NFL 2021 Week 15 Recap
Kansas City Chiefs at Los Angeles Chargers was the Thursday night game. The 9-4 Chiefs and 8-5 Chargers engaged in a showdown for the AFC West lead. Most of this game was about coaching. The Chiefs have walrus Andy Reid, a patient and cautious coach who is sometimes criticized as too conservative. Brandon Staley is far too aggressive, often crossing the line from bold to suicide by risk. The Chargers for an immediate spark when Roberts returned the opening kickoff 75 yards to the Chiefs 24. Roberts actually stumbled and went down without being touched. On 1st and goal at the 5, Justin Herbert threw 3 straight incompletions. Making matters worse, Mike Williams left the game injured after the 3rd and goal incompletion. On 4th and goal at the 5, the field goal try was obvious. Staley went for it. Herbert found a wide open Donald Parham in the back of the end zone. Parham dropped the ball when he hit the ground. Making matters even worse, Parham his his head and had to be taken off the field on a stretcher.
While the Chargers spent most if the game giving away points, the Chiefs chose to seize opportunities. From their own 5, Patrick Mahomes hit Tyreek Hill for 12. On 2nd and 13 from their own 14, Mahomes hit Travis Kelce for 14. Mahomes then hit Hill for 5, Byron Pringle for 9, and Mike Burton for 20. Damien Williams ran for 11 and Mahomes hit Hill for 11 more. Carl Edwards-Helaire ran for 9 and Burton ran for the 7 yard touchdown as the 11 play, 95 yard, 6 minute drive had the Chiefs up 7-0. The Chargers moved from their 25 to a 1st and 10 at the Chiefs 47. Herbert had a pass batted in the air at the line of scrimmage and intercepted by Hitchens. From their own 43, the Chiefs moved to a 3rd and 7 at the Chargers 11 to start the second quarter. Mahomes threw incomplete. Walrus Andy Reid sent in Harrison Butker to try something called a field goal. This concept is foreign to Brandon Staley. Butker hit from 30 to make it 10-0 Chiefs.
After a touchback, Jackson gained 15 and 4. Herbert then found Jared Cook for 12 and Jackson for 13. On 3rd and 2 from the Chiefs 20, Herbert hit Keenan Allen for 15. Yet the nightmare continued for the Chargers as Allen left the game injured. With 40 minutes left in the game, the Chargers were down 3 wide receivers. Meanwhile, Herbert ran for a one yard touchdown to get the Chargers within 10-7. The Chiefs went 3 and out and a terrible 32 yard punt gave the Chargers a short field at the Chiefs 42. On 3rd and 1 from the Chiefs 33, Kelley got stopped. Brandon Staley went for it and Herbert gained 2. Ekeler added 9 and 4. Roberts gained 6 and Jackson added 8. After 8 straight runs with the defense expecting a 9th straight run, on 1st and goal at the 4, Herbert hit Guyton for the touchdown. The Chargers led 14-10 with 3:15 left in the first half.
After a touchback, the Chiefs were at their own 37 at the 2 minute warning. Mahomes was sacked and fumbled. The Chargers recovered at the Chiefs 45. With 15 seconds left the Chargers had 2nd and goal at the 2. An incompletion left 11 seconds. On 3rd and goal at the 2, Herbert only gained one. It was now 4th and goal at the one with 3 seconds left. It was a long one, closer to 1 1/2 yards. Had the Chargers kicked the field goal early on, they would have been up 17-10 instead of 14-10. This means that another field goal would have had them up 20-10. Yet Brandon Staley gambled again and chased the points he gave up earlier. This is often a losing strategy and it was again as Herbert’s pass was batted down incomplete.
On the first play from scrimmage after a third quarter touchback, a defensive pass interference penalty gave the Chiefs 30 yards. Mahomes then hit Hill for 23. Yet on 2nd and 8 from the Chargers 14, Mahomes threw incomplete twice. Andy Reid is willing to kick field goals when the situation requires it. Butker hit from 33 to get the Chiefs within 14-13. The Chargers moved from their own 25 to a 4th and 2 at the Chiefs 28. A 46 yard field goal would certainly be makable. Dustin Hopkins has experiences kicking a football between goal posts. Yet again Brandon Staley went for it and Herbert threw incomplete. Rather than lead by as much as 23-13, the Chargers clung to their 14-13 lead. The Chiefs took over at their own 28 and moved 70 yards in 11 plays and 6 minutes. On 2nd and 1 from the Chargers 2 yard line, Williams got stopped. On 3rd and 1 Mahomes threw incomplete. Andy Reid went for it and on 4th and 1 from the 2. Mahomes threw incomplete. as both teams had a goal line stand.
The Chargers then managed a 97 yard drive that produced 0 points. 12 plays and 6 minutes all for naught. They moved from their own one yard line tp a 4th and 1 at the Chiefs 11. Again Brandon Staley went for it and this time out of the shotgun Kelley gained 7. Yet on 2nd and goal at the one, Herbert threw incomplete. On 3rd and goal at the one, Kelley tried to cover the top. Instead he got hit and fumbled. The Chiefs recovered at their own 2 yard line as the Chargers were now trying their best to give the game away. Yet as pathetic as the offense was inside the opposing 5 yard line, the Chargers defense was playing we.. With the Chiefs facing 3rd and 3 from their own 9, Mahomes had his short pass tipped in the air by Nwosu, who also made the leaping interception. The Chargers took over at the Chiefs 2 yard line and this time they finished the job. Ekeler got in for the touchdown to give the Chargers a 21-13 lead with 9 1/2 minutes remaining.
Yet after 50 minutes dominated by the defenses, the offenses exploded in the final 10 minutes. The teams combined for 27 points over the first three quarters, but the fourth quarter alone featured a combined 29 points. The Chiefs soon faced 3rd and 5 at their own 30. Mahomes rolled out and found Kelce, who split the seams and was finally taken down from behind at the Chargers one yard line after a 69 yard gain. Mahomes hit Hill for the touchdown and Edwards-Helaire for the 2 point conversion and a 21-21 game midway through the fourth quarter. The Chargers soon faced 3rd and 3 at their own 32. Jackson gained just enough. Herbert hit Palmer and Cook for a pair of 15 yard gains. Jackson then ran for 15. On 3rd and 6 from the Chiefs 8, Herbert went to Allen for the touchdown. Of the 3 receivers injured during the game, Allen was able to gut it out and return. The good news for the Chargers was a 28-21 lead. The bad news for the Chargers was that the Chiefs had 2:19 left and a bunch of timeouts.
Mahomes after a touchback went to Kelce for 5 and Hill for 10. On 3rd and 10 from their own 40, Mahomes went to Hill for 20. Mahomes then broke containment and scrambled for a 32 yard gain. Mahomes found Kelce for a 7 yard touchdown..Andy Reid is not Brandon Staley. A 2 point conversion try was not going to happen. With 1:16 to play, the game was tied 28-28. After a touchback, the Chargers reached their own 44 with 39 seconds left. Yet an illegal shift on the offense and a pair of incompletions meant 4th and 15. This one time Staley restrained himself. He did not go for it in his own territory, allowing his punter to do his job. The Chiefs took over at their own 28. From their own 38 with 5 seconds left, there would be no Hail Mary. Andy Reid took a knee as both coaches stayed true to their coaching personalities.
The Chiefs won the coin toss and after a touchback made it look easy. Mahomes went to Kelce for 27 and Hill for 14 more. Mahomes then found Kelce, who split the seams and strutted into the end zone for a 34 yard touchdown to end the game. The Chargers never saw the ball in overtime. A major part of the loss must fall on Brandon Staley. Going on 4th down from time to time is fine, but going for it all the time is foolish. Many analytics experts are professional bean counters who have never played football. The Chargers would have won the game had they just kicked field goals rather than repeatedly going for it and coming up snake eyes. Rather than both teams being 9-5, the Chargers are 8-6 while the 10-4 Chiefs have a stranglehold on the AFC West. The Chiefs have won the division 5 straight times. their quest for their sixth straight AFC West title has them up 2 games on the Chargers with only 3 games left. Mahomes finished 31 of 47 for 410 yards, 3 touchdowns and one interception. The Chiefs won their 7th straight game. By Sunday, other teams lost games to give the Chiefs sole possession of the top seed in the AFC for home field throughout the playoffs. This makes Andy Reid a most happy walrus indeed. 34-28 Chiefs, OT
New England Patriots at Indianapolis Colts was the Saturday night game. Although Tom Brady is elsewhere and Peyton Manning is retired, this game was still highly anticipated. The 9-4 Patriots brought a 7 game win streak into Indianapolis on their quest to win home field advantage throughout the playoffs. Evil Hoodie Bill Belichick and his mini me henchman Josh McDaniels were still plotting. The 7-6 Colts were fighting for playoff survival. The Colts took over at their own 22. Dulin rancor a 37 yard gain. Jonathan Taylor then gashed the defense for gains of 11, 4, 6, 4, 5, and on 3rd and 1 from the New England 11, 3. On 1st and goal at the 8, Frank Reich went to his bag of tricks. After 6 straight runs by Taylor, this time Taylor took the direct snap but lateraled the ball to Carson Wentz, who then lateraled it to Nyheim Hines. With a key block from Taylor, Hines got into the end zone for the touchdown and the 7-0 Colts lead.
With the first quarter ending, the Patriots punted from their own 32. The Colts blocked it, and the appropriately named EJ Speed recovered it in the end zone for another touchdown and a 14-0 Colts lead. In the second quarter Frank Reich decided to gamble on 4th and inches from his own 44. Carson Wentz took the quarterback sneak and with a great second effort got barely enough for the first down. Wentz then rolled out and hit Zac Pascal for 23 yards. Wentz faked a handoff and then ran for 11. Taylor added 7 and 2. Again it was 3rd and 1 from the New England 11. Again, Taylor got 3. On 3rd and goal at the 7, Wentz fired to Mo Alie-Cox.high over the middle of the end zone. Cox saw it go right through his hands incomplete. Mike Badgley hit the 25 yard field goal to complete the 14 play, 58 yard, 9 minute drive and make it 17-0 Colts with 4 1/2 minutes left in the half.
After a touchback the Patriots moved to a 3rd and 3 at the Indianapolis 15. Mac Jones has managed games well all year but this time he threw his very first career red zone interception. Darrius Leonard picked him off at the Colts 3 yard line. The third quarter began with the Patriots facing 3rd and 1 at their own 34. Jones was intercepted by Okereke, who returned it 15 yards to the New England 20. Despite gift field position, a sack of Wentz on 3rd and 10 meant a 46 yard field goal try for Badgley. The kick was no good but the Patriots jumped offside. Given another chance from 41, Badgley was good and the Colts led 20-0. After a touchback, the Patriots soon faced 4th and 1 at their own 47. Bill Belichick went for it and Jones threw deep incomplete. Despite another short field, the Colts did not capitalize. Frank Reich went for it on 4th and 1 from the New England 38 and Wentz gained 2. Yet on 3rd and 3 from the New England 29, a run lost 2 yards. Badgley then missed a 49 yard field goal try, and this time he would not get a second chance.
The Patriots took over at their own 39. Jones hit Hunter Henry for 14. On 3rd and 4 from the Indianapolis 31, Jones hit Henry for 8 and then for 11 more. Consecutive offensive penalties had the Patriots facing 1st and 23 from the Indy 25. Jones hit Bolden for 13 as the third quarter ended. Despite being blanked for three quarters, on the first play of the fourth quarter Jones hit Henry for the 12 yard touchdown to get the Patriots within 20-7. After a touchback, Wentz hit TY Hilton for 19. Yet on the next play Wentz had his pass batted up in the air and intercepted by Devin McCourty. The Patriots took over at their own 47. The Patriots moved all the way to a 3rd and goal at the 2. A false start was a killer, and an incompletion sealed the drive. Nick Folk hit a 25 yard field goal as the Patriots got within 20-10 with 9 minutes left in regulation.
The Colts took over at their own 22 and Taylor ran for 12, 6 and 3 to set up 3rd and 1 at their own 43. This time Taylor got stopped for no gain. With 5 1/2 minutes left in his own territory, Frank Reich gambled and went for it. This time Wentz kept and his quarterback sneak got the yard. The drive stalled after that, but the Colts did take over 5 minutes off the clock. The Patriots took over at their own 18 with 3:48 left. Jones went to Kendrick Bourne for 20. On 3rd and 6 from their own 42, a completion for 12 yards was nullified by offsetting penalties. On the next play Jones went deep to Harry for 43 yards. On 3rd and goal at the 7, Jones hit Henry for the score. The Patriots were within 20-17 with 2:21 to play. Yet the defense needed one more stop, and they wouldn’t get it. On 2nd and 8 from his own 33, Taylor turned out the lights with a 67 yard touchdown run just before the 2 minute warning. After a touchback the Patriots soon faced 1st and 10 at midfield. Jones threw 4 straight incompletions. Wentz only threw 12 passes, completing 5 of them for 57 yards. The Colts ran the ball 39 times for 226 yards, led by Taylor with 170 yards on 29 carries. The Patriots had beaten the Colts 8 straight times coming in to this game, but this time the Colts got the win to stay very much alive in the playoff race. Meanwhile, the Patriots by Sunday would still be up one game in the AFC East but one game back for home field throughout the playoffs. 27-17 Colts
Dallas Cowboys at New York Giants — The 9-4 Cowboys could move one step closer to clinching the NFC Least by beating the awful Giants. The Cowboys moved from their own 14 to a 3rd and 6 at the Giants 36. Yet a false start took them out of field goal range. The Giants took over at their own 9. On 3rd and 5 from their own 29, Mike Glennon got hit just as he threw it and the ball popped high in the air for an interception. Lewis returned the interception 18 yards to the Giants 13. From that spot Ezekiel Elliott took the ball up the middle for the touchdown. Greg Zuerlein missed the extra point as the Cowboys led 6-0. The Giants moved from their own 25 to a 3rd and 5 at the Dallas 17. Glennon threw incomplete. Graham Gano hit a 35 yard field goal to get the Giants within 6-3.
The Cowboys began the second quarter at their own 34 and moved 58 yards in 10 plays and 5 minutes. Yet on 2nd and 7 from the Giants 10, Dak Prescott threw incomplete and then completed a pass for only 2 yards. Zuerlein hit the 26 yard field goal to make it 9-3 Cowboys. The Cowboys got it back at their own 8 and moved 68 yards in 16 plays in 6 1/2 minutes. Yet on 3rd and 4 from the Giants 12, Prescott was buried for a 12 yard loss. Zuerlein hit again from 42 to make it 12-3 Cowboys with 1:39 left in the half. That was enough time after a touchback for the Giants to self-destruct. From their own 40, Saquon Barkley fumbled and the Cowboys recovered at the Giants 46 with 38 seconds left. With 16 seconds left the Cowboys had 1st and 10 at the Giants 18. Yet a 9 yard completion forced the Cowboys to take their last timeout with 3 seconds left. Zuerlein hit his 3rd field goal from 27 as the Cowboys led 15-3 at the break.
The Giants began the third quarter facing 4th and 1 at their own 34. Joe Judge gambled. Booker got the carry and broke free for what looked to be a 66 yard touchdown. Yet to prevent the score, he was taken down by a horsecollar tackle after a 31 yard gain with 15 more for the flag. It was a good penalty as the Giants on 1st and 10 from the Dallas 20 moved backward. Gano hit a 42 yard field goal to get the Giants within 15-6. The Giants got it back at their own 8 and soon faced 4th and 1 from their own 29. Judge gambled again and became the 2nd coming of Barry Switzer as Glennon got stopped cold. Prescott hit CeeDee Lamb for 16 and Sprinkle for 10. Prescott hit Schultz for a one yard touchdown. Zuerlein again missed the extra point but the Cowboys led by 15. The fourth quarter was scoreless and pointless as the Giants remained witless and worthless. Glennon threw 2 more interceptions. The 10-4 Cowboys are marching toward the playoffs and the NFC Least title. 21-6 Cowboys
Houston Texans at Jacksonville Jaguars — Urban Meyer was fired the Thursday before the game by owner Shad Khan. Meyer’s brief tenure was marred by off the field incidents. Meyer joins Bobby Petrino and Lou Holtz as great college coaches not cut out for the pro game. All 3 men lasted an unlucky 13 games. At least Petrino and Holtz went 3-10. Meyer was 2-11. Even June Jones managed to go 22-36 in the NFL before finding college success at Hawaii. The goal is to find the next Jimmy Johnson, and it often fails in spectacular fashion. Meanwhile, this game was the Stupor Bowl between a pair of 2-11 teams. League rules prevented the game from being canceled. Add in pouring rain to compound the misery.
Interim coach Darrell Bevell will forever be the guy who did not hand the ball to Marshawn Lynch in the Super Bowl, but he cannot be blamed for what he inherited in Jacksonville. On 4th and 3 from their own 32, the Texans punted but a defensive illegal use of hands penalty instead gave the Texans a first down. On 3rd and 1 from their own 45, Davis Mills gained 2. On 3rd and 5 from the Jacksonville 47, Mills hit Cooks for just enough. On 3rd and 3 from the Jacksonville 34, Mills hit Johnson for just enough. On 3rd and 1 from the Jags 22, Mills went to Cooks for the first down and the touchdown. The 15 play, 75 yard, 8 1/2 minute drive made it 7-0 Texans.
The Jaguars moved from their own 17 to a 1st and 10 at the Houston 11. On 3rd and 10, a completion gained only 7. On 4th and 3 from the 4, Darrell Bevell took no chances. Wright hit the 22 yard field goal to get the Jaguars on the board. Yet Smith took the ensuing kickoff, broke through some terrible attempts at tackling, and took a convoy of blockers with him to the end zone for a 98 yard return touchdown and a 14-3 Texans lead. The Jaguars took over at their own 25. Robinson gained 12. Lawrence hit O’Shaugnessy for 12 more. Robinson gained 16. Lawrence went to Laquon Treadwell for 21. On 3rd and 1 from the Houston 5, Lawrence gained 4. Robinson got the last yard as the Jaguars were within 14-10 in the second quarter.
Kaimi Fairbairn then took over. After an exchange of punts the Texans had a short field at the Jacksonville 49. That was enough for Faorbairn to hit a 52 yard field goal in the hard rain for a 17-10 Texans lead. The Jaguars after a touchback moved to a 4th and 1 at the Houston 38 with 30 seconds left in the half. Darrell Bevell went for it and Lawrence got stopped for no gain. The Texans took over with only 21 seconds left. Mills hit Akins for 6, Cooks for 12 and Conley for 11. With 3 seconds left in the half, Fairbairn came in for a 51 yard try. He was again good to make it 20-10 Texans. A field position game in the third quarter had the Texans taking over at the Jacksonville 47. On 3rd and 7, Mills went deep to Phillip Dorsett for 33. Yet on 2nd and 6 from the Jags 7, Mills threw incomplete twice. Fairbairn hit his 3rd field goal from 25 to make it 23-10 Texans.
Then it was time for Wright to take his turn. After a touchback the Jaguars moved 55 yards in 12 plays and 6 minutes. Yet on 3rd and 8 from the Hsouton 20, Lawrence threw incomplete. Wright hit from 38 to get the Jaguars within 23-13. The Texans took over at their own 4 yard line and soon faced 3rd and 9 from their own 17 early in the fourth quarter. Mills was intercepted to set up the Jaguars at the Houston 22. Yet on 3rd and 12, a completion gained only 7. Wright hit again from 35 to get the Jaguars within 23-16 with 11 1/2 minutes left in regulation. A field position game had the Texans taking over at their own 45 with 5 minutes left. On 3rd and 9 from the Jags 43, Mills went deep to Brandin Cooks for the touchdown to ice the game. The Texans may lose to virtually everyone else, but they swept the Jaguars this year. 30-16 Texans
Tennessee Titans at Pittsburgh Steelers — The 9-4 Titans looked to maintain their strong lead in the AFC South and possibly get home field throughout the playoffs. The 6-6 Steelers were fighting for playoff survival. A 55 yard punt return by Chester Rodgers gave the Titans the ball at the Pittsburgh 25. On 3rd and 8 from the 12, Ryan Tannehill hit McNichols for 11. Tannehill got the last yard for a 7-0 Titans lead. The Titans got it back at their own 47 and moved to a 3rd and 9 at the Pittsburgh 12. A completion gained only 4 yards. Randy Bullock hit the 25 yard field goal to make it 10-0 Titans.
The Titans ere dominating when on 3rd and 5 from their own 20, an 8 yard completion from Tannehill to Anthony Firkser was fumbled. The Steelers took over at the Tennessee 36. On 3rd and 4 from the Titans 18, Ben Roethlisberger threw incomplete. Chris Boswell hit the 36 yard field goal to get the Steelers on the board. The Titans took over at their own 22 and mounted what could be the drive of the year. 19…Yes, 19…plays. 10 1/2…Yes, 10 1/2 minutes. 64 yards. Despite 1st and goal at the 4, the Titans did not finish the drive. A false start followed by getting the yardage back meant 3rd and goal at the 4. Tannehill was sacked. Bullock hit from 32 to make it 13-3 Titans. The Steelers took over at their own 22 with only 12 seconds left in the half. Somehow Big Ben completed 3 passes in only 11 seconds. Yet Boswell’s 56 yard field goal try at the gun was dead center but a bit short.
The Steelers took over at their own 37 midway through the third quarter. On 3rd and 1 from their own 46, Roethlisberger hit Pat Freiermuth for 5, but Freiermuth got blasted by 2 defenders and left the game with a concussion. The defensive unnecessary roughness penalty did add 15 more. Roethlisberger then hit Gentry for 17. On 3rd and goal at the one, Big Ben got in himself as the Steelers were within 13-10. The Titans moved from their own 25 to a 3rd and 6 at their own 42. A short completion was fumbled and the Steelers recovered at the Tennessee 42. They moved to 3rd and 7 at the Tennessee 10. Roethlisberger threw incomplete. Boswell hit from 28 to have the game tied 13-13 early in the fourth quarter. This was turning into a classic Steelers-Titans headknocker as a pair of Mikes in Tomlin and Vrabel wanted to play pure physical old-time smashmouth football.
After a touchback the Titans moved to a 3rd and 3 at the Pittsburgh 42. Tannehill had his pass batted up in the air and intercepted. Schobert returned the pick 24 yards to the Titans 31. On 3rd and 5 Big Ben was sacked. Boswell hit from 46 as the Steelers had their first lead of the day 16-13 midway through the fourth quarter. 2 plays after a touchback from the Tennessee 36, Tannehill fumbled and TJ Watt recovered for the Steelers at the Titans 35 with 6 1/2 minutes left. With 4 1/2 minutes left Boswell hit his 4th field goal from 48 to put the Steelers up by 6. After a touchback the Titans marched 65 yards in 13 plays. On 4th and 1 from the Pittsburgh 33, Dionte Foreman was met by 2 defenders short of the first down but bulldozed through them and through sheer will got the first down by the nose of the football at the 2 minute warning. With 34 seconds left the Titans faced 4th and 7 at the Pittsburgh 16. Tannehill hit Westbrook-Ikhine at the sticks. Controversy ensued and after several reviews, officials got the call right. A perfect tackle by Joe Haden left Westbrook-Ikhine short of the first down. The 7-6 Steelers are still alive while the 9-5 Titans are still one game up in the AFC South but one game back in the race for home field throughout the playoffs. 19-13 Steelers
New York Jets at Miami Dolphins — The Dolphins started 1-7 but have won 5 straight to stay alive in the playoff race. Now they needed to be the woeful Jets at home, who they beat in New York during their win streak. The Jets began at their own 17. Zach Wilson hit Ryan Griffin for 15 and Jamison Crowder for 14. Coleman ran for 11. Wilson hit Wesco for 13. On 3rd and goal at the 2, Braxton Berrios took the pitch around the right side and dove past the pylon for the touchdown to culminate the 10 play, 83 yard, 8 minute drive and make it 7-0 Jets. On the first play from scrimmage after a touchback, Tua Tagovailoa was intercepted by Davis, who returned it 18 yards to the Miami 25. Yet on 2nd and 7 from the Miami 9, a pair of incompletions ended the drive. Eddie Pineiro hit the 27 yard field goal to make it 10-0 Jets.
The Dolphins took over at their own 32. On 3rd and 1 from their 41, Johnson gained 10. On the first play of the second quarter from the Jets 39, Tagovailoa went deep to Parker for 37. Johnson got one yard and then the other one to get the Dolphins within 10-7. The Jets soon faced 2nd and 5 from their own 30. Wilson threw incomplete but roughing the passer added 15 yards. On 3rd and 1 from the Miami 46, the defense had 12 men on the field. From the Miami 40, Robert sales went to his bag of tricks. A lateral across the field was lateraled back to Wilson, who evaded a pair of rushers and threw across the field to Griffin for a 23 yard gain. Tevin Coleman did the rest, gaining 5, 7, 4, and the one yard touchdown to make it 17-7 Jets.
After a touchback, the Dolphins embarked on a 14 play, 69 yard, 7 1/2 minute drive. Yet on 2nd and goal at the 6, Tagovailoa threw incomplete twice. Jason Sanders hit a 24 yard field goal to get the Dolphins within 17-10 at the 2 minute warning. The Dolphins took over in the third quarter and soon faced 3rd and 6 at their own 26. Tagovailoa went to Ford for 27 and Johnson for 20. On 3rd and 9 from the Jets 26, Tagovailoa went to Mike Gesicki for 20. From the 6 yard line, Duke Johnson, just activated from the practice squad to help the depleted Dolphins, banged up the middle for 6 yards and stretched the ball just over the pylon. The touchdown tied the game 17-17. A short 29 yard punt gave the Dolphins the ball back at their own 42. On 3rd and 4, Tagovailoa hit Ford for 7 and then ran for 9 himself. On 4th and 1 from the Jets 24, Brian Flores took Tagovailoa out for one play and brought in Jacoby Brissett. Brissett gained 2. Johnson gained 11 as the fourth quarter began with the Dolphins at the Jets 11. Tagovailoa threw a one yard touchdown to Wilkins for a 24-17 Dolphins lead.
After a touchback Wilson hit Kroft for 24. Coleman ran for 20. Yet Wilson was then sacked and fumbled. The Dolphins moved from their own 39 to a 3rd and 1 at the Miami 48 Myles Gaskin got stopped and Brian Flores on 4th and 1 tried a fake punt. The Dolphins fumbled the snap and Sheldon Rankins fell on it for the Jets. Midway through the fourth quarter the Dolphins faced 2nd and 14 from their own 16. Tagovailoa went to the sideline and found rookie Brandon Echols, who plays defense for the Jets. Echols waltzed 20 yards into the end zone for the defensive touchdown and a 24-24 game midway through the fourth quarter.
After a touchback Tagovailoa hit Gesicki for 9. Johnson ran for 8. Gaskin then ran for 30 and 4. Johnson gained 12. On 3rd and 9 from the Jets 11, Tagovailoa quickly fired over the middle to Parker for the touchdown. The Dolphins had the 7 point lead. The Jets would have 3 1/2 minutes to tie the game. The Jets went 3 and out. With 2:14 left, Robert Saleh on 4th and 7 form his own 28 decided to punt and trust his defense. The Jets had 2 timeouts plus the 2 minute warning. Saleh’s strategy worked as the defense held. The Jets got yer ball back at their own 37 with 1:36 left and one timeout. Offensive holding immediately meant 1st and 20. On 4th and 10 with 1:15 left, Wilson hit Keenan Cole but for only 9 yards. A perfect tackle by Jones kept the Jets one yard short of the first down. The Dolphins swept the Jets this year and have won 6th straight. Their quest to become the first 1-7 team to make the playoffs remains alive. 31-24 Dolphins
Arizona Cardinals at Detroit Lions — Despite getting knocked around at home by the Rams, the 10-3 Cardinals came in tied for the best record in the NFC. They would clinch the NFC West with a win over a Detroit team that came in winners of only one game. The Lions took over at their own 18 and moved backward 4 yards on their first play. Yet then they moved forward on a 15 play, 63 yard, 9 minute drive. On 4th and 3 from the Arizona 14, Dan Campbell lined up to go for it, but it was just posturing. After the delay of game penalty, Patterson hit a 37 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Lions. The Lions got it back at their own 7 yard line. On 3rd and 5 from their 12, Jared Goff hit Igwebuike for 13. On 3rd and 5 from their own 30, Reynolds got around the end for 27. On the first play of the second quarter, Goff went deep to a wide open Amra St. Brown for a 37 yard touchdown and a stunning 10-0 Lions lead.
At the 2 minute warning, the Lions took over at their own 3 yard line. Goff hit Josh Reynolds for 15, with 15 more tacked on for roughing the passer. Goff then hit St. Brown for 15, with yet another 15 tacked on for a 2nd roughing the passer call. With 30 seconds left in the half the Lions faced 4th and 1 at the Arizona 28 as they took their 1st timeout. Dan Campbell went for it and Goff fired to St. Brown for 6. Goff then went to Reynolds for a 24 yard touchdown with 24 seconds left. A 97 yard drive had the Lions up 17-0 at the intermission.
After the third quarter touchback, the Cardinals tried to get back in the game. They moved to a 3rd and 3 at the Detroit 11. Kyler Murray threw incomplete. Matt Prater hit a 29 yard field goal to get the Cardinals on the board. The Lions after a touchback moved to the Arizona 47. A fumble gave the Cardinals the ball at their own 44. Yet 2 plays later Murray was intercepted by Oruwariye, who returned it 50 yards to the Arizona 6. One play later Goff hit Cabinda for the touchdown as the Lions were dominating 24-3. The Cardinals took over at their own 17. Murray hit Zac Ertz for 20. On 3rd and 9 from their own 38, Murray was chased backward about 20 yards but somehow avoided the sack, threw a prayer down the field, and hit AJ Green for 19. Yet on 2nd and goal at the 7 out of the shotgun, Murray fumbled the snap for a 4 yard loss. Prater hit from 29 but after three quarters the Cardinals were still down 24-6.
After a touchback the Lions held the ball for 10 plays and 5 1/2 minutes. Offensive holding at the Arizona 30 killed the drive but Patterson hit from 47 early in the fourth quarter to make it 27-6 Lions. The Cardinals managed one garbage touchdown but the Lions tacked on one more field goal. The 10-4 Cardinals have lost 2 straight. They are still one game up in the NFC West but are now one game back for home field throughout the playoffs. The Lions are playing with a ton of…pride. If ever there was a game that represented ESPN uber-announcer Chris Berman’s maxim, this was it. “THAT’s why they PLAY the GAMES!” 30-12 Lions
Carolina Panthers at Buffalo Bills — Panthers kicker Zane Gonzalez injured himself in pregame warmup, leaving the Panthers without a kicker. At 5-8 they were still alive for a playoff spot. Meanwhile the 7-6 Bills were also still alive as well. The Panthers moved from their own 30 to a 4th and 9 at the Buffalo 24. Yet without a kicker to try a 42 yard field goal, Matt Rhule had to go for it. Cam Newton threw incomplete. The Panthers got it back at their own 26 and moved to a 4th and 1 at midfield. This time rule just gambled and Newton threw incomplete On 3rd and 2 from the Carolina 42, Josh Allen hit Dawson Knox for 15. David Singletary ran for a 16 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Bills. The Bills got it back at their own 43. Allen hit Knox for 10 and Cole Beasley for 12. A defensive facemask on the next play added 15 more yards to a 6 yard run. Allen hit Stefan Diggs for an 11 yard touchdown to make it 14-0 Bills.
With 2:45 left in the half and the Bills dominating, Allen was intercepted to set up the Panthers at the Buffalo 37. Matt Rhule again brought out a trick play. Newton handed the ball off, and then it was lateraled to Robby Anderson for a 30 yard gain. Newton ran for a 4 yard touchdown. Without a kicker, Rhule had to go for 2. Newton fired to DJ Moore for the conversion to get the Panthers within 14-8. The Bills took over at their own 29 and still had 1:40 to work with. On 3rd and 1 from their 38, Allen hit McKenzie for 7 and Davis for 11. A 7 yard completion to Diggs was followed by a 15 yard roughing the passer penalty. With 8 seconds left in the half the Bills had 3rd and 3 at the Carolina 8. Allen threw incomplete. Tyler Bass hit the 26 yard field goal as the Bills took a 17-8 lead to the locker rooms.
In the third quarter the Bills took over at their own 26. On 3rd and 9 from their own 39, Allen was sacked but defensive unnecessary roughness meant 15 yards. Allen then hit Davis for 28. On 3rd and 12 from the Carolina 20, Allen hit Davis for the touchdown. Midway through the third quarter, the Bills led 24-8. After a touchback the Panthers moved 65 yards in 15 plays and 6 minutes. Yet on the first play of the fourth quarter and going for it on 4th and 5 from the Buffalo 10, Newton threw incomplete. The Bills punted on 4th and 16 from their own 6 and a short 37 yard punt gave the Panthers a short field at the Buffalo 43. Newton hit Moore for 16. On 3rd and 6 from the Buffalo 23, Newton hit Ameer Abdullah for a 23 yard touchdown. The 2 point try failed but the Panthers were within 24-14 with 11 minutes left in the game. With 6 minutes left the Panthers faced 4th and 10 from the Buffalo 46. Newton was sacked. The Bills soon faced 3rd and 5 at the Carolina 41. McKenzie took the direct snap 8 yards. With 2:07 to play the Bills faced 4th and 2 at the Carolina 14. Allen went to Gabriel Davis for the touchdown to ice the game. The Panthers are on life support while the 8-6 Bills are alive for the playoffs. 31-14 Bills
Cincinnati Bengals at Denver Broncos — Both teams came in 7-6 and in desperation mode for the playoffs. This game was a defensive bonelock. The Bengals got on the board in the first quarter when Evan McPherson nailed a 53 yard field goal. Brandon McManus responded for the Broncos from 54 in the second quarter for a 3-3 game. With 14 seconds left in the half on 4th and 1 from the Cincinnati 33, Vic Fangio brought in McManus for a 51 yard try. McManus hooked to by a country mile no good. That left 9 seconds and the Bengals at their own 41. Joe Burrow fired over the middle to Trevor Boyd for 19. With 4 seconds left McPherson came in for a 58 yard try. He nailed it. Rather than trading 6-3, the Bengals had the 6-3 halftime advantage. In the third quarter from their own 20, the Bengals moved 72 yards in 11 plays and 5 minutes. Yet on 3rd and 8 from the Denver 11, a completion gained only 3 yards. McPherson hit from 26 to make it 9-3 Bengals with 6 1/2 minutes left in the third quarter. The Broncos soon faced 3rd and 5 at their own 30. Bridgwater scrambled and made a leaping dive for the first down but came down hard and was taken off the field on a stretcher for a concussion.
Drew Lock came in for Bridgwater and the Broncos offense responded. Williams gained 14 and 4. Melvin Gordon picked up 5 and 7. Lock went deep to Patrick for a 25 yard touchdown. Just like that, with 1:15 left in the third quarter, the Broncos led 10-9. The Bengals took over at their own 32 and needed only 2 plays to retake the lead. Joe Mixon gained 12. Burrow then went deep to Boyd, who faked out a defender and raced for a 56 yard touchdown. The 2 point conversion try saw Boyd drop the pass. After three quarters the Bengals led 15-10. The Broncos began the fourth quarter facing 3rd and 8 at their own 27. Lock hit Okwugbuenam for 24. On 3rd and 11 from midfield, Lock threw incomplete but defensive pass interference meant a 13 yard gain. On 3rd and 3 from the Cincy 30, Williams gained 7. Gordon added 13. On 2nd and goal from the 9, things got bizarre.
Lock tried to scramble. Kareem ripped the ball out of Lock’s hands for a fumble recovery. Big man with football Kareem stumbled to the ground but got back up without being touched. He picked up some blockers and returned the ball all the way to his own 40. However, he then had the ball chopped out of his hands and that fumble was recovered by the Broncos. After all of that, the Broncos had 1st and 10 again at the Cincinnati 40. Yet it was the Bengals who got a major break when officials ruled that Kareem was down by contact after he got up. Kareem got lucky, as the Bengals took over at their own 15 with 10 minutes left in regulation. Yet Kareem was also unlucky, as he was injured on the play and carted off the field.
The Bengals failed to move the ball but a good punt had the Broncos pinned at their own 5 yard line with 6:45 left. A handoff to Williams saw him being tackled dead to rights around his own one but somehow escaping and gaining 10 yards. Lock then went to Ogwuegbunam for 24. Offensive holding had the Broncos facing 2nd and 18 from their own 42 with 4 minutes left. Lock then had his pass tipped but somehow caught by Noah Fant for a 5 yard gain. On 3rd and 13 and Lock yelling “Elway” before the snap, Lock failed to imitate team president John Elway. Lock’s pass was off the mark and bounced off the receiver’s outstretched fingers. With all 3 timeouts, Vic Fangio opted to punt and trust his defense rather than gamble on 4th and 13. It was the smart call.
The Bengals took over at their own 22 with 3:40 to play. The Broncos took a pair of timeouts on defense as the Bengals faced 3rd and 10. Burrow fired over the middle to Boyd for 15 and a monster first down. On the next play Mixon ran for one yard but then went down injured. With 2:36 left, the clock would have continued running but Vic Fanio opted to take Denver’s last timeout. Another run gained one more yard as the clock ticked down to the 2 minute warning. On 3rd and 8 from their own 38 yard line and the Broncos out of timeouts, the play is simple. You run the ball in this situation. Every. Single. Time. You do not even think of throwing the ball. Take the clock down to 1:15 and punt. Do not risk an incompletion that stops the clock. After failing to get the Broncos to jump offside, Burrow called the Bengals last timeout.
Zac Taylor played it safe, ran the ball, and pun ted. The punt was fielded at the Broncos 9 yard line but returned 16 yards to the 25. 1:04 remained. Then came offensive holding and 1st and 20. A potential interceptions as dropped as it went right through the defender’s hands. Lock was sacked as the clock ticked down. On 3rd and 29 from their own 6, the defense jumped offside. Yet on 3rd and 24, only 18 seconds remained. A deep ball into triple coverage fell incomplete. On 4th and 24 form their own 11 with 9 seconds left, Lock threw the ball far out of bounds. The Bengals got the tough road win to get to 8-6. They are in a 3 way tie for the AFC North lead. The Bengals hold the tie-breaker, which means they now lead their division. The Broncos at 7-7 are hanging by a thread. 15-10 Bengals
Atlanta Falcons at San Francisco 49ers — Both the 6-7 Falcons and 7-6 49ers were still barely alive for a playoff spot. The 49ers fumbled the opening kickoff and the Falcons took over at the San Francisco 12. On 1st and goal at the one, Cordarelle Patterson got in but on further review was called short. Matt Ryan threw incomplete and Patterson was stopped again. Arthur Smith went for it on 4th and goal at the one. Ryan threw incomplete. The defensive goal line stand was wasted by the 49ers offense and special teams, as a 39 yard punt had the Falcons getting it back just past midfield. On 3rd and 2 from the San Francisco 30, Ryan threw incomplete. Younghoe Koo hit the 48 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Falcons. The 49ers took over at their own 9 yard line and moved 79 yards in 11 plays and 6 minutes. On 3rd and 8 from the Atlanta 15, a completion gained only 3 yards. Robbie Gould hit from 30 for a 3-3 game.
The 49ers in the second quarter took over at their own 23. On 1st and 15 from their 18, Jimmy Garoppolo went to Brandon Aiyuk for 28. Wilson ran for 17, 2 and 3. On 3rd and 5 from the Atlanta 24, Garoppolo hit Jennings for 9. On 3rd and 1 from the Atlanta 6, Kyle Juszczyk took a handoff up the middle for a touchdown to make it 10-3 49ers. The Falcons soon faced 3rd and 5 at their own 40. The 49ers jumped into the neutral zone, resulting in a first down. On 3rd and 4 just past midfield, Ryan hit Gage for 13. On 3rd and 4 from the Frisco 30, a sack of Ryan was nullified by roughing the passer, adding 15 more yards. Ryan went to Gage for a 20 yard touchdown and a 10-10 deadlock with 4 minutes left in the half.
From their own 25, Garoppolo went deep to Deebo Samuel for 30. On 3rd and 7 from the Atlanta 42, Garoppolo threw incomplete but defensive pass interference meant 14 more yards. Garoppolo hit Jennings for 15. Samuel ran for a 10 yard touchdown with 30 seconds left to make it 17-10 49ers. A strong kickoff return had the Falcons at their own 40 to start the third quarter. Yet on 3rd and 8 from their 42, Ryan was sacked and fumbled. The 49ers took over at the Atlanta 38. Garoppolo went to George Kittle for 13 and Samuel for 21. Wilson ran for a 5 yard touchdown to make it 24-10 49ers.
After a touchback the Falcons moved to a 2nd and goal at the 4. Ryan threw incomplete twice. With 6 1/2 minutes left in the third quarter, Arthur Smith opted for the field goal. Koo hit from 22 to get the Falcons within 24-13. The 49ers soon faced 3rd and 4 at their own 31. Garoppolo hit Kittle for 15. Wilson gained 8 and 13. Hasty added 13 more. On 3rd and goal at the 4, Garoppolo hit Jennings for the touchdown. After 3 quarters, a once close game was now an 18 point 49ers romp. The fourth quarter was scoreless as the 49ers got to 8-6 and alive while the 6-8 Falcons are on the brink of elimination. 31-13 49ers
Green Bay Packers at Baltimore Ravens — The 10-3 Packers were still eyeing home field advantage throughout the playoffs while the 8-5 Ravens clung to their AFC North lead but had lost 2 straight. For the second straight week, Tyler Huntley would start in place of an injured Lamar Jackson. The Ravens took over at their own 23 and moved 70 yards in 14 plays and 7 1/2 minutes. Despite 2nd and goal at the 3, Huntley threw incomplete twice. John Harbaugh inexplicably decided to go for it, and on 4th and goal from the 3, Huntley was sacked. A penalty on the kicking team on a Green Bay punt for fair catch interference had the Ravens getting it back at the Green Bay 45. Huntley went to Mark Andrews for 22. On 3rd and 7 from the Green Bay 20, Huntley hit Proche for 8, Hollywood Brown for 4, and Andrews for the 8 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Ravens. The Packers took over and after offensive holding faced 1st and 15 at their own 11. Aaron Rodgers went to Lazard for 17. On 3rd and 4 from their own 34, Rodgers hit Lazard for 6 as the first quarter ended. Rodgers began the second quarter by hitting Devante Adams for 11. Rodgers then went deep to Marques Valdes-Scantling for 31 Roughing the passer on an incompletion added 9 more. Dillon ran for a 2 yard touchdown to make it 7-7.
The Ravens took over at their own 27. A low block on the defense gave the Ravens 15 more yards. Latavius Murray then ran for 15. On 3rd and 3 from the Green Bay 32, Huntley hit Andrews for 9. On 3rd and 4 from the Green Bay 17, Huntley hit Devin Duvernay for 7. Huntley hit Andrews for a 9 yard touchdown. The 11 play, 73 yard, 5 1/2 minute drive meant a 14-7 Ravens lead midway through the second quarter. The Packers took over at their own 23. Rodgers went to Davis for 22. Aaron Jones ran for 10 and 9. Rodgers added 8. Rodgers hit Dillon for 13. On 3rd and goal at the 3 with 1:11 left in the half, Rodgers hit Adams for the touchdown to cap the 11 play, 77 yard, 6 minute drive. 4 straight touchdown drives, 2 by each team, meant a 14-14 game at the half.
The Packers began the third quarter facing 3rd and 6 at their 24. Rodgers hit Adams for just enough. Jones gained 11 and 5. On 3rd and 1 from midfield, Rodgers hit Deguara for just enough. Jones gained 9 and 3. Rodgers hit Adams for 16. On 3rd and 10 from theBaltimore 21, Rodgers threw incomplete but defensive pass interference meant a 12 yard gain. On the next play Rodgers hit Jones for the 9 yard touchdown. The 13 play, 80 yard, 7 1/2 minute drive had the Packers up 21-14. The Ravens after a touchback moved to a 4th and 1 at the Green Bay 15. John Harbaugh decided to go for it. Yet a false start killed the try. Justin Tucker hit the 38 yard field goal but the Ravens trailed 21-17 with 3 1/2 minutes left in the third quarter.
The Packers took over at their own 12. Rodgers hit Valdes-scantling for 7 and Deguara for 5 and 9. The Packers began the fourth quarter facing 3rd and 4 at the Baltimore 45. A false start meant 3rd and 9 from midfield. Rodgers hit Valdes-Scantling for 25, Adams for 14, and Valdes-Scantling for the 11 yard touchdown. With 13 minutes in regulation, the Packers led 28-17. With 12 minutes left John Harbaugh decided to gamble on 4th and 6 from his own 29. Huntley threw incomplete. Rodgers went to Marcedes Lewis for 24 to set up 1st and goal at the 6. The Packers had a chance to ice the game. On 2nd and goal from the 5, Rodgers was sacked followed by a 3rd down incompletion. Mason Crosby hit the 23 yard field goal to put the Packers up 31-17 with 9 1/2 minutes left in regulation. Yet they did not slam the door shut.
After a touchback, Huntley threw incomplete but defensive pass interference meant a 16 yard gain. On 3rd and 2 just shy of midfield, Murray gained 6. Huntley hit Brown for 5, ran for 10 himself, hit Brown again for 5 more, ran for 7 more himself, and hit Brown for gains of 5, 6 and 3. On 3rd and 6 from the Green Bay 14, Huntley threw incomplete. With 5 1/2 minutes left, a defensive stop would end things. Instead Huntley hit Andrews for 11. Huntley then ran for the 3 yard touchdown. The 12 play, 75 yard drive had the Ravens within 31-24 points with 4:47 to play.
The Packers punted on 4th and 19 from their own 9 and the Ravens took over just past midfield with 2:23 to play. Huntley ran for 15. On 3rd and 5 from the Green By 29, Huntley hit Andrews for 6 and 12. Huntley ran for an 8 yard touchdown. With 42 seconds left, John Harbaugh decided to go for 2 and the win rather than kick the extra point and tie the game. 2 weeks ago that very same decision cost Baltimore in a one point loss to Pittsburgh. That time Jackson was at the helm. This time Huntley rolled out and fired incomplete as the play was well defended. The Packers at 11-3 have a one game lead in the NFC for home field throughout the playoffs. They became the first NFL team in 2021 to clinch a playoff spot as they locked up the NFC North division. The reeling Ravens have lost 3 straight to drop to 8-6. They are now in tied for first place in the AFC North but they do not hold the tie-breaker. 31-30 Packers
New Orleans Saints at Tampa Bay Buccaneers was the Sunday night game. The Saints snapped a 5 game losing streak last week and at 6-7 would have to get to .500 without head coach Sean Payton, out with a positive Covid test. The Saints are clinging to playoff life. The 10-3 Buccaneers are looking to wrap up the NFC South and possibly have home field advantage throughout the playoffs. The Saints beat the Buccaneers in New Orleans a few weeks ago and had Taysom Hill, Alvin Kamara and Mark Ingram back in the lineup. For over 3 1/2 quarters this game was a defensive bonelock. Brett Maher hit field goals of 39 in the first quarter, 35 to open the second quarter. Ryan Succop missed a 45 yard field goal for the Buccaneers in the second quarter. With 6 minutes left in the third quarter Bruce Arians gambled on 4th and 1 from the Saints 36. Tom Brady threw incomplete. Then after moving from their own 19 to a 3rd and 7 at the Saints 24, Brady got belted and fumbled the ball away. Midway through the fourth quarter, Maher’s 3rd field goal from 42 had the Saints up by 9. Saints. With 5 minutes left the Bucs took over at their own 3. On 3rd and 10 from their own 33 with 3:40 left, Brady was intercepted. The Saints took only 16 seconds off the clock as the Buccaneers took all 3 timeouts on defense. Yet a killer roughing the kicker penalty kept the drive going. The Saints ran 3 more times and took the clock down to one minute. The 7-7 Saints have beaten the Buccaneers 4 straight times in the regular season. The 10-4 Buccaneers are now one game back in the battle for home field throughout the playoffs. This was a lights out performance by the Saints defense and defensive coordinator Dennis Allen in place of Sean Payton. 9-0 Saints
Las Vegas Raiders at Cleveland Browns was a Monday afternoon game delayed from Saturday afternoon due to Covid. Last year the Raiders went into Cleveland and got a smash mouth 16-6 win. This year both teams have faced different kinds of turmoil. The Raiders turmoil off the field is well known as bears no repeating. The 5-2 record is now 6-7 and on life support while the 7-6 Browns would be in first or last place in their division depending on this game. The Browns had a major Covid outbreak. 18 players including 8 starters were out. The Browns were without quarterback Baker Mayfield and backup Case Keenum. Nick Mullins was activated from the practice squad, but he played well in games last year for San Francisco. The Browns were also without head coach Kevin Stefanski, also due to Covid. Yet they won a road playoff game last year without him. The Raiders were without star tight end Darren Waller and defensive back Trayvon Mullin. Football does not allow for excuses.
A 29 yard punt return by Hunter Renfrow had the Raiders starting their first drive at their own 42. Derek Carr hit Renfrow for 12. On 3rd and 4 from the Cleveland 41, Carr hit Desean Jackson for 11 and Josh Jacobs for 17. On 3rd and goal from the 5, Carr hit Bryan Edwards for the touchdown. The 11 play, 58 yard, 7 minute drive had the Raiders up 7-0. In past years the offense had to score because the defense was terrible. Now the defense has improved, so the offense gets their one touchdown and asks the defense to do the rest. Then the inevitable defensive breakdown late turns wins into losses. The Raiders were playing against backups with their season on the line. The Browns had plenty of heart, and the Raiders would show whether or not they did as well. They would not reach the end zone in the final three quarters.
With 6 minutes left in the half the Raiders took over at their own 39. They moved 56 yards in 13 plays and 5 1/2 minutes. With 1:14 left in the half, the Raiders had reached 1st and goal at the 6. The Raiders should have run the d@mn ball and forced the Browns to take their last 2 timeouts. Yet a pair of incomplete passes followed by a delay of game and another incompletion killed the drive. Daniel Carlson hit the 24 yard field goal to make it 10-0 Raiders, but they left nearly one minute on the clock. Naturally, the Raiders defense melted down as the Browns after a touchback moved to a 2nd and 4 at the Raiders 29 with 11 seconds left. Mullens threw incomplete to leave 5 seconds. Chase McLaughlin came in for the 47 yard field goal try. It was no good as the Raiders still led 10-0 at the break.
Yet the Raiders never just put games away. Their first drive of the second half gave them a chance to go up 17-0. Instead, a pair of perfectly thrown balls by Carr were dropped as the Raiders went 3 and out. The defense held and the Raiders got it back at their own 25. They took nearly 5 minutes off the clock and had 1st and 10 at the Cleveland 47. Again, they were in total control. Yet a sack of Carr saw the defense rip the ball out of his hands. The Browns took over with a short field at the Raiders 47. Mullens hit Njoku for 13. Nick Chubb ran for 4, 24 and 2. On 3rd and goal from the 4 with the defense smelling pass, Chubb took the handoff off tackle and got in. with 4 minutes left in the third quarter, the Browns were within 10-7. Raiders fans have seen this many times before.
The Raiders took over at their own 27 and moved 52 yards in 10 plays and nearly 5 minutes. Yet just shy of the red zone, the drive died again. 1st and 10 at the Cleveland 22 led to a one yard run and a pair of incompletions. The fourth quarter began with Carlson hitting a 40 yard field goal. The Raiders led 13-7, but everyone knew what was going to happen. The defense even forced a 3 and out, but the offense could not get a first down. The Browns got it back at their own 20. On 3rd and 3 from their 27, Mullens hit Bryant for 5. On 3rd and 3 from their own 39 , Mullens hit Donovan Peoples-Jones for 25. Chubb gained 12 and 2. On 3rd and 8 from the Raiders 22, Mullens hit Peoples-Jones for 11. With 3:45 left, everything came down to 4th and 5 from the Raiders 6. The unknown guy subbing for Kevin Stefanski could have kicked a field goal and trusted his defense, but why bother? He knew the Raiders would fold because they had folded on this entire drive. Mullens hit Harrison Bryant for the touchdown and the 14–13 Browns lead. This was a typical Raiders game. Ineffective offense, inability to finish drives, and a collapse by an exhausted defense.
The Raiders were losing to backups. The difference in this game was that the Browns had heart and the Raiders did not. On the 3rd play from scrimmage after a touchback from his own 38, Carr went bombs away and was intercepted. With 3 minutes left, the only thing left was for the Browns to gain one first down and end the Raiders season. With 2 1/2 left and the Raiders out of timeouts, the Browns had 3rd and 3 from their own 30. One more play and 3 more yards would put the Raiders out of their misery. This time Chubb got the carry and the defense stopped him cold as the clock ticked down to the 2 minute warning. The Browns punted and the Raiders took over at their own 29 with 1:50 left and 0 timeouts. The Raiders had life.
There are plenty of players on the Raiders who lack heart when it matters. They drop critical passes or take dumb penalties in key situations. Far too many of the players on the Raiders lack heart. Yet Derek Carr is the leader of the team. He does have heart, plenty of it. On 3rd and 7 from his own 32, Carr hit Zee Jones for 12, Jacobs for 9, and Jones again for 17. Yet offensive holding nullified the last big gain. With 30 seconds left the Raiders faced 2nd and 11 back at their own 43. Carr hit Moreau for 12, and he got out of bounds with 22 seconds left. Carr then fired a laser to Jones for 15. Jones did not get out of bounds but Carr gathered everyone up to the line and calmly spiked the ball with 4 seconds left at the Cleveland 30.
Carr did his job. He has spent 8 years bailing out his team. With everything on the line, Carr got it done. Now it was up to kicker Carlson, who recently signed a 4 year contract extension. He has a long leg and makes most of his field goals, but he has missed a couple of easy extra points in his career. Carlson made the field goal, but the Browns called timeout just before the kick. Carlson had to try it again. He was dead center. The Raiders and Browns were both 7-7. The Raiders have 2 of their last 3 games at home, and both of those are against AFC West opponents. This was a hideously ugly win, but Al Davis never cared about that. For those who bleed silver and black, the hope is that Carr will quietly behind the scenes teach his teammates how to have heart. 16-14 Raiders
Minnesota Vikings at Chicago Bears was the Monday night game. The 6-7 Vikings needed a win over the lowly Bears to stay alive for a playoff spot. A field position game had the Vikings take over at their own 46 early on. On 3rd and 8, Kirk Cousins hit Justin Jefferson for 18. Dalvin Cook ran for 7, 10 and 2. On 3rd and 5 from the Chicago 12, Cousins hit Jefferson for the touchdown to make it 7-0 Vikings. After a touchback the Bears faced 2nd and 11 from the Minnesota 47. Justin Fields kept the ball and fumbled as the Vikings took over at the Same spot. The Vikings moved to a 1st and 10 at the Chicago 12, but an incompletion and a failed run were followed on 3rd and 10 by a sack. Greg Joseph hit a 37 yard field goal to make it 10-0 Vikings in the second quarter. The Bears moved from their own 30 to a 2nd and 7 at the Minnesota 10, but Montgomery got hit and fumbled the ball away. The Bears from their own 35 moved to a 1st and 10 at the Minnesota 13. Fields was sacked for a 14 yard loss. Cairo Santos hit a 34 yard field goal to get the Bears on the board. cousins was then intercepted as the Bears got it back at the Minnesota 39 with 45 seconds left in the half. On 3rd and 2 , Fields threw incomplete. On 4th and 2 with 30 seconds left, Cairo Santos’s 49 yard field goal try was blocked.
The Vikings took over in the third quarter at their own 23 and soon faced 3rd and 18 from their 15. Cook gained 15, but a very questionable defensive penalty for a low block meant 15 yards and an automatic first down. Nwangwu gashed the defense for gains of 19 and 11. On 3rd and 3 from the Chicago 28, a run lost a couple yards but defensive unnecessary roughness kept the drive going. On 3rd and 2 from the Chicago 7, Cousins hit Smith-Marsette for the score. The 12 play, 77 yard, 5 1/2 minute drive had the Vikings up 17-3. The Vikings got it back but a shanked 17 yard punt gave the Bears the ball at the Minnesotaa 30. Yet on 3rd and 2, a run gained only one yard. Matt Nagy went for it on 4th and 1 from the Minnesota 21 and Fields was sacked. Early in the fourth quarter the Vikings barely avoided having a punt blocked, and the Bears fumbled the punt and the Vikings recovered at the Chicago 37.
The Chicago defense pushed the Vikings out of field goal range and the Bears got it back at their own 10 in the fourth quarter. They moved to a 1st and goal at the 7. A run lost 2 yards and Fields then threw incomplete. On 3rd and goal at the 9, Fields threw to a receiver who was well defended. The ball was still catchable and the receiver dropped it. On 4th and goal at the 9 wit 8 1/2 minutes left in regulation, Fields went to Mooney in the end zone. Mooney made a leaping catch but officials ruled he was out of bounds. Mooney did not get both feet down but he did get one knee down. His knee came down in bounds just before his elbow landed out of bounds. It was a touchdown, and officials blew the call. Matt Nagy challenged the call and stunningly lost the challenge. It was a cruel gut punch for the Bears. The Bears got it back at their own 44 and moved to a 3rd and 4 at the Minnesota 14. Fields had a receiver in the end zone but overthrew him. On 4th and 4 with 4:15 left, Fields found a receiver but this time the receiver just dropped it. The Bears did finally reach the end zone on the final play of the game but it was too little, too late. The Vikings got to 7-7 in a typical ugly NFC North slugfest. 17-9 Vikings
Washington Gridlock at Philadelphia Eagles was a Tuesday night game delayed from Sunday afternoon due to Covid. Both teams came in 6-7 and fighting for playoff survival. The Washington Gridlock were without Taylor Heinicke due to Covid protocols. A few days ago Garrett Gilbert was on New England’s practice squad. Now all of a sudden he was starting for the No-Names in prime time. On the Eagles 3rd play from scrimmage on 3rd and 1 from their own 22, Jalen Hurts threw a pass to Dallas Goedert, who bobbled it, dropped it, saw it bounce off his foot without touching the ground, and then get snagged out o the air by Landon Collins to set up the No-Names at the Philadelphia 26. On 3rd and 2, Gibson gained 5. On 3rd and 2 from the Philadelphia 5, Gibson gained 4 and then the one yard touchdown to make it 7-0 No-Names. The Eagles moved from their own 31 to a 2nd and 6 at the Washington 16. Yet Hurts was then sacked and fumbled. Again it was Landon Collins playing Johnny on the pot as he returned dit 23 yards to set up the No-Names at their own 47. Gilbert then went deep to Terry McLaurin for 46. Yet despite 1st and goal at the 7, the No-Names could not finish the drive. On 3rd and goal from the 4, Gilbert threw incomplete. Johnson hit a 22 yard field goal. The No-Names led 10-0 thanks to 2 Eagles turnovers.
In the second quarter the Eagles took over at their own 23. Hurts went deep to Goedert, who redeemed himself with a 45 yard gain. Myles Sanders then ran for 4 and 19. Despite 2nd and goal at the 2, Sanders got stopped and Hurts then threw incomplete. Kevin Siriani decided not to gamble on 4th and goal at the 2. Jake Elliott hit the 20 yard field goal to get the Eagles on the board. The Eagles got it back at their own 23 with 6:20 left in the half and used most of it. On 3rd and 5 from their own 28, Hurts hit Goedert for 8 and Jalen Reagor for 17. Hurts went to goedert for 21. Sanders gained 4, 4 and on 3rd and 2 from the Washington 14, 10. Hurts ran for 3 and then for the one yard touchdown with 90 seconds left in the half for a 10-10 deadlock. After a third quarter touchback, Sanders ran for 8, Hurts added 9, and Sanders gained 37. Hurts hit Goedert for 20 down to the one. Hurts got the last yard himself as the Eagles led 17-10. Coaches talk about doubling up, the idea of scoring to end the first half and begin the second half. the Eagles did it perfectly.
The Eagles took over at their own 37 with 6 minutes left in the third quarter and used almost all of it. On 2nd and 8 from the Washington 21, a sack of Hurts killed the drive. Yet Elliott hit a 37 yard field goal to put the Eagles up 20-10 after three quarters. The No-Names began the fourth quarter facing 3rd and 3 from their own 38. Defensive pass interference on an incompletion added 23 yards. On 3rd and 1 from the Philly 30, Gilbert went to Bates for 29 down to the one. Patterson got in for the score as the No-Names were within 20-17 with 12 minutes left in regulation. The Eagles took over at their own 20. Runs and short passes set up a critical 3rd and 6 for the Eagles at their own 47. Hurts went to Reagor for 34 and then found ward for a 19 yard touchdown to put the Eagles back up by 10 midway through the fourth quarter. The No-Names moved after a touchback to a 1st and 10 at the Philly 40. Yet on 3rd and 7 in long field goal range and needing 2 scores, Gilbert was sacked for a 2 yard loss. Riverboat Ron Rivera passed up a 57 yard field goal try and went for it on 4th and 9 with 2:43 to play. Gilbert was sacked again to end it. The 7-7 Eagles are alive while the 6-8 No-Names are on life support. These teams meet again in 2 weeks in Washington. 27-17 Eagles.
Seattle Seahawks at Los Angeles Rams is a Tuesday night game delayed from Sunday afternoon due to Covid. The 9-4 Rams still had a shot at winning the NFC West and even an outside shot at home field throughout the playoffs. The Seahawks were done for the year, but had won 2 straight. Throw out the records when these rivals meet. The first half was all defense. The Rams got on the board on their first drive when Sean McVay gambled on a 55 yard field goal and Matt Gay delivered. Yet with 1:56 left in the half and the Rams facing 4th and 2 from the Seattle 32, McVay opted against letting gay try a 50 yarder. His gamble backfired when Stafford threw incomplete. That left enough time for Russell Wilson to hit Everett for 11 and then deep for 34 on a duck that somehow made it after his arm was hit while throwing. Despite 1st and 10 from the Rams 14 with 53 seconds left, a sack and a false start killed the drive. Jason Myers hit from 39 with 10 seconds left. Rather than the Rams up 6-0, it was a 3-3 slugfest at the half.
The Seahawks finally got it going after the second half kickoff. Rashaad Penny ran for 7 and 6. On 2nd and 11 from their own 37, Wilson hit Swaim for 25. Dallas ran for 7 and 6. On 3rd and 9 from the Rams 24, Wilson hit DK Metcalf for 12. Dallas ran for 8 and then the 4 yard touchdown as the 11 play, 75 yard, 5 1/2 minute drive made it 10-3 Seahawks.The Rams took over at their 14 and Sony Michel gained 9. On 3rd and 1 from their own 23, Stafford went deep to Cooper Kupp for 32. Michel then broke free for a 39 yard gain, punishing defenders along the way and throwing them out of the way. Stafford then fired over the middle just beyond the plane of the goal to Kupp for a 6 yard touchdown. After 30 minutes without a touchdown, Both teams scored one on their opening third quarter drive for a 10-10 ballgame.
A sack of Stafford had the Rams facing 2nd and 18 from their own 4 yard line late in the third quarter. The fourth quarter began with the Rams facing 3rd and 12 from their 10. Stafford hit Skowronek for only 8, but defensive holding instead meant an automatic first down. Stafford then went to Sony Michel for 24. From midfield, Jefferson took an end around 10 yards. Stafford then hit Kupp for 11 and again deep for a 29 yard touchdown. with 11 minutes left in regulation the Rams led 17-10. The defenses dug in again. With 3:20 to play on 4th and 6 from midfield, Wilson went deep incomplete. There was defensive pass interference that was not called, and the Seahawks made matters worse by taking a 15 yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. The Rams took over at the Seattle 35. Michel ran for 17. With 1:51 left Gay hit a 35 yard field goal to lock up the win. The Seahawks have their first losing season in a decade. The 10-4 Rams are tied for the NFC West lead but do not hold the tie-breaker. 20-10 Rams