NFL 2022 Week 18 Recap
Kansas City Chiefs at Las Vegas Raiders was the Saturday afternoon game. The 13-3 Chiefs with a win would be the top seed in the AFC playoffs. The 6-10 Raiders have had a miserable season under Josh McDaniels. Jarrett Stidham was making his 2nd NFL start as Derek Carr remained away from the team. Josh Jacobs came in the NFL rushing leader, playing with an emotional heart. His father had open heart surgery the Wednesday before the game. Davante Adams came in the NFL receiving leader. Patrick Mahomes came in needing 430 yards passing to set the NFL single season passing record. The weak link on the Raiders is McDaniels. The Raiders won the coin toss and decided to defer, an imbecilic decision. Bill Belichick likes to defer, so McDaniels thinks that makes it ok. The goal is to keep Mahomes off the field, not to let him dictate the pace of the game. On the second play of the game, Mahomes went bombs away for a 67 yard gain. On 3rd and goal at the 4, the Raiders defense was flagged for having 12 men on the field. On 3rd and goal at the 2, Mahomes rolled to his left, saw the running lanes closed, and flipped a shovel pass to Jerick McKinnon for the touchdown. The Chiefs led 7-0 only 2 minutes into the game.
The Raiders moved into field goal range. On 3rd down Stidham was sacked. Daniel Carlson snuck a 54 yard field goal inside the left upright to get the Raiders within 7-3. On 3rd and 2 from the Raiders 43, Mahomes threw incomplete. Surprisingly, Andy Reid punted. A good punt had the Raiders taking over at their own 5 yard line. On a play action pass, Stidham collided with Jacobs and was then sacked. On the next play, Stidham went bombs away into double coverage and was intercepted. The Chiefs had a short field at the Raiders 44. Mahomes executed his play action pass properly and found Juju Smith-Schuster for a 28 yard gain. Toney easily gained 14. The second quarter began with the Chiefs facing 1st and goal at the 2. Ronald Jones got in to make it 14-3 Chiefs.
The Raiders took over at their own 24 and moved to a 3rd and goal at the 2. Stidham threw a fade to the end zone but it was high and incomplete. Josh McDaniels gambled on 4th and goal at the 2. Stidham rolled out and fired over the middle incomplete. A 9 minute drive yielded nothing. The Chiefs soon faced 3rd and 4 from their own 8. Mahomes threw deep incomplete. Yet a horrendous roughing the passer call on Maxx Crosby meant 15 yards and an automatic first down. Crosby hit Mahomes in his shoulder nowhere near his head. The first roughing the passer call against the Raiders all season came at the worst possible time. Given a second chance, Mahomes torched the pathetic Raiders secondary as expected. At the 2 minute warning the Chiefs faced 1st and 10 from the Raiders 30. On 3rd and 10, Mahomes scrambled for 14. Kadarius Toney ran for an 11 yard touchdown. The 12 play, 98 yard, 5 minute drive made it 21-3 Chiefs with 47 seconds left in the half.
After a touchback, Stidham quickly fired to Waller for 21. Defensive pass interference added 9. On 1st and 10 from the Chiefs 45, Stidham was sacked. The Raiders took their final timeout with 32 seconds left. on 2nd and 17, Stidham fired over the middle to Adams for a big gain in field goal range. Yet offensive illegal use of hands wiped out the gain and meant 2nd and 27. Rather than take a knee and end this miserable hands, another incompletions topped the clock. Now the Raiders could not take a knee because the defense had a timeout left. Stidham got hit and fumbled. The Chiefs recovered at the Raiders 30 with 9 seconds left. Harrison Butker hit a 44 yard field goal to end the half with a 24-3 lead. The Josh McDaniels plan of deferring the opening kickoff, as everything else he has tried to do this season, blew up spectacularly against his own team.
The Raiders got the ball to start the second half after a touchback, the Raider moved to a 1st and 10 at the Chiefs 18. Yet after another run meant 2nd and 10, Josh McDaniels immediately abandoned the run like he always does. An incompletion and a delay of game killed the drive. An 8 minute drive yielded only a 38 yard Carlson field goal as the Raiders trailed 24-6. This game was never a contest. A 31 yard Isaiah Pacheco run led to 3rd and goal at the one. Pacheco got in straight up the gut with 11 minutes left to make it a 31-6 Chiefs blowout lead. Pass-happy Josh McDaniels may or may not have noticed that even pass-happy Walrus Andy Reid was running the ball in obvious running situations. It’s called power football, and McDaniels refuses to play it. A meaningless touchdown pass from Stidham to Renfrow with 6 1/2 minutes left still was not enough to prevent a blowout. Stidham was sacked 6 times, including on 4th and 21 in his own territory. with 4 minutes left. Chad Henne came in for mop up work. The 14-3 Chiefs are the top seed. They will get the first round bye. If Buffalo wins on Sunday and the Chiefs play Buffalo in the AFC Title Game, that game will be held at a neutral stadium. Under any other scenario, the Chiefs will have home field advantage throughout the playoffs. They have the potential to host the AFC Title Title Game for the 5th straight year, making Andy Reid a most happy Walrus indeed.
Luckily for the Raiders, this miserable season is over. Unluckily for them, McDaniels will still not be fired. Carr will be the fall guy. Another team will win with Carr. The Raiders under Jon Gruden and Rich Bisaccia were 10-7. The Raiders finished 6-11 this year. McDaniels is expected to take a keg of dynamite to the team, because in his own mind he has not done enough damage already. For those with short memories, the Raiders led by Carr went into Arrowhead earlier this season and were a failed 2 point conversion from winning. McDaniels threw Carr under the bus, but McDaniel is the problem. Stidham fumbled one more time but the Raiders retained possession. With Carr gone next year, McDaniels will be out of people to blame. It will be too late. When Mark Davis eventually realized McDaniels is the problem and fires him, the damage will have already been done. There is no home field advantage for the Raiders as tourists from other teams fill the stadium. 31-13 Chiefs
Tennessee Titans at Jacksonville Jaguars was the Saturday night game. The 7-9 Titans were at the 8-8 Jaguars with the AFC South crown on the line. Winner is in. The Titans with a loss were out. The Jaguars could lose and still get in, but would need a ton of help. The 7-3 Titans were cruising toward the playoffs until injuries led to a 6 game losing streak. Ryan Tannehill is on injured reserve. with Malik Willis not getting it done last week, this week with everything on the line it was third string quarterback Josh Dobbs getting the nod. The Jaguars were supposed to be a year away from contending, but Doug Pederson has turned this team around in his first season. Trevor Lawrence has been the biggest beneficiary. After a 3-7 start, the Jaguars have gone 5-1 since then. The Titans moved 51 yards in 17 plays and took 10 minutes off the clock. The Titans tried to rekindle the Music City Miracle of 1999 with a home run throwback play on offense, but this time it was called back due to the attempted lateral clearly being a forward pass. Randy Bullock hit a 51 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Titans.
The Jaguars moved to the Tennessee 30 in the second quarter. Doug Pederson went to the bag of tricks but a reverse play blew up when Trevor Lawrence pitched the ball a little too high. The pitchout was fumbled and the Titans recovered. The Titans moved to the Jacksonville 21. With the Titans playing smash mouth, a well-executed play action pass from Dobbs went to Chigoziem Okonkwo for the touchdown and the 10-0 Titans lead. Jamal Agnew gave the Jaguars a spark by returning the ensuing kickoff 54 yards. Lawrence went to Christian Kirk for a 25 yard touchdown to get the Jaguars within 10-7 with 2 1/2 minutes left in the half. On 3rd and 2 from the Jacksonville 17, Dobbs was swarmed. He smartly took the sack rather than try to face anything. Rand Bullock hit the 39 yard field goal to end the half with the Titans up 13-7.
I the third quarter the Jaguars after a touchback moved to a 3rd and 7 at the Tennessee 8. Lawrence rolled out and had a wide open Zee Jones in the end zone. There was nobody anywhere near Jones. Yet Lawrence overthrew him as the ball sailed out of the back of the end zone. Riley Patterson hit the 25 yard field goal to get the Jaguars within 13-10. Mike Vrable went to the bag of tricks. A direct snap to Derrick Henry was meant to be a halfback option pass. The Jaguars blew it up in the backfield yet Henry tried to throw the ball anyway with a couple guys draped all over him. Henry floated a ball as he was going to the ground. Into double coverage, the ball fell incomplete but the Titans were lucky enough to draw a defensive pass interference call. On 3rd and 10 from the Jacksonville 40, Dobbs hit the receiver over the middle for 13 yards. On 3rd and 7 from the Jacksonville 24 under heavy pressure, Dobbs threw incomplete. Bullock hit from 41 to make it 16-10 Titans with 6 minutes left in the third quarter.
With one minute left in the third quarter the Titans were facing 3rd and 16 from their own 9 yard line. This was right after a big run by Henry into Jacksonville territory was wiped out by offensive holding. Dobbs decided to go bombs away under heavy pressure. Tyson Campbell intercepted the ball and returned the pick 29 yards to the Tennessee 25. Instead of being down by 9, the Jaguars and a chance to take the lead. The fourth quarter began with the Jaguars facing 3rd and 3 at the Tennessee 18. Lawrence went to the end zone but the play was broken up in the last moment incomplete. Patterson hit the 36 yard field goal to get the Jaguars within 16-13.
The defenses dug in. Midway through the fourth quarter on 3rd and 3 from their own 17, a completion from Dobbs to Jonathan Ward appeared to be stopped for a loss, but somehow Ward broke through a tough tackle for a 4 yard gain. On 3rd and inches from their own 30, Dobbs snuck across for a yard with plenty of help from his own offensive lineman pushing him form behind. On 3rd and 6 from their own 35 with 3 minutes left, Dobbs went back to pass and got blasted by Jenkins and fumbled. The ball went forward and bounced straight to Allen, who returned the fumble 30 yards for a defensive touchdown. After trailing the entire game, the Jaguars had the lead with 2:51 to play in the game. There was a chance this was an incomplete pass. After careful review, officials confirmed that Dobbs’s lost the ball before his arm knocked the ball forward. It was the empty hand rule. The Titans were one or two first downs away from running out the clock. Instead, the Jaguars led by 4 points as the home crowd erupted in celebration.
With all 3 timeouts and the 2 minute warning, The Titans had plenty of time to run the ball. After a touchback, Dobbs ran for 10. Henry added 9. A 6 yard completion from Dobbs to Swain had the Titans with 1st and 10 at midfield at the 2 minute warning. Dobbs got hit again and fumbled again, but this time the ball bounced right back to Dobbs for a sack. A false start had the Titans facing 3rd and 17 from their own 43 with 1:46 left. Under heavy pressure, Dobbs somehow with 2 guys bearing on him managed a completion for 4 yards to set up 4th and 13 with 1:37 left. The Titans were down to their last gasp. For some reason, Dobbs threw underneath rather than past the first down marker. The completion gained only 8 with 90 seconds left. The Titans only had one timeout left. It was not enough. Lawrence took a couple knees. He is going to his first playoff game, and it will be at home. 6 wins in their last 7 games gave the Jaguars a winning season at 9-8. The Titans were the top seed last year. This year 7 straight losses had them finishing 7-10. This was an old-school stone age smash mouth football game. Both defenses hit the opposing offense in the mouth. Defense won this game. Welcome back to Sacksonville. 20-16 Jaguars
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Atlanta Falcons — The Falcons were out of the playoffs. The 8-8 Buccaneers were locked into the four seed as NFC South champs. With nothing to play for, they could have rested their starters. Yet Tom Brady was in danger of his first losing season in 23 years. He and the starters played. The Buccaneers began at their own 30. Brady went to Chris Godwin for 17 and 8. Thompkins. ran for 17. On 3rd and 4 from the Atlanta 17, Brady went to Cade Otton for 5. Brady hit Rudolph for the 8 yard touchdown. The 10 play, 70 yard, 5 minute drive made it 7-0 Buccaneers. The Falcons took over at their own 9. On 3rd and 5, Desmond Ridder went to London for 26. A defensive penalty for a low block added 15 more. Tyler Allgeier had big gains of 17 and 16. On 3rd and goal at the 2, Ridder hit Pruittfor the touchdown. The 91 yard drive made it 7-7.
Two plays after a touchback the Buccaneers fumbled. The Falcons took over at the Tampa 34. The defense held and the Falcons settled for a Younghoe Koo 49 yard field goal to lead 10-7. The Buccaneers after a touchback moved to a 4th and 1 at the Atlanta 14. Bernard gained 8, but offensive holding brought it back and made it 4th and 10. Ryan Succop hit the 41 yard field goal to cap the 14 play, 52 yard, 7 1/2 minute drive for a 10-10 game midway through the second quarter. With 4 minutes left in the half, the Buccaneers recovered a Falcons fumble at the Atlanta 22. Yet Brady stayed on the sideline with a baseball cap on. He was done for the day. Blaine gabbers was now in at quarterback. Todd Bowles was not taking any further chances risking an injury to Brady. Gabbert went to Thompkins for 13. On 3rd and goal at the 3, Gabbert hit Rusell Gage for a 3 yard touchdown as the Buccaneers led 17-10 at the midpoint.
After a third quarter touchback, the Falcons moved to a 2nd and goal at the 5. A run lost a yard and Ridder threw incomplete. Koo hit from 24 to get the Falcon within 17-13. The Falcons took over at their own 20. Ridder hit London for 17. Allgeier gained 13. On 4th and 3 from the Tampa 43, Arthur Hill decided to go for it. Ridder hit Anthony Firkser for 11 and Hesse for 6. Cordarelle Patterson gained 8. On 3rd and 3 from the Tampa 11, Allgeier gained 5. On 3rd and goal at the 3, Ridder went to Olamide Zaccheaus for the touchdown to cap the 14 play, 80 yard, 8 minute drive as the Falcons led 20-17 after three quarters. The Falcons got it back in the fourth quarter and faced 3rd and 6 from their own 21. Ridder went deep to London for 40 yards. Ridder went to Darby for 15. On 3rd and 6 from the Tampa 16, Ridder went to London for 14. Patterson ran for the 2 yard touchdown to make it 27-17 Falcons midway through the fourth quarter. Koo tacked on a 51 yard field goal with 4 minutes left to complete the scoring. 20 unanswered points allowed the Falcons to end the season on a high note. Tom Brady saw his team fall to 8-9, his first ever losing season. Yet the Buccaneers are going to the playoffs. Football is about the team, not individuals. 30-17 Falcons
New England Patriots at Buffalo Bills — By now the whole world knows about Damar Hamlin. His near death experience on the football field 6 days ago has united Americans of all stripes. The Bills came in 12-3 and were expected to rid e a wave of emotion. Although the top seed and a first round bye were out of reach, a win would lock up the two seed. If the Bills reached the AFC Title Game against top seed Kansas City, the game would be moved to a neutral site. The 8-8 Patriots needed a win to make the playoffs. Sometimes football is bigger than just a game. Sometimes there are larger forces at work brought on by emotion. The New York Giants defense in the game after 9/11. The New Orleans Saints blocked punt in the Superdome after Hurricane Katrina.
Jermaine Lewis returning two kicks for touchdowns for the Ravens only days after his son was stillborn.
Today Nyheim Hines returned the opening kickoff 96 yards for a touchdown today for the Buffalo Bills only days after Damar Hamlin nearly died on the field. 14 seconds into the game, the Bills led 7-0.
The Patriots eventually faced 3rd and 1 from their own 35. Mac Jones hit Jakobi Meyers for 20, Davante Parker for 17, Rhamondre Stevenson for 6, Parker for 11, and Meyers for a 2 yard touchdown and a 7-7 game. The Bills soon faced 3rd and 2 from their own 33. Allen hit Stefan Diggs for 16. On 3rd and 1 from the New England 42, Singletary gained 2. Allen went to Diggs for 16. On 3rd and 7 from the New England 21, Allen went to Gabriel Davis for 19. The second quarter began with Allen hitting Dawson Knox for a 4 yard touchdown to make it 14-7 Bills. The Patriots took over at their own 26. Stevenson gained 18. Jones then hit Stevenson for 8 and Kendrick Bourne for 20. On 3rd and 3 at the Buffalo 17, Jones hit Kendrick Bourne for 10. Jones hit Parker for a 2 yard touchdown and a 14-14 tie. The Bills from their own 28 to a 1st and 10 at the New England 15 with 38 seconds left in the half. A pair of incompletions left 14 seconds. In short field goal range, Allen’s pass on 3rd and 10 was intercepted as the Bills wasted an opportunity. In the third quarter the Patriots moved from their own 19 to a 1st and 10 at the Buffalo 21. With a chance to take the lead, Jones was intercepted by White at the 2 yard line as the game remained tied. Two plays later the Bills fumbled and the Patriots recovered at the Buffalo 11. On 3rd and 8, a run gained only 3 yards.Nick Folk hit the 24 yard field goal to make it 17-14 Patriots.
Then came another shocker. Hines returned the opening kickoff 96 yards for a touchdown to start the game. He did it again, this time returning the kickoff 101 yards for another touchdown. Are? You? Kidding? Me!!!???!!!!??? 2 kickoff returns for touchdowns in the same game. Jermaine Lewis did that for the Ravens a few days after his son was stillborn. Hines just did this a few days after Damar Hamlin nearly died. There are larger forces at work. At the risk of offending some of you (never stopped me before), the world was witnessing the case for atheism being obliterated. The Bills led 21-17 and got the ball back at their own 19. On 3rd and 1, Allen gained 3. Allen went to Shakir for 28. Allen then rolled out, directed traffic, and uncorked a 42 yard touchdown bomb to John Brown to make it 28-17 Bills after three quarters.
The Patriots took over at their own 15. Jones hit Parker for 14. Harris gained 19 as the third quarter ended. On 4th and 1 from the Buffalo 36 with 12 1/2 minutes left in regulation, Bill Belichick went for it. Jones hit Meyers for 10. Jones then went to Parker for a 26 yard touchdown. The 2 point try failed but the Patriots were within 28-23. In a desperate attempt to avoid kicking to Hines, the kickoff went out of bounds to set up the Bills at their own 40. A chop blok penalty had the Bills facing 2nd and 23 from their own38. Allen hit Isaiah McKenzie for 13. On 3rd and 10, Allen went bombs away again to Diggs for a 49 yard touchdown. The Bills were up by 12 with 9 minutes left. The Patriots went 3 and out but got a break when the Bills fumbled the punt and the Patriots recovered at the Buffalo 35. Yet on 3rd and 19 from the Buffalo 22, Jones went to the end zone and was intercepted. The Patriots got it back and faced 3rd and 1 from their own 28 with 2:42 to play. Jones was intercepted again. One year after the Sean McDermott’s Bills blasted the Patriots 47-17 to eliminate them in the playoffs, the Bills this time knocked the 8-9 Patriots out of playoff contention. The 13-3 Bills locked up the two seed. If they play Kansas City or Cincinnati in the AFC Title Game, the game will be played at a neutral site. From his Cincinnati hospital bed, Damar Hamlin is alive, speaking, and Tweeting his happiness for his team. 35-23 Bills
Minnesota Vikings at Chicago Bears — The 12-4 Vikings entered as the three seed and needed a win over the lowly Bears and a San Francisco loss to claim the two seed. The top seed is out of reach. The Bears with a loss and a Houston win would own the top pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. With Justin Fields out, Nathan Peterman started. On the third play from scrimmage facing 3rd and 7 from their own 30, Kirk Cousins went deep to Osborn for a 66 yard gain. On the next play Cousins went to Adam Thielen for a 4 yard touchdown. Greg Joseph missed the extra point but the Vikings led 6-0. The Vikings began the second quarter facing 3rd and 11 at their own 33. Cousins went to TJ Hockenson for 16 and Ham for 11. Mattison gained 11. On 3rd and 7 from the Chicago 25, , Cousins went to Osborn for 7 and Smith for 8. From the 10, Alexander Mattison ran for 3, 6, and the one yard touchdown to cap the 12 play, 66 yard, 5 1/2 minute drive to make it 13-0 Vikings midway through the second quarter. Boyle came in for Peterman. 3 plays later on 3rd and 7 from their own 31, Boyle was intercepted. Patrick Peterson returned the pick 28 yards to the Chicago 35. On 3rd and 4 from the Chicago 5, a delay of game penalty was followed by an incompletion. Joseph hit the 28 yard fed goal to make it 16-0 Vikings.
After a touchback, Boyle hit Cole Kmet for 17 and 16. On the next play Van Jones raced down the sideline past terrible attempts at tackling for a 42 yard touchdown. The 2 point conversion try failed as the Bears were within 16-6. After a touchback, the Vikings moved to a 1st and goal at the 6 with one minute left in the half. The Vikings got 0 yards and took the clock down to one second. Joseph hit the 24 yard field goal but a mindless offensive penalty for 12 men on the field nullified the score and ended the half. It didn’t matter. After a third quarter touchback, Cousins was done for the day. Kevin O’Connell wanted to keep his stars fresh for the playoffs and gave them the second half off. Nick Mullens played the second half. Mattison ran for 6 and 11. Mullens went to Ham for for 10 and Nailor for 26. On 3rd and 1 from the Chicago 8, Mullensa gained 2. On 3rd and goal at the one, Mattison got in to make it 23-6 Vikings. The Bears did manage one third quarter touchdown, but nothing else. Joseph hit field goals of 50 in the third quarter and 41 in the fourth quarter to complete the scoring. The 13-4 Vikings will be the three seed in the playoffs. The Bears with the loss combined with a Houston win are officially the worst NFL team of 2022. After the Super Bowl, the Bears will be on the clock for the top pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. 29-13 Vikings
Baltimore Ravens at Cincinnati Bengals — The 11-4 Bengals hosted the 10-6 Ravens. Both teams are in the playoffs. The Ravens came in losers of 3 straight games with Lamar Jackson being injured. The division is out of reach for them. Instead of Tyler Huntley, 3rd stringer Anthony Brown started. For the Bengals, the top seed was out of reach. Yet a win and a Buffalo loss would vault them to the two seed. If the Bengals were to play Buffalo in the AFC Title Game, the game would be moved to a neutral site. The Bengals took over at their own 31 and moved 63 yards in 17 plays and 8 minutes. Yet on 1st and 10 from the Baltimore 16, Joe Burrow threw incomplete 3 straight times. Evan McPherson hit the 34 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Bengals. One play after a touchback an interception of Brown gave the Bengals a short field at the Baltimore 48. Burrow went to Tyler Boyd for 22. Burrow hit Hurst for 7 and Boyd for 12. Joe Mixon ran for the 5 yard touchdown to make it 10-0 Bengals. 3 plays later on the first play of the second quarter with the Ravens facing 3rd and 5 at their own 30, Brown was intercepted again to give the Bengals another short field at the Baltimore 32. On 3rd and 4, Burrow went deep to JaMarr Chase for a 26 yard touchdown to make it 17-0 Bengals.
The Ravens faced 3rd and 13 from their own 21. Brown threw incomplete but roughing the passer kept the drive going. Brown went to Likely for 28 and Kolar for 15. On 3rd and 9 from the Cincinnati 19, Brown went to Likely for 12. Kenyon Drake ran for 3 and then for the 4 yard touchdown. With 1:57 left in the half, the Ravens were within 17-7. The Ravens got it back and faced 3rd and 9 from their own 6. Rather than just run the ball and try to get to the half, John Harbaugh decided to get aggressive. Brown was sacked in the end zone and fumbled. Ossai recovered for a defensive touchdown and a 24-7 Bengals lead. In the third quarter a sack of Burrow forced a fumble that gave the Ravens gift field position at the Cincinnati 9. Yet a run gained one yard and Brown threw incomplete twice. Justin Tucker hit a 26 yard field goal to get the Ravens within 24-10. After a touchback, the Bengas moved to a 4th and 2 at the Baltimore 8. McPherson hit from 26 to make it 27-10 Bengals. After a touchback, the Ravens moved to a 3rd and 4 at the Cincinnati 33. Brown threw incomplete. Tucker delivered from 51 to get the Ravens within 27-13. With 12 minutes left in regulation the Ravens had moved from their own 18 to a 2nd and 5 at the Cincinnati 9. Brown threw incomplete and then got taken down for no gain. Again it was a 27 yard Tucker field goal to get the Ravens within 11. They got nothing else. With 3 minutes left a 47 yard completion as for naught when the Ravens fumbled the ball away. The 10-7 Ravens are the six seed. The 12-4 Bengals are the three seed. In a quirk of fate, these teams meet again next week in Cincinnati in the playoffs. 27–16 Bengals
Houston Texans at Indianapolis Colts — League rules required this game between awful teams had to be played. With a loss, the Texans could lock up the top pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. Sometimes a pair of terrible teams can come together and play an exciting game. This actually was that game. Nevertheless, the sheer number of blunders still made it the Stupor Bowl. On the first play of the game after a touchback, Davis Mills went to Brandin Cooks for 33. Mills then went to Jordan Akin for 15, Quitoriano for 9, and Cooks for an 11 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Texans. The Colts fumbled the ensuing kickoff to set up the Texans at the Indianapolis 18. A run was blown up for a 7 yard loss. Kaimi Fairbairn hit a 37 yard field goal to make it 10-0 Texans.
After a touchback, Sam Ehlinger hit Pierce for 13. Moss gained 34. On 3rd and 6 from the Houston 24, Ehlinger threw incomplete but the defense jumped offside to set up 3rd and 1. Jackson got stopped but with absolutely nothing to lose, Jeff Saturday went for it. On 4th and 1, Ehlinger gained 5. On 3rd and 5 from the Houston 9, Ehlinger only gained 4 but defensive unnecessary roughness added 3 more. Ehlinger hit Michael Pittman for a one yard touchdown to finish the 11 play, 75 yard, 6 minute drive and get the Colts within 10-7. In the second quarter the Colts punted on 4th and 17 from their own 2 to set up the Texans with a short field at the Indianapolis 46. From the indy 21, Freeman gained 7 but fumbled. The Justin Blackon returned the fumble 34 yards to set up the Colts at their own 42. One play later, Mills was intercepted by Jonathan Greenard, who returned it 39 yards for a defensive touchdown and a 17-7 Texans lead.
In the third quarter the Colts moved from their own 17 to a 4th and goal at the 6. On the field goal try, the defense encroached to make it 4th and goal at the 3. Saturday inexplicably went for it. Out of the shotgun, Ehlinger threw incomplete. A 13 yard punt return gave the Colts the ball with a short field just past midfield. A defensive facemask added 15 yards. Ehlinger ran for 8 with defensive holding adding 5 more. Moss ran for a 15 yard touchdown to get the Colts within 17-14. After a touchback, Mills went deep to Quitoriano for 52. On 3rd and 8 from the Indy 19, Mills went to Jordan Akins for the touchdown. Again, the Texans could guarantee themselves the top Draft pick by losing. With 4 minutes left in the third quarter, the Texans were winning 24-14.
The Texans got the ball back with a chance to put the game away. Yet on 3rd and 8 from their own 21, Mills was intercepted by Ray McLeod. McLeod returned the pick 27 yards for a touchdown to get the Colts within 24-21. The Texans soon faced 3rd and 8 from their own 27. Mills was intercepted again by Thomas. This time Thomas returned the pick 11 yards as the Colts took over at their own 42 to start the fourth quarter. Moss gained 10. Ehlinger went to Pierce for 18 and Pittman for 23. On 3rd and goal at the 4, Ehlinger hit Mo Alie-Cox for the touchdown. with 10 1/2 minutes left in regulation, the Colts led 28-24. The Colts got the ball back at their own 24 and moved 40 yards in 10 plays and 5 1/2 minutes. On 4th and 7 from the Houston 36, a field goal try would be 54 yards. Chase McLaughlin delivered. 17 unanswered points had the Colts up 31-24. 3 1/2 minutes still remained. For the billionth time, a Texans loss guaranteed them the top Draft pick.
The Texans soon faced 3rd and 2 from their own 25. Ogunbowale gained 3. Mills hit Rodgers for 14 and Moore for 12 as the clock hit the 2 minute warning. With 1:26 left the Texans were down to their last gasp, facing 4th and 12 from the Indy 48. Mills went deep to Cooks for 30. With 50 seconds left, the Texans were again down to their last gasp facing 4th and 20 from the Indy 28. Under heavy pressure, Mills threw the Hail Mary. A defender was perfectly positioned in the end zone for the interception. It went right through the defender’s hands and was caught by Akins for the touchdown. The Texans got their miracle. They were an extra point away from a tie game. Yet if ever a game did not deserve overtime, this game was it. With nothing whatsoever to lose, Lovie Smith went for the win on the road. Mills fired to Akins in the end zone successfully. Now the Texans had the one point lead.
After a touchback, on 3rd and 10, Ehlinger went to Jackson for 11 and Woods for 9. With 13 seconds left, the Colts were at their own 45. They needed about 15 yards to try a very long field goal. A completion for one yard accomplished nothing and forced the Colts to take their last timeout with 8 seconds left. Ehlinger had a receiver by the sideline but threw high and incomplete, leaving 2 seconds. Out of field goal range, it was Hail Mary time. Ehlinger’s pass did not even reach the end zone before falling incomplete.
Two weeks ago the Houston Texans were the worst team in pro football. All they had to do was lose one of their final 2 games and they would have gotten the top pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. They won their final 2 games and “lost” that opportunity. They will pick second behind the Bears.
Texans fans may not like this, but what the Texans did protects the integrity of pro football. Hockey, baseball and basketball have all been plagued by “tanking.” This is when bad teams purposely lose games to improve their Draft position.
Tanking violates everything that sports is about. Losing on purpose is anti-sports, anti-competition, and anti-decency. As the late John Madden said, “The worst thing you can say about someone is they lost on purpose. For the sake of what’s right, for the sake of football, you have to (try to) win.” Football is the only sport where there is no evidence of tanking. Give credit to Texans coach Lovie Smith for keeping the team together and to the players for showing pride and professionalism.
Just to be clear, if a very good NFL team who has clinched their playoff spot rests their starters to keep them healthy for the playoffs, that is not tanking. It is mind-numbingly stupid to risk injuries in a meaningless game.
Professional sports can only survive if people believe the product they are watching is honest and fair. From a tanking standpoint, football is the only one of the four major sports that has not been tainted. Lovie Smith and Jeff Saturday both wondered if they would be fired on Black Monday, but on this Sunday they honored football the right way by putting on a great game worth of the greatest sport in the history of sports. Sadly, the Texans could not even wait until Black Monday. After consecutive wins, the Texans fired Smith Sunday night. It was their second straight season of firing a coach after one year. 32-31 Texans
New York Jets at Miami Dolphins — The Jets started 7-4 and the Dolphins 8-3. Both teams then lost 5 straight. The Jets are out of the playoffs. The Dolphins with a win and a New England loss would sneak into the playoffs as the seven seed Wildcard. In the second quarter, Greg “The Leg” Zuerlein missed a 55 yard field goal try. Jason sanders hit from 37 to get the Dolphins on the board first. Zuerlein hit from 32 for a 33- game at the half. Sanders hit from 37 in the third quarter. Zuerlein hit from 35 for a 6-6 game with 12 minutes left in regulation. With 3 minutes left the Dolphins took over at their own 32. At the 2 minute warning with the Dolphins at their own 44, a very controversial call affected the outcome. A short completion was followed by a defensive horse collar tackle. It was an awful call, but the 15 yards allowed the Dolphins to get into field goal range. With 18 seconds left, Sanders hit from 50 to make it 9-6 Dolphins. The Jets desperation hook and laterals went backward to their own end zone for a safety. The Dolphins with their win and New England’s loss are playoffs bound. 11-6 Dolphins
Carolina Panthers at New Orleans Saints — Neither of these teams are going to the playoffs, and both coaches had a chance of being dismissed after the season. After an opening touchback, Red Rifle Andy Dalton hit Olave for 7 and Shaheed for 6. Dalton went to Johnson for 21. Dalton went to Olave for a 25 yard touchdown. The Saints led 7-0 only 4 minutes left in the game. The offense took the remaining 56 minutes off. Wil Lutz missed a 44 yard field goal try in the second quarter that would have extended the lead. In the third quarter the panthers took over at their own 18. Foreman gained 21 and 11. Chuba Hubbard gained 7. Sam Darnold hit Shenault for 8. On 3rd and 4 from the Saints 29, Darnold hit DJ Moore for 10. Hubbard gained 6, 2, and on 3rd and 2 from the Saints 11, 2 more. On 3rd and goal at the 3 out of the shotgun, Darnolf gained 2, fumbled, and got bailed out when Jordan recovered in the end zone for the offense touchdown and a 7-7 game. With 1:24 left in a defensive bonelock, Lutz came in for a 55 yard field goal try to give the Saints the lead. His kick was blocked. The Panthers moved from their own 45 to the Saints 24 with 3 seconds left. Eddie Pineiro came in for a 42 yard try to win it at the gun. Pineiro was good. Both coaches awaited Black Monday. 10-7 Panthers
Cleveland Browns at Pittsburgh Steelers — The 7-9 Browns are eliminated. The Steelers were 2-6 at one point but are now 8-8. Mike Tomlin’s team needed a win to avoid his first losing season. More importantly, the Steelers needed a win and losses by both Miami and New England to make the playoffs. In the first quarter, the Steelers moved from their own 24 to a 2nd and goal at the one. kenny pickett kept the quarterback sneak and got stopped. On 3rd and goal, Najee Harris went over the top and got nailed, forcing a fumble. The Steelers recovered and officials ruled Harris did not break the plane of the goal before losing the football. In the second quarter, the Browns faced 3rd and 3 at their own 36. Deshaun Watson went to Bryant for 14. On 3rd and 10 from midfield, Watson threw incomplete but defensive holding meant a new set of downs.Watson went to Kareem Hunt for 14. On 3rd and 1from the Pittsburgh 22, Nick Chubb gained 10. Watson went to David Njoku for the 10 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Browns.
After a touchback, Pickett went to Gentry for 23. On 3rd and 5 from the Cleveland 47, Pickett threw incomplete but defensive pass interference meant an 11 yard gain. On 3rd and 1 from the Cleveland 27, Pickett hit Warren for the yard. On 3rd and 15 from the Cleveland 31, Pickett went to George Pickens for the touchdown. With 1:47 left in the half, the game was tied 7-7. Two plays later, Watson was intercepted to set the Steelers up at their own 44. Chris Boswell hit a 49 yard field goal to put the Steelers up 10-7 at the break. After a third quarter touchback, the Steelers moved 59 yards in 12 plays and 6 minutes. On 2nd and 9 from the Cleveland 10, an incompletion b y Pickett was followed by him getting sacked. Boswell hit from 34 to make it 13-7 Steelers. Another interception of Watson was returned 12 yards by Kazee to the Cleveland 25. Harris ran for 11, 5, 2, and for the 4 yard touchdown. 20 unanswered points had the Steelers up 20-7 after three quarters.
The fourth quarter began with the Browns at their own 23. Chubb gained 15 and 11. Watson went deep to Arami Cooper for 36. On 2nd and 7 from the Pittsburgh 11, a sack of Watson was wiped away by roughing the passer. Watson hit Chubb for a 2 yard touchdown to get the Browns within 20-14 with 10 minutes left in regulation. After a touchback, Pickett hit Heyward for 9 and Harris added 6. On 3rd and 10 from his own 40, Pickett went to Pickens for 17. On 3rd and 8 from the Cleveland 41, Pickett went to Hayward for 27. On 3rd and 8 from the Cleveland 12, Pickett hit Heyward for 9. On 3rd and goal at the 2, Pickett threw incomplete but defensive pass interference meant 1st and goal at the one. Derek Watt scored the touchdown. Pickett hit Johnson for the 2 point conversion. The 14 play, 75 yard, 5 1/2 minute drive put the Steelers up by 14 with 4 1/2 minutes left. The Browns finished the game with Watson being sacked on 3 of the final 4 plays. The 9-8 Steelers avoided Mike Tomlin’s first losing season. Yet because Miami won their game on the final play, the Steelers would not be going to the playoffs. 28-14 Steelers.
New York Giants at Philadelphia Eagles — Both teams are in the playoffs. The 10-6 Giants are locked into the six seed Wildcard. Brian Daboll rested his starters to keep them healthy for the playoffs. The 13-1 Eagles lost 2 straight without Jalen Hurts. At 13-3, they needed a win in the regular season finale to lock up the NFC East and home field advantage throughout the playoffs with the first round bye. A loss and a Dallas win would drop the Eagles all the way to the five seed Wildcard. The Eagles moved from their own 35. On their first play from scrimmage, Hurts hit AJ Brown for 35 yards. Yet on 2nd and 8 from the Giants 14, Hurts threw incomplete twice. Jake Elliott hit a 32 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Eagles. The Eagles got it back and faced 3rd and 2 at their own 28. Hurts hit Dallas Goedert for 6. On 3rd and 9 from their own 35, Hurts went deep to Brown for 37. Miles Sanders ran for 6, 4 and 6. Boston Scott ran for an 8 yard touchdown to make it 10-0 Eagles after the first quarter. The Eagles defense shut down the Giants offense in the first half. Elliott hit second quarter field goals of 52 and 39 and a third quarter field goal of 54 to have the Eagles up 19-0.
The Giants backups put up a fight, forcing Nick Sirianni to leave his starters in. The Giants after a touchback moved to a 3rd and goal at the 6. With Daniel Jones resting, Davis Webb threw incomplete. Graham Gano hit a 24 yard field goal but the Giants still trailed 19-3 After three quarters. The Giants got it back to start the fourth quarter at their own 41. On 4th and 1 from midfield, Brian Daboll went for it. Web hit Cager and got the yard. Brightwell gained 17. Webb went to Cager for 12. On 3rd and 8 from the Philadelphia 14, Webb ran it in. The 2 point try failed but the Giants were within 19-9 with 10 minutes left in regulation. The Eagles after a touchback moved 71 yards in 15 plays and 7 minutes. Elliott hit his 5th field goal from 22 to make it 22-9 Eagles with 3:20 to play. Brightwell returned the ensuing kickoff to start the Giants at their own 46. Webb hit Kenny Golladay for a 25 yard touchdown to get the Giants within 6 with 1:38 to play. The onside kick failed and Hurts took 3 knees. They did it the hard way, but the Eagles are NFC East champs and the top seed in the playoffs. They have the bye week and home field advantage throughout the playoffs. 22-16 Eagles
Dallas Cowboys at Washington Commanders — The Commanders were 7-5-1 but 3 straight losses and 7-8-1 meant they are out of the playoffs. A win would get them to .500 on the year. The 12-4 Cowboys entered the game as the five seed Wildcard. A win and a Philadelphia loss would vault them to the NFC East crown and the two seed. If San Francisco also lost, the Cowboys would have home field advantage throughout the playoffs with the first round bye. Early in the game the Cowboys lined up to punt on 4th and 2 from their own 33. Punter Anger fumbled the snap and the Commanders took over at the Dallas 20. Two plays later it was notTaylor Heinecke or Carson Wentz but third string quarterback sam Howell throwing a 16 yard touchdown pass to Terry McLaurin to make it 6-0 Commanders. Joey Slye had a miserable game and missed the extra point. Later in the first quarter Slye missed a 39 yard field goal try. The Commanders moved from their own 33 to a 1st and goal at the 2 to start the second quarter. A run lost 3 yards. Howell was then intercepted in the end zone for a touchback. Yet Dak Prescott had an even more miserable game. On 3rd and 6 from his own 24, Prescott was intercepted by Kendall Fuller, who returned the pick 29 yards for a touchdown and a 13-0 Commanders lead. Slye missed another field goal from 52 which is why the Commanders were up by 13 rather than 20-0.
With 2 1/2 minutes left in the half, the Cowboys took over at their own 23. Prescott went to CeeDee Lamb for 6 and 6, to Dalton Schultz for 7, and to michael Gallup for 10. On 3rd and 10 just past midfield, Prescott went to Schultz for 12 and TY Hilton for 11. On 3rd and 10 from the Houston 26, Prescott gained 9. Mike McCarthy went for it on 4th and 1 form the Dallas 17. Prescott gained 2. Prescott hit Lamb for a 15 yard touchdown. Brett Maher missed the extra point, but with 6 seconds left in the half, the Cowboys were only down 13-6. Yet the second half was all about Ron Rivera’s defense. In the third quarter the Commanders eventually took over at their own 41. Howell went to Jahan Dotson for 22 and again for 20. Patterson ran for a pair of 6 yard gains. Howell ran for a 9 yard touchdown to make it 20-6 Commanders after three quarters. Slye hit fourth quarter field goals of 29 and 22 to complete the scoring. Had the Cowboys won, it would not have helped them since Philadelphia also won. The Cowboys will enter the playoffs as a Wildcard as Ron Rivera awaited his Black Monday fate. 26-6 Commanders
Los Angeles Chargers at Denver Broncos — The Broncos are awful. The 10-6 Chargers started the game locked into the five seed Wildcard due to Baltimore losing earlier in the day. The Chargers could and should have rested their starters. Instead, Brandon Staley, who thinks the rules don’t apply to him, played his starters most of the way in a meaningless game. The Chargers began facing 3rd and 8 from their own 27. Justin Herbert went deep to Keenan Allen for 30 and to Carter for 11. Austin Ekeler gained 12. On 3rd and 4 from the Denver 14, Herbert went to Allen for the touchdown to make it 7-0 Chargers. The Broncos after a touchback saw Latavius Murray gain 8 and 3. On 2nd and 7 from their own 43, Wilson’s short pass lost 5 yards. Yet roughing the passer meant a 15 yard gain. On 4th and 2 from the Chargers 34, interim coach Jerry Rosburg went for it. Wilson got the deuce. On 3rd and 4 from the Chargers 26, Murray gained 5. Jerry Jeudy got around the end for 13. Murray ran for a 2 yard touchdown to culminate the 13 play, 75 yard, 7 1/2 minute drive to make it 7-7.
A field position game had the Chargers getting it back and facing 3rd and 11 at their own 46. Herbert went to Williams for 18. The second quarter began with the Chargers facing 3rd and 2 at the Denver 28. Herbert hit Allen for 12. On 3rd and 2 from the Denver 8, Ekeler gained 4. On 3rd and goal at the 3, Herbert hit Gerald Everett for the touchdown. The 12 play, 53 yard, 5 1/2 minute drive made it 14-7 Chargers. The Chargers fumbled on their next possession to give the Broncos a short field just past midfield. On 2nd and 4 from the Chargers 14, a run lost a yard and Wilson then threw incomplete. Brandon McManus hit from 33 to get the Broncos within 14-10. With 1:08 left in the half the Chargers took over at their own 37. They quickly moved to a 2nd and 4 at the Denver 30. Herbert threw incomplete twice. Cameron Dicker hit the 48 yard field goal. The Chargers led 17-10 with only 26 seconds left in the half.
What happened next was inexcusable. Wilson threw a short pass to Murray that went for 15. Wilson then went bombs away to Jeudy for a 57 yard gain. Wilson then threw a 3 yard touchdown pass to Eric Tomlinson for a 17-17 tie at the intermission. The Broncos began the third quarter with all the momentum facing 3rd and 2 from their own 33. Edmonds gained 23. Jeduy added 14 and Edmonds gained 6 more. Wilson went to Badie Tyler for a 24 yard touchdown to make it 24-17 Broncos. On the next Denver series Wilson was intercepted to give the Chargers a short field at the Denver 46. On 2nd and 5 from the Denver 18, Ekeler gained nothing and Herbert threw incomplete. Dicker hit from 36 to get the Chargers within 24-20. The Chargers got the ball at their own 12 and moved to the Denver 40. After an incompletion, Herbert went to Carter for a 25 yard gain. Yet just as the Chargers were on the verge of taking the lead, Carter fumbled and the Broncos recovered at their own 11 as the third quarter ended.
The Broncos began the fourth quarter facing 1st and 15 at their own 6. Murray gained 16. On 3rd and 10 from their own 24, Wilson went deep to Swain for 52. Wilson then went to Cortland Sutton for a 20 yard touchdown and a 31-20 Broncos lead with 11:15 to play in regulation. Brandon Staley finally took his head out of his hide and took Herbert out of this meaningless game. Chase Daniel came in and the Chargers immediately went 3 and out. Yet the Chargers got a break when the Broncos fumbled the punt and the Chargers recovered at the Denver 29. Daniel hit Palmer for 10, Allen for 4, Carter for 7, and Allen again for a 3 yard touchdown. Daniel went to Palmer for the 2 point conversion. With 6 minutes left in regulation, the Chargers were within a field goal. After each team went 3 and out, the Broncos were pinned at their own 4 yard line with 3:14 left. The Chargers had all 3 timeouts and the 2 minute warning. Murray ran for 21. Jeudy added 12. Murray gained 9. At the 2 minute warning on 3rd and 1 from his own 46, Wilson got the tough yard. Although the Chargers still had 2 timeouts, Brandon Staley decided not to use them. It was better to get the game over with. Because of Staley playing his starters, receiver Mike Williams and defender Joey Bosa left the game injured. Time will soon tell if this strategy blows up in Staley’s face. The Chargers are in the playoffs. The Broncos begin searching for a coach. 31-28 Broncos
Los Angeles Rams at Seattle Seahawks — The Rams are done for the year. The 8-8 Seahawks needed to win and have Green Bay lose to make the playoffs as the seven seed Wildcard. Early on this game belonged to the kickers. An interception of Geno Smith on the first play from scrimmage led to a 22 yard Mayy Gay field goal and a 3-0 Rams lead. Jason Myers responded from 37 for the Seahawks. Myers hit again from 36 to make it 6-3 Seahawks. In the second quarter Gay hit from 45 for a 6-6 game. After over 26 minutes of defensive football, the Rams faced 3rd and 6 from their own 17. Baker Mayfield went deep to Van Jefferson for 35. On 3rd and 10 from the Seattle 48, Mayfield went to Tyler Higbee for 17. Powell gained 15. Tutu Atwell ran for an 11 yard touchdown to make it 13-6 Rams at the half. The Seahawks in the third quarter faced 2n and 11 from their own 11. Smith hit Parkinson for 15 and DK Metcalf for 23. Kenneth Walker gained 15. Smith went to Tyler Lockett for a 36 yard touchdown and 13-13 game.
The Rams moved from their own 19 to a 3r and 5 at the Seattle 19. Mayfield threw incomplete. Gay hit from 38 to make it 16-13 Rams. In the fourth quarter the Seahawks from their own 14 moved 82 yards in 16 plays and over 7 minutes. On 2nd and goal at the one, Walker got stopped for no gain. On 3rd and goal Walker was blown up for a 3 yard loss. Myers hit from 22 for a 16-16 game with 2:19 left. The Seahawks got it back at their own 20 with 56 seconds left. With 3 seconds left, Myers came in for a 46 yard try to win it. The kick doinked off the right upright no good. This game was headed to overtime. After the Seahawk punted in overtime, the Rams had 2nd and 15 at their own 21. Mayfield went deep and had Jefferson open. Yet the ball was underthrown and Diggs made a leaping interception. The Seahawks took over at their own 36. Smith hit Lockett for 17 and Walker for 20. Walker gained 2, 8, one and 2. With 4 1/2 minutes left in overtime on 3rd and 7 from the Rams 14, Pete Carroll took no chances. Myers came in for the 32 yarder to redeem himself and win the game. Myers was good. The Seahawks would make the playoffs if Detroit won at Green Bay in the regular season night finale game. As for the Rams, Sean McVay was contemplating his future only one year after winning the Super Bowl. There is no way on earth he would be fired, but he may want to step away for a year to recharge his batteries. At age 36, he will have plenty of options whatever he does. Pete Carroll is twice his age and running around like a young kid ready to coach as long as possible. The Seahawks got their miracle. Detroit went into green Bay and won. The Seahawks are in the playoffs. 19-16 Seahawks, OT
Arizona Cardinals at San Francisco 49ers — The Cardinals are a mess. The 12-4 49ers entered as the two seed. They needed a win and a Philadelphia loss to gain the top seed and home field advantage throughout the playoffs with the first round bye. With nothing to lose, Kliff Kingsbury went to his bag of tricks on the second play from scrimmage. Blough lateraled, and the ball was lateraled back to Blough. Blough then went bombs away to AJ Green for a 77 yard touchdown and a 6-0 Cardinals lead. The extra point was no good. After a touchback, Christian McCaffrey ran for 9. Mister Irrelevant Brock Purdy hit kyle Juszczyk for 26. Purdy ran for 13. On 3rd and 4 from the Arizona 21, Purdy went to McCaffrey for the touchdown and a 7-6 49ers lead. In the second quarter an interception of Blough was returned by Gipson 12 yards to the Arizona 18. On 3rd and 2, the defense encroached. Elijah Mitchell ran for a 5 yard touchdown to make it 14-6 49ers. After a touchback, Blough went to McBride for 23. On 3rd and 14 rom their own 44, Bough went to Corey Clement for 17. On 3rd and 11 from the San Francisco 29, Blough went to McBride for just enough. Clement ran for 3, 5, and the one yard touchdown. With 4 1/2 minutes left in the half, the Cardinals were only down 14-13. After that the 49ers turned out the lights.
The 49ers took over at their own 34. Purdy went to Brandon Aiyuk for 22. McCaffrey ran for 10. On 3rd and 6 from the Arizona 25, Purdy hit McCaffrey for 7 and Deebo Samuel for 9. Purdy went to George Kittle for a 4 yard touchdown to make it 21-13 49ers with 19 seconds left in the half. After a third quarter touchback, Purdy went to Aiyuk for 20. After a sack, the 49ers faced 3rd and 17 from their own 38. A give up run by McCaffrey gained 19. Mitchell got around the end for 37 and then ran for the 6 yard touchdown to make it 28-13 49ers. An interception of Blugh meant a short field for the 49ers at the Arizona 34. On 3rd and 4 from the Arizona 6, Purdy was sacked. Robbie Gould hit from 27 to make it 31-13 49ers. 3 plays later Blough was sacked and fumbled. Another short field had the 49ers at the Arizona 28. On 3rd and 2, Purdy hit Kittle for 15. On 3rd and goal at the one, Purdy hit Kittle for the touchdown. 24 unanswered points in a 15 minute span turned a tight game into a blowout. Because Philadelphia won, the 49ers were denied the top spot. Mike Shanahan’s squad is still the two seed. Kliff Kingsbury awaited his Black Monday fate. 38-13 49ers
Detroit Lions at Green Bay Packers was the Sunday night regular season finale play-in game. At one point the Lions were 1-6 and the Packers were 4-8. Left for dead, both teams entered 8-8. The Lions needed to win and have Seattle lose. Seattle won their game earlier in the day so the Lions by kickoff knew they were eliminated from playoff contention. They could still play spoiler. The Packers were win and in or lose and out. Yet in Green Bay, the Lions have only won twice in the last 30+ years, in 1991 and 2015. Yet Dan Campbell started with a surprisingly bad decision. He has a pinball offense and a sieve defense. The Lions won the coin toss. Why on earth would he defer and let red hot Aaron Rodgers start first? Bill Belichick loves that “double up at the half” nonsense. Just because he does it doesn’t mean the other 31 coaches should do it. It’s dumb. Nevertheless, the first half belonged to the defenses and the field goal kickers. Mason Crosby hit from 22 for the Packers. Matt LaFleur gambled on 4th and 1 from his own 32 and lost a yard. Mike Badgley hit from 37 for a 3-3 game. Crosby hit from 49 and in the second quarter form 48 to make it 9-3 Packers. Badgley missed from 46. The Packers from their 36 to the Detroit 24 but fumbled the ball away. The Lions took over at their own 15 with 1:15 left in the half and moved to a 3r and 3 at the Green Bay 30 with 2 seconds left. A mindless defensive personal foul before the kick could be attempted moved the ball 15 yards closer. Badgley hit from 33 as the Lions trailed 9-6 at the half. In the third quarter Crosby from 53 hit the crossbar and had it bounce backward no good.
From their own 43, Williams gained 13. Jared Goff then went bombs away to Raymond for 43 yards down to the one. Williams got in for the game’s first touchdown and a 13-9 Lions lead. The Packers soon faced 3rd and 3 from their own 24. Rodgers hit Allan Lazard for 6. On 3rd and 1 from their own 39, Rodgers gained 2. Rodgers then went bombs away to Watson for a 45 yard gain. Rodgers went back to Lazard for a 13 yard touchdown. With 3 minutes left in the third quarter the Packers led 16-13. The Lions took over at their own 25 one minute into the fourth quarter. Goff hit St. Brown for 14. Williams gained 11 and 8. Goff hit Swift for 9. On 4th and 2 from the Green Bay 25, a field goal try would only be 43 yards. Instead it was time for a Dan Campbell gamble. Goff hit Chark for 3. Swift gained 11. On the next play a completion only gained 2 yards, but a mind-numbingly stupid defensive personal foul resulted in disqualification. First, Swift was hit in the head with a forearm and stayed down. That should have drawn a penalty but did not. When the medical trainer tried to examine Swift, Walker shoved the medical trainer from behind. It was dumb, and it was right to disqualify Walker. On 3rd and goal at the one out of the shotgun, Williams got into the end zone. The 13 play, 75 yard, 8 minute drive had the Lions up 20-16 with 6 minutes left in regulation. The Packers took over at their own 21. On 3rd and 10 from their own 33, Rodgers threw a bomb right before getting blasted. Kirby Joseph returned the interception 23 yards to the Green Bay 45. With 3 1/2 minutes left, the Lions had a chance to ice the game.
With everyone expecting a run, Goff went to St. Brown for 11. Then it was ground and pound. Williams gained 9. On 2nd and 1 from the Green Bay 25, the defense jumped. Yet Dan Campbell refused the first down yardage. It seemed crazy but he gambled that they could get the yard anyway and force the Packers to burn a timeout. Williams got the yard. Offensive holding meant 2nd and 17 from the Green Bay 31. Rather than call conservative runs, Dan Campbell went psychotic bold with a hook and lateral. Goff hit St. Brown, who lateraled to Swift for a net gain of 14 yards. On 3rd and 3, Williams gained only 2. On 4th and 1 from the Green Bay 15 with 1:15 left, a field goal would put the Lions up 23-16 and force the Packers to try and tie the game. No. This was Dan Campbell gamble time. He risked it all. Rather than run, Goff lined up in a no back set…an empty backfield. This was insane. Goff fired over the middle to Chark for 9 and a first down. Goff took a knee. The Lions finished 9-8 but lost the tie-breaker to Seattle and were out of the playoffs. After 3 straight 13 win seasons and NFC North titles, the 8-9 Packers on their home field were knocked out of the playoffs. For only the 3rd time in 30+ years, the Lions went into green Bay and won. They swept the Packers. This was a Dan Campbell win. 20-16 Lions
The Wildcard Playoff games are set:
AFC:
7) Miami Dolphins at 2) Buffalo Bills
6) Baltimore Ravens at 3) Cincinnati Bengals
5) Los Angeles Chargers at 4) Jacksonville Jaguars
1) Kansas City Chiefs: Bye week
NFC:
7) Seattle Seahawks or Green Bay Packers at 2) San Francisco 49ers
6) New York Giants at 3) Minnesota Vikings
5) Dallas Cowboys at 4) Tampa Bay Buccaneers
1) Philadelphia Eagles: Bye week