NFL 2023 Week 15 Recap
This is when the big dogs come out!
Los Angeles Chargers at Las Vegas Raiders was the Thursday night game. Both teams came in 5-8 and pretty much done for the year. The Chargers won earlier this season 24-17 when Khalil Mack had 6 sacks in one game against his former team. The Raiders lost a pathetic game last week 3-0. The defense improved but the offense was horrendous. The Raiders were supposed to get swept by the Chargers, but last week Justin Herbert suffered an injured finger and is out for the rest of the year. His backup Eason Stick started this game. Josh Jacobs was also out with a sore knee. Both teams played this game without the heart and soul of their team. What transpired in this game was so unbelievable that even those who saw it had to rub their eyes in shock and disbelief.
The Raiders faced 3rd and 2 at their own 40 early in the game. Amir Abdullah gained 6. On 3rd and 3 from the Chargers 47, Abdullah gained 5. Aidan O’Connell then went to Davante Adams for 24 yards. On 3rd and 10 from the Chargers 14, O’Connell hit Michael Mayer for 13 down to the one. Zamir White got the last yard to cap the 12 play, 68 yard, 5 1/2 minute drive and make it 7-0 Raiders. The Chargers took over at their own 21 and moved to their own 48. Stick was sacked by Malcolm Koonce and fumbled. The Raiders took over at the Chargers 42. On 3rd and 8, O’Connell went to Mayer for 10. O’Connell then went to Tre Tucker for a 30 yard touchdown to make it 14-0 Raiders. One play after a touchback, the Chargers fumbled the ball away again. The Raiders had another short field at the Chargers 31. On 3rd and 1, O’Connell went to Jakobi Meyers for a 22 yard touchdown to make it 21-0 Raiders.
In the second quarter the Chargers fumbled a punt and the Raiders took over at the Chargers 14. D Turner just ripped the ball out of the return man’s hands and kept it. Two plays later O’Connell hit Mayer for an 11 yard touchdown to make it 28-0 Raiders. The Raiders got the ball back and kept rolling. On 3rd and 2 from their own 43, O’Connell went to Adams for 24 and 9. On 3rd and 3 from the Chargers 26, Bolden took the direct snap and got around the end for the first down and the touchdown. With 4 minutes left in the half, the Raiders led 35-0. After a touchback, the Chargers Austin Ekeler got stopped on 3rd and 1 just shy of midfield. Brandon Staley went for it at the 2 minute warning and Ekeler got stopped again. Another short field had O’Connell hitting Adams for 9 and White for 6. On 3rd and 1 from the Chargers 25, Abdullah gained 5. O’Connell went to Tucker for a 20 yard touchdown. The Raiders were up 42-0 and absolutely obliterating the Chargers, and there was still 30 seconds left in the first half.
After a third quarter touchback, O’Connell went to Adams for 18. White ran for 15. On 3rd and 10 from the Chargers 38, a run only gained 5. Yet a defensive facemark added 15 yards. O’Connell hit Meyers for 10. Up by 42, Antonio Pierce pulled out all the stops. O’Connell threw 4 touchdown passes in the first half. This time it was Meyers who threw the 3 yard halfback option pass to Adams for another touchdown to make it 49-0
Raiders. At this point the Raiders had outgained the Chargers 344 to 89.
One play later, the Chargers avoided the shutout. Stick went to Joshua Palmer for a 79 yard touchdown to get the Chargers on the board. The Chargers even got the ball back and moved from their own 20 to a 1st and 10 at the Raiders 46. Yet Stick then got stuck, and hard. Koonce belted him, and big John Jenkins picked up the resulting fumble and with a convoy rumbled 44 yards for a defensive touchdown. The score on the last play of the third quarter had the Raiders up 56-7. Only 30 seconds later on the 3rd play of the fourth quarter, the Raiders were in the end zone again. Stick threw a West Coast Offense dink and dunk pass and Jack Jones turned into Jack Squirek. Jones returned the one-handed interception 16 yards for another defensive touchdown. With most of the entire fourth quarter remaining, the Raiders led 63-7.
The most points ever scored by one team in an NFL game came in the 1940 NFL Title Game when the Chicago Bears walloped the Washington Redskins 73-0. The regular season record came in 1966 when the Redskins beat the Giants 72-41. Earlier this season, the Miami Dolphins belted the Denver Broncos 70-20. The 63 points were already a Raiders franchise record for points. Now they had a chance to make NFL history. They would fall short, as the remaining two touchdowns were garbage scores by the Chargers. 8 different Raiders scored a touchdown, a feat not seen since the 1950 Rams. 5 turnovers doomed the Chargers. The Raiders probably would have scored more, but once the United Nations found out Mark Davis is Jewish, it was inevitable that the Raiders would face demands for a ceasefire. One can be forgiven for thinking the 63 number was an inflated fiction of the Gaza Health ministry. The Raiders scored 9 touchdowns, but in defeat the Chargers got a measure of consolation. The Friday after the game, Brandon Staley was fired. He and Josh McDaniels are now both gone, ending the AFC West Nakba. 63-21 Raiders
Minnesota Vikings at Cincinnati Bengals was the Saturday morning game. Both teams came in 7-6. After an opening touchback, the Bengals moved to a 3rd and 1 at the Minnesota 12. Rather than run or have Jake Browning throw a pass, it was Hudson getting the ball and losing 4 yards. Evan McPherson hit a 34 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Bengals. The Vikings soon faced 3rd and 1 at their own 34. Nick Mullens gained 2. Mullins hit Justin Jefferson for 17.Chandler gained 7 and 4. On 3rd and 1 from the Cincinnati 17, Mullins went to Chandler for 16 down to the one. Chandler got the last yard to cap the 12 play, 75 yard, 6 1/2 minute drive and make it 7-3 Vikings.
The second quarter was scoreless as Mullens was intercepted twice. The Vikings bang the third quarter at their own 8 yard line. Chandler gained 24 and 3. Mullens hit Jefferson hit 12 and Jordan Addison for 10. Mullens went to Addison again for a 37 yard touchdown to make it 14-3 Vikings. A third quarter interception of Browning gave the Vikings the ball at their own 33. They moved to a 3rd and 4 at the Cincinnati 21. Mullens threw incomplete. Greg Joseph hit a 39 yard field goal to make it 17-3 Vikings with 4 minutes left in the third quarter.
The Bengals after a touchback soon faced 3rd and 1 at their own 34. Browning hit Hudson for 7 and 14, Smith for 14 more, and JaMarr Chase for 16. On the first play of the fourth quarter, Browning hit Tee Higgins for a 13 yard touchdown to get the Bengals within 17-10. The Bengals got it back at their own 37, Browning went to Joe Mixon for 7. Mixon then ran for 10. Browning went to Tee Higgins for 14. On 3rd and 21 from the Minnesota 43, Browning went to 24 and to Wilcox for 10. On 3rd and goal at the one, Browning kept the ball and got stopped. On 4th and goal at the one, Mixon got in. The 11 play, 63 yard, 5 1/2 minute drive tied the game 17-17 midway through the fourth quarter.
After a touchback, Mullens went to Jefferson for 19. Mullens was intercepted by Pratt, who returned it 41 yards for a defensive touchdown. Yet the defense jumped offside and the Vikings kept the ball. Chandler gained. Mullens went to Addison for 9. Chandler ran for 4 and 30 down to the one. Mullens went to Addison for the touchdown. The Vikings led 24-17 with 4 minutes left. After a touchback, Browning went to Hudson for 13 and to Boyd for 9. Browning went to Higgins for 13 On 3rd and 2 from the Minnesota 26, Browning went to Iosivas for 5. Browning went to Higgins for a 2 1yard touchdown to tie the game 24-24 with 40 seconds left in regulation.
In overtime, the Bengals punted and the Vikings faced 3rd and 1 at the Cincinnati 42. Mullens kept it and got stopped stone cold. Kevin O’Connell went for it on 4th and inches. Mullens tried a second tush push and again got stopped. The key play came midway through overtime. The Bengals faced 3rd and 9 at their own 43. Browning went deep to Boyd, who broke a couple tackles and bulldozed his way for a 44 yard gain. On 3rd and 8 from the Minnesota 11, Zac Taylor brought in Evan McPherson for a 29 yard field goal to win the game. McPherson was good, as the Bengals beat t he Vikings by the exact same score as they did when these teams last met. 27—24 Bengals, OT
Pittsburgh Steelers at Indianapolis Colts was the Saturday afternoon game. Both teams came in 7-6 but moving in different directions. The Colts had won 4 of their last 5 while the Steelers dropped consecutive home games to two of the worst teams in the league. Gardner Minshew has played well enough for the Colts while Mitchell Trubisky has not played well in place of the injured Kenny Pickett. Midway through the first quarter Matt Gay missed a 56 yard field goal try for the Colts. The Steelers soon faced 3rd and 3 from the Indianapolis 47. Trubisky hit Pat Freiermuth for 5. On 3rd and 6 from the Indianapolis 38, Trubisky hit George Pickens for a pair of 15 yard gains. On 3rd and goal at the one, Trubisky got stopped. Mike Tomlin went for it. On 4th and goal at the one, Trubisky kept it himself again and this time got in. The extra point was no good but the Steelers led 6-0. The Colts then punted and the Steelers blocked the punt. The Steelers eventually recovered the ball at the Indy one yard line. After a loss, the Steelers began the second quarter with Trubisky hitting Johnson for a 4 yard touchdown. The Steelers led 13-0.
After a touchback, Minshew hit Pittman for 21. On 3rd and 5 just past midfield, MInshew went deep to Pittman for 42. On 2nd and goal at the 16, Minshew went to Moss for the touchdown to get the Colts within 13-7. An interception of Trubisky had the Colts moving from their own 29 to a 3rd and goal at the one. Minshew threw incomplete. Shane Steichen went for it. On 4th and goal at the one, Minshew threw incomplete again. The Colts got the ball at their own 26 with 44 seconds left in the half. Steichen went aggressive and Minshew went deep to David Montgomery for 34. Defensive pass interference added 26 more. Mnishew went to Montgomery for a 14 yard touchdown. With 22 seconds left in the half, the Colts had the 14-13 lead.
The key play came early in the third quarter. The Steelers from their own 10 saw Najee Harris cough up the football. The Colts recovered at the Pittsburgh 18. One play and 6 seconds later, Minshew hit Mo Alie-Cox for the touchdown and the 21-13 Colts lead. the final 28 minutes belonged to the Colts defense and kicker Gay. He hit from 29 in the third quarter. In the fourth quarter Gay hit from 31, doinked a 43 yarder off the upright no good, and hit from 42 with 48 seconds to play. The Steelers offense was shut out for the final 44 minutes, and their second touchdown was really a special teams score. 30 unanswered points have the Colts in a string position for a playoff spot and the Steelers spiraling downward but alive. 30-13 Colts
Denver Broncos at Detroit Lions was the Saturday night game. The Lions are 9-4 but have stumbled in recent weeks. The Broncos started 1-5 but have gone 6-1 since fo a 7-6 record. Russell Wilson got belted, resulting in a fumble. Buggs was the Big man with football who should have lateraled the football. Rather than a defensive touchdown for the Lions, they only had a short field as Buggs returned the fumble 33 yards to the Denver 37. On 3rd and 4 from the Denver 31, Goff took an ill-advised 8 yard sack that pushed the Lions out of field goal range. After a scoreless first quarter, the Lions exploded in the second quarter.
The Lions began the second quarter at their own 20. Montgomery ran for 6 and 5. Goff hit Sam Laporta for 17. On 3rd and 5 from the Denver 47, Goff went to Laporta for 7. Goff hit Reynolds for 21 and went back to LaPorta for a 19 yard touchdown to make ti 7-0 Lions. The Lions got it back at their own 39 and Goff went to LaPorta for 20. On 2nd and 17 from the Denver 27, Goff went to Williams for 18. Goff hit Jahmyr Gibbs for a 9 yard touchdown to make it 14-0 Lions. The Lions got it back at their own 19 and kept rolling. Goff went to Amra St. Brown for 8 and 29. Montgomery gained 8, 1, and on 3rd and 1 from the Denver 33, 4. Montgomery added 11 more. On 3rd and 7 from the Denver 15, Goff went to St. Brown for the touchdown to make it 21-0 Lions at the midpoint. The Lions led in yardage at the half 279 to 75 and had 17 first downs compared to only 4 for Denver.
The Broncos began the third quarter facing 3rd and 12 at their own 23. Defensive illegal contact on an incompletion meant a new set of downs. Wilson went to Cortland Sutton for 14. On 3rd and 4 from the Detroit 11, Wilson went to Humphrey for 5. On 3rd and goal at the 3, Wilson went to Humphrey for the touchdown to get the Broncos within 21-7. After a touchback, Goff went to St. Brown for 26. On 3rd and 10 just past midfield Gibbs ran for 11 and then 34. On 3rd and goal at the 3, Goff went to LaPorta for the touchdown. 4 straight touchdown drives had the Lions up 28-7.
Down by 21, after a touchback the Broncos moved to 2nd and goal at the 9. A completion saw McLaughlin get pinball by multiple defenders at the goal line. The Broncos thought they had a touchdown, but officials ruled the ball down inches short of the goal line. A third down run appeared to show Williams just barely break the plane of the goal. Again, it was ruled just short. Sean Payton did not challenge either spot on 2nd or 3rd down. He may have lost the 2nd down challenge but the 3rd down play seemed to clearly show a touchdown. On 4th and goal from inches out, Sean Payton went for it. This time the Burton got knocked back but only after clearly breaking the plane of the goal. Yet a very questionable offside call on the offense killed the drive. Offside on the offense did not even seem to be a thing until a few weeks ago. Now it had an enraged Payton screaming at anyone within shouting distance. Wil Lutz hit the 19 yard field goal but the Broncos trailed 28-10.
After a touchback to start the fourth quarter, the Lions quickly put the game away. Goff went to Williams for 14. Montgomery ran for 4 and 9. Defensive pass interference added 16. Montgomery ran for 13. Gibbs ran for a 12 yard touchdown to make it 35-10 Lions. The Broncos managed one more touchdown with 6 1/2 minutes left, but the onside kick failed and the Lions took over at the Denver 44. On 4th and 2 from the Denver 10, Goff went to LaPorta for the touchdown. Goff’s 5 touchdown passes with 0 interceptions completed the blowout. 42-17 Lions
New York Jets at Miami Dolphins — After a stunning home loss last week, the 9-4 Dolphins looked to right the ship. The Dolphins became the first team in nearly 800 games to blow a 14 point lead with 3 minutes left. Zach Wilson got blasted early on by Chubb, and the Dolphins recovered at the Jets one yard line. On 3rd and goal at the one, Raheem Mostert got in to make it 7-0 Dolphins. His 19th rushing touchdown on the year is a Dolphins franchise record. On 4th and 4 from his own 42 in the second quarter, Robert Saleh gambled on a fake punt that didn’t work. The Dolphins took over at the Jets 41 and Jason Sanders hit a 37 yard field goal to make it 10-0 Jets. The Dolphins got it back at their own 40 and needed one play and 9 seconds to strike again. Tua Tagovailoa went bombs away to Jalen Waddle for a 60 yard touchdown to make it 17-0 Dolphins. The Dolphins got it back again and faced 3rd and 4 at their own 26. Tagovailoa went to Waddle for 8 with defensive unnecessary roughness adding 15 more. On 3rd and 6 from the Jets 47, Tagovailoa went to Braxton Berrios for 12. On 3rd and 7 from the Jets 32, Tagovialoa went to Waddle for 13. Mostert gained 12 and then got the last yard to make it 24-0 Dolphins with one minute left in the half. For some reason, the rest of the game was played. A hideous second half saw Sanders hit from 27 in the third quarter and from 35 in the fourth quarter. The 10-4 Dolphins are storming toward the playoffs. 30-0 Dolphins
Houston Texans at Tennessee Titans — It was Luv Ya Blue as the Titans brought out the old Houston Oilers throwback uniforms. More importantly, they became the first team in nearly 800 games to trail by 14 points with 3 minutes left and gut out a shocking road win at Miami. Early on Mike Vrabel seemed to lose his mind by gambling on 4th and 1 from his own 26. Derrick Henry got the yard. Will Levis went deep to Burks for 37. On 3rd and 10 from the Houston 34, Levis went deep to Westbrook-Ikhine for 33 down to the one. Levis got the last yard himself. The extra point was no good but the Titans led 6-0. The second quarter began with the Texans facing 3rd and 10 at their own 40. Case Keenum was in for the injured CJ Stroud, and Keenum was intercepted by Elijah Molden. Molden returned the interception 45 yards to paydirt to make it 13-0 Titans.
The Texans moved from their own 43 to a 2nd and 1 at the Tennessee 5 yard line with 30 seconds left in the half. Keenum threw incomplete and on 3rd and 1 Singletary got stopped cold for no gain. On 4th and 1, Demeco Ryans decided not to gamble. Kaimi Fairbairn hit a 23 yard field goal to end the half. A third quarter interception of Levis gave the Texans the ball at their own 40. They moved to a 2nd and 5 at the Tennessee 8. A run lost yard and on 3rd down Keenum threw incomplete. Fairbairn hit form 27 to get the Texans within 13-6 with 6 1/2 minutes left in the third quarter. The Titans would punt on 4th and 27 from their own 8 and the Texans had a short field at the Tennessee 46. On 3rd and 4 from the Tennessee 30, Keenum went to Brown for 15. Yet offensive offside wiped away the gain. Fairbairn hit a 53 yard field goal to get the Texans within 13-9.
In the fourth quarter it was the Texans punting on 4th and 12 from their own 12 and the Titans with a short field at the Houston 46. The Titans moved to a 1st and 10 at the Houston 15 with a chance to put the game away. Instead, Levis got belted and fumbled. The Titans retained possession, but after an 18 yard loss. Nick Folk hit a 45 yard field goal for a 16-9 Titans lead midway through the fourth quarter. The Texans took over at their own 21. Keenum went to Dalton Schultz for 19. Keenum hit Schultz for 8 and Brown for 11. Defensive pass interference added 20. Keenum went to Schultz for 15. On 3rd and goal at the 3, Keenum hit Brown for the touchdown. It took 57 minutes to reach the end zone, but the Texans tied the game 16-16. The defenses dug in for the rest of regulation and overtime. Keenum and Levis were both getting belted by the opposing defenses. With 2 minutes left in overtime, Levis got taken down hard and stayed down. With 1:43 left in overtime, the Texans began their final drive at their own 20. Keenum went deep to Singletary for a 41 yard gain. Singletary ran for a 34 yard touchdown, but it was nullified by offensive holding. With 2 seconds left, Fairbairn came in for a 54 yard field goal try for the win. Fairbairn was good as the Texans got to 8-6 the hardest of the hard ways. 19-16 Texans
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Green Bay Packers — A pair of 6-7 teams came in fighting for survival. After a touchback the Buccaneers moved to a 3rd and 6 at the Green Bay 15. Baker Mayfield was sacked. Chase McLaughlin hit a 39 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Buccaneers. The Packers after a touchback moved to a 3rd and 1 at the Tampa Bay 3. A run lost a yard but Matt LaFleur gambled anyway. On 4th and 2 from the 4, Jordan Love threw incomplete. The goal line stand was all for naught. Baker Mayfield got belted and fumbled. The Packers recovered at the Tampa Bay 4 yard line. After a loss, Love hit Kraft for a 5 yard touchdown to make it 7-3 Packers. After a touchback, White ran for 8 and 5. Mayfield hit Mike Evans for 14 and Chris Godwin for 25. On 3rd and 6 from the Green Bay 19, Mayfield hit Evans for the touchdown to make it 10-7 Buccaneers. The Packers after a touchback moved to a 3rd and 9 at the Tampa Bay 22. A completion gained only 4 yards. Anders Carlson hit a 36 yard field goal for a 10-10 tie.
The Buccaneers got the ball at their own 11 with 2:13 left in the half. They moved to a 3rd and 5 at the Green Bay 28 with 10 seconds left. Mayfield threw incomplete. McLaughlin hit a 46 yard field goal to make it 13-10 Buccaneers. The Buccaneers in the third quarter faced 3rd and 6 at their own 38.MAyfield Evans for 18. On 3rd and 12 from the Green Bay 46, Mayfield hit Godwin for 15. Mayfield went to White for a 26 yard touchdown to make it 20-10 Buccaneers. The Packers soon faced 3rd and 5 from their own 30. Love went to Wicks for 22. On 3rd and 8 from the Tampa 46, Love went to Wicks for 21. On 3rd and 14 from the Tampa 17, Love fired a laser to Jayden Reed, who got both feet down for the touchdown to get the Packers within 20-17 with 4 minutes left in the third quarter.
After a touchback, Mayfield went to Cade Otton for 22. On 2nd and 18 from his own 39 after a sack, Mayfield hit Godwin for 21. On 3rd and 8 from the Green Bay 38, Mayfield threw incomplete but defensive pass interference added 11 yards. Mayfield went to Otton for 22 and to Kieft for a 2 yard touchdown to make it 27-17 Buccaneers. After a touchback to start the fourth quarter, the Packers moved to a 3rd and 4 at the Tampa 15. Love threw incomplete. Carlson hit a 33 yard field goal to get the Packers within 27-20 with 10 minutes left in regulation. The Buccaneers soon faced 3rd and 4 at their own 31. Mayfield went to Godwin for 11. On 3rd and 4 from his own 48, Mayfield fired over the middle to Moore, who split the seams and raced for a 52 yard touchdown to ice the game with 6 1/2 minutes left. The 7-7 Buccaneers are actually in a realistic position to win their horrendous division. 34-20 Buccaneers
New York Giants at New Orleans Saints — Early on Randy Bullock drilled a 56 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Giants. The Saints soon faced 3rd and 5 at their own 37. Derek Carr hit Shaheed for 6. Carr went to Johnson for 15. Carr hit Bowden for 17. Carr found Kirkwood for a 7 yard touchdown to make it 7-3 Saints. In the second quarter the Giants moved from their own 40 to a 3rd and 2 at the Saints 21. Yet with one minute left in the half, Danny Devito’s 3rd cousin Tommy, who had led the Giants to 3 straight wins, was injured. Tyrod Taylor finished the drive. After spiking the ball to stop the clock with 6 seconds left, Gillan hit a 40 yard field goal to get the Giants within 7-6.
The Saints began the third quarter facing 3rd and 1 at their own 41. Alvin Kamara gained 2. On 3rd and 7 from his own 46, Carr threw incomplete but defensive holding meant a new set of downs. On 3rd and 3 from the Giants 42, Carr went to Jimmy Graham for 8. Carr went to Shaheed for 11 and to Jimmy Graham for a 23 yard touchdown to make it 14-6 Saints. The Saints got it back at their own 43 and moved to a 4th and 3 at the Giants 32. Blake Grupe hit a 50 yard field goal to make it 17-6 Saints. The Saints got it back at their own 35. Kamara ran for 15. Carr hit Kamara for 17. The fourth quarter began with the Saints facing 3rd and 16 at the Giants 39. Carr hit Perry for 16. Kamara ran for 8 and 7. On 3rd and goal at the 6, Carr went to Perry for the touchdown with 11 minutes left in regulation to complete the scoring. The 7-7 Saints have a very real chance of winning their terrible division. 24-6 Giants
Atlanta Falcons at Carolina Panthers — While this game probably would have been terrible in good weather, it was worse in a driving rainstorm. The 6-7 Falcons still had a chance to win their horrendous division while the Panthers were headed for the top pick in the Draft. After 21 minutes of scoreless drudge, one play made the difference. From his own 37, Desmond Ridder went deep to Smith for 56 yards. Ridder hit Cordarelle Patterson for a 2 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Falcons. Eddie Pineiro hit a 34 yard field goal late in the half to get the Panthers on the board. The Panthers managed to drive to a 2nd and 1 at the Atlanta 4 to start the fourth quarter, but a run lost 3 yards and Bryce Young threw incomplete. Pineiro hit again from 25 to get the Panthers within 7-6. The Falcons moved from their own 31 to the Carolina 18. Ridder was intercepted. The Panthers took over at their own 5 yard line midway through the fourth quarter. A field goal would win it but the rain was relentless. Young went to Tommy Tremble for 19. On 3rd and 3 from their own 37, Young went to Bingo for 20 and DJ Shark for 18. On 3rd and 3 from the Atlanta 8, Chuba Hubbard banged ahead for 6. The Falcons took their last timeout on defense with 1:41 left. From the 2 yard line, the Panthers refused to score a touchdown and give the Falcons the ball back. Young took 3 knees and took the clock down to one second. Pineiro came in for the 23 yarder to win it. The kick was good. League officials burned the tape of this game afterward. 9-7 Panthers
Chicago Bears at Cleveland Browns — The Browns came in 8-5 with a tough defense but a suspect offense. After a scoreless first quarter, Joe Flacco was intercepted by Jackson, who returned the pick 27 yards to the Cleveland one yard line. On 3rd and goal from the 5 after a false start, Justin Fields scrambled all over the place and found Cole Kmet for a the touchdown to make it 7-0 Browns. The Browns took over at their own 16. Flacco went to Ford for 3 and Tillman for 9. On 3rd and 7 from his own 31, Flacco went deep to Amari Cooper for a 42 yard gain. On 4th and 2 from the Chicago 19, Kevin Stefanski went for it. Rather than Flacco, it Was Dorian Thompson-Robinson hitting Ford for 5. Flacco came back in and hit Tillman for 13. Flacco went to David Njoku for a 2 yard touchdown for a 7-7 game.
Early in the third quarter, Flacco was intercepted by Edmunds, who returned the pick 45 yards for a defensive touchdown to make it 14-7 Browns. The Bears got it back at their own 30 and moved to a 3rd and 7 at the Cleveland 23. Fields threw incomplete. Cairo Santos hit a 41 yard field goal to make it 17-7 Bears. The Browns got a major break when the Bears fumbled a punt. The Browns squandered the opportunity when Flacco thew his third interception. The Bears took over at their own 35 and moved to a 4th and 1 at the Cleveland 33 to start the fourth quarter. Looking to put the game away, Matt Eberflus decided to go for it. Fields was taken down for no gain. The Browns had life, but barely.
The Browns moved to a 2nd and 5 at the Chicago 10 yard line. Offensive holding killed the drive. Dustin Hopkins hit a 33 yard field goal to get the Browns within 17-10 with 12 1/2 minutes left in regulation. With 5 1/2 minutes left the Browns took over at their own 20. On 3rd and 2 Kareem Hunt gained 3. Flacco hit Hunt for 12. With 3 minutes left, the Browns were just shy of midfield. Understand this about Flacco. He may be a shell of what he was a decade ago, but he still has a cannon of an arm. He went bombs away to Cooper for a 51 yard touchdown. Just like that, it was 17-17.
The Browns got it back at their own 21 with 1:50 left. Flacco went to Njoku for 31. On 3rd and 15 from their own 47, Flacco went to Njoku for 34. Yet on 3rd and 6 from the Chicago 15, Kevin Stefanski made a very questionable decision. He had Flacco take a knee. This would make sense if the Browns were out of timeouts, but they quickly called their last timeout with 36 seconds left. Hopkins hit the 34 yard field goal to give the Browns the lead, but after a touchback the Bears still had a chance. They moved to a 1st and 10 at the Cleveland 45 with 15 seconds left. Fields threw incomplete twice, leaving 5 seconds. Rather than try a 63 yard field goal, Matt Eberflus opted for the Hail Mary. It was a dandy. After getting batted around, it went straight to Darryl Mooney, who was laying on his back. Mooney had the miracle in his hands. It bounced off his body back in the air and was intercepted. The Bears were that close to a miracle win. Stefanski’s conservative approach nearly backfired. Yet the Browns are 9-5 and winning like they did in 1980, in Cardiac Kid fashion. 20-17 Browns
Kansas City Chiefs at New England Patriots — The 2 combined winningest coaches of all time faced off as Bill Belichick’s defense tried to stop Walrus Andy Reid’s offense. Early on both teams missed a field goal. The Chiefs soon faced 2nd and 4 at their own 37. Patrick Mahomes found Clyde Edwards-Helaire, who with a convoy rumbled 48 yards. Mahomes hit Rasheed Rice for 11. Jerock McKinnon took the wildcat snap and hit Rice for a 4 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Chiefs. The Patriots in the second quarter faced 3rd and 12 at their own 37. Bailey Zappe went to Hunter Henry for 15. On 3rd and 5 from the Kansas City 43, Zappe went to Parker for 19. On 4th and 2 from the Kansas City 16, Evil Hoodie Belichick went for it. Zappe hit Henry for the first down and the touchdown for a 7-7 game. Mahomes was immediately intercepted by Mapu, who returned the pick 20 yards to the Kansas City 8. A touchdown on 3rd and goal at the 3 was wiped away by offensive holding. Ryland hit a 25 yard field goal to make it 10-7 Patriots with 5 minutes left in the half. Yet Patrick Mahomes had never lost 3 straight, and the Patriots were a 3-10 team.
The Chiefs soon faced 3rd and 8 at their own 27. Mahomes went to Watson for 31. On 3rd and 9 from the New England 41, Mahomes went to Rice for 20. On 3rd and 1 from the New England 12, Clyde Edwards-Helaire gained 2 Mahomes went to McKinnon for an 8 yard touchdown with 35 seconds left in the half to make it 14-10 Chiefs. After a third quarter touchback, the Chiefs moved to a 3rd and 7 at the New England 11. Mahomes threw incomplete. Harrison Butker hit from 29 to make it 17-10 Chiefs. The Patriots took over at their own 21 and Zappe was immediately intercepted. William Gay returned the pick 24 yards to the New England 7. Mahomes hit Edwards Helaire for a 6 yard touchdown to make it 24-10 Chiefs. Butker tacked on a 54 yard field goal as 20 unanswered points had the Chiefs up 27-10 after three quarters.
The Patriots managed one more touchdown but nothing more. Yet with the game out of reach, a very class move showed how much respect these coaches have of each other. Evil Hoodie Bill Belichick and Walrus Andy Reid have had some tough battles at the highest levels. Yet now Belichick has his worst team in over 25 years, and he may be unceremoniously fired at the end of the season. With 2 1/2 minutes left in regulation, the Patriots turned the ball over on downs at their own 6 yard line. After a 2 yard run allowed the clock to hit the 2 minute warning, Reid was not going to run up the score. Reid had Mahomes take a pair of knees. On 4th and 4 from the 7, Reid had Mahomes take another knee, giving the Patriots the ball back. Belichick just handed the ball off to end the game. The Patriots put up a fight, but the Chiefs got to 9-5, a full 2 games up in the AFC West with only 3 games left. This makes Andy Reid a most happy walrus indeed. 27-17 Patriots
San Francisco 49ers at Arizona Cardinals — The 10-3 49ers faced a tough challenge from the 3-10 Cardinals. After a touchback and a defensive offside, Kyler Murray went to McBride for gains of 11 and 38. Murray ran for 12. James Conner ran for 3 and then for the 2 yard touchdown to make it 7-0 Cardinals. The 49ers soon faced 3rd and 1 from their own 34. Christian McCaffrey gained 13. Brock Purdy hit Deebo Samuel for 11. McCaffrey ran for 4 and 26. Purdy hit Samuel for a 12 yard touchdown to make it 7-7. After a touchback, Jonathan Gannon gambled on 4th and 3 from the San Francisco 42. Murray was intercepted by Ward, who returned the pick 66 yards for a defensive touchdown to make it 14-7 49ers. Matt Prater nailed second quarter field goals of 58 and 43 to get the Cardinals within 14-13.
The 49ers soon faced 3rd and 5 at their own 30. Purdy went to Brandon Aiyuk for 8. Purdy hit Kyle Juszczyk for 8 with 15 more tacked on for roughing the passer. On 3rd and 2 from the Arizona 25, Purdy went to George Kittle for 19. Purdy hit McCaffrey for a 5 yard touchdown to cap the 10 play, 75 yard, 5 minute drive and make it 21-13 49ers with one minute left in the half. Early in the third quarter the 49ers faced 3rd and 11 at their own 24. Purdy went to Kittle for 35 and deep to McCaffrey for a 41 yard touchdown to make it 28-13 49ers. The Cardinals moved from their own 10 to a 1st and goal at the 5. A pair of incompletions were sandwiched around a sack of Murray. Prater hit from 28 to get the Cardinals within 28-16.They got no closer. Juszczyke returned a short kickoff 18 yards to his own 40. Purdy went to Kittle for 22. McCaffrey ran for 5, 18 and 11. McCaffrey ran for a one yard touchdown to make it 35-16 49ers after three quarters. The Cardinals managed one fourth quarter touchdown, but the 49ers kept pouring it on. Purdy hit Samuel for a 19 yard touchdown to cap a 75 yard drive and make it 42-22 49ers. An interception of Murray led to Moody hitting a 43 yard field goal to make it 45-22 49ers with 3 minutes left. The Cardinals managed one more touchdown but the 49ers are in strong position heading into the playoffs. They became the first team to clinch their division and have a shot at home field throughout the playoffs. 45-29 49ers
Washington Commanders at Los Angeles Rams — The Rams in the first quarter moved from their own 19 to a 3rd and goal at the 3. Matthew Stafford was sacked. Havrisik hit a 22 yard field goal to make it 3-0 Rams. The Rams took over at their own 47 midway through the second quarter. On 3rd and 5, Stafford went to Cooper Kupp for 8. Robinson gained 23. On 3rd and 4 from the Washington 11, Stafford went to Kupp for 9. On 3rd and goal at the one, Williams got the yard up the middle. Just before the 2 minute warning, the Rams led 10-0. With 34 seconds left, the Commanders fumbled a punt and the Rams recovered at the Washington 15. On 3rd and goal at the 9, Stafford threw incomplete with 3 seconds left. Havrisik hit from 27 to make it 13-0 Rams at the break. After a third quarter touchback, the Rams needed two plays to score. Williams ran for 13. Stafford went deep to Kupp for a 68 yard touchdown and a 20-0 Rams lead.
A 15 yard punt return gave the Commanders a short field at the Rams 48. On 4th and 3, Sam Howell went to Terry McLaurin for 17. On 3rd and 5 from the Rams 19, Howell hit Samuel for the touchdown to get the Commanders within 20-7. The Rams took over just shy of midfield to start the fourth quarter. Stafford went to Nacua for 9 and 18. On 3rd and 9 from the Washington 23, Stafford went to Robinson for the touchdown. Sean McVay went for 2 and Williams ran it in to make it 28-7 Rams 90 seconds into the fourth quarter. Havrisik missed a 43 yard field goal try with 9 minutes left that would have extended the lead.
Ron Rivera benched Sam Howell for Jacoby Brissett. The Commanders from their own 33 mounted a furious comeback. Brissett ran for 9. Brissett went to Jahan Dotson for 12 and Samuel for 9. Brissett went to McLaurin for a 29 yard touchdown. Midway through the fourth quarter, the Commanders were within 28-14. The Commanders got it back at their own 35 with 6 minutes left. Brissett went bombs away to McLaurin for a 48 yard gain down to the one. Twice a touchdown was taken off the board. Yet on 4th and goal at the 7, defensive pass interference saved the Commanders after an incompletion. On 4th and goal at the 3, Brissett hit Samuel for the touchdown. The extra point was blocked. The Commanders were within 8, but only 1:46 remained. The onside kick failed. Williams did the rest, running for 8, 4, 6, 2, and one final yard as the clock hit triple zeroes. The 7-7 Rams are still alive for a playoff spot. 28-20 Rams
Dallas Cowboys at Buffalo Bills — The Bills got a controversial win to get to 7-6 on the year as they fight for survival. The Cowboys came in 10-3 and having clinched a playoff spot earlier in the day due to other action. This game was never a contest. The Bills began facing 3rd and 2 at their own 33. Josh Allen ran for 5. James Cook ripped off gains of 10 and 12. Allen went to Stefan Diggs for 18. Cook ripped off 7 and 3. On 3rd and 4 at the Dallas 6, Allen threw incomplete but roughing the passer meant 1st and goal at the 3. Latavius Murray ran for a 2 yard touchdown. The 12 play, 75 yard, 7 minute drive made it 7-0 Bills. In the second quarter the Bills took over at their own 14. Cook gained 8, 2 and 2. On 4th and 8 from their own 26, the Bills punted. Yet roughing the passer instead gave the Bills 15 yards and new life. Allen went to Cook for 24 as the first quarter expired. On 3rd and 1 from the Dallas 26 in the second quarter, Johnson gained 8. Allen went to Cook for an 18 yard touchdown to make it 14-0 Bills.
The Cowboys managed a field goal, but this game was over. The Bills took over at their own 24. Cook ran for 12 and 4. On 2nd and 19 from their own 38, Allen threw incomplete but defensive unnecessary roughness added 15 yards and new downs. Allen ran for 9 and Cook added 9 more. Cook ran for 20 down to the one. Allen got the last yard as the Bills led 21-3 at the midpoint. In the third quarter the Bills from their own 30 moved 63 yards in 15 plays and 8 1/2 minutes. On 3rd and goal at the 5, Allen threw incomplete. Tyler Bass hit from 23 to make it 24-3 Bills. The Bills got it back at their own 33 to start the fourth quarter. Cook ran for 17. On 3rd and 8 from the Dallas 46, Allen hit Diggs for 17. Cook ran for a 24 yard touchdown to have the Bills cruising 31-3. Allen threw only 15 passes, completing 7 of them for 94 yards. He didn’t need to throw. The Bills ran the ball 49 times for 266 yards. Cook led the way with 179 yards on 25 carries, a whopping 7 yards per carry. The Cowboys managed a garbage touchdown. 31-10 Bills
Baltimore Ravens at Jacksonville Jaguars is the Sunday night game. Two good teams went at it in a defensive slugfest as the 10-3 Ravens took on the 8-5 Jaguars. Justin Tucker hit a 43 yard field goal early on to make it 3-0 Ravens. The Jaguars on consecutive possessions saw Brandon McManus miss field goal tries of 50 and 55 yards. The 50 yarder doinked off the upright no good. An interception of Lamar Jackson led to a drive to the red zone, but Trevor Lawrence inexplicably fumbled the ball away without being touched. The Ravens faced 3rd and 10 at their 40. Jackson went to Bateman for 12. On 3rd and 6 from the Jacksonville 44, Jackson went O’Dell Beckham for 14. Jackson ran for 9 and hit Kolar for 15. Jackson went to Isaiah Likely for a 16 yard touchdown. With one minute left in the half, the Ravens led 10-0. A strong kickoff return had the Jaguars at their own 41. With 30 seconds left from the Baltimore 41, Lawrence went deep to Zee Jones for a 36 yard gain and 1st and goal at the 5. The Jaguars had 11 seconds but 0 timeouts. There was plenty of time for 2 or even 3 shots at the end zone. A field gal would be a chip shot 23 yarder. Instead Lawrence inexplicably completed a one yard pass inbounds and the clock ran out. These mistakes were very uncharacteristic of Lawrence or any Doug Pederson coached team.
The Jaguars moved the ball up and down the field in the first half but did not score. Then in the third quarter it all came in one big bite. On 3rd and 2 from his own 20, Lawrence went to Evan Engram for 12. Lawrence then went bombs away to a wide open Jamal Agnew for a 65 yard touchdown. Just like that, the Jaguars were within 10-7. The Ravens after a touchback moved to a 4th and 7 at the Jacksonville 39. Tucker ran onto the field since a 57 yard try is well within his range. Yet John Harbaugh decided to go for it. It turned out just to be gamesmanship get the Jaguars to jump offside for a closer field goal try. The Jacksonville defense didn’t bite. After the delay of game, the Ravens punted. Yet a sack of Lawrence had the Jaguars punting on 4th and 19 from his own one. The Ravens got it back at their own 42. Mitchell gained 24. Jackson then nearly had his head taken off, avoided the sack and threw a deep prayer into double coverage right before getting nailed. Somehow, Likely came down with it for a 26 yard gain. On the first play of the fourth quarter, Edwards ran for a one yard touchdown to make it 17-7 Ravens. The Ravens got it back at their own 24 and moved to a 2nd and goal at the 4. Jackson was sacked. Tucker hit a 26 yard field goal to make it 20-7 Ravens midway through the fourth quarter. As Lawrence was about to be sacked, he tried to throw the ball and fumbled it away instead. The Ravens took over at the Jacksonville 19. Tucker hit from 34 to finish the scoring. The 11-3 Ravens are one game up in the race for home field advantage throughout the playoffs. 23-7 Ravens
Philadelphia Eagles at Seattle Seahawks was the Monday night game. The 10-3 Eagles looked to right the ship after two straight losses. Jalen Hurts battled illness during the week but played. After a touchback, Hurts ran for 13 on the first play. On 3rd and 9 from their own 39, Hurts hit Dallas Goedert for 18. On 3rd and 6 from the Seattle 39, Hurts went to aJ Brown for 11. Kenneth Gainwell ran for 5 and 8. On 3rd and 3 from the Seattle 8, Gainwell gained 4. On 3rd and goal at the 3, Hurts ran for the touchdown. The 15 play, 75 yard, 8 1/2 minute drive made it 7-0 Eagles. The Eagles began the second quarter at their own 29 and moved 63 yards in 10 plays and another 8 1/2 minutes. Yet on 3rd and 1 from the Seattle 3, a false start was a killer. A run on 3rd and 6 went nowhere. Jake Elliott hit a 27 yard field goal to make it 10-0 Eagles. After a touchback, the Seahawks moved to a 3rd and 7 at the Philadelphia 11. A completion gained only 3 yards. Jason Myers hit a 26 yard field goal to get the Seahawks within 10-3 with 1:42 left in the half. After a third quarter touchback, Drew Lock hit walker for 8 and 2. Walker ran for 7. Lock hit Walker again for 15. Charbonnet ran for 6 and 5. On 3rd and 1 from the Philadelphia 23, Walker broke free for the touchdown and a 10-10 game.
The Eagles soon faced 3rd and 1 at their own 34. Deandre Swift gained 3 with defensive illegal use of hands adding 5 more. Hurts ran for 13. On 3rd and 9 from the Seattle 44, Hurts went to Brown for 11. On 3rd and 3 from the Seattle 26, Hurts went to Smith for 17. Swift ran for 8 and Hurts got the last yard. The 12 play, 75 yard, 5 1/2 minute drive made it 17-10 Eagles. In the fourth quarter the Seahawks moved from their own 30 to a 3rd and 2 at the Seattle 18. Lock was sacked. Myers hit a 43 yard field goal to cap the 11 play, 45 yard, 6 1/2 minute drive and get the Seahawks within 17-13 with 10 minutes left in regulation. With 1:52 left the Seahawks took over at their own 8 yard line. Lock went to DK Metcalf for 18, to Fant for 5, and to Metcalf for 6. On 3rd and 7 from their own 37, Lock went deep to Metcalf for 34 yards. With 28 seconds left on 3rd and 10 from the Philadelphia 29, Lock went to Smith-Njigba for the touchdown. After a touchback, Hurts ran for 20 and the Eagles took their first timeout with 13 seconds left. Hurts went deep into double coverage and Love made a diving interception at his own 17. The Seahawks stopped the downward slide to get to 7-7 while the Eagles after a 10-1 start have lost three straight games. The Eagles are now one game back in the race for home field advantage throughout the conference playoffs. 20-17 Seahawks