NFL 2023 Week 12 Recap
Green Bay Packers at Detroit Lions was the Thanksgiving Thursday morning game. For most of the last 30 years, the Packers have beaten up the Lions. Then in regular season finale last year, momentum shifted. The Lions went into Green Bay and hit the Packers in the mouth. The Lions repeated this in the season opener this year at Green Bay. This Thanksgiving, the Lions came in 8-2 while the Packers were a relatively weak team. Dan Campbell has changed the culture in Detroit. For the first time since 1991, The Lions were ready to stomp all over the 4-6 Packers on Thanksgiving.
On the first play from scrimmage after a touchback, Jordan Love went deep to Watson for a 53 yard gain. Love hit Watson again for 8 and went to Reed for a 10 yard touchdown. Less than 3 minutes in the game, the Packers led 7-0. The Lions soon faced 3rd and 7 at their own 30. Jared Goff went to Williams for 13. Defensive pass interference added 16. Goff went deep to Sam LaPorta for 31 and again for a 7 yard touchdown. Riley Patterson missed the extra point as the Lions trailed 7-6.
After a touchback, love went to Heath for 16. On 3rd and 8 from the Green Bay 47, Love hit Watson for 9 and Dillon for 11. Reed ran for 15. On 3rd and 1 from the Detroit 9, Love went to Kraft for the touchdown. The 10 play, 75 yard, 5 1/2 minute drive made it 14-6 Packers. The Lions soon faced 2nd and 12 at their own 23. Goff was sacked and fumbled. Owens picked it up and ran it 27 yards for a defensive touchdown. Anders Carlson missed the extra point but the Packers led 20-6. The Lions fumbled the ball away on their next drive as well. In the second quarter, Carlson tacked on a 43 yard field goal. He also missed from 63 yards out on the last play o the half. The Packers led 23-6 in front of a stunned Ford Field home crowd.
The Lions began the third quarter at their own 28 and immediately sought to claw their way back. Gibbs got around the end for 23. Goff went deep to Amra St Brown for 28. On 3rd and 1 from the Green Bay 12, Montgomery ran for 6 and then for the 6 yard touchdown. A curious decision by Dan Campbell to go for a 2 point conversion saw Goff barely get in. He fumbled the ball, but after he broke the plane of the goal as the Lions were within 23-14. The Lions got the ball back but a great punt pinned them very deep. Dan Campbell takes some pretty bold gambles, and they often work. Yet a fake punt on 4th and 4 from his own 23 seemed a bit much. It didn’t work as the runner was swarmed for no gain to give the Packers a very short field.
On 3rd and 3 from the Detroit 16, Love went to Watson for the touchdown. Matt LaFleur went for a 2 point conversion to try and put the game out of reach but a double reverse was blown up for a loss as the Packers led 29-14 late in the third quarter. tHE lions overcame a double digit lead in the final minutes last week but not this time. They got a garbage touchdown with 40 seconds to play but the onside kick failed. It would be totally unfair to say “Same Packers, same Lions.” These are not the same Lions, and they still have a big division lead. They simply stumbled at home in a game they should have won. 29-22 Packers
Washington Commanders at Dallas Cowboys was the Thanksgiving Thursday afternoon game. The Cowboys were expected to steamroll over the overmatched Commanders. The Cowboys in the first quarter faced 1st and 15 at their own 5 yard line. Dak Prescott went deep to Ferguson for 35 yards. On 3rd and 4 from their own 46, Prescott hit CeeDee Lamb for 8. On 3rd and 7 from the Washington 43, Tony Pollard ran for 14. Prescott hit Rico Dowdle for a 15 yard touchdown to cap the 11 play, 90 yard, 5 minute drive and make it 7-0 Cowboys. After a touchback, the Commanders in the second quarter moved to a 1st and 10 at the Dallas 19. A swing pass by Sam Howell lost 8 yards to kill the drive. Joey Slye hit a 43 yard field goal to get the Commanders on the board.
The Cowboys moved easily after a touchback. Prescott ran for 10. Prescott then hit Schoonmaker for 12, Lamb for 16, and Brandon Cooks for a 31 yard touchdown to make it 14-3 Cowboys. After a touchback, Howell hit Logan Thomas for 13. On 3rd and 1 from his own 47, Howell threw incomplete but defensive pass interference meant a 3 yard gain. On 2nd and 12 from the Dallas 41, Howell hit Terry McLaurin for 12. On 3rd and 10 from the Dallas 29, Howell hit Jahan Dotson for 15. Howell went to Curtis Samuel for 13 down to the one. Howell kept the option and dove in for the touchdown to finish the 13 play, 75 yard, 6 1/2 minute drive get the Commanders within 14-10 with 1:51 left in the half.
That was plenty of time for the Cowboys offense to keep rolling. After a touchback, Prescott hit Cooks for 8, Brooks for 24, andTolbert for 31. Pollard ran f=for a 7 yard touchdown with 26 seconds left. The extra point doinked off the upright no good but the Cowboys had a 20-10 lead. After a scoreless third quarter, Brandon Aubrey hit a 52 yard field goal early in the fourth quarter to make it 23-10 Cowboys. The Cowboys defense was stingy throughout the game. When Riverboat Ron Rivera went for it on 4th and 1 from the Dallas 39, Robinson got stopped for a 2 yard loss. When Rivera went for it again on 4th and 1 from his own 34 with 12 minutes left in regulation, Howell was sacked for a 10 yard loss. Prescott quickly went to Cooks for 8 and Lamb for a 15 yard touchdown to make it 31-10 Cowboys after a successful 2 point conversion.
The Cowboys got it back at their own 35 and made it look too easy. Pollard ran for 27. On 3rd and 6 from the washington 34, Prescott went deep to Turpin for the touchdown to make it 38-10 Cowboys. With 4 1/2 minutes left, Cowboys cornerback DaRon Bland made NFL history. He intercepted Sam Howell and returned the pick 63 yards for the final touchdown to finish the carpet bombing. It was his 5th interception for a touchdown in a single season. He stands alone, with 6 games still remaining to extend his own record. The Cowboys are 8-3 and in strong playoff position. The day after the game, Ron Rivera fired Defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio and another defensive coach. 45-10 Cowboys
San Francisco 49ers at Seattle Seahawks was the Thanksgiving Thursday night game. First place in the NFC West was on the line as the 7-3 49ers took on the 6-4 Seahawks. The 49ers took over at their own 29. Brock Purdy went to Christian McCaffrey for 14. On 3rd and 1 from the Seattle 48, McCaffrey ran for 5 and then 27 more. Purdy went to Deebo Samuel for 10. Samuel ran for a 2 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 49ers. The Seahawks got a jolt when Eskridge returned the ensuing kickoff 66 yards to the San Francisco 33. Yet the Seahawks wasted the opportunity and settled for a 51 yard Jason Myers field goal.
A field position game had the Seahawks backed up to their own one yard line and the 49ers getting the ball back with a short field at the Seattle 45. McCaffrey ran for 16. On 3rd and 7 from the Seattle 26, Purdy hit Jennings for 7. The 49ers began the second quarter facing 3rd and 7 from the Seattle 16. Purdy was taken down but illegal contact on the defense meant 5 yards and a new set of downs. McCaffrey caught a pass from Purdy for 5, ran for 5, and then ran for the one yard touchdown to make it 14-3 49ers. The 49ers got it back at their own 42. Purdy went to Brandon Aiyuk for 22. On 3rd and 9 from the Seattle 35, Purdy went to George Kittle for 11. On 3rd and 6 from the Seattle 20, Purdy went to Samuel for 12. McCaffrey ran for an 8 yard touchdown to make it 21-3 49ers. At the 2 minute warning the Seahawks fumbled a punt and the 49ers took over at the Seattle 22. Moody hit a 39 yard field goal to make it 24-3 49ers with 40 seconds left in the half. The Seahawks got no breaks as Myers missed a 53 yard field goal to end the half.
Early in the third quarter the 49ers were backed up to their own 4 yard line. Purdy was intercepted by Brooks, who returned hit 12 yards to pay dirt. The Defensive touchdown was followed by the Seahawks moving from their own 10 to a 2nd and goal at the 7. Yet Geno Smith threw incomplete and then was sacked. With 3 minutes left in the third quarter, Pete Carroll opted for the field goal. Myers hit from 30. The Seahawks were within 24-13 after three quarters, but they would get no closer. In the fourth quarter the 49ers took over at their own 36 and turned out the lights. McCaffrey ran for 12. Mitchell ran for 9, 5 and 3. Purdy went to Aiyuk for a 25 yard touchdown to put the game away and give the 49ers a 2 game division lead. 31-13 49ers
Miami Dolphins at New York Jets was the Friday afternoon game. The 7-3 Dolphins looked to take down the 4-6 Jets, who would be starting Tim Boyle in place of the benched Zach Wilson. The first half was all defense. In the first quarter the Dolphins moved form their own 15 to a 4th and 2 at the Jets 4. Mike McDaniel went for it and Tua Tagovailoa threw incomplete. The Dolphins got it back at their own 44 and moved to a 3rd and 1 at the Jets 20. Tagovailoa threw incomplete. At this point McDaniel was not a gambling mood on 4th and 1. Jason Sanders hit a 38 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Dolphins. A 19 yard punt return gave the Dolphins the ball back at their own 40 to start the second quarter. On 3rd and 5, Tagovailoa went to Jalen Waddle for 11. On 3rd and 5 from the Jets 39, Tagovailoa went to Wilson for 7. On 3rd and 6 from the Jets 28, Tagovailoa hit Waddle for 20. Tagovailoa went to Tyreek Hill for a 7 yard touchdown. The 11 play, 60 yard, 6 minute drive made it 10-0 Dolphins. After 29 minutes of normal football, the final minute was crazy.
With one minute left in the half, the Dolphins took over at their own 27. On the first play from scrimmage, Tagovailoa hit Echols. Problem: Echols plays defense for the Jets. Echols returned the interception 30 yards for a touchdown to get the Jets within 10-6. The extra point was no good. The Dolphins got it back at their own 13 and moved to their own 45.Tagovailoa hit Reed. Problem: Reed plays defense for the Jets. Reed allowed the Jets to take over just shy of midfield with 2 seconds left. That was enough time for a Hail Mary. Boyle went bombs away and found Holland. Problem: Holland plays defense for the Dolphins. Rather than just go to the ground, Holland returned the interception 99 yards for a defensive touchdown. In front of a shellshocked Metlife Stadium home crowd, the Dolphins led 17-6.
After a third quarter touchback, the Dolphins moved to a 3rd and 4 at the Jets 30. Tagovailoa was sacked. Sanders hit from 54 to make it 20-6 Dolphins. The Dolphins got the ball back at their own 8 yard line and slowly grinded the Jets into dust. The 15 play, 92 yard drive took 9 minutes off the clock. On the first play of the fourth quarter, Raheem Mostert ran for a 13 yard touchdown to make it 27-6 Dolphins. The Jets managed a garbage touchdown with 4 1/2 minutes left. The onside kick failed and with a short field, Mostert ran for a 34 yard touchdown to complete the beating. The Dolphins got to 8-3 on the year as the Jets fell to 4-7 and sinking fast. 34-13 Dolphins
Pittsburgh Steelers at Cincinnati Bengals — With Joe Burrow out for the rest of the year, Miss Alabama’s husband AJ McCarron returned to the team from a different league he was playing in. He is the backup as Browning got the start. The Steelers moved from their own 11 to a 1st and 10 at the Cincinnati 23. Najee Harris got stopped for no gain and Kenny Pickett threw incomplete twice. Chris Boswell hit a 41 yard field goal early in the second quarter to make it 3-0 Steelers. A 46 yard kickoff return had the Bengals set up at their own 47. Browning went to Hudson for 6, Jamarr Chase off a deflection for 31, and Sample for an 11 yard touchdown to make it 7-3 Bengals. After a third quarter touchback, the Bengals moved to a 3rd and 7 at the Pittsburgh 18. Browning was intercepted as the Steelers took over at their own 21.
Pickett hit Warren for 15. On 3rd and 5 from their own 41, Pickett hit Austin for just enough. On 3rd and 4 from the Cincinnati 48, Pickett hit Pat Freiermuth for 9 and George Pickens for 10. On 3rd and 6 from the Cincinnati 25, Pickett hit Freiermuth forn8. Warren ran fr 9 and 3 and Harris ran for the 5 yard touchdown. The 14 play, 79 yard, 8 minute drive represented a 14 point swing. Instead of trailing 14-3, the Steelers led 10-7 after three quarters. If it seems like every AFC North game is a barefisted slobberknocker, it’s because they frequently are. This game was no exception. Boswell hit fourth quarter field goals of 34 and 33 for a 16-7 Steelers lead with 2:50 to play. Evan McPherson hit from 47 to get the Bengals within 6 with 2:04 to play. With the Bengals out of timeouts, the onside kick failed and used up 4 seconds to get to the 2 minute warning. Pickett took 3 knees to end it as the Steelers gutted their way to 7-4 on the year. 16-10 Steelers
Jacksonville Jaguars at Houston Texans — The Jaguars moved from their own 13 to a 4th and 3 at the Houston 22. Brandon McManus hit a 40 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Jaguars. The Jaguars got it back and faced 3rd and 1 at their own 41 early in the second quarter. Johnson gained 3. Trevor Lawrence went to Johnson for a 42 yard gain. On 3rd and goal at the 5, Lawrence threw incomplete but defensive pass interference meant 1st and goal at the one. Lawrence got the yard to make its 10-0 Jaguars. After a touchback, CJ Stroud went to Woods for 26, ran for 8, went to Singletary for 33, and hit Dell for a 7 yard touchdown. The Texans were within 10-7. The Jaguars moved after a touchback to a 1st and 10 at the Houston 25. A run lost 6 yards to kill the drive. McManus hit form 48 to make it 13-7 Jaguars. Matt Amendola missed a 50 yard field goal try for the Texans. With 10 seconds left in the half, a 57 yard completion had the Jaguars facing 1st and goal at the one with one second left. Doug Pederson gambled and Etienne got blown up for a goal line stand to end the half.
A third quarter interception of Lawrence was returned 14 yards to set up the Texans at the Jacksonville 46. On 3rd and 1, Stroud went to Collins for 22. Singletary ran for 14. On 3rd and goal at the one, Stroud got in to put the Texans up 14-13. After a touchback, Lawrence went deep to Ridley for a 45 yard gain. On 3rd and 3 from the Houston 23, Lawrence threw incomplete but defensive pass interference added 15 yards. On 3rd and goal from the 5, Lawrence threw incomplete but defensive pass interference meant 1st and goal at the one. On 3rd and goal at the one, Lawrence went to Ridley for the touchdown. Doug Pederson went for 2 and Lawrence hit Ridley again to make it 21-14 Jaguars. The Jaguars got it back at their own 11 and moved to a 4th and 1 at the Houston 30. Lawrence gained 2 but an illegal formation instead meant 4th and 6. McManus hit from 53 to give the Jaguars breathing room up 24-14 with 11 1/2 minutes left in regulation. Midway through the fourth quarter, McManus missed from 55.
The great field position at their own 45 led to Stroud hitting Hutchinson for 34. On 3rd and 6 from the Jacksonville 17, Stroud hit Collins for the touchdown. The Texans were within 3 points with 5:15 to play. The Texans got it back at their own 11 with 3 minutes left. They moved to a 1st and 10 at the Jacksonville 37 with 1:18 left. Stroud took a killer sack. With 34 seconds left, Amendola came in for a 58 yard field goal try. He has never made one over 50 in his NFL career. This one was dead center and doinked off the crossbar and bounced back, no good. The first place showdown had the Jaguars walk away with a 2 game division lead. 24-21 Jaguars
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Indianapolis Colts — The Buccaneers after a touchback moved to a 1st and goal at the one. Baker Mayfield took the quarterback sneak and got stopped short. He also got injured on the play. Kyle Trask came in for Mayfield and the immediate result was a false start. On 3rd and goal at the 3, Trask threw incomplete. Chase Mclaughlin hit a 21 yard field goal to cap the 15 play, 72 yard, 7 1/2 minute drive for a 3-0 Buccaneers lead. The Colts after a touchback moved to a 1st and 10 at the Tampa Bay 19. Gardner Minshew threw incomplete twice and was then sacked. Matt Gay hit a 46 yard field goal for a 3-3 game. After that Mayfield returned.
An interception of Mayfield gave the Colts a short field at the Tampa Bay 41. Minshew went to Pittman for 17. Jonathan Taylor ran for 17 more and then for the 4 yard touchdown to make it 10-3 Colts. In the second quarter the Colts faced 4th and 1 from their own 47. Shane Steichen went for it and Minshew hit Pittman for 24 and again for 12. Minshew hit Downs for 13. On 3rd and goal at the 2, Minshew got in to make it 17-3 Colts. An interception of Minshew gave the Buccaneers gift field position at the Indianapolis 16. Mayfield went to Durham, who made an acrobatic catch for 12. Mayfield hit Mike Evans for a one yard touchdown to get the Buccaneers within 17-10.
Gay missed a 58 yard field goal try to end the half that would have extended the lead, Gay hit from 36 in the third quarter to make it 20-10 Colts. The Colts got it back at their own 20 and moved to a 4th and 6 at the Tampa Bay 40. Shane Steichen went for it and Minshew threw incomplete. On 3rd and 8 from their own 42, Mayfield ran for 14. On 4th and 10 from the Indy 44, Mayfield went to Chris Godwin for 19. Mayfield went to Evans for a 23 yard touchdown to get the Buccaneers within 20-17 early the fourth quarter. After a touchback, Minshew went to Pittman for 16. On 4th and 1 just past midfield, Steichen gambled again. With everyone bunched up the middle, Minshew floated a pass over the middle to a wide open Mo Alie-Cox for 30 yards. Taylor did the rest, running for 8, 10, and the one yard touchdown to give the Colts breathing room up 27-17.
After a touchback, the Buccaneers moved to a 3rd and goal at the 5 with 5 minutes left. Mayfield was sacked as the Buccaneers ket 45 seconds off the clock. Needing 2 scores, McLaughlin hit from 24 to get the Buccaneers within 7 with 4 minutes left. The Buccaneers held on defense and faced 3rd and 4 at their own 41 with 90 seconds left. Mayfield was sacked and fumbled. The Colts recovered to hang on. 27-20 Colts
New Orleans Saints at Atlanta Falcons — The Saints moved from their own 16 as Derek Carr went bombs away to Chris Olave for a 51 yard gain. On 2nd and goal at the 7, Carr threw incomplete twice. Grupe hit a 25 yard field goal for a 3-0 Saints lead. The Saints got it back at their own 32 and moved to a 3rd and 3 at the Atlanta 12. Carr went to the sideline, and Bates jumped the route in a big way. Bates returned the interception the other way for a 92 yard defensive touchdown and a 7-3 Falcons lead. After a touchback and a defensive taunting penalty, the Saints were at their own 44. They moved to a 3rd and 7 at the Atlanta 34 to start the second quarter. Carr threw incomplete. Grupe hit a 52 yard field goal to get the Saints within 7-6. The Falcons took over at their own 22. Desmond Ridder hit London for 19. Ridder ran for 15. On 3rd and 9 from the New Orleans 41, Ridder went to Pitts for 11. Ridder ran for 12. Robinson ran for a 10 yard touchdown to culminate the 10 play, 78 yard, 5 1/2 minute drive and make it 14-6 Falcons. After touchback the Saints moved to a 2nd and 9 at the Atlanta 23. Carr threw incomplete twice. Grupe hit from 41 to get the Saints within 14-9.
In the third quarter the Saints moved from their own 8 to a 1st and 10 at the Atlanta 15. A false start and offensive holding killed the drive. Grupe hit his 4th field goal from 45 to get the saints within 14-12. An interception of Ridder gave the Saints great field position at their own 46. On 1st and 10 form the Atlanta 19 with a chance to take the lead, Taysom Hill gained 10 but then fumbled the ball away. The Falcons took over at their own 5 yard line. Robinson gained 5 and Tyler Allgeier added 6 and 7. Ridder went to London for 3 and 15. On 3rd and 6 from their own 45, Ridder went to London for 29. Ridder went to Robinson for a 26 yard touchdown and a 21-12 Falcons lead with 10 minutes left in regulation. The Saints after a touchback moved to a 3rd and 6 at the Atlanta 21. Carr completed a pass for no gain. Needing 2 scores, Grupe hit his 5th field goal from 39 to get the Saints within 21-15. Yet after a touchback, the Falcons bled the clock. Younghoe Koo hit a field goal from 39 to put the Falcons up by 9 again with 1:47 left. In desperation mode, despite making 5 field goals, Grupe missed from 54 with 30 seconds left. 24-15 Falcons
New England Patriots at New York Giants — Sometimes a pair of awful teams can play a game for the ages. This was not that game. This game was the Stupor Bowl. The first quarter was scoreless. In the second quarter the Patriots took over at their own 8 yard line. They moved 69 yards in 12 plays and 6 1/2 minutes. On 3rd and 4 from the Giants 23, Mac Jones was intercepted by Okereke, who returned the pick 55 yards to the New England 26. On 3rd and 8, Danny Devito’s cousin Tommy hit Hyatt for 12. On 3rd and 10 from the New England 12, Devito went to Hodgins for the touchdown. After over 28 minutes of scoreless football, the Giants led 7-0. Randy Bullock hit the second half kickoff out of bounds to set up the Patriots up at their own 40. Mac Jones was benched yet again after 3 first half turnovers. Bailey Zappe came in. Rhamondre Stevenson ran for 13. On 4th and 1 from the Giants 38, Bill Belichick went for it. Stevenson took the direct snap and gained 3 yards. On 3rd and 6 from the Giants 31, Zappe hit Douglas for 9. Zappe hit Thornton for 15. Stevenson ran for a 7 yard touchdown. The 11 play, 60 yard, 7 minute drive tied the game 7-7. With 12 1/2 minutes left in regulation, an interception of Zappe gave the Giants gift field position at the New England 32. Randy Bullock hit a 42 yard field goal to give the Giants the lead. With 6 seconds left, Ryland came in for a 35 yard field goal try to tie the game. If ever a game deserved overtime, this was not it. Luckily for fans everywhere, Ryland missed. League officials burned the tape of this game. 10-7 Giants
Carolina Panthers at Tennessee Titans — This game was Stupor Bowl II. The Titans took over at their own 9 yard line. Mike Vrabel gambled on 4th and 1 from his own 30. Derrick Henry gained 3 yards. On 3rd and 3 from his own 40, Will Levis hit Moore for 12, While for 11, Westbrook-Ikhine for 7, and Okonkwo for 25 down to the one. Henry bulldozed his way past the plane of the goal to cap the 15 play, 81 yard, 9 1/2 minute drive and make it 7-0 Titans. The Panthers in the second quarter moved from their own 21. On 4th and 3 from the Tennessee 37, Frank Reich went for it. Bryce Young hit Sullivan for 13. Yet on the next play, offensive holding killed the drive. Eddie Pineiro hit a 50 yard field goal to get the Panthers on the board. The Panthers got it back but a sack of Young forced a fumble. The Titans took over at the Carolina 15. Henry ran for a 10 yard touchdown to make it 14-3 Titans. The Titans got it back at their own 38 with 27 seconds left in the half. Levis hit Okonkwo for 9 and Westbrook-Ikhine for 18. Nick Folk hit a 53 yard field goal as the Titans took a 17-3 lead to the locker rooms.
The Panthers began the third quarter facing 3rd and 8 at their own 35. Young threw incomplete but defensive holding meant a new set of downs. On 3rd and 4 from their own 46, Young gained 6. Defensive pass interference added 14 more. Young hit Chuba Hubbard for 25. On 3rd and 1 from the Tennessee 4, Chuba Hubbard got rocked for a one yard loss. Frank Reich gambled on 4th and 2. Hubbard banged ahead for the 5 yard touchdown to get the Panthers within 7 points. 22 minutes of football remained. After a ton of punts, the Panthers last chance came on 4th and 6 from their own 24 with 1:55 left. Young completed a pass to DJ Shark for no gain. With a 1-10 record, Reich was fired the day after the game. A pair of assistant coaches were also fired. 17-10 Titans
Los Angeles Rams at Arizona Cardinals — A pair of bad teams played. The Rams began facing 3rd and 8 from their own 27. Matthew Stafford went deep to Tutu Atwell for 42 yards. On 4th and 1 from the Arizona 22, Sean McVay went for it. Williams gained 8. Stafford went to Cooper Kupp for 7 and Tyler Higbee for a 7 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Rams. After a touchback, the Cardinals soon faced 3rd and 7 at their own 39. Kyler Murray went to Malcolm Hollywood Brown for 17, to McBride for 12, and to Dortch for 14. James Conner ran for 14. On 3rd and goal at the 2, Kyler Murray got in. A defensive penalty on the extra point moved the ball to the one as Jonathan Gannon went for 2. Tune ran it in for an 8-7 Cardinals lead.
The Rams got the ball back to start the second quarter just shy of midfield. Freeman ran for 14 and 3. Stafford went to Atwell for 13. Stafford hit Higbee for a 5 yard touchdown to put the Rams up 14-8. Havrisik missed a 50 yard field goal try that would have extended the lead. Jonathan Gannon gambled on 4th and 2 from his own 48 at the 2 minute warning. Murray threw incomplete. Stafford went to Higbee for 7, to Kupp for 5, to Atwell for 21, and to Williams for a 15 yard touchdown. With one minute left the Rams led 21-8. A pointless second half saw the Rams turn out the lights.
Havrisik hit a 24 yard field goal to make it 24-8 Rams. Matt Prater missed a 56 yard try for the Cardinals. From his own 46, Stafford went to Nacua for 14. On 3rd and 5 from the Arizona 35, Stafford went to Robinson for 7. On 3rd and 5 from the Arizona 23, Stafford hit Kupp for 6. The fourth quarter began with Williams running for 9 and 3. On 3rd and goal at the 3, Stafford hit Williams for the touchdown to make it 31-8 Rams. The Cardinals punted on 4th and 28 from their own 7 and the Rams took over at the Arizona 38. On 4th and 1, Sean McVay went for it and Williams gained 6. On the next play Freeman ran fora 23 yard touchdown. The extra point was no good but the Rams led 37-8. The Cardinals managed one garbage touchdown but nothing more. 37-14 Rams
Cleveland Browns at Denver Broncos — Early on the Broncos faced 3rd and 1 at their own 29. Wilson got the yard. On 3rd and 10 from their own 30, Russell Wilson threw incomplete deep but defensive pass interference meant a 34 yard gain. On 3rd and 8 from the Cleveland 34, Wilson went deep to Sortland Sutton for 31. Perine ran for the 3 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Broncos. The Broncos got it back and faced 3rd and 4 at their own 26. Perine gained 6. Perine ran for 15. The broncos began the second quarter facing 3rd and 7 at the Cleveland 45. Wilson went to Mims for 16. Wilson ran for 19. Wilson ran for a 2 yard touchdown to cap the 13 play, 80 yard, 6 minute drive and make it 14-0 Broncos.
Dustin Hopkins hit field goals of 36 and 24 to get the Browns within 14-6 at the half. The Browns in the third quarter faced 3rd and 8 at their own 23. Dorian Thompson-Robinson hit Amari Cooper for 11. Ford ran for 13. Thompson-Robinson hit David Njoku for 16 and again for 17. On 3rd and 7 from the Denver 11, Thompson-Robinson threw incomplete but defensive unnecessary roughness meant 6 yards and a new set of downs. Ib 4th and goal at the 2, Kevin Stefanski went for it. Thompson-Robinson hit Harrison Bryant for the touchdown to cap the 13 play, 79 yard, 6 1/2 minute drive. The 2 point try failed but the Browns were within 14-12.
The Broncos after a touchback moved to a 3rd and goal at the 2. A run out of the shotgun was blown up in the backfield for a 3 yard loss. Wil Lutz hit the 23 yard field goal to make it 17-12 Broncos. The Browns then fumbled the ball away on the first play of the fourth quarter to give the Broncos gift field position at the Cleveland 20. Mims ran for 11. On 3rd and goal at the 8, Wilson hit Adam Trautman for the touchdown to make it 24-12 Broncos. The Browns have an elite defense but little to no offense with a backup quarterback. The Broncos have an elite defense and an offense. Lutz tacked on a 34 yard field goal with 4 minutes left. Just before the 2 minute warning, PJ Walker was sacked in his own end zone for a safety. The Browns are 7-5 while the 6-5 Broncos have won 5 straight after a 1-5 start. 29-12 Broncos
Kansas City Chiefs at Las Vegas Raiders — The Raiders have drastically improved the culture of the team under Antonio Pierce, but the Chiefs are the ultimate measuring stick. There is a difference between being improved and being good. After a touchback, Josh Jacobs ran for 7 and one. On 3rd and 2 from their own 33, Aidan O’Connell went to dDavante Adams for a 33 yard gain. Jacobs added 4 and 3. On 3rd and 3 from the Kansas City 27, O’Connell went to Jakobi Meyers for 4. On 3rd and 5 from the Kansas City 18, O’Connell went to Meyers for the touchdown to make it 7-0 Raiders. On the first Chiefs play from scrimmage after a touchback, a screen pass by Patrick Mahomes was blown up for an 11 yard loss. The Chiefs went 3 and our. The Raiders from their own 19 moved 69 yards in 14 plays and 7 1/2 minutes. As the first quarter was ending, the Raiders faced 4th and 1 from the Kansas City 12. Antonio Pierce decided to play it safe. The Raiders had all the momentum, but it seemed to evaporate when Daniel Carlson missed a 30 yard field goal try. Yet the Raiders got it back at their own 23 and quickly exploded. O’Connell hit Davante Adams for 14. On the next play Jacobs banged through the line and was off to the races for a 63 yard touchdown. The Raiders led 14-0 early in the second quarter, but at this point the inevitable happened.
The Chiefs took over at their own 29. Mahomes hit Travis Kelce for 12. Mahomes hit Gray for 12 and Moore for 18. On 3rd and 8 from the Raiders 16, Mahomes went to Rice for 10. On 3rd and goal at the one, Pacheco got in. The 12 play, 71 yard, 6 minute drive had the Chiefs within 14-7. The Chiefs got it back at their own 21 with 3 1/2 minutes left in the half. Mahomes went to Pacheco for 10 and Rice for 9. Mahomes went to Kelce for big gains of 27 and 23. On 3rd and goal at the 3, Mahomes went to Watson for the touchdown and a 14-14 tie with 25 seconds left in the half. After a third quarter touchback, the Chiefs kept rolling. Mahomes hit Kelce for 8 and Gray for 13. On 3rd and 1 from the Raiders 41, Pacheco gained 6. Mahomes went to Rice for 19 and Pacheco for 14 down to the one. Pacheco got in on the next play. The 10 play, 75 yard, 6 minute drive had the Chiefs up 21-14.
The Raiders defense finally got a stop as Maxx Crosby sacked Mahomes. The Raiders moved from their own 24 to a 2nd and 6 at the Kansas City 16. Jacobs got stopped for no gain and O’Connell on 3rd and 6 threw incomplete. Carlson hit the 34 yard field goal to get the Raiders within 21-17 with 2 minutes left in the third quarter. After a touchback, Mahomes went to Kelce for 16. Mahomes went to Pacheco for 10. The fourth quarter began with the Chiefs facing 3rd and 6 at the Raiders 39. Mahoems went to Rice, who weaved through and past everyone for a touchdown and a 28-17 Chiefs lead.
The Raiders after a touchback moved to a 1st and 10 at the Kansas City 44. O’Connell threw 3 straight incompletions. With 9 1/2 minutes left in regulation, Antonio Pierce decided to punt. The Raiders got the ball back at their own 10. On 4th and 1 from his own 19 with 6 1/2 minutes left, this time Pierce decided to go for it. Jacobs never had a chance. Zero attempts at blocking allowed the Kansas City defense to bury Jacobs for a 2 yard loss and set up the Chiefs at the Raiders 17. On 3rd and goal at the 13, a swing pass lost a yard. Harrison Butker hit the 32 yard field goal as a 31-3 rampage gave the Chiefs the comfortable win. Again, the Raiders are improved. The Chiefs are good. That is a big difference. 31-17 Chiefs
Buffalo Bills at Philadelphia Eagles — The Eagles after an emotional win at Kansas City came in an NFL best 9-1. The Eagles on 2nd and 12 from their own 25 saw Jalen Hurts hit Devonta Smith for 14. On 3rd and 10 from their own 39, Hurts threw incomplete but defensive holding meant a new set of downs. On 4th and 1 from the Buffalo 47, Nick sirianni went for it. With everyone expecting the tush push, the defense encroached to give the Eagles the first down. Hurts then ran for 16. Gainwell gained 23 down to the one. Hurts got in to cap the 10 play, 73 yard, 5 1/2 minute drive to make it 7-0 Eagles.
The Bills after a touchback in the second quarter moved to a 4th and 7 at the Philadelphia 30. Tyler Bass hit a 48 yard field goal to get the Bills within 7-3. An interception of Hurts set up the Bills at the Philadelphia 29. On 3rd and 9, Josh Allen went to Gabriel Davis for 19. Allen ran for a 9 yard touchdown to make it 10-7 Bills. With 90 seconds left in the half, Bass missed a 34 yard field goal try that would have extended the lead. Yet 3 plays later Hurts fumbled the ball away. The Bills took over at the Philly 36 with one minute left. Allen ran for 19. On 3rd and 6 from the Philly 13, Allen went to Stefan Diggs for the touchdown. The Bills led 17-7 at the break.
The Bills moved from their own 31 to a 1st and 10 at the Philadelphia 30. The Bills had all the momentum but Allen threw 3 straight incompletions. Bass missed a 48 yard field goal try. From their own 38, Deandre Swift ran for 36. On 3rd and 2 from the Buffalo 18, Hurts went to Still for 14. Hurts hit AJ Brown for a 3 yard touchdown. With hard rain coming down, the Eagles were within 17-14 midway through the third quarter. The Bill soon faced 3rd and 4 at their own 36. Allen gained 7. Allen hit Cook for 29. Johnson gained 8 and 4. On 3rd and 11 from the Philadelphia 16, Allen ran for the touchdown to make it 24-14 Bills.
After a touchback, Hurts went deep to Smith for 33. On 3rd and 4 from the Buffalo 32 to start the fourth quarter, Hurts ran for 12. Hurts fired over the middle to Smith for a 15 yard touchdown to get the Eagles within 24-21. Two plays after a touchback, Allen was intercepted. Three plays later on 3rd and 15 from the Buffalo 29, Hurts went deep to Zaccheaus for the touchdown. With 11 minutes left in regulation, the Eagles led 28-24. Midway through the fourth quarter, the Bills took over at their own 26. Cook ripped off a pair of 11 yard gains. Latavius Murray ran for 12 and 7. On 3rd and 3 from the Philadelphia 33, Allen hit Murray for 6. Allen hit Diggs for 14. On 3rd and 4 from the Philadelphia 7, Allen went to Davis for the touchdown. With 1:52 to play, the Bills had the 31-28 lead. After a touchback, Hurts went to Brown for 9, Gainwell for 4, Brown for 11, Gainwell for 6, and Smith for 11. On 3rd and 12 from the Buffalo 36, a second false start was a killer and pushed the Eagles out of realistic field goal range. 30 seconds remained. The Eagles were out of timeouts. A 59 yard field goal try in the rain seemed incredibly unrealistic, but that was the choice. Elliott came in to try and hit a miracle. The miracle was delivered as this thrilling game was headed to overtime.
After a touchback, the Bills moved 53 yards in 12 plays. On 3rd and 6 from the Philly 22, Allen threw incomplete. Bass hit the 40 yard field goal. With 6 minutes left in overtime, the Bills led 34-31. Yet the Eagles would get one chance with the ball. After a touchback, Hurts gained 8. Hurts went to Smith for 17. On 3rd and 3 from the Buffalo 39, Hurts hit Smith for 11. Swift ran for 16. Time was no longer a factor. With 2 1/2 minutes left, there was plenty of time for the eagles to calmly go for the win or the tie. Hurts took a perfectly executed draw play up the middle for the 12 yard touchdown as the drenched home Philadelphia crowd erupted. The Bills fell to 6-6 while the Eagles still have the best record in the NFL at 10-1 after winning this instant classic. 37-34 Eagles, OT
Baltimore Ravens at Los Angeles Chargers was the Sunday night game. Nobody loses close games like the Chargers. nobody wins ugly like the Ravens. Meanwhile the Ravens sought to keep pace with the top teams in the AFC. After an opening touchback, the Chargers moved to a 2nd and 9 at the Baltimore 11. A sack of Justin Herbert killed the drive. The 12 play, 54 yard, 6 minute drive finished with Cameron Dicker hitting a 39 yard field goal. The Chargers led 3-0 but their offense took much of the rest of the night off.
The Ravens got it back after an offensive penalty and faced 1st and 20 at their own 12. Lamar Jackson hit Likely for 18, O’Dell Beckham Jr. for 11, Mitchell for 14 and Beckham for 14. On 3rd and 9 from the Chargers 26, Jackson went to Bateman for 12. Jackson ran for a 3 yard touchdown to cap the 12 play, 78 yard, 6 minute drive and make it 7-3 Ravens. Justin Tucker hit field goals of 42 in the second quarter and 48 in the third quarter for a 13-3 Ravens lead. Both field goals were set up by Chargers turnovers. The Chargers even wasted a mind-numbing 19 play drive that took 9 minutes by fumbling the ball away in the red zone.
A 23 yard punt return gave the Chargers the ball at their own 40 with 11 1/2 minutes left in regulation. Herbert hit Keenan Allen for 7. Herbert ran for 35. On 3rd and goal at the 3, Herbert hit Everett for the touchdown. With 8 1/2 minutes left, the Chargers were right back in it down 13-10. The Ravens after a touchback moved to a 4th and 1 at the Chargers 26. a very conservative John Harbaugh decided not to gamble. In an even bigger surprise, reliable kicker Tucker missed a 44 yard field goal try. The Chargers moved from their own 34 to a 3rd and 6 at the Baltimore 46. Needing only a field goal, Herbert threw incomplete and was then sacked. With 1:36 left and the Chargers down to one timeout, everything came down to the Ravens facing 3rd and 3 from the Chargers 37. Zee Flowers took an end around for a first down and all the way for the touchdown to put the game on ice. 20-10 Ravens
Chicago Bears at Minnesota Vikings was the Monday night game. The Vikings had their 4 game winning streak snapped last week. This wretched game saw Cairo Santos missed a 48 yard first quarter field goal try and make a 25 yarder in the second quarter for a 3-0 Bears lead. Greg Joseph hit from 34 to end the half. Santos hit from 39 in the third quarter and from 55 to make it 9-3 Bears early in the fourth quarter. The Bears defense intercepted Joshua Dobbs 4 times, mostly off of deflected balls, and wasted the opportunities. From the Minnesota 22 with a chance to put the game away, Justin Fields fumbled the ball away. On 3rd and 3 from his own 30, Dobbs hit Powell for 18, Addison for 14, TJ Hockenson for 16, and Hockenson again for a 17 yard touchdown. The Vikings led 10-9 with 6 minutes left in regulation. Fields fumbled the ball away again with 3 1/2 minutes left. The Bears got it back at their own 22 with 2 1/2 minutes left. The key play of the game came on 3rd and 10 from midfield with one minute left. Fields went to Moore for 36 yards. Fields took 3 knees to take the clock down. Santos hit the 30 yarder with 10 seconds left to give the Bears the win. 12-10 Bears