Buffalo Bills at Los Angeles Rams was the Thursday night season opening kickoff game. The Rams won it all last year and began their quest to run it back.The Bills were 13 seconds from the AFC Title Game and entered this season as a serious Super Bowl contender. The Bills took the opening kickoff and moved 75 yards in 11 plays and 5 minutes. On 3rd and 1 from the Rams 26, Josh Allen rolled out and found a wide open Gabe Davis for an easy touchdown and a 7-0 Bills lead.
Yet this potential Super Bowl matchup was far from super at times. The Bills turned the ball over on their next 2 drives with an interception and a fumble. The Rams did not capitalize as Matthew Stafford immediately responded with an interception of his own. The Bills took over early in the second quarter at their own 32. Allen hit Davis for 10 and Stefan Diggs for 21. On 3rd and 4 from the Rams 23, Allen went deep incomplete. Tyler Bass hit the 41 yard field goal to make it 10-0 Bills.
The Bills had all the momentum, but Bass then hit the ensuing kickoff out of bounds to set the Rams up at their own 40. On 3rd and 6, Stafford hit Skowronek for 12. On 3rd and 14 from the Buffalo 40 after a sack, Stafford hit Robinson for 12. Sean McVay went for it on 4th and 2 Stafford hit Cooper Kupp for 3. Darrell Henderson then got around the edge for 18. Stafford threw a 4 yard touchdown pass to Kupp to get the Rams within 10- 7 with 3 minutes left in the half. Another interception of Allen gave the Rams a short field at the Buffalo 45 with less than 2 minutes left. Matt Gay leveled a 57 yard field goal as the teams went to the half deadlocked 10-10. The first half was a slugfest. The second half was a statement.
Sean McDermott came out in the third quarter determined to pound the rock. From his own 42, Singletary gained 12. On 3rd and 7 from the Rams 43, Allen gained 8. Singletary added 13 more. Allen hit McKenzie for a 7 yard touchdown to make it 17-10 Bills. The Bills got it back at their own 11 and moved backward with a false start. They then moved forward with a 15 play, 7 minute, 94 yard drive. Allen and Moss both picked up 8. Allen hit Crowder for 11. On 3rd and 7 from their own 47, Allen went bombs away to Davis for 47 yards. Allen ran the 2 yard touchdown in himself as the Bills led 24-10 early in the fourth quarter. Stafford was intercepted again, setting up the Bills at their own 41. Allen went deep again to Diggs for a 53 yard touchdown to complete the scoring. Stafford then threw his 3rd interception. The Rams should not panic. The Bills are for real. They hit the Rams in the mouth. The defense is fantastic, especially with the addition of Von Miller. He was on the Rams last year and helped crush his former team. The Bills have never won a Super Bowl. This year they have a legitimate shot. 31-10 Bills
Cleveland Browns at Carolina Panthers — A pair of bad teams faced off as Baker Mayfield looked for revenge against the team that got rid of him. Only 2 years ago, Mayfield led the Browns on an impressive playoff run. Early in the second quarter of a scoreless game, Mayfield was intercepted to give the Browns a short field at the Carolina 42. Jacoby Brissett returned the favor on a deep ball, but defensive pass interference instead meant 1st and goal at the one. Brissett then hit Karim Hunt for the touchdown to make it 7-0 Browns. The Browns got it back and moved 78 yards as Hunt ran for a 14 yard touchdown to put the Browns up 14-0.
This time the Panthers responded. On 3rd and 3 from his own 32, Mayfield hit Moore for 16 yards. Mayfield then went bombs away to Thomas for a 50 yard gain down to the Cleveland 2 yard line. Christian McCaffrey got in from the one to get the Panthers within 14-7. The Browns ended the second quarter and began the third quarter with long drives that led to field goals by York of 26 and 34 yards. After three quarters the Browns led 20-7, but the fourth quarter was a wild one.
The Panthers managed an 11 play, 75 yard drive that had them facing 3rd and 7 from the Cleveland 33 to start the fourth quarter. With everyone expecting a pass, McCaffrey ran for 9 yards. On 3rd and 5 from the Cleveland 7, Mayfield scrambled for the touchdown himself. The Panthers were within 20-14 with 13 minutes left in regulation. The Browns responded with a 10 play, 57 yard, 6 1/2 minute drive. York hit his 3rd field goal from 36 yards out to give the Browns breathing room up 23-14 with 6:13 to play.
They would not be breathing for long. One play after a touchback, Mayfield went bombs away to Robby Anderson for a 75 yard touchdown to get the Browns within 23-21. The Browns held on defense and got the ball back at their own 20 with 2:14 to play. Mayfield hit Moore for a 26 yard gain and McCaffrey for 21 more. With 1:13 to play, Eddie Pineiro hit a 34 yard field goal to put the Panthers up 24-23.
After a touchback, a roughing the passer call had the Browns at their own 40. With 8 seconds left, Brissett spiked the ball to stop the clock. The Browns faced 4th and 1 at the Carolina 40. Trying to get the first down was high risk. So was trying a 58 yard field goal. York was 3 for 3 on the day, so Kevin Stefanski decided to trust his kicker. York delivered, as Mayfield failed to get his payback. 26-24 Browns
New England Patriots at Miami Dolphins — For some reason, no matter how good the Patriots are and how bad the Dolphins are, Bill Belichick always seems to struggle at Miami. Last year, rookie Mac Jones got the Patriots to the playoffs while Tua Tagovailoa failed to do so in his second season leading the Dolphins. The Dolphins have a decent defense, and they showed it on this day. A 41 yard Jason Sanders field goal got the Dolphins on the board first. In the second quarter, Jones was sacked deep in his own territory. Melvin Ingram recovered the resulting fumble and returned it 2 yards for a touchdown to make it 10-0 Dolphins. The Dolphins got it back and moved 92 yards in 10 plays. On 4th and 7 from the New England 42, some kid named Mike McDaniel decided to go for it. Apparently he is the rookie coach of the Dolphins. Tua Tagovailoa found Jason Waddle for the first down and the touchdown to make it 17-0 Dolphins at the half. The Patriots did manage a 15 play, 92 yard, 8 1/2 drive in the third quarter. Jones hit Montgomery for a 6 yard touchdown to avoid the shutout. After that the Miami defense clamped down. Their offense added one more field goal to complete the scoring. Mike McDaniel is undefeated against Bill Belichick. 20-7 Dolphins
Philadelphia Eagles at Detroit Lions — Dan Campbell gives fiery speeches, but this is the year the Lions coach has to show that the emotional words lead to wins. The Lions marched down the field 75 yards on their opening drive. Jamaal Williams ran it in from the one to make it 7-0 Lions. In the second quarter the Eagles exploded. A 13 play, 82 yard, 8 minute drive led to 4th and goal at the one. Nick Sirianni decided to go for it. Jalen Hurts ran it in to tie the game 7-7. The Eagles then marched 66 yards. On 3rd and goal at the one, Sanders got in for a 14-7 Eagles lead. 3 plays later a key play in the game saw Jared Goff get intercepted by James Bradberry, who returned the interception 27 yards for a touchdown and a 21-7 Eagles advantage with 6 1/2 minutes left in the half.
Jared Goff led the Lions back with a 10 play, 75 yard drive. On 3rd and 1 from the 7, Williams got the carry and got stopped as the clock hit the 2 minute warning. Dan Campbell gambled on 4th and 1. D’Andre Swift got the first down and the touchdown as the Lions were within 21-14. Yet the Eagles still had 1:50 to work with from their own 27. On 3rd and 4 from their own 42, Hurts went deep to AJ Brown for a 54 yard gain. On 3rd and goal from the 5 with 11 seconds still remaining in the half, Hurts threw his second straight incompletion. Jake Elliott hit the 23 yard field goal to make it a 24-14 Eagles lead at the break.
The Eagles began the second half at their own 18 and marched 82 yards in 10 plays. From their own 47, Sanders got around the end for a 24 yard gain with 15 more tacked on for defensive unnecessary roughness. Kenneth Gainwell ran for a 2 yard touchdown as the Eagles led comfortably 31-14. The Lions responded with a 14 play, 75 yard, 6 minute drive. On 3rd and 10 after a touchback and the defense smelling pass, Swift ran up the middle for a 16 yard gain. On 3rd and 8 from their own 43, the defense entered the neutral zone. On 3rd and 3, Goff hit DJ Chark for 13 and TY Hockensen for 16. On 3rd and 7 from the Philadelphia 20, Goff scrambled for 10. On 3rd and goal at the 4, Goff hit St. Brown for the touchdown. With 4 minutes left in the third quarter, the Lions were within 31-21. Yet a surprise onside kick failed. The Eagles took over just past midfield A defensive unnecessary roughness penalty resulted in the Lions defender being ejected. Hurts then hit Dallas Goedert for 22 yards down to the one. Bart Scott ran it in to give the Eagles a 38-21 lead after three quarters.
The Lions mounted a furious fourth quarter comeback. After a touchback, Goff went deep to St. Brown for 29 yards. Goff then hit Hockensen for 11 and Swift for 25 more down to the one as the fourth quarter began. Williams got in to get the Lions within 38-28. An 11 play, 72 yard drive culminated in Goff hitting Chark for a 22 yard touchdown. With 4 minutes left in regulation, the Lions were only down a field goal. If their defense that had been scorched all day could just get one stop when it mattered, they would have a chance. The Eagles faced 3rd and 2 from their own 27. Sanders broke free for a 24 yard gain. With 1:50 left and the Lions out of timeouts, the Eagles had 3rd and 1 from midfield. Scott got the carry and got stopped. Now Kevin Sirianni had a big decision to make on 4th and 1. He could punt or go for it, knowing another stop would give the Lions excellent field position. Siranni let the clock tick to 1:06 and decided to go for it. With everything on the line, it was close but Hurts got the yard and the Lions were done. 38-35 Eagles
Baltimore Ravens at New York Jets — The Ravens were cruising toward the playoffs with an 8-3 record. Then Lamar Jackson got hurt and the Ravens lost their last 6 games. Luckily for them, they began this new season against a Jets squad that never seems to get better. Ancient veteran Joe Flacco started in place of an injured Zach Wilson against the team he led to a Super Bowl win a decade ago. For those wondering if Flacco was still in the league, he threw an early interception that led to a 24 yard Justin Tucker field goal. The closest thing the Jets had to offense was a 45 yard field goal attempt that was no good. In the second quarter, a 32 yard defensive pass interference penalty had the Ravens facing 3rd and 5 at the Jets 25. Jackson went to Devin Duvernay for the touchdown to make it 10-Ravens. Greg Zuerlein did hit a 45 yard field goal as the half was ending, but that was it for the anemic Jets. In the third quarter they failed at all 3 phases of the game with a 20 yard punt to their own 44. Jackson hit Duvernay for a 17 yard touchdown. An 88 yard drive was easily completed with a 55 yard touchdown pass from Jackson to Rashod Bateman to make it 24-3 Ravens. The Jets managed a touchdown with one minute left long after the fans took their “Just End The Season” signs home. 24-9 Ravens
San Francisco 49ers at Chicago Bears The Bears have a new coach and a chance for Justin Fields to either grow or fail in his second year. The 49ers kept Jimmy Garoppolo, but he was benched in favor of Trey Lance despite taking the 49ers to the NFC Title Game last year. The game was played in a pouring rainstorm, and the play on the field was even uglier than the weather. A hideous field position game had the 49ers starting the second quarter at their own 48. Lance hit McCloud for 20 and Mitchell ran for 11. On 3rd and 3 from the Chicago 8, the Bears jumped into the neutral zone. Deebo Samuel ran for a 6 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 49ers. In the third quarter the 49ers moved to a 2nd and goal at the 2. Wilson lost 2 yards and Lance was sacked on 3rd and goal at the 4. Robbie Gould hit the 25 yard field goal against his former team to make it 10-0 49ers. That concluded the 49ers offense for the day as the Bears finally found theirs.
The Bears faced 3rd and 4 at their own 34 midway through the third quarter. A run went nowhere but a defensive facemask meant 15 yards. On 3rd and 10 just shy of midfield, Fields went to Dante Pettis for the 51 yard touchdown to get the Bears within 10-7.The Bears got it back at their own 16. Fields hit Byron Pringle for 22. On 3rd and 9 from their own 39, Fields only gained 5 but defensive holding meant an automatic first down as the third quarter ended. On 3rd and 1 from the San Francisco 42, Fields got the yard with an additional 15 tacked on for defensive unnecessary roughness. To add injury to insult, the defender injured himself on the unnecessary hit as defensive penalties killed the 49ers. On 3rd and 2 from the Frisco 18, Fields hit Equanimeous St. Brown for the touchdown. The extra point failed but the bears led 13-10. Lance was then intercepted by Jackson, who returned it 26 yards to the Frisco 21. Khalil Herbert ran for a 3 yard touchdown midway through the fourth quarter to put this ugly game out of reach. 19-10 Bears
Indianapolis Colts at Houston Texans — Matt Ryan is the new Colts starter while the Texans are in rebuilding mode. Rod Blankenship hit a 45 yard field goal to put the Colts up 3-0 after the first quarter. The second quarter began with the Colts facing 4th and goal at the 2 and looking to pad their lead. Frank Reichd decided to go for it. Naheem Hines took the direct snap and lost 2 yards. The goal line stand ignored the Texans. From their own 4 yard line, they moved 69 yards in1 4 plays and 6 1/2 minutes. Kaimi Fairbairn hit a 45 yard field goal in the second quarter to tie the game. Matty Ice was then intercepted to give the Texans good field position at their own 42. A 33 yard defensive pass interference penalty was followed by Davis Mills hitting OJ Howard for an 18 yard touchdown to make it 10-3 Texans. In the third quarter Fairbairn hit again from 43 to make it 13-3 Texans. Ryan then fumbled to set up the Texans at their own 42. A roughing the passer penalty was followed by a 22 yard touchdown pass from Mills to Howard. The Texans were winning a shocker 20-3 after three quarters. Colts fans who drove Carson Wentz out of town were now out of excuses.
The Colts drove from their own 15 to a 1st and goal at the 4. Ryan then threw 3 straight incompletions. With 11 minutes left in regulation, Frank Reich opted for the field goal. Blankenship hit from 27 to get the Colts within 20-6. Rather than put the game away, the Texans quickly fumbled the ball away. The Colts took over at the Houston 20. Jonathan Taylor ran for a 2 yard touchdown to get the Colts within 20-13 midway through the fourth quarter. The Colts got it back at their own 20 with 4 1/2 minutes left in regulation. Ryan hit Strachan for 13. Taylor gashed the Houston defense for gains of 9, 13, 13 and 14. At the 2 minute warning, Ryan hit Michael Pittman Jr for a 15 yard touchdown. The game went into overtime, and it appeared the Houston collapse was complete. The Colts took over at their own 31 and moved 45 yards in 13 plays and 6 1/2 minutes. Blankenship came in for the 42 yard try to win it. His kick was no good. The Texans moved from their own 32 to a 2nd and 1 at the Indy 47 with 40 seconds left in overtime. Mills threw incomplete. On 3rd and 1, a run lost 2 yards. A good punt pinned the Colts at their own 6 yard line. The game ended in a tie. 20-20 Tie, OT
Jacksonville Jaguars at Washington Commanders — The Redskins died in 2020, and after 2 years of being No-Names, the Commanders are now in existence. The Jaguars have a winner in new coach Doug Pederson. Trevor Lawrence entered his sophomore season with a lot to prove. The Jaguars after a touchback quickly moved to the Washington 13 before moving backward and settling for a field goal and a 3-0 lead. Carson Wentz, on his third team in 3 years, started out facing 3rd and 5 at his own 31. Wentz hit Curtis Samuel for 13, Rogers for 23, Gibson for 26, and Samuel again for a 3 yard touchdown to make it 7-3 Commanders. The Commanders got it back at their own 29 and Wentz was still in command. On 3rd and 11 from his own 39, the Jaguars jumped into the neutral zone. On 3rd and 6, Wentz hit Samuel for 12. The second quarter began with the Commanders facing 3rd and 8 at the Jacksonville 41. Wentz hit Terry McLaurin for 9. On 3rd and 10 from the Jags 22, Wentz threw incomplete but roughing the passer meant 1st and 10 at the Jags 11. Wentz hit Dotson for a 7 yard touchdown to make it 14-3 Commanders.
In the third quarter the Jaguars came back. From their own 20, James Robinson ran for gains of 8 and 7. Lawrence then went deep to Kirk for a 49 yard gain. Lawrence hit Robinson for the 3 yard touchdown. The 2 point conversion try failed but the Jaguars were within 14-9. The Jaguars got it back and moved from their own 20 to a 3rd and 6 at the Washington 25. Lawrence threw incomplete. Patterson hit the 43 yard field goal to get the Jaguars within 14-12. Wentz was then intercepted to give the Jaguars a short field at Washington 45. On 3rd and 5 from the Washington 26, Lawrence threw incomplete. Patterson hit from 45 to give the Jaguars the 15-14 lead with 12 minutes left in regulation. One play after a touchback, Wentz was intercepted again by rookie top pick Travon Walker, who returned it 9 yards to the Washington 11. One play later, Robinson ran it in as 19 unanswered points had the Jaguars up 22-14. The Wentz haters were laughing, but he had the last laugh.
On 3rd and 8 from his own 24, he hit Logan Thomas for 27 and McLaurin for a 49 yard touchdown. The 2 point try failed but the Commanders were within 22-20 with 9 1/2 minutes left. The Commanders got the ball back and Wentz led them 90 yards in 13 play and 5 minutes. On 3rd and 8 from the Jags 24, Wentz threw his 4th touchdown pass to Dotson and this time the 2 point try to JD McKissic was good. The Commanders led by 6, but now Lawrence had his turn to try and be the hero. With 1:46 left from their own 24, the Jaguars moved to a 3rd and 11 at their own 44 with 1:10 left. Lawrence went for all the marbles and was intercepted. Ron Rivera got the win over his good friend Doug Pederson. Wentz threw 4 touchdown passes. The Washington Commanders have never lost a game. 28-22 Commanders
New Orleans Saints at Atlanta Falcons — The top 2 overall picks from a few years ago faced off as quarterbacks Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota played a thrilling game. Younghoe Koo drilled a 54 yard field goal to put the Falcons on the board first. Although Winston was the Saints official quarterback, it was Swiss army knife Taysom Hill who on 3rd and 1 from his own 32 broke free for a 57 yard gain. Hill then ran for the 11 yard touchdown to make it 7-3 Saints. One play after a touchback, a Falcons fumble set the Saints up for a 44 yard field goal try. Wil Lutz was no good. After that, momentum changed.
Cordarelle Patterson went from being his own style of Swiss army knife to being a bell cow. Patterson gained 12,5, 7, 2, and on 3rd and 1 from the Saints 37 to start the second quarter, a critical 2 yards. Patterson continued gashing the defense, gaining 8, 12, and the 5 yard touchdown to to make it 10-7 Falcons with 12 minutes left in the half. The Falcons got it back at their own 18 and benefitted from a defensive pass interference call. Patterson ran for gains of 15 and 4. Koo nailed a 50 yard field goal with one minute left in the half to make it 13-7 Falcons. The Saints quickly went 3 and out and the Falcons got the ball back at their own 39 with 23 seconds left. Mariota went deep to London for 31 yards. Koo hit again from 40 to have the Falcons up 16-7.
The Saints moved well on their opening third quarter drive but settled for a 49 yard Lutz field goal to get within 16-10. After a touchback, Mariota hit Zaccheaus for 9 and Patterson ran for 11. Mariota went back to Zacheaus for 13. A defensive pass interference call added 39 more down to the 2. Mariota got in to put the Falcons up 23-10. An exchange of fumbled and a field position game had the Falcons taking over at midfield and moving to 2nd and goal at the 4 early in the fourth quarter. A touchdown would pretty much put the game away. Then came a false start and a pair of incompletions. Koo hit his 4th field goal from 27 as the Falcons had a comfortable 26-10 lead with 12 1/2 minutes left in regulation. Saints fans all said the same thing. Dennis Allen is not Sean Payton and no quarterback they have is Drew Brees.
After a touchback, Winston hit Johnson for 26, Alvin Kamara for 15, and Jarvis Landry for 31, and Michael Thomas for a 3 yard touchdown. The 2 point conversion try from Winston to Olave was good as the Saints were within 26-18. The Saints got it back at their own 14. Winston hit Olave for 20, Landry for 7, and Thomas for 21. A sack meant 2nd and 20. Winston quickly hit Thomas for 20, Landry for 14, and Thomas for the 9 yard touchdown. This time the 2 point try failed, but the Saints were within 26-24 with 3 1/2 minutes left. The Falcons tried to run out the clock. With 1:40 left and the Saints out of timeouts, the Falcons faced 3rd and 1 at the New Orleans 42. One yard would end the game. Mariota fumbled the snap. The Falcons retained possession. Arthur Smith decided not to gamble on 4th and 1. The Falcons punted and the Saints took over at their own 20 with 46 seconds left and 0 timeouts. Then things got crazy.
Winston went deep to Landry for a 40 yard gain and to Johnson for 17 more. Lutz came in for a 51 yard field goal try to give the Saints the lead. Lutz was good as 17 straight points had the Saints up by a point. Yet 19 seconds still remained. A touchback and a pair of incompletions had the Falcons facing 3rd and 10 from their own 35 with only 6 seconds left. Mariota hit Patterson for only 5 yards. The game should have been over. Yet a mindnumpingly stupid unnecessary roughness penalty on the defense after the play meant 15 more yards for the offense and one untimed down. Just like in “The Program,” Lattimore was the guilty party. North Falcons had one shot from the Saints 45. Arthur Smith decided against a Hail Mary. He brought in Koo to try a 64 yard field goal. Koo hit 4 on the day, but this one was blocked. The Falcons had another epic collapse, although at least this was not the Super Bowl. Dennis Allen got his first win as Saints coach. 27-26 Saints
Pittsburgh Steelers at Cincinnati Bengals — The Steelers started Mitch Trubisky at quarterback as Ben Roethlisberger settled into retirement. The Bengals went to the Super Bowl last year, but nobody gets more out of his players than Mike Tomlin. The Bengals weakness is their offensive line. Joe Burrow was sacked 9 times against Tennessee in the playoffs last year and somehow won. He was sacked 7 times in the Super Bowl. On Cincinnati’s first play from scrimmage, Burrow was sacked. On their second play he was intercepted. Minkah Fitzpatrick returned the interception 31 yards for a touchdown and a 7-0 Steelers lead. The Bengals moved from their own 25 to a 3rd and 10 at the Pittsburgh 34. Burrow was sacked. Yet Zac Taylor went big and bold and had Evan McPherson try a 59 yard field goal. McPherson drilled it to get the Bengals on the board. On the next Cincinnati drive, Burrow was intercepted again but defensive pass interference nullified the pick. On the next ply, Burrow was sacked again and fumbled the ball away at the Cincy 34.
Trubisky hit pat Freiermuth for 31, but a 2nd and goal at the one run lost a yard. Another incompletion left 4th and goal at the 2. Tomlin opted for the field goal. Chris Boswell hit from 20 to put the Steelers up 10-3. Burrow was then intercepted by TJ Watt, to set up the Steelers at their own 41. Claypool got around the end for 15. Trubisky hit Gentry for 32. On 3rd and goal at the 3, Trubisky threw incomplete. Yet this time defensive pass interference kept the drive going. From the one, Trubisky hit Najee Harris for the touchdown as the Steelers led 17-3 in the second quarter. Burrow then threw his third interception. A miserable first half saw the defending AFC Champion quarterback throw 4 interceptions, although only 3 of them counted.
Yet this time the Steelers did not capitalize. The Bengals took over at their own 35. On 4th and 1 from the Pittsburgh 35, Zac Taylor went for it. Joe Mixon gained 31. Yet despite 2nd and goal at the 3, a false start and a pair of incompletions killed the drive. McPherson hit from 26 to end the half as the Bengals trailed 17-14. A field position game in the third quarter had the Bengals with a short field at the Pittsburgh 46. Burrow hit Mixon for 11. On 2nd and 14 from the Pittsburgh 28, Burrow hit JaMarr Chase for 24. On 3rd and goal at the 2, Burrow hit Tyler Boyd for the touchdown. Burrow hit Thomas for the 2 point conversion to get the Bengals within 17-14 with 4 1/2 minutes left in the third quarter.
Another field position battle had the Steelers with a short field at the Cincinnati 45 early in the fourth quarter. Boswell hit from 48 to put the Steelers up 20-14. Burrow then threw his fourth interception. This was not the worst opening day start for a quarterback. Ken Stabler was the defending Super Bowl champion in 1977 when he threw 7 interceptions at home. Yet Burrow was having a miserable day. Despite all of this, the Bengals still had every chance under the sun to win the game. With 6 minutes left, they took over at their own 30. Burrow hit Mixon for 18 and ran for 23 himself. With 2:48 left in the game, the Bengals had 1st and goal at the one. Mixon got blasted for a 2 yard loss. On 3rd and goal at the 3, Burrow hit Hurst for only one yard. At the 2 minute warning, it came down to 4th and goal at the 2. Burrow threw incomplete. Making matters worse, Chase was called for taunting.
Now with 1:51 left, the Steelers needed to try and close the game out. Because of the penalty, they were at their own 17 instead of their own 2. On 3rd and 12, Mike Tomlin was not taking any chances. A run gained 4 yards. The Bengals got it back at their own 40 with 1:35 to play and one timeout. Burrow hit Mixon for gains of 9 and 11 and Perine for 9 more. On 3rd and 1 from the Pittsburgh 31, Burrow hit Chase for 14 as the Bengals took their last timeout with 27 seconds left. On 2nd and 10, an incompletion was nullified by defensive illegal use of hands on TJ Watt. Making matters worse, Watt was injured on the play. With 2 seconds left, the Bengals were 6 yards away from the end zone. Burrow had the ability to shake off a miserable game with just one play. Steelers fans were again ready to unfairly roast Mike Tomlin for being too conservative.
Burrow hit Chase for the touchdown as the home crowd erupted. A spectacular comeback meant an epic Bengals win for the ages over their hated rival. Yet the game of shocks was not done. All world kicker McPherson still had to make the game winning extra point attempt. Blocked! Are? You? Kidding? Me? Again it was Fitzpatrick. This game was not over it was headed to overtime. The Steelers got the ball first in overtime but went 3 and out. The Bengals took over at their own 25. They moved all the way to the Pittsburgh 11. On 3rd and 8, Zac Taylor brought in McPherson to finish things rather than risk a 4th down meltdown. From 29 yards out, now it was time to celebrate the Bengals thrilling comeback win. No good! Again, are you kidding me? McPherson last year as a rookie had iceboater in his veins. On this day he was just ice cold. With 3 1/2 minutes left in overtime, the Steelers were very much alive.
The Steelers moved from their own 20 to a 3rd and 4 at the Cincy 37. Trubisky completed a pass for no gain. A field goal try would be 55 yards, and 2 1/2 minutes still remained in overtime. A miss would give the Bengals excellent field position. Mike Tomlin opted for the field goal try. No good! Boswell missed it. Now the Steelers fans will accuse Tomlin of being too aggressive. The Bengals took over at their own 45. Burrow gained 9 as the clock hit the 2 minute warning. The Steelers took their timeouts on defense. With 1:34 left in overtime, the Bengals had 3rd and 4 at the Pittsburgh 38. A safe run of a few yards would be more than enough to give McPherson a shot at redemption. Instead, Zac Taylor gambled on a pass play and lost as Burrow was sacked yet again. The Bengals retained possession but lost 12 yards to push them well out of field goal range.
The Steelers got it back at their own 20 with one minute left. On 3rd and 1, Trubisky went deep to Freiermuth for 26 and again for 10. With 4 seconds left on the clock, Boswell came in for 53 yard field goal try. On the last play of overtime, there would be no tie game. Boswell was good. Yes, Trubisky was the hero…on the road in a hostile environment. Yes, Mike Tomlin still gets more out of less. Thankfully TJ Watt’s injury did not require season ending surgery. As for Burrow, he was sacked another 7 times on the day. He and McPherson were both very cocky last year, and this game was a painful dose of humility for a franchise that has never won a Super Bowl. Once again, the big brother beat up the little brother. 23-20 Steelers, OT
Kansas City Chiefs at Arizona Cardinals — The quest to host a record 5th straight AFC Title Game began in spectacular fashion for the Chiefs. The Cardinals began 10-2 last year before flaming out and going 1-4 down the stretch. This game was never a contest. After a touchback, the Chiefs moved 75 yards easily. Pass-happy Andy Reid began by running the ball and Clyde Edwards-Helaire gained 9, 7 and 18. On 3rd and 7 from the Arizona 27, Patrick Mahomes hit Juju Smith-Schuster for 18 and Travis Kelce for the 9 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Chiefs. The Cardinals went 3 and out and the Chiefs then marched 86 yards. A roughing the passer call gave the Chiefs 15 yards and Edwards-Helaire gained 25 more. Mahomes hit Smith-Schuster for 20, Kelce for 7 and 11, and Edwards-Helaire for the 3 yard touchdown to make it 14-0 Chiefs.
The Cardinals did manage to go 75 yards in 11 plays and 5 minutes, James Conner ran for a 2 yard touchdown early in the second quarter to get the Cardinals within 14-7, but their defense had no answers. The Chiefs responded with an 11 play, 75 yard, 5 1/2 minute drive of their own. Mahomes hit newly acquired Marques Valdez-Scantling for 17. On 3rd and 2 just past midfield, Mahomes hit Mycole Hardman for 8, Smith-Schuster for a pair of 7 yard gains. On 4th and 2 from the Arizona 4, Walrus Andy Reid decided to go for it. Mahomes hit Edwards-Helaire for the touchdown. The extra point was no good but the Chiefs led 20-7. With 40 seconds left in the half, Kliff Kingsbury gambled on 4th and 2 from the Chiefs 34. Kyler Murray threw incomplete. 35 seconds was more than enough time for Mahomes to hit Valdez-Scantling for 12 and Kelce for 18. Harrison Butker hit a 54 yard field goal to put the Chiefs up 23-7 at the half.
The second half was a rout. After a touchback, Mahomes hit Kelce for 35, Moore for 30, and Fortson for a one yard touchdown to make it 30-7 Chiefs. The Chiefs then moved 66 yards and Mahomes hit Hardman for a 2 yard touchdown to make it 37-7. The pointless fourth quarter saw the Cardinals score 2 touchdowns while giving up one more touchdown to the Chiefs. Mahomes finished 30 of 39 for 360 yards, 5 touchdowns, and 0 interceptions. 44-21 Chiefs
Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings — The Packers owned the NFC North, winning 13 games in each of the last 3 seasons. The Vikings were supposed to be in rebuilding mode with a new coach. This game was supposed to be a blowout. It was. The Vikings began at their own 22 and moved 78 yards in 10 plays and 6 minutes. Kirk Cousins hit Mundt for 12. On 3rd and 5 from his own 39, Cousins hit Justin Jefferson for 20, Mundt for 5 and Jefferson for 22. On 4th and 1 from the 5, rookie coach and nice kid Kevin O’Connell decided to go for it. Cousins hit Jefferson for the touchdown to make it 7-0 Vikings. In the second quarter the Packers moved to a 4th and goal at the one. Matt LaFleur went for it and AJ Dillon ran into a purple brick wall for no gain. From their own one, the Vikings moved 89 yards. They settled for a 28 yard Greg Joseph field goal, but they led 10-0 and were winning the battle in the trenches. The Vikings got the ball back at their own 26. Dalvin Cook had gains of 9, 2, 9 and caught a pass for 7. Cousins went to Jefferson for 11 and again for a 36 yard touchdown as the Vikings dominated 17-0 at halftime. A third quarter fumble by the Packers led to a Vikings field goal. The Packers did manage one touchdown, but the Minnesota defense clamped down the rest of the game. The Vikings added another fourth quarter field goal. As Kirk Cousins would say, “You like that!?!” Vikings fans certainly did. 23-7 Vikings
Las Vegas Raiders at Los Angeles Chargers — In one of the craziest games ever played, the Raiders defeated the Chargers 35-32 on the last play of overtime in las year’s regular season finale to get the Raiders in the playoffs and knock the Chargers out. Yet Mark Davis blew up his team anyway, bringing in Josh McDaniels as head coach and John Ziegler as General Manager. The Raiders went 4-0 in the preseason for the very first time in franchise history, which meant absolutely nothing once this game kicked off. The Chargers were hellbent on revenge against their hated rival. The Raiders loaded up in the offseason, bringing in Davante Adams and Chandler Jones. The Chargers added Derek Carr’s best friend and former Raiders star Khalil Mack.
The Chargers marched right down the field after a touchback. On 3rd and 8 just shy of midfield, Justin Herbert rifled a pass between defenders to Everett for a 25 yard gain. On 3rd and 9 from the Raiders 25, Herbert fired incomplete. Dustin Hopkins hit a 43 yard field goal for a 3-0 Chargers lead. After a touchback the Raiders marched 70 yards in 14 plays and 6 1/2 minutes. On their first play, Derek Carr found his best friend on the team Davante Adams for an 11 yard gain. Carr was magnificent on third down. On 3rd and 17 from his own 29, Carr hit Adams for 21. On 3rd and 6 from the Chargers 46, Carr hit Hollins for 16, On 3rd and 6 from the Chargers 26, Carr hit Adams for 22 to set up 1st and goal at the 4. Yet the same goal line woes that plagued the team in recent years surfaced again as the Raiders could not finish the drive. Josh Jacobs had a wide open lane to the end zone but slipped and fell. Carr threw incomplete twice. Daniel Carlson hit the 23 yard field goal for a 3-3 game, but it was a missed opportunity.
The Raiders defense forced a 3 and out but a great punt pinned them at their own 2 yard line. On 3rd and 2, a run gained only one yard and the Raiders punted. The Chargers faced 2nd and 15 from their own 28 when Herbert took advantage of a Raiders secondary that still has not been fixed. Herbert hit Keenan Allen for 19 and then again deep for 42 yards. On 3rd and 4 from the Raiders 5, Herbert scrambled for 3. On 3rd and goal at the one, Herbert hit Zender Horvath for the touchdown to make it 10-3 Chargers. The Chargers got the ball back and moved easily from their own 9 to a 3rd and 1 at the Raiders 28. Austin Ekeler got the carry and got stopped. Brandon Staley goes for it on 4th and 1 at his own 28, so he was certainly going to go for it at the opponent’s 28. Herbert kept it and again the Raiders defense made the stop. The Raiders now had the momentum, but one play later they literally threw it away. Carr forced a ball into coverage and was intercepted. The Chargers took over at the Raiders 31. Two plays later Herbert hit DeAndre Carter for a 23 yard touchdown. Just like that, the Chargers led 17-3 at the half.
After a second half touchback, the Raiders moved quickly to get back in the game. Carr hit Adams for 11 and then went deep to Adams for 41 more. On 3rd and 5 from the Chargers 18, Carr went to Brandon Bolden for the touchdown. Just like that, the Raiders were within 17-10. Yet their defense had no answers. From his own 27, Herbert hit Ekeler for 13 and McKitty for 9. On 3rd and 5 from the Raiders 40, Herbert hit Ekeler for just enough. Herbert hit Everett for an 18 yard touchdown to put the Chargers up 24-10. The Raiders moved from their own 25 to a 4th and 4 at the Chargers 34. Needing to go for it, Carr hit Hunter Renfrow for 9. Renfrow fumbled the ball but somehow got it back. Yet on 1st and 10 from the Chargers 25, Josh McDaniels called a trick play that blew up in spectacularly awful fashion. A double lateral halfback option pass relied on Carr to block Joey Bosa. That did not work out well as Bosa went past him and blasted Adams for a 10 yard loss before he could throw the ball. Then came a false start. On 3rd and 25 from the Chargers 40, a give up pass gained only 3 yards. Carlson bailed the Raiders out by leveling a 55 yard field goal. After three quarters the Raiders trailed 24-13.
The Raiders defense stiffened in the fourth quarter and they got the ball back at their own 23. From his own 44, Carr went for all the marbles deep to Adams. The ball was under thrown and intercepted. There was blatant defensive pass interference on the play that was not called. Nevertheless, this was on Carr. The Raiders dodged a bullet on the turnover when a 49 yard field goal try by Hopkins for the Chargers was no good. The Raiders took over at their own 39 midway through the fourth quarter. Carr hit Jacobs for 16. On 3rd and 4 from the Chargers 39, Carr hit Renfrow for 5 and then went deep to Darren Waller for 31 yards down to the 3 yard line. Carr hit Adams for the touchdown. The 2 point conversion try failed but the Raiders were within 5 points. With 4 1/2 minutes left, they had every chance to win this game.
The Raiders defense forced a 3 and out and the Raiders took over at their own 21 with a full 3 1/2 minutes left. Carr has been Captain Comeback for so many years. On 3rd and 3 from his own 40, Carr was sacked and fumbled. The Raiders were lucky to retain possession. Everything came down to 4th and 8 at the 2 minute warning. Carr was sacked again and fumbled again. There would be no comeback this time. Adams was magnificent, racking up 141 yards. The offensive line was awful. Carr did not get the help he needed, forcing him to hurry his throws into traffic. The secondary still cannot stop anyone for long stretches. Josh McDaniels has never won a game coaching the Raiders. 24-19 Chargers
New York Giants at Tennessee Titans — The Titans blew home field advantage last year when Ryan Tannehill threw 3 killer interceptions. He remained the starter on a team that likes to win with smash mouth running and defense. The Giants were expected to be awful and in rebuilding mode, with Daniel Jones having one final year to prove himself and an unknown rookie coach. This should have been one say Titans win. The first half went as expected. A 46 yard punt return 2 minutes into the game had the Titans starting at the Giants 45. Ryan Tannehill hit Robert Woods for 13, Burks for 20, and Dontrell Hilliard for a 7 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Titans. Randy Bullock hit second quarter field goals of 46 and 23, the latter set up by yet another Jones fumble. The Titans took a 13-0 lead to the locker rooms. Yet something changed at halftime.
In the third quarter the Giants took over at their own 10. Saquon Barkley got around the end for a 68 yard gain. Barkley ran for 4 yard touchdown. For some bizarre reason new coach Brian Daboll went for 2. The try failed and the Giants trailed 13-6. The Giants got it back and needed only 2 plays to score. On 2nd and 11, Jones went to Sterling Shepard for a 65 yard touchdown to tie the game 13-13. After a touchback the Titans responded. Tannehill hit Phillips for 20. On 1st and 18 from their own 45 after a holding call, Tannehill hit Burks for 27. On 1st and 20 from the Giants 23 after another holding penalty, Tannehill hit Hilliard for the touchdown. After three quarters the Titans led 20-13. In the fourth quarter the Titans fumbled a punt and the Giants recovered at the Titans 11. Yet on 3rd and 7 from the 8, Jones was intercepted for a touchback.
The Giants got the ball back at their own 27 with 5 1/2 minutes in regulation and nobody expecting Jones to be the hero. Barkley even fumbled but the ball went out of bounds after a 33 yard gain. Yet at the 2 minute warning the Giants faced 4th and 1 at the Tennessee 17. Jones gained 2. With one minute left, Jones hit Chris Myarick for the touchdown. Brian Daboll then went the full Dom Capers by going for 2 in his very first game. Capers never got the chance because of a false start. Daboll saw Jones hit Barkley for the conversion. The Giants had the one point lead in front of a shocked him crowd. Yet The Titans from their own 30 had plenty of time. Tannehill shredded the Giants defense as expected. With 4 seconds left Bullock came in for the 47 yard field goal try. No good! In an absolute stunner, the Giants won on the road. As ESPN uber-announcer Chris Berman reminds us, “THAT’s why they PLAY the GAMES!” 21-20 Giants
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Dallas Cowboys is the Sunday night game. Last year these teams played a thriller that the Buccaneers won on the final play. This year they played a far duller game that had bad consequences for one team with high expectations. Tom Brady retired and then unretired, while Bruce Arians retired so Todd Bowles could take over. Mike McCarthy entered this season on the hot seat. The Cowboys managed a 51 yard Brett Maher field goal 6 minutes into the game and then took the remaining 54 minutes off. Brady could not find the end zone but Ryan Succop had 5 field goal attempts in the first half. He made 4 of them, hitting from 44 and 38 in the first quarter and from 29 and 47 in the second quarter. Leading 12-3 at the half, the Buccaneers scored game’s only touchdown late in the third quarter. Brady capped a 79 yard drive with a 5 yard touchdown pass to Mike Evans. Chris Godwin went out injured, but the Cowboys suffered worse late in the fourth quarter. Dak Prescott went out with a thumb injury and is expected to miss several weeks. Gone was the Arians aerial show. Bowles got the win his way, with defense. 19-3 Buccaneers
Denver Broncos at Seattle Seahawks is the Monday night game. Russell Wilson faced off against his former team in a crazy revenge game for him. The Broncos had a new coach and a tough defense. Wilson was expected to be the last piece of the puzzle. Pete Carroll is 70 and still running around on the Seahawks sideline like a little kid playing his first game. The Seahawks looked good on their opening drive. On 3rd and 3 from their own 37, Geno Smith hit Tyler Lockett for 17, DK Metcalf for 9, and Will Dissly for a 38 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Seahawks. The Broncos responded with a long drive but settled for a 30 yard Brandon McManus field goal to get on the board.
In the second quarter the Seahawks moved from their own 19 to a 2nd and 8 at the Denver 19. Offensive holding and a sack of Smith killed the drive. Jason Myers hit from 49 to put the Seahawks up 10-3. Three plays later the game was tied. On 3rd and 2 from his own 33, Wilson went to Jerry Jeudy for a 67 yard touchdown and a 10-10 ballgame. After a touchback, the Seahawks responded. From their own 37, Smith hit Goodwin for 16, Colby Parkinson for 18, and Parkinson again for the 25 yard touchdown. With 2:24 left in the half the Seahawks led 17-10. The Broncos moved from their own 21 to the Seattle 22. McManus hit from 40 to end the half with the Broncos down 17-13.
Although the legion of boom is long gone, the second half was all defense. The Broncos from their own 20 moved 78 yards in 10 plays and 7 1/2 minutes. On 4th and goal at the one, rookie coach Nathaniel Hackett went for it. Melvin Gordon got the carry and got blasted just before the goal line. The Seahawks recovered the fumble and took over at their own 10. The Seahawks moved to their own 46 but then fumbled the ball back as Simmons returned it 17 yards to the Seattle 32. This time the Broncos had 3rd and goal at the one. This time Williams got the carry. He lost 2 yards and fumbled the ball as well. Again the Seahawks recovered. Twice, from the one, the Broncos fumbled the ball away.
In the fourth quarter from their own 20 the Broncos embarked on a 15 play, 72 yard, 6 1/2 minute drive. They had 1st and goal at the 3, but a false start was followed by incompletions. This time they did not turn the ball over. McManus hit from 26 to get the Broncos within a point with 6 minutes left. The Broncos held on defense and got the ball back at their own 22 with 4 minutes left. With 1:11 left on 3rd and 11 from the Seattle 45, Wilson hit Williams for 9. Both teams allowed t he clock to tick down to 20 seconds. The choice for Nathaniel Hackett or a 64 yard field goal try. McManus has the leg, and Hackett gave his kicker a shot. The 12th man crowd held their breath as the kick was long enough, but just barely wide no good. The Seahawks had escaped, Wilson failed to get revenge, and Pete Carroll ran around wild in his fun way. 17-16 Seahawks