returned it 18 yards to the Pittsburgh 30. Despite reaching 1st and goal at the 4, the drive stalled as Cousins threw incomplete on 3rd and goal at the 7. Joseph hit another field goal from 25. Despite settling for field goals on 2 straight possessions with a short field, it did not seem to matter as the Vikings led 29-0 with 6 minutes left in the third quarter.
The Steelers soon faced 3rd and 2 from their own 33. Najee Harris gained 3. Big Ben then went deep to Washington for 29 yards. On 2nd and 10 from the Minnesota 35, a completion lost 2 yards. Yet a defensive taunting penalty meant a 15 yard gain. Harris then ran for 11. On 3rd and 2 from the Minnesota 3, Roethlisberger hit Harris for the touchdown. The Steelers still trailed 29-7 after three quarters. One play after a touchback, Cousins was quickly intercepted to set up the Steelers at the Minnesota 42. Harris gained 13. On 3rd and 9 from the Minnesota 28, the defense jumped into the neutral zone. On 3rd and 4, Roethlisberger hit Chase Claypool for 14. The fourth quarter began with the Steelers facing 3rd and goal at the 8. Roethlisberger threw incomplete but defensive pass interference meant 1st and goal at the one. Harris got the last yard to get the Steelers within 29-14 only seconds into the fourth quarter. The Steelers got it back at their own 31 and struck quickly. Roethlisberger went to Johnson for 37 and to Washington for a 30 yard touchdown. With 12 minutes left in regulation, Mike Tomlin went for 2 perhaps a little earlier than necessary. The conversion failed but 3 straight touchdown drives had the Steelers within 29-20 with plenty of time left.
After a touchback, the Vikings temporarily stopped the bleeding. Cook gained 8 and 5. Cousins then went to Osborn for a 62 yard touchdown and a 36-20 Vikings lead. The Steelers went 3 and out and the Vikings moved from their own 39 to a 3rd and 4 at the Pittsburgh 39. With 5 minutes left in regulation, the game was all but over. Then is wasn’t. Cousins was intercepted by Witherspoon, who returned it 41 yards to the Minnesota 21. Roethlisberger went to McCloud for 6 and to Pat Freiermuth for the 15 yard touchdown. The 2 point conversion was successful and just like that, the Steelers were within 8 points with 4:14 to play. After a touchback and one big third down conversion, the Vikings faced 3rd and 8 from the Pittsburgh 45 with the Steelers out of timeouts. A run would take the clock down to 2 minutes. Instead Cousins threw incomplete. A great punt pinned the Steelers at their own 4 yard line with 2:16 left. Roethlisberger went to Harris for 6 and then deep to Claypool for 38. On 4th and 1 from the Minnesota 43, Roethlisberger hit Claypool for 9 and then spiked the ball to stop the clock with 24 seconds left. Roethlisberger found Johnson over the middle, but he escaped a tackle and got out of bounds with 3 seconds left. The largest regular season comeback win was 28 points in 1980. The Steelers were down 29 at one point. Now they had one play from the Minnesota 12 to possibly tie the game. Roethlisberger threw incomplete as the Vikings survived in harrowing fashion. Both teams are alive in the playoffs but in deep trouble. 36-28 Vikings
Dallas Cowboys at Washington Refugees — The Cowboys came in with a 2 game lead in the division but had struggled in recent weeks. The No-Names came in winners of 4 straight to get to 6-6. The Cowboys began at their own 29 and moved 54 yards in 12 plays and 5 1/2 minutes. Despite reaching the red zone, a 3rd and 10 from completing by Dak Prescott from the Washington 20 gained only 3 yards. Greg Zuerlein hit a 35 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Cowboys. On their next series Prescott was intercepted to set up the No-Names at the Dallas 37. Yet 3 plays later Taylor Heinicke was intercepted as the Cowboys took over at the Washington 41. On 3rd and 10 from the Washington 12, a completion gained only 8 yards. Yet the defense jumped offside. On 3rd and 5, Prescott hit Amari Cooper for the 7 yard touchdown. For some reason Mike mcCarthy went for 2 and Ezekiel Elliott ran it in to make it 11-0 Cowboys. The No-Names took over at their own 27 and moved to a 4th and 2 at the Dallas 46. Riverboat Ron Rivera went for it. Heinicke was sacked and fumbled, and Armstrong returned it 37 yards for a defensive touchdown and an 18-0 Cowboys lead. In the second quarter Zuerlein tacked on field goals of 38 and 37 to have the Cowboys dominating 24-0.
In the third quarter the No-Names took over at their own 10. Antonio Gibson ran for 13. Heinicke hit Bates for 19, Patterson for 9, and Cam sims for a 43 yard touchdown. Ron Rivera went for the 2 point conversion and Heinicke ran it in to get the No-Names within 24-8. On their next series the No-Names fumbled and the Cowboys had a short field at the Washington 25. They settled for Zuerlein’s 4th field goal from 29 to have a comfortable 27-8 lead after three quarters. With 13 minutes left in regulation, Heinicke was sacked and left injured. Kyle Allen finished the game and tried to lead a comeback. With 9 1/2 minutes left in regulation, the No-Names took over at their own 27 and moved 73 yards in 13 plays. On 4th and goal at the one, Jonathan Williams finally got in. The 2 point conversion try failed and the No-Names were still down 27-14 with 5 minutes left. 2 plays later from his own 26, Prescott was intercepted by Cole Holcomb, who returned it 31 yards the other way for the score. The extra point was blocked, but the No-Names were only down by 7 with 4:13 to play. With 2 1/2 minutes left the No-Names faced 3rd and 3 from their own 37. Allen was sacked and fumbled and the Cowboys recovered. The No-Names made a strong comeback but fell short to drop to 6-7 as the 9-4 Cowboys maintained an iron grip on the NFC Least. 27-20 Cowboys
Jacksonville Jaguars at Tennessee Titans — 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. The Titans began at their own 26 and Ryan Tannehill hit Swaim for 9. Runs and short passes led to 3rd and 7 from the Jacksonville 48. Tannehill ran for 17, with defensive unnecessary roughness adding 15 more. Tannehill hit Donta Foreman for 11. Foreman ran for the 5 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Titans. Late in the first quarter Randy Bullock missed a 47 yard field goal try, but Bullock connected from 44 to put the Titans up 10-0 at the half. Midway through the third quarter the Titans faced 3rd and 9 from their own 32. Tannehill hit Anthony Firkser for 10. Tannehill hit Swaim for 24 with 15 tacked on for a defensive low block. On 3rd and 1 from the Jags 11, Tannehill gained 2. On 3rd and goal at the 5, Tannehill ran it in to make it 17-0 Titans. Trevor Lawrence was intercepted 4 times on the day, with 3 of them coming in the final 16 minutes. Bullock added a 29 yard field with 2:20 to play. The Titans offense was far from spectacular, but Mike Vrabel’s suffocating defense pitched a shutout to get the Titans to 9-4 on the year. 20-0 Titans
Seattle Seahawks at Houston Texans — A bad team played an even worse team. Davis Mills was declared the starter over Tyrod Taylor. The Texans began facing 3rd and 4 at their own 31. Mills hit Davis for 17, Conley for 13, Collins for 30, and Brevin Jordan for a 5 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Texans. The remaining 56 minutes were less kind to the Texans. The Seahawks after a touchback moved to a 3rd and 2 at the Houston 16. A run lost 3 yards. Jason Myers hit a 38 yard field goal to get the Seahawks within 7-3. The Seahawks got it back at their own 3 yard line. On 3rd and 5 from their 8, Russell Wilson hit DK Metcalf for 8, Tyler Lockett for 24, and Will Dissly for 25. Rashard Penny ran for a 32 yard touchdown on the last play of the first quarter to make it 10-7 Seahawks. The Texans mounted a staggering 16 play, 72 yard, 9 minute drive. On 3rd and goal at the 3, Mills threw incomplete. Kaimi Fairbairn hit the 21 yard field goal for a 10-10 deadlock.
With one minutes left in the half, the Seahawks took over at their own 45. Wilson went to Tyler Lockett for a 55 yard touchdown. The extra point was no good but the Seahawks led 16-10. The Texans got one last spark as Kaimi Fairbairn drilled a 61 yard field goal to have the Texans within 16-13 at the half. Myers hit a 38 yard field goal with 4 1/2 minutes left in the third quarter to make it 19-13 Seahawks. After 45 minutes of competitive football, the Seahawks put the game away in the fourth quarter. On 3rd and 7 from their 36, Wilson hit Everett for 14. On 3rd and 9 from the Houston 49, Wilson went to Lockett for 29. On 2nd and 4 from the Houston 14, Wilson threw incomplete but defensive pass interference meant 1st and goal at the 7. On 3rd and goal at the one, Wilson hit Everett for the touchdown to make it 23-13 Seahawks. With 6 1/2 minutes left on 4th and 3 from midfield, Mills threw incomplete. Rashaad Penny ran for a 47 yard touchdown to put the game away. The Texans were game, but the Seahawks won their 2nd straight game. 33-13 Seahawks
Las Vegas Raiders at Kansas City Chiefs — Last year the Raiders went into Kansas City and beat the Chiefs in front of their shocked home fans. Yet this year the Chiefs went into Las Vegas and blasted the Raiders 41-14. At one point the Raiders were 5-2 and 2 games ahead of the 3-4 Chiefs. 5 weeks later the 8-4 Chiefs are 2 games ahead of the 6-6 Raiders. Before this game started as if to send a message, the Raiders met at midfield and jumped up and down on the Chiefs logo. Then the game started and the Chiefs stomped all over the Raiders. On the very first play from scrimmage, Josh Jacobs got the carry, got strung out laterally, got stripped of the ball, and Mike Hughes returned the fumble 23 yards for a defensive touchdown. 17 seconds into the game, the Chiefs led 7-0. The remaining 59 minutes and 43 seconds were more of the same. The Chiefs got it back at their own 20. Patrick Mahomes went deep to Mycole Hartman for 44 yards. On 3rd and 8 from the Raiders 29, Mahomes threw incomplete. Yet the defense jumped offside. On 3rd and 3, Mahomes went to Darrell Williams for a 23 yard touchdown. One breakdown on each side of the ball had the Chiefs up 14-0. The Chiefs got it back and soon faced 3rd and 8 from their own 22. Mahomes went to Tyreek Hill for 19, Travis Kelce for 19 more, and Byron Pringle for 28. Clyde Edwards-Helaire ran for a 5 yard touchdown to make it 21-0 Chiefs.
2 plays later from his own 30, Derek Carr threw a pass to Foster Moreau, who bobbled the well thrown ball right into the arms of Tyrence Mathieu for an interception. The Chiefs took over at the Raiders 39. On 3rd and goal at the one, Mahomes hit Josh Gordon for the score to make it 28-0 Chiefs. 3 plays later on 3rd and 4 from his own 31, Carr hit Hunter Renfrow for 19, but the normally reliable Renfrow also fumbled and again it was Mathieu who recovered at his own 38. On 3rd and 3 from his own 45, Mahomes threw incomplete but defensive pass interference meant 30 yards. On 2nd and 10 from the Raiders 25, Mahomes threw incomplete but defensive holding kept the drive going. On 3rd and 5 from the Raiders 15, Mahomes ran for 9. Edwards-Helaire ran for a 6 yard touchdown. With 1:40 left in the half, the Chiefs were up 35-0.
For some reason, the final 31:40 was played. The Raiders managed a field goal before the half and the Chiefs added a field goal in the third quarter for a 38-3 lead. The Raiders managed a touchdown but kicker Daniel Carlson, who just signed a 4 year contract with plenty of guaranteed money, missed the extra point. The Raiders had now failed in all 3 phases of the game. The Chiefs added another field goal in the fourth quarter to lead 41-9. Midway through the fourth quarter, Carr got belted to the ground and fumbled. One play later Derrick Gore ran for a 51 yard touchdown to complete the total beating. At the 2 minute warning down by 39 points, the Raiders managed to get to the red zone only for Zee Jones to fumble the ball away. 5 turnovers including 4 fumbles destroyed the Raiders. They looked like an unprepared mess. The Raiders have gone 1-5 in recent weeks, their 5-2 start a mirage. At 6-7 the Raiders are still mathematically alive for a playoff spot but realistically finished. Interim coach Rich Bisaccia is a nice guy, but the results are what they are. Carr is getting no help. He can’t make his teammates hang on to the ball. His only interception was off of a pass that should have been an easy offensive reception. Right now the Raiders are bad at everything. As for the Chiefs, they have won 6 in a row to lead the AFC West at 9-4, making Andy Reid a most happy walrus indeed. 48-9 Chiefs
New Orleans Saints at New York Jets — The Saints went from 5-2 to losers of 5 straight, but the perfect tonic was a game against the lowly Jets. Taysom Hill got the start. The Saints began at their own 30 and moved 65 yards in 14 plays and 7 1/2 minutes. On 4th and 1 from the Jets 26, Sean Payton went for it and Hill gained 3. On 3rd and goal at the 7, a completion gained only 2. Brett Maher hit the 23 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Saints. In the second quarter the Saints punted on 4th and 28 from their own 22. A short 28 yard punt gave the Jets the ball at their own 44. Robert Saleh went for it on 4th and 7 at the Saints 35 and Zach Wilson hit Braxton Berrios for 14. On 3rd and 7 from the Saints 18, Wilson threw incomplete. Eddy Pineiro hit a 36 yard field goal for a 3-3 game. A 15 yard penalty for catch interference on a punt gave the Saints the ball at their own 46. Hill went to Alvin Kamara for 13 and to Smith for 6. Kamara did the rest, running for 8, 9, 2, and the 16 yard touchdown to make it 10-3 Saints with 3 1//2 minutes left in the half. The Jets after a touchback moved to a 1st and 10 at the saints 24 with 30 seconds left in the half. Yet consecutive offensive penalties killed the drive. Pineiro hit from 46 as the Jets trailed 10-6 at the intermission. In the third quarter the Saints moved from their own 7 on a 15 play, 80 yard, 9 minute drive. On 4th and 2 from the Jets 8, Sean Payton went for it but a delay of game penalty killed the drive. The Saints settled for a 31 yard Maher field goal and a 13-6 lead after three quarters.
The Saints started the fourth quarter at midfield and put the game away. On 3rd and 7, Hill went to Smith for 21. On 3rd and 3 from the Jets 19, Hill threw incomplete. maher hit from 37 to make it 16-6 with 12 1/2 minutes left in regulation. With 10 1/2 minutes left Robert Saleh went for it on 4th and 6 just past midfield. Wilson threw incomplete. Kamara ran for 9, 3, 8 and 3. Hill went to Callaway for 26. On 3rd and goal at the 2, Hill got in to make it 23-6 Saints with 5 1/2 minutes left. Needing 3 scores the Jets managed one more Pineiro field goal from 36 but never reached the end zone. With 2:47 left on 4th and 10 from their own 34 down by 14, Wilson completed a pass for only 8 yards. Hill ran for a 44 yard touchdown to turn a close game into a blowout and keep the 6-7 Saints in playoff contention. 30-9 Saints
Atlanta Falcons at Carolina Panthers — A pair of 5-7 teams faced off in the battle of the 2015 NFL MVP who lost a Super Bowl and the 2016 NFL MVP who lost a Super Bowl. The Panthers began at their own 35. Cam Newton hit DJ Moore for 7 and 11. Newton ran for 11. Newton hit Zylstra for 15. On 3rd and 3 from the Atlanta 12, Newton ran it in for the score to make it 7-0 Panthers. After a touchback, Matt Ryan went to Gage for 36. Arthur Hill went for it on 4th and 1 from the Carolina 31. Davis gained 5. On 3rd and 8 from the Carolina 24, Ryan hit Gage for 13. Cordarelle Patterson ran for 6 and then the 5 yard touchdown to cap the 11 play, 75 yard, 5 minute drive for a 7-7 deadlock. In the second quarter the Panthers took over at their own 3 yard line and moved to a 3rd and 6 at the Atlanta 36. Newton was then intercepted by Mykal Walker, who returned it 66 yards for a defensive touchdown and a 14-7 Falcons lead. The Falcons got it back just shy of midfield and moved to a 2nd and 6 at the Carolina 13. Ryan threw incomplete twice. Younghoe Koo hit a 32 yard field goal for a 17-7 Falcons lead at the break.
Koo kicked the second half kickoff out of bounds to set up the Panthers at their own 40. On 3rd and 3, Newton hit Tommy Tremble for 14 and Abdullah for 6. Newton ran for 5 and 11. Chuba Hubbard ran for a 17 yard touchdown to get the Panthers within 17-14. The Falcons after a touchback moved to a 3rd and 3 at the Carolina 15. Then came a false start followed by an incompletion. Koo hit the 38 yard field goal to make it 20-14 Falcons. The Panthers moved from their 24 to a 2nd and 3 at their own 47. Newton fumbled and the Falcons recovered at the Carolina 49. On 3rd and 13, Matty Ice hit Pitts for 14. Ollison ran for 11,8, and 5 and Patterson added 9 as the third quarter ended. The fourth quarter began with the Falcons facing 3rd and 1 at the Carolina 5. Ryan gained 2 and then threw a 3 yard touchdown to Hayden Hurst. The 2 point try failed but the Falcons led 26-14.
After a touchback the Panthers moved to a 4th and 10 at the Atlanta 42 with 10 minutes left. Newton was sacked for a 10 yard loss. That led to a 48 yard Koo field goal and a 29-14 Falcons lead with 6 minutes left. After a touchback, Newton was benched as Matt Rhule brought in PJ Walker. Walker fumbled his first snap but retained possession.Yet it was deja vu as the Panthers faced 4th and 10 at the Atlanta 44 with 5 minutes left. Walker threw incomplete. The Falcons fumbled on their first play from scrimmage to give the Panthers another chance. Walker hit Robby Anderson for a 5 yard touchdown to get the Panthers within 8 with 3:11 to play. A 38 yard kickoff return had the Falcons at their own 40. With 2:50 left the Panthers took their 2nd timeout with the Falcons facing 3rd and 14 at their own 36. Ryan hit Pitts for 23. The Panthers took their final timeout with 1:52 left and the Falcons facing 3rd and 2 at the Carolina 33. Ryan gained 3 and then took a couple knees. 29-21 Falcons
Baltimore Ravens at Cleveland Browns — Two weeks ago Lamar Jackson was intercepted 4 times but the defense preserved a gutty 16-10 home win over the Browns. Last week the Ravens lost a one-point heartbreaker against Pittsburgh. The Browns had the bye week, making this the first time in 30 years an NFL team played the same team in 2 straight regular season games. The Dawg Pound was fired up and the Browns defense dominated early on. The Browns moved from their own 15 backward to their own 8 and then forward to a 3rd and 5 at the Baltimore 25. Baker Mayfield threw incomplete Chase McLaughlin hit the 43 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Browns. The Brown got it back and faced 3rd and 4 at their own 40. Mayfield went deep to Donovan Peoples-Jones for 34. On 3rd and 3 from the Baltimore 19, Mayfield hit Karim Hunt for 5 and Jarvis Landry for a 9 yard touchdown to make it 10-0 Browns. On the first play of the second quarter on 2nd and 15 form his own 20, Jackson scrambled for 5 but Jackson twisted his ankle on the tackle and left the game. He may be out several weeks. Tyler Huntley played the final 3 quarters.
The Browns got it back and faced 3rd and 2 from their own 31. Mayfield gained 6. Nick Chubb gained 15. Mayfield went deep to Peoples-Jones for 27 and Austin Hooper for 9. Mayfield hit Hooper for a one yard touchdown midway through the second quarter to make it 17-0 Browns. The Brows on their next drive saw Mayfield get intercepted and Averett return it 21 yards to the Cleveland 39. On 3rd and 2 a run lost a yard. Justin Tucker hit a 50 yard field goal to get the Ravens on the board. The Ravens got it back at their own 9. From their own 20, a fumble was returned 15 yards for a defensive touchdown by Myles Garrett. With 49 seconds left in the half, the Browns were romping up 24-3. Yet the Ravens slowly mounted a comeback.
Tucker hit a 42 yard field goal to end the half with the Ravens down 24-6. The Ravens in the third quarter moved from their 25 to a 2nd and 6 at the Cleveland 12. Huntley was then sacked and fumbled as the Brows defense came up big again. The Ravens got it back at their own 17 and moved to a 1st and 10 at the Cleveland 33. A pair of offensive penalties killed the drive but Tucker bailed out the Ravens with a 55 yard field goal to get them within 24-9. The Browns moved from their own 25 t a 1st and 10 at the Baltimore 23. Yet a run went nowhere and Mayfield threw incomplete. With 11 1/2 minutes left in regulation, McLaughlin came in for a 41 yard field goal try to make it 27-9 Browns and pretty much put the game away. Except McLaughlin was no good. The Ravens had life.
On 4th and 11 from their own 30 and down to their last gasp, Huntley hit Mark Andrews for 13 and again for 20 and then went Bateman for 36 down to the one. Latavius Murray got the last yard. With 9 minutes still remaining, John Harbaugh went for the 2 point conversion earlier than necessary. Huntley threw incomplete and the Ravens were down 24-15. With 5 1/2 minutes left the Ravens got it back at their own 10 as the Cleveland offense went into a conservative shell. Huntley went to Hollywood Brown for 12 and Devin Duvernay for 11. On 4th and 1 from their own 45 with 3 minutes left, Huntley hit Andrews for 2. On 4th and 6 from the Cleveland 38, Huntley went deep to Bateman for 30 and Andrews for the 8 yard touchdown. The Ravens were within 2 with 1:17 to play. The Browns defense had every chance to close out the game but gave up three fourth down conversions. The dog pound went into shellshock when Tucker’s perfectly executed onside kick was recovered by the Ravens at their own 41. All they needed was a field goal to win. With one minute left it came down to another 4th down play. This time on 4th and 6, Huntley threw a 2 yard pass to Bateman. The Dawg Pound erupted. The Ravens 2nd straight loss has them at 8-5, only one game up on Cleveland in the AFC North. 24-22 Browns
New York Giants at Los Angeles Chargers — Sometimes a bad team can go on the road and shock a good team. This was not that game. A field position game early had the Chargers at their own 40. Austin Ekeler ran for 14 and 9. Justin Herbert hit Jalen Guyton for 9. Jackson ran for a pair of 5 yard gains. Ekeler ran for 9 and then for the one yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Chargers. After a touchback, On 3rd and 10 from his own 35, Mike Glennon went deep to Kyle Rudolph for a 60 yard gain. Glennon then hit Elijhaa Penny for a 3 yard touchdown. The game was tied 7-7 after the opening quarter, but after that the Chargers exploded.
An out of bounds kickoff had the Chargers at their own 40. On 3rd and 1, Herbert gained 2. The second quarter began with Ekeler running for 17 and Herbert hitting Donald Parham for 15. On 3rd and 8 from the Giants 12, Herbert hit Joshua Palmer for the touchdown to make it 14-7 Chargers. The Chargers got it back at their own 22 and moved 69 yards in 12 plays and 5 1/2 minutes. Brandon Staley went for it on 4th and 1 at the Giants 5, but a false start killed the drive. Dustin Hopkins hit a 27 yard field goal to make it 17-7 Chargers. With 39 seconds left in the half the Chargers took over at their own 25. Herbert hit Guyton for 17. With 17 seconds left the Chargers faced 3rd and 11 from their own 41. Herbert rolled out and went bombs away to Guyton for a 59 yard touchdown. The Chargers led 24-7. and that was pretty much the back-breaker. Hopkins hit third quarter field goals of 28 and 39 to make it 30-7 Chargers. A Giants fumble meant another short field for the Chargers at the Giants 41. On 3rd and goal at the one, Herbert hit Jared Cook for the score to make it 37-7 Chargers in the fourth quarter. The Giants got a pair of garbage touchdowns to give the illusion of a respectable score. The 8-5 Chargers are one game back in the AFC West. 37-21 Chargers
Detroit Lions at Denver Broncos — The Lions finally won their first game of the year last week. They took on a 6-6 Broncos team fighting to survive. After an opening touchback, Melvin Gordon gained 11, 8 and 3. Teddy Bridgewater went to Patrick for 13. On 3rd and 9 from the Detroit 42, Bridgewater threw incomplete but defensive pass interference meant a 14 yard gain. Gordon ran for 13, 9 and one. Javonte Williams ran for a 5 yard touchdown to cap the 11 play, 75 yard, 5 minute drive and make it 7-0 Broncos. The Broncos got it back at their own 26. Williams ran for 6, 3, and on 3rd and 1 from his own 35, 3, followed by gains of 9 and 4. Bridgewater then went deep to Noah Fant for 32. Gordon ran for 2, 2, and on 3rd and goal at the one, the final yard. The 14 play, 76 yard, 7 1/2 minute drive made it 14-0 Broncos.
The second quarter began with the Lions facing 3rd and 8 at their own 27. Jared Goff ran for 13. Goff then went to St. Brown for 13. Reynolds ran for 35 and then 5 more. Goff hit Kalif Raymond for a 7 yard touchdown to get the Lions within 14-7. The Lions got it back at their own 25 and moved to a 2nd and 6 at the Denver 18. Goff threw incomplete twice. Riley Patterson hit the 36 yard field goal. Just when the game looked like a blowout, it was almost tied as the Lions got within 14-10. Yet just when it looked competitive, it then became a blowout.
With one minute left in the half the Broncos took over at their own 22. With 12 seconds left in the half the Broncos faced 3rd and 2 at the Detroit 46. Bridgewater hit Jerry Jeudy for 7. Then when Bridgewater spiked the ball to stop the clock, the Lions were offside. That extra 5 yards turned a 57 yard field goal try into a 52 yarder. Brandon McManus was good as the Broncos took a 17-10 lead to the locker rooms. On the 2nd play from scrimmage in the third quarter on 2nd and 5 from their own 30, the Lions fumbled and the Broncos recovered at the Detroit 36. Gordon ran for 6 and 16. On 3rd and 6 from the Detroit 10, Williams ran for the touchdown to make it 24-10 Broncos. Dan Campbell gambled on 4th and 2 from his own 33. Goff had his pass batted down incomplete. Williams ran for 5, 5 and 9 and Gordon ran for the 14 yard touchdown to make it 31-10 Broncos. A fourth quarter interception of Goff led to a 14 play, 88 yard, 7 minute drive. On 3rd and goal at the 4, Bridgewater hit Albert Okwuebunam for the last score. The 7-6 Broncos are still alive. Last week the Lions had an emotional win after a school shooting in Michigan. This week the Broncos had an emotional win after the untimely death of 33 year old Demaryius Thomas. Also, the Lions are really bad. 38-10 Broncos
San Francisco 49ers at Cincinnati Bengals — Neither of these teams will be mistaken for their 1981 or 1988 squads that faced off in 2 exciting Super Bowls, but this was a good football game between a pair of teams with legitimate playoff aspirations. An early fumbled punt saw the 49ers take over at the Cincinnati 23. On 3rd and 4, Jimmy Garoppolo hit Hasty for 7 but offensive holding killed the drive. Robbie Gould hit a 33 yard field goal to make it 3-0 49ers. The Bengals took over at their own 14 and moved67 yards in 11 plays and 6 minutes. On 2nd and 7 from the San Francisco 25, an incompletion was followed by a false start. On 3rd and 12, Joe Burrow hit Sam Perine for 11. On 4th and 1 from the San Francisco 19, Zac Taylor decided not to gamble. Evan McPherson hit the 37 yard field goal for a 3-3 game.
The second quarter began after a touchback with Garoppolo hitting Brandon Aiyuk for 21. Wilson gained 9 and 12. Deebo Samuel ran for a 27 yard touchdown to make it 10-3 49ers. The Bengals took over at their own 37 and moved on a 12 play, 53 yard, 6 minute drive. At the 2 minute warning the Bengals faced 3rd and 13 at the Frisco 21. Burrow hit Perine for 11. On 4th and 2 from the 10, Zac Taylor again decided to play it safe. McPherson hit from 25 to get the Bengals within 10-6. Yet there was still one minute left in the half when the 49ers punted on 4th and 15 from their own 21. The Bengals again fumbled a punt and the 49ers recovered at the Cincy 31. On 3rd and 7 Garoppolo threw incomplete but a dumb taunting penalty meant 14 yards and a first down. On the next play Garoppolo hit George Kittle for the touchdown to make it 17-6 49ers. In the third quarter the 49ers after a touchback moved 69 yards in 12 plays and 5 minutes. On 2nd and goal at the 6, a touchdown pass was reversed to an incompletion. Then Garoppolo threw incomplete again. Gould hit from 24 to make it 20-6 49ers. Things got worse for the Bengals when McPherson missed a 46 yard field goal try.
After being dominated for 3 quarters, the Bengals came to life in the fourth quarter. With 12 minutes left from their own 34, Joe Mixon gained 17. Burrow then went deep to Tee Higgins for 27. On 4th and 5 from Frisco 17 with 9 1/2 minutes left, Zac Taylor went for it and Burrow hit Jamarr Chase for the touchdown to get the Bengals within 20-13. With 2:40 to play the Bengals took over at their own 13. A sack of Burrow had the Bengals facing 2nd and 18 from their own 5. Burrow then hit Uzomah for 12 and on 3rd and 6 hit Higgins for 22. On 3rd and 10 from their own 39, Burrow went to Boyd for 29. Burrow then found Chase for a 32 yard touchdown. Zac Taylor was not in a gambling mood, so he opted for the extra point and the tie rather than the 2 point conversion and the win. It was the smart move, and the game was tied 20-20.
Yet the 49ers from their own 21 still had 1:15 left in regulation and 2 timeouts. From their own 35, Garoppolo hit Aiyuk for 17. On 3rd and 10 from the Cincy 48, Garoppolo hit Kittle for 19. With 4 seconds left, Gould came in for a 47 yard field goal try for the win. His kick was no good and the game went to overtime. The Bengalsgot the ball first in overtime. On the first play from scrimmage after a touchback, Burrow hit Higgins for 26 and then Uzomah for 23. On 3rd and 3 from the San Francisco 19, Burrow was sacked. McPherson hit the 41 yard field goal. 17 unanswered points had the Bengals up 23-20, but the 49ers would get one chance with the ball from their own 25. Garoppolo went to Jennings for 25 and Kittle for 21. On 3rd and 5 at the Cincy 21, Garoppolo hit Kittle for 9 as the clock hit the 2 minute warning in overtime. On the next play Garoppolo hit Aiyuk for the 12 yard touchdown and the win. Both teams are 7-6 and alive in the playoff chase. 26-23 49ers, OT
Buffalo Bills at Tampa Bay Buccaneers — The Buccaneers still have a chance at the top seed in the NFC while the Bills were in survival mode after a gut-wrenching defensive loss to New England in which the Bills defense faced 46 runs and only 3 passes. The Buccaneers began at their own 33. On 2nd and 10 from their own 48, Brady threw incomplete but defensive holding meant an automatic fist down. On the next play Leonard Fournette ran for a 47 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Buccaneers. The Buccaneers got it back at their own 15 and moved 80 yards in 15 plays and 7 minutes. The second quarter began with the Buccaneers facing 1st and goal at the 4. Yet on 3rd and goal at the 5, Brady threw incomplete. Ryan Succop hit the 23 yard field goal to make it 10-0 Buccaneers.
After a touchback, Josh Allen went to Emanuel Sanders for 25 to midfield. Allen hit Stefan Diggs for 24 and Davis for 21. Yet on 3rd and goal at the 3, Allen threw incomplete. Sean McDermott played it safe and Tyler Bass hit the 21 yard field goal to get the Bills on the board. After a touchback, Brady went to Chris Godwin for 12 and Rob Gronkowski for 18. on 3rd and 5 at the Buffalo 29, Brady threw incomplete but defensive pass interference meant 11 more yards. On 3rd and 5 from the Buffalo 13, Brady hit Mike Evans for the touchdown to make it 17-3 Buccaneers. The Buccaneers got it back at their own 28 and Brady hit Gronk for 16 and Godwin for 13 and 7. On 3rd and 3 from the Buffalo 22, Brady hit Evans for 20. Brady ran for a one yard touchdown with 90 seconds in the half. 4 straight scoring drives including 3 touchdown drives had the Patriots cruising 24-3 at the break. Yet the second half was a totally different ballgame.
In the third quarter Sean McDermott gambled on a fake punt on 4th and 2 from his own 45. It got blown up for a 3 yard loss. Bruce Arians then passed up a 52 yard field goal try to extend the lead by going for it on 4th and 2 at the Buffalo 34. Brady threw incomplete. There was a defensive penalty for unnecessary roughness but it occurred after the change of possession. The Bills took over at their own 19. Singletary gained 29. Allen hit Diggs for 13. On 4th and 1 from the Tampa 30, Mcdermott went for it again and Allen gained 4. On 3rd and 2 from the Tampa 18, Allen ran for the touchdown to get the Bills within 24-10. The Buccaneers took over at their own 10 and Brady hit Evans for 24. The fourth quarter began with the Buccaneers facing 3rd and 6 at their own 40. Brady hit Evans for 18. Despite 1st and 10 from the Buffalo 14, a completion for no gain and an incompletion meant 3rd and 10. Brady hit Godwin for only 8. On 4th and 2 from the Buffalo 6, Bruce Arians took no chances since a field goal would make it a 3 score game. Succop hit from 27 and the Buccaneers led 27-10 with 11 1/2 minutes left in regulation.
In desperation mode, Allen hit Dawson Knox for 4 and Diggs for 10. Singletary gained 18 and Allen ran for 23. Allen hit Knox for the 15 yard touchdown. With 9 minutes left, the Bills were still down 27-17. The Bucs went 3 and out and a 35 yard punt gave the Bills a short field at the Tampa Bay 46. On 3rd and 1 from the Tampa 37, Singletary gained 2. Allen hit Beasley and Diggs for 12 apiece. Allen hit Gabriel Davis for a 4 yard touchdown. With 5 minutes left the Bills were within 27-24. After a touchback the Buccaneers faced 3rd and 6 at their own 45 with 3 1/2 minutes left as he Bills took their 2nd timeout on defense. A first down would all but end it but Brady was sacked. The Bills got it back at their own 23 with 3 minutes left and one timeout plus the 2 minute warning. With 1:48 the Bull faced 4th and 4 at their own 40. Allen hit Davis for 5. Allen hit Beasley for 15 and knox for 24. With 28 seconds left the Bills had a chance at a shocking comeback win as they faced 3rd and 2 at the Tampa 7. Allen threw incomplete. Sean McDermott was not in a gambling mood on the road. Bass hit the 25 yard field goal as 17 unanswered points had the game tied 27-27.
The Bills got the ball first in overtime. On 3rd and 4 from their own 31, Allen threw incomplete. Going for it was not even a consideration and the Bills punted. A 63 yard punt pinned the Buccaneers at their own 6 yard line. On 3rd and 1 from their 15, Fournette barely got the yard. Brady went deep incomplete, but defensive pass interference meant a 19 yard gain. A swing pass lost 7 yards. On 2nd and 17 from their own 28, Brady hit Gronk for 14. Halfway through overtime, the big play had the Buccaneers facing 3rd and 3 from their own 42. It was also the final play of the game as Brady went to Breshad Perriman for a 58 yard touchdown to win the game. It was Brady’s 700th career touchdown pass. Brady entered the game with the most touchdown passes and wins. Now he has the most completions as well, passing Drew Brees. Brady will never reach Brett Favre’s interception record, but he is ok with that. The Buccaneers at 10-3 have a stranglehold on the NFC South and a legitimate shot at home field throughout the NFC. The Bills at 7-6 are on life support. 33-27 Buccaneers, OT
Chicago Bears at Green Bay Packers is the Sunday night game. A few weeks ago the Packers beat the Bears in Chicago and Aaron Rodgers shouted at the crowd, “I own you! I still own you!.” In Green Bay, the NFC North leading Packers were expected to easily dispatch with the overmatched Bears. Early on it did not turn out that way. The first quarter saw Jakeem Grant return a punt 34 yards to have the Bears starting out at the Green Bay 44. Yet despite 1st and goal at the 4, a false start harmed the Bears. On 3rd and goal at the 5, Justin Fields threw incomplete. Cairo Santos hit the 23 yard field goal. The first quarter ended with the Bears up 3-0, but the second quarter was an insane 45 point explosion. The Bears took over at their own 19 and Fields ran for 8. Williams added 8 more. Defensive pass interference on the next play added 15. Fields then went to Jakeem Grant for a 46 yard touchdown and a 10-0 Bears lead.
The Packers soon faced 3rd and 3 from their own 32. Rodgers hit Devonta Adams for 12 and Deguara for 25. Aaron Jones ran for 11. Rodgers hit Marcedes Lewis for 12. On 3rd and goal from the 2, Rodgers threw incomplete. Matt LaFleur went for it and on 4th and goal Rodgers hit Allen Lazard for the 2 yard touchdown to get the Packers within 10-7. A strong kickoff by Herbert had the Bears taking over at their own 41. Yet on 3rd and 3, Fields went to the sideline and Rasul Douglas jumped the route for a 55 yard interception return touchdown and a 14-10 Packers advantage. Then momentum shifted again.
Mason Crosby hit the kickoff out of bounds and the Bears took over at their own 40. On 3rd and 4, Fields found Damiere Byrd for a 54 yard touchdown. With 3 1/2 minutes left in the half the Bears led 17-14 but were just warming up. The Packers moved from their own 24 to a 2nd and 4 at midfield. Rodgers threw incomplete twice. with 90 seconds still left, Matt LaFleur opted to punt. Jakeem Grant then turned into the second coming of Devin Hester. Grant returned the punt 97 yards for the NFL’s first punt return touchdown this season and a 24-14 Bears lead. After a touchback, 90 seconds was plenty of time for Rodgers. He hit Deguara for 13, Adams for 6, Lazard for 18, and Adams for a 38 yard touchdown. Rodgers only needed 48 seconds to get the Packers within 24-21, but 44 seconds still remained. Herbert followed up his earlier 40 yard kickoff return with a 42 yard kickoff return as the Packers were getting torched on special teams. Fields ran for 20 and 4 and Santos hit a 44 yard field goal to end the half with the Bears up 27-21.
Yet in the third quarter, the Packers steamrolled the Bears. After a second half touchback, Dillon gained 11 and 5. Rodgers hit Adams for 12 and 16. Dillon ran for 8 and 11. Aaron Jones ran for a 3 yard touchdown to give the Packers the lead again 28-27. 2 plays later on 2nd and 5 from their own 30, Fields was sacked and fumbled. The Packers recovered at the Bears 23. One play and 8 seconds later, Jones was in the end zone again as the Packers now led 35-27. A field position game had the Packers taking over at the Bears 48. The Packers moved to a 1st and goal at the 8 but an incompletion and a failed run were followed by a 3rd and goal completion that gained only 6 yards. On 4th and goal at the 2, Matt LaFleur played it safe to make it a 2 score game. Crosby hit from 20 as the Packers led 38-27. In the fourth quarter Rodgers switched to smash mouth as the Packers mounted a 13 play, 71 yard, 8 1/2 minute drive. A 3 yard touchdown pass from Rodgers to Adams meant 24 unanswered points and a 45-27 Packers lead with 4 1/2 minutes left. The Bears did managed a field goal and a successful onside kick, but nothing more as Fields was intercepted with one minute left. Rodgers still owns the Bears. The 10-3 Packers are so far ahead in the NFC North it’s ridiculous, but their goal is home field advantage throughout the NFC. They have a realistic shot at playoff football in Lambeau Field in the cold. 45-30 Packers
Los Angeles Rams at Arizona Cardinals was the Monday night game. Earlier in the season the Cardinals went into Los Angeles and belted the Rams. The 8-4 Rams now came to the desert with the rematch against the 10-2 Cardinals in a critical NFC West showdown with home field advantage on their minds. After a touchback to start the game, the Cardinals moved to a 1st and 10 at the Rams 35. Kyler Murray threw 3 straight incompletions. Matt Prater hit a 53 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Cardinals. The Cardinals got it back at their own 33 and moved 63 yards in 12 plays and 6 minutes. Yet on 2nd and goal at the 4, Murray fired over the middle and was intercepted by Jones, who returned it 31 yards to the Rams 32.
Momentum shifted as Matthew Stafford hit Odell Beckham for 5 and Cooper Kupp for 13. On 3rd and 6 from the Arizona 46, Stafford hit Kupp for 7 and 11 to end the first quarter. From the Arizona 28, Sony Michel began the second quarter by running for 19. On 3rd and goal at the 2, Stafford fired a laser over the middle to Beckham for the touchdown. Instead of being down 10-0, the Rams led 7-3. The Rams got it back at their own 29 and moved to a 2nd and 6 at the Arizona 37. Stafford threw incomplete twice. Matt Gay nailed a 55 yard field goal to make it 10-3 Rams.
After a touchback, Murray hit James Conner for 10. Murray then went deep to Kirk for 41 yards and then to Conner for 13. On 3rd and goal at the 4, Murray went to Ertz for only 3. Kliff Kingsbury went for it on 4th and goal at the one. Conner got the carry and ran into a brick wall on the right side. Somehow instead of being belted for a loss, he was able to bounce backward and then go in from the left side for the touchdown. What seemed to be a sure goal line stand instead was a tough touchdown and a 10-10 game. The Rams took over at their own 20 and moved to a 3rd and 5 at the Arizona 19. A completion gained only 2 yards. Matt Gay hit the 35 yard field goal to make it 13-10 Rams with only 38 seconds left in the half. After a touchback, short passes had the Cardinals facing 3rd and 7 just shy of midfield with 10 seconds left. Murray rolled out to his left and prepared to launch the Hail Mary. Instead he kept the ball, ran for 16 yards, and got out of bounds with one second left. Prater nailed the 53 yard field goal for a 13-13 tie at the half.
After a touchback to start the third quarter, the Rams quickly exploded. A short completion and defensive unnecessary roughness had the Rams at their own 48. Stafford went bombs away to Van Jefferson for a 52 yard touchdown to make it 20-13 Rams. Two plays after a touchback Murray was intercepted by Floyd, who returned it 11 yards to the Arizona 19. On 3rd and 1 from the 10, Sony Michel gained 2. On 3rd and goal at the 8, Stafford threw incomplete but defensive holding meant 1st and goal at the 4. Stafford went to Kupp for the touchdown and the 27-13 Rams lead. The cardinals moved from their own 25 to a 4th and 2 at the Rams 14. Kliff Kingsbury went for it and Murray threw incomplete.
The Cardinals got it back and soon faced 3rd and 9 from their own 28. Murray went to AJ Green for 23. Offensive holding had the Cardinals starting the fourth quarter facing 1st and 20 at their own 41. Murray hit Hopkins for 15 and then went deep to Green for 36. On 1st and goal at the 8, Conner took the direct snap and bulldozed over most of the defense for the touchdown to get the Cardinals within 27-20. The Rams from their own 25 embarked on a 10 play, 69 yard, 6 1/2 minute drive. On 2nd and goal at the 7, Stafford threw incomplete. On 3rd and goal Stafford was sacked. Gay hit the 33 yard field goal to give the Cardinals some breathing room up 30-20 midway through the fourth quarter.
The Cardinals quickly moved from their own 25 to a 3rd and 1 from the Rams 37. Murray went deep incomplete. With 5 1/2 minutes left and needing 2 scores, a field goal try of 55 yards would have been in Prater’s range. Yet Kliff Kingsbury went for it and Conner, who had beaten up the defense all game, this time got the carry up the gut and hit a brick wall for no gain. At the 2 minute warning, the Cardinals were down to their last gasp facing 4th and 9 at their own 24. Murray went bombs away to Kirk for a 47 yard gain. On 3rd and 10 from the Rams 39, Murray hit Hopkins for 11. Needing 2 scores, Kingsbury decided to go for the touchdown rather than kick the field goal right away and go onside. On 3rd and 8 from the Rams 26, Murray was sacked. By the time Prater hit the 49 yard field goal to get the Cardinals within 7, only 37 seconds remained.
The onside kick was a good one and a mad scramble ensued. Two Rams had it and knocked into each other and it squirted away. The Cardinals recovered and had 34 seconds just shy of midfield. Murray scrambled for a 15 yard gain but offensive holding was a killer as only 26 seconds remained. Then came a false start. A completion on 1st and 25 gained 9 yards, but the clock kept ticking. rather than spike the ball to stop the clock, Murray took the snap with 5 seconds left from his own 42. The Hail Mary never had a chance as Murray was eventually sacked for an 18 yard loss. Rather than have a stranglehold on the division, the 10-3 cardinals are now only one game up on the 9-4 Rams. Both teams won on the opposing team’s field. A third game in the playoffs would be highly anticipated. The Cardinals lost sole possession of the top record in football and are now tied for the NFC lead. The tie-breaker has Green Bay and Tampa Bay ahead of the Cardinals. 30-23 Rams