NFL 2022 Week 4 Recap
Miami Dolphins at Cincinnati Bengals was the Thursday night game. The Dolphins were a surprising 3-0 after an emotional win over Buffalo. The defending AFC Champion Bengals were a surprising 1-2 on the season. Joe Burrow went right to work after a touchback, hitting jammer Chase for 8, Hurst for 19, and Tee Higgins for 10. Burrow then hit Hurst for 6 with defensive unnecessary roughness adding 15. On 3rd and 1 from the Miami 5, Joe Mixon ran it in to make it 7-0 Bengals.The Dolphins after a touchback moved 70 yards in 10 plays. On 3rd and 4 from the Cincinnati 5, Tua Tagovailoa threw incomplete. Jason Sanders hit the 23 yard field goal to get the Dolphins within 7-3. An interception of Tagovailoa had the Bengals move 10 plays to a 4th and 1 at the Miami 24. Mixon got the carry and got stuffed for no gain. Sanders hit from 48 in the second quarter to get the Dolphins within 7-6 but then tragedy struck.
From his own 42, Tagovailoa threw incomplete but roughing the passer meant 15 yards for the Dolphins. Yet Tagovailoa was playing hurt. He had a concussion last week. The next hit was worse, On 2nd and 7 from the Cincy 40, Tagovailoa was sacked for a 10 yard loss and stayed down. He was down for over 10 minutes on the field. His body seized up in a frightening scene. He was carted off the field, but in the hospital he had use of all of his upper and lower extremities. TeddY Bridgewater came in the game with the Dolphins facing 3rd and 17 from midfield. Bridgewater calmly hit Sherfield for 16. Yet on 4th and 1 from the Cincy 34 with 4 1/2 minutes left in the half, Mike McDaniel was in a somber mood, not a gambling one. Sanders’s 52 yard field goal try to give the Dolphins the lead was blocked, further deflating them.
Given great field position, the Bengals soon faced 3rd and 11 at their own 41. Burrow connected with Higgins for a 59 yard touchdown and a 14-6 Bengals lead. Yet Bridgwater is no ordinary backup. He suffered a leg injury that cost him 2 years of his career. Now he was the one filling in for the injured starter. Bridgewater then received an unnecessary hit, resulting in a 15 yard defensive penalty. At the 2 minute warning from his own 46, Bridgewater hit Jalen Waddle for19 and Tyreek Hill for 11. On 3rd and 5 from the Cincy 19, Bridgwater hit Sherfield for 12 and Chase Edmonds for the 7 yard touchdown with 9 seconds left in the half. A 2 point conversion would tie the game, but Mike McDaniel opted to play it safe. Again, it is hard to criticize his decision. Again, his kicker let him down as Sanders missed the extra point to have the Dolphins down 14-12 at the break. With 6 minutes left in the third quarter, the Dolphins took over at their own 10. From their 15, Bridgwater hit Sherfield for 16 and then went bombs away to Hill for a 64 yard gain. Yet on 2nd and goal from the 2, Mostert got stopped. Bridgwater then threw incomplete. On 4th and goal at the 2, for the third time there would be no McDaniel gamble. Sanders hit from 20 to put the Dolphins up 15-14 after three quarters.
The Bengals soon faced 3rd and 11 at their own 24. Zac Taylor went to the bag of tricks with the halfback option pass. Burrow got it to Boyd, who went deep to Chase for 23 yards. Burrow then went deep to Boyd for 43 more. Yet on 3rd and goal at the one with 12 minutes remaining, Zac Taylor decided not to go for it. Evan McPherson hit the 19 yard field goal to put the Bengals up 17-15, but the Dolphins now only needed a field goal to take the lead. on 3rd and 1 from their own 34, Edmonds got the carry and lost a yard. McDaniel had played it safe all night, and he opted to punt. The Bengals moved from their own 28 to a 2nd and 8 at the Miami 34. Then came an incompletion, a false start, and another incompletion. Taylor went bold and had Mcpherson try a 57 yard field goal knowing a miss would give the dolphins a golden chance for the lead. McPherson delivered to make it 20-15 with 6 minutes left in regulation. The Dolphins moved from their own 22 to a 1st and 10 at the Cincinnati 26 with 3:17 to play. Bridgewater went for it all and was intercepted by Bell, who returned it 46 yards to the Miami 45. On 2nd and 7, rather than grind down clock, Burrow went deep to Chase for a 36 yard gain. On 3rd and goal at the 2 with 1:52 to play, Burrow went to Hurst for the touchdown to lock up the win and knock Miami from the unbeaten ranks. Yet the loss of the game was only part of the story. The loss of Tagovailoa is a gut punch for a quarterback finally earning some respect and a team finally earning some also. The Bengals meanwhile are back to even after an 0-2 start. 27-15 Bengals
Minnesota Vikings at New Orleans Saints from London. This may not have been as thrilling as the Minneapolis Miracle, but it was a very jolly good football game in England. Red Rifle Andy Dalton started in place of the injured Jameis Winston. The Vikings took the opening kickoff and went right to work. Kirk Cousins hit Justin Jefferson for 10. On 3rd and 7 from his own 38, Cousins hit Smith for 10 and Adam Thielen for 10 more. On 3rd and 1 from the New Orleans 33, Cousins got stopped but the defense jumped offside. On 3rd and 2 from the New Orleans 14, Cousins hit Dalvin Cook for 9. A touchdown pass was nullified by offensive pass interference to set up 3rd and goal at the 15. Cousins went to Mattison for the touchdown to cap the 13 play, 75 yard, 7 minute drive to make it 7-0 Vikings. The first quarter ended with an interception of Cousins to set up the Saints at their own 40. On 3rd and 8 from the Minnesota 47, Dalton hit Chris Olave for 11 and Johnson for 13. On 3rd and 2 from the Minnesota 15, Ingram gained 5. On 3rd and goal at the 4, Dalton hit Olave for the touchdown to cap the 12 play, 60 yard, 6 minute drive and make it a 7-7 ballgame.
A field position game had the Vikings taking over at their own 44 with 3:42 left in the half. On 3rd and 1 at the Saints 10, Cousins threw incomplete. Kevin O’Connell decided to play it safe. Greg Jospeh hit the 28 yard field goal to make it 10-7 Vikings with one minute left. Yet one play after a touchback, Dalton was sacked and fumbled. The Vikings recovered at the Saints 20. Yet a run went nowhere followed by an incompletion and a false start. On 3rd and 15, a completion gained only 7. Joseph hit from 36 as the Vikings took a 13-7 lead to the locker rooms. Early in the third quarter the Saints fumbled a punt and the Vikings recovered at the saints 44. Cousins went deep to Jefferson for a 41 yard gain. Yet on 1st and goal at the 3, a delay of game proved costly. On 3rd and goal at the 7, a completion gained one yard. Joseph hit his third field goal from 24 to make it 16-7 Vikings.
Then the game changed as the Saints took over at their own 22. Murray had gains of 6, 10 and 6 sandwiched around Dalton hitting Callaway for 15. On 3rd and 4 from the Minnesota 41, Dalton threw incomplete. Dennis Allen decided to go for it and on 4th and 4 Dalton hit hallway for 5. On 2nd and 15 from the Minnesota 41 after a false start, Dalton hit Callaway for 33. On 3rd and goal at the one, Murray got in to get the Saints within 16-14. An unnecessary roughness penalty on the Saints on the ensuing kickoff had the Vikings starting at their own 45. On 4th and 2 from his own 47, Kevin O’Connell gambled on a fake punt. Wright hit Nailor for 13. Yet on 1st and 10 from the New Orleans 23, intentional grounding and a false start killed the drive. Joseph began the fourth quarter by hitting his fourth field goal from 46 to make it 19-14 Vikings. After a touchback, Murray gained 6 and 7 and Taysom Hill dded 13 more. Dalton hit Smith for 18 and Trautman for 11. Hill ran for the 2 yard touchdown.Dalton hit Jarvis Landry for the 2 yard touchdown to give the Saints the 22-19 lead with 9 1/2 minutes left in regulation.
The Vikings soon faced 3rd and 3 from their own 32. Cousins hit Jefferson for just enough, but defensive holding meant an automatic first down anyway. On 3rd and 4 from their own 43, Cousins hit Osborn for 6. On 3rd and 10 just shy of midfield, Cousins went deep incomplete. Yet another defensive illegal use of hands meant another automatic first down. On 3rd and 8 from the Saint 44, Cousins again went deep incomplete. Yet defensive pass interference meant a 41 yard gain and 1st and goal at the 3. Jefferson got around the end for the touchdown. Joseph missed the extra point but 3 defensive penalties killed the Saints. With 4:15 to play, The 10 play, 75 yard, 5 minute drive put the Vikings back on top 25-22. The Saints after a touchback moved to a 2nd and 9 at the Minnesota 42. Dalton threw incomplete twice. With 1:51 to play, Dennis Allen brought in Wil Lutz to try a 60 yard field goal. Lutz nailed it for a 25-25 game.
The Vikings took over at their own 18. Cook gained 14 and Cousins went deep to Jefferson for 39 more. Yet on 1st and 10 from the Saints 29, three runs gained a combined 0 yards. With 24 seconds left, Joseph came in for a 47 yard field goal try to give the Vikings the lead. Joseph’s 5th field goal try was good. After a touchback, the Saints had 24 seconds and 0 timeouts. They needed their own version of a miracle. Dalton went deep to Olave for a 32 yard gain. The Saints got a major break when an injury on the defense forced the Vikings to stop the clock with 12 seconds left. Dalton threw incomplete twice to leave 2 seconds on the clock. Lutz had hit from 60, and now he was brought in for a 61 yard try to tie the game and force overtime. Lutz pulled the double doink made famous by Cody Parkey. Lutz’s kick hit the left upright and then bounced off the crossbar, no good. In the first football game in the British Empire since the death of Queen Elizabeth, both teams put on a show worthy of the royal crown and the NFL. 28-25 Vikings
Cleveland Browns at Atlanta Falcons — Sometimes a pair of boring teams can come together and play a relatively interesting game. This actually was that game. The Browns moved from their own 25 to a 3rd and 1 at the Atlanta 2. Nick Chubb got the carry and lost 2 yards. Kevin Stefanski surprisingly decided to go for it on 4th and 3. Jacoby Brissett threw incomplete. The Falcons moved from their own 4 yard line on a 14 play, 84 yard, 7 minute drive. Yet on 1st and goal at the 9, a pair of runs lost 3 yards followed by an incompletion. Younghoe Koo hit the 30 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Falcons. The Browns quickly fumbled the ball away and the Falcons recovered at the Cleveland 31. On 2nd and 14, Marcus Mariota went to Hesse for 22. Cordarelle Patterson got around the edge for a 13 yard touchdown as the Falcons led 10-0 after the first quarter.
After a touchback, runs and short passes had the Browns facing 4th and 1 at the Atlanta 39. Rather than try a 57 yard field goal, Kevin Stefanski again decided to go for it. Brissett gained 2. Chubb broke off gains of 8, 5 and 4. On 3rd and goal at the 4, Brissett ran it in to get the Browns within 10-7 in the second quarter. The staggering 16 play, 75 yard drive took nearly 9 minutes off the clock. The Browns got it back at their own 20 and embarked on another long drive of 13 plays, 69 yards and 6 1/2 minutes. On 3rd and 1 from the Atlanta 43, Brissett went deep to Donovan Peoples-Jones for a 42 yard gain. Yet on 1st and goal at the one, Chubb did not get in. Then came a killer offensive holding call followed by a pair o incompletions. York hit the 29 yard field goal to end the half with the teams deadlocked 10-10. In the third quarter an interception of Ryan gave the Browns another short field at the Atlanta 43. The Browns settled for a 45 yard York field goal but had the 13-10 lead.
After a touchback, it was ground and pound as Huntley ran for 6, 5, 14, 9 and 4. Allgeier added 7 and 14. Then it was back to Huntley for 6, 5, and the 5 yard touchdown. The 10 play, 75 yard, 5 minute drive did not feature a single pass attempt as the Falcons led 17-13 early in the fourth quarter. After a touchback, chubb ran for 6, caught a pass from Brissett for 9, and ran for 3. Karim Hunt ran for 20 and Chubb ripped off a 28 yard touchdown run to put the Browns up 20-17 with 10 minutes left in regulation. The Falcons after a touchback moved to a 2nd and goal at the 2. Rather than play smash mouth, Arthur Smith had Mariota line up in the shotgun. Mariota fumbled the snap but was lucky enough to pick it up and escape with an incompletion. Then on 3rd and goal he threw incomplete again. Smith played it safe. Koo hit from 21 for a 20-20 game midway through the fourth quarter.
The falcons got it back at their own 9 with 3 1/2 mi minutes left. Mariota went deep to Zaccheaus for 42 with 15 more tacked on for a defensive facemask. O 3rd and 3 at the Cleveland 27, Allgeier got stopped. Koo hit from 45 as the fourth lead change of the game had the Falcons up by a field goal 2 1/2 minutes left. The Browns after a touchback moved to a 1st and 10 at the Atlanta 41 with 1:36 left. They were only a few yards from long field goal range. Then came an incompletion, an ineligible man downfield penalty, and a sack of Brissett. On 3rd and 23 from their own 46 with one minute left, Brissett went deep and was intercepted. For the seance straight week, the Falcons engineered a fourth quarter comeback. 23-20 Falcons
Buffalo Bills at Baltimore Ravens — The Bills suffered a heartbreaker at Miami and were now at a tough Baltimore squad. On the third play from scrimmage and the Bills facing 3rd and 9 from their own 26, Josh Allen was intercepted by Marlon Humphrey, who returned the pick 26 yards to set the Ravens up at the Baltimore 4 yard line. JK Dobbins ran for 3 and then caught a one yard touchdown pass from Lamar Jackson to make it 7-0 Ravens. A 42 yard kickoff return had the Bills taking over at their own 43. Yet on 3rd and 7 from the Baltimore 20, Allen threw incomplete. Tyler Bass hit from 38 to get the Bills within 7-3. The Ravens took over at their own 19. Dobbins ran for 9 and Jackson hit Devin Duvernay for 12. On 3rd and 9 from his own 45, Jackson ran for 10, hit Bateman for 13, and ran for 9 more. On 3rd and 1 from the Buffalo 7, Ricard gained 3. Dobbins ran for the 4 yard touchdown up the gut to culminate the 15 play, 81 yard, 9 minute drive and put the Ravens up 14-3 after the first quarter.
The Bills fumbled again in the second quarter to set up the Ravens with a 1st and 10 at the Buffalo 36. Jackson hit Dobbins for 20. On 3rd and 6 from the Buffalo 12, Jackson hit Mark Andrews for 11 down to the one. Yet offensive pass interference meant that 1st and goal at the one was instead 3rd and 16 from the 22. Jackson then lost 2 yards. Justin Tucker hit a 42 yard field goal to make it 17-3 Ravens. The Ravens got it back and moved from their own 29 to a 1st and 10 at the Buffalo 29. Yet an incompletion was followed by a sack of Jackson. Tucker nailed a 51 yard field goal. With 4 minutes left in the half, the Ravens were cruising up 20-3. They blew a 21 point fourth quarter lead at home a couple weeks ago, but surely this 17 point lead at home was safe.
The Bills took over at their own 24 with 1:47 left. Allen hit Avis for 13, McKenzie for 5, and Stefan Diggs for 17. With 28 seconds left from the Baltimore 28, Allen hit Singletary for 14, Dawson Knox for 10 and McKenzie for the 4 yard touchdown. the Bills only trailed 20-10 at the intermission. The Bills took over at their own 28 in the third quarter and moved to a 4th and 1 at the Baltimore 25. Sean McDermott went for it and Allen gained 4. Yet Allen then threw 3 straight incompletions. Bass hit from 39 to get the Bills within 20-13. The Bills got it back at their own 20. Allen hit Diggs for 23 and Singletary for 14. On 3rd and 7 from the Baltimore 40, Allen hit McKenzie for 8. Allen hit Shakir for 14, ran for 7, and then ran again for the 11 yard touchdown. After three quarters the game was tied 20-20.
Jackson was intercepted in the fourth quarter, but the Bills did not capitalize. The Ravens got it back at their own 5 yard less than 90 seconds into the fourth quarter. Hill ripped off gains of 10 and 12. On 3rd and 8 from his own 34, Jackson hit Andrews for 9. Defensive pass interference added 17 more. Hill tacked on 14. On 3rd and 12 from the Buffalo 28, Jackson scrambled for 18. On 2nd and goal at the one, Dobbins got the carry and lost 3 yards. On 3rd and goal at the 4, Jackson gained 2. With 4:15 to play in regulation, John Harbaugh made the curious decision to go for it on 4th and goal at the 2. A field goal would have give the Ravens the lead, but Harbaugh wanted it all. Jackson went to the end zone and was intercepted for a touchback. 14 plays, 93 yards and 9 1/2 minutes of clock amounted to nothing.
The Bills soon faced 3rd and 2 from their own 28. Allen went deep to Knox for 20. Allen ran for 7 and hit Shakir for 9. Roughing the passer added a critical 15 yards. Allen then hit Singletary for 16. The Ravens took their timeouts on defense but it was too late. On 1st and goal at the one. Allen took a couple of knees to take the clock down to 3 seconds. Bass hit the 21 yard field goal in front of a shellshocked crowd at the Big Crabcake. The Ravens should be 4-0. Instead they are 2-2 after blowing 2 home games with leads of at least 17 points. 20 unanswered points showed that the Bills are a very resilient bunch. 23-20 Bills
Washington Commanders at Dallas Cowboys — The Commanders came in having never lost to the Cowboys. The Cowboys were again starting cooper Rush in place of injured Dak Prescott. The Cowboys got on the board first when Brett Maher hit a 53 yard field goal for a 3-0 Cowboys lead. Maher hit again from 45 in the second quarter for a 6-0 Cowboys lead. The Commanders took over at their own 35. From midfield, JD McKissic ran for 33. On 3rd and 3 from the Dallas 10, Carson Wentz hit Jahan Dotson for the touchdown to make it 7-6 Commanders.
The Cowboys soon faced 3rd and 7 from their own 28. Rush was intercepted but defensive illegal contact nullified the pick and kept the drive going. On 3rd and 8 from his own 35, Rush hit Michael Gallup for 15. On 3rd and 1 from the Washington 41, Ezekiel Elliott gained 7. On 3rd and 1 from the Washington 25, Rush got the yard. On 3rd and 6 from the Washington 9, Rush hit Gallup for the touchdown. The extra point try was blocked, but with one minute left in the half the 15 play, 75 yard, 6 minute drive made it 12-7 Cowboys. Midway through the third quarter from his own 38, Rush went deep to Brown for 45 yards. On 3rd and 8 from the Washington 15, a completion gained only 5 yards. Maher hit the 28 yard field goal to make it 15-7 Cowboys.
The Commanders soon faced 3rd and 8 from their own 27. Wentz went deep to Dotson for 31. Williams gained 23. Yet on 2nd and 8 from the Dallas 17, an intentional grounding penalty killed the drive. Slye hit from 45 to get the Commanders within 15-10 after three quarters. In the fourth quarter, the Cowboys salted the game away. A 38 yard defensive pass interference penalty led to Rush hitting Lamb for a 30 yard touchdown on the first play of the fourth quarter to make it 22-10 Cowboys. The Commanders went 3 straight drives that included turning it over on downs twice sandwiched around an interception. Maher tacked on one more field goal to close out the scoring. The Commanders have never beaten the Cowboys. 25-10 Cowboys
Seattle Seahawks at Detroit Lions — Pete Carroll won a Super Bowl with a defense known as the Legion of Boom. Dan Campbell gives fiery speeches. This game was insane. The Seahawks went right to work after a touchback. Geno Smith hit Will Dissly for 9 and Tyler Lockett for 7. On 3rd and 3 from their own 42, Smith hit Rashaad Penny for 6 and Dissly for 8. On 3rd and 7 just past midfield, Smith ran for 17. Smith hit Parkinson for 15. Smith went to Disney for a 17 yard touchdown to cap the 11 play, 75 yard, 6 1/2 minute drive and make it 7-0 Seahawks. The Lions got a break when the Seahawks fumbled a punt and the Lions recovered at the Seattle 32. One play and 7 seconds later, Jared Goff hit TJ Hockenson for the touchdown. The extra point was no good but the Rams were within 7-6.
After a touchback the Seahawks came right back. Smith hit Lockett for 13 and DK Metcalf for big gains of 23 and 21 with roughing the passer adding 9 more. Smith ran for an 8 yard touchdown to make it 14-6 Seahawks. The Lions got another spark on special teams on a Dan Campbell gamble. On 4th and 3 from their own 35, a perfectly executed fake punt saw Fox hit Cephus for 6. Yet 12 plays and 6 1/2 minutes yielded only 41 yards. On 1st and 10 from the Seattle 27, a false start was followed by a failed run and a pair of incompletions. Eberle hit the 49 yard field goal to get the Lions within 14-9 early in the second quarter. Eberle then kicked the ensuing kickoff out of bounds to set the Seahawks up at their own 40. They moved to the Detroit 36 when a pair of offensive penalties meant 2nd and 25 just shy of midfield. Pete Carroll played it safe and Smith gained 13 of it back. Jason Myers then nailed a 56 yard field goal to put the Seahawks up 17-9. Five plays later Goff fumbled and the seahawks took over at their own 48. On 2nd and 14, Smith went deep to Metcalf for 42 yards down to the 2. Smith hit Noah Fast for the touchdown and a 24-9 Seahawks lead with 5 minutes left in the half.
The Lions used all of it in moving 75 yards in 12 plays. On 2nd and 23 from their own 12, Goff went deep to Kennedy for 28. Goff hit Reynolds for 26 down to the one. A pair of runs went nowhere sandwiched around an incompletion. With 3 seconds left in the half, it was 4th and goal at the one. This time the Dan Campbell gamble paid off as Williams got in. Eberle’s terrible game continued as he missed his 2nd extra point. The Lions trailed 24-15 at the break. The Lions got the ball after a third quarter touchback and disaster immediately struck. Goff was intercepted by Tariq Woolen, who returned the pick 40 yards for a touchdown and a 31-15 Seahawks lead. The Seahawks got it back and had a chance to all but put the game away, but Myers missed a 39 yard field goal.
This time the Lions struck quickly. From their own 29, Goff went to Raymond for 17. Williams raced for a 51 yard touchdown. Goff ran in the 2 point conversion try to get the Lions within 31-23. The Seahawks soon faced 3rd and 1 at their own 34. Walker got the yard. Penny ran for 15. On 3rd and 4 from the Detroit 39, Smith hit Metcalf for 9. On 3rd and 16 from the Detroit 36, a give up run went all the way for a touchdown. The defensive meltdown had the Seahawks up 38-23 after three quarters. The fourth quarter was wild.
On the last play of the third quarter, the Lions faced 1st and 20 at their own 15. A short pass from Goff to Hockensen saw him weave through traffic for an 81 yard gain. The fourth quarter began with Goff hitting Reynolds for a 3 yard touchdown. Goff hit Hockensen for the 2 point conversion as the Lions were within 38-31. Yet their defense could not get a stop. The Seahawks moved 68 yards in 10 plays. On 3rd and 3 from the Detroit 7, Smith threw incomplete. Yet Myers hit a 25 yard field goal to give the Seahawks breathing room up 41-31 with 9 1/2 minutes left. The Lions offense kept coming. After a touchback, Goff hit Reynolds for 15 and Hockensen for 9. Midway through the fourth quarter, the Lions faced 4th and 10 at the Seattle 48. Needing 2 scores, going for it was necessary. Goff hit Kennedy for 17 and Hockensen for 16. On 3rd and goal at the 4, Goff hit Hockensen for the touchdown. The home crowd was elated as the Lions were within 41-38 with a full 5 1/2 minutes left.
One defensive stop would give the Lions a chance. They could not get the stop. After a touchback, Smith hit Eskrudge for 10. On 3rd and 2 from his own 43, Smith hit Lockett for 11. On 3rd and 5 from Detroit 41 and the Lions defense smelling pass, a run by Penny went for a 41 yard touchdown and a 48-38 Seahawks lead with 2:14 to play. The Lions offense kept coming, and Goff threw a 2 yard touchdown pass to Jackson to get the Lions within a field goal again with 1:06 to play. The onside kick failed. With one minute left the Seahawks faced 3rd and 5 at the Detroit 41. One defensive stop was too much to ask of the Detroit defense. Penny gained 7 and Smith kneeled twice to preserve the win. Goff was 26 of 39 for 378 yards, 4 touchdowns, and one interception. Smith was 23 of 30 for 320 yards and 2 touchdowns with 0 interceptions. The Seahawks gashed the Detroit defense for 235 yards on the ground on 33 carries, led by Penny’s 151 yards on 17 carries. The Lions have the #1 offense in the NFL but are 1-3 because scoring 35 points per game doesn’t win when you give up 35.3 points per game. Pete Carroll is known for defense, but your defense can give up 520 yards and 45 points when your offense puts up 575 yards and 48 points. For fans who love offense, 1,095 yards and 93 points combined made for a great game. 48-45 Seahawks
Los Angeles Chargers at Houston Texans — After suffering a humiliating home beatdown by Jacksonville, the Chargers hoped to rebound against the lowly Texans. On the third play from scrimmage on 3rd and 5 from his own 30, Davis Mills was intercepted. Adderly returned the pick 30 yards to the Houston 25. On 3rd and 8, the defense jumped into the neutral zone. On 3rd and 3, Justin Herbert, who was playing hurt, hit Gerald Everett for the 18 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Chargers. The Texan failed to get on the board when Kaimi Fairbairn missed a 46 yard field goal by a country mile. The Chargers took over at their own 36. On 3rd and 6, Herbert hit Carter for 14. Kelley gained 6, 5 and 5. Herbert hit Mike Williams for 15. Austin Ekeler ran for 5 and then for the 10 yard touchdown to make it 14-0 Chargers early in the second quarter. The Chargers got it back and made it look east. On 2nd and 7 from their own 30, Herbert went to Williams for a 50 yard gain. Ekeler then ran for a 20 yard touchdown to make it 21-0 Chargers.
One play after a touchback, the Texans were on the board. Dameon Pierce raced for a 75 yard touchdown to get the Texans within 21-7. The Chargers from their own 18 embarked on a 10 play, 77 yard, 5 minute drive. On 1st and goal at the 6, a fumble lost 5 yards and killed the drive. Dustin Hopkins hit a 23 yard field goal to make it 24-7 Chargers. After a touchback the texans moved to a 4th and 1 at the Chargers 24. Love Smith gambled and Davis Mills was sacked. The Chargers moved from their own 32 to a 1st and 10 at the Houston 14. gain, the red zone was the end as a false start hobbled that drive. Hopkins hit again from 37 as the Chargers had a comfortable 27-7 lead at the midpoint.
Late in the third quarter the Texans took over at their own 13. On 3rd and 7 from their own 34, Mills went deep to Cooks for 20 and to Akins for 30. Mills hit Rex Burkhead for an 8 yard touchdown as the Texans only trailed 27-14 after three quarters. The Texans got it back at their own 7 and soon faced 3rd and 6 from their own 11. Mills hit Burkhead for 13, Collins deep for 58, and Cooks for the 18 yard touchdown. With 10 minutes left in regulation the Texans were right back in it down 27-21. The Chargers fumbled the ensuing kickoff and the Texans recovered at the Chargers 16 with a golden chance to take the lead. Yet on 2nd and 7, Mills was sacked and fumbled for a big loss. Fairbairn hit from 40 to have the Texans within 27-24 with 8 1/2 minutes left in the game.
The Chargers soon faced 3rd and 2 from their own 24. Herbert hit William for 13. On 4th and 2 from their own 45, Brandon Staley made a major gamble. With the game on the line and 5 1/2 minutes left, he risked giving the Texans a short field and the chance at a tying field goal. Herbert hit Ekeler for 21. On 3rd and 6 from the Houston 30 with 3:16 left, Herbert hit Mike Williams for 11. Herbert hit Ekeler for a 14 yard touchdown with 2 1/2 minutes left to ice the game. Mills threw one more interception for good measure. 34-24 Chargers
Tennessee Titans at Indianapolis Colts — After an emotional home win over Kansas City, the Colts came out flat at home against Tennessee. After moving from their own 25 to a 1st and 10 at the Tennessee 45, a pair of incompletions and a false start was followed by Matt Ryan getting sacked and fumbled. The Titans took over at the Indianapolis 32. On 3rd and 6, Ryan Tannehill gained 9. Derrick Henry added 12. Tannehill hit Robert Woods for a 7 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Titans. The Titans got it back and soon faced 3rd and 3 at their own 32. Tannehill went to Austin Hooper for 4 and Henry for 22 more. Tannehill then went to Okonkwo for 23. Henry ran for a 19 yard touchdown to put the Titans up 14-0 after the first quarter.
The Colts after a touchback moved to a 2nd and goal at the 4 but Ryan threw incomplete twice. Chase McLaughlin hit the 27 yard field goal in the second quarter to get the Colts on the board. Randy Bullock countered from 44 to make it 17-3 Titans. Ryan was quickly intercepted to set the Titans up at the Indy 28. Tannehill hit Okonkwo for the 8 yard touchdown to make it 24-3 Titans. The Colts tried to make a comeback. Ryan hit Mo Alie-Cox for a 14 yard touchdown before the half to get the Colts within 24-10. Ryan connected with Cox again for a 7 yard touchdown as the Colts only trailed by 7 midway through the third quarter. With 8:40 left in regulation the Colts had 3rd and 1 at the Tennessee 24. Jonathan Taylor got the yard but then fumbled and the Titans recovered. With 4 minutes left the Colts had another chance with 1st and 10 at the Tennessee 22. short pass lost 3 yards and then Ryan was sacked. On 4th and 21, a 51 yard field goal try was no good. With 1:49 left the Titans faced 3rd and 4 at their own 47. Tannehill hit Okonkwo for 7 yards and then took 3 knees. 24-17 Titans
Chicago Bears at New York Giants — Somehow both of these teams were 2-1. The bears from their own 24 mounted a 10 play, 65 yard, nearly 5 1/2minute drive. On 3rd and 7 from the Giants 11, Justin Fields threw incomplete. Mike Badly hit the 29 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Bears. After a touchback, Saquon Barkley ripped off gains of 18 and 9 yards. Daniel Jones ran for a 21 yard touchdown to make it 7-3 Giants. The Bears from their own 19 moved to a 3rd and 3 at the Giants 5. Khalil Herbert gained only one yard. Badly hit again from 24 as the Bears got within 7-6. In the second quarter the Bears from their own 20 moved 53 yards in 10 plays. Yet on 1st and 10 from the Giants 27, Fields was sacked and fumbled the ball away. From his own 25, Barkley ran for 29 and Jones hit Hudson for 18. On 3rd and 9 from the Chicago 27, Jones hit Barkley for 15. Jones ran for an 8 yard touchdown to make it 14-6 Giants. The rest of the game was a slog. Badly hit from 40 late in the half and from 35 early in the third quarter to get the Bears within 14-12. Yet their inability to reach the end zone was their undoing. Graham Gano hit from 44 late in the third quarter and from 43 with 5 1/2 minutes left in regulation to put the Giants up by 8. Gano missed from 37 with 21 seconds left, but with 3 seconds left the Bears were still 67 yards away. The hook and laterals were fumbled away as the Giants got to 3-1 the ugly way. 20-12 Giants
Jacksonville Jaguars at Philadelphia Eagles — The Jaguars went on the road last week and gave the Chargers a beating. Now Doug Pederson faced off against his old team that was unbeaten under Kevin Siriani. Early on it was all Jaguars as it looked like they would keep rolling. Jalen Hurts had a pass intercepted by Cisco, who returned it 59 yards for a defensive touchdown and a 7-0 Jaguars lead. The Jaguars got it back and soon fced 3rd and 5 at their own 25. Trevor Lawrence went to Jamal Agnew for 24 and Arnold for 26. On 2nd and 5 from the Philadelphia 20, Robinson gained 11 and fumbled, but the Jaguars maintained possession at the Philadelphia 3 yard line. Lawrence hit Agnew for a 4 yard touchdown as the Jaguars led 14-0. Siriani gambled on 4th and 3 from the Jacksonville 40 but Hurts threw incomplete. Early in the second quarter Pederson gambled on 4th and 3 from the Philadelphia 34. Lawrence was sacked for a 14 yard loss and fumbled. The Eagles took over at their own 43, at which point momentum drastically shifted.
Hurts hit AJ Brown for 18 and Dallas Goedert for 26. On 4th and goal at the 3, Kevin Siriani again gambled. This time Hurts scrambled up the middle for the touchdown o get the Eagles within 14-7. The Eagles got it back at their own 29. Miles Sanders ripped off gains of 8, 13, 5 and 4. Sermon gained 14. Sanders ran for 10 yard touchdown to tie the game 14-14 with 4 minutes left in the half. 3 plays later with the Jaguars facing 3rd and 1 at their own 34, Lawrence fumbled again and the Eagles took over at the Jacksonville 35. Hurts hit Brown for 13 at the 2 minute warning. Sanders ran for 10. On 4th and 1 from the Jags 12 with 1:10 left, Sirianni went for it again. Hurts gained 2. Kenneth Gainwell ran for a 10 yard touchdown. The extra point was no good but the Eagles led 20-14 at the intermission.
Turnovers kept killing the Jaguars. After moving from their own 28 to a 2nd and 7 at the Philadelphia 16, Lawrence was intercepted. The Eagles moved from their own 12 to a 3rd and 8 at the Jacksonville 10 early in the fourth quarter. Hurts threw incomplete. Elliott hit from 28 to make it 23-14 Eagles. Three plays later Lawrence was sacked and fumbled again to set up the Eagles at the Jags 24. On 3rd and 3 from the Jags 5, Sanders ran it in. 29 unanswered points had the Eagles up 29-14 with 9 minutes left in regulation.
The Jaguars moved from their own 32 quickly. Lawrence hit Christian Kirk for 15. On 3rd and 10 from their own 47, Lawrence found Kirk deep for 45 yards. Lawrence went to Agnew for an 8 yard touchdown to get the Jaguars within 8 midway through the fourth quarter. The Eagles after a touchback moved to a 4th and 3 at the Jacksonville 21 with 1:54 left in the game. . A field goal would lock up the win. This time Siriani gambled needlessly. Hurts threw incomplete. Yet it was deja vu all over again as Lawrence was sacked and fumbled again. Lawrence had a miserable game, with 4 lost fumbles and an interception. Doug Pederson failed to beat the team that fired him. Meanwhile, the Eagles at 4-0 are the only unbeaten team in the NFL. 29-21 Eagles
New York Jets at Pittsburgh Steelers — Zach Wilson returned. An early interception of Mitchell Trubisky set up the Jets at the Pittsburgh 36. Yet on 3rd and 10 from the Pittsburgh 26, a completion gained only 6 yards. Greg Zuerlein hit a 38 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Jets. The Jets got it back and soon faced 3rd and 7 at their own 33. Wilson hit Moore for 20. On the first play of the second quarter, Wilson went to Moore again for 28 more yards. Robert Saleh went to the bag of tricks as Wilson went from quarterback to receiver and Braxton Berrios went from receiver to quarterback. Berrios hit Wilson for the 2 yard touchdown to make it 10-0 Jets. Momentum then changed.
Boswell hit a 51 yard field goal in the second quarter to get the Steelers on the board. With 20 seconds left in the half, the Jets faced 3rd and 11 from the Pittsburgh 29. A 47 yard field goal would make it 13-3 Jets, but Zuerlein never got the chance. Wilson was intercepted by Sutton, who returned the pick 26 yards to set the Steelers up at their own 30. Trubisky then hit Pat Freiermuth for 14. With 9 seconds left in the half, the Steelers were at their own 44. Then things got crazy. Trubisky went deep and was intercepted at the goal line by Whitehead. Whitehead returned the interception to his own 30 and lateraled the ball, A couple of laterals later, the Jets finally got stopped at the Pittsburgh 32. Yet all of that was for naught. A mindless roughing the passer call on the Jets gave the Steelers one untimed down from the Jets 41. Mike Tomlin went with Boswell, who leveled a 59 yard field goal at the gun to have the Steelers within 10-6.
Despite the closeness of the game, Mike Tomlin made a major change at halftime that was inevitable. Trubisky was benched and rookie Kenny Pickett saw his first action. The normally conservative Tomlin gambled on 4th and 1 from his own 31 on Pickett’s very first drive early in the third quarter. Pickett gained 2. Pickett then threw his first NFL interception. The Jets faced 3rd and 6 at their own 30 and Wilson gave it right back. Minkah Fitzpatrick returned the interception 34 yards to the Jets 4 yard line. On 3rd and goal at the one, Pickett scored his first touchdown to make it 13-10 Steelers. The Steelers got it back at their own 18. Pickett hit Freiermuth for 14. Najee Harris ran for 16. On 3rd and 6 from the Jets 48, Pickett ran for 7. On 3rd and 4 from the Jets 35, Pickett hit Pickens for 13. The fourth quarter began with the Steelers facing 3rd and 8 at the Jets 20. Pickett hit Freiermuth for 18 and then ran for the 2 yard touchdown. 20 unanswered points had the Steelers up 20-10 only 90 seconds into the fourth quarter.
The Jets soon faced 3rd and 6 at the Jets 23. Wilson went to his non-relative teammate Wilson for a 35 yard gain. On 4th and 7 from the Pittsburgh 39 and down by 10, Robert Saleh decided to go for it rather than try a 57 yard field goal. Wilson hit Davis for 22. Hall ran for 16. 1st and goal at the one after consecutive offensive penalties moved the Jets back to the 11. Yet on 3rd and goal from the 5, Wilson hit Corey Davis for the touchdown. The Jets were within 20-17 midway through the fourth quarter. After a touchback, the Steelers moved to a 1st and 10 at the Jets 31 looking to close out the game. Pickett fumbled but the Steelers retained possession. Pickett was then intercepted to set up the Jets at their own 35 with 3 1/2 minutes left. Wilson hit Davis for 15. On 3rd and 6 from the Pittsburgh 46 at the 2 minute warning, Wilson hit Conklin for 8. Wilson found Davis again for 17. Breece Hall ran for 7 and the Jets took their first timeout. 16 seconds remained and the Jets had 2nd and goal at the 2. Hall ran it in for the touchdown in front of a shocked home crowd at Heinz Field. After a touchback, Pickett hit Pickens for 27 yards to the Jets 48. With 8 seconds left, Pickett’s Hail Mary reached the goal line but was intercepted. Mike Tomlin after the game said he saw enough from Pickett to make him the starter going forward. Yet it was the Jets who got the very gutsy road win. 24-20 Jets
Arizona Cardinals at Carolina Panthers — Matt Rhule gambled on 4th and 1 from his own 39 and Christian McCaffrey got stopped cold. Kliff Kingsbury then gambled on4th and 1 from the Carolina 10 and Moore lost 4 yards in a scoreless first quarter. Early in the second quarter 3rd and 6 form his own 31, Murray was intercepted by Frankie Luvu. Luvu returned the pick 33 yards for a defensive touchdown and a 7-0 Panthers lead. Kingsbury then gambled on 4th and 1 from his own 42 and a run lost 13 yards and resulted in a fumble that Murray somehow managed to turn into an incompletion. The Panthers then from the Arizona 32 fumbled the ball back in this hideously bad game. Matt Prater did manage a 33 yard field goal for the Cardinals. Baker Mayfield threw an interception that led to no points. Eddie Pineiro hit a 54 yard field goal to end the half with the Panthers up 10-3.
Early in the third quarter the Cardinals faced 3rd and 1 at their own 20. After being bottled up the entire first half, Murray gained 2 and then found Zach Ertz for 23. A defensive pass interference penalty added 37 more yards. On 3rd and goal at the 2, Murray hit Ertz for the touchdown to tie the game 10-10. The Cardinals got it back at their own 22. On the first play of the fourth quarter the Cardinals faced 1st and goal at the 10. An offensive unnecessary roughness penalty resulted in an Arizona player getting disqualified. An offensive holding call killed the drive. Matt Prater hit a 39 yard field goal to make it 13-10 Cardinals. On the first play after a touchback, Mayfield was intercepted by Gardecki, who returned the pick 24 yards to the Carolina 5. Murray ran for a 4 yard touchdown to make it 20-10 Cardinals. Matt Rhule gambled on 4th and 1 from his own 31 and Mayfield threw incomplete. On 3rd and 2, Murray hit Marquise Brown for a 23 yard touchdown as 23 unanswered points had the Cardinals up 26-10. The Panthers did score one more touchdown with 5 minutes left but the onside kick failed and the Cardinals ran out the clock. 26-16 Cardinals
New England Patriots at Green Bay Packers — 25 years ago, Desmond Howard propelled the Packers to Brett Favre’s only Super Bowl trophy as Walrus Mike Holmgren out-dueled Bill Parcells. Now it was the legendary understudies as Aaron Rodgers took on Bill Belichick. Mac Jones was out injured and Brian Hoyer got the start. After a touchback, Jones led a 10 play, 56 yard, 5 minute drive. 1st and 10 at the Green Bay 19 saw a pair of runs gain nothing and Hoyer throw incomplete. Nick Folk hit a 37 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Patriots. 10 minutes into the game, a sack of Hoyer saw him leave the game with a head injury. Rookie third string quarterback Bailey Zappe played the rest of the way.
A field position game saw a horse collar tackle on a punt to give the Packers the ball at midfield. Aaron Jones had runs of 10 and 5. On 3rd and 2 from the New England 32 to start the second quarter, Jones ran for 7 and 10. Christian Watson ran for a 15 yard touchdown. Without a single pass on the drive, the Packers led 7-3. With one minute left in the half on 1st and 10 from the Green Bay 22, Zappe was sacked and fumbled. With 13 seconds left in the half, the Packers faced 3rd and 9 from their own 32. A run up the middle would end the half. Yet Matt LaFleur called a pass play. Jack Jones intercepted Rodgers and returned the pick 40 yards for a touchdown and a 10-7 Patriots lead in front of a stunned crowd at the Big Cheesehead.
Rodgers rebounded to start the third quarter. On 3rd and 10 from his own 19, Rodgers went deep to Alan Lazard for 32. Jones gained 12. On 3rd and 2 from the New England 29, AJ Dillon only gained one. Matt LaFleur gambled on 4th and one. Jones gained 17. On 2nd and 19 from the New England 20 after offensive holding, Rodgers hit Robert Tonyan for the touchdown to cap the 10 play, 81 yard, 5 1/2 minute drive and make it 14-10 Packers. After a touchback, Zappe hit Kendrick Bourne for 16. A sack was eradicated by defensive unnecessary roughness. Harris gashed the defense for gains of 5, 14, 7 and 4. On 1st and 15 from the Green Bay 25, Zappe went to DeVante Parker for the touchdown. With 5 minutes left in the third quarter, the fourth lead change of the game had the Patriots up 17-14. The Packers moved from their own 21 to a 3rd and 4 at the New England 21. A completion gained only one yard. Mason Crosby hit a 38 yard field goal on the last play of the third quarter tied the game 17-17.
The Patriots began the fourth quarter at their own 34. This time it was Raimondre Stevenson powering over the opposing defense for gains of 12, 5, 17 and 2. Zappe then went to Nelson Agholor for 21. Damien Harris ran for 4 and then for the 5 yard touchdown to make it 24-17 with 11 minutes left in regulation. The Packers faced 3rd and 6 at their own 29. Rodgers went deep to Randall Cobb for 24 Dillon caught a pass from Rodgers for 11 and then ran for 13 more. On 3rd and 3 from the New England 13, Rodgers hit Romeo Doubs for the touchdown. With 6 minutes left, the game was tied again 24-24. The defenses dug in, sent the game to overtime, and saw both offenses go 3 and out on their opening overtime possession. The Packers took over at their own 10. Rodgers hit Lazard for 22.On 3rd and 1 from his own 44, Rodgers hit Cobb for 11 and Doubs for 8 and 9. On 3rd and 3 from the New England 21, Dillon gained 7. The Packers moved 77 yards in 12 plays and took all of the final 6:47 left in overtime. On the final play of overtime, Crosby came in for a 31 yard field goal try. Crosby was good as the Packers got to 3-1 and dropped the Patriots to 1-3 on the year. 27-24 Packers
Denver Broncos at Las Vegas Raiders — Last year Jon Gruden got the Raiders off to a 3-0 start. Rich Bisaccia held the team together and willed a 6-7 team to a 4-0 finish, a playoff berth, and 9 yards from a road playoff win. His reward was to be forced out in favor of Josh McDaniels, who has never won as a head coach anywhere. The Raiders went 4-0 in the preseason for the first time in their history, which meant nothing when they started 0-3 in the regular season. McDaniels faced off against the original team that fired him, the Broncos. The Raiders keep losing because McDaniels is a West Coast Offense dink and dunker who refuses to run the ball in running situations. In this game, McDaniels unleashed Josh Jacobs. Yet in key running situations, McDaniels still refused to feed Jacobs. The 3 big problems the Raiders face are abandoning power running, bogging down in the red zone due to that abandoning of the run, and a secondary that is still a sieve. This game featured all 3 of those problems.
The Raiders took over at their own 32 and moved 60 yards in 11 plays and 5 minutes. Yet on 2nd and 4 from the Denver 7, Jacobs lost a yard. On 3rd and 5, Derek Carr threw incomplete. Daniel Carlson hit the 25 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Raiders, but it was another missed opportunity. On their next drive, a sack of Carr had the Raiders punting on 4th and 21 from their own 2. AJ Cole’s punt was returned 30 yards to set the Broncos up at the Raiders 34. Russell Wilson immediately went deep to Saubert for 25. On 3rd and goal at the 5, Wilson hit Cortland Sutton for the touchdown and the 7-3 Broncos lead.
After a touchback, Carr hit Jacobs for 12. Jacobs ran for 3 and Carr added 7. They took turns again as Jacobs gained 9 and Carr added 2 more. In the second quarter, Carr hit Davante Adams for 9. Jacobs was a beast, running for 4, 3, and the 10 yard touchdown to finish the 11 play, 75 yard, 6minute drive and make it 10-7 Raiders. Josh McDaniels tried a surprise onside kick that did not work, setting up the Broncos at the Raiders 48. On 3rd and 6, Wilson went deep to Jerry Jeudy for 32. An illegal shift had the Broncos going backward. Brandon McManus hit the 28 yard field goal for a 10-10 game.
A 20 yard punt return gave the Broncos the ball back at their own 48. With 4 minutes left in the half the Broncos faced 4th and 1 at the Raiders 43. Nathaniel Hackett decided to go for it and Williams gained 2. Yet craziness ensued on the next play. Melvin Gordon got the carry and got hit and fumbled. The ball bounced straight to Amik Robertson, who weaved through traffic, found a convoy of blockers, and rumbled for a 68 yard defensive touchdown. With 3:15 left in the half, the Raiders had a 16-10 lead. Yet they could not handle prosperity. Carlson missed the extra point. After a touchback, Williams ran for 9 and 13. On 2nd and 12 from his own 45, Wilson went deep to Hinton for 35 and then to Jeudy for a 20 yard touchdown. Just like that, the game was tied 16-16. McManus also missed his extra point, making it a wash.
After a touchback, 1:24 remained in the half. Runs and short passes had the Raiders facing 1st and 10 at the Denver 41 with 17 seconds left. Carr lit up the home crowd at the Death Star as he scrambled for a 20 yard gain. Carlson nailed the 39 yard field goal as the Raiders took a 19-16 lead to the locker rooms. Midway through the third quarter the Raiders took over and moved 77 yards in 10 plays. They had 1st and goal at the one. Jacobs got the carry and lost 2 yards. Yet he should have been given the ball again. Instead, McDaniels once again abandoned the run. Carr threw incomplete twice. Carlson hit from 22 to put the Raiders up 22-16 after three quarters, but they kept missing out on chances to put the game away. A great punt had the Broncos pinned at their own one yard line to start the fourth quarter. They punted it back and the Raiders had great field position just shy of midfield. Carr hit Adams for 13 and breakout star Mack Hollins for 16. On 3rd and 4 from the Denver 16, McDaniels called another one of his West Coast Offense dink and dunk passes rather than throw past the first down marker. A 3 yard completion meant 4th and 1 at the Denver 13. It was hard to argue with McDaniels opting for the field goal. Carlson hit from 30 as his fourth field goal on the day made it 25-16 Raiders early in the fourth quarter.
Yet too many field goals and not enough touchdowns appeared to bite the raiders again. The Broncos soon faced 3rd and 9 from their own 26. Wilson ran for 13. With 8 1/2 minutes left, connective offensive holding calls had the Broncos facing 1st and 30 at their own 19. That should have ended things, but the Raiders do not close out games. Wilson threw incomplete, but the defense had too many men on the field. On 1st and 25, Wilson hit Sutton for 18 and then went deep to Hamler for a 55 yard gain. On the next play, Wilson got in for the 3 yard touchdown. Midway through the fourth quarter, the Broncos were right back in it down 25-23. This was a typical Raiders game, where the offense would stop running the ball, the offense would then sputter, and the exhausted defense would break down.
The Raiders soon faced 3rd and 6 at their own 29. Carr again used his legs to gain 9. On 2nd and 13, Carr hit Adams for 17. Josh McDaniels then did what fans have been screaming at him to do. He used his bell cow Jacobs to finish things. Jacobs is a bruiser, an absolute battering ram. He ran for 11, 5 and 3. The Broncos took a defensive timeout with 3 minutes left as the Raiders faced 3rd and 2 at the Denver 29. This time it was rookie Zamir White getting the carry and rushing for 22 yards. Then at the 2 minute warning, Jacobs barreled in for a 7 yard touchdown. 5 straight runs gave the Raiders a 9 point lead. With 1:44 left on 4th and 5 from his own 30, Wilson threw incomplete. Jacobs ran for 6 and 2 as the Broncos took their timeouts on defense. On 3rd and 2 from the Denver 22, Jacobs got the carry again and gained the 2 yards. Carr took a couple knees.
Last week the Raiders were the only 0-3 team in the NFL, a feat not achieved since Detroit in 1959 one year before the Raiders existed as a franchise. This week they finally got a win. It was revenge for Josh McDaniels agains the team that fired him, similar to his emotional win as Broncos coach over New England and his former boss Bill Belichick. That win had McDaneils at 6-0 in Denver. After that he went 5-17 and was fired after less than 2 years. McDaniels is still too reliant on dinking and dunking. He rarely ever goes for the bomb that Al Davis loved. Yet McDaniels finally pounded the rock. The Raiders ran the ball a whopping 38 times for 212 yards, led by bell cow Jacobs gaining 144 yards on 28 carries. This was power football. If McDaniels keeps doing this, the Raiders will win games. If not, they will not. 32-23 Raiders
Kansas City Chiefs at Tampa Bay Buccaneers was the Sunday night game. This game almost had to be relocated. Hurricane Ian was supposed to make a direct hit on Tampa, but at the last moment ended up striking South of Tampa in Fort Myers, bypassing Tampa, and hitting East of Tampa in Orlando. The game went on as scheduled in Raymond James Stadium. Last week Tom Brady faced Aaron Rodgers for the last time. This week Brady battled Patrick Mahomes. Brady got the better of Mahomes in the 2018 AFC Title Game and the 2020 Super Bowl. This time, before Brady could take the field, the Buccaneers fumbled away the opening kickoff to set the Chiefs up at the Tampa Bay 21. Two plays later Mahomes hit Travis Kelce for a 16 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Chiefs. The Buccaneers moved from their own 28 to a 3rd and 4 at the Kansas City 28. A completion gained only one yard. Ryan Succop hit from 45 to get the Buccaneers on the scoreboard.
The Chiefs took over at their own 21. Mahomes hit Kelce for 12. On 3rd and 1 from their own 42, Mahomes hit Juju Smith-Schuster for 4. On 3rd and 10 from his own 46, Mahomes hit Kelce for 13. On 3rd and 1 from the Tampa 32, Clyde Edwards-Helaire ran for 20. Mahomes ran for 9. Edwards-Helaire ran for the 3 yard touchdown to cap the 12 play, 79 yard, 6 minute drive and make it 14-3 Chiefs. The Chiefs got it back and faced 1st and 15 at their own 13. Mahomes hit Smith-Schuster for 13 and Kelce for 7. The second quarter began with the Chiefs facing 3rd and 2 at their own 41. Mahoems ran for 7 and then went deep to Marques Valdez-Scantling for 36. On 3rd and 2 from the Tampa Bay 8, Mahomes hit Kelce for 6. Mahomes hit Edwards-Helaire for the 2 yard touchdown to have the Chiefs up big 21-3.
After a touchback, Brady hit White for 11, Mike Evans for 30, Cameron Brate for 11, White for 10, and Evans for a 13 yard touchdown to get the Buccaneers within 21-10. The Chiefs moved from their own 26 to a 2nd and 1 at the Tampa 34. A pair of runs went nowhere and Walrus Andy Reid went for it. On 4th and 1, Mahomes threw incomplete. Yet one play later, Brady was sacked and fumbled. The Chiefs got it back at the Tampa 20. On 3rd and 7, Mahomes ran for just enough. On 3rd and goal at the one, Noah Gray got in for a 28-10 Chiefs lead with 2:11 left in the half.
After a touchback, Brady quickly moved the Buccaneers 75 yards in 12 plays. On 3rd and 2 from his own 33, Brady hit Brate for jus enough. On 3rd and 5 from his own 40, Brady hit Jones for 7. On 3rd and 1 from the Kansas City 32, Brady hit Evans for 16. Defensive pass interference added 15 more down to the one. With 10 seconds left in the half, Brady hit Evans for the touchdown to get the Buccaneers within 28-17. After a touchback to start the third quarter, the Chiefs moved to a 3rd and 6 from the Tampa 26. Mahomes threw incomplete. Wright hit the 44 yard field goal to make it 31-17 Chiefs. The Chiefs got it back at their own 35. Mahomes hit Smith-Schuster for 9 and Valdes-Scantling for 25. On 3rd and 5 from the Tampa 21, Mahomes hit Moore for 16. Mahomes hit Jody Fortson for a 10 yard touchdown and a big 38-17 Chiefs lead.
After a touchback, Brady hit Evans for 7 and 15. On 3rd and 2 from the Kansas City 41, Brady hit Rachaad White for a pair of 9 yard gains and Kieft for 19. On 3rd and goal at the one, White got in to get the Buccaneers within 38-24 after three quarters. The ensuing kickoff was kicked out of bounds to set the Chiefs up at their own 40 as the third quarter ended. The Chiefs moved to a 3rd and 2 at the Tampa 14, Mahomes threw incomplete. Wright hit the 32 yard field goal to give the Chiefs a safe 41-24 lead with 11 minutes left in regulation. With 5 minutes left in regulation on 3rd and 5 from midfield, an interception of Mahomes was returned 33 yards to the Chiefs 34. Brady hit Leonard Fournette for a 5 yard touchdown. The Buccaneers were within 10 with 3 1/2 minutes left but would get no closer. Brady was 39 of 52 for 385 yards, 3 touchdowns and 0 interceptions, but most of that was playing catchup. Mahomes had pedestrian numbers by comparison with 249 passing yards, but that was because the once pass-happy Andy Reid ran the ball 37 times for 189 yards. 41-31 Chiefs
Los Angeles Rams at San Francisco 49ers was the Monday night game. The 49ers came in having beaten the Rams 6 straight times in the regular season. Yet in last year’s NFC Title Game, the 49ers blew a 17-7 lead late as the Rams gutted out a 20-17 win en route to winning it all. This was another tough physical matchup. The Rams after a touchback held the ball for over 8 minutes. Yet 14 plays netted only 54 yards. On 2nd and 9 from the San Francisco 18, a sack of Matthew Stafford killed the drive. Matt Gay hit a 39 yard field goal for a 3-0 Rams lead. After a touchback, Jimmy Garoppolo hit Brandon Aiyuk for 15. On 3rd and 9 from his own 41, Garoppolo hit Jennings for 10. On 3rd and 5 from the Rams 44. , Garoppolo hit Jennings for 12. Jeff Wilson ripped off a 32 yard touchdown run for a 7-3 49ers lead. In the second quarter the Rams moved from their own 35 to a 1st and goal at the 9. A short pass lost 2 yards and Stafford threw incomplete twice. Gay hit from 29 to get the Rams within 7-6.
The best hit of the game was delivered by the Rams Bobby Wagner, but it was not directed at any of the 49ers. A leftist animal rights zealot ran onto the field spraying a pink chemical to protest some nonsensical social cause that has nothing to do with football. Protesters are a threat to the safety of the players and everyone else, but they also provide the players with an opportunity. Football is controlled rage. Players have to stop hitting when the whistle blows. With a protester, there is no whistle and no need to control the rage. Wagner got a running start and gave laid the protester out with all the force of his legendary days leading Seattle’s vaunted Legion of Boom. Very little unites the 49ers and Rams, but players and fans of both teams appreciated Wagner blasting the daylights out of the protester. If that hit makes other protesters skip football games, it will benefit football.
As for the game itself, it was the 49ers delivering most of the hits to the Rams players. On 3rd and 2 from their own 33, Garoppolo gained 3. On 3rd and 3 from their own 43, Garoppolo hit Deebo Samuel, who went video pinball wizard all over the field for a 57 yard touchdown and a 14-6 49ers lead. In the third quarter the Rams took over at their own 18. A staggering 16 play, 75 yard drive ate up 8 minutes, but again the Rams could not finish the drive. On 1st and goal at the 7, Stafford threw 3 straight incompletions. Gay hit from 26 to get the Rams within 14-9, but that was it. The 49ers moved from their own 27 to a second and goal at the one. A run got stopped and a touchdown pass was reversed to an incompletion. On 4th and goal at the one, Kyle Shanahan ignored the crowd and played it safe. The fourth quarter began with Robbie Gould hitting a 25 yard field goal to make it 17-9 49ers. Gould would miss from 42, but it didn’t matter. Stafford was intercepted by Talanoa Hufanga, who returned the pick 52 yards for the exclamation point touchdown. At the 2 minute warning, Stafford was sacked and fumbled. Efficient offense and a relentless defense gave the 49ers their 7th straight regular season win over the Rams and revenge for the playoff loss. 24-9 Rams
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