NFL 2023 Week 13 Recap
Seattle Seahawks at Dallas Cowboys was the Thursday night game. This game was a thrilling shootout that featured 0 punts. After an opening touchback, the Cowboys moved 63 yards in 14 plays and 6 minutes. On 2nd and goal at the 3, Dak Prescott threw incomplete and was then was sacked. Aubrey hit a 30 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Cowboys. The Seahawks soon faced 3rd and 7 at their own 27. Geno Smith went deep to DK Metcalf for a 7-3 Seahawks lead. The Cowboys soon faced 3rd and 16 from their own 19. Prescott went to Ferguson for 17. Defensive pass interference a deep ball meant a 47 yard gain. Prescott hit CeeDee Lamb for a 15 yard touchdown to make it 10-7 Cowboys. After a touchback, the Seahawks moved to a 3rd and 5 at the Dallas 18. Smith threw incomplete followed by a delay of game. Josh Myers missed a 42 yard field goal try that would have tied the game. The Cowboys took over at their own 32. Prescott hit Schoonmaker for 12. The second quarter began with the Cowboys facing 4th and 1 from the Seattle 47. Mike McCarthy went for it. Tony Pollard gained 11. Prescott hit Pollard for 12. On 3rd and 2 from the Seattle 16, Prescott hit Lamb for 14. Prescott hit Bandin Cooks for a 7 yard touchdown and a 17-7 Cowboys lead.
After a touchback, Smith hit Fant for 10. On 3rd and 5 from their own 40, Smith hit Smith-Njigba for 11. Defensive pass interference on a deep ball added 40 yards. On 3rd and goal at the 14, defensive pass interference on an incompletion added 13 more yards. Charbonnet got the last yard to get the Seahawks within 17-14. After a touchback, the Cowboys went on a staggering 16 play, 62 yard, 7 1/2 minute drive. On 4th and goal at the 3, Mike McCarthy went for it. Prescott got in for the touchdown but offensive holding nullified the score and killed the drive. Aubrey hit a 31 yard field goal to make it 20-14 Cowboys with 90 seconds left in the half. The Seahawks faced 3rd and 3 from their own 32 with 46 seconds left. Smith went to Smith-Nigba for 11. On 3rd and 2 from the Dallas 39, Smith went to Tyler Lockett for 9. Defensive pass interference on a deep ball meant a 29 yard gain and 1st and goal at the one with 7 seconds left. Smith went to Metcalf for the touchdown as the Seahawks took a 21-20 lead to the locker rooms.
The third quarter began with the Seahawks facing 3rd and 2 at their own 33. Smith went to Metcalf for 13. Charbonnet gained 14 and 7 with 15 added on for a defensive facemark. Smith went to Metcalf for 10. On 3rd and goal at the 5, Smith ran it in to make it 28-20 Seahawks. After a touchback and defensive holding, Pollard gained 6 and 5. Prescott went to Ferguson for 15. An interception of Prescott was wiped out by the defense jumping offside. Then came defensive holding. Prescott hit Lamb for 9. On 2nd and 13 from the Seattle 22, Prescott threw incomplete but defensive illegal contact meant a new set of downs. Prescott went to Ferguson for 14. Pollard ran for a 6 yard touchdown to get the Cowboys within 28-27. An interception of Smith led to the Cowboys having a short field. Yet on 4th and 2 from the Seattle 30, Mike McCarthy gambled and Prescott threw incomplete. Smith then went to Fant for 25 and Charbonnet for 39. Smith began the fourth quarter by throwing a 3 yard touchdown pass to Metcalf to make it 35-27 Seahawks.
After a touchback, the Cowboys moved to a 1st and 10 at the Seattle 17. A pair of runs lost yards and Prescott threw incomplete. Aubrey hit a 38 yard field goal to get the Cowboys within 35-30. The Seahawks after a touchback moved to a 4th and 1 at the Dallas 46 midway through the fourth quarter. Pete Carroll went for it and Charbonnet got stopped for no gain. Prescott went to Lamb for 10. Pollard gained 16. On 3rd and 3 from the Seattle 21, Prescott went to Lamb for 6. Prescott gained 8. Prescott went to Ferguson for a 12 yard touchdown. Mike McCarthy went for 2 and Prescott hit Cooks for a 38-35 Cowboys lead with 4 1/2 minutes left in regulation. After a touchback, the Seahakw moved to a 2nd and 4 just shy of midfield. Smith threw 3 straight incompletions with 3:11 left. The Cowboys moved to a 3rd and 3 at the Seattle 14. Prescott threw incomplete. Aubrey hit a 32 yard field goal. The Cowboys led by 6 with 1:46 to play but the Seahawks had a shot at the win. After a touchback, the Seahawks quickly moved to a 2nd and 2 at midfield. Smith again threw 3 straight incompletions as the Cowboys survived a wild one to get to 9-3 on the year. Consecutive losses have the Seaahawks at 6-6 and fighting for survival. 41-35 Cowboys
Los Angeles Chargers at New England Patriots — Nobody loses close games like the Chargers, but the Patriots have lost almost every game. Cameron Dicker hit a pair of 38 yard field goals in the second quarter to complete the scoring in a game unworthy of further elaboration. League officials hopefully burned the tape of this game so it will never be seen again. 6-0 Chargers
Arizona Cardinals at Pittsburgh Steelers — The 7-4 Steelers were expected to make quick work of the 2-10 Cardinals. Both teams brought their defense. The Steelers moved from their own 24 to a 2nd and 5 at the Arizona 11. Kenny Pickett threw incomplete twice. Chris Boswell hit from 29 to make it 3-0 Steelers. Matt Prater answered from 51 for a 3-3 game. The Steelers in the second quarter moved from their own 20 to a 4th and goal at the one, taking 8 minutes off the clock. Mike Tomlin went for it and Najee Harris ran into an Arizona stone wall as the goal line stand kept the game tied with 5 minutes left in the half.
On 3rd and 3 from their own 8, Kyler Murray hit Higgins for 21. On 3rd and 6 from their own 33, Carter ran for 19. On 3rd and 6 from the Pittsburgh 44, Murray went to McBride for 17. On 3rd and 5 from the Pittsburgh 22, Murray hit McBride again for 15. On 3rd and goal at the 5 with 15 seconds left in the half, Murray went to McBride again for the touchdown. The 15 play, 99 yard drive made it 10-3 Cardinals. A lightning storm caused a 20 minute delay to start the second half. When the teams came out, Pickett stayed in the locker room. He had an ankle injury and mitch Trubisky took over. Trubisky fumbled and the Cardinals took over at the Pittsburgh 21. On 3rd and 1, James Conner gained 3. On 3rd and goal at the 8, defensive pass interference on an incompletion meant 7 yards. Conner got the last yard to make it 17–3 Cardinals midway through the third quarter.
Then came a second lightning delay. The Steelers would miss a field goal in a game that was surprisingly not competitive. A facemark penalty on a punt gave the Cardinals the ball at the Pittsburgh 33. Murray hit McBride for 16. On 3rd and 2 from the Pittsburgh 9, Conner ran it in to make it 24-3 Cardinals. The Steeles managed one garbage touchdown with 4 1/2 minutes left in regulation, but Mike Tomlin surprisingly did not even try an onside kick. The Cardinals are improved with Murray but this was still an upset. As ESPN uber-announcer Chris Berman reminds us, “THAT’s why they PLAY the GAMES!” 24-10 Cardinals
Indianapolis Colts at Tennessee Titans — The Colts came in a surprising 6-5 against a Titans team that has struggled all year. The Titans began at their own 36. Will Levis went deep to Okonkwo for 39. Derrick Henry ran for a 22 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Titans. A 36 yard kickoff return gave the Colts the ball at their own 44. A 15 yard defensive penalty for taunting was followed by Gardner Minshew hitting Pierce for a 36 yard touchdown and a 7-7 game. The Titans moved from their own 30 and after an exchange of fumbles on the same play, eventually reached 3rd and goal at the 6. Levis threw incomplete. Nick Folk hit from 24 to make it 10-7 Titans. The Titans got it back at their own 23. Levis hit Hopkins for 18. On 3rd and 1 at midfield, Henry gained 2. Levis went to Hopkins for 27. Henry ran for a 5 yard touchdown to make it 17-7 Titans.
The Colts after a touchback moved to a 2nd and goal at the 5. Minshew threw incomplete twice. Matt Gay hit from 23 to get the Colts within 17-10. The Colts got it back with gift field position after a punt at the Tennessee 44 with 42 seconds left in the half. Gay hit from 46 to end the half with the Colts only down 17-13. The Colts began the third quarter after a touchback with a mind-numbing 19 play, 70 yard, 10 minute drive. Yet on 3rd and goal at the 6, a completion gained only one yard. Gay hit again from 23 to get the Colts within 17-16 with 5 minutes left in the third quarter. Then came a pair of big special teams plays. The Titans punted on 4th and 4 from their own 36. Cross blocked the punt and Stuard picked it up and raced 18 yards for the touchdown. The Colts then went for a 2 point conversion. Hooker intercepted Minshew at the goal line and raced 100 yards the other way for a defensive 2 point conversion. Instead of trailed 24-17, the Titans were only down 22-19. The Titans punted again and Stonehouse had his punt blocked again for the second straight time. The Colts had 1st and goal at the 7. Yet on 3rd and goal at the one, Minshew was sacked. Gay hit his 4th field goal from 28 to make it 25-19 Colts.
The Titans soon faced 3rd and 1 at their own 34. Levis hit Whyle for 16 and Westbrook-Ikhine for 28. On 3rd and 6 from the Indianapolis 11, Levis went to Tony Spears for 7. Levis hit Deandre Hopkins for a 3 yard touchdown. Folk’s extra point to give the Titans the lead was no good. Benched quarterback Ryan Tannehill was the holder on the miss as the game remained tied 25-25 with 5 1/2 minutes left in regulation. With 40 seconds the Titans had the ball at the Indy 46. One more first down would set up a field goal try for the win. Instead, Levis was sacked and this game went into overtime. After a touchback to start overtime, the Titans moved to a 1st and 10 at the Indy 26. A pair of incompletions sandwiched a run that lost a yard. Folk hit a 46 yard field goal to make it 28-25 Titans, but the Colts would get one chance with the ball. After a touchback, Minshew hit Pittman for 9. A sack of Minshew was negated by defensive illegal contact. Minshew then went deep to Pierce for a 55 yard gain. With 2 1/2 minutes left in overtime, Minshew hit Pittman for the touchdown to win the game. 31-28 Colts, OT
Denver Broncos at Houston Texans — Both teams came in 6-5 with the Broncos having won 5 straight. Early on it was all Texans. A shanked 22 yard punt gave the Texans a short field at the Denver 47. On 2nd and 1 from the Denver 11, a run went nowhere and CJ Stroud threw incomplete. Demeco Ryans decided not to gamble on 4th and 1 against the stout Denver defense. Matt Amendola hit the 29 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Texans. The Texans got it back at their own 22 and CJ Stroud went deep to Collins for a 52 yard gain. On 4th and 1 from the Denver 17, this time Ryans went for it. Stroud gained 2. Ryans gambled again on 4th and 2 from the Denver 7. A false start should have ended the try but a mindless defensive unnecessary roughness penalty meant 1st and goal at the 3. Damion Pierce ran it in to make it 10-0 Texans. The Texans in the second quarter moved from their own 11 to a 4th and 4 at the Denver 20;. Ammendola hit from 38 to make it 13-0 Texans. The Broncos managed a 34 yard Wil Lutz field goal late in the half to get on the board. Yet Ammendola responded from 38 in the third quarter to make it 16-3 Texans.
A field position game had the Broncos take over at their own 42. Russell Wilson went deep to Cortland for a 45 yard touchdown. Just like that, the Broncos were within 16-10. The Broncos got it back and Wilson was immediately intercepted. The Texans took over at the Denver 21. Stroud hit Jordan for 13. stroud hit Nico Collins for the 3 yard touchdown. The 2 point try failed but the Texans led 22-10. After a touchback, the fourth quarter began with a defensive unnecessary roughness penalty. Wilson went deep to Jerry Jeudy for 41 down to the one. Wilson got in to have the Broncos within 5 points with 12 minutes left in regulation. The Broncos got it back and Wilson threw a bomb that initially appeared to be the go-ahead touchdown. Yet Derek Stingley made a leaping interception, his second of the day against Wilson. The Broncos got it back and moved down the field in the final couple minutes. The Broncos converted a pair of 4th down conversions. On 3rd and goal from the 8, Wilson went to the end zone and was intercepted by Ward for a touchback with 9 seconds left. Ina game between two very good defenses, a big defensive stand ended this solid game. 22-17 Texans
Detroit Lions at New Orleans Saints — The Lions jumped all over the Saints right out of the gate. On 3rd and 7 from their own 23, Montgomery ran for 9. Goff hit Williams for 11 with roughing the passer adding 15. Gibbs ran for 36 down to the New Orleans 2. Montgomery got the last 2 yards to make it 7-0 Lions. One play after a touchback, Derek Carr was intercepted by Branch, who returned the pick 13 yards to the Saints 17. On 3rd and 6, Goff hit Sam LaPorta for a 13 yard touchdown to make it 14-0 Lions. The Lions got it back at their own 46. Goff went to LaPorta for 25 and to Amra St. Brown for a 29 yard touchdown to make it 21-0 Lions.
The Saints tried to make a game of it in the second quarter. From their own 16, Alvin Kamara ran for 7 and 4. On 3rd and 4 from their own 33, Carr hit Kamara for 9. On 3rd and 16 from their own 30, Carr went to Williams for 30. On 3rd and 9 from the Detroit 33, Carr went to Chris Olave for 24. Carr hit Jimmy Graham for a 6 yard touchdown to get the Saints on the board. Yet the Lions from their own 30 ground down the Saints defense, reaching a 2nd and 7 at the New Orleans 8. Goff threw incomplete twice. Riley Patterson ended the half with a 26 yard field goal to make it 24-7 Lions.
After a third quarter touchback, the Saints clawed back. Carr went to Kamara for 12 and to Hill for 18. On 3rd and 12 from the Detroit 35, Carr went to Olave for 33. Kamara got the last 2 yards to cap the 10 play, 75 yard, 5 minute drive and get the Saints within 24-14. The Saints got it back at their own 38 and Carr went to Olave for 28 and Foster Moreau for 19. On 3rd and 1 from the Detroit 6, Hill gained 5. A run up the gut from the one appeared stopped but Hill stretched the ball past the plane of the goal for the touchdown. With 4 1/2 minutes left in the third quarter, the Saints were right back in it down 24-21.
The Lions moved from their own 22 to a 4th and 4 at the New Orleans 8. A bluff to go for it fooled nobody and the Lions took a delay of game. Patterson hit from 32 to make it 27-21 Lions. On the first play of the fourth quarter after a touchback, Carr fumbled the snap and the Lions recovered at the New Orleans 26. Two plays later williams ran for a 19 yard touchdown. The 2 point try failed but the Lions led 33-21. After a touchback, the Saints soon faced 3rd and 17 from their own 48. Carr got blasted for a sack and left injured. Yet a defensive penalty for piledriving Carr into the ground kept the drive going. Jameis Winston came in. On 3rd and 13 from the Detroit 32, Winston went deep t OLave for 30. Kamara ran for a one yard touchdown to get the Saints within 5 points midway through the third quarter. With 6 minutes left in regulation the Saints took over at their own 18. They moved to a 2nd and 6 at the Detroit 40 with 3 minutes left. Winston threw 3 straight incompletions as the Lions hung on to get to 9-3 on the year. 33-28 Lions
Atlanta Falcons at New York Jets — Despite being 5-6, the Falcons were in a strong position to win the awful NFC South. The Jets have no quarterback. A puntfest early had the Falcons pinned at their own one yard line. Desmond Ridder was sacked in his own end zone for a safety and a 2-0 Jets lead. A fumble in the second quarter gave the Falcons a short field at the Jets 47. Ridder went to Pitts for 13. Ridder hit Pruitt for a 20 yard touchdown to make it 7-2 Falcons. The Jets after a touchback moved to a 3rd and 5 a the Atlanta 9. Tim Boyle threw incomplete. Greg Zuerlein hit from 27 to get the Jets within 7-5. A field poison game gave the Jets the ball at their own 44 with 1:13 left in the half. The Jets reached a 1st and goal at the 4 with 7 seconds left. After a Boyle incompletion, Younghoe Koo hit a 22 yard field goal to put the Falcons up 10-5 at the half. Zuerlein hit again from 46 in the third quarter to get the Jets within 10-8. After a touchback, a 14 play, 51 yard, 7 minute drive set up a 42 yard Koo field goal to put the Falcons up by 5 points again. Tim Boyle, who started in place of the benched Zach Wilson, was awful. Robert Saleh benched Boyle for the fourth quarter and brought in Trevor Siemian. With one minute left on 4th and 17 from his own 30 after a sack, Siemian was sacked again. 13-8 Falcons
Miami Dolphins at Washington Commanders – The Dolphins are very good. The Commanders are not. This was not 1972, but the Dolphins were close to perfect early on in obliterating the Commanders. On the third play from scrimmage on 3rd and 2 from their own 22, Tua Tagovailoa went bombs away to Tyreek Hill for a 78 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Dolphins. The Dolphins got it back at their own 30 and moved to a 4th and 5 at the Washington 31. Jason Sanders hit from 49 to make it 10-0 Dolphins. Sam Howell was then intercepted by Van Ginkel who returned the pick 33 yards for a defense touchdown and a 17-0 Dolphins lead.
The Commanders came back after a touchback and on 3rd and goal at the one, Howell got in to get the Commanders on the board. Yet the Dolphins kept carpet-bombing the Commanders. After a touchback on 3rd and 7 from their own 40, Tagovailoa went bombs away again to Hill for a 60 yard touchdown to make it 24-7 Dolphins. The Dolphins got it back with 6 minutes left in the half at their own 24 and used up most of the clock. Raheem Mostert ran for 9 and 6. On 3rd and 6 from their own 43, Tagovailoa went to Hill for 20. Defensive pass interference added 16 more. On 3rd and 12 from the Washington 20, Tagovailoa went to Jalen Waddle for 16. Mostert ran for 3 and then the one yard touchdown with 20 seconds left in the half for a 31-7 Dolphins advantage.
For some reason, league rules required the second half be played. On 3rd and 2 from their own 33, Tagovailoa went to Hill for 5. Tagovailoa went to Devon Achane for 21, to Cracraft for 13, and to Hill for 18. Achane ran for a 4 yard touchdown to make it 38-7 Dolphins. The Commanders managed one late garbage touchdown but the Dolphins added one more touchdown to complete the blowout. 45-15 Dolphins
Carolina Panthers at Tampa Bay Buccaneers — The 1-10 Panthers fired Frank Reich. Yet the Buccaneers are nothing special. Early on the Buccaneers faced 3rd and 4 just past midfield. Baker Mayfield went to Palmer for 6. On 3rd and 10 from the Carolina 45, Mayfield went deep to Mike Evans for 40. White ran for a one yard touchdown made it 7-0 Buccaneers. The Panthers after a touchback moved 70 yards in 12 okays and 7 1/2 minutes. On 2nd and 1 from the Tampa Bay 2, Bryce Young threw incomplete. On 3rd and 1, Chuba Hubbard lost 3 yards. Eddie Pineiro hit a 23 yard field goal early in the second quarter to get the Panthers within 7-3. In the third quarter the Panthers faced 3rd and 9 from their own 36.Young hit Sullivan for 16. Young went deep to Mingo for 31. Hubbard ran for 8 and then for the one yard touchdown to make it 10-7 Panthers. Yet one play and 9 seconds after a touchback, the Buccaneers had the lead again. Mayfield went to Evans for a 75 yard touchdown to make it 14-10 Buccaneers.
The Buccaneers got it back to start the fourth quarter at their own 33. Mayfield went to White for 20. On 3rd and 6 from the Carolina 43, Mayfield got taken down for no gain but defensive illegal use of hands kept the drive going. White ran for 11. On 3rd and 2 from the Carolina 19, Chris Godwin go around the end for a touchdown to make it 21-10 Buccaneers. After a touchback, the Panthers soon faced 3rd and 3 from their own 43. Young went to Bingo for 12. On 4th and 6 from the Tampa 38, Young went deep to DJ Shark for 30. Hubbard ran for a one yard touchdown. Young ran in the 2 point conversion. With 5 minutes to go, the Panthers were a field goal from tying the game. The Panthers got it back and faced 4th and 1 at their own 40 with 2:20 to play. Young was intercepted as the Carolina season of misery continued. 21-18 Buccaneers
San Francisco 49ers at Philadelphia Eagles — It seemed odd that the 10-1 Eagles were underdogs at home, but the oddsmakers felt the 8-3 49ers were the better team. The 49ers have a nasty defense. After an opening touchback, the Eagles moved 67 yards in 12 plays and 5 minutes. On 3rd and 7 from the San Francisco 8, Jalen Hurts threw incomplete. Jake Elliott hit a 26 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Eagles. The Eagles got it back at their own 26. They moved 53 yards in 12 plays and 7 minutes. On 2nd and 6 from the San Francisco 14, Hurts was sacked for a 15 yard loss. Elliott connected again from 39. The Eagles led 6-0 after the first quarter, but after that the game drastically changed.
In the second quarter the 49ers faced 3rd and 3 at their own 22. Brock Purdy went to George Kittle for just enough. On 3rd and 1 from their own 34, Purdy went to Deebo Samuel for 13. Christian McCaffrey for 11. Purdy went to Kittle for 32. On 3rd and goal at the 4, Purdy threw incomplete but the defense jumped offside. Given another chance on 3rd and goal at the 2, Purdy hit Brandon Aiyuk for the touchdown. The 11 play, 85 yard, 7 minute drive gave the 49ers their first lead 7-6. The 49ers got the ball back at their own 10. Purdy went to Samuel for 9. McCaffrey ran for 7. Purdy went to Kittle for 25. McCaffrey ran for 9. Purdy hit Aiyuk for 13. Samuel ran for 14. With 38 seconds left in the half, McCaffrey ran for a 2 yard touchdown. The 10 play, 90 yard drive had the 49ers up 14-6. The 49ers began the third quarter facing 3rd and 5 at their own 30. Purdy went to Jennings for 18. On 3rd and 3 from the Philadelphia 45, Purdy went to McCaffrey for 33. Samuel ran for a 12 yard touchdown to make it 21-6 49ers.
A facemark on the ensuing kickoff set up the Eagles at their own 42. On 3rd and 7, Hurts went to AJ Brown for 13. On 1st and 20 from their own 48, Hurts went to Devonta Smith for 15 and 13. A defensive personal foul resulting in a disqualification added 12 more yards. On 3rd and 12 from the Frisco 14, Hurts went to Brown for 12. Hurts ran for a one yard touchdown to get the Eagles within 21-13. Yet the 49ers quickly slammed the door shut. On 3rd and 7 from their own 26, Purdy went to Aiyuk for 10. McCaffrey ran for 16. Purdy went to Samuel for a 48 yard touchdown to make it 28-13 49ers. The 49ers after a touchback had McCaffrey run for 5, 7 and 15 to end the third quarter. On 4th and 1 from the Philly 36 early in the fourth quarter, Kyle Shanahan went for it. McCaffrey gained 2. Mitchell added 11. On 3rd and 5 from the Philly 18, Purdy went to Jennings for the touchdown and the 35-13 49ers lead. The Eagles did score one more touchdown, but the onside kick failed. Purdy hit Samuel for a 46 yard touchdown to complete the blowout. The oddsmakers were right. The 49ers just belted the Eagles in the mouth. 42-19 49ers
Cleveland Browns at Los Angeles Rams — The Browns are down to their 3rd string quarterback, Joe Flacco. Yes, that Joe Flacco. The Browns began facing 3rd and 2 at their own 33. Kareem Hunt gained 6. On 3rd and 14 from their own 35, Flacco went to Amari Cooper for 22 and Ford for 13. Flacco went to Ford for a 24 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Browns. The Rams after a touchback moved to a 3rd and 7 at the Cleveland 26. Matthew Stafford threw incomplete. Havrisik hit a 44 yard field goal to get the Rams within 7-3. The Rams got it back at their own 21 and struck rapidly. Stafford hit Tutu Atwell for 9 and then went bombs away to Nacua for a 70 yard touchdown and a 10-7 Rams lead. On the first play of the second quarter, Havrisik missed a 43 yard field goal try that would have extended the lead. Dustin Hopkins tied the game on a 40 yard field goal just before the 2 minute warning. Havrisik responded from 28 to put the Rams up 13-10 at the midpoint. Hopkins hit again from 24 for a 13-13 game with 5 minutes left in the third quarter.
After a touchback, Stafford hit Cooper Kupp for 9. Williams ran for 10. Nacua ran for 31. On 2nd and 20 from the Cleveland 40, Stafford went to Robinson for 30. Stafford went to Robinson again for a 7 yard touchdown to make it 20-13 Rams. The Browns began the fourth quarter facing 3rd and 4 at their own 31. Hunt ran for 5. The Browns then faced 3rd and 2 at their own 44. Hunt ran for 6. On 3rd and 1 from the Rams 27, Hunt ran for 6. Strong ran for 13. Flacco went to Harrison Bryant for an 8 yard touchdown. The extra point to tie the game was no good as the Browns trailed 20-19 with 9 minutes left in regulation.
The Browns got the ball back at their own 21 looking for the lead. On the first play from scrimmage, Flacco was intercepted. Johnson returned the interception 42 yards to the Cleveland 24. Stafford went to Kupp for 13. On 3rd and goal at the 3, Stafford hit Kupp for the touchdown. The Rams led 27-19 with 4 minutes left. With 2 1/2 minutes left on 4th and 5 from their own 30, Flacco threw incomplete. Stafford hit Robinson for 15. Williams did the rest, running for 7, 5, 2, and the one yard touchdown just past the 2 minute warning. The Rams led 34-19. With 26 seconds to play, a sack of Flacco had the Browns facing 4th and 34 from their own one yard line. Flacco was sacked again for a safety. 36-19 Rams
Kansas City Chiefs at Green Bay Packers was the Sunday night game. After an opening touchback, Jordan Love hit Reed for 9 and Watson for 19. On 3rd and 2 from the Kansas City 36, AJ Dillon got just enough. Love hit Kraft for 9. On 3rd and 4 from the Kansas City 14, Love hit Wicks for 7. Love went to Sims for a one yard touchdown. The 13 play, 75 yard, 8 minute drive made it 7-0 Packers. The Chiefs took over at their own 24. They moved 60 yards in 13 plays and 7 minutes. The Chiefs had 1st and goal at the 5, but Mahomes was sacked twice to kill the drive. Harrison Butker hit the 34 yard field goal to get the Chiefs within 7-3. After a touchback to begin the second quarter, Love went to Kraft for 19 and to Wicks for 27. On 3rd and 5 from the Kansas City 9, Love went to Watson for the touchdown as the Packers had the surprising 14-3 lead.
After a touchback, the Chiefs moved 59 yards and 14 plays and 8 1/2 minutes. On 2nd and 6 from the Green Bay 8, offensive holding was a setback. Mahomes was then sacked. Butker hit from 34 with 2 1/2 minutes left in the half as the Chiefs trailed 14-6. After a third quarter touchback, Mahomes went to Kelce for 21. On 3rd and 18 from their own 38, Mahomes went to Travis Kelce for 27. Isaiah Pacheco ran for 11. Mahomes went to Rice for 13. Pacheco ran for a one yard touchdown. Walrus Andy Reid went for 2 to tie the game, but this time Pacheco got stopped as the Chiefs trailed 14-12.
The Packers took over at their own 33. Love went to Dillon for 14. On 4th and 1 from the Kansas City 44, Matt LaFleur went for it. Under heavy pressure, a desperate Love threw a duck into triple coverage that Romeo Doubs somehow came down with for a 33 yard gain. Love went to Watson for a 12 yard touchdown to make it 21-12 Packers. The Chiefs took over at their own 34. Pacheco ran for 5 and 7. Mahomes hit James for 12. Mahomes hit Rice for 8. Pacheco ran for 8 and 13. On 3rd and goal at the 2 to begin the fourth quarter, Mahomes hit Gray for the touchdown to get the Chiefs back within 21-19.
The Packers took over at their own 23 and moved to a 1st and 10 at the Kansas City 18. Love threw incomplete twice and was then sacked. Anders Carlson hit a 40 yard field goal. The Packers led 24-19 with 6 minutes left in regulation, but they did not close the door. After a touchback, the Chiefs moved to just past midfield. Mahomes was intercepted. The Packers took over at their own 35 with 5:15 to play. They moved to a 3rd and 6 at the Kansas City 20 at the 2 minute warning. With the Chiefs out of timeouts, a first down would end the game. Under heavy pressure, Love smartly went down for a sack rather than risk an incompletion that would stop the clock. Carlson hit a 48 yard field goal. The Packers led by 8 but the door was still open. The Chiefs had 1:10 to pull off a miracle and the best quarterback in the league to do it. The Chiefs moved from their own 30 to a 1st and 10 at the Green Bay 33 with 19 seconds left. Mahomes threw 3 incompletions, leaving 4th and 10 and 5 seconds. Mahomes scrambled all over the place and unleashed a Hail Mary that reached the end zone. It fell to the ground incomplete. 27-19 Packers
Cincinnati Bengals at Jacksonville Jaguars was the Monday night game. What was supposed to be a potential AFC Title Game preview has seen the Bengal reeling since Joe Burrow went down injured. The Bengals moved from their own 22 to a 4th and 3 at the Jacksonville 44. Zac Taylor went for it and Browning was sacked. The Jaguars took over jus shy of midfield. Trevor Lawrence went deep to Christian Kirk. Calvin Ridley gained 10. On 4th and 1 at the Cincinnati 6, Doug Pederson went for it. Lawrence gained 2. Travis Etienne ran for a 4 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Jaguars. Evan McPherson missed a 57 yard field goal try for the Bengals. The Bengals got it back at their own 8 yard line. On 3rd and 4 to start the second quarter, Browning went to Jamarr Chase for 17, to Irwin for 25, to Hudson for 24, and to Tee Higgins for 14. Joe Mixon ran for a 6 yard touchdown as the 92 yard drive made the game 7-7. After a touchback, Lawrence went to Farrell for 9. On 3rd and 6 from their own 40, the defense jumped into the neutral zone. On 3rd and 1, Lawrence got the yard. Lawrence went to Ridley for 21 and to Evan Engram for a 22 yard touchdown. The 10 play, 75 yard, 6 minute drive made it 14-7 Jaguars. After a touchback, Browning went to Higgins for 11 and Wilcox for 12. On 3rd and 1 from the Jacksonville 43, Browning went to Mixon for 9. On 3rd and 5 from the Jacksonville 29, Browning went to Boyd for 10. Browning hit Sample for 11. Mixon ran for a 2 yard touchdown. The 12 play 75 yard, 5 1/2 minute drive tied the game 14-14 with one minute left in the half.
The Bengals struck quickly in the third quarter. On 3rd and 2 from their own 24, Browning went to deep to Chase for a 76 yard touchdown and a 21-14 Bengals lead. The Jaguars took over at their own 16. Lawrence went to Zee Jones for 23. On 3rd and 7 from their own 42, Lawrence hit Jones for 16. On 3rd and 1 from the Cincinnati 33, Jones gained 3. Lawrence went to Washington for 18. On 3rd and 9 from the Cincinnati 14, Lawrence went to Washington for the touchdown. The 12 play, 84 yard, 6 1/2 minute drive tied the game for the third time 21-21. One play after a touchback, Browning was intercepted. Allen returned the pick 8 yards to give the Jaguars 1st and goal at the 9. On 3rd and goal at the one, Etienne got stopped. Doug Pederson gambled. On 4th and goal, Lawrence got in for a 28-21 Jaguars lead. A field position game had the Jaguars punting from their own 6 yard line and the Bengals taking over with a short field at the Jacksonville 48. Browning went to Chase for 14 and Mixon for 10. On 3th and 3 from the Jags 10, Zac Taylor went for it. Browning hit Chase for 6. From the one, Browning snuck it in. For the 4th time on the day, the game was tied 28-28 with 9 minutes left in regulation.
After a touchback, the Jaguars moved to a 1st and 10 at the Cincinnati 22. On 3rd and 11, Lawrence was sacked. He stayed down for a bit. He had an injured ankle. He slammed his helmet in frustration. Making matters worse, Brandon McManus’s field goal try from 48 yards out with 5 minutes left to give the Jaguars the lead was no good. The Bengals moved from their own 38 to a 1st and 10 at the Jacksonville 32. A sack had the Bengals facing 3rd and 22 and out of field goal range. Browning hit Boyd for 8 key yards, From 54 yards out, McPherson was good. With 2 1/2 minutes left, the Bengals had the 3 point lead. That would be more than enough time for Lawrence, but with the game on the line he was in the blue medical tent. Backup CJ Beathard would have to try and be the hero. After a touchback, the Jaguars moved to a 2nd and 2 at the Cincy 20. After an incompletion, Beathard was sacked. This time from 40 yards out, McManus was good. For the 5th time, this game was tied with 26 seconds left.
This was a battle of backup quarterbacks, but in regulation both of them played well, especially when it mattered. In overtime, the Jaguars won the toss and got the ball first after a touchback. The Jaguars moved to a 3rd and 7 at the Cincinnati 45. Then came the play of the game. One more first down would certainly mean long field goal range. Instead, Beathard went for it all. His bomb between 2 defenders was caught by Ridley for a 43 yard gain at the Cincy 2 yard line. Yet it was all for naught. Offensive holding nullified the gain and pushed the Jaguars out of field goal range. The Jaguars punted and the Bengals took over at their own 28. Browning went to Chase for 17. On 3rd and 10 from their own 47, Browning went to Higgins for 11. On 3rd and 1 from the Jags 33, Mixon gained 2. With 1:50 left in overtime, McPherson came in for a 48 yard try to win it. His kick was good. This may have been a battle of backups, but both were sensational. Beathard completed 9 of his 10 passes in relief. Browning was lights out, going 32 for 37 with 354 yards, 1 touchdown, and 0 interceptions. Now the Jaguars awaited word on Lawrence, as the Bengals celebrated winning a fine, fine football game. 34-31 Bengals