NFL 2022 Week 14 Recap
Las Vegas Raiders at Los Angeles Rams was the Thursday night game. The Raiders started 2-7 by blowing leads of 17, 17 and 20. Teams go a decade or more without blowing 3 double digit leads. The Raiders did it one season under Josh McDaniels. Yet the Raiders regrouped and won 3 straight games. All they had to do was beat a 3-9 Rams team that had lost 6 straight and was devastated with injuries. With Matthew Stafford out, Sean McVay had John Wolford and Brice Perkins. They also had Baker Mayfield, who was cut by Carolina on Thursday, picked up by the Rams on Wednesday, and had one day to learn the playbook. Mayfield played anyway. The Raiders began the game facing 3rd and 5 from their own 30. Derek Carr went deep to Davante Adams for 32 yards. On 3rd and 9 from the Rams 37, Carr went to Amir Abdullah for 13. On 3rd and 5 from the Rams 13, Josh Jacobs gained 11. Jacobs banged in from the one. The 12 play, 75 yard drive had the Raiders up 7-0 less than 6 minutes into the game. The Raiders spent the last 54 minutes failing to reach the end zone.
The Raiders got the ball back at their own 20 and moved to a 3rd and 5 at the Rams 35. Jacobs gained only one yard. Daniel Carlson hit a 52 yard field goal to make it 10-0 Raiders. Matt Gay hit a 55 yard field goal for the Rams, but the Raiders took over at their own 31 to start the second quarter and moved the ball easily. On 2nd and 4 from the Rams 8, Jacobs lost 5 yards. Carr then threw incomplete. Carlson hit a 31 yard field goal to make it 13-3 Raiders. The Rams moved from their own 22 to a 1st an 10 at the Raiders 23. Cam Akers then fumbled and the Raiders recovered at their own 17. The Raiders then marched 73 yards in 10 plays. With 49 seconds left in the half, the Raiders had 3rd and 5 at the Rams 10. Even a field goal would put the Raiders up 16-3. A touchdown would make it 20-3. Even though it was still the first half, the Rams were wounded and dying. All the Raiders had to do was get past their biggest problem, FCO: Failure to close out games. Under heavy pressure, Carr threw a terrible pass over the middle into traffic that was intercepted. This was FCO1. In the third quarter the Rams moved from their own 17 to a 1st and 10 at the Raiders 30. The Rams self-destructed under consecutive offensive penalties. Sean McVay gambled on a 61 yard field goal try that was good. The Raiders took over just shy of midfield and moved to a 2nd and 7 at the Rams 22. Carr threw incomplete and a completion gained only 4 yards. Carlson hit from 38. The Raiders led 16-3 with 12 1/2 minutes left in regulation. Yet they did not slam the door shut. This was FCO2.
After a touchback the Rams went 3 and out. The Rams punted on 4th and 3. The game should have been over. Yet former 1st round bust Clelin Ferrell jumped offside on the punt. The Rams kept the ball with a new set of downs. This was FCO3. On 3rd and 4 from the Raiders 42, Maxx Crosby jumped offside. Officials missed that the center moved his head first. It should have been a false start and 3rd and 9. Instead, it was 1st and 10. On 3rd and 10 from the Raiders 24, Mayfield went to Tutu Atwell for 13. With 4 minutes left in regulation, the Rams had 4th and 1 at the Raiders 2. Mayfield passed to Akers, who appeared stopped short. Officials called it a one yard gain and a first down. Josh McDaniels did not challenge the spot, a major mistake. This was FCO4. On 1st and goal at the one, Akers appeared stopped. Yet officials ruled that he broke the plane of the goal. After being stopped all game, the Rams offense went 75 yards in a mind-numbing 17 play drive that ate 9 minutes off the clock. Now the Rams were within 16-10 with 3:19 to play. After a touchback, Jacobs gained one yard. The Rams took their last timeout with 3:15 left. Jacobs gained 8 as the clock ticked down. The Raiders were one yard and one first down from ending this game. Jacobs got the carry and got stopped cold for no gain. The clock ticked down to the 2 minute warning, but on 4th and 1 the Raiders had to punt. This was FCO5. The Raiders got a break when a perfect punt by AJ Cole pinned the Rams back at their own 2 yard line. They would have to 98 yards in 1:45 with 0 timeouts.
On 3rd and 2 from their own 10, Mayfield went deep and was intercepted by Harmon. The game should have been over. Instead, defensive pass interference on Robertson meant a 12 yard gain. This was FCO6, but the Rams were still only at their own 22. Then came a killer play. Crosby sacked Mayfield for a 9 yard loss. The clock should have been ticking. Yet a completely mindless defensive unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on Tillery rescued the Rams. Instead of 2nd and 19 back at their own 13, the Rams had 1st and 10 at their own 28. The penalty also stopped the clock with 80 seconds left. Mayfield then went deep to Skowronek for 32 yards. Mayfield hit Brown for 9 and Skowronek for 8. Mayfield then spiked the ball to stop the clock. The Rams were at the Raiders 23 with 16 seconds left. Mayfield went deep and hit Jefferson for the touchdown with 10 seconds to play. 98 yards in 1:45 with 0 timeouts. 0 touchdowns in 56 1/2 minutes and 2 touchdowns in the final 3 1/2 minutes. The Raiders had collapsed again. Needing a miracle after a touchback, Carr was quickly intercepted. This time the Raiders blew a 13 point lead to fall to 5-8, effectively ending their season. This is the Josh McDaniels era. Jacobs had 99 yards on 27 carries, but that one yard that would have given him 100 and win the game did not happen. The Raiders ran 38 times for 165 yards, but it didn’t matter. They did not finish drives, kicking too many field goals. Mindless penalties extended drives when the Rams had given up. The Raiders gave this game away. The Rams showed heart, guts and character, a product of Sean McVay. The Raiders showed a complete lack of all of that, which is life under McDaniels. 17-16 Rams
New York Jets at Buffalo Bills — The 9-3 Bills took on the 7-5 Jets in a key AFC East matchup with rain and snow coming down. The first 29 1/2 minutes were scoreless. With 1:17 left in the half, the Bills faced 4th and 1 from their own 39. Sean McDermott had his offense line up to go for it. It appeared to just be gamesmanship, but the defense jumped. Josh Allen Isaiah McKenzie for gains of 8 and 7. Allen ran for 11. With around 30 seconds left, Allen rolled out and hit Dawson Knox, who met a pair of defenders near the goal line and helicoptered in the air for the touchdown to make it 7-0 Bills. The Jets began the third quarter facing 3rd and 12 from their own 26. Mike White hit Greg Wilson for 13. White then went deep to Braxton Berrios for 25, to Mims for 12, and to Uzomah for 7. Knight ran for a 13 yard touchdown to cap the 10 play, 72 yard, 5 minute drive and make it a 7-7 ballgame.
After a touchback, Allen connected with Stefan Diggs for a 32 yard gain. Defensive pass interference added 20 more yards. Allen ran for a 5 yard touchdown to make it 14-7 Bills. The Jets moved from their own 25 to midfield. On 1st and 10, White got belted on an incompletion. Joe Flacco came in for one play to replace White. Flacco was sacked and fumbled. The Bills took over at the Jets 44. Tyler Bass hit a 38 yard field goal in the snow to make it 17-7 Bills. A 17 yard punt return gave the Bills the ball back at their own 48. to start the fourth quarter. Singletary gained 16 and 4. Bass hit a 49 yard field goal to make it 20-7 Bills. Midway through the fourth quarter the Jets blocked a punt through the Buffalo end zone for a safety to get within 20-9. The Jets took the free kick at their own 36 and moved to a 3rd and 1 at the Buffalo 9. White threw incomplete. Needing 2 scores, Greg Zuerlein hit the 26 yard field goal to get the Jets within 8 points with 1:18 left. Robert Saleh decided to kick it deep and trust his defense. The strategy worked as the Jets took their timeouts on defense, got the required stops, and got the ball back at their own 21 with 45 seconds left. White threw 4 straight incompletions as the Bills hung on to get to 10-3 on the year. 20-12 Bills
Cleveland Browns at Cincinnati Bengals — The 8-4 Bengals, coming off of an emotional win against Kansas City, looked to finish off the 5-7 Browns. The first quarter was scoreless. The Bengals began the second quarter at their own 15. The Bengals punted on 4th and 15 from their own 17, but a roughing the kicker penalty allowed toe Bengals to keep the ball. On 2nd and 10 from their own 32, Joe Burrow threw incomplete but defensive illegal use of hands meant an automatic first down. Burrow then went deep incomplete but defensive pass interference meant a 33 yard gain. On 3rd and 3 from the Cleveland 23, , Burrow ran for 8. Burrow hit JaMarr chase for a 15 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Bengals. The Browns moved from their own 29 to a 2nd and 6 at the Cincinnati 8 yard line. Kareem Hunt got stopped for no gain and Deshaun Watson threw incomplete. Cade York hit a 26 yard field goal to get the Browns within 7-3 with 3 minutes left in the half. After a touchback, Burrow hit Chase for 17. On 3rd and 10 from his own 47, a sack of Burrow was wiped away by offsetting penalties. Given a redo, Burrow hit Taylor for 34. On 3rd and 10 from the cleveland 19, Burrow hit Irwin for 13. Samaji Perine ran for a 6 yard touchdown with 24 seconds left to make it 13-3 Bengals. The extra point was no good.
A field position game in the third quarter had the Bengals at their own 44. Burrow went to Chase for 11. Burrow then on a perfectly executed flea flicker went deep to Irwin for a 45 yard touchdown and a 20-3 Bengals lead. The Brown tried to make a game of it and soon faced 3rd and 4 from their own 35. Watson ran for 6. Watson went deep to Donovan Peoples-Jones for 21. On 4th and 5 from the Cincinnati 33, Watson hit David Njoku for 6. Watson went back to Njoke for 14 and one more for a 13 yard touchdown. The 10 play, 71 yard, 5 minute drive had the Browns within 20-10 after three quarters. After a touchback, Joe Mixon ran for a 40 yard gain and Burrow hit Chase for 20 more. On 2nd and 9 from the Cleveland 14, Burrow threw incomplete and then for a short 2 yard gain. Evan McPherson hit a 30 yard field goal on the first play of the fourth quarter to complete the scoring. The Bengals defense did the rest. 23-10 Bengals
Houston Texans at Dallas Cowboys — The Texans instead of Kyle Allen and Davis Mills went with Jeff Driskel. The Cowboys were 17 point favorites. The worst team in the league went on the road and played one of the best teams in the league. Sometimes this leads to a shocking NFL upset for the ages. As ESPN uber-announcer Chris Berman reminds us, “THAT’s why they PLAY the GAMES!” The Cowboys began facing 3rd and 2 from their own 32. Dak Prescott went to CeeDee Lamb for 13. On 3rd and 3 from the Houston 37, Ezekiel elliott ran for 25. Tony Pollard ran for an 11 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Cowboys. The Texans got a break when the Cowboys fumbled a punt and the Texans recovered at the Dallas 24. On 3rd and goal at the one, Driskel got stopped but the defense jumped offside. Given another chance, pierce got in for the touchdown and a 7-7 ballgame.
The Texans moved from their own 28 to a 3rd and 5 from the Dallas 22. A run lost 3 yards. Kaimi Fairbairn hit a 43 yard field goal to make it 10-7 Texans. The Cowboys began the second quarter facing 3rd and 12 from their own 23. Prescott scrambled all over and found Brown for a 51 yard bomb. Pollard ran for 18. Prescott went to Pollard for a 10 yard touchdown to make it 14-10 Cowboys. After a touchback, the Texans moved to a 2nd and 3 at the Dallas 42. Pierce twice got stopped for no gain, yet Lovie Smith gambled on 4th and 3 and gave it to Pierce again. This time he gained 2 yards, still not enough. 10 plays and over 6 minutes netted on 35 yards and 0 points. Yet Prescott soon had a pass deflected and intercepted. Smith returned the interception 26 yards to the Dallas 27. On 2nd and 11, Driskel went deep to Rodgers for a 28 yard touchdown as the Texans had the 17-14 lead with 2 1/2 minutes left in the half.
The Cowboys after a touchback moved to a 1st and 10 at the Houston 15 with one minute left in the half. Prescott threw 3 straight incompletions. Brett Maher hit a 33 yard field goal for a 17-17 game with 40 seconds left. After a touchback, Davis Mills was brought in rather than Driskel for the last 40 seconds. Mills went to Moore for 18. Fairbairn nailed a 50 yard field goal at the gun as the Texans took a shocking 20-17 lead to the locker rooms. In the third quarter the Texans fumbled the ball to set up the Cowboys at the Houston 28. Yet when Mike McCarthy went for it on 4th and goal at the one, Elliott got blasted by the Texans defense for a one yard loss. After the goal line stand, the Texans moved from their own 2 to a 4th and 3 at the Dallas 35. Fairbairn nailed a 54 yard field goal. The 10 play, 63 yard, 5 minute drive had the Texans up 23-17 after three quarters.
Last week the Cowboys only led 21-19 at home over lowly Indianapolis for before carpet-bombing them 33-0 in the fourth quarter for a 54-19 win. This time after a touchback Mike McCarthy gambled on 4th and 1 from his own 34. Prescott ket it and gained 4. The fourth quarter began with the Cowboys facing 3rd and 7 at the Houston 35. Prescott threw incomplete. Maher nailed a 53 yard field goal to get the Cowboys within 23-20. A punt pinned the Cowboys at their own one. On 2nd and 20 from their own 3, Prescott was intercepted. With 5 1/2 minutes left in regulation, the Texans had 1st and goal at the 4 and a chance at the upset of the year. On 3rd and goal at the one, Rex Burkhead got the carry and lost 2 yards. With 3 1/2 minutes left, Lovie Smith opted to go for it on 4th and goal from the 3. Driskel kept the ball and only gained one yard before being smothered. With 3:20 left, the Cowboys were 98 yards away from winning.
Prescott went to Dalton Schultz for 21. Prescott then ran for 9. Prescott went back to Schultz for 13. On 3rd and 1 from the Houston 46, Prescott gained 6. Prescott went to Brown for 18 and to Schultz for 18 more. On 3rd and goal at the 2, Elliott got in for the touchdown. 98 yards in 11 plays meant the Cowboys had the lead, but after a touchback the Texans still had 41 seconds left to try and pull off a miracle. Mills went deep to Moore for 31 yards and spiked the ball to stop the clock with 14 seconds left. After consecutive false starts, Mills launched a Hail Mary that reached the end zone but was intercepted. The Texans were game, but they did not pull off the upset of the year. The Cowboys got to 10-3 as the Texans season of misery continued. That’s why they play the ENTIRE game. 27-23 Cowboys
Minnesota Vikings at Detroit Lions — Although the Lions were only 5-7, they have a high-powered offense. They also have a defense that gives up a ton of points. The Lions felt they could win a shootout with the 10-2 Vikings. Early on the Vikings punted on 4th and 6, but the defense jumped offside. Kevin O’Connell decided to gamble on 4th and 1 from their own 46. Dalvin Cook got the carry and got stopped. Two plays later Jared Goff went bombs away to Williams for a 41 yard touchdown. Williams’ first NFL touchdown made it 7-0 Lions. After a touchback, Kirk Cousins hit Justin Jefferson for 13. On 3rd and 7 from their own 41, Cousins was sacked but defensive holding meant a new set of downs. Cousins went to Cook for 13, Jefferson for 14, and Ham for 9. Defensive pass interference in the end zone was followed by Cook taking a pitchout, faking an attempt to go wide, and cutting back inside for the touchdown to make it 7-7.
A 35 yard punt return in the second quarter gave the Lions a short field at the Minnesota 48. One play and 8 seconds later the Lions had the 14-7 lead as Goff went bombs away to DJ Chark for the touchdown. After a touchback the Vikings moved to a 1st and goal at the 3 with one minute left in the half. Cook got blown up in the backfield and fumbled. After a mad scramble the Lions eventually recovered at their own 22. They moved quickly to a 2nd and 1 at the Minnesota 29. Goff threw incomplete twice, leaving 19 seconds. On 4th and 1 Dan Campbell opted for the field goal. From 47 yards out, Mike Badgley was no good. Desperate to spark his team early in the third quarter, Dan Campbell gambled on a fake punt on 4th and 8 from his own 26. Moore got around the end for a 42 yard gain. Goff then went to St John for 12 an Chark for 16. On 3rd and 12 from the Minnesota 19, Goff went to Raymond for 14. Goff went to Josh Reynolds for a 5 yard touchdown to make it 21-7 Lions.
On 2nd and 19 from their own 16 after a sack, Cousins went to TJ Hockenson for 21 and Jefferson for 34. On 4th and 4 from the Detroit 23. Kevin O’Connell decided to go for it. Cousins went to Adam Thielen for the touchdown. O’Connell inexplicably went for an unnecessary 2 point conversion. Cousins threw incomplete as the Vikings trailed 21-13. After a touchback, Goff hit Chark for 12, Reynolds for 18 and St Brown for 12. On 3rd and 8 from the Minnesota 27 to start the fourth quarter, Goff went to Jackson for 12. Jackson got around the end for a 15 yard touchdown to make it 28-13 Lions 90 seconds into the fourth quarter. The Vikings after a touchback quickly moved to a 1st and 10 at the Detroit 16. A sack of Cousins killed the drive. With 11 minutes still remaining, this time O’Connell opted for the field goal. Joseph delivered from 41 to get the Vikings within 28-16. After a touchback, the Lions moved to a 4th and 2 at the Minnesota 23. Badgley hit the 41 yard field goal to wrap up the 12 play, 52 yard, 7 minute drive and make it 31-16 Lions.
After a touchback, the Vikings were in desperation mode. Cousins went deep to Jefferson for a 39 yard gain. Cousins went to Thielen for gains of 12 and 5. On 3rd and 5 from the Detroit 15, Cousins went to Osborn for the touchdown. With 2:50 left, the Vikings were within 31-23. Despite having 2 timeouts and the 2 minute warning, Kevin O’Connell decided to go with the onside kick. It failed. The Lions took over at the Minnesota 44. The Lions took the clock down to 17 seconds and then brought in Badgley to ice the game. From 48 yards out, Badgley delivered as the 6-7 Lion prevented the 10-3 Vikings from clinching the division for at least another week. 34-23 Lions
Philadelphia Eagles at New York Giants — The 11-1 Eagles looked to hobble a 7-4 Giants tea angling for the playoffs. The Eagles began at their own 16. Jalen Hurts went to Calcaterra for 13 and Miles Sanders for 11. Hurts ran for 9. On 3rd and 6 from the Giants 38, Hurts went to Smith for 7. On 3rd and 6 from the Giants 27, a completion gained only 3 yards but defensive illegal use of hands meant an automatic first down. Hurts went to Calcaterra for 11 and AJ Brown for 9. Sanders ran for the 3 yard touchdown to cap the 14 play, 84 yard, 8 minute drive and make it 7-0 Eagles. The Eagle got it back at their own 9. On 3rd and 4, Hurts hit Quez Watkins for 9. On 3rd and 6 from their own 33, Hurts gained 8. Hurts hit Devonta Smith for 15. On 4th and 7 from the Giants 41, Kevin Sirianni decided to go for it. Hurts went bombs away to Smith for the touchdown and the 14-0 Eagles lead in the second quarter thanks to the 12 play, 91 yard, 5 minute drive. The Giants then punted on 4th and 7 from their own 43. Gillan fumbled the snap and then illegally kicked the ball without having full possession of it. One play and 8 seconds later, Hurts went bombs away to a wide open Brown for a 33 yard touchdown and a 21-0 Eagles lead.
The Giants finally got a break on special teams. The Eagles punted on 4th and 16 from their own 2 and the Giants blocked it. The Giants took over at the Philadelphia 15. Daniel Jones hit Bellinger for 11 and Isaiah Hodgins for a 2 yard touchdown to get the Giants within 21-7. The Eagles immediately retook control when Boston Scott returned the ensuing kickoff 66 yards to the Giants 35. On 2nd and 5 from the Giants 7, a sack of Hurts killed the drive. Jake Elliott hit a 28 yard field goal to make it 24-7 Eagles. In the third quarter the Eagles moved from their own 16 to a 1st and 10 at the Giants 20. A run lost a yard and Hurts threw incomplete twice. Elliott hit from 39 to make it 27-7 Eagles.
After a touchback, Jones ran for a 17 yard gain. Jones went to James and Hodgins for a pair of 15 yard gains. On 3rd and 3 from the Philadelphia 10, Jones went to Brightwell for 6. On 3rd and goal from the one, Jones got in to culminate the 11 play, 75 yard, 5 1/2 minute drive and get the Giants within 27-14. Scott returned the kickoff 35 yards to his own 37. Hurts hit Still for 14. On 3rd and 1 from the Giants 38, Sanders got around the end for 15. Hurts ran for 11 and then ran for the 10 yard touchdown to have the Eagles up 34-14. With 10 minutes left the Giants went for it on 4th and 8 from the Philly 23. Jones threw incomplete. Hurts hit Brown for 19 and the running game did the rest. Scott ran for 11. Sanders ran for a 40 yard touchdown to have the Eagles winning a blowout 41-14. Tyrod Taylor came in for Jones and two plays later Taylor was sacked and fumbled. The Eagles took over at the Giants 23. Up by 27, Hurts took the final 5 1/2 minutes off and Gardner Minshew came in. Scott did the rest, running for 11, 9 and the 3 yard touchdown to make it 48-7 Eagles. The Giants got a garbage touchdown but fell to 7-5. The 12-1 Eagles became the first team this season to clinch a playoff spot, although they have not clinched their division yet. 48-22 Eagles
Baltimore Ravens at Pittsburgh Steelers — These teams have played head-knockers over the years and home field has not mattered. The Steelers came in winners of 4 straight over the Ravens but the Steelers were 5-7 while the Ravens were 8-4. The Ravens were without Lamar Jackson for 2 games as Tyler Huntley got the start. With Huntley last week, the Ravens survived a harrowing 10-9 win over lowly Denver last week. The Ravens from their own 25 moved 51 yards in 11 plays and 5 1/2 minutes. Yet on 2nd and 6 from the Pittsburgh 24, Huntley threw incomplete twice. Justin Tucker hit from 42 to make it 3-0 Ravens. A shanked 17 yard punt gave the Ravens a short field at the Pittsburgh 48. JK Dobbins was back after being injured for 7 weeks. Dobbins broke free for a 44 yard gain. He appeared to hobble on the play, but on the next play Dobbins ran up the gut for the 4 yard touchdown to make it 10-0 Ravens.
With Kenny Pickett in the tent for a possible concussion, Mitch Trubisky came in for the Steelers. Trubisky played the rest of the game. On 3rd and 9 from his own 37, Trubisky hit Pat Freiermuth for 14. Trubisky then went deep to George Pickens for a 42 yard gain. Defensive pass interference added 6 yards down to the one. Najee Harris leapt over the top and stretched the ball over the pylon for the touchdown to get the Steelers within 10-7. The Ravens moved from their own 23 to a 4th and 1 at the Pittsburgh 34. John Harbaugh decided to go for it. Huntley fumbled the snap and got belted trying to reach the first down marker as the Ravens turned it over on downs. The Steelers moved from their own 36 to a 2nd and 8 at the Baltimore 17. Trubisky was intercepted. The Ravens moved from their own 29 to a 3rd and 7 at the Pittsburgh 17. Huntley threw incomplete. Tucker hit a 35 yard field goal with one minute left in the half to make it 13-7 Ravens. Trubisky was then intercepted again.
In the third quarter Trubisky was intercepted a third time. Huntley was knocked out with a concussion. The Ravens had to try and win with third string quarterback Anthony Brown. In the fourth quarter the Steelers moved from their own 32 to a 2nd and 8 at the Baltimore 17. Trubisky was sacked. Then he threw incomplete. From 40 yards out, Chris Boswell’s field goal try was blocked. John Harbaugh pounded the rock. The Ravens moved 57 yards in 13 plays, taking 8 minutes off the clock. Tucker nailed a 30 yard field goal to put the Ravens up by 9 with 3:19 left. After a touchback and needing 2 scores, Trubisky went deep to Johnson for 37. Trubisky went to Hayward for 13. Trubisky hit Freiermuth for the 10 yard touchdown to get the Steelers within 2 points with 2 1/2 minutes left. The Steelers took their timeouts on defense. Everything came down to the Ravens facing 3rd and 3 at their own 28 with 2:14 to play. One stop would give the Steeles the ball back needing only a field goal to win. Edwards gained 6. Brown took 3 knees. This was a typical Steelers-Ravens street fight, and the Ravens survived to get to 9-4 and drop the Steelers to 5-8. Both Mike Tomlin and John Harbaugh have quarterback issues to figure out. 16-14 Ravens
Jacksonville Jaguars at Tennessee Titans — The Titans began the game facing 3rd and 10 from their own 24. Ryan Tannehill threw deep incomplete but the defense jumped offside. On 3rd and 5, Tannehill went to Westbrook-Ikhine for 13. From midfield, Derrick Henry ran for 9 and then took a direct snap for 4 more. Tannehill went to Robert Woods for 18 and to Okonkwo for 10. Henry ran for a 3 yard touchdown to finish the 10 play, 76 yard, 6 minute drive to make it 7-0 Titans. The Titans got it back and faced 3rd and 6 from their own 28. Tannehill was sacked and fumbled as the Jaguars recovered at the Tennessee 20. On 3rd and 2, Trevor Lawrence went to Evan Engram for the 12 yard touchdown to make it 7-7. After a touchback, Henry stiff-armed 3 would-be tacklers on a 50 yard run. Henry added gains of 7 and 3. Tannehill went to Okonkwo for a 10 yard touchdown to make it 14-7 Titans.
At this point history should take us back to the 1999 AFC Title Game. The Titans were at the Jaguars and trailing 14-7 in the second quarter. The Titans got within 14-10 at the half and dominated the second half. The Titans belted the Jaguars 33-14 to advance to the Super Bowl, which the Jaguars have never reached. In this game, an interception of Tannehill was returned 13 yards by Wingard, who set up the Jaguars at their own 46. The Jaguars moved to a 2nd and 6 at the Tennessee 10. Offensive holding killed the drive. Riley Patterson hit a 37 yard field goal to get the Jaguars within 14-10 in the second quarter. The Jaguars got it back at their own 29 and moved to a 2nd and 4 at the Tennessee 25. Lawrence threw incomplete twice. Patterson hit from 43 to get the Jaguars within 14-13 with 3 minutes left in the half.
Patterson kicked the ensuing kickoff out of bounds to set the Titans up at their own 40. Henry quickly ran for 21. Tannehill hit Henry for 16 more, but Henry got popped and fumbled. The Jaguars recovered at their own 22 with 1:49 left in the half. Lawrence hit Christian Kirk for 23. On 3rd and 2 from the Tennessee 47, Lawrence hit Evan engram for 18 and Zee Jones for 9. With 11 seconds left in the half, Lawrence went to Jones for the touchdown as the Jaguars took a 20-14 lead to the locker rooms. The Jaguars began the third quarter at their own 28. Lawrence hit Jones for a pair of 9 yard gains. Lawrence went to Engram for 14. Lawrence ran for 8. On 3rd and 5 from the Tennessee 35, Lawrence went to Jones for 9. On 3rd and 6 from the Tennessee 22, Lawrence went to Agnew for 16. Lawrence ran for a one yard touchdown to cap the 12 play, 72 yard, 7 minute drive and make it 27-14 Jaguars.
The Jaguars got it back at their own 37. Lawrence went to Engram for 21. On 3rd and 8 from the Tennessee 40, Lawrence threw incomplete but defensive pass interference added 20 yards. Lawrence then went to Engram for a 21 yard touchdown. The 2 point conversion try failed, but history repeated itself in reverse. In the 1999 AFC Title Game, 26 unanswered points turned a 14-7 deficit into a 33-14 Titans romp over the Jaguars and the Lamar Hunt Trophy. In the 2022 regular season, 26 unanswered points turned a 14-7 deficit into a 33-14 Jaguars romp over the Titans. The symmetry was imperfect as the Jaguars in the fourth quarter tacked on a 33 yard Patterson field goal for 29 unanswered points and a 36-14 Jaguars lead. The Titans managed a garbage touchdown and 2 point conversion midway through the fourth quarter. The Titans got it back at their own 9 and moved to a 1st and 10 at the Jags 20. A sack of Tannehill and a pair of incompletions snuffed out any chance for a comeback. The Titans lost their third straight to fall to 7-6 while the Jaguars are improving at 5-8 on the year. 36-22 Jaguars
Kansas City Chiefs at Denver Broncos — The 9-3 Chiefs came in having beaten the 3-9 Broncos 13 straight times. The Broncos have a very good defense and a horrendous offense. Last week the Broncos lost a gut-wrenching 10-9 game in the final moments at Baltimore. After a touchback, the Chiefs moved to a 4th and 4 at the Denver 17. Harrison Butker hit a 35 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Chiefs. The chiefs got it back at their own 20 and moved to a 3rd and 3 at the Denver 27. Patrick Mahomes threw incomplete. Butker hit from 45 to make it 6-0 Chiefs. The Chiefs got it back at their own 22. Mahomes went to Travis Kelce for gains of 14 and 8. The second quarter began with Mahomes going bombs away to Jerick McKinnon for a 56 yard touchdown to make it 13-0 Chiefs. The Chiefs got it back at their own 24. Pacheco ran for 5 and 7. On 3rd and 10 from their own 36, Mahomes hit McKinnon for 24. Pacheco ran for 4 and 10. On 3rd and 5 from the Denver 21, Mahomes went to Juju Smith-Schuster for 11. Mahomes went to McKinnon for a 10 yard touchdown to make it 20-0 Chiefs. The Broncos after a touchback moved to a 4th and 2 at the Chiefs 45. Russell Wilson found Willie Gay, who plays defense for the Chiefs. Gay returned the interception 47 yards for a touchdown. With 4 1/2 minutes left in the half, the Chiefs were winning a laugher 27-0. The plan for Denver was to fire Nathaniel Hackett at halftime.
Then the game got crazy. With 3 minutes left in the half, Mahomes threw an interception to set up the Broncos at the Chiefs 42. Wilson hit Jerry Jeudy for 17 and again for an 18 yard touchdown to get the Broncos on the board. The Chiefs after a touchback moved to their own 48 with one minute left in the half. Mahomes was intercepted again to give the Broncos the ball at their own 40. On 3rd and 1, Wilson gained 13. Wilson then scrambled for 19 more. Wilson hit Kendall Hinton for 14. With 9 seconds left in the half, Wilson hit Jeudy for a 5 yard touchdown. 2 Mahomes turnovers had the Broncos only down 27-14 at halftime. The Broncos began the third quarter facing 3rd and 1 at their own 34. Latavius Murray gained 4. Wilson then found Marlon Mack, who weaved through everyone for a 66 yard touchdown. In an absolute stunner, the Broncos were right back in it only down 27-21.
The defenses dug in as each team punted twice. The Chiefs took over at their own 28. Mahomes hit Kelce for 12, McKinnon for 7, Gray for 25, and McKinnon for 19. On 3rd and goal at the 4, Mahomes hit Smith-Schuster for the touchdown. The Chiefs had breathing room up 34-21 after three quarters. After a touchback, the Broncos faced 4th and 4 from their own 45 to start the fourth quarter. Wilson went deep incomplete but defensive pass interference meant a 40 yard gain and 1st and 10 at the Chiefs 15. A pair of offensive holding penalties sandwiched around a pass for a loss meant 2nd and 34. Wilson calmly went to Dulcich for 23. On 3rd and 11, Wilson gained 14. However, he went down hard as his head was slammed on the ground. Wilson left the game and did not return. Brett Rypien had to finish the game and try for a miracle comeback. On 4th and goal at the 7 with 11 minutes left, Rypien hit Jeudy for the touchdown to get the Broncos back within 6 points. The Broncos got the ball back at their own 5 yard line and went nowhere. The Chiefs had a chance to put the game away, but on 3rd and 4 from the Denver 35, Mahomes was intercepted for the third time. The Broncos faced 3rd and 3 from the Chiefs 47 with a chance to win it. Rypien went deep and was intercepted. With 4:20 to play, the Denver defense needed a stop. The Chiefs on 3rd and 11 from their own 25 saw Mahomes hit Marques Valdes-Scantling for 20. At the 2 minute warning with the Broncos out of timeouts, Pacheco ran for 10. Mahomes took a couple of knees. The Chiefs beat the Broncos for the 14th straight time. The Chiefs are on the verge of their 7th straight AFC West crown, making Andy Reid a most happy Walrus indeed. 34-28 Chiefs
Carolina Panthers at Seattle Seahawks — These teams played some defensive slugfests from 2013 through 2015, but now the 7-5 Seahawks needed to beat the 4-8 Panthers at home. The Panthers began with a 13 play drive that consumed 8 minutes but only went 43 yards. From their own 28, the Panthers moved to a 3rd and 8 at the Seattle 31. Chuba Hubbard gained only 2. Eddie Pineiro hit a 47 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Panthers. One play after a touchback, Geno smith was intercepted by Horn, who returned the pick 31 yards to the Seattle 13. One play and 5 seconds later, Sam Darnold hit She Smith for the touchdown to make it 10-0 Panthers. The Panthers got it back at their own 26. Darnold hit Shenault for 9m Blakshear for 17, and Hubbard for 17 more. Darnold hit Thomas for 8. On 3rd and goal at the 2 in the second quarter, Hubbard ran it in to have the Panthers dominating 17-0.
The Seahawks soon faced 3rd and 5 from their own 38. Smith went to Goodwin for a 28 yard gain and to Tyler Lockett for 17 more. On 3rd and goal at the 4, Smith went to Lockett for the touchdown to get the Seahawks within 17-7. The Seahawks got it back and Smith was intercepted. Henderson returned the pick 20 yards to the Seattle 39. The Panthers had 1st and 10 at the Seattle 11, but a false start and a sack killed the drive. Pieeiro hit a 32 yard field to make it 20-7 Panthers. The Seahawks got a spark when Igwebuike retuned the ensuing kickoff 50 yards to the Carolina 46. On 3rd and 3, Smith hit DK Metcalf for 10. On 3rd and 8 from the Carolina 27, Smith went to Goodwin for 15. On 3rd and 10 from the Carolina 12, Smith went to Metcalf for the touchdown. With only 16 seconds left in the half, the Seahawks were only down 20-14. The Seahawks began the third quarter at their own 40. They moved to a 3rd and 7 at the Carolina 13. A completion only gained 4. Jason Myers hit a 27 yard field goal to get the Seahawks back in it down 20-17.
In the fourth quarter the Panthers took over at their own 26. Hubbard ran for 11. On 3rd and 2 from their own 45, Hubbard ran for 12. Raheem Blackshear gained 16 and 6. Hubbard added 7. Blacksheer ran for an 8 yard touchdown to cap the 10 play, 74 yard, 5 1/2 minute drive and give the Panthers breathing room up 27-17 midway through the fourth quarter. The panthers got it back at their own 35 and moved to a 1st and 10 at the Seattle 21. The drive died there but Pineiro hit from 39 to make it 30-17 Panthers with 1:56 left. By the time Smith hit Goodwin for a 24 yard touchdown pass, only 16 seconds remained. The onside kick failed. The Seahawks fell to 7-6 as the Panthers got the win. 30-24 Panthers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at San Francisco 49ers — Kyle Shanahan is probably tired of hearing about his most famous game against Tom Brady. In the 2016 Super Bowl, defensive coordinator Shanahan had Atlanta up 28-3. Yet Brady led a comeback for the ages as New England won in overtime 34-28. Now Shanahan was with the 49ers and Brady with the Buccaneers. Brady is the master of comebacks. Last week he overcame a 16-3 deficit with 4 minutes left to beat New Orleans 17-16 in the final seconds. Shanahan went on to blow another Super Bowl in 2019. His 49ers led 20-10 midway through the fourth quarter before Kansas City made its epic comeback for a 30-20 win. Brady wins big games. Shanahan loses big games. Making matters worse, the 49ers had to start their third string quarterback. Mr. Irrelevant Brock Purdy would make his very first start against Tommy Terrific, himself only a 6th round pick.
The 49ers began at their own 33. On the first play from scrimmage, Purdy was sacked. Yet roughing the passer turned an 8 yard loss into a 15 yard gain. On 3rd and 7, Purdy hit George Kittle for 15. Christian McCaffrey gained 21. Deebo Samuel ran for a 13 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 49ers. Ryan Succop missed a 55 yard field goal for the Buccaneers. The 49ers took over at their own 38. Purdy hit Kittle for 15. McCaffrey ran for a pair of 13 yard gains. On 3rd and 1 from the Tampa 8, Purdy threw incomplete but defensive pass interference meant a 7 yard gain. On the first play of the second quarter, Purdy ran for a 2 yard touchdown to make it 14-0 49ers. The 49ers got it back at their own 18. Purdy hit Samuel for 18 and again for 10. On 3rd and 1 from the Tampa 33, Samuel got the yard. Purdy went to McCaffrey for a 27 yard touchdown to make it 21-0 49ers.
The 49ers moved from their own 34 to the Tampa 43. Samuel got the carry and fumbled. The Buccaneers moved from their own 40 to a 2nd and 1 at the San Francisco 8 yard line. A run lost a yard and Brady then threw incomplete. Todd Bowles went for it on 4th and 2 and Brady threw incomplete again. The 49ers took over at their own 9 with 2 1/2 minutes left in the half. Mccaffrey ran for 5 and 6. Purdy went to Brandon Aiyuk for 25 and McCloud for 11. On 3rd and 3 from the Tampa 37, Purdy was intercepted. Yet defensive holding nullified the pick and gave the 49ers a new set of downs. On the next play, Purdy went deep to Aiyuk for a 32 yard touchdown with 15 seconds left in the half for a 28-0 49ers lead. The Buccaneers got a jolt to start the third quarter when Thomkins returned the second half kickoff 54 yards to the San Francisco 44. Yet on 3rd and 5, Brady was intercepted. Gipson returned the pick 36 yards to the Tampa 38. Two plays later McCaffrey ran for a 38 yard touchdown to make it 35-0 49ers one minute into the third quarter.
Mike Shanahan had blown a 25 point lead to Brady in the Super Bowl. The greatest NFL playoff comeback was 32 points. Houston led Buffalo 35-3 in the third quarter when Frank Reich led the greatest comeback in a 41-38 overtime win in the 1992 playoffs. This time Shanahan had a 35 point lead. He needed to avoid the greatest collapse in NFL history. Brady moved the Buccaneers from their own 21 to a 1st and 10 at the Frisco 33. Brady was then intercepted a third time. In the fourth quarter Brady led the Buccaneers 74 yards in 13 plays. Brady threw an 8 yard touchdown to Russell Gage. The Buccaneers needed 5 touchdowns, and they just got one. However, only 3 minutes remained in the game. Even Brady is not that good. Shanahan was not going to lose to Brady this time. The Buccaneers got the ball two more times, turning it over on downs and fumbling the ball away. The 49ers got to 9-4, with their defense carrying them. The Buccaneers fell to 6-7. Both teams lead their respective divisions. On this day, Mr. Irrelevant beat one of the best. Brock is just Purdy good. Shanahan is supposed to be an offensive guru, but it was his defense that shut Brady down. 35-7 49ers
Miami Dolphins at Los Angeles Chargers was the Sunday night game. In the 1981 playoffs, Dan Fouts, Kellen Winslow and Don Strock put on a shootout for the ages. The 2022 version featured a pair of above average teams with star quarterbacks in Tua Tagovailoa and Justin Herbert. Yet instead of a shootout, football fans were treated to a defensive slugfest. The first quarter was scoreless, thanks to more dumb decision-making by Brandon Staley. The Chargers from their own 20 moved 78 yards in 15 plays, grinding 8 1/2 minutes off the clock. On 4th and goal at the 2, rather than take the field goal, Brandon Staley felt compelled to gamble. Herbert threw a pass for no gain that quickly got blown up. The Chargers got the ball back at their own 43 and moved to a 4th and 5 at the Miami 15 to start the second quarter. This time Staley used common sense. Caameron Dicker hit the 33 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Chargers. A 23 yard punt return gave the Chargers a short field at the Miami 43. On 3rd and 1, Kelley gained 22. Herbert went to Mike Williams for the 10 yard touchdown and the 10-0 Chargers advantage.
After a touchback came the most bizarre play of the game. On 2nd and 4 from his own 41, Wilson carried the ball 6 yards and then fumbled. As everyone dove on the pile, the ball somehow squired out of the pile right to speedster Tyreek Hill. Hill then raced around everyone for a 57 yard touchdown. The Dolphins were within 10-7 on a sandlot recess play. With 4 minutes left in the half, The Chargers took over at their own 10. On 3rd and 4, Herbert went to Keenan Allen for 10, to Austin Ekeler for 21, and back to Allen for gains of 14 and 12. On 3rd and 10 from the Mimi 27, Herbert went to Palmer for 18. With 18 seconds left in the half, the Chargers faed 4th and goal at the one. Again, Brandon Staley went for it. This time Ekeler got in to make it 17-7 Chargers at the break.
In the third quarter the Dolphins took over at their own 24. On 3rd and 5 from their own 40, Tagovailoa went to Hill for a 60 yard touchdown. Despite being outplayed all game, 2 big plays by Hill had the Dolphins within 17–14. After a touchback, the Chargers moved to a 2nd and 3 at the Miami 8. A pair of Herbert incompletions sandwiched around a false start led to a 31 yard Dicker field goal and a 20-14 Chargers lead. In the fourth quarter the Chargers mounted a staggering 17 play, 79 yard, 8 1/2 minute drive. From their own 11, the Chargers moved to a 2nd and goal at the 6. Herbert then fumbled the snap. A Dolphins recovery would give them a chance to drive for the win, but Herbert fell on it. A short pass by Herbert then lost 4 yards. Yet Dicker hit the 28 yard field goal to give the Chargers breathing room up 23-14 with 2:40 to play.
Needing 2 scores after a touchback, the Dolphins quickly moved to a 2nd and 3 at the Chargers 37. Tagoviloa threw incomplete, but Jason Sanders buried the 55 yard field goal with 1:10 left to get the Dolphins within 6 points. The onside kick was a good one but after a mad scramble, the Chargers fell on it. The Chargers are 7-6 and the Dolphins are 8-5 on the season. 23-17 Chargers
New England Patriots at Arizona Cardinals was the Monday night game. Both teams came in fighting for their playoff lives. On the third play of the game, Kyler Murray scrambled around and crumpled to the ground without being touched. He was carted off the field in agony. Initial reports are he suffered a serious injury that could end his season. Colt McCoy took his place. The first quarter was scoreless. An interception of Mac Jones gave the Cardinals a short field at the New England 36. The second quarter began with the Cardinals facing 3rd and 5 at the New England 15. McCoy threw incomplete. Matt Prater hit a 33 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Cardinals. The Patriots soon faced 3rd and 2 at their own 33. Jones hit Thornton for 3. Jones went to Nelson Agholor for 6 and Thornton for 12. Harris ran for 9 and then for the 14 yard touchdown to make it 7-3 Patriots. The Cardinals moved from their own 30 to a 2nd and 9 at the New England 14. McCoy threw incomplete twice. Prater hit from 32 to get the Cardinals within 7-6. The Cardinals got the ball back at their own 37. McCoy hit Deandre Hopkins for 14, James Conner for 6, and Robby Anderson for 21. On 3rd and 7 from the New England 19, McCoy hit Anderson for 9. Conner ran for a 10 yard touchdown. With 3 minutes left in the half, the Cardinals led 13-7.
The Cardinals returned a punt 17 yards to the New England 41. With 36 seconds left in the half, the Cardinals faced 4th and 1 at the New England 32. Rather than kick a makable field goal and go up by 9, Kliff Kingsbury gambled and lost as McCoy threw incomplete. A 30 yard completion from Jones to Hunter Henry led to Nick Folk hitting a 51 yard field goal at the gun to get the Patriots within 13-10. After a third quarter touchback, the Patriots moved to a 4th and 2 at the Arizona 4. Bill Belichick was not in a gambling mood. Folk hit the 23 yarder for a 13-13 game. The Cardinals after a touchback faced a 4th and 6 at the New England 41. Klngsbury gambled again and lost again as McCoy threw incomplete again. The Cardinals got it back at their own 6. From their 16, a short completion from McCoy to Hopkins was fumbled. McMillan picked up the fumble and raced 23 yards for a defensive touchdown to give the Patriots the 20-13 lead. The Cardinals moved from their own 24 to the New England 40. McCoy was intercepted by Jones, who returned the pick 18 yards to his own 37. On 3rd and 5, Jones hit Kendrick Bourne for 16. The fourth quarter bean with Jones going deep to henry for 39. On the next play, Strong took it up the gut for the 3 yard touchdown. The Patriots defense did the rest as the Patriots got to 7-6 and the Cardinals fell to 4-9 and worried about Murray. 27-13 Patriots