NFL 2022 Week 8 Recap
Baltimore Ravens at Tampa Bay Buccaneers was the Thursday night game. Tom Brady has not forgotten how to play football. No, this is not about his marital woes. He is on a team that simply is not that good, and he can’t carry them. Also, most of the Buccaneers troubles are on offense. Bruce Arians was an offensive mind. Todd Bowles comes from the defensive side. Bowles has never proven his abilities as a head coach.Making matters worse for Brady, the one coach who has always schemed well against him is John Harbaugh. Early on the Buccaneers fumbled a punt and the Ravens recovered at the Tampa 6 yard line. Yet the Tampa Bay defense came up big. On 3rd and goal at the 4, Lamar Jackson threw incomplete. Justin Tucker hit the 22 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Ravens, but this was a psychological win for the Buccaneers.
The Buccaneers soon aced 3rd and 1 from their own 34. Leonard Fournette gained 5. Brady hit Kieft for 9 and then found Chris Godwin for a 44 yard gain. On 2nd and goal at the 10, Brady threw incomplete but defensive holding meant new downs. Fournette ran for the one yard touchdown to make it 7-3 Buccaneers. The Buccaneers got it back at their own 37 and moved to a 1st and 10 at the Baltimore 11. A completion lost 2 yards and Brady threw a pair of incompletions. Ryan Succop hit a 31 yard field goal to make it 10-3 Buccaneers after the first quarter. A scoreless second quarter saw the Ravens drive from their own 40 to a 4th and 2 at the Tampa 9 at the 2 minute warning. John Harbaugh gambled and Jackson threw incomplete. The Ravens got it back and on the last play of the half, Tucker came in for a 61 yard field goal try. He holds the NFL record of 66, but this kick was blocked.
The game drastically changed in the third quarter. The Ravens took over at their own 23. Jackson ran for 25. Gus Edwards ran for 2, 7, and on 3rd and 1 from the Tampa 43, 11 more. Jackson hit Devin Duvernay for 13 and 7 and then Kenyan Drake for a 5 yard touchdown and a 10-10 game. The Ravens got it back at their own 20. Duvernay gained 18. On 3rd and 5 from their own 43, Jackson hit Isaiah Likely for 17. Hill ran for 12. On 3rd and 9 from the Tampa 28, Jackson hit Robinson for 15. Jackson went to Likely for a 10 yard touchdown. The 11 play, 80 yard, 7 minute drive had the Ravens up 17-10 after three quarters.
After a touchback to end the third quarter, the Buccaneers in the fourth quarter moved to a 1st and 10 at the Baltimore 13. After a pair of incompletions, Brady on 3rd and 10 gained one yard. With 12 1/2 minutes still left in regulation, Succop hit from 30 to get the Buccaneers within 17-13. The Ravens took over at their own 17. Edwards gained 22 and Jackson hit Likely for 16. Drake gained 7 and 3. Jackson hit Duvernay for 11. On 3rd and 1 from the Tampa Bay 15, Duvernay ran for the touchdown as the 83 yard, 5 1/2 minute drive had the Ravens up 24-13 midway through the fourth quarter.
The Buccaneers after a touchback moved to a 2nd and goal at the 6. After an incompletion, Brady on 3rd and goal hit Otton for the touchdown. Yet offensive holding killed the drive. Todd Bowles was still prepared to go for it on 4th and goal at the 3, but a false start killed that as well. Succop came in and hit the 26 yard field goal to get the Buccaneers within 24-16 with 5 minutes left. A short kickoff was returned 33 yards by Duvernay to set the Ravens up at their own 39. Drake ran for a 40 yard gain. On 3rd and 1 from the Tampa 12, Drake got stopped. With 2:12 left, John Harbaugh was not taking any chances on 4th and 1. The best kicker in the game needed to make a 30 yard field goal to make it a 2 score game. Tucker did, and the Ravens led 27-16. Brady did rapidly lead the Buccaneers 75 yards in 11 plays and throw and 8 yard touchdown pass to Julio Jones with 49 seconds left. The 2 point conversion try failed. More importantly, so did the onside kick. The Buccaneers are 3-5 and playing like it. 27-22 Ravens
Denver Broncos at Jacksonville Jaguars was the Sunday early morning London game. A pair of 2-5 teams traveled to London to avoid Americans having to be subjected to them. Russell Wilson was back from his hamstring injury. He was quickly intercepted to set up the Jaguar at the Denver 37. On 3rd and 6 from the Denver 22, Trevor Lawrence went to Evan Engram for the touchdown to make it 7-0 Jaguars. In the second quarter the Jaguars took over at their own 27. Travis Etienne got around the end for a 49 yard gain. Riley Patterson hit a 37 yard field goal to make it 10-0 Jaguars.
After a touchback, Wilson hit Cortland Sutton for 13 and Jerry Jeudy for 8. Melvin Gordon ran for 9, 3 and 6. On 3rd and 1 from the Jacksonville 38, Latavius Murray got stopped. Nathaniel Hackett went for it on 4th and 1 and Wilson gained 2. On 3rd and 7 from the Jacksonville 31, Wilson went to Jeudy for 25 and again for the 6 yard touchdown to get the Broncos within 10-7. In the third quarter the Broncos took over at their own 2 yard line. Wilson went to Dulcich for big gains 18, 22 and 38 down to the one. Gordon for in for a 14-10 Broncos lead with 5 minutes left in the third quarter.
A field position game had the Jaguars taking over at the Denver 47 midway through the fourth quarter. Lawrence hit Christian Kirk for 25. Etienne ran for 11. Etienne ran for the one yard touchdown to give the Jaguars the 17-14 lead with 4 minutes left in regulation The Broncos took over at their own 20. Wilson immediately went deep to Hamler for 47 yards, Wilson then ran for 10. Hamler added 9. Murray ran for 7 and then for the 2 yard touchdown. With 1:43 to play, the Broncos retook the 4 point lead. After a touchback, Lawrence was quickly intercepted. The Jaguars took their timeouts on defense as the Broncos faced 4th and 1 at the Jags 26 with 36 seconds to play. Wilson kept it and after an official review barely got the yard. 21-17 Broncos
Carolina Panthers at Atlanta Falcons — This was a wild and woolly football game. One week after shocking Tampa, the Panthers wanted to get Steve Wilks to 2-0 as interim coach. A 22 yard punt return set up the Panthers at the Atlanta 37. Eddie Pineiro hit a 37 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Panthers. The second quarter began with the Falcons facing 3rd and 3 at their own 38. Marcus Mariota hit Williams for 8, Hesse for 9, and Kyle Pitts for 26. On 3rd and 1 from the Carolina 7, Huntley gained 5. Mariota hit Pitts for the 2 yard touchdown to cap the 10 play, 69 yard, 6 minute drive and make it 7-3 Falcons.
The Panthers soon faced 3rd and 4 from their own 31. PJ Walker hit Marshall for 27. On 2nd and 14 from the Atlanta 36, Walker hit DJ Moore for 19. Donta Foreman ran for 8 and 4. On 3rd and goal at the 2, Foreman got in to make it 10-7 Panthers. With 41 seconds let in the half the Panthers and moved from their own 10 to their 37. Walker had been managing the game well, but one bad pass changed the game. A dangerous throw over the middle was intercepted by Carter, who returned it 28 yards for a score. The defensive touchdown had the Falcons up 14-10 at the half. 3 lead changes in the first half was just the beginning as a relatively defensive game turned into a second half offensive shootout.
The Panthers after a third quarter touchback soon faced 3rd and 6 from their own 29. Walker hit Sullivan for 33 yards. The Panthers moved to a 1st and 10 at the Atlanta 24. Walker threw 3 straight incompletions. Pineiro hit a 42 yard field goal to get the Panthers within 14-13. The Falcons took over at their own 38. Runs and short passes moved the Falcons to a 3rd and 4 at the Carolina 32. Mariota hit London for 7 and then went to Allgeier for a 25 yard touchdown. After three quarters, the Falcons led 21-13. The Panthers soon faced 3rd and 5 at their own 30. Walker hit Moore for 29 on the last play of the third quarter and for 15 more on the first play of a crazy fourth quarter. Brown gained 7 and Foreman added 11. On 3rd and goal at the 5, Foreman gained 4. Steve Wilks went for it. On 4th and goal at the one, Foreman got in. Wilks went for the 2 point conversion and Foreman got in again. With 12 minutes left in regulation, the game was tied 21-21. Both teams were far from done.
The Falcons took over at their own 20. Huntley ran for 30 to midfield. Mariota hit Pitts for 33 more. Yet on 3rd and 8 from the Carolina 12, Mariota threw incomplete. Younghoe Koo hit the 30 yard field goal to make it 24-21 Falcons midway through the fourth quarter. Somehow the Falcons managed to commit an unnecessary roughness penalty on a touchback, setting up the Panthers up at their own 40. On 3rd and 13, Walker hit Moore for 21. On 2nd and 18 from midfield, Walker hit Marshall for 39. Foreman ran for a 12 yard touchdown. With 3 minutes left in the game, the fourth lead change had the Panthers up 28-24.
After a touchback, the Falcons struck quickly. Mariota hit Allgeier for 16, London for 17, and Damiere Byrd for a 47 yard touchdown. The fifth lead change of the game had the Falcons up 31-28 with 2:14 to play. With 1:45 left, the Panthers had to go for it on 4th and 17 from their own 18. Walker threw incomplete. A touchdown would ice the game for the Falcons, but the Panthers took their timeouts on defense. On 3rd and 5, Allgeier gained only 2. Koo hit the 34 yard field goal to make it 34-28 Falcons. The Falcons had not slammed the door shut. The Panthers had life. They also after a touchback only had 36 seconds to work with and 0 timeouts. They needed a miracle.
They got one. Walker hit Marshall for 13. Then came the play of the year. The only thing a defense has t do in this situation is make sure nobody gets behind them. The free safety has to be deeper than everyone else. Walker went deep to Moore, who got past everyone, for a 62 yard touchdown. Just like that, the Panthers were an extra point away from a shocking comeback victory. This is how defensive coordinators get fired. Moore had a monster game, with 152 yards on 6 catches. Yet he went from hero to goat in a matter of seconds. Moore ripped off his helmet in celebration. The touchdown still counted, but the removal of the helmet was a 15 yard penalty to be assessed on the extra point. Instead of having to hit a 33 yarder, Pineiro would have to hit from 48. Pineiro’s kick was wide no good. This thriller was going to overtime.
The Falcons began the overtime session at their own 14. Mariota had also been playing well, but at the worst possible time, he blundered. From his own 27, he threw a deep bomb that was intercepted. Normally this would be seen as a punt, but Henderson returned the interception 54 yards to the Atlanta 20. Steve Wilks played it very safe, running into the line three times for 6 total yards. Pineiro came in for a chance at redemption for him and Moore. This time the kick would only be 32 yards. Again, Pineiro was no good. The Falcons took over at their own 22. Mariota hit Zaccheaus for 10. On 3rd and 1 from their own 46, Mariota scrambled for a 30 yard gain. On 3rd and 9 with 1:55 left in overtime, Arthur Smith decided not to wait. Koo came in for a 41 yard try to win it as Pineiro and Moore prayed for one more shot. Koo was good, and the Falcons won this fine, fine football game. 37-34 Falcons, OT
Chicago Bears at Dallas Cowboys — The Bears won a stunning romp at New England on Monday night Football, but now had a short week to go at Dallas with Dak Prescott back in the saddle. Ezekiel Elliott was out, but Tony Pollard is a very capable backup. The Cowboys began facing 3rd and 2 at their own 33. Pollard gained 9. On 3rd and 6 from their own 46, Prescott hit michael Gallup for 11. Pollard ran for 17 and caught a pass from Prescott for 16. On 3rd and 2 from the Chicago 7, Prescott ran for the touchdown to make it 7-0 Cowboys. The Cowboys got it back at their own 31. Prescott hit Hendershot for 11, Schultz for 8 and 7, and Michael Gallup for 17. On 3rd and 9 from the Chicago 21, Prescott went to CeeDee Lamb for the touchdown to make it 14-0 Cowboys.
After a touchback, Jones ran for 18. Justin Fields ran for 15. On 3rd and 4 from the Dallas 32, Fields ran for 14. The second quarter began with the Bears facing 3rd and 2 from the Dallas 10. David Montgomery gained 4. Fields ran for a 3 yard touchdown to get the Bears within 14-7. After a touchback, pollard gained 6 and Prescott hit Galup for 17. On 3rd and 1 from the Chicago 43, Prescott scrambled for 25. Pollard ran for an 18 yard touchdown and a 21-7 Cowboys lead. The Cowboys got it back at their own 46. On 3rd and 8, Prescott hit Lamb for 15 and again for 22. Prescott went to Davis for 10 down to the one. Prescott hit Ferguson for the touchdown to make it 28-7 Cowboys.
The Bears tried to make a game of it. On 3rd and 3 from their own 32, the defense jumped offside. On 4th and 2 from their own 45, Matt Eberflus went for it. Montgomery got just enough. On 3rd and 4 from the Dallas 47, Fields ran for 9. Fields went deep and was intercepted, but roughing the passer bailed the Bears out. On the next play N’Keal Harry ran for a 17 yard touchdown to get the Bears within 28-14 with 40 seconds left in the half. One play after a touchback, Prescott was quickly intercepted to set the Bears up at the Dallas 24. Yet on 3rd and 4, a completion gained only one yard. Cairo Santos hit the 36 yard field goal to get the Bears within 28-17 at halftime. The Bears took over at their own 38 in the third quarter. Fields went deep to Mooney for 36. Khalil Herbert ran for 7 and then for the 12 yard touchdown. Eberflus went for an early 2 point conversion that didn’t work, but a blowout was now a close game with the Bears within 28-23.
The Cowboys soon faced 3rd and 9 from their own 26. Prescott went deep to Schultz for 30 and again for 14. Turpin gained 11. Prescott hit Lamb for 12. Pollard ran for the 7 yard touchdown to make it 35-23 Cowboys. The Bears soon faced 3rd and 16 from their own 19. They then fumbled the ball, and Micah Parsons returned the fumble 38 yards for a defensive touchdown to make it 42-23 Cowboys. The close game was now a blowout again. The Bears managed one more touchdown in the fourth quarter, but the Cowboys added one more of their own as well to get to 6-2 on the year. 49-29 Cowboys
Miami Dolphins at Detroit Lions — The Lions score a ton of points but can’t stop anybody, leading to losses. After a touchback, Jared Goff hit Williams for 25 to midfield. Goff went to Raymond for 27 and to Mitchell for 14. Jamaal Williams ran for a 7 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Lions. The Dolphins after a touchback moved to a 1st and 10 at the Detroit 35. Tua Tagovailoa went to Sanders for 13, but Sanders fumbled and the Lions recovered. The Lions son faced 3rd and 2 from their own 30. Goff went deep to TJ Hockensen for 58 yards. On 3rd and 5 from the Miami 7, Goff hit D’Andre Swift for the touchdown to make it 14-0 Lions.
The Dolphins took over at their own 20. Tagovailoa went deep to Tyreek Hill for 24. On 3rd and 13 from his own 41, Tagovailoa again went deep to Hill for 36 more yards. Tagovailoa then went to Jalen Waddle for 12. On 3rd and goal at the 10, Tagovailoa threw incomplete but defensive illegal contact meant a new set of downs. On the next play, Tagovailoa hit Waddle for the touchdown to get the Dolphins within 14-7. The Lions soon faced 3rd and 4 at their own 31. Goff hit St. Brown for 21 to end the first quarter. On the first play of the second quarter, Goff went deep to Raymond for 43 more yards. Williams ran for 4 and then for the one yard touchdown. The offense propelled the Lions to a 21-7 lead, but the defense again could not hold up its end of the bargain.
After a touchback, Tagovailoa went deep to Hill for 42. On 3rd and 5 from the Detroit 29, Tagovailoa hit Waddle for the touchdown. Just like that, the Dolphins were within 21-14. The rest of the half belonged to the field goal kickers. Mike Badly hit from 42 to make it 24-14 Lions. Jason Sanders connected from 45 to get the Dolphins within 24-17. With 1:49 left in the half on 4th and 2 from his own 33, dan Campbell called a fake punt. Moore gained 13. With 6 seconds left the Lions faced 2nd and 2 sat the Miami 8. Goff threw incomplete. There was not time for another offensive snap. Badly hit the 26 yard field goal to put the Lions up 27-17 at the half. Putting up 54 points would usually win a game, but the second half belonged to the Miami defense.
After a third quarter touchback, Tagovailoa hit Mike gesicki for 20 and hill for 17 and 4. Raheem Mostert gained 13. On 3rd and 6 from the Detroit 12, Tagoviloa hit Sherfield for 11. Alec Ingold got the last yard to get the Dolphins within 27-24. The Dolphins got it back at their own 33. Tagovailoa hit Waddle for 16. On 3rd and 6 from the Detroit 47, Tagovailoa ran for 18. On 3rd and 3 from the Detroit 11, Tagovailoa hit Gesicki for the touchdown. the double digit Detroit lead had evaporated as the Dolphins led by 4 points after three quarters. Midway through the fourth quarter the Lions moved from their own 12 to a 4th and 1 at the Miami 35 with 3 minutes left in regulation. Goff threw incomplete. Dan Campbell failed to beat the first team that fired him. The Lions had another loss in a losing culture since the 1957 Bobby Layne trade. 31-27 Lions
Arizona Cardinals at Minnesota Vikings — The Vikings began facing 3rd and 1 at their own 34. Kirk Cousins gained 3. Cousins went deep to Justin Jefferson for 28. On 3rd and 4 from the Arizona 17, Cousins ran for the touchdown to make it 7-0 Vikings. After a touchback, the Cardinals moved to a 3rd and 7 at the Minnesota 26. Murray threw incomplete. Matt Prater hit from 44 to get the Cardinals on the board. The Vikings after a touchback moved to a 4th and 2 at the Arizona 38. Kevin O’Connnell went for it and Cousins threw incomplete. The Vikings got it back at their own 17. Dalvin Cook ran for 19 and 11. Cousins hit Thielen for 7 and 16. Mattison ran for 15. Cousins hit Cook for the 12 yard touchdown to make it 14-3 Vikings in the second quarter.
The Cardinals took over at their own 28. Murray ran for 8 and Benjamin added 7. Murray hit Deandre Hopkins for gains of 16 and 13. On 3rd and 2 from the Minnesota 6, Murray h9ti Hopkins for the touchdown to get the Cardinals within 14-10 with 47 seconds left in the half. Greg Jospeh missed a 55 yard field goal try at the end of the half that would have extended the Vikings lead. A field position game had the Cardinals taking over at their own 48. Murray hit Hopkins for 10 and 33 and Zach Ertz for an 8 yard touchdown to put the Cardinals up 17-14.
After a touchback, momentum swing again. Cousins hit Cook for 11. On 3rd and 5 from his own 41, Cousins hit Jefferson for 29 and Thielen for 18. Alexander Mattison ran for a 7 yard touchdown to put the Vikings back on top 21-17. The Cardinals took over at their own 9 yard line. Murray immediately went deep and was intercepted by Smith, who returned the interception 15 yards to the Arizona 31. Cousins hit Jefferson for 6 and 17. Cook ran for a 4 yard touchdown to make it 28-17 Vikings with 4 minutes left in the third quarter.
The Cardinals from their own 30 struck quickly. Murray hit Rondale Moore for 27 and again for a 38 yard touchdown. Kliff Kingsbury went for the 2 point conversion way too early and it failed. The Cardinals were within 28-23. The Vikings soon faced 3rd and 5 at their own 30. Cousins was sacked and fumbled. Simmons recovered at the Minnesota 23 as the Cardinals had a golden chance to retake the lead. On 2nd and 8 from the Minnesota 11, Murray threw incomplete. On 3rd and 8 he fumbled the snap and recovered it for no gain. Prater hit a 34 yard field goal to get the Cardinals within 28-26 only 90 seconds into the fourth quarter.
The Cardinals held on defense and had another golden chance to take the lead. Yet they fumbled the punt and the Vikings fell on it at the Arizona 25. Cook ran for 12 and oasis hit Smith for 11. On 3rd and 2 from the Arizona 5, Cousins hit KJ Osborn for the touchdown. Joseph missed the critical extra point to keep it an 8 point Vikings lead with 8 1/2 minutes left in regulation. After a touchback the Cardinals moved to a 2nd and 7 at the Minnesota 44.murray was then intercepted. The Cardinals got it back at their own 19 with 4 1/2 minutes left and moved to a 2nd and 4 at the Minnesota 44. Murray threw 3 straight incompletions. The Cardinals got it back one last time at their own 13 with 1:52 left and 0 timeouts. This time they moved to the Minnesota 37 with 27 seconds left. There would be no Hail Mary has the Vikings defense closed out the game with consecutive sacks of Murray. Kevin O’Connell has a 6-1 Vikings squad with a huge NFC North lead. 34-26 Vikings
Las Vegas Raiders at New Orleans Saints — The Raiders entered what was supposed to be the easier part of their schedule, but the Saints have quite a good defense. On the Raiders second drive on 3rd and 10 from their own 32, Josh Jacobs barreled ahead for a 16 yard gain. Yet the Raiders then went backward.The Saints soon faced 3rd and 6 from their own 20. Red rifle Andy Dalton went to Taysom Hill for 11. On 1st and 10 from their own 46, Dalton went deep to Shaheed for 30. On 3rd and 1 from the Raiders 15, Hill came in and gained 7 and then 5 more. Alvin Kamara ran for the 3 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Saints. The Raiders after a touchback faced 3rd and 1 from their own 45 to start the second quarter. Rather than just hand the ball to Jacobs up the gut, an end around to Davante Adams lost a yard. On 4th and 2, Josh McDaniels called for a fake punt. The platy lost 3 yards, with 15 more tacked on due to an illegal chop block on the kicking team. The Saints took over at the Raiders 27. On 4th and 1 from the 18 in a tough defensive battle, Dennis Allen decided not to gamble. Wil Lutz hit the 37 yard field goal to make it 10-0 Saints.
3 plays later on 3rd and 2 from his own 30, Carr was intercepted by Mathieu to give the Saints another short field at the Raiders 45. Kamara caught a pass from Dalton for 3 and ran for 7. Hill ran for 11. Dalton went to Kamara for a 16 yard touchdown to make it 17-0 Saints midway through the second quarter. This game was all about the defense. After a third quarter touchback, Hill ran for 10. On 3rd and 9 from their own 37, Dalton threw incomplete but defensive pass interference added 14. Dalton went to Kmart for a 36 yard touchdown. The last 26 minutes were scoreless. The Raiders did not cross midfield until 3 minutes remained. With 7 seconds left, the Raiders just wanted to avoid the shutout. It was 1st and goal at the 6, time for a couple plays. Josh McDaniels called a West Coast Offense dink and dunk pass that gained 2 yards as the clock ran out. The win was sweet vindication for dennis Allen against the team that fired him, but the Raiders were right to do so. He is a great defensive coordinator but not a head coach. The Saints are only 3-5 on the year. Josh McDaniels also should have stayed an assistant. He supposedly knows offense. The Raiders are 2-5 and suffered their first shutout since Carr’s rookie year in 2014. After finally committing to Jacobs up the gut last week, McDaniels again abandoned the power running game in key situations, reverting back to his too cute by half gimmick approach that keeps failing. 24-0 Saints
New England Patriots at New York Jets — The Jets came in winners of 5 straight games. However, the Patriots came in having beaten the Jets in 12 straight games including 6 straight in New York. Bill Belichick loves to humiliate the Jets for reasons still unknown. The Jets moved from their own 8 yard line to a 2nd and 8 at the Patriots 10 yard line. Zach Wilson threw incomplete twice. Greg Zuerlein hit from 28 to make it 3-0 Jets. The Patriots after a touchback moved 62 yards in 10 plays and took over 8 minutes off the clock. On the last play of the first quarter, Nick Folk hit a 31 yard field goal for a 3-3 game.
After a touchback to start the second quarter, Wilson hit non-relative Wilson for gains of 23 and 10. Wilson went to Carter for 17 with defensive unnecessary roughness on Jabril Peppers adding 13 more. On 3rd and 5 from the New England 8, Wilson hit Tyler Conklin for the touchdown to make it 10-3 Jets. After that the defenses dug in. Jones threw a deep ball that was intercepted. The Patriots got it back and moved from their own 9 to a 4th and 1 at the Jets 21. Bill Belichick went for it at the 2 minute warning and Jones threw incomplete. A few plays later, Wilson was intercepted. The Patriots took over at the Jets 40 with 42 seconds left in the half.
Folk hit a 43 yard field goal to get the Patriots within 10-6 at the intermission. The Patriots began the third quarter at their own 38. Raimondre stevenson ran for a 27 yard gain. Jones went to Thornton for 13. On 2nd and 1 from the Jets 5, a run got stopped and Jones threw incomplete. Bill Belichick again gambled on 4th and 1. Jones hit Jakobi Meyers for the 5 yard touchdown to put the Patriots up 13-10. The Jets after a touchback moved to 1st and 10 at the New England 26. A run lost a yard and Wilson threw incomplete twice. Zuerlein was brought in for a 45 yard field goal try to tie the game. his kick was wide no good. The Patriots moved from their 35 to a 3rd and 4 at the Jets 21. Jones was sacked. Folk hit a 49 yard field goal to put the Patriots up 16-10. A 33 yard punt return gave the Patriots the ball back at the Jets 27. Folk hit from 45 to make it 19-10 Patriots. Wilson threw 2 more interceptions, the latter leading to Folk hitting from 52 to make it 22-10 Patriots. The Jets got a garbage touchdown with 1:51 left, but the onside kick failed. Evil Hoodie Bill Belichcik’s Patriots beat the Jets for the 13th straight time. 22-17 Patriots.
Pittsburgh Steelers at Philadelphia Eagles — Mike Tomlin’s first season without Big Ben Roethlisberger is his worst season. Meanwhile, the Eagles entered the NFL’s lone unbeaten. The Eagles began with 3rd and 1 at their own 41. Miles Sanders ran for 7. On 4th and 2 from the Pittsburgh 44, Kevin Siranni made an early statement by going for it. Jalen Hurts hit Dallas Goedert for 5. Hurts then went to AJ Brown for a 39 yard touchdown and a 7-0 Eagles advantage. A touchback and a defensive penalty had the Steelers at their own 35. Kenny Pickett went to Johnson for 14 and Chase Claypool for 8. On 3rd and 1 from the Philadelphia 44, Pickett gained 3. Pickett went to Pat Freiermuth for 21. Pickett ran for 11. On 4th and goal at the 2, Mike Tomlin opted for the field goal. Yet a defensive delay of game penalty pushed the ball to the one. Tomlin opted to go for it and went to the bag of tricks. The halfback option pass saw Claypool complete it to DJ Watt of all people for the touchdown. The 13 play, 75 yard, 7 1/2 minute drive tied the game 7-7.
The Eagles soon faced 3rd and 2 at their own 29. Kenneth Gainwell gained 3. On 3rd and 1 from their own 41, Hurts kept it and got stopped short. Yet the defense jumped offside to give the Eagles a first down as the first quarter ended. The second quarter had the Eagles facing 3rd and 1 at the Pittsburgh 45. Hurts hit Goedert for 16. On 3rd and 8 from the Pittsburgh 27, Hurts hit AJ Brown for the touchdown to make it 14-7 Eagles. The Eagles got it back at their own 40 and moved quickly. Hurts hit Goedert for 17, Smith for 14, and Brown for a 29 yard touchdown to make it 21-7 Eagles. The Steelers managed a field goal late in the half, but the second half belonged to the Eagles defense. After a third quarter touchback, Sanders gained 21. Hurt hit Smith hit 10. Sanders gained 10. Hurts hit Zach Pascal for a 34 yard touchdown to make it 28-10 Eagles. The Steelers managed one more field goal but then fumbled a ball away to give the Eagles the ball at their own 46. Hurts hit Brown for 43. Sanders ran for the 11 yard exclamation point score as the Steelers fell to 2-6 and the Eagles at 7-0 remained perfect. 35-13 Eagles
Tennessee Titans at Houston Texans —After an 0-2 start, the Titans have 4 straight the Mike Vrabel way, the stone age way. Smash mouth, dust clouds, and defense. After a scoreless first quarter, an interception of Ryan Tannehill set the Texans up at the Titans 11. On 3rd and 10, Davis Mills was sacked. Kaimi Fairbairn hit a 43 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Texans. A 16 yard punt return set up the Titans at the Houston 37. On 3rd and 2, Derrick Henry ran for a 29 yard touchdown to make it 7-3 Titans. In the third quarter from their own 35, Hilliard ran for 21. On 3rd and 6 from the Houston 39, Hilliard gained 30. On 4th and goal at the one with 6 1/2 minutes left in the third quarter, Mike Vrabel went for it. Everyone knew Henry was getting the ball. It didn’t matter. That’s power football. He imposed his will and got in to make it 14-3 Titans. Randy Bullock tacked on a fourth quarter field goal for the Titans. By the time the Texans reached the end zone, only 17 seconds remained. The onside kick failed as the Titans got to 5-2 winning beautifully ugly. 17-10 Titans
Washington Commanders at Indianapolis Colts — Carson Wentz would not get revenge against his old team. He was out injured. Matt Ryan was benched. This was a battle between Taylor Heinecke and Sam Ehlinger. After a scoreless first quarter, the second quarter began with Chase McLaughlin hitting a 46 yard field goal for the Colts. After a touchback and pair of 7 yard runs bu Robinson, Heinecke went deep to Terry mcLaurin for a 42 yard gain. Heinecke hit Antonio Gibson for a 9 yard touchdown to make it 7-3 Commanders. In the third quarter Riverboat Ron Rivera gambled on 4th and 1 just past midfield. Robinson got blasted for a one yard loss. The Colts moved from midfield to 3rd and 3 at the Washington 21. Jonathan Taylor got stopped cold. McLaughlin hit again from 39 as the Colts trailed 7-6 after three quarters. In the fourth quarter the Colts moved from their own 38 to a 3rd and goal at the one. Again Taylor got the carry, and again he got rocked for a one yard loss in a game where defenses fought for every inch. McLaughlin hit the 20 yard field goal for a 9-7 Colts lead.
One play after a touchback, Heinecke was intercepted by Lewis, who returned the pick 15 yards to the Washington 24. On 2nd and 22 after offensive holding, Ehlinger went deep incomplete but defensive pass interference meant a 30 yard gain and 1st and goal at the 6. On the next play Nyheim Hines ran for a 6 yard touchdown as the Colts had a seemingly insurmountable 16-7 lead with 11 minutes left in regulation. The Commanders took over at their own 8 yard line and moved82 yards in 12 plays and 6 minutes. Yet on 3rd and 3 from the Indy 10, Heinecke threw incomplete. Needing 2 scores with 5 minutes left, Ron Rivera smartly opted for the field goal. Joey Slye hit from 28 to get the Commanders within 16-10. The Commanders got it back at their own 11 with 2:40 to play and faced 4th and 1 from their own 20 with 1:35 left. Heinecke hit Samuel for 12. Heinecke then ran for 9. Heinecke went deep to Sims for 21. Heinecke then went deep to McLaurin for a 33 yard gain down to the one. Giving up a deep ball in that situation is a total defensive breakdown. The free safety has to be the deepest player on the field. The mistake decided the game. Heinecke got the last yard himself with 22 seconds left. The Colts last gasp on 3rd and 2 from their own 33 gained 5 yards, not the 67 yards needed. This was an old-school brawl. 17-16 Commanders
San Francisco 49ers at Los Angeles Rams — The 49ers came in having beaten the Rams 6 straight times in the regular season. It was the Rams who won the NFC Title game, but the 49ers came in acting like they owned the Rams. In the first quarter the Rams moved from their own 12. Matthew Stafford hit Cooper Kupp for 20. On 2nd and 6 from their own 46, Stafford went to Tyler Higbee for 10. On 3rd and 3 from the San Francisco 37, Stafford went to Kupp for just enough. On 3rd and 9 from the San Francisco 33, Stafford went to Robinson for 23. On 3rd and goal at the 2, Stafford threw incomplete but defensive pass interference meant a new set of downs. On 3rd and goal at the one, Stafford got in himself. The mind-numbing 17 play, 88 yard, 9 1/2 minute drive put the Rams up 7-0.
The second quarter began with the 49ers facing 3rd and 7 at their own 32. Jimmy Garoppolo hit Christian McCaffrey for 9 and George Kittle for 23. Kyle Shanahan then went to the bag of tricks. Out of the shotgun, it was Christian McCaffrey who threw the option pass to Brandon Aiyuk for a 34 yard touchdown and a 7-7 ballgame. The Rams soon faced 3rd and 1 from their own 34. Stafford hi Skowronek for 10, Darrell Henderson for 7, Kupp for 23 and 5, and Rivers for 4. On 3rd and 1 from the San Francisco 17, River got the yard. Stafford then went to Kupp for the 16 yard touchdown. With 6 1/2 minutes left in the half, the Rams led 14-7. Their offense was done for the night as the 49ers defense cracked down completely.
The 49ers from their own 36 went on an 11 play, 52 yard drive that took 5 1/2 minutes. At the 2 minute warning the 49ers had 1st and goal at the 8. An incompletion and a sack killed the drive. Robbie Gould hit a 29 yard field goal to get the 49ers within 14-10. In the third quarter the 49ers took over at their own 12. Garoppolo went to Kroft for 6, Aiyuk for 11, McCaffrey for 14, Wilson for 12, and Aiyuk again for 11. Wilson ran for 12. On 3rd and 3 from the Rams 9, Garoppolo went to McCaffrey for the touchdown. The 11 play, 88 yard, 6 minute drive had the 49ers up 17-14 after three quarters. The 49ers got it back at their own 42. Garoppolo hit McCaffrey for 7 with defensive unnecessary roughness adding 15 more to end the third quarter. On 3rd and 1 from the Rams 27, Wilson gained 2. McCaffrey ran for 24 downs the one and then got the yard to make it 24-14 with 12 minutes left in regulation. The 49ers got it back at their own 27. Garoppollo went deep to Dwelley for a 56 yard gain. On 3rd and 3 from the Rams 7, Garoppolo hit Kittle for the touchdown. 3 straight touchdown drives and tough defense gave the 49ers their 7th straight regular season win over the Rams. 31-14 49ers
New York Giants at Seattle Seahawks — The Giants somehow came in 6-1 and the Seahawks somehow came in 4-3 and leading the NFC West. Late in the first quarter, the Seahawks took over at their own 31. Geno Smith went to Marquise Goodwin for 16. On 3rd and 14 from his own 43 after a sack, Smith went to DK Metcalf for 15. A defensive facemask added 15. The second quarter began with the Seahawks facing 3rd and 1 at the Giants 18. Smith threw incomplete. Pete Carroll went for it and Smith went to Lockett for 4. On 4th and 2 from the Giants 6, Carroll gambled again. Smith hit Will Dissly for 3. Smith hit Metcalf for the 3 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Seahawks. With 6 1/2 minutes left in the half, a field position game had the Seahawks pinned at their own 2 yard line. Smith hit Lockett for 2 yards, but Lockett quickly fumbled and the Giants recovered at the Seattle 2. Saquon Barkley gained one and then got the last yard for the touchdown and a 7-7 game.
After that, the defenses and field goal kickers took over for a long stretch. The Giants fumbled a punt and the Seahawks recovered at the Giants 19 with 3 1/2 minutes left in the half. The defense held but Jason Myers hit a 35 yard field goal to make it 10-7 Seahawks. The Giants began the third quarter at their own 8 and moved 79 yards in 14 plays and 9 minutes. On 3rd and 7 from the Seattle 13, Daniel Jones threw incomplete. Graham Gano hit from 31 to tie the game 10-10. After a touchback, the Seahawks moved to a 3rd and 2 at the Giants 33. Smith threw incomplete. Myers nailed a 51 yard field goal to make it 13-10 Seahawks. The Giants mounted another long drive of 12 plays and 6 1/2 minutes. Gano hit from 45 ton tie the game 13-13 with 11 1/2 minutes left in regulation.
A defensive slugfest quickly changed after a touchback. Smith went to Metcalf for 11, Goodwin for 6, Lockett for 12, Metcalf for 13, and Lockett for a 33 yard touchdown. With 9 1/2 minutes left, the Seahawks led 20-13. With 6 minutes left, the Giants fumbled another punt and the Seahawks recovered at the Giants 32. Smith hit Fant for 16. Kenneth Walker ran for a 16 yard touchdown to ice the game. This was a tough street fight, but 2 fumbled punts were the difference. 27-13 Seahawks
Green Bay Packers at Buffalo Bills was the Sunday night game. The Packers are simply a bad team. The Bills are a very good team in Super Bowl mode. The Packers went from their own 28 to a 4th and 3 at the Buffalo 38. Matt LaFleur went for it rather than try a 56 yard field goal on a Buffalo night. Rodgers threw incomplete. The Bills took over and Singletary ripped off gains of 5 and 30. On 3rd and 14 from the Green Bay 21, Josh Allen ran for 20. Allen hit Dawson Knox for the one yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Bills. A 17 yard punt return gave the Bills the ball back just shy of midfield. Allen went to Singletary for 16 and Stefan Diggs for 9. On the first play of the second quarter, Allen went to Diggs for a 26 yard touchdown to make it a 14-0 Bills advantage.
The Packers for the last 30 years been a West Coast Offense team. Yet cold weather requires ground and pound. From their own 20, Jones gained 7. Dillon gained 7 more. Jones gained 5, 4, and on 3rd and 1 from their own 43, 3 key yards. On 3rd and 1 from the Buffalo 45, Dillon got the tough yard. A sack of Rodgers was wiped away by defensive illegal use of hands. Jones ran for 9 and 13. Rodgers went to Romeo Doubs for a 19 yard touchdown to cap the 12 play, 80 yard, 8 1/2 minute drive and get the Packers within 14-7. The Bills from their own 20 had too much firepower. Allen hit Knox for 9. Cook ran for 17. A 7 yard run bu Cook ended in a 15 yard penalty and a disqualification against defensive player Walker. Allen gained 8 and 6. Isaiah McKenzie ran for a 7 yard touchdown to make it 21-7 Bills with 1:54 left in the half.
The game was effectively over. The Bills got it back at their own 20 with 53 seconds left. Allen went deep to Diggs for 53. On 3rd and 7 from the Green Bay 24 only 3 seconds remained. Tyler Bass hit the 42 yard field goal to have the Bills up 24-7. The second half was a formality. The Buffalo offense coasted and the defense protected the lead. The Packers in the third quarter moved from their own 8 to a 3rd and 3 at the Buffalo 10. Rodgers went to Robert Tonyan for the touchdown, but offensive pass interference on Tonyan nullified the score and killed the drive. Mason Crosby hit from 38 to get the Packers within 24-10. Yet Bass answered with a 38 yard field goal to put the Bills up safely 27-10. The Packers moved after a touchback to a 4th and 1 at the Buffalo 26 to start the fourth quarter. Jones got the carry and got blasted for a one yard loss. Rodgers did throw a 37 yard touchdown pass to Samon Toure with 6 1/2 minutes left to get the Packers within 27-17. Yet needing 2 scores with only 38 seconds left, the Packers final hopes died when Crosby missed a desperation 55 yard field goal try. The Packers are 3-5. The Bills are 6-1 and winning the Sean McDermott way, with very tough defense and a smart mobile quarterback. 27-17 Bills
Cincinnati Bengals at Cleveland Browns was the Monday night game. The Bengals had won 4 of 5 after an 0-2 start, but the Battle of Ohio was one-sided. A scoreless game saw the Browns facing 3rd and 5 at their own 27 in the second quarter. Jacoby Brissett went deep to Amari Cooper for 29. Nick Chubb gained 6 and 4. On 3rd and 4 from the Cincinnati 26, Brissett went to Cooper for 18. Chubb ran for a 3 yard touchdown. Kevin Stefanski went for a 2 point conversion for no particular reason and Chubb got in again to make it 8-0 Browns. After an exchange of fumbles and a missed field goal by the Bengals, Chase York nailed a 55 yard field goal on the last play of the half to make it 11-0 Browns. After a third quarter touchback, On 3rd and 1 from his own 34, Brissett gained 3. On 3rd and 7 from his own 40, Brissett hit Peoples-Jones for 26. On 3rd and 6 from the Cincinnati 30, Chubb gained 21 and 6. Brissett ran for the 3 yard touchdown to make it 18-0 Browns. The Browns got it back at their own 40. Brissett hit Peoples-Jones for 12, Kareem Hunt ran for 15. Brissett hit Cooper for 27. Brissett hit Cooper for a 4 yard touchdown to make it 25-0 Browns after three quarters. The Browns coasted in the fourth quarter, giving up 2 touchdowns sandwiched around another touchdown of their own. 32-13 Browns